My Ideal DayZ

[00dlez 22]

Here is a list of my wants, hopes, and desires for DayZ. I understand many have been iterated, but I'll not leave them off of list simply because someone else agrees.

1. Better hacker controls: Nuff said.

2. Gear/Backpack Controls: I understand the current limitations. In my mind the ideal inventory screen would have the following components...

• "On Person": a short list of items that you have on hand, similar to the out of bag screen that exists now. They are easy to get to and equip/unequip. Rather than going into you inventory screen to use these items, make them more hot key based. EX: If I have an epi-pen in my #1 slot, then when I press 1, I will holster my pistol, take out the epi-pen and can then click on my buddy or myself to use it. I'm fine with this taking 3-5 seconds or what have you rather than being an un-immersive insta-switch.
  
• "In pockets": These are things that are passively used, such as magazines. They do not require hotkey priority and do not require a special action to use properly.
  
• "In bag": While I think that you should not have to crouch to access the bag, I'm fine with a time consuming animation to do so - one should not be able to quickly store/retrive items not readily on their person, but doing so while prone should be allowed.
  

I think that weight and size should be regulated as well and could be balanced to allow more versitility in your equipment, but keeping it within a realistic realm.

EX: My "In pockets" space might have 10, single cell slots; useful for mags, matches, a map, but not something I'm able to tote a rifle around in. In my bag, however, If I want to carry 2 rifles and carry a third in my hand, that should be fine - certainly possible, despite the lack of space for a ton of delicious, tasty beans.

3. Harvesting and Environment interaction: Hunting was a neat addition, but I'd like to see it go further. Picking berries, harvesting firewood, "usable wood", and brush (later two I discuss more below) could all be used.

4. Construction Options: With new materials available, and all the materials already spawning in the game, there is a lot of untapped, minecraft-y fun to be had. Tents are not the only way to cache gear and with all the deer stands well marked as loot drops they can't really be used as the firing platforms that were intended. Just a few examples with near endless possibility, I've put in game materials/objects in italics:

• Underground Cache: You can use the entrenching tool to dig a shallow hole (say 5 inventory slots) and cover it with brush to store small items such as food, water, or sidearms.
  
• Hunting Blind: With an axe, a survivor can harvest some cut wood and brush from the forest and create a camoflaged firing position.
  
• Towers: There are various types of towers, ranging in durability and quality from simple deer stand (simple, small wooden platform in a tree), to a wooden tower (wooden watch towers that make up the deer stands as we know them in DayZ) to military grade towers built from industrial materials rather than naturally harvested material.
  

Essentially, have a menu of buildings that have a tool/component list, and build times. Components can be added all at once or in groups/individually. It could be broken down into phases, displayed by mousing over the building (perhaps requiring a close inspection versus sweeping the cursor over it from across the field. Using the examples from above:

• Underground Cache: Phase 1 - Dig. Time: 20 seconds. Requires: Entrenching Tool. Phase 2 - Conceal. Time: 10 seconds. Requires: 1 x Brush.
  
• Hunting Blind: Phase 1 - Frame. Time: 30 seconds. Requires: 4 x Rope, 2 x Cut Wood. Phase 2 - Conceal. Time: 20 Seconds. Requires: 3 x Brush.
  
• Deerstand: Phase 1 - Ladder. Time: 20 seconds. Requires: 8 x Rope OR 8 x Nail. Phase 2 - Stand. Time: 20 seconds. Requires: 1 x Small Lumber, 2 x Nail, Hammer. Phase 3 - Conceal. Time 20 Seconds. Requires: 2 x Brush
  
• Military Tower: Phase 1 - Ladder. Time: 20 seconds. Requires: 4 x Scrap Metal, Welding Torch. Phase 2 - Stand. Time 60 seconds Requires: 6 x Sheet Metal, 4 x Scrap Metal, Welding Torch. Phase 3 - Conceal. Time 45 seconds. Requires: 2 x paint, Paintbrush.
  

Certain phases may or may not be needed for use, though. One could use a military tower without it having camofalged paint on it, or the ladder going up a tree to a not-yet-built deerstand could just go up a tree with nothing at the top.

5. Server Hopping- Legit Disconnect versus alt-F4 puss-bags.

When the "Abort Mission" is used or someother form of user disconnect, the character should remain frozen in place for 30 seconds. This ensures that it can only be done safely if the character themselves is safe. If you do it after aggroing every zom in Cherno or mid-firefight, your character is going to end up dead, as well they should.

"But 00dlez!" you cry, "I have a terrible internet connection that drops out, what if it does so while I'm winning a fight or while in the middle of sneaking through zombie zone! I shouldn't be penalized!"

And right you are! Any loss of connection will immediately despawn a character.

"Whats to stop sissys from just pulling the cord to server hop, then?" Nothing that I can think of... But only allowing the player to rejoin the same server they disconnected from for 5 minutes will stop folks from jumping from server to server looking for better loot drops or ghosting behind players/out of a hostile area.

6. Character Classes- I do not want a full blown RPG, but some differentiation would be nice. Given the rate of death, I don't think it should take long to level up. By the same token, I don't think having a leveled up character should replace any significant amount of skill. A better player will be a better player regardless of level, but the perks might give you an edge in an otherwise even fight.

Each class will have several ability trees to advance down, each step with a given XP cost. XP is gained by acomplishing tasks, which could be different (with some overlap) depending on the class of a character.

I would suggest keeping the number of classes minimal, perhaps 5 or fewer. Here are two brief examples - The Bandit Class and The Survivor Class:

• Bandits gain XP mainly through PvP activities, such as scoring hits on other players, killing other players, looting other players bodies, looting military buildings, etc. Their advancable skill could include things like SLIGHTLY increased damage, SLIGHTLY increased chance of their shots breaking bones and a little extra blood.
  
• Survivors gain XP mainly through PvE activities such as harvesting supplies from the woods (see above), killing zombies, and looting residential and farm buildings. Advanvaceable skills could be things like reduced chance of zombie detection, Increased time inbetween needing food/water or improved harvesting skills (see above, more berries, x2 wood harvested, etc.)
  

7. Buildings/Loot spawns: Make looting more difficult. Starting with nothing on the coast sucks, but the ability to respawn and regear within an hour cheapens the life of your character. If it was a struggle to get your gear, you might think twice about camping the NWAF and fighting everyone who comes by.

Along that line, make loot spawns more variable. If only a handful specific buildings in the entire game world spawn high grade military equipment, folks naturally camp them, farm them, and have little incentive to snipe/camp, raid barracks, return to snipe spot and repeat. To use the NWAF as an example, if say, the pair of hangers across the runway were to spawn the good equipment, and the barracks at the SW end the next respawn, and the northern barracks the next spawn (with the other tier drops likewise rotating) it will make prediction and camping harder and a little less reliable, but still just as valid and playable.

I think that is all for now, this list may grow/be edited in the future. If you read all that, I salute you (please don't shoot me), but without comments it was just a waste of time. Let me know what you think!

[dcskill 117]

1. Talk to Battle Eye

2. Limitations from Arma 2 engine. Stand alone game might come with bonuses(?)

3. That would be nice. :)

4. I agree with a few things you stated. Some of those would make the game play better.

5. I feel that the first half should only be implemented. If your connection fails, take it up with your ISP.

6. No XP systems please. I would rather have a customization on a players model. (clothes, hats, colours, etc) maybe small acheivements ingame could reward these items. :)

7. I feel that the loot tables/frequency are fine at the moment.

:D

[ODoyleRulez 195]

Solid ideas. Some of it is supposedly going to be in the standalone. Guess we will see about that.

The only thing that I really didn't agree with was the class "perks". I don't think giving a bandit an even easier time killing someone would make people want to play any other class. They were talking about a class type system already, where you don't really get exp. More like skills or being better at some skills. Something similar to a player being a better Dr, or mechanic, etc. I would think though, if a leveling system of sorts was introduced, it could make people think twice about getting in a fire fight and potentially losing the character. Well, it may just make it so they only shoot you in the back instead.

The loot spawning seems like a good idea for sure. Might cut back a tad on the camping. Could probably take it a few steps even further than that.

[Fitzkrieg 129]

I love the originality, very good. However, this isn't an MMORPG and it never will be. (thank god) and classes I do not want. However, customization is something that can and should be expanded on.

[00dlez 22]

5. I feel that the first half should only be implemented. If your connection fails, take it up with your ISP.

Wouldn't you hate it if you lost al your gear and character due to a power outage or something? I understand that such occurances are rare - losing connection when you happen to be in a firefight which might take up 1% of your in game time - but are you saying that a hard handed approach is the only way to prevent abuse and if it happens, deal with it?

7. I feel that the loot tables/frequency are fine at the moment.

The loot spawning seems like a good idea for sure. Might cut back a tad on the camping. Could probably take it a few steps even further than that.

I don't think there is anything wrong with current loot drops, but I think that breaking it up into more general areas rather than having this building being good and that building being bad make camping more diffiult and break up the game a little more.

Perhaps even just hiding items a little? Maybe the NVG are inside of a locker in the barracks or the double barrel is ontop of the cabinets in the farm house...?

6. No XP systems please. I would rather have a customization on a players model. (clothes, hats, colours, etc) maybe small acheivements ingame could reward these items. :)

The only thing that I really didn't agree with was the class "perks". I don't think giving a bandit an even easier time killing someone would make people want to play any other class. They were talking about a class type system already, where you don't really get exp. More like skills or being better at some skills. Something similar to a player being a better Dr, or mechanic, etc. I would think though, if a leveling system of sorts was introduced, it could make people think twice about getting in a fire fight and potentially losing the character. Well, it may just make it so they only shoot you in the back instead.

I love the originality, very good. However, this isn't an MMORPG and it never will be. (thank god) and classes I do not want. However, customization is something that can and should be expanded on.

I agree, a MMORPG isn't my intent. These benefits would be very limited and simply improve a player's ability to play a certain lifestyle. If a survivor type never wants to brave Cherno, they won't have to risk it, being more adept to surviving out in the wild (by getting more blood back from foodstuffs, for example).

It's more of a system that rewards taking on a variety of activities than finding a DMR and camping NWAF for 3 days.

That said, this is much more secondary on my list than some of the more glaring issues.