Let Us Drink Seawater!

[Spart248 80]

Now before you make a mindless comment about how I am a whining noob who just wants the game to be easier, read the entire post so you don't make an ass out of yourself.

It is widely known that one of the main goals for this game is to be as authentic as possible, and realistic to a high degree. A long time ago, Rocket took out drinking from the sea to replenish thirst because it is unrealistic and makes surviving thirst too easy. He was certainly right to do so. This was nothing more than simply an act to fulfill that goal, which it does appropriately.

On another note, Rocket has said many times, and I am sure the whole community knows by know, that he wants (along with everyone else) for the game to have a certain aspect to it. This aspect would be that skills or knowledge people have in real life can be applied in-game; e.g. reading stars to know your location or knowing the sun rises on the east and sets on the west. This is a very immersive feature that makes for a more "authentic" game. However, currently, these current examples are a bit "passive" and do not do much and many people do not know of them, nor do they use them very much.

The Feature

I have a proposal that will not only fulfill the ultimate goal of this game (and that sub-idea stated above) that will, also, have a direct impact on the player early on, slapping them in the face and stomping on any lingering doubt of how authentic and realistic this game drives to be down to every tiny detail.

I say that we be let to drink Seawater. That is right, water you can get your hands on from the very moment you enter the game. However, this water will not replenish thirst, but rather make it diminish at a faster rate for a set amount of time (though it should not be immediately noticeable, just as it is in real life). Survivors can drink the water all they want, but to only recieve this effect. I think that the urge to drink seawater will be an immediate want of anyone who spawns in. Whether it to analyze their environment and where they can get resources, desperately trying to get water as they soon die of thirst, or just play around with just how much the game lets you do.

Although most people find it common knowledge that seawater is bad for your health, most people will also assume that because it is mearly a "game", that the seawater will be beneficial towards health. As said before, this will slap them in the face, and hard, especially when they find that when they need water late game, and all there canisters full of seawater don't help them, but rather speed up there becoming death. Or when the newly awoken survivor takes a sip of seawater before taking the long hike to the city, only to find that their thirst has quickly risen to the point where they nearly die, yet drinking more seawater does nothing.

Aside from the practical benefits this feature has to offer in making the game more authentic, it will also invoke some of the raw emotions that the game strives to do. This is one of the only games ever made to conjure such organic feelings and that is what is should continue to do with every added feature (an upcoming one would be the companionship of dogs/ sadness when it dies). Seawater will do this. Just as in real life, if you are stranded or in a similar situation near a body of saltwater, you will get thirsty fast. You will immediately get the dire urge to just take a sip of the gleaming, thirst-quenching, salty treat. However, you know you must resist the urge because it will only hurt you more...but maybe just a sip won't, yea?

You get the idea, plain and simple.

The Mechanics

So for just how the mechanics of how this idea would would are simple.

To start with, seawater can be used very much similarly as regular freashwater (in terms of containment). It can be stored in a water bottle and drank out of that water bottle. If later means of containment are added, then it will be able to be contained just as water could be as well. However, one thing I think should be done (to both water sources) is the ability to drink straight from the source. This means that someone could, literally, bend down and drink water from the ocean (or pond) if they wish. However, it would not be able to be found on land (in pespi cans or water bottles in building, etc.). Though it could be drank from a water bottle found on a killed survivor (if he was carrying a bottle of water with seawater in it).

Next, the way the effects of it work. As for in real life, saltwater will , quite literally, dehydrate you faster if you drink it. Basically, the concept is that salt naturally draws in moisture/water. Therefore, when consumed, your kidneys need to draw more water from your body in order to pass excess salt out of your body. However, when you first take a sip of saltwater, you may feel a bit more rejuvenated from the cold, fresh feeling you get. So here is what I think it should do. Once a person takes a drink of seawater, whether it be from bottle or ocean, There is a small increase of thirst, maybe like a few minutes taken off the countdown until thirst starts killing you (to represent the rejuvenative feeling). However, (and it should not be noticeable until quite a little bit later, as said before), your thirst will start to accelerate towards 100% (where 0% is not thirsty) quite faster for a prolonged period of time (representing the accelerated dehydration). The degenerative effects of seawater can be partially decelerated if a drink of freshwater or soda is taken. The effects can be completely eliminated if 2 or 3 of them are dranken. However, if soda or freshwater is dranken during the degenerative effects of seawater, they will only replenish a small, few minute-giving, amount of thirst (just as before, to simulate the regenerative effects of it) while also slowing or stopping the effects of seawater. They will not restore the entire thirst gauge as they usually do.

So that people do not simply drink a ton from the ocean to regenerate their entire thirst countdown, you can make the degenerative effect stacking as well as the thirst rejuvenation. Therefore, 2 drinks of seawater result in 2 rejuvenative thirst boosts, and twice the speed of the acceleration of thirst-till-death. I don't think that the effect of needing sodas and freshwater to stack (i.e. several sewater drinks need like 9 or 10 sodas to cure), but that is up to the community and devs.

Not only does the small rejuvenative benefit of the saltwater add realism, but it also adds a reason to drink it. It needs a reason because otherwise it will simply be a feature that people will put to the side because it holds no benefits, and thus there will be no reason to add it because it will invoke no emotion. See Example

Example

This is just a small story to show, in action, how seawater could effect gameplay for starters in quite a literal manner (feature in action in third paragraph). Of course it is not limited to just this example, let your imagination run wild. I apologize if I am not an amazing writer, I tried to make a decent story to show how it can effect people. If you like the idea and want to write a story of your own of this feature in action, go for it!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I am not a noob, but I also don't quite know all the tricks of the trade....yet. I spawn in Kamorovo. Starting the hike to Cherno, I raid the medical tents and control tower at Balota airfield with fair success. During the search, I find several dead survivors scattered about the medical tents. I walk through a mass grave finding little. More a massacre than a firefight, I'd say. Walking away with an AK-47, a handful of mags, and some bandages, I eventually find myself walking into a looted Cherno supermarket with nothing but a czech backpack that some poor soul in a hurry forgot to check for in the way back. Taking my typical route, I trail up to the blocked off firehouse to some industrial buildings. I pick up a couple cans of food and makarov mags along the way. Hearing gunshots around the hospital and apartments, I decide not to take part in somebody's bad day, so I beeline it to the medical tents.

At the medical tents I scout out 2 people, 1 armed with a hatchet and the other a makarov. I sneak up close to them, behind the gate, and whisper "friendly" in hopes I can meet some friends and get a blood transfusion to heal from some deadly encounters with zombies along the way. They immediately get their heads out of the boxes and look around. As I peek around the gate opening, The one with the hatchet who walked out form the tent into the the open helipad spots me and yells to his friend my location. Panicked, I put him under my sights, unsure whether or not his call one of hostility. After yelling "friendly" a couple of times, his friend runs out to the helipad and immediately dumps a magazine of Makarov ammo into me. Luckily, I did not go unconscious as I lost about 6k blood and collapsed under broken legs. I opened fired. The both of them dropped like ragdolls as 2 magazines of lead were poured into the both of them. Anxiously I crawled over, praying to god bandits would not start to swarm the area hoping to ruin somebody's day. They had not taken much from the medical tents, so I grabbed the Makarov, Hatchet and squirmed over to the tents. Needed bandages, morphine, painkillers. Use bandage. Take morphine. Use morphine. More morphine. Take Painkillers. I was paranoid. What if I encountered bandits? More bandages. More painkillers. More morphine. What about friendlies? Take blood packs, many.

Anxious to excape this death trap, I recklessly sprint out of Cherno, killing the following zombies outside the city. Next I make my way to Elektro to meet a friend. After my racing mind settles down I soon realize that a third of the way to Elektro, I had no soda or water and my thirst bar was flashing red. With my screen black and white and my blood at 5379, I know I can't make it long dieing of thirst. My only chance is to head back to Cherno straight into the very side where bandits would now be flocking.....or...what about the ocean? You can drink seawater right? But no, I can't; it will only kill me faster....or will it? I have met people who have survived off a drink. I heard sometimes it can even heal a ton of health; but then again you can't trust anyone in this world anymore. Maybe I can make it to Elektro on a sip. But then again maybe I can just make it in and out of Cherno....

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(tl;dr let us drink seawater, but make it do more bad than good)

If it is not too hard to code, I would love to see it implemented!

Thanks for reading!

Tell me what you think of the idea!

Edited August 23, 2012 by Spart248

[F4ll3N 28]

It doesnt matter how long of a post you make about it, its not realistic, it would make it VERY easy to get water, its not realistic, its NEVER going to happen, Because its not realistic, why the hell would you think it would? No one but you and the low sec kiddies would want it to happen, game is made to eat low sec kiddies not design game mechanics to keep them around.

sorry for the hate but this game needs less dumbing down and harder mechanics not more pandas in kung-fu outfits.

[Warped_Jack 16]

It doesnt matter how long of a post you make about it, its not realistic, it would make it VERY easy to get water, its not realistic, its NEVER going to happen, Because its not realistic, why the hell would you think it would? No one but you and the low sec kiddies would want it to happen, game is made to eat low sec kiddies not design game mechanics to keep them around.

sorry for the hate but this game needs less dumbing down and harder mechanics not more pandas in kung-fu outfits.

Obligatory http://i.qkme.me/eb6.jpg

Repeated tl;dr for OP: Drinking sea water is possible, it just makes you sick

I love this idea, BUT, have you ever tried drinking sea water? It triggers a strong gag reflex. As such, I don't think realistically someone would run around drinking multiple canteens of this before realising it's a mistake. (Since really, you'd throw up)

[Bratalise 26]

Obligatory http://i.qkme.me/eb6.jpg

Repeated tl;dr for OP: Drinking sea water is possible, it just makes you sick

I love this idea, BUT, have you ever tried drinking sea water? It triggers a strong gag reflex. As such, I don't think realistically someone would run around drinking multiple canteens of this before realising it's a mistake. (Since really, you'd throw up)

Maybe your character could throw up... Why not? makes the game more realistic. Throwing up could lowering water and Food at a dangerous rate so youd really have to be sure where your water comes from and maybe they could add a feature that allows you to test the water in your canteen first before chugging it all down and spewing your freshly eaten beans? Just an idea :P

[Warped_Jack 16]

Well, yeah. I'd be pro something like that. But it's not quite what the OP described.

[00dlez 22]

Lets have people be able to eat grass and firewood!

It won't alieveate hunger but it allows real-world knowledge of players who know that humans cannot digest grass and wood to have a place in the game!

[Warped_Jack 16]

For this same reasoning leg breaking barn doors should remain in the game. (To allow a place for players who know in real life that barn doors break your legs if you close it on yourself.)

[Spart248 80]

Lets have people be able to eat grass and firewood!

It won't alieveate hunger but it allows real-world knowledge of players who know that humans cannot digest grass and wood to have a place in the game!

Haha, well I appreciate the humor and that you at least read enough to get the gist of it.

I do understand your point, though. I mean, I would like to see drinking seawater implemented only if it is not too difficult to code, as it is not a huge feature for the game. I suppose the main reason for this feature to be put in would to be to immediately immserse the player in an environment where they realise, right away, that it is not a simpletons game where you just run around mowing down zombies for fun and where envrionmental factors are whimsical. I mean, basically to understand the essence of the game from the start in an interesting way.

Now you could easily use grass, wood, or even sand for the same purpose, but I feel that seawater would be more appropriate because most people will just assume that because it is "just a game" you can do whatever you feel to a certain degree of sanity. People in a game wouldn't have their first instinct to eat grass or eat wood off the start, but likely (because they spawn on the coast) go to the water and do a small inspection of it and what you can do with it. Or at least, the instinct to go and try to drink ocean water is probably more usual than the instinct to go eat bark and grass.

You do have a good point though and I guess, as obvious as it is, I simply did not think of it when writing this. Everything but probably haha.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Spart248

[Rigor Mortis (DayZ) 141]

Lets have people be able to eat grass and firewood!

It won't alieveate hunger but it allows real-world knowledge of players who know that humans cannot digest grass and wood to have a place in the game!

I know you jest, but it annoys the hell out of me that plants aren't edible in this game... yes, many plants are poisonous, but people can (and have) survived on gathering fruits and vegetables. In a real survival situation, f it means the choice between being poisoned and starving to death, I'd probably start tasting everything around me.

Also, why can't you eat bugs or fish?

I'm guessing Rocket isn't much of a survivalist... or maybe he is and it's just hard to make a mod that does all this stuff. Hopefully the stand alone game will have a lot more survival stuff and fix a lot of the glaring bugs in the mod.

[DeadManWalking2 27]

I say let the noobs drink seawater. HOWEVER!!!!! doing so will actually INCREASE your thirst.

if idiot noobs don't know that drinking salt water is a bad idea. I say let them find out the hard way. let them kill themselves and we shall laugh.

[00dlez 22]

I say let the noobs drink seawater. HOWEVER!!!!! doing so will actually INCREASE your thirst.

if idiot noobs don't know that drinking salt water is a bad idea. I say let them find out the hard way. let them kill themselves and we shall laugh.

This adds nothing to the game.

For some prespective:

In Skyrim there are lots of plants you can harvest and eat. Some are beneficial, some have negative effects like poisoning the character. HOWEVER, these poison plants can then be used in poisons and potions later on, having some in game use.

Having a plant that is poison and has no other use might be a good one time mistake for new players, but then will never serve another purpose in that players career of potentially hundreds of hours of game play.

Sure, it'd be neat, I wouldn't care in the least if it were added.... But it wouldn't enhance my experience one bit, and I'd rather spend that rendering power, coding, and time on something that does add to my experience.

[Spart248 80]

This adds nothing to the game.

For some prespective:

In Skyrim there are lots of plants you can harvest and eat. Some are beneficial, some have negative effects like poisoning the character. HOWEVER, these poison plants can then be used in poisons and potions later on, having some in game use.

Having a plant that is poison and has no other use might be a good one time mistake for new players, but then will never serve another purpose in that players career of potentially hundreds of hours of game play.

Sure, it'd be neat, I wouldn't care in the least if it were added.... But it wouldn't enhance my experience one bit, and I'd rather spend that rendering power, coding, and time on something that does add to my experience.

Well actually I disagree and think that edible plants and fruits/vegetables should be added.

Although you provide a good example, it is rather invalid when applied to Dayz. In Skyrim, not only do most herbs tell you, up front, whether they are poisonous or beneficial, but even worse, they are all easily identifiable by color, shape, etc. It even gives you the name of the plant! In Dayz it would be extremely different. Plants would not only be all fairly similar, but would be based off real plants native to regions with climates like Chernarus. And even more importantly, the names of the plants would certainly not be named in the inventory. Only the icon which would be the leaf or berry of the plant taken from would be in the inventory section. Edible plantlife would not be super abundant, but fairly common and quite various. In short, it would be very applicable and reasonable for a mechanic liek this to work. Not to mention, I am positive Rocket is planning on doing something like this to make wildlife survival more fun.

After thinking a little bit I think this idea is actually an extremely useful idea and can be used not only to increase the authenticity of the game, but also invoke emotions relative uncertainty like those created by the example I posted concerning seawater. Not only that, but it could add a feature to the overall aspect of using real life skills in the game, thus increasing immersion. These skills I talk of can be (and are absolutely not limited to) the knowledge than colorful can = poisonous in nature quite often, the ability to know what plants can be cooked and what can't, how to cook them (if needed), and of course just general herbology knowledge and wilderness survival know-how.

And just like in real life, in Dayz, we can learn things. When writtten notes and diaries come out (which they have been announced), after a long time of fine-tuning your ability to know what plants to eat, and if you ned to cook them or not, you can document your findings in your diary or journal. Just as you can learn how to read the stars in-game, or even learn that saltwater is bad for you.

I may make another in-depth post on this idea when I am not so lazy because I think that it can be an extremely beneficial mechanic if executed correctly.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Spart248

[Warped_Jack 16]

I say let the noobs drink seawater. HOWEVER!!!!! doing so will actually INCREASE your thirst.

if idiot noobs don't know that drinking salt water is a bad idea. I say let them find out the hard way. let them kill themselves and we shall laugh.

Good job reading the OP

Slowclap

[koze 113]

theres more important things to add to dayz

[Bukethead 96]

Already been discussed before.

Search before posting.

Have a good suggestion? Before you post it PLEASE USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION at the top of the page to make sure it's original. If there are already threads about the same suggestion please contribute there instead of starting a new one.

http://dayzmod.com/f...e__hl__seawater

http://dayzmod.com/f...e__hl__seawater

http://dayzmod.com/f...__+ocean +water

http://dayzmod.com/f...__+ocean +water

Edited August 23, 2012 by Bukethead

[harley001 315]

Good sir. YOU CAN MAKE YOUR POINT WITHOUT FREAKING 600 PARAGRAPHS! God just say "let us drink it and make it have side effects"

[Spart248 80]

Already been discussed before.

Search before posting.

http://dayzmod.com/f...e__hl__seawater

http://dayzmod.com/f...e__hl__seawater

http://dayzmod.com/f...__+ocean +water

http://dayzmod.com/f...__+ocean +water

Well that is wonderful.

Frankly, I did search it before I post, I do most of the time. Although I only found the first 2 posts when I searched, None of the 4 go as far in depth, nor do they discuss the same topic as I believe mine does.

I am pretty sure that that rule applies to posts that are virtually almost the same exact thing as previous posts, which mine is not. And if it is considered so, then post this crap on other topic because my topic is a minor offense to this rule in comparison to some of the threads out there.

I am not posting the suggestion that I thought about and wrote carefully on some useless, old thread where nobody will even read it. They will read, probably, half the OP and then leave. I won't get many people reading this thread to begin with simply because of the size. Probably about only 5-10% of people who view this thread will read most of the post already. I am not wasting my time on an old thread where it won't be seen.

I respect the rules and the enforcing of them, but if there is a serious enough problem with this thread that it must be deleted, or I must be seriously warned, then let a moderator do it. I am well aware of the rules

Good sir. YOU CAN MAKE YOUR POINT WITHOUT FREAKING 600 PARAGRAPHS! God just say "let us drink it and make it have side effects"

Haha I understand that and the fact that most people won't read the entire thing anyway, but I like writing and would like my ideas to be fully fleshed out when expressed. This is because I try to think of every possible detail of the use and workings of a feature so that if somebody comes up with a argument against it or a change for it, it is one that I have flat out not though of. I prefer this rather than ending up typing "600 paragraphs" in the comments, which will end up doing the same thing as I did in the OP. Plus doing it in the OP saves the hundreds of comments calling me an asshat for not thinking of something "obvious". Doing it in OP allows for comments to fine tune the idea if it is already pretty good, or destroy it if it's a bad idea at its core.

I just hope that the few people that read are smart enough to respond with either arguments or changes towards the idea. Even if they don't read, I don't really mind, like yourself; it just makes for conversaion (I guess). It is when people don't read and then post either rage or ridiculous accusations or assumptions that I find it kind of useless.

Just my 2 cents on making suggestions.

Edited August 24, 2012 by Spart248

[crckdns 1]

To the OP~ you do realize that drinking saltwater in this concentration will for sure kill you by dehydration?

Why do you think do seamen die from thirst after some ship-damage w/o any freshwater?

Why would anyone be so stupid and "kill" him self after surviving a zombie-apocalypse?

I ask you for serious!

Edited August 24, 2012 by crckdns

[Bukethead 96]

Well that is wonderful.

Frankly, I did search it before I post, I do most of the time. Although I only found the first 2 posts when I searched, None of the 4 go as far in depth, nor do they discuss the same topic as I believe mine does.

I am pretty sure that that rule applies to posts that are virtually almost the same exact thing as previous posts, which mine is not. And if it is considered so, then post this crap on other topic because my topic is a minor offense to this rule in comparison to some of the threads out there.

I am not posting the suggestion that I thought about and wrote carefully on some useless, old thread where nobody will even read it. They will read, probably, half the OP and then leave. I won't get many people reading this thread to begin with simply because of the size. Probably about only 5-10% of people who view this thread will read most of the post already. I am not wasting my time on an old thread where it won't be seen.

I respect the rules and the enforcing of them, but if there is a serious enough problem with this thread that it must be deleted, or I must be seriously warned, then let a moderator do it. I am well aware of the rules

Haha I understand that and the fact that most people won't read the entire thing anyway, but I like writing and would like my ideas to be fully fleshed out when expressed. This is because I try to think of every possible detail of the use and workings of a feature so that if somebody comes up with a argument against it or a change for it, it is one that I have flat out not though of. I prefer this rather than ending up typing "600 paragraphs" in the comments, which will end up doing the same thing as I did in the OP. Plus doing it in the OP saves the hundreds of comments calling me an asshat for not thinking of something "obvious". Doing it in OP allows for comments to fine tune the idea if it is already pretty good, or destroy it if it's a bad idea at its core.

I just hope that the few people that read are smart enough to respond with either arguments or changes towards the idea. Even if they don't read, I don't really mind, like yourself; it just makes for conversaion (I guess). It is when people don't read and then post either rage or ridiculous accusations or assumptions that I find it kind of useless.

Just my 2 cents on making suggestions.

Other suggestions: Drinking sea/ocean water

Your suggestion: Drinking sea/ocean water

Just because you have a particular way of doing it doesn't make it an entirely new suggestion, just a different execution.

Edited August 24, 2012 by Bukethead

[Spart248 80]

Other suggestions: Drinking sea/ocean water

Your suggestion: Drinking sea/ocean water

Just because you have a particular way of doing it doesn't make it an entirely new suggestion, just a different execution.

Ok, fantastic. You win. Congratulations, you have accomplished nothing but being a troll. Good job, now either go away or make a relevant comment towards the topic that actually benefits the conversation, please.

Replies to suggestions are good! This is how an idea changes, grows, and improves. With the thoughts and suggestions made by others. But for it to belong here it needs to stay ON TOPIC. If you don't know what that means you probably shouldn't post.

Edited August 24, 2012 by Spart248

[Photolysis 25]

Almost everyone alive today is well aware you can't drink salt water.

All your nonsensical rambling does little to change the fact that this is a silly idea and would be a complete waste of time. What next, are you going to suggest that players be able to drink a jerry can of oil or other, obviously stupid stuff? After all, it'll slap the non-existent people who think that it would work because it's 'just a game' hard in the face.

[ruffriderz_01@tiscali.co.uk 7]

Canteen Check

Sea water Check

Clear pipe Check

Now find safe place where i can stick this idea up my arse Noooooooooooo Wait im friendley