My feedback before leaving this game on its own.

[Deuzerre 64]

So, this is an alpha, right? So I'll give the feedback that should come from an alpha, before I leave it somewhere around.

As a social experiment, DayZ is sort of a success. not quite here yet, but close. This Alpha proved that many people are assholes when there is no limit to what they can do. It showed, in my opinion, that the Sandbox idea mixed with the possibility of PvP is flawed, that there is an actual need for rules, limits, reward and punishment for actions otherwise some people become petty random killers, grievers and whatnot. The successful aspect of the social experiment is that, when a number of people are jerks and can't be contained, when being a jerk makes you stronger simply because you are alive and the other one isn't, "Normal" people become jerks themselves and/or "Isolate themselves into groups". It's a strange concept, but people don't play really alone, or they become frustrated and leave (like me). I've played with a group over skype/mumble, and needless to say it was fun, with that feel of invincibility. The group eventually split though, since it wasn't really a challenge, and we never met other groups to wage war against, only single targets we most of the time left to their own business. The disappearance of global chat is a big part of the reason of this: Sure, there was a lot of baiting, it wasn't in the feel of the game, but then, isn't teamspeak and similar bullshit too?

As a PvP game, DayZ sucks. This engine isn't made for that kind of thing. Most of the time, sounds don't work when they come from someone else. Desynchs make you appear where you are not and take bullets when you are perfectly hidden, makes targetting moving people hard to do at best when they just jump backwards every few seconds. Hits not registering, stuff like that... And that's not to speak about the weaponry available, it's a slippery slope. I will just say that semi-automatic sniper rifles feel quite out of place, and might have been here for the rule of cool, but they aren't that cool. They just sound cool.

As a PvE game, it has gotten better. It used to be terrible, but recently it's been better, much better. Less pro sprinters Zig-Zag screw laws of physics, more "right". Zeds are an annoyance you must always take care of. The only major downside of PvE is that Zeds don't follow player rules. By that I mean they go through furniture, sometimes jerk around, and when you want to remain hidden from humans you are still visible to zeds, and the opposite is true too.

As a looting game... Partly due to scripts, but mostly by design, it's not great. Finding stuff is relatively easy, thanks to predictable loot areas, and the best way to find stuff is... PvP. Find an enfield, find a good camping spot out of one of the military areas, kill your target, full stuff, or a good way there. PvP is the best way for everything actually, but it shouldn't. It should be "A" way, not "The best way". Since being "Low stuff" general means you don't care, to get loot you can just kill a dude. When you have acceptable gear, to finish the set you... Kill a dude. Then, you have your ideal set and all you have to do is to go for a lake to refill, and hunt an animal to get some meat.

As a survival game, it does it quite well, but it reaches its limits really fast. You barely ever get ill. If you die from lack food, it's because of absurdly bad luck or simple idiocity. If you die from zeds, it's either because you did something stupid (got stuck in a building and fought by the rules without disconnecting) or by bad luck (9K limit, meed your broken leg maker), but they are here to keep you on your toes anyway, not to kill you. If you die to players... Sometimes it's a random snipers you can't do anything about (otherwise, check every bush in the game, and pray someone doesn't move in one of the ones you checked) or ambushes (I'm fine with that) or bad encounters, but anyway you are on your toes... but too much, since encountering a friendly is less frequent than finding a prostitute without a STD. I can say I encountered ONE player I didn't know that didn't shoot me on sight since my Makarov spawn days. Because there is no reason to try apart if you are an idiot like I am, hoping that humanity isn't made of e-boner kids. Survival should mean actually trying tu survive, not killing people for what they have in a game of russian roulette or for shit and giggles, or at least not as the only valid way of playing outside of a teamspeak group.

As an Alpha, it was, sorry to say it Rocket, but terrible. Since I came in, the only major changes have been the removal of weapons at spawn, and the LoS breaking for Zeds. The addition of axes is fun, but limited. Most of the rest has been some fine tuning... But there has been no change/evolution/improvement in terms of features. You mistook an alpha for a game. People will whine about bugs (Like the current dead body glitches) but these can be resolved separately/later. Add features, remove them, that's what an alpha is for dammit! We are here to test your ideas, just throw them up on us and we'll be happy! We are your playground, for you to know what to add/keep for the stand alone. We are a bunch of whining prats, but we can live with dying to a hill slope (happened) rocks and trees, we can survive with graphical glitches (they can be fixed on a separate schedule, but, man, they weren't there before, what's the change that made you cause them?). But repeating the same tasks for ever without new things gets boring. And some of the features saw their limits: Vehicles get hoarded (I still found some, but you know server owners just abuse the system most of the time), humanity is currently useless since over 50% of the player base kills on sight while the others die, sickness only happens on really rare occasions, global chat not being there only prevents people from communicating in game (further increasing KoS while preventing groups forming). Lots of other things.

There is probably a lot more to add. Let's just say that I'm glad to have participated in this (lucky me, I already had ARMAII before, just bought the DLC for the skins) but I have no hope for this game to go, even slightly, in the way I'd wish it to go. It has given me all I think it can give, and frustration but I knew some of it would come. I've played alone, in groups, survivor, bandit (a bit) and in my last life bandit hunter. But that's it, there is no more.

Note that I don't expect anything from WarZ either, I suspect this to be a dung with a bit of sugar coating.

I'll still follow DayZ's news, but I won't take part in the alpha anymore.

Oh, and to the guys that will say this is a QQ or something: Shut up, grow up.

[lvg 1690]

You mistook an alpha for a game.

You mistook a mod for a game

[vanrosemont 26]

good to see the mods here are just as big an asshole as the other users here. :|

[bayers 28]

Its not a social experiment. The Prison Experiment was a social experiment. Dayz is a game and in no way relates to real life.

[Siberian (DayZ) 527]

i agree 100% with most of what you said..

except im still enjoying playing and will continue to do so unless somethngi drastic happens that stops my "fun" factor.

[Bottlerocket 205]

Good post. I think you're being too harsh, but, meh ... different strokes, and all that.

I would point out that as a mod, DayZ has succeeded by passing the ultimate test - it is now going to become a standalone game.

[Deuzerre 64]

You mistook a mod for a game

You will see, as a moderator should, that I mentioned "Alpha" quite a few times. Even though it is an alpha, it is a game we play.

Actually, it's a game in alpha stage to be accurate, since that's what it's all about, right since it will eventually become a true game.

Happy to be a moderator? Grow a sense of criticism.

Edited August 22, 2012 by Deuzerre

[lvg 1690]

An Alpha mod is different from a game in alpha a mod is a modification done for free usually with out studio support, so a free mod made by a few people in their free time can not be compared to a game that has a team of developers done in a studio with more software/staff/equipment/time.

Edited August 22, 2012 by LVG

[sonicrainbrony 136]

kthxbai

[Cerven 80]

This really just smacks of someone with sour grapes who knows how to write, rather than just smash his keyboard raging.

I mean, if the game's not for you, great. A lot of us still really enjoy it, flaws and all. Why waste your time posting something with no real point other than 'I hate this game, I'm quitting'?

[TheDraken 19]

TLDR:

"I hate this game because people aren't nice."

"All humans must be evil."

"Rocket should stop paying attention to the standalone to fix this mod."

"My internet sucks so you should make PvP better for people like me."

"I played this game for a really long time so what I say matters."

"I already owned Arma 2 so I'm better than you."

"I'm too impatient to wait for the standalone."

Props. You've written one of the more eloquent rage threads I've come across on here.

Edited August 22, 2012 by TheDraken

[venthos 605]

This Alpha proved that many people are assholes when there is no limit to what they can do.

You needed DayZ to prove this to you? You've got a long and frightening road ahead on the internet if you're just figuring that out now.

It showed, in my opinion, that the Sandbox idea mixed with the possibility of PvP is flawed, that there is an actual need for rules, limits, reward and punishment for actions otherwise some people become petty random killers, grievers and whatnot.

I stopped reading your post after this, because I can already tell the remainder of the thread is for naught and I can address its entirety right now.

As Rocket has stated, he absolutely agrees with your statement that 'rules' need to be setup. Guess what, those 'rules' are intended for us (the players) to create and enforce. It is not for him (or any other dev/designer) to arbitrarily setup and balance/enforce as a game mechanic. That's what makes this game so amazing is that we (the players) will be left to enforce everything.

Check out one of Rocket's recent interviews where he even re-states this in saying how he loves the EVE format and is striving to accomplish something somewhat similar.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/08/21/interview-the-standalone-future-of-dayz-and-what-it-means-for-players/

Further, he states that the current mechanics/gameplay account for 1-2 days worth of play time out of his long term vision for what the game will be. In his vision, entire cities/towns will be able to be created from nothing and leaderships/rules set and enforced by the players with no arbitrary game mechanic restriction dictating what they should be.

If you want the game developer strong arming everyone into playing "their way", find another game. With DayZ, we'll be playing it the way the community as a whole (or more specifically, the players on the server) collectively decide it should be played. That's way cooler than some forced mechanic.

With that said... bye bye!

(Also, it's Alpha)