Water purification!

[John (DayZ) 62]

All right, so, they removed the ability to fill your water canteens in the ocean. This makes sense, right? Saltwater is no good - it can induce vomiting in large enough quantities, and dehydrates you - something that you typically want to avoid when you are already dying of thirst! Even our current water sources - wells and ponds/rivers - are dangerous enough in the real world, as they can be contaminated by sewage runoff, tributaries leading to the open sea, or even animal pathogens. Nasty stuff, really.

This leads us to the following question: how do you purify undrinkable water?

Well, there are many simple solutions to that answer. I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing a randomized system in which drinking water found in lakes or wells may be contaminated - forcing survivors to pick and choose when to use their purification methods on their water, or risk drinking impure water and suffering ill side effects.

The most common method of water purification that I know of is boiling. It isn't cool and refreshing afterwards, but it kills off a large portion of bacteria and other contaminants, rendering impure water drinkable. Another method comes in the form of iodine tablets! They can be bought in bulk in large kits in camping and survival stores, come in the form of crystals or small tablets, and, once dropped in a smaller source of water, can purify the majority of the contaminants in the water.

So, why not give campfires the ability to boil water as well? Or add an iodine tablet object in-game? Surely, in a place with so many wooded forests and mountains, camping would be an excellent pass time for tourists and natives alike - and, thus, camping stores would be present, leading to iodine tablets scattered about for use by survivors in our post-apoc wasteland!

Another point I was considering was that these methods might render saltwater drinkable. I'm fairly sure that this would be highly scientifically incorrect, but, it's a game - I can't perform a blood transfusion in the wilderness, can I? Well, finding a rare iodine tablet drop would make it easier for you to obtain water - simply fill from the ocean and purify it! Maybe they could come in packs of eight, each pack taking up one inventory slot?

I'm kinda brainstorming here, and it's 2 AM for me, so - somebody throw up some thoughts on the matter?

[Razor (DayZ) 0]

Another point I was considering was that these methods might render saltwater drinkable. I'm fairly sure that this would be highly scientifically incorrect' date=' but, it's a game - I can't perform a blood transfusion in the wilderness, can I?[/quote']Imma let you finish but you can boil salt water to separate it from the salt. Which is just several steps away from making your very own alcohol!

Which should be totally present to supress hypothermia, pain and infection(s). With the obvious side effects of random direction change and floating aim.

And blood transfusion isn't rocket science. You just have to insert the needle and pressure the blood into the vein.

It might be done by a single person but that would chop out a cool feature.

[John (DayZ) 62]

I did not know that! Well, see, then my suggestion actually makes sense.

EDIT: Also I'm fairly certain that alcohol suppressing hypothermia is a myth. From what I recall of the last biology course I took, it draws blood up to the surface of your skin - creating the blushing effect many people have when they're inebriated - and thus lowering the temperature of your body by allowing heat to escape through your skin. Or some such crap.

I do like the idea of making my own moonshine and trading it for ammo, though. Yeehaw.

[Razor (DayZ) 0]

Pretty much, but it does make you feel warmer for some time. Enough to GTFO to a building and set up a fire.

In an event of a rain, for instance.

[_Profile_Shame 37]

i like the idea of a chance of getting sick from contaminated water... maybe reenable water from the ocean, but make it dehydrate you fast?

[John (DayZ) 62]

Right, but I feel like I have a twelve inch penis, when in fact it is only an eighth of an inch long. All that glitters is not gold.

EDIT: That would be cool, Shame. If you drink it without purifying it, you just dehydrate faster - but it can be a very valuable source of water if you have the means to purify it (iodine tablets or a box of matches and some wood - or perhaps a Brita filter and a working faucet?).

[[email protected] 192]

I like this idea, as far as purifying salt water, it should be possible but it should take a while and require some tools. to do it you need a pot, a cup and a led for the pot. slow boil the water evaporates and turns back on to water on the led, then falls in to the cup in the in the middle of the pot. BAM fresh water

since getting water from the sea was to easy when it was a part of Day Z, i think if they reinstitute it, it would have to require some tools and take some time due to the slow boil

Main reason I like this idea is cause the temp factor of the game isn't really used to it's max.

Only thing the temp does is make you seek shelter when it's raining, and then cause you to log off cause it rains for 5 hours =l

[TheCoolestCat 1]

Seems like it would need new models, animations, and scripts. Might be 1. too much work, or 2. cause to many scripts to be running. But we can always hope :)

[[email protected] 192]

Seems like it would need new models' date=' animations, and scripts. Might be 1. too much work, or 2. cause to many scripts to be running. But we can always hope :)

[/quote']

Arma already is missing a lot of Animations, they arn't needed, just make the character bend over in front of the fire. and as far as models go, i'm happy with a satchel and just have a icon in the gear menu =p

[TheCoolestCat 1]

Seems like it would need new models' date=' animations, and scripts. Might be 1. too much work, or 2. cause to many scripts to be running. But we can always hope :)

[/quote']

Arma already is missing a lot of Animations, they arn't needed, just make the character bend over in front of the fire. and as far as models go, i'm happy with a satchel and just have a icon in the gear menu =p

Well I meant models like the pot being on the ground with something over it to catch the water vapor, and something that drips into.

[Razor (DayZ) 0]

Seems like it would need new models' date=' animations, and scripts. Might be 1. too much work, or 2. cause to many scripts to be running. But we can always hope :)

[/quote']

Arma already is missing a lot of Animations, they arn't needed, just make the character bend over in front of the fire. and as far as models go, i'm happy with a satchel and just have a icon in the gear menu =p

Well I meant models like the pot being on the ground with something over it to catch the water vapor, and something that drips into.

That is an hour, tops. Placed upon the existing fireplace model.

Basically it is two pots and a piece of sheet metal at an angle. But there is alot of vapour loss.

[John (DayZ) 62]

I don't know if I agree with having all these extra objects and wait times put in with it. I mean, if it takes you an hour and five different objects to purify your water, it's pretty much pointless - you've probably dehydrated to death by then anyway.

The iodine tablet idea is still awesome, though.

[[email protected] 192]

I don't know if I agree with having all these extra objects and wait times put in with it. I mean' date=' if it takes you an hour and five different objects to purify your water, it's pretty much pointless - you've probably dehydrated to death by then anyway.

The iodine tablet idea is still awesome, though.

[/quote']

well I didn't mean an hour or 5 different objects ;) just 1 object, and make it take a min or so longer then normal boil purification

[Jeremiah Cross 55]

Or there could be bottles of liquid Iodine, used as both an antiseptic to prevent infections from wounds and to purify water.

Edited February 8, 2013 by Jeremiah Cross