Server maturation / lifecycle

[hoik 415]

blackboards, graffiti, a piece of paper in the bank and numbered lockers at the hotel - all of that can be used to leave a message. None of it seems difficult to create. Running around and looking for better loot doesn't cut it for me, on the long run. The exploration of the map is over after 1-2 weeks and then you are left with what? I still haven't found out. My game is the same like it was 2 days ago. I evade other players and find nothing new of interest.

Since items will create factions, I suggest placing more items that make sense and removing some of the ones that are least popular. The problem is surely that one item takes the same amount of ram as do 50 of the same items, but when you keep adding more and more it will slow things down to extremes. So there has to be a finite number of items. Those should make development of more varied stories possible.

So say there are a limitied amount of items in game, I think the key would be to have all the items (that is ones that are aimed at creating story/factions) reacting with eachother - say every item can interact with other items in 1 way - in such ways that even though there are a say 50 'faction' items there will actually be infinate possible interactions between them...(I think?)?

Claytonaj, I haven't played 'The Stanley Parable', but might have to install HL2 and give it a go - I've also read a thread highly recomending the game 'Pathalogic' as good guide/reference to DayZ but its a bit hard to come across.

As an end note, I think if dayZ had seasons/phases, factions based on Items, solid comunication sytems (both diecet and indirect), a well designed surrender mechanic, player-perks of some sort, random loot drops (be they player driven or not), and player driven end games (including the possibility to save/kill the server) - well, it would be f'ing awsome...