Rocket AMA

[SmashT 10907]

Rocket is currently doing an AMA (ask me anything) on /r/dayz, and is being quite open about a lot of the planned DayZ standalone features. Below is a paraphrased list, I recommend reading the full AMA for context and extra tidbits of information. A lot of the AMA is casual discussion and is subject to change, so keep that in mind.

General Information

- Target for release is by the end of the 2012 working year.

- The release will be for the public alpha version, i.e. not the stable release.

- The standalone will provide the dev team with absolute freedom, and they will utilize many aspects of the Real Virtuality engine, not limited to the ArmA 3 version. It will be their own branch of the engine.

- Alpha will be heavily discounted, and the end product will never be a fully priced retail product. Rocket mentions that he can't picture a price over 25 euro (30 USD) for the final.

- No pre-ordering, but there will be a premium/collector's edition available with swag like art prints and concept work.

- The game mechanics will stay as they are now.

- Focus will be on re-developing game architecture first, and then development of new features.

- There will be no "endgame", but rather continued gameplay decided by the individual player. Kind of like Minecraft before The End was introduced.

New features

- A new/modified map, "Chernarus Plus".

- Chernarus Plus will have more interactive (enter-able) buildings. Non-interactive buildings will be easier to spot.

- Hand combat, in addition to the melee weapons we already have.

- Dogs can be a survivor's companion. "Expect them to track, to warn you of danger, and to follow you. And then get shot. And then you QQ."

- There will be no safe areas on the map.

- A quiver for crossbow bolts.

- Weapon and gear degradation.

- A diary system, allowing other players to see notes left by you when you're offline, not around, or dead.

- A robust web interface, as previewed at Rezzed earlier this summer.

- Narrative that will describe the virus background.

Improvements over the mod

- More weapons. Many of which are custom, "find at home" style weaponry. Cricket bat, anyone?

- Zombies will not switch to walking when indoors (once pathing for zambies is fixed and their lifecycle is implemented).

- More clothing and player customization, including colors and face.

- The humanity system will be fine tuned.

- More robust weather system, redesigned from scratch.

- Zombies will be much more frightening.

- Improved broken limb system.

- And entirely new hive syncing system.

- Improved anti-cheat measures.

- Improved player UI. The inventory is being reworked from scratch.

- The female character will be feature complete.

- Better performance, including faster loading.

Future plans

- More islands other than Chernarus, created by either the dev team or the community. Players will travel to them by boat or air.

- Increase max player count. 100-200 would be easily achievable, but any more would require a larger map.

- More wildlife. "Horses would be cool too."

- Animations will be improved.

- There are vague mentions of a revised server hosting scheme.

- Add "methods that allow players to create their own systems for things, so if they wanted to create such a system they could". So perhaps think about Garry's Mod and how players can program in aspects that affect their own gameplay. Not sure on this one.

- Underground "bases" and other construction, but Rocket mentions that it's a pretty ambitious endeavor to develop.

- Group play and faction support.

Current DayZ mod version

- The current mod version of DayZ will continue to be updated, and will become more open.

- Dogs will be coming to the mod (in the next update, v1.7.3) before the standalone.

- The possibility of private hive servers.

- Lingor Island may be coming to the mod.

- It looks like Rocket is going to continue using the mod as a way to test new features before they're thrown into the standalone build. He also mentions that they already have an internal build of the standalone going around, which includes that Chernarus Plus map.

http://www.reddit.com/r/dayz/comments/y4x6i/iama_rocket_potential_questions/

Thanks to http://dayzhq.com/ for the summary.

[Brudagon (DayZ) 64]

Ya I'm pretty sure he stopped answering questions, but tell me if I'm wrong. I'm sad if I missed it, happened like at 3am for me.

[omgwtfbbq (DayZ) 1069]

- No pre-ordering, but there will be a premium/collector's edition available with swag like art prints and concept work.

:facepalm:

[externalz 0]

Cheers for the info smasht

[astriantis@hotmail.com 25]

Nice.

[waffen-79 32]

- The female character will be feature complete.

- More clothing and player customization, including colors and face.

PLEASE ELABORATE

model replacing and textures or real morphs?

Is it anywhere close to the Skyrim, APB Reloaded, Saints Row 3, or Global Agenda ones?

if they can accomplish that, slaes would increase like hell!!!! ;)

- Hand combat, in addition to the melee weapons we already have.

Directional Melee combat? or just fake/short range weapons?

[auridas330@yahoo.com 3]

Can we please modify our weapons.

Like we find an acog scope or a silencer and put it on the weapon, that would be nice

[strangere 9]

Can we please modify our weapons.

Like we find an acog scope or a silencer and put it on the weapon, that would be nice

That's Arma 3 feature so it could be in Dayz

[NightRipper 284]

I love how there's a one-line reference to anti-cheat. DOWNPLAYING HACKERS LIKE A BAWWSS

[Michaelvoodoo25 3120]

Cheers for the Info.

Wheres the base building aspect? I was looking forward to that. However with more "Island maps" I am more than happy.

Now where do I reserve the Limited Edition? I want to own a dead Zed head Bust, Our lass would shit em waking up next to that.

[guidez 180]

Question: Why can't ALL buildings be enter-able? What's the point of "most"? I mean, houses in total ruin: fine. But if it looks to be structurally sound, why not make them enter-able? I am not the greatest 3D modeler, but heck's I'll model all the buildings for free if that's whats lacking.

[SmashT 10907]

Question: Why can't ALL buildings be enter-able? What's the point of "most"? I mean, houses in total ruin: fine. But if it looks to be structurally sound, why not make them enter-able? I am not the greatest 3D modeler, but heck's I'll model all the buildings for free if that's whats lacking.

He said that is the end goal, a lot more will be enterable at the start and hopefully all of them eventually.