Backstory and Character Expansion

[jackrc11 15]

A while ago, I was thinking about choosing your character's backstory before starting the game. It would add a new element to the game, and would help people get started. I saw a thread about Character Classes today, and thought, "This person did it all wrong, it shouldn't be about abilities, it should be about equipment!"

Basically, after you pick your gender, it allows you to pick your "backstory", which will give you a nice role-playing element and some different equipment depending on what you pick:

Hunter: You came to this island for game. The sport of it and some food for your family. You've been here before, before the Zed outbreak. Your boat crashed due to a storm, and your map blew away in the wind. You need plenty of food and water for your hunting trip, plus something to hunt. So you have a hunting knife, matches and a wood pile, a simple Rifle such as a Lee-Enfield, some ammo for it, some canned food and bottled water, a watch, and the default equipment. You spawn on the coast. Basically, the hunter is your average joe. Basic combat and navigation make him a fair choice.

Fisherman: A rumor arose that there was a large fish migration near Chernarus. The source: Shady Joe. Seems trustworthy, you and your crew said. You drove your boat out near, but a storm destroyed your boat, and your entire crew either drowned or were eaten by Zeds. You have Some canned food and bottled water, a hunting knife, a map, compass and watch, a crossbow with bolts, and the basic equipment.. Fishermen wouldn't have a reason to carry guns, but a crossbow (AKA a harpoon gun) would've been used on large fish. You spawn on the coast. The fisherman lacks in combat equipment, but can navigate easily, knowing where he is and when it is at all times.

Resident: For those who didn't play Arma II (or didn't get stuck on Razor 2), you know that Chernarus used to be an inhabited country before the events of Arma II and DayZ. You have kept safe through both, and have maintained residence for years. You have medium equipment, with both a primary weapon and a sidearm and ammo. You have a hunting knife, a map, a compass, a watch, matches, cooked meat, soda (You can optionally choose if you're a Coke or Pepsi person after picking Resident :P). You may think the Resident is OP with all his starting equipment, but here's the catch: You spawn in a large city, such as Cherno or Elektro, which puts you in danger to other players who spawned there with the same equipment or other players who found BETTER equipment.

If you like this idea, suggest your own. If you don't, explain why.

[lethalwalou 0]

I can see you put a lot of thought to this but it doesn't work for me.

I like the fact that every person has equal gear when they spawn, and that gear is almost nothing. It's not fun if you start with gear that can get you through first days. I like the fact you have to immediatelly start to search for loot in order to stay alive. So that in mind I don't like this idea at all.

[evolution (DayZ) 51]

I really do love the idea, made me lol a little at Shady Joe haha.

But I think its more of choosing a 'class' (like in COD) rather than a back story. I don't think it would be a good implementation in the game because i think Rocket was aiming for "everyone is equal" instead of OP residents and harpoon fishermen.

-1

[speca 193]

It would remove the need to hunt for loot would it not?

[hoik 415]

Skills/Perks would add alot in terms of 'value' to players (aside from the loot they are hauling about). So I like any thread that promotes this - that being said there have been a lot of them :) .

[Cosmic4 23]

This would break the game. Residents would just be griefers who go on high-pop servers with there spawned in guns and just go out murdering in a Cherno until they died. Then, they would respawn, in the same place, with a gun, and run around and do it again. I am against this idea.

[Yatagan 62]

I'm half and half. Half of me thinks it would give more variety to each time you play. Much like playing a different class in [enter your choice of RPG here]. However the other half thinks everything should be equal and nobody should get any extra perks or anything. (Not to mention that I think some of those spawn with WAAAAAAAAAAY too much stuff. All of them should have next to nothing, just minor advantages if anything)

Edited July 31, 2012 by Yatagan

[lethalwalou 0]

Atm people like the game because it gives you so much exitement. You have to work and think to survive in it. If we would have that much starter gear, half the players would just go run'n'gunning the whole time because like in every shooter, you can respawn and have guns and other stuff immediatelly. I like the fact that if you get shot and die you can't just respawn, go to the guy who killed you and kill them. You have to find a gun first and then approach cautiosly.

Your idea would ruin the game for most of the people.