Backpack storage

[bad_mojo (DayZ) 1204]

Simple idea, right click on your backpack and select "Place on ground" and then he does an animation and your backpack is on the ground. Except unlike simply dropping the pack, it has the "save backpack" option, so you can throw down your backpack somewhere without the fear of losing it.

Would be good for moving items to a safer location. If you found some bodies with good gear and packs, you could drop yours somewhere safe, and then make runs back to the bodies stripping them of their packs and gear.

It would also be easier to hide a backpack, but with the difficulty of moving backpacks around, it would still make the tent desirable. Not to mention the risk of having your pack found and stolen.

[Venzire 76]

Camo/Ghillie for the pack?

[happylarry77 24]

That's actually a great Idea. Less room than a tent and smaller! Balanced.

[Womb Raider 92]

Wouldn't this enable portable duping?

[happylarry77 24]

Wouldn't this enable portable duping?

Not when it's fixed. Features will be added later and then it will be fixed for sure.

[bazbake 456]

So...instead of a server with 50 tents full of loot for newbs to trawl, we'd have a server with 300 backpacks full of loot for newbs to trawl.

Can we just go ahead and get rid of permadeath and spare the server load?

[xximrtwoixx 104]

So...instead of a server with 50 tents full of loot for newbs to trawl, we'd have a server with 300 backpacks full of loot for newbs to trawl.

Can we just go ahead and get rid of permadeath and spare the server load?

Gear should not be what people see as adding value to their characters, it causes to many unrealistic actions because people value their things more than their lives. Also, high tier gear isn't and should not be that much better than low tier gear, an AKM is just as effective as an M16/M4. Because of this storage is disconected from perma death IMO, it can make the early game easier but that player put in the work and had to be successful with their last character in order to get that gear stored. They didn't like being a noob w/nothing so they took action to change it.

I agree there are bugs w/storage but I think even fixing the current tent system and adding a script to make tents save before server re-start will correct them, and eliminate alot of the duping.

I also like this idea, even if I knew that my back pack wouldn't simply disappear if I took it off I would be happy. I think if encumbrance is also included there will definitley need to be some type of system that allows you to remove/save your pack before going into a fight.

[Mackk 0]

I like the idea, although duping could be an issue with it, alpha is more for testing conepts while beta is for bug fixes.

[amaROenuZ 144]

I like it. It'd give a use to the smaller backpacks in the game that you really don't find people wearing, and make tents feel like less of a necessity. Maybe make it so if you don't interact with those tents for more than a few days they disappear though. A tent, sure, that'll stay there for a while if left unattended. Stick a backpack in the forest for a few days, that thing will get overgrown.

[Rigor Mortis (DayZ) 141]

I completely agree, with everything above. I also think you should be able to stuff a second (empty) backpack into yours... it's just silly that you can't roll up a small backpack and jam it into an alice pack. On that same note, I think it would be nifty to be able to lose control of your primary weapon and be able to carry a backpack in one hand, basically a temporary condition so you could move a backpack without trading them, or so you can grab one to give to your gearless friend hiding in the bushes.

[adamtheheretic 106]

Gear should not be what people see as adding value to their characters, it causes to many unrealistic actions because people value their things more than their lives.

Also, high tier gear isn't and should not be that much better than low tier gear, an AKM is just as effective as an M16/M4. Because of this storage is disconected from perma death IMO, it can make the early game easier but that player put in the work and had to be successful with their last character in order to get that gear stored. They didn't like being a noob w/nothing so they took action to change it.

I agree there are bugs w/storage but I think even fixing the current tent system and adding a script to make tents save before server re-start will correct them, and eliminate alot of the duping.

I also like this idea, even if I knew that my back pack wouldn't simply disappear if I took it off I would be happy. I think if encumbrance is also included there will definitley need to be some type of system that allows you to remove/save your pack before going into a fight.

You realise that happens in real life?

Other than that I think you just solved duping. Server restarts should have an auto-save feature (tents and cars, backpacks if this idea is implemented) meaning that duping isn't possible as well as vehicles spawning back at your camp because you were driving and the server reset.

Edited August 17, 2012 by FishIsTwonk

[L0G!N (DayZ) 149]

Like this idea...

wanted to add to the discussion that people shouldn't be to worried about 'preppers', do realize that YOU can also run into that backpack at any time in your gaming life. You may be starving and far away from any town, to then run into this backpack filled with goodies (same goes with tents & vehicles), they basically provide a feature that i see suggest a lot of times:

- please add more random loot locations...

well what is more random than a player trying to hide an extra bit of gear, the chances of you running into that gear are about as big as the chances of you running into a downed chopper site ... slim but there is a chance ... and in the case of tents/vehicles/bags/etc it's the players that provide both the loot and the random, without the need add in the frequency of game based random loot drop locations... :)

[xDIx Revenge 51]

Not too bad an idea, expanding on it.

Maybe you should be able to chuck your primary gun into your pack, and *pick up* the backpack off your freshly killed mate. Then you could carry this along instead of your primary gun. Obviously would need some implementation where you can drop the backpack in an instance to switch out to your pistol to fire at infected or players.

[bad_mojo (DayZ) 1204]

Gear should not be what people see as adding value to their characters, it causes to many unrealistic actions because people value their things more than their lives.

You realise that happens in real life?

No way, people would put their own survival above all else when it comes down to it. Look at the movie 28 weeks later, the dude runs out on his own wife and leaves her to be eaten by zombies. I'm not saying everyone would do that, but when your adrenaline gets pumping and instinct kicks in, survival is your only motivation. Not that any video game can recreate that instinct, but in real life people don't put anything above their own survival.

Sadly in DayZ, the allure of fat loot overrides their survival instinct. For example why would someone go into the NWAF with a winchester? They already have a great weapon to protect themselves. There aren't any survival supplies at the airfield. It's a huge risk people take just to get better gear. They stop "putting themselves in the game" and start "playing the game", if you know what I mean. The scavenger hunt takes priority over safety. And for good reason, who wants to sit in a forest and eat steak and drink pond water their whole (dayz) life?

What I think might really help the game, is for military loot to be as plentiful as the medical supplies at hospitals. If you venture out to the NWAF barracks and get past the zombies, you should be rewarded with more crap than you could ever hope to carry. I'm not saying 50 sets of NVGs and ghillies, those things would be like anti-biotics. But I'd love to see 3-5 ammo boxes spawning and guns galore. I feel a change like this would shift the focus away from finding cool guns and more towards working together. If everyone can put a little effort in and get the same m107 as you, the only thing better is two guys with m107s... right?

More military loot would mean more reason to maintain vehicles and tents too. If you drive your truck up and load up for an hour, your group might be set for weeks. They're now free to worry about living in the apocalypse rather than farming magically appearing items.

Edited August 17, 2012 by bad_mojo

[adamtheheretic 106]

"No way, people would put their own survival above all else when it comes down to it."

That was far too extensive an explanation when it's in actually unrelated, I was pointing out that in today's society people value their lives on what they own not who they are and what they do...

If I were to point something out to you though, we're not a very strong animal, and our survival instinct has become useless and is bred out of a lot of us. Although it is true that we maintain a fight or flight attitude even those "fighters" are always maintaining a naturally aware state that allows them to quickly react to "threats" in today's society, but those threats consist more of business deals. We're becoming limp and useless as a species.

To use a media example like you, check The Walking Dead (tv show/series), when Rick meets Morgan for the first time he tells him about how his family photos were gone, Morgan says his wife tried to do the same. This is only an example of women thinking with white matter over grey matter but I think it still applies as a pretty useless survival instinct caused by today's society.

"Sadly in DayZ, the allure of fat loot overrides their survival instinct."

You're right here but I don't see why you said sadly... You even say yourself "who wants to sit in a forest and eat steak and drink pond water their whole (dayz) life?" and I agree with that sentiment. A zombie apocalypse and zombie apocalypse simulator are very different, I'll admit that a huge alluring factor was that I had to survive. Not just killing zombies and players that threaten me but the environment and my natural human body. But when you can survive easily and collect weapons easily, you want a challenge and something to achieve. There's no point logging in to make a camp fire and sit by it all night.

"What I think might really help the game, is for military loot to be as plentiful as the medical supplies at hospitals."

I guess... I feel like going the opposite way would fix the problem but I'm not saying yours wouldn't work I think it would just make Day Z easier, which I think is wrong.

My opinion on this matter is expressed better here.

Edited August 17, 2012 by FishIsTwonk

[bazbake 456]

People referencing movies an example of how people would respond in real life situations...? Saywhathefucknow?

@bad_mojo

In 28 Days Later the main character battles his way through the military to rescue his best friends. Not to mention someone fighting his way through armies of zombies to rescue complete strangers and share his food and water with them.

Since we're talking about how realistic movies are...why not go with the original instead of the sequel?

@FishIsTwonk

People are powerful, energy efficient, swift creatures with high levels of endurance. There are stronger animals in different areas, but humans aren't weak.

And fight-or-flight hasn't been bred out. We're actually easily frightened and manipulated into acts of violence through emotional triggering. But we are also naturally eusocial creatures with an innate tendency toward forming groups, a trait that provides substantial emotional and psychological reward triggers.

tl;dr Humans will punch you in the face just as soon as look at you. Sometimes. Other times they will break their last loaf of bread in half and share it. It really depends on the human, the circumstances, and the environment.

[Oh! 1]

I completely agree, with everything above. I also think you should be able to stuff a second (empty) backpack into yours... it's just silly that you can't roll up a small backpack and jam it into an alice pack. On that same note, I think it would be nifty to be able to lose control of your primary weapon and be able to carry a backpack in one hand, basically a temporary condition so you could move a backpack without trading them, or so you can grab one to give to your gearless friend hiding in the bushes.

You can carry a tent in your backpack, so why not another, empty, pack?

[adamtheheretic 106]

People are powerful, energy efficient, swift creatures with high levels of endurance. There are stronger animals in different areas, but humans aren't weak.

And fight-or-flight hasn't been bred out. We're actually easily frightened and manipulated into acts of violence through emotional triggering. But we are also naturally eusocial creatures with an innate tendency toward forming groups, a trait that provides substantial emotional and psychological reward triggers.

tl;dr Humans will punch you in the face just as soon as look at you. Sometimes. Other times they will break their last loaf of bread in half and share it. It really depends on the human, the circumstances, and the environment.

You realise we share 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees? Their average male (5'6) can rip our average male (5'9) limb from limb. Not to mention they're more energy efficient (can't find reliable evidence, still think it's true if they're not even), have a more easily identifiable social construct and do I even need to say anything about being swift or having endurance? I jumped the gun saying fight or flight has been bred out, I didn't mean completely. It still exists however in it's current form it's used more for every-day problems and so hasn't been taken advantage of and is sloppy in comparison to our ancestors.

Our species has always been relatively weak, we have only survived because of how much we've changed our environment. If we stayed in the Savannah we would have just been another extinct species at this point.

[strength] If you look at the "best of us" in fighting terms at this point, they're one's that use performance enhancing drugs such as steroids to move themselves beyond what their body should be able to do naturally.

[skill] If you look at the "best of us" in fighting terms at this point, they're the one's that have naturally good reactions and co-ordination, as well as this lots of training to use tools effectively. Once again though, they're using tools.

P.s. I used a media example because he did, however it's common place that those that think more with white matter focus more on emotion and therefor will work "instinctively" but this instinct is useless when it comes to a natural disaster and you want to grab your precious memories.

Edited August 17, 2012 by FishIsTwonk

[xximrtwoixx 104]

That was far too extensive an explanation when it's in actually unrelated, I was pointing out that in today's society people value their lives on what they own not who they are and what they do...

You're right here but I don't see why you said sadly... You even say yourself "who wants to sit in a forest and eat steak and drink pond water their whole (dayz) life?" and I agree with that sentiment. A zombie apocalypse and zombie apocalypse simulator are very different, I'll admit that a huge alluring factor was that I had to survive. Not just killing zombies and players that threaten me but the environment and my natural human body. But when you can survive easily and collect weapons easily, you want a challenge and something to achieve. There's no point logging in to make a camp fire and sit by it all night.

You're correct that people "buy happiness" and covet their possesions, the point I and I think bad_mojo were trying to make is that they covet their life more. When people are robbed they usually comply and surrender their posessions because they want to avoid harm/injury/death. This does not occur in dayz becase gear/loot and the time spent aquiring it is what gives a character's life value. This is also where alot of hostility comes from IMO people hate that other's have more gear/loot or have stock piles of it, when in actuality most gear/loot isn't of that much greater value than other gear/loot. There is a major difference in having none and having alot but a little is pretty close to alot when you really look at it.

I also agree that sitting around a campfire isn't providing a good play experiance, but as you point out the answer is adding more content to make survival a bigger part of play rather than adding more/less sweet loot for the player to scavenge. More or less loot is the same thing with a system that spawns loot at a fixed rate, you simply spend your time collecting stuff either because it takes more time (less) or there are more options (more). Content that makes survival more of an active task is what is needed IMO and to me that is accomplished via the same mechanic that will give more value to a characters life, skills. This opens new objectives learning, doing, teaching, etc. Skills also allow for specialization, this can't be accomplished with all mechanics based on gear alone, especailly if there is an infinite supply of gear.

Op's mechanic will allow players with less to do more, and also provide dynamic content on the server as packs that are left behind become a cookie for other players. As Op's suggestion is on improving packs, I would also like to other types of packs and have them be able to stack with each other. Ie tactical vest that stacks with backpack or camel pack that stacks under back pack.

Edited August 17, 2012 by xXI Mr Two IXx

[adamtheheretic 106]

You're correct that people "buy happiness" and covet their possesions, the point I and I think bad_mojo were trying to make is that they covet their life more. When people are robbed they usually comply and surrender their posessions because they want to avoid harm/injury/death. This does not occur in dayz becase gear/loot and the time spent aquiring it is what gives a character's life value. This is also where alot of hostility comes from IMO people hate that other's have more gear/loot or have stock piles of it, when in actuality most gear/loot isn't of that much greater value than other gear/loot. There is a major difference in having none and having alot but a little is pretty close to alot when you really look at it.

I also agree that sitting around a campfire isn't providing a good play experiance, but as you point out the answer is adding more content to make survival a bigger part of play rather than adding more/less sweet loot for the player to scavenge. More or less loot is the same thing with a system that spawns loot at a fixed rate, you simply spend your time collecting stuff either because it takes more time (less) or there are more options (more). Content that makes survival more of an active task is what is needed IMO and to me that is accomplished via the same mechanic that will give more value to a characters life, skills. This opens new objectives learning, doing, teaching, etc. Skills also allow for specialization, this can't be accomplished with all mechanics based on gear alone, especailly if there is an infinite supply of gear.

Op's mechanic will allow players with less to do more, and also provide dynamic content on the server as packs that are left behind become a cookie for other players. As Op's suggestion is on improving packs, I would also like to other types of packs and have them be able to stack with each other. Ie tactical vest that stacks with backpack or camel pack that stacks under back pack.

My point was that in a really contrived way you pointed out a huge flaw in humanity or the logic of first world life. I'm not disagreeing with the loot being the only thing that attaches you to your player.

I agreed that something was needed until you mentioned skills, I've supported one skill system idea before and even then I realise it was foolish. It was a good idea however wrong for Day Z... Skills are something your player has, he's versed in all of them but you must know how to use them. The way I can read the clouds or stars in game to know what direction I'm heading in, before that I used a watch and shadows, before that I couldn't navigate until I had a compass...

Also I completely endorse OP's suggestion, I just liked your post as it solved the number one issue for me right now which is duping and vehicles being idiots and disappearing.

[romeobob87 5]

Great Idea but I think the conversation, while very interesting might need steering back towards the actual topic at hand...

[xximrtwoixx 104]

Backpacks?...... Thats what we were talking about right....

[bad_mojo (DayZ) 1204]

I think if they did let you put empty backpacks into your backpack it should take up most of the room in your pack. When I thought up this suggestion I thought it would be cool to have that risk & reward factor of having to run around without a pack until you find another one. If they let you carry around backpacks, they would just be smaller tents and setting one up wouldn't leave you at any disadvantage.

And if we were able to carry multiple packs around, they would be spammed all over the place. So I'm not too sure about that.