Add 'Damage Tagging' to prevent players 'cowardly aborting'. [Explanation Inside]

[drbowe 0]

So, I'm sure some of you are wondering what 'Damage Tagging' may be. Well, let me explain.

I come from a Minecraft background. I owned a server for roughly 6 months, developed plugins (rather popular ones) for roughly 6 more, and have developed systems to prevent something that I'm sure many of you have run into: 'Player Logging' to prevent otherwise imminent death. It existed in Minecraft, and it most certainly exists here in DayZ.

Now, here is what I propose, and do pay attention here:

In Minecraft, I (among many others) developed a system that I came to call 'damage tagging'. If a player was hurt, the system would recognize that they were hurt recently. It would tag the player in a list of those who were recently injured, and keep an eye on them. This is all in layman's terms, of course. If they tried to log off whilst being watched by the server, the server would allow them to disconnect--but leave a 'clone' of the said player in place for a short period of time. This removed a quintessential issue: people logging out to save themselves after being hurt.

I propose to Rocket and team, a system that is more or less the same. The concept itself is rather simple--and the execution should be (I would imagine) fairly simple as well. Of course, this is from developing plugins in Minecraft. Obviously this is a whole different ballpark of coding and development.

How it works:

When a player takes damage from one of the following sources:

- Zombie hit

- Gunfire

- Any other perceivable damage source that does not include periodic damage (IE bleeding, starvation, what have you)

*Have the player become 'tagged' in the system for 10 seconds.

Every time this player is hit by another damage source (again, only the select ones), tag them once again. Do not add time, only renew this 10 second tag on the player. This is the easy part.

Now, for the tricky part. When any player attempts to log out, have the server perform a boolean check on whether or not that 10 second tag is on their character. If it isn't, proceed as usual. If it is, allow the player to log out, but place a 'ghost' of the player at their original location for 10 seconds. Not how much time is remaining on the tag, but a full 10 seconds. This ghost, for all intents and purposes, is to be recognized by the server as the player's actual character. Zombies can continue to wail on it, and players can continue to shoot it. Regardless of what damage this ghost takes after the player has logged out, it is to despawn after the 10 second timer.

The player should probably be given a message stating that, should they log out, such a clone will appear. This is just to increase awareness of what they are about to risk.

What this effectively solves:

Rocket, you yourself said this game is supposed to be a dark and harsh environment. Yet, I find that hard to believe when I can be chased by 100's of homing zombies and simply log off to reset their awareness. I could be swarmed by bandits, and simply log off after the first shot is fired into my body. This would effectively eliminate this issue in 90% of all scenarios.

I, as I'm sure many others are, am tired of hunting down a bandit to shoot them, only for them to disconnect after the first shot is fired, hop onto another server, heal up and move, and then log right back on. Of course the scenario is not the same for everyone, and I'm sure that bandits would like this system as well, but of course--opinions are always different.

TL;DR Version

- Cowardly disconnecting to solve issues is a problem

- Tag players who take direct damage sources for a short period of time, leave clone if they try to log out

- Any damage take to clone during the short period that it remains will be transferred to character's player

- Effectively solve coward disconnects

Let me know if you have any qualms, improvements, or praise for this suggestion. Spent a while typing this out, mind you. :P

[eegore 23]

Not bad.

I know when I played Star Wars Galaxies you would remain on the server for a minute or two after logging off unless you sat down and used the logout option.

The logout counted down 30 seconds where you had to remain seated and not fire any actions, then you would disappear safely.

Not sure if thats possible here but I'd like to see a "timed" safe logout and a minute of persistence on the current server to be stored on the Hive if you try to do an immediate logout.

[Homiak 21]

Safe logout (while standing and not moving for example) with a timer seems to be a little bit better imo - you are not chased by zombies, not in a firefight so go offline in 5-10 sec(I beleive you can't stand for 10 sec in a firefight or if chased by zombies without big problems afterwards). Or if it's not a safe logout then yes - leave some sort of a ghost for a period of time.

[mattressi 3]

Not bad.

I know when I played Star Wars Galaxies you would remain on the server for a minute or two after logging off unless you sat down and used the logout option.

The logout counted down 30 seconds where you had to remain seated and not fire any actions' date=' then you would disappear safely.

Not sure if thats possible here but I'd like to see a "timed" safe logout and a minute of persistence on the current server to be stored on the Hive if you try to do an immediate logout.

[/quote']

Yeah, I think this would definitely be a good idea. The OP's idea is good too, but I'd personally rather just have a timer count down after you've clicked to abort. However, I definitely think that for anyone who tries to quickly exit the game (alt-f4), the OP's idea would be an amazing addition which would make that "tactic" useless.

One thing to make sure is, as you said, that the player must remain seated or still for the full time until logout is completed - otherwise someone could simply sprint from a fight and logout while running away. All they'd need to do is stay alive for 30 seconds or so.

[drbowe 0]

I thought about the timer idea as well, to be honest. Both would do wonders here to solve the issue--I just find this game to be a huge time sink. One of those where you'll look at the clock and realize "OH CRAP I HAVE TO GO NOW" sort of games. Hence the solution to those who would rather not wait to log out, provided they know the risk.

Granted, code-wise, a timer is much easier to implement.

[eegore 23]

Yeah basically what I am thinking is if you are not motionless and complete the full 30 second logout process, then your information and all damage that occurs for the next 2 minutes is stored on the Hive.

Theres a chance that you could run, ALT out and remain hidden for 2 minutes, but you would surely die if you remained in sight.

[hazzard65 64]

Just add delayed log out... like pretty much every MMO out for the last decade or more.

If you are trying to log out in a dangerous place, particularly while under attack, you WILL die and rightly so.

[drbowe 0]

Just add delayed log out... like pretty much every MMO out for the last decade or more.

If you are trying to log out in a dangerous place' date=' particularly while under attack, you WILL die and rightly so.

[/quote']

Still, something has to be done to counteract those that Alt-F4, unless you want the log out timer to go ahead and count down even if the player's client 'crashes', which effectively adds the same issue of creating a clone of the player when the player itself isn't in game, just without damage recognition.

With damage tagging, you could log out when the game knows your safe immediately, and have to wait if it isn't entirely sure. In fact, we could merge damage tagging and log-out timers into one idea, where the log-out timer will only be requested if you're tagged in the damage tracker.

[CraKinShOt 1]

Simple solution for now.

OnPlayerDisconnect if bleeding or unconscious then kill player.

[Nasher 0]

I think it's far easier just to make all characters stay in for about 30 seconds after logging out in ALL situations. No matter what your doing.

If it's only flagging you after being damaged, a player can still log out the instant someone shoots at them (and misses) or they simply see someone. So it doesn't fix the whole problem.

[alexkidd 0]

That was a good read DrBowe.

I'm against putting any kind of restriction on games unless it deals with hacking. But... If I had to choose one way to stop aborting it would be yours.

It only effects me when I suffered damage, in other words I have a situation. And even then it only takes 10 seconds to log off.

If I didn't suffer any damage, I can log off as 'fast' as always. I hate the idea of waiting 30 seconds just to log off.

[secret1962 0]

I don't want any kind of restrictions at all as it could cause you a death even if you aren't disconnecting to prevent to be killed by zombies.

[drbowe 0]

I don't want any kind of restrictions at all as it could cause you a death even if you aren't disconnecting to prevent to be killed by zombies.

But the idea is that this restriction will only ever activate if you are 100% for-sure in a situation. If you have been tagged with damage in the past 10 seconds, you are clearly trying to log off to save your arse 90% of the time.

If it was designed to only track direct damage as well, so no bleeding/starvation, it would be even more forgiving. Certainly less annoying than a timer to log out, should a feature to prevent disconnecting to save yourself ever be implemented.

[scoffield77@gmail.com 192]

I really like this idea, I'm a strong believer in letting the world of Dayz take it's course no mater what happens. treat it like it's real life. and people don't do that. Like i said in a previous post, It takes away from the dynamics of the game.

The whole point of the game is to gain/loose stuff, to survive no mater what the circumstances are but I don't think this includes cheating death.

If they did this, they would have to put a message somewhere obvious so people don't get their selves killed due to ignorance.

[alexkidd 0]

secret1962, I understand what you are saying. I don't like restrictions

But 10 second after damage is really not much. I think it's as "light" as a restriction can get. I'd still be able to abort most situations.