Character Traits not Classes

[redfield-77 315]

The community is unanimously against classes in the stand alone. I get this and I am too for the most part. I think there is a better idea for this though that more people may accept or agree with.

My idea is more like you pick a trait when you make your character. Hear me out, because I know this sounds ghey at first.........

It's kinda dumb that anyone can just hop in a huey and fly it (though most people just crash I know :rolleyes: ) ARMA Domination required you to pick a pilot before you could fly any aircraft in the game.

My idea is a character trait chosen at character creation that dictates your success with certain difficulties in the environment. Nothing to do with starting weapon or what weapons you can use or how well you shoot.

At creation: (M/F)

Before the apocalypse you were: (Mount and Blade style)...... Some examples: (these are just examples off the top of my head and I put little thought into them)

a pilot - You are able to enter and operate aircraft if you ever find one. No one else can do this.

a hunter - You can butcher animals with better precision and the carcass yields 1 extra meat. Anyone can butcher animals but the hunter starts with a hunting knife others must find one.

a mechanic - You are able to repair most vehicles as long as the parts are made available. No one else can do this.

a doctor - You are able to treat wounds, sickness and successfully perform blood transfusions or set broken bones if you have the proper equipment. Anyone can bandage but doctors are needed to perform blood transfusion and set broken bones.

a cook - You can make any campfire a banquet. Food cooked by you yields extra blood.

a student - You start with a small back pack. No one else does.

a thug - You can hot wire other peoples vehicles. No one else can take owned cars because they don't have the keys. Anyone can take an unclaimed vehicle.

These are just random examples to make my point. I think giving individuals value would decrease the kos epidemic as well. As it is I kill anyone I don't know because their only value to me is what they are carrying. If individuals had skills of value I might be more inclined to let them tag along.

I want to re-state that No trait should ever alter the rules of combat. This should be left to individual skill. I just think its more realistic that individuals have more value than their loot.

[Yatagan 62]

I think something like this would be awesome. It provides more customization, and different styles of play, while not being overpowered or unbalanced.

I agree that gunplay should be the same for EVERYONE no matter what. It also limits things like helicopters. It would also promote teamplay. Why shoot a guy when your skills could benefit eachother.

It would have to be done right, but I think it would be a step in the right direction.

[MobyDiglett 1]

Plus, this would encourage players to form groups, which should be encouraged in this game.

[redfield-77 315]

I think something like this would be awesome. It provides more customization, and different styles of play, while not being overpowered or unbalanced.

I agree that gunplay should be the same for EVERYONE no matter what. It also limits things like helicopters. It would also promote teamplay. Why shoot a guy when your skills could benefit eachother.

It would have to be done right, but I think it would be a step in the right direction.

Agree, if its done wrong it could be really bad, but if done right it is win.

Plus, this would encourage players to form groups, which should be encouraged in this game.

The greatness of any group of people would be the sum of their skill set.

Can you imagine watching a youtube vid where bandits capture a friendly doctor but let him live as long as he gives their leader a blood transfusion? Or survivors holding a bandit mechanic hostage until he fixes their bus? Or A pilot offering his service to whoever gives him the most mountain dew?

People have done some really creative shit and made awesome videos of stuff like this already. The standalone is coming lets take it to the next level.

[EndlessNight 103]

Take my beans for the awesome Idea!

The next level of that would be, zombies should be like in the walking dead, slow but in a large group, If you shoot, you are doomed, people would think twice if they kill on sight

[Techpriest (DayZ) 2]

I have negetive comments about your suggestions. Please don't be insulted.

A hunter. How does a hunter gain more meat? Does it magically appears? Explain how in real life, a professional hunter can get extra meat from an animal that only gives (example) 3 meat.

A doctor. Anyone can set up a broken bone. Only doctors can set up bone with perfect success.

A cook. I don't see how a cook can make you get blood faster. Sure, the meat might be good to eat, but it doesn't just get you more blood.

A thug. "No one else can take an owned car without the keys" Oh really? *smash car glass* *car alarm* *zombie come running at the car.* *zombies see you* *You're dead* Yes, that quote sounds excellent.

Edited August 9, 2012 by Techpriest

[bazbake 456]

It worked in Mount and Blade because you're following a story with NPCs and characters and endgoals and save games. Not sure how it'll work in a game with permadeath where you're supposed to lose everything you have when you die.

[redfield-77 315]

I have negetive comments about your suggestions. Please don't be insulted.

A hunter. How does a hunter gain more meat? Does it magically appears? Explain how in real life, a professional hunter can get extra meat from an animal that only gives (example) 3 meat.

A doctor. Anyone can set up a broken bone. Only doctors can set up bone with perfect success.

A cook. I don't see how a cook can make you get blood faster. Sure, the meat might be good to eat, but it doesn't just get you more blood.

A thug. "No one else can take an owned car without the keys" Oh really? *smash car glass* *car alarm* *zombie come running at the car.* *zombies see you* *You're dead* Yes, that quote sounds excellent.

Like I said, "These were just examples I came up with as I posted". Obviously more thought would have to be put into it than that.

The thing is Dayz has over a million players now. How many of them do you think can really fly a helicopter? Im sure there is at least one if not more but everyone being able to do it is just stupid.

If you dont think there is a technique to skinning and cleaning an animal then you have never been hunting. You can ruin a whole dear just by getting its shit all over the meat. I wasn't saying there would be magically more meat but a skilled hunter can quarter a deer and yeild more food than a noob that just starts hacking.

Anyone cannot set a broken bone actually. People die from broken bones. If it is set incorrectly you can get blood clots that go to your lungs and you die. Either way it beats the alternative of magic morphine.

The cook thing I agree is a stretch but again just an example.

For the thug example, I dont really understand your statement but again most normal people cant start a car without keys.

[redfield-77 315]

It worked in Mount and Blade because you're following a story with NPCs and characters and endgoals and save games. Not sure how it'll work in a game with permadeath where you're supposed to lose everything you have when you die.

You should still lose everything when you die. Then you get to make a new character.

[Again_Dejavu 5]

Those are classes, not traits.

[umandez 139]

Then if a grouping system is implemented "highly" likely in he stand alone. The longer you play with someone else with a different trait for example if you are within 5 meters of a grouped doctor healing someone you start to learn their trait also. But a scale of time would have to be thought out for it. Weeks? Months?

Adds more value to your character.

Edited August 10, 2012 by Dez.

[sonicrainbrony 136]

Those are classes, not traits.

True, althought I can't see why not some kinds of restrictions to flying Hueys, gutting a cow in seconds etc.

[Again_Dejavu 5]

True, althought I can't see why not some kinds of restrictions to flying Hueys, gutting a cow in seconds etc.

However, this is basically identical to all other class suggestions.

[L0G!N (DayZ) 149]

A student just gets a backpack? wth! .. what about, you are the only one that can write, leave message on a map or leave notes, or make entrances in a log book?

I don't like these restrictions one bit, and btw. have you ever tried flying a chopper in the game or for real, how do you know the ingame controlls and handling are not very close to real and at least 'authentic'. I happened to run across a hacked-in chopper a few days ago, and couldn't resist getting in, i managed to lift it about 1m off the ground and crashed it forward into the trees, not so easy as i thought!

Same with all the other things, actually these work just LIKE classes, and restrictions are the death of any sandbox game...

[Again_Dejavu 5]

A student just gets a backpack? wth! .. what about, you are the only one that can write, leave message on a map or leave notes, or make entrances in a log book?

I don't like these restrictions one bit, and btw. have you ever tried flying a chopper in the game or for real, how do you know the ingame controlls and handling are not very close to real and at least 'authentic'. I happened to run across a hacked-in chopper a few days ago, and couldn't resist getting in, i managed to lift it about 1m off the ground and crashed it forward into the trees, not so easy as i thought!

Same with all the other things, actually these work just LIKE classes, and restrictions are the death of any sandbox game...

Finally, someone else who hates classes and the hundreds of threads for them.

[redfield-77 315]

Those are classes, not traits.

I was suggesting it the way mount and blade does it. Take the titles I made up on the spot away and you have traits.

A student just gets a backpack? wth! .. what about, you are the only one that can write, leave message on a map or leave notes, or make entrances in a log book?

I don't like these restrictions one bit, and btw. have you ever tried flying a chopper in the game or for real, how do you know the ingame controlls and handling are not very close to real and at least 'authentic'. I happened to run across a hacked-in chopper a few days ago, and couldn't resist getting in, i managed to lift it about 1m off the ground and crashed it forward into the trees, not so easy as i thought!

Same with all the other things, actually these work just LIKE classes, and restrictions are the death of any sandbox game...

Yes I probably have over 100 hours of flight time and over 1000 kills with the Cobra helicopter alone. It isnt that difficult at all and it took me maybe 5 minutes to config my controls to be deadly. In real life I wouldn't be able to even turn the engine on without a book and an instructor to guide me through every system check much less take off.

Finally, someone else who hates classes and the hundreds of threads for them.

Sorry Im an Arma guy. Arma Domination is still the best ARMA mod EVER. I like realism and I like specialist. People group up in domination according to their skill sets and loadouts just like the real military. They are not called classes in real life. If you don't choose a pilot then you don't fly because the aircraft wont let you get in. In any apocalyptic event I seriously doubt people would migrate to the nearest Airforce base to fight over helicopters.

Most people would just try to survive. The best way to survive is to re-establish civilization at even the smallest scale. Individual skill sets contributing to the civilization would be the differance between survival and extinction.

No one can fly helicopters, perform medical miracles, operate military weapons, and hotwire armored personnel carriers. We can't all be the fucking Dos Equis guy.

Edited August 10, 2012 by Redfield

[KnT47r 51]

"operate military weapons"

Not as hard as one might think

[koze 113]

No i dont think you have to have a specific trait just to do something simple in a game e.g flying an aircraft.

As for the rest, i dont mind but i dont think we need that stuff in dayz

[Carebear Baddie 47]

Kinda sounds the same as classes, but with a different name. I still prefer a skill system.

[L0G!N (DayZ) 149]

I know what you are trying to do, i just don't like how it forces me to do that which i choose and not learn anything else, if the game is good than certain things can be learned within the game itself, and that should be enough to actually do those things. For all other things i suggested: http://dayzmod.com/f...es-professions/ that myself. So also @Again_Dejavu, yes i dislike restricting classes, but i do think there should be progression in the game, non restricting progression though, so you can learn everything, given you spend the time doing it, and if possible with some playerskill involved too...

@Redfield, flying anything is excluded from my list of things to learn, because you will have to learn it in the game, it doesn't realy matter if that only takes a couple of hours tops. And i am fairly sure you could fly a chopper IRL, just not to sure how high and for how long ;)

Edited August 10, 2012 by L0G!N

[redfield-77 315]

"operate military weapons"

Not as hard as one might think

So....... I take it you know how to operate a BTR-70 weapon platform even though all the controls are in russian? Good for you most normal people can't.

[iboren01@yahoo.com 10]

If something like this is going to be implemented then the OP's original suggestion is not traits. They are classes. Traits and/or skills would be "leveled up" by doing different actions or through practice. For example gutting an animal the first time you do it you're going to suck at it. Now the 50th or even 100th time you're going to be much more profiecient at it and would probably end up with more meat. First car you repair the more time and even more parts you'll need to complete the repair. The 50th or 100th time you'll be able to do it faster and with less spare parts. Personally if anything like traits/skills were implemted they should be invisible to the player and you just slowly get better over time and with repitition. There's ton's of things you could do this with and this is just 2 examples.

Just my .02 on it

[Carebear Baddie 47]

Also, I believe Rocket has explicitly said he will not put in a class/skill system that will restrict people from doing things.

[redfield-77 315]

I know what you are trying to do, i just don't like how it forces me to do that which i choose and not learn anything else, if the game is good than certain things can be learned within the game itself, and that should be enough to actually do those things. For all other things i suggested: http://dayzmod.com/f...es-professions/ that myself. So also @Again_Dejavu, yes i dislike restricting classes, but i do think there should be progression in the game, non restricting progression though, so you can learn everything, given you spend the time doing it, and if possible with some playerskill involved too...

@Redfield, flying anything is excluded from my list of things to learn, because you will have to learn it in the game, it doesn't realy matter if that only takes a couple of hours tops. And i am fairly sure you could fly a chopper IRL, just not to sure how high and for how long ;)

I wouldn't be opposed to a progression system at all. I actually like a progression system better than my suggestion but that is something completely new to the VR engine and would probably take enormous resources. The things I suggested have all been done already and the code is already written. I was trying to keep it simple but if they could do progression without it affecting combat at all it would be cool. I just don't want to see my rifle's iron sights bouncing around like im having a seizure because my character is a noob.

[redfield-77 315]

If something like this is going to be implemented then the OP's original suggestion is not traits. They are classes. Traits and/or skills would be "leveled up" by doing different actions or through practice. For example gutting an animal the first time you do it you're going to suck at it. Now the 50th or even 100th time you're going to be much more profiecient at it and would probably end up with more meat. First car you repair the more time and even more parts you'll need to complete the repair. The 50th or 100th time you'll be able to do it faster and with less spare parts. Personally if anything like traits/skills were implemted they should be invisible to the player and you just slowly get better over time and with repitition. There's ton's of things you could do this with and this is just 2 examples.

Just my .02 on it

^ Yes. This works too I like this better than my idea too.

Also, I believe Rocket has explicitly said he will not put in a class/skill system that will restrict people from doing things.

^ Yeah its a fine line but there does have to be more meat to the stand alone than the current system. I am one of those bandits that kills people because I am geared up and have nothing else to do. It is fun hunting humans but I think there should be more to it.