A real use for Humanity levels

[block0 0]

This mod is a ton of fun, however, there is a point you get to.... where the game can stop being fun.

Soon people will realize that you either have to go bandit, or go solo in the woods and avoid all human contact. Most normal people don't relish doing either. This needs to be addressed by balancing game play soon, or people will abandon the mod just as fast at they fell in love with it.

Yes, paranoia and fear are part of the game, but there is no more fear or paranoia when you know for 100% certain that EVERY one who sees you will try to kill you. It just becomes yet another deathmatch game among hundreds of others. And now with the removal of the bandit skins, there is even less incentive to play together. This game has a real chance of devolving into a simple deathmatch game with a zombie nuisance thrown in.

So, what I'm suggesting is a real use for the humanity system already coded in the mod. I'm not suggesting keeping the bandit skins, but something different. Something that actively encourages co-op game play, yet still hides your humanity levels from everyone else, which keeps the bandit option viable for those that really want to be a-holes and do nothing but blast newbies running along the coast.

First, revamp the humanity system so that its a scale from 0 to either 100, or -100. So, every player starts with zero and has to earn humanity, or can lose humanity. If you kill a player that has a lot of +humanity, you lose a proportionate amount from your humanity. Likewise, if you kill a player with -humanity, your humanity increases a proportionate amount to what negative humanity they carried. Otherwise, make earning/losing humanity very gradual.... like one +point for bandaging someone, or one -point for pickpocketing a backpack.

Aside from the other perks / repercussions listed below... this would encourage players to seek out the worse bandits on the server. It would also encourage players to actively seek out and help other players, since they get better perks if they have higher humanity levels, or hang around with higher humanity level players.

I don't know how much can actually be done with the current game engine, but possible perks and repercussions of your humanity level could include:

+humanity Perks

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--More loot spawning nearby

--Better initial kit upon respawn (perhaps a compass or revolver)

--Higher chance of better weapons spawning nearby

--More meat available on animals

--Able to self-administer blood packs

--More blood restoration from canned food

--Less chance of catching an infection

--Less chance of a zombie alerting on you while in crouch mode

-humanity Repercussions

----------------------------------------

Fewer 'rare' weapon spawning nearby

Fewer medical items spawning nearby

Chance of bandaging yourself not working the first time

Unable to recover as much blood from food

Higher chance of alerting zombies in crouch/prone mode

More chance of catching an infection

More hand-shake when using scoped weapons

Less stamina when running at full sprint (forced cool downs)

Unable to repair vehicles or fuel them

Unable to use wire kits or entrenching tool

Can only carry smallest backpacks

Random gun jams, or the occasional misfire

On top of the perks/repercussions, you could have a 'most wanted' system for the bandit with the highest negative humanity on the server, and mark that player with an always-on flare or chemlight. On the flip side, you can have a reward for the player with the highest humanity on the server, such as a bulletproof vests that take X amount of bullet-only damage before it erodes away.

[Razor (DayZ) 0]

No.

No no no.

Try Fallen Earth.

[Rico (DayZ) 99]

This mod is a ton of fun' date=' however, there is a point you get to.... where the game can stop being fun.

Soon people will realize that you either have to go bandit, or go solo in the woods and avoid all human contact. Most normal people don't relish doing either. This needs to be addressed by balancing game play soon, or people will abandon the mod just as fast at they fell in love with it.

Yes, paranoia and fear are part of the game, but there is no more fear or paranoia when you know for 100% certain that EVERY one who sees you will try to kill you. It just becomes yet another deathmatch game among hundreds of others. And now with the removal of the bandit skins, there is even less incentive to play together. This game has a real chance of devolving into a simple deathmatch game with a zombie nuisance thrown in……………

[/quote']

About the first part of your post…man! you read my mind? I was just about to write a post with the exact words :O

But sry i disarge, about your idea, give an advantage or disadvantage is not the right way, soon I will explain my idea.

[montauk 2]

No thank you.

[Littlenorwegians 3]

NO!

This is mostly simulation and part difficulty.

My toilet does not clog up if I rob a store, nor does a bandit get crippling fears of big backpacks or lose the ability to put gas in a car.

This kinda of mentality leads to safe zones, regenerating health, insta-kill melee, armor that allows you to take a dozen shots and not losing all your stuff when you die.

[montauk 2]

Agreed completely. Forcing handicaps upon a player that aren't even plausible is ridiculous.

[duddbudda 33]

Soon people will realize that you either have to go bandit' date=' or go solo in the woods and avoid all human contact[/quote']

My second night in Chernarus I sat on a crane in cherno throwing flares, calling for noobs to gather and be saved

I led a group of eight nubs to balota and got them all good things

now, between these and my steam friends, I have a circle of players I can team up with any time

tl;dr avoiding all human contact is your choice; that you (plural) don't see the exceptional depth and value of teamwork in DayZ is your own failing

[TeaLeaf 5]

I find the amount of murders in-game is exaggerated on the forums. I think I have been betrayed maybe once so far and only killed twice on sight. I've probably bumped into a few dozen people that didn't kill me though.

[duddbudda 33]

Something that actively encourages co-op game play

what game are you playing?

my friends and I don't die to bandits or opportunists because we travel in a group, raid military camps one at a time with extensive overwatch, and work together at all times

that my last four deaths (that's 80 hours of game time) are exclusively glitches (I never DC or intentionally use any other exploit) is proof of the value of team work

[Outlaw (DayZ) 1]

Please no.

[block0 0]

Ok, ok, I get it.... gameplay is currently perfect in its current form... at least that is what I'm getting from this?

Glad I didn't really expect to get any positive feedback from this post. Since NONE of the other suggestions in this forum section ever get any positive feed back from anyone, ever, so I was expecting this kind of reception. You did not disappoint.

I did, however, expect to hear at least a few suggestions, not just "no no no"...or "but MY friends are awesome, bring your own friends" blah blah blah.

If none of my suggestions are 'realistic' enough for a zombie game (did you read that part about zombie = realism? good) then what suggestions would you give to make this less of a COD style instagib-fest that wears out its welcome in a few weeks?

I'm shooting for longevity in the game, not trying to re-balance the system here... just trying to make sure this game lasts longer than the attention span of the average 13yo male with an Xbox live account.

[Razor (DayZ) 0]

No one says gameplay is perfect. We just think your idea is shit.

[block0 0]

Then.... whats your idea?

How about we change the skins to a bandit if the humanity drops below a certain level? That sounds stupid to? Yet it was part of the game for a bit, and not many complained (except bandits).

[jason.jblackman@gmail.com 3]

If NPCs are introduced it could be made that certain NPCs nearer the coastal cities, such as Cherno and Elektro, refused to talk to you if your humanity is too low. However, your list would just severely punish the low-humanity people too much.

[ezdaroth 1]

Ok' date=' ok, I get it.... gameplay is currently perfect in its current form... at least that is what I'm getting from this?

Glad I didn't really expect to get any positive feedback from this post. Since NONE of the other suggestions in this forum section ever get any positive feed back from anyone, ever, so I was expecting this kind of reception. You did not disappoint.

I did, however, expect to hear at least a few suggestions, not just "no no no"...or "but MY friends are awesome, bring your own friends" blah blah blah.

If none of my suggestions are 'realistic' enough for a zombie game (did you read that part about zombie = realism? good) then what suggestions would you give to make this less of a COD style instagib-fest that wears out its welcome in a few weeks?

I'm shooting for longevity in the game, not trying to re-balance the system here... just trying to make sure this game lasts longer than the attention span of the average 13yo male with an Xbox live account.

[/quote']

The reason you don't get support is because DayZ is unique for it's brutal realism, open world where you decide your survival strategy based on natural factors and you can change it at any point.

If you start adding artificial advantages or disadvantages for any choice in the game, you ruin it.

Currently when you have someone in your sights you evaluate the following risks and potential benefits:

You shoot - You might alert the player's friends who will hunt you down and/or zombies, you might miss and the player shoots back. You potentially gain nice gear from the player, but lose the opportunity to get a friend who might save you later.

You approach as friendly - You become incredibly vulnerable. The player might shoot you and take everything you have, but you can potentially get the best reward in the game, a friend who has your back. Very high risk, very high reward.

You ignore the player - No reward, no instant risk. You might die later because you didn't have the friend or the gear to save your ass, but you also avoided potential death now.

That's all we need. The game can be further balanced by shaping the world and introducing more, realistic mechanics. However, humanity is good for nothing, since such high level psychology as personal consequences of a murder can't even be predicted, yet alone simulated.

[joshuabeatdown 2]

Ok' date=' ok, I get it.... gameplay is currently perfect in its current form... at least that is what I'm getting from this?

Glad I didn't really expect to get any positive feedback from this post. Since NONE of the other suggestions in this forum section ever get any positive feed back from anyone, ever, so I was expecting this kind of reception. You did not disappoint.

I did, however, expect to hear at least a few suggestions, not just "no no no"...or "but MY friends are awesome, bring your own friends" blah blah blah.

If none of my suggestions are 'realistic' enough for a zombie game (did you read that part about zombie = realism? good) then what suggestions would you give to make this less of a COD style instagib-fest that wears out its welcome in a few weeks?

I'm shooting for longevity in the game, not trying to re-balance the system here... just trying to make sure this game lasts longer than the attention span of the average 13yo male with an Xbox live account.

[/quote']

The reason you don't get support is because DayZ is unique for it's brutal realism, open world where you decide your survival strategy based on natural factors and you can change it at any point.

If you start adding artificial advantages or disadvantages for any choice in the game, you ruin it.

Currently when you have someone in your sights you evaluate the following risks and potential benefits:

You shoot - You might alert the player's friends who will hunt you down and/or zombies, you might miss and the player shoots back. You potentially gain nice gear from the player, but lose the opportunity to get a friend who might save you later.

You approach as friendly - You become incredibly vulnerable. The player might shoot you and take everything you have, but you can potentially get the best reward in the game, a friend who has your back. Very high risk, very high reward.

You ignore the player - No reward, no instant risk. You might die later because you didn't have the friend or the gear to save your ass, but you also avoided potential death now.

That's all we need. The game can be further balanced by shaping the world and introducing more, realistic mechanics. However, humanity is good for nothing, since such high level psychology as personal consequences of a murder can't even be predicted, yet alone simulated.

Awesome response.

"If you start adding artificial advantages or disadvantages for any choice in the game, you ruin it."

Voidsheep is right, it would ruin the game. Eventually there would be no bandits at all. Then the game would be boring as hell. Just another Dead Island/L4D. I play this game because it is not like those games. Those games I play for a week, two tops when new. Randomly play them time to time, and bored in 30 minutes. As there is no risk at all.