"containers" instead of loot piles

[alderous (DayZ) 16]

I was wondering if it would be beneficial for the mod to replace loot piles with various containers. I don't mean only chests and boxes - these could be a fridge, a cabinet, a vending machine or a cupboard, but technicaly they would be like an ammo box in ArmA2 (so you can pick up or put something in without item's 3d model actually "appear" in-game).

I guess it would require placing them properly inside houses and a general makeover of the loot spawning scripts. On the other hand, as far as I know, it is the creation of objects out "the thin air" via scripting commands, that cause lots of problems with data synchronization and lags. I think adding and removing items from "containers" (inserted on the editor level) would be smoother and safer then creating everything "on fly".

I know its not something that can be done easily and in near future, but maybe for a standalone its worth consideration.

[Strouth 1]

I think it is a good idea. As you said earlier, it won't be done anytime soon but, its worth implementing in the standalone game. For the sake of authenticity, the game needs containers. I don't normally keep my firearms, food, and water littered on the floor.

[thejcband 9]

I like the idea only for the sake of adding realism. I still think items should also spawn loosely on the ground for the excitement of seeing something that you haven't seen before and then figuring out what it is.

[LordRayken 30]

Nah, because the stuff you're looting has been picked over/ransacked. You're not the first survivor getting to the location. It's all just piled up and strewn about, except for the occasional hospital box or ammo box.

Edited July 30, 2012 by LordRayken

[Smiling Bandit 5]

Good idea. But you won't get rid of the 3d models because you can drop items anywhere.

[alderous (DayZ) 16]

Good idea. But you won't get rid of the 3d models because you can drop items anywhere.

Well...I dont want to get rid of them.

[dsi24 227]

So instead of adding a whole loot pile's worth of IDs you want to add a whole loot pile's worth of IDs plus one more?

wat

[alderous (DayZ) 16]

Instead of adding a pile of 3d models with textures (someof them with a lot of polys - like weapons), I propose adding a single 3d model (in most cases 3d box with texture). Also that single 3d model is added when mission is loaded, not while playing. So for example in the city there will be 50 "boxes" (lets say 20 poly each - so 1000 polys overall), instead of 50 piles (lets say 3 items per single pile and every item has about 100 polys - so 15000 polys overall) which have to be created "on fly".

In the other words, a lot of items wont be "existing" in-game "physically" until someone drop them.

[hkurban 31]

I like this idea both for the gameplay factor and for the performance implications.

This would almost certainly reduce the performance workload of having hundreds of high detail models spawned in the world. Additionally, the looting process is even more of a gamble, since you can't see what's in the box until you open it. Yes there would still be piles of loot here and there, but think about it, in an environment like this, would you find everything you need sprawled out all over the floor? It's far more likely that you'd pull open drawers, raid pantries, tear open boxes, maybe even rummage through trash cans and dumpsters etc.

As an added bonus, this would hopefully free up enough processing power to allow a trash system Rocket has wanted to add, whereby eating canned food or drinking soda drops a piece of trash loot. Adds to the suspense of the game when you come across a random collection of tin cans where items don't normally spawn.

Also, I'd like to mention that Rocket has at least toyed with this idea. If you look at DayZ items in the editor, you'll find a couple boxes of groceries, which look like medical loot boxes, but they contain an assortment of canned food and a few gear items like matches or knives, which I assume would have their numbers diminished based on a loot spawn system IE .05% chance a knife spawns in the box 50% chance X canned food spawns etc. etc.

Edited July 31, 2012 by HKurban

[Zymi 64]

I wouldn't mind a container every now and then. I do like the loot strewn across the ground, seems more realistic to me than neatly packed containers. Perhaps both?

[reginahoward 0]

We all know that containers, such as bottles, boxes, cans and etc are very useful to store and transport things. There is nothing quite as exciting as studying old mythology and sailor’s tales. Alright, so maybe there are couple things more exciting than that. Most things now that I think about it: Parasailing, racecar driving…golf. But once in a while you have to sit down and read old books and feel old, right? So let’s go on a mystical, wonderful journey into the world of famous packages.

Edited September 10, 2012 by reginahoward

[Zeppa 562]

I really like the idea, like in fallout you could go through cabinets, fridges, boxes etc if they have loot in them.

And the loot cycle could go through map randomly, that there is no new loot spawn on same second everywhere.

Edited September 1, 2012 by Zeppa