Ideas to Create an Authentic Endgame

[ElemenoP 60]

The endgame is something currently lacking in DayZ. Once you've kitted all the way up, all that's left to do is hunt players.

--> This is largely a symptom of being a mod in super early alpha <---

That said, I wanted to come up with a list of viable ideas that go with the game's themes and authentic atmosphere.

I'll be keeping track of people who agree and disagree with each idea in the following fashion:

[Approve/Disapprove]

Discussion would be awesome. I get the feeling that the devs just have this section to keep us occupied, but I'm genuinely curious to see what everyone thinks would add longevity to the game.

[Forts] [0/0]

It has been hinted at that servers will have their own persistence somewhere down the road. This idea would work much better in this type of environment.

If a player has enough wood (*snicker*), a tool box and possibly a blueprint, he should be able to construct rudimentary structures.

[*] Fences and walls

[*] Guard towers (deer stands essentially)

[*] Doors and gates

[*] Garage type structures

[*] Huts, garages and other covered structures

[*] Boxes and chests that could potentially be transportable.

Additional specialized pieces could be found or constructed from other items found in the world.

[*] Search lights and lamps

[*] Sirens (attract zombies)

[*] Sandbag walls

[*] Razorwire walls

Allowing players to create bases for themselves and their comrades would virtually make the endgame. Player made and run fortresses could open up nearly endless possibilities.

[Recognition system] [0/0]

Assuming name-tags get disabled (which they should), players get the option to tag someone as "recognized" when close. They will display the name-tag when in someones crosshairs now. Name-tags are wiped on death, nobody will recognize you and you recognize nobody.

This would make groups function far better in a world where 90% of people wear one of three different outfits.

[basic skill system] [0/0]

Nothing too RPG'ish.

Just a simple representation of skills developing over time.

[*] Medical abilities allow wounds to be treated faster.

[*] Mechanical abilities allow vehicles to be repaired with fewer parts

[*] Hunting skills allow slightly more blood to be gained from meat

[*] Overall survival reduces the effects of panic

Masters of any skills should be able to "spread their wisdom" and teach people below them to a "midlevel" skill level. Gives players more small incentives to survive, and maybe cooperate.

[Weapon regularity changes] [0/0]

Personally, I'd like to see the following:

[*] Slight increase in civilian weapon prevalence

[*] Decrease in military weapon prevalence

[*] Decrease in ammo regularity across the board

I feel this would bring about a number of interesting changes.

[*] You'd slow the ability for players to reach "completeness" in their characters.

[*] Stockpiling, gun running and ammo trading could become "a thing" to a limited extent.

[*] Makes the game feel more like "survival" and less like a zombie themed military scavenger hunt.

[*] Gives players incentive to explore longer and in more varied places

[Migration][0/0]

Of everything.

Supplies

Zombies

Guns

Every city should fluctuate between being full of zombies and being a ghost town on a pseudo-daily basis. From being a treasure trove of sweet l00tz and bounty, to having maybe a makarov clip within it.

Right now, there are 3 or 4 places guaranteed to give you good stuff most of the time you go there. It gets stale fast. Never knowing where the next gold rush might be keeps things fresh and exciting.

Please feel free to discuss, criticize, call my ideas stupid, whatever. If it leads to more ideas for an awesome end-game, I'm all for it. I'd be happy to add your ideas to the main post as well if this thread gets going

[barcon 0]

DayZ needs this! There wasn't a thing here that I didn't like. Only problem is that I don't see these things being implemented until they can get there servers in order, there's so many information leaks and problems with keeping things in order that it would be a while before they got things in stable form.

But on all levels, this is completely possible, the game already has an "commander" mode where you get an interface where you place buildings, Ect. So I don't see why this couldn't be implemented in the future seeing that this is perfectly within the games base features

[Tassadarh 2]

Finally, it's about time.

I was waiting for some civil discussion about the game.

Anyway:

Agree on FORTS. We should be able to build some outpost in the wilds. I'm not entirely sure on the mechanics though...

We might need to add a LOT of content (maybe too much for the game engine?). Anyway adding a lot of new items needed for the construction of outpost would be good, pushing people to cooperate and form clans.

Either way I really prefer this "let's build" then "let's occupy". If we give the opportunity to occupy in game existing buildings they're gonna occupy all of chernarus (these outpost might last like 1 day or week... but what then? No more loot--> no more zombies--> no more apocalypse.

I'm adding something more: You can't log inside the outpost. The server will push you a little further (just a little... enough to be near but not too much). Otherwise people will go on other server and just teleport inside the outpost. Much like a "claim" function (available only if the owner is logged).

That might be too hard to obtain, but we'll leave this to rocket.

RECOGNITION SYSTEM is needed desperately. I don't know which is best. "Recognize" function would be nice... but I don't know if it's enough for all people on all servers... just very difficult to "store" all of the friendly players. A color system? Along with a "sort of" clan system (I mean... people wearing the same colors and outfit) like "oh there some people there. They are the "Brown and white guys" that clan is friendly... they trade AK mags for food, I have some we found before, let's go". That would be great but it looks very unlikely to me... yeah maybe the recognize function is for the best.

Meh I don't think we need a SKILL SYSTEM. It's all based on players skills: Someone of your buddies is better at sniping, he's the sniper. Someone just like to have a lot of blood bags... that's all we need for now, we just need to team up with talented people, that's it.

Yes, I agree to reduce the WEAPON AND AMMO DROP RATE. They are way to easy to find, I almost never find myself out of ammo (Ok I'm very careful with that... but in a little time I tend to have like 7 mags in my bag). Make this game more challenging. "Will he know that my gun is unloaded? This AK is suppose to scare him"

Agree with MIGRATION. The more a loot zone is looted the fewer the chances to find anything good. I like the idea of "ghost towns"... should we add even "zombie herd"? Like a random spawn zone into the wilds?

[FLIBZY 2]

I also like the idea of trade routes possibly being established. But for it to work properly there would have to be at least one town without any player killing. There should be a safe haven for people to go and trade with other players and not worry about if you are going to get shot in the face after the trade. A place where new players can talk to other people and not have to worry about getting turned on. But outside of that town anything can happen.

[gizm0 96]

I believe that these ideas will do amazing things to dayz.

[Azrail (DayZ) 211]

well, i think the game already gives us sort of what we need. the features suggested in the OP will definetly make the game even more interesting, but first, we need to teach people to use teamwork and form groups.

the castles ingame are pretty good places for squads/clans to use as a base.

devil's castle seem to be a very popular example, whereas zub/rog/black mountain seem to be more like "tourist spots", i never find another player in them.

if people would actually try group play ALOT more, it could look like this:

capture a base, get some organisation going and preferably guard it 24/7 on one server.

organize raids on castles on different servers, or eventually try to take over another base on the same server.

all of this can already be done without any additional content, it just needs teamwork and people willing to LEAD, and more people willing to FOLLOW.

this game could be so much more interesting, if people would just try to think for themselves, instead of requesting a shit ton of new endgame-content features from the dev's.

no offense at the OP, because i think these suggestions might be a good addition to this idea. just had to get this out there.

Edit: and please, for the love of the dayz gods, no save zones.

trading place? well, you can just go and make one.

pick a place without any zombies close, announce it to the server and wait for people to come.

if you do that successful over a period of time, people will remember the spot and return there.

if enough people return there, it will eventually spread on to other servers.

and you could be the one starting all this. remember, dayz is YOUR story.

maybe at one point, the devs will make some towns zombie free, so people could go there to trade,

but for now you could just use any remarkable location in the open.

bring your mates to the trade, and if you get killed, well... you trade lifes then, seems fair to me.

[dale0404 16]

Dayz does not need this.

Some of the ideas are ripped straight from your run of the mill MMO, be it WOW, LOTRO, SWTOR etc.

This mod is not a MMO, it is all about dying and surviving. Dying and surviving are in the correct order btw.

Do not ruin it please.

[sucaru 0]

Gonna save time typing to say that I agree with everything. I think grocers should have less to no guns and ammo and be more like food, drinks, flashlights, and flares and the like. More things you'd find in convenience stores.

[Time Glitch 453]

I agree with everything here...But ESPECIALLY Migration.

Zombies need to roam in packs across the landscape. I don't know so much about loot though. If you really think about it, cities WOULD have the highest concentration of good stuff.

[Friend-or-Pho 0]

The one thing that I strongly agree with in the OP would be the addition of fortifications. If the entry fee (materials required/time invested/suitable location) was high enough forts would be a good challenge for end game players. It would offer players the opportunity to care about a town that they have built with thier virtual hands. I have already developed a strong emotional investment in the survival of my character, I can only imagine the joys and stresses of trying to build and protect a town!

[Domo209 0]

I agree with everything OP, but to the people who think skills are silly, think of it like this

I have a small town/village under control by me and my friends, I say in global "hey everyone, this place is a trading place"

every bandit is going to show up and start shooting the place

now if have skills you learn get from surviving can be pasted on to others, alot of people(including bandits) are wanna come for the chance of being taught skills. I mean think of it a place where

-can learn life saving skills

-trade system, however the leaders want it to work[wish there were weightless items you can find, bottlecaps,soda chips(the thing you use to open soda cans with) bolts,etc]

-find friends who are lost, meet up with friends

-place to make new friends, get work from other people to do stuff

-clan meet up, forming,recruiting,etc

-safe place, no getting shot in the face while walking down the street

and thats just off the top of my head.

[Friend-or-Pho 0]

I just have this image in my mind of a large group of survivors that have settled down in a small village. They are sitting around a campfire telling jokes and what not, when suddenly a lookout on a roof screams, "Zombies incoming!" Everyone then scrambles to thier post and proceeds to try to defend thier town from 300 zombies that spawned just outside.

[ElemenoP 60]

DayZ needs this! There wasn't a thing here that I didn't like.

Thanks for the approval. I cut some out of the quote to keep this post readable' date=' but I agree w/what you said. There are bigger priorities definitely, but sooner or later the content's gonna start rolling in.

Finally, it's about time.

I was waiting for some civil discussion about the game.

Anyway:

Agree on FORTS.

...I really prefer this "let's build" then "let's occupy". If we give the opportunity to occupy in game existing buildings they're gonna occupy all of chernarus (these outpost might last like 1 day or week... but what then? No more loot--> no more zombies--> no more apocalypse.

I'm adding something more: You can't log inside the outpost. The server will push you a little further (just a little... enough to be near but not too much).

RECOGNITION SYSTEM is needed desperately.

Meh I don't think we need a SKILL SYSTEM.

Yes, I agree to reduce the WEAPON AND AMMO DROP RATE.

Agree with MIGRATION.

Tallied your responses and added them to the main post. I agree w/the point about server hopping into someone's outpost. I feel like this idea could only really be effective if servers each got their own persistence.

I also like the idea of trade routes possibly being established. But for it to work properly there would have to be at least one town without any player killing. There should be a safe haven for people to go and trade with other players and not worry about if you are going to get shot in the face after the trade.

Rocket has said no to safe havens. Personally' date=' I agree w/him.

I believe that these ideas will do amazing things to dayz.

Thanks! Added your approval to the list.

well' date=' i think the game already gives us sort of what we need. the features suggested in the OP will definetly make the game even more interesting, but first, we need to teach people to use teamwork and form groups.

no offense at the OP, because i think these suggestions might be a good addition to this idea. just had to get this out there.

[/quote']

I agree w/you completely. I wasn't trying to push things that changed player behavior, I honestly like the game having so little organized collaboration. Sooner or later that may change, but for not, it's the wild west.

Dayz does not need this.

Some of the ideas are ripped straight from your run of the mill MMO' date=' be it WOW, LOTRO, SWTOR etc.

This mod is not a MMO, it is all about dying and surviving. Dying and surviving are in the correct order btw.

Do not ruin it please.

[/quote']

I've never played any MMO's so I'll have to take your word for it.

Actually, I also don't really know what, specifically, you're talking about either.

Either way, your disapproval has been added to the tallies on the main post.

Gonna save time typing to say that I agree with everything. I think grocers should have less to no guns and ammo and be more like food' date=' drinks, flashlights, and flares and the like. More things you'd find in convenience stores.

[/quote']

Awesome, thanks for the reply.

Added your approval to the main post, and yeah I definitely agree that grocery stores shouldn't be pistol warehouses like they are now.

I agree with everything here...But ESPECIALLY Migration.

Zombies need to roam in packs across the landscape. I don't know so much about loot though. If you really think about it' date=' cities WOULD have the highest concentration of good stuff.

[/quote']

They should all have more goods than say...forests. But it'd be cool if some cities were "drier" than others and that factor changed over time.

The one thing that I strongly agree with in the OP would be the addition of fortifications. If the entry fee (materials required/time invested/suitable location) was high enough forts would be a good challenge for end game players. It would offer players the opportunity to care about a town that they have built with thier virtual hands. I have already developed a strong emotional investment in the survival of my character' date=' I can only imagine the joys and stresses of trying to build and protect a town!

[/quote']

Exactly what I'm thinking man.

I agree with everything OP' date=' but to the people who think skills are silly, think of it like this...

[/quote']

That's what I'm thinking too. Not even anything unrealistic hopefully, just a simple proficiency system.

I just have this image in my mind of a large group of survivors that have settled down in a small village. They are sitting around a campfire telling jokes and what not' date=' when suddenly a lookout on a roof screams, "Zombies incoming!" Everyone then scrambles to thier post and proceeds to [b']try to defend thier town from 300 zombies that spawned just outside.

Thats the dream man.

[Friend-or-Pho 0]

In regards to building forts and occupying existing towns.

Occupying existing buildings should be considered what an average player could accomplish solo (if necessary). It wouldn't require the time invested to gather building materials, but it wouldn't be a very safe location. Ultimately this is already possible in game, and shouldn't need additional mechanics to implement (players simply need more imagination).

Constructing a small building such as a log cabin could be the alternative for a skilled solo player or small group. The cost in time and materials would make it suited to more experienced players, but not be an impossible task. In essence it would be a more "permanent" alternative to a tent. It could offer only the barest essentials ie a fireplace and a footlocker for gear.

Forts or small user created towns would be the upper extreme of such projects. It would not only require the work of multiple players to find the materials, but also the work put into defending such a fort. Forts could be given a chance to attract zombies that is proportionate to thier size, while offering more perks than a tent or log cabin.

Again, this is just an outline I did off the top of my head.

[ElemenoP 60]

In regards to building forts and occupying existing towns.

Occupying existing buildings should be considered what an average player could accomplish solo (if necessary). It wouldn't require the time invested to gather building materials' date=' but it wouldn't be a very safe location. Ultimately this is already possible in game, and [b']shouldn't need additional mechanics to implement (players simply need more imagination).

Constructing a small building such as a log cabin could be the alternative for a skilled solo player or small group. The cost in time and materials would make it suited to more experienced players, but not be an impossible task. In essence it would be a more "permanent" alternative to a tent. It could offer only the barest essentials ie a fireplace and a footlocker for gear.

Forts or small user created towns would be the upper extreme of such projects. It would not only require the work of multiple players to find the materials, but also the work put into defending such a fort. Forts could be given a chance to attract zombies that is proportionate to thier size, while offering more perks than a tent or log cabin.

Again, this is just an outline I did off the top of my head.

The reason I'm not a fan of occupied buildings is, eventually, they'd all be occupied. There's a very limited amount of enter-able structures, and cordoning lots of them off seems like it would be troublesome.

Single cabins would be pretty awesome. Adding additional components and furniture should be at the player's discretion.

Exactly, it shouldn't be easy to just prop up your village, but it should be doable with a large and coordinated group.

[Strongarm Steve 1]

The construction ideas are wonderful. However, my favorite thing has to be the recognition system. That's something DayZ needs very very badly.

[pengs 8]

[Forts]

I like all of it but I wonder how long it would take to implement, lol.

To the privilege of endless base opportunities I would ask that they be destructible though obviously taking a load of m67's before a concrete wall collapses.

[Recognition system]

Not on board. That is giving clans and teams way too much power.

My argument is that you should have to visually recognize someone. A tag is a 100% confirmation and are able to be seen in the pitch black, very close to cheating imo.

I would push for clothing, boots, hats, pants, glasses, face paint, ect. - eventually you will recognize your buddies and if you friendly fire at night or in confusion, too bad. The game shouldn't allow players to feel or become (too) comfortable/complacent.

[basic skill system]

Afraid it would give clans and groups far too much of an advantage on beginners - extending it beyond the fact that right now even a group of 2 people can give each other blood transfusions which are insta12k's. I agree that players should feel the need to team play through game elements gently pointing to it but I think a skill system would allow teams to absolutely decimate loners even further than what can be achieved already.

My belligerent debate is that I absolutely hate classic MMO's, RPG's and a magical powers.

[Weapon regularity changes]

100% yes.

[Migration][0/0]

Great idea. 100% behind that.

[Friend-or-Pho 0]

The reason I'm not a fan of occupied buildings is' date=' eventually, they'd all be occupied. There's a very limited amount of enter-able structures, and cordoning lots of them off seems like it would be troublesome.

[/quote']

I think there are more enter-able buildings than you may realize. If you consider every building in Chernarus that players can currently enter, that leaves quite a few for even a 50 slot server.

There wouldn't need to be any additional game mechanics beyond players simply claiming that a building is occupied, so it isn't as if buildings would be blocked off. The first big respawn of zombies or a coordinated bandit attack would still be able to force players to leave an existing building. In essence they would be the easiest buildings to occupy, but the hardest to keep control of. Something in this range would be needed because not every player is part of a clan, and they shouldn't be excluded from this part of the game. On the flip side of that, since they aren't part of a clan they wouldn't be strong enough to occupy a building for long.

[bgivenb 5]

I 100% approve the OP. I think that if you also could set up some kind of electrical generator, you could power your base to have lights, maybe even a radio?

[Lady Kyrah 1109]

I'm against any skill system, i rather have more mechanics available, maybe a complete medical tratment system.

I prefer a game where X isn't better than you because his character has the right skill for the situation but because... X is simply better than you at the game.

[CodBall (DayZ) 0]

Hey guys,

Completely agree with what was said by OP, aside from things like trading posts - I think things like that need to be player created.

The main thing the game needs to level it out is to have some bigger penalty for dying, otherwise you find bandits spawning with Makarovs and killing the first person they see because whats the harm if they do get shot and die they'll re-spawn with the same kit.

Perhaps create a penalty of when you die you're unable to play again for another 2 hours or so, this just adds to the fear of death imo.

[ispudgun 1]

Agree with everything except for trading posts (They really do need to be player created) :P

Well done, some really decent ideas there!

[Mrdumpty 0]

I think there just needs to be some kind of negative side to murdering every player that you see. So being a bandit actually meant something and so did being friendly. Just my wish.

[sean_c 0]

I don't really care for your suggestions except possibly a perk system as long as it stays mild like you suggested.

For me DayZ is very similar in many respects to the old MMO Shadowbane. The main difference between the two is a player cap per server. This player cap per server creates issues with creating long term real estate.

I believe the best 'end game' for DayZ would be to incorporate additional modes or incentive to work together with other survivors in a red vs blue style game. It took me very little time to realize that the zombies in the game are of no threat and the real end game is pvp. Why not expand on that and give some incentive to work collectively with other players. Right now as it stands the only people that I don't KOS are the people in my vent server.

Ultimately I don't need an "endgame" though. I play games for fun and typically games that have an "endgame" quit being fun once you complete the end game. Open ended sandbox games are amazingly fun and if DayZ never has an endgame, I'll be fine with that.

[Xterminator (DayZ) 2]

The game does need an "endgame" to it, right now, if i die i can run back to my camp and be back with some of the best loot within 30 minutes after death. The endgame right now for me is killing other players, and searching/repairing vehicles. If you run with a group of 10+ that loots NW at least once a day, when you die, all you have to do is find a new alice/coyote pack head to base and pick up a new gun and ammo, and your back at endgame again.