Signs, Markings, "Help Alive Inside!"

[mace_dragon 0]

Any possibility of placing some sort of cardboard sign or writing to indicate anything.

For bandits, it would lay down some obvious traps.

However for survivors looking to help other it could help make that a greater possibility.

Obviously, you'd have to play smart if your going to leave a sign describing your position and offering help. But you could leave instructions on the sign on how one is suppose to approach the refuge location to receive aid.

Just some sort of long distance communications aside from direct com and bringing back side channel (glad that's gone by the way).

Thoughts? Expanding ideas?

Edited July 22, 2012 by mace_dragon

[DeadManDan 23]

I have seen on some servers the map screen would be riddled with circle x signs each with a message attached like 'sniper here' 'our base here' 'come here for help' 'no bandits here' <--in chenarus, etc.

But ya I'd like to see the ability to leave messages on sign posts, trees, walls, wtc.

Still not convinced rocket and devs ever read suggestions though.

[Igor (DayZ) 96]

Let's give trollers another feature to abuse.

First firefencing

then tank traps

then sandbags

soon beartraps

and now troll signs

Hackers can also script a feature to make this feature highly abusive. Not supporting unless the writings are all server-side and only the server owners can place these signs.

[youfindhans@gmail.com 27]

Yep this is a very cool idea and Suggested many times already.

Some problems though: (Which you have less with barb wire and tank traps)

When its a solid hard placeable sign.

Visual:

- Placing it in a house would not make sense. (Barb wire would)

- Placing it on hard surfaces would not make sense. (Barb wire, Tank Traps, and Sand Bags would)

- Many other locations where it doesnt make sense.

- Can confuse new players.

- Turns the world in a less realistic place.

It will simply make the place look very unrealistic quickly.

But perhaps it could be something made with scrap material and something that not has to stick in the ground to fit in the scene.

Code:

- There is no editing a text on something feature in arma yet. only the one for on your map.

Abuse:

- Because it allows the player to input data on it inworld it can quickly become an abuse issue. (giving the denvelopers allot of extra work time on refining it)

Other Reasons:

- Rocket says he likes small detail allot. that makes you really feel like you are in the game. - Signs with stupid messages and in wierd locations mess that up. (Not as much with wires and traps)

- Because people will write whatever they want its gonna become unrealistic because they will write unimportant stuff since its just a game and since they are not server tied.

Its for these reasons i think this could and would only come in the stand alone version of DayZ.

One thing that might work though:

- A note you can place in the form of a piece of paper. could be something that would work perhaps. since it doesnt obstruct so much visual and people can just neglect it without seeing the message.

But still i dont think it will be added because of the other things is stated above. perhaps in the standalone though.

[Skylent 0]

This is what gave Left 4 Dead its atmosphere.

This is what every zombie movie uses to express emotional distress in characters off screen. Allows you to see a larger scale then what is possible to reveal normally.

This is a tool used in Minecraft Survival Servers for multiple reasons such as bulletin boards, to directions.

In an interview Rocket said he used Minecraft as inspiration. As well stated that he wanted to give players more ability to communicate as a group and in a way that would not promote killing or the opposite. This would give bandits a tool to track and kill, and survivors a tool to locate and communicate with each other.

citation:

Would it be so difficult? In school they teach us that us designers shouldn't tell the programmers how to do there job, so I will explain this with no code explanations.

Possibly use an in game object and reskin it. Something like a billboard or poster. Have multiple versions of this skin in order to communicate such as "survivors go to church" or "Beware!" the re-skinning would occur when a player activates the object and chooses the text to use. Like you need a can of paint and need to be at the location then activate the script.

I like the idea of notes as well. Possibly could have a billboard area that you can post the paper object. Then a player activates the paper and reads what the player had written on it "much like minecraft"

More complicated would be completely custom text but that would be harder.

Adding a "tagging" system could allow players to graffiti areas with a sprite selected. "Survivors here" "dead inside" "go to...." etc. This could be used on certain select surfaces such as flat walls and billboards. Though, would use a considerable amount of paint. "so you can't just paint the whole town red"

Doing this would give the world a proper feeling of population. The game is supposed to be desolate, but the experience is about human interaction. Giving areas a record-able history, giving players the ability to leave a trace, will allow others to see the effects. Making the world feel bigger than it really is just as movies have done before.

You can say it may make the game world look mad, but it truly is regardless.