Secondary Melee Weapons

[Scratchz 20]

So got to this by my other post and I actually find this one hell of an idea.

Secondary Melee Weapons! You start out with them just like a flashlight but they don't do alot damage at all, they'll only make you able to kill a zombie instead of not being able to do so but it'll take 5-6-7 hits to kill them. They should be made a little quicker in movement or that you'll be able to use them while walking or running. And they will need to be weapons you can actually find in real-life households too, like: Machetes, Knifes, Hammers, Baseball Bats, Sickles, 1-H Axes etc.

To make it useful in-game, make it so each has it's own use/damage output.

Like knifes are like hunting knifes but you'll be able to attack with them too or Machetes can cut grass or something. I'd find it really useful and fun for DayZ, it wouldn't be useless but it won't be very useful either. Just perfect for starters and still useful for pro's.

All put together, they should add a Melee Weapon Slot with lot's of different melee weapons to put in it which all have their own use in the form of Status-Effects and/or kill a zombie at once with each it's own range. With the Melee Weapons being mostly the stuff already in-game to be used.

What's your oppinion about this suggestion? Leave a comment if you like, I'd really much appreciate it (:

Edited August 5, 2012 by Scratchz

[alec167 62]

uhh interesting.

[The True Nova 22]

Machetes could act as an alternative to axes as well so you can use that to cut wood too.

Hammers- only useful and make sense if the suggestion for building your own homes was to be implemented.

Baseball bats and sickles would be a nice addition and a bit more fun.

1 hand axes are not needed at all considering we already have a axe in game and it's not like your playing Wow were you can dual wield them.

Hunting knives should be capable of being used as a weapon, at very least secondary.

[Vertisce 158]

Personally I like the idea...only thing is I think they need to fix it so that a melee weapon can be used without dropping your primary or moving it to your backpack first. After that they can add as many melee weapons as they like to the game and make them starter weapons too.

Again, the fact that melee is in the game is a miracle in itself. The devs deserve mad props for making that happen.

[Scratchz 20]

Personally I like the idea...only thing is I think they need to fix it so that a melee weapon can be used without dropping your primary or moving it to your backpack first. After that they can add as many melee weapons as they like to the game and make them starter weapons too.

Again, the fact that melee is in the game is a miracle in itself. The devs deserve mad props for making that happen.

That's what I meant, my suggestion is that they make it so you've got another slot but than for melee weapons with each it's own purpose. They should leave the hatchet as it is as a primary weapon. But they should add other weapons that are able to be used even if you got your Primary or Secondary slot full already.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Scratchz

[Grim7 6]

Melee weapons should definitely be on a separate slot. Better yet, all melee weapons that double as tools go into your toolbelt like usual, and are equipped straight from there. Any dedicated melee weapon you find should be stronger and only one can take up the melee weapon slot. Ex. machete, sledgehammer.

I mean, I think some of this will have to wait for standalone. I just hope melee weapons are made more of a priority and not tacked on to a primarily shooter/ballistics engine. I'd like to see melee weapons behave differently. Machete would be one hit "kill" on one target, sledge could take 1-2 hits (since it's blunt) but also staggers/knocks zombies back, so it would be a better choice for a cluster of zombies closing in.

On top of more effective melee weapons the Zeds should cluster up in hordes/herds more often. Other than that I'd like to see some kind of quick sidestep/evade (doesn't have to be a ridiculous game-y combat roll, just a hop to one side to avoid a blow). All in keeping with the realism/sim edge, except applying it to melee combat.

Would also be neat if you have the toolbox and nothing else to use stuff like screwdrivers or wrenches, but only a solid hit to the head with a screwdriver will kill a Zed, or a hit to the head with a screwdriver will only "daze" them.

[Scratchz 20]

Melee weapons should definitely be on a separate slot. Better yet, all melee weapons that double as tools go into your toolbelt like usual, and are equipped straight from there. Any dedicated melee weapon you find should be stronger and only one can take up the melee weapon slot. Ex. machete, sledgehammer.

I mean, I think some of this will have to wait for standalone. I just hope melee weapons are made more of a priority and not tacked on to a primarily shooter/ballistics engine. I'd like to see melee weapons behave differently. Machete would be one hit "kill" on one target, sledge could take 1-2 hits (since it's blunt) but also staggers/knocks zombies back, so it would be a better choice for a cluster of zombies closing in.

On top of more effective melee weapons the Zeds should cluster up in hordes/herds more often. Other than that I'd like to see some kind of quick sidestep/evade (doesn't have to be a ridiculous game-y combat roll, just a hop to one side to avoid a blow). All in keeping with the realism/sim edge, except applying it to melee combat.

Would also be neat if you have the toolbox and nothing else to use stuff like screwdrivers or wrenches, but only a solid hit to the head with a screwdriver will kill a Zed, or a hit to the head with a screwdriver will only "daze" them.

Machete being able to one hit a zed should not be implemented, it'd make it overpowered and just like an axe.

Having a sledgehammer could be a good idea, but not for a secondary melee weapon slot, it should be used just like the hatchet as primary weapon.

Everything used 1 handed can be placed in the Secondary Melee Weapon Slot but other than that should be placed in the Primary Slot.

They should make it so each weapon has it's own specific effect in damage too, like stunning or bleeding. It's already in the game but it'll only happen to you. It must happen to zombies too for weapon effects to become possible. And they should make it so zombies won't see you when you're behind them so you can sneak kill them with a melee weapon effectively. It'll be hard to pull off anyways and you have only killed one zombie than, not a whole mob so it's not a way to kill every zombie you see without getting caught.

[ryokukitsune 5]

This seems to be the closest topic to what I'd like to rant about for a moment. I'll keep my larger opinions to myself and stick to the constructive suggestions and hopefully people can get behind it. We do need melee weapons and first and foremost we need default melee weapons even if that’s just our characters fists if nothing is in the weapons slots. It makes no sense to be mauled by zombies and not defend ones self. Even if a player had just a flashlight they would use that to beat back clawing zombies when agroed at a beach spawn.

On the short list of assets that are already in the game that could be used as melee weapons there is: the hunting knife, flashlight , wood pile, scrap metal and every weapon in the game with a butt stock. There needs to either be a melee key, a firing mode or weapons needs an inventory option to equip as melee (hold rifles by barrel and swing like the Hatchet) this would give empty weapons found on the ground more uses

If you need animations I'm even willing to learn how to whip them up for you.

As far as the comments on other object/weapons to include in the game they seem slightly less important (though still worth considering) than getting existing weapons ready for extreme CQB in dire situations.

If I had to stop and think about it, in the real world I'd turn an M16 over and use it as a club; its better that than getting eviscerated by the horde.

Signed,

Ryo

[hkurban 31]

Since I had a hand in this, this gets my vote.

And my beans.

[dra6o0n 15]

Melee, is a 3ft gun that you 'swing' with.

Unless you use the same effect as a shotgun's pellet spray for melee, you can try certain methods already existed in the game to use.

Making the hunting knife equippable, then adding a shotgun spread effect while shortening the range to 2 feet, will help increase it's effectiveness.

Basically setting the splash damage to be higher.

Playing around with 'explosive' effects could be neat if you can set it to hurt only targets in the vicinity and not yourself.

Because the modder has to work things into content if you guys want it to work in 'some' way.

[Scratchz 20]

This seems to be the closest topic to what I'd like to rant about for a moment. I'll keep my larger opinions to myself and stick to the constructive suggestions and hopefully people can get behind it. We do need melee weapons and first and foremost we need default melee weapons even if that’s just our characters fists if nothing is in the weapons slots. It makes no sense to be mauled by zombies and not defend ones self. Even if a player had just a flashlight they would use that to beat back clawing zombies when agroed at a beach spawn.

On the short list of assets that are already in the game that could be used as melee weapons there is: the hunting knife, flashlight , wood pile, scrap metal and every weapon in the game with a butt stock. There needs to either be a melee key, a firing mode or weapons needs an inventory option to equip as melee (hold rifles by barrel and swing like the Hatchet) this would give empty weapons found on the ground more uses

If you need animations I'm even willing to learn how to whip them up for you.

As far as the comments on other object/weapons to include in the game they seem slightly less important (though still worth considering) than getting existing weapons ready for extreme CQB in dire situations.

If I had to stop and think about it, in the real world I'd turn an M16 over and use it as a club; its better that than getting eviscerated by the horde.

Signed,

Ryo

That's a good idea too, when your weapon's empty you'll automatically turn it over and use it as club. And if they make a key which makes it able to "hit" with your gun, it would even be better (The motion would be very simple it'll pull up your gun and slam it down that's all). The flashlight as melee weapon is also a great idea, that would take away the need for giving each new-spawn a weapon. A wood pile as weapon wouldn't be needed as it's rare loot and can be gathered by using a hatchet which is a weapon already, scrap metal could be a good idea but instead of that you already have a crowbar so that's not an option either. The Hunting Knife though, it's a great idea to make it a melee weapon, especially if you're in the woods and trying to slaughter an animal silently without changing weapons.

[ryokukitsune 5]

As a little side note so the first post wasn't longer than it already is:

melee should really fall into two categories for shoulder fired weapons. The tap melee that takes a quick jab with the butt stock and the equipped inventory option to use it as a club. The difference would be in the fact that if animations is used to time the turning of the rifle would it would need to be played each time the weapon was “fired” in Melee mode and same would be said for turning the weapon back over. I think the practical solution, considering animation, would be to separate the intended use. The animation transitions used as wait timers could be much shorter with a defensive crack of the stock as a firing mode to give players room to move (or shoot) while equipped as clubs are intended for offensive uses to cause damage.

also to defend my thoughts on using scrap metal and the wood pile as weapons. Limiting resourcefulness to “weapons only” diminishes the simulation of the game in my opinion, though I'm open to the idea of omitting them from the weapons catalog if it has a practical reason. Though if you saw a big rock on the ground you'd use that to defend yourself if you where desperate enough. You'd also probably curb stomp a crawler and punt a monkey before you let it latch onto you.

[Sinvex 38]

Machete being able to one hit a zed should not be implemented, it'd make it overpowered and just like an axe.

Having a sledgehammer could be a good idea, but not for a secondary melee weapon slot, it should be used just like the hatchet as primary weapon.

Everything used 1 handed can be placed in the Secondary Melee Weapon Slot but other than that should be placed in the Primary Slot.

They should make it so each weapon has it's own specific effect in damage too, like stunning or bleeding. It's already in the game but it'll only happen to you. It must happen to zombies too for weapon effects to become possible. And they should make it so zombies won't see you when you're behind them so you can sneak kill them with a melee weapon effectively. It'll be hard to pull off anyways and you have only killed one zombie than, not a whole mob so it's not a way to kill every zombie you see without getting caught.

You ever seen a hatchet? They aren't exactly something you wield with two hands, that's why it's called a hatchet and not a freaking full blown axe, because it's a sawed off tiny-ass version of the same, intended to be used in ONE HAND, kind of like oh, i dunno, a pistol? Thus the suggestion of putting it in the secondary slot instead of the rifle slot... go figure right?

[grimlockt 0]

Hi there,

I read your post and I believe that melee weapons should have their own slot.

My reasoning:

1. Melee weapons for my group have become an integral part of our gameplay. We have a designated axe guy. If he wants to use his axe, he has to drop his weapon on the ground, equip the axe, then attack.

2. Using a melee weapon in a zombie apocalypse should be as simple as breathing, especially because they are one of the simplest, yet most killy tools in the game.

[Scratchz 20]

Yep, same statement.

[harryzhe 28]

Machete being able to one hit a zed should not be implemented, it'd make it overpowered and just like an axe.

I don't get this concept at all. Why is "balance" a consideration here? "overpowered" against what? against zombies? zombies just respawn indefinitely, for a weapon to be OP against them it would need to kil many many zombies all at once or something. killing with 5-7 hits zombies could EASILLY result in you getting mauled, and these days even one hit from a zombie can knock you unconscious if youre not lucky. Why not even the playing field and make it either one hit kill, or POSSIBLE one hit kill/break legs/knockout, like zombie melee? that amount of hits is just crazy fantasy RPG crap.

To be honest i'd love to see blunt clubbing weapons like bats and things specifically for knocking people out. You could send them unconscious and drag them around to places or steal things from their backpack.

And as for starting gear... Imo starting gear being random would be awesome. Imagine getting some literally random assortment of stuff, representing "whatever your character could scrounge together at the time?" any kind of object, not necessarilly a weapon, for melee. A leg from a chair, a plank of wood, a garden hoe...

Most melee should just kill very quickly, or it just becomes rolling dice against your enemy rather than skill or tactics. Balance in better ways which players can be aware of and exploit to their advantage. For example you could make a garden hoe have a longer reach but attack more slowly, or make a baseball bat not kill as reliably but more likely to cause status-effect type damage like broken legs or KO. Knives could "always" cause bleeding, kill in 2 or 3 hits, attack fast, but have almost no range.

Edited August 4, 2012 by HarryO)))

[Scratchz 20]

I don't get this concept at all. Why is "balance" a consideration here? "overpowered" against what? against zombies? zombies just respawn indefinitely, for a weapon to be OP against them it would need to kil many many zombies all at once or something. killing with 5-7 hits zombies could EASILLY result in you getting mauled, and these days even one hit from a zombie can knock you unconscious if youre not lucky. Why not even the playing field and make it either one hit kill, or POSSIBLE one hit kill/break legs/knockout, like zombie melee? that amount of hits is just crazy fantasy RPG crap.

To be honest i'd love to see blunt clubbing weapons like bats and things specifically for knocking people out. You could send them unconscious and drag them around to places or steal things from their backpack.

And as for starting gear... Imo starting gear being random would be awesome. Imagine getting some literally random assortment of stuff, representing "whatever your character could scrounge together at the time?" any kind of object, not necessarilly a weapon, for melee. A leg from a chair, a plank of wood, a garden hoe...

Most melee should just kill very quickly, or it just becomes rolling dice against your enemy rather than skill or tactics. Balance in better ways which players can be aware of and exploit to their advantage. For example you could make a garden hoe have a longer reach but attack more slowly, or make a baseball bat not kill as reliably but more likely to cause status-effect type damage like broken legs or KO. Knives could "always" cause bleeding, kill in 2 or 3 hits, attack fast, but have almost no range.

I had no meaning in making it like an rpg, I just said that because it would be much faster considered by Rocket to implement it.

Rocket wants to make it as hard as possible for us to survive, so that's why it shouldn't be 1 hit kill.

But you got some really good points there, making it randomnised for each new-spawn would be a great idea. You're right about it being overpowered shouldn't be a problem also, now that I think about it, it's already hard to get close to a zombie without getting hit. So making it 1 hit or atleast having a status effect is a great idea, plus the randomnization would make it a little harder because you'll constantly have to adapt on your situation.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Scratchz

[Scratchz 20]

All put together, they should add a Melee Weapon Slot with lot's of different melee weapons to put in it which all have their own use in the form of Status-Effects and/or kill a zombie at once with each it's own range. With the Melee Weapons being mostly the stuff already in-game to be used.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Scratchz

[ryokukitsune 5]

All put together, they should add a Melee Weapon Slot with lot's of different melee weapons to put in it which all have their own use in the form of Status-Effects and/or kill a zombie at once with each it's own range. With the Melee Weapons being mostly the stuff already in-game to be used.

all debating aside this is what the point boils down to. what we need is melee weapons and a good place to put them or at least they return to the tool belt when you equip something else so they don't just fail to exist...

btw, my beans, you have them.