Law to Lawless Lands

[thelonewarrior 886]

Well they are going to be implementing measures to stop server hopping, one of the ideas rocket said he had in mind was that after you leave a game your character can still be hurt and killed for 5 seconds so you cant bug out during a fight.

And also they are putting plans into motion that tracks whether you keep entering and leaving the same game over a period of time (not 1 game, they leave game 1 to server hop and kill a player, tracked, another server and they server hop again and its tracked. I think if they leave and enter a server in a small amount of time after the third time they get punished with a cooldown before they can enter games, these are just some ideas rocket has said he is thinking of adding in)

[*Regulator* Curt 93]

I sure hope they can fix server hopping, if there's one thing a Vigilante hates worse than a murderer, it's a cheating murderer!

Really though, I just want a solution to the rampant kill on sight. I don't want bandits gone, far from it, I like them being fairly common. What I do not like is the fact that even players who want to be good feel forced to shoot on sight. It's an up hill climb being the good guy, but at least we get the warm fuzzy feeling inside ;D.

[TheBlackJim 32]

Make a list of all current regulators on your post, list their forum names and in game names. My in game name is [Reg] James.

[thelonewarrior 886]

Good idead, my ingame name is [Regulator] Lone Warrior

[*Regulator* Oldtribe 68]

Thanks to Regulator Brother Brad_B, the Regulator forum is now up and running:

http://regulators.freeforums.org/index.php

Go and sign up - I will write basic articles on the topics as fast as RL allows me to, but you guys can already start organizing and sharing information!

-O

[*Regulator* Curt 93]

I'm also trying to compile every useful resource out there (guides, data charts, tips etc.) into the tips of our forums section so we can share it among ourselves to better understand the game. Once you've signed up on those forums, you'll gain access to those threads, and you can help contribute if you want.

Remember guys, none of this is necessary -- it's just there for those who want to get more organized.

[KillSwitch_1 0]

I've been reading this Forum post for a while (It's very long!) and i think it's a great idea. I'd definitely be up for it, so you can count me in. (If you'd have me)

[arx 61]

Tho I wish the game could cater to groups like this, like an online version of Fallout, unfortunately it does not.

How the hell can you judge, from server to server, who is good and bad? From a distance or even from close up? How will you help ppl? Let's say you hear gunfire in a town. You head there and see 2 ppl firing at eachother.. How do you know who started that? If you open fire on the guy with the alice and sniper rifle and kill him you might only just be done patting yourselves on teh back for that when you get shot through the skull by the man you saved

[thelonewarrior 886]

Clatterbridge

it can be difficult, but you learn by watching people what their intentions are.

Im mostly hunting those that clearly murder an unarmed or freshly spawned player just because it gives them thrills.

Ive seen it a couple of times where someone opens up on a fresh spawn or even waits at spawn points.

If two people are shooting and I didnt see who started it, I wont get involved as ill likely just get shot anyway

Edited July 29, 2012 by thelonewarrior

[*Regulator* Curt 93]

@KillSwitch_1

We'd love to have you bro! I'll add you to the list if you're still interested. Feel free to visit our private forums (in the first post) and sign up there if you wish to join the more organized section of Regulators.

Found here: http://regulators.freeforums.org/index.php

@Clatterbridge

I see what you're saying man, and I'll try to explain how the Regulator can get by in this harsh world.

First off, let me start this off by saying, being one of the good guys is an up hill battle. You will almost always be at a disadvantage, both in equipment and options. I'm not saying it's not hard, but there are ways of doing it. For example (using your scenario) I would suggest that the Regulator hide and attempt to make contact through the direct channel. A Regulator should always try to play things cautiously and safe. The Regulator should ask the man questions, talk to him, and eventually try to make contact (preferably when the Regulator has an advantage) if at all possible. If not, in this specific case, I'd suggest that the Regulator avoid contact altogether, and stalk the subject or move along.

A Regulator has it a bit harder than most players, self imposed restrictions like trying not to kill the innocent, can really make it difficult for us to do our job. Generally speaking, though, most bandit shootouts I've witnessed have one clear aggressor, because Day Z is less about shootouts and more about ambushes, generally people don't see each other at the same time, and it's pretty easy to spot who is being the aggressive one.

Again, I'd like to say, that no one is saying that doing this is easy. However, I and many others believe, that it will help the game long term, it makes the game more enjoyable for the person who chooses this path, and it adds a whole new dynamic to the game -- a group of well armed friendlies hunting those who prey on innocents for their loot.

Edited July 29, 2012 by Brad_B

[sorienz 0]

lol bandits not organized... thats a first.

[*Regulator* Oldtribe 68]

lol bandits not organized... thats a first.

Totally agree...bandits are the closest to organized teams in this game currently, but they (I assume) play with a more traditional FPS clan structure, meaning that they shoot at other bandits as much as they shoot at anything else. In any case, I think the bandits are a good thing, since they keep the game interesting. I think the biggest problem is the small groups who are not even interested in loot, but just shoot pointless targets because they haven't got anything better to do. These ones we might be able to counter, especially since we're not going to go about this in a clan manner at all.

Gaining the trust of survivors is a hard thing, so Regulators will do well by staying in the shadows and collecting information before springing into action. We have some lone snipers joining up too, so I assume that these guys will go on hunting players like they used to, but will do so with this 'good intention' of firing only at targets that they judge to be be a menace to the game (ie not the guy with a hatchet as much as the team of three with ghillies and m24s). I would urge Regulators (and anybody wanting to join) to always think before firing - is this guy alone and is he "guilty" of griefing. Anyway, you guys know how to play :D

Welcome aboard anybody who's interested!

-O

[*Regulator* Curt 93]

lol bandits not organized... thats a first.

Not really. While a lot of bandits travel in packs and are very organized, a lot of them are lone wolf and aren't organized in the slightest. Remember, the recent events in this game (the kill on sight mentality especially) has made a lot of solo players turn to banditry to survive.

[*Regulator* Oldtribe 68]

Newsflash: discovered a well-stocked bandit camp while on patrol, more info on the Regulator forum.

-O

[*Regulator* Curt 93]

Newsflash: discovered a well-stocked bandit camp while on patrol, more info on the Regulator forum.

-O

Suddenly, I see a jump in recruitment in our future (bandits gonna use us to get themselves loot rofl).

[Alec (DayZ) 0]

My name in game is [Regulator] Toren and I've had some luck with disrupting bandits so add me to the list :) I'm about to check out the forums and try to group up with some fellow regulatos

[*Regulator* Curt 93]

My name in game is [Regulator] Toren and I've had some luck with disrupting bandits so add me to the list :) I'm about to check out the forums and try to group up with some fellow regulatos

Very nice, always good to hear of some success!

[TheBlackJim 32]

lol bandits not organized... thats a first.

We never said that. We are just another organized group to oppose them.

[TheBlackJim 32]

Newsflash: discovered a well-stocked bandit camp while on patrol, more info on the Regulator forum.

-O

Oh boy. Ima going to check that out now.

[*Regulator* Curt 93]

Oh boy. Ima going to check that out now.

I wonder if it's still there even, Oldtribe might have made it go poof lol.

[JDCollie 24]

Seems like a good idea to me. I may be a bandit, but facing organized opposition can't do anything but make things more interesting for everyone.

[Junior (DayZ) 0]

While all of this seems like a good idea, I must say sadly, I do not think it will work. A bad bandit does not last long, and will end up dead to other players or even zeds. But the bandits that survive, they are the good bandits. They have not survived out of luck.they have survived out of skill. They have seen battle, combat and other people trying to kill them, and they have lived through it all.

Fighting fire with fire will not work.

Not to mention, how are we sure this is not just some plot by someone. What better way to establish dominance over aplace, than by having other people go and kill th troubling bandits for you, then taking it over in the name of the law.

It will become a never ending cycle, until as others have said, how will we tell the difference between bandits and regulators.

There are ways to wipe bandits out, but this is not the most effective. Plus, if non bandits try and unite against the bandits, what do you think the bandits will do? Stay as little splinter groups, or form up into a proper force and start to actively hit people.

[Heiduk 265]

Interesting idea, but I can't see it having much of an impact on the game as a whole.

The problem I see with this, and all of the other vigilante groups, is one of intel. You are essentially fighting a well armed, and in some cases well organized, insurgency. To make matters worse the insurgents don't necessarily have any goals other than watching the world burn. They have well defined target zones, loot and in some cases player spawns, and can choose when and how to attack anyone who shows themselves in those zones. Given the nature of DayZ it is difficult to identify and target individual players, therefore, the vigilantes' rules of engagement typically limit them to responding to observed attacks on noncombatants or running the rabbit themselves. To have a meaningful impact on even a small number of the 100s of servers out there you are going to need a huge number of regulators. You can go on all the patrols you want, and you may win a few battles, but if you don't know how this turns out I refer you to Algeria, Vietnam, and Afghanistan (pick your favorite decade).

The only way I can see any of the vigilante groups having any impact, outside of a few isolated areas, is by taking the server hopping approach of Dr. Wasteland, except swapping blood bags for guns. Bandits won't report themselves though, so somebody needs to setup the Citizen CIA. Knowing that "There are probably some snipers hanging around Cherno" is fairly useless but knowing that "On server US 4000, at 1837 UTC 27 July, two individuals wearing ghillie suits and armed with an AS50 and SAW were observed at 063128 firing on survivors entering Cherno." is actionable intelligence. If there was a webpage collecting reports and showing little red dots on a map for reports within the last hour, yellow dots within the last 3 hours, and gray dots within the last 24 hours all you aspiring vigilantes, and bandits, would have a nice convenient list of high value targets. Would the reports be reliable? Sometimes. Would it eliminate banditry? No. Would it encourage sever hopping? Maybe. Would some people have fun at others expense? Yes. Would it break the game even more? I have no idea.

Good luck out there,

[Junior (DayZ) 0]

I would love to be involved in data collection as was mentioned above, that would be really fun. Proper data collection would be hard though, and how could we verify the intel, and make sure it is not a trap.

[*Regulator* Oldtribe 68]

Great points made - I think the short-term objective of the Regulators is aimed more at restoring people's trust in other players (that might actually be a very long term objective though) and going after the thrill killers that pop people with no reason. One part of this is definitely cleaning up the damages by helping wounded with supplies and ammo and just Being Nice to people who've not chosen to shoot everybody on sight.

As far as organization goes, we're going to adopt a "no bases"-approach where individual cells of Regulators will operate very independently on their patrol areas (much like small clans already do). If they encounter something significant, like a massive bandit base, our system will help them summon a couple of extra teams to the site for a larger operation. Will it end banditry? No. Will it be fun? Hell yes!

Cells will also do trading and resupply within the Regulators, so let's say your team of 4 Regulators is in deep shit and out of ammo - call for backup and we'll dispatch runners with supplies and firepower to bail you out. We're made of lone wolf type players who can scavenge basic gear in under an hour and make their way to your location. The Regulator "base" is constantly on the move and very hard to wipe out completely.

On the intel collecting, I think we'll learn this by doing. Biggest concern I have is the speed the information gets relayed and how - in most cases the bandits have already disappeared when we have mustered enough forces to mount a decent strike. Because of this thing called "real life", there can't be just a single guy somewhere on alert (which is why the cell organization will be ideal for a small group like us). We'll need better intel overall - where did these guys go? If we see clan [X] always hanging around Stary on servers A, B and C, chances are we'll find at least their supply base near that area on one of the servers. Taking that out will push them back one step or at least make them bleed manpower and time if they are going to keep it guarded or moving around. Result: they're not shooting at noobs for that time and probably are enjoying the game more as well if they can feel somebody on their tails. Everybody wins (except the bandits lost their eq, but there's always more of that lying around).

In the end, we're dedicated to do this to make the game more fun for us, for the people we save and (I believe) for the people we go after - it's a common cause for all players of this game to fight boredom and to make it interesting. Rocket is doing his part by developing it, it's up for us players to pitch out lot in and bring more toys to the sandbox.

-O