Basically done with this game for now. Sadly, it's just a slow paced deathmatch.

[Reign19k 1]

This is an Alpha of a Sandbox.

Learn to play in the sandbox then give suggestions for mechanics that will be conducive to your ideas. Try to come up with a particular goal on each life you live and think of ways to go about accomplishing it. Each time you accomplish one you move on to another, bigger goal. The problem isn't the fucking mod. It's some players not knowing what to do when content isn't shoved down their throats.

That is seriously the last fucking serious post I will ever make in one of these kinds of threads. Just in case there is someone who is coming into this garbage late.

[Heizenberg 8]

This game/mod has a ridiculous amount of potential. While I don't particularly enjoy the distance and commute it adds something to the game that far too many other games lack, which is a sense of ease and simplicity.

What I have discovered about this game during my short time here is that it is pretty realistic. It is brutal, unforgiving, and very challenging. While working in groups is fun but sometimes the thrill of solo venturing can be a lot of fun too. You are on the internet and in the zombie apocalypse so people could mess you over in an instant. Trust is a hot commodity. That adds something else that a lot of games lack. They lack that sense of loss, and are almost far too secure (your stuff can't be stolen, you never truly lose anything, etc). While I do wish that there were more secure ways to setup camps I think the fact that they can be robbed blind gives this game something that no others dare to have.

My only complaint is the travel distance and time. This is the summer, so I can afford to run for an hour or two sitting on the computer. If I find a bike or vehicle I can cut that time down by a lot. But once fall starts I and several others will not be so able to spend so much time running everywhere!

With that said, this game is just a baby. I am anxious to see what its like as time progresses.

[Virfortis 111]

We've already mastered the art of walk-around-fire-gun. We've been tied to the post of rail shooting and gallery style chatrooms for well nigh on a decade or more. Gamers have hated it, the mainstream wasn't a fan of it, but it was all we had. We were stuck chained to the gate where we had a small room and told to shoot each other while our literal owners rolled in our interactive forum. It explains why indie titles have become such a big hit: Gamers want something new.

Then, suddenly, rocket comes out with a new field, where you can roam freely. He says the tools are out in the field, and it's only a matter of finding them for you to use. He promises freedom, allowing us to actually enjoy a game to the fullest. Gamers picked up on it because they want something new the most, but then the mainstream caught it, and what happened?

They showed up, dragged everyone to the gate, and started shooting each other, just like before.

If there is any lesson that DayZ has taught, any experiment or fact that could be stated, it's that rocket finally, after all these years, answered the two questions the industry has wondered for years:

Why is CoD so popular? Because it's what players really want.

Why aren't good games made anymore? Because players abuse the good ones.

The evidence is right here. Gamers, REAL gamers, realize the games inherit flaws and issues. Yet, because they've been strapped to the same grindstone for years, they have a hard time expressing it in terms the rest of the audience will understand. Then the mainstream comes in with their "carebear" hyperbole, using it to muzzle the creative voice of DayZ. All that's left is the number of kills a player has, because freedom means using kills as a measure of fantasized manliness. In what other games are kills considered the end-all carrying card of popularity?

And yet, you say you want something different. It's hypocritical, at best. Rocket has said it best: The player will determine what DayZ is. Then players love to use that as an excuse and say DayZ is different. By your logic alone, you admit that you want a random deathmatch. That's what DayZ will be until the community backs off with the "carebear" shield and starts owning up for screwing this game over.

[The Killing Joke 43]

Gamers' date=' REAL gamers, realize the games inherit flaws and issues. Yet, because they've been strapped to the same grindstone for years, they have a hard time expressing it in terms the rest of the audience will understand.[/quote']

!

Then the mainstream comes in with their "carebear" hyperbole' date=' using it to muzzle the creative voice of DayZ. All that's left is the number of kills a player has, because freedom means using kills as a measure of fantasized manliness. In what other games are kills considered the end-all carrying card of popularity?[/quote']

!!!

And yet' date=' you say you want something different.[/quote']

You had me at hello...

[eightiesmullet 0]

If I may give a view from an older player who used to be addicted to L4d:

I imagine rocket is just testing things while at the same time negotiating his next job.

The massive increase in players killing each other on site can be put down to:

1 more players (the more in general, the more bad people you get)

2 The fact that most servers dont spell out "player x killed by player y - friendly fire"

3 There is no penalty for it.

It might just be that the bandit skin was taken away by Rocket so that he could say to future employers - "look what happens when there is no repercussions, it just goes batshit." Just to prove a point to his possible employers.

The dickheads that claim that disconnecting from one server, logging into another server, moving 100 meters to the left, then logging back in to shoot people is valid and what the authors of this game intended are only fooling themselves.

Also - those who are loosing the will to play - perhaps join back in a couple of months when stuff has been balanced/sorted out. I am one of you.

The very best experience I have had in a game - and it is a game - was on my second or third night when I met up with totaly random players in Cherno. The Bandits in the church were dead / logged off in fear. I grouped up with someone (not sure who) and I followed him to one of the hospitals. In there we met up with 4 or 5 other players who were as lost and desperate as we were.

In the hospital we all looted to our hearts content until some zeds started pouring in. What followed was one of the best multiplayer experiences I have had bar the rooftop scene in L4

D. We were panicking like hell, throwing flares off the roof and taking out zeds with winchesters/enfields/marakovs. Players in Cherno were asking to join in, taking out whatever they could and it was joyous...

That what this game is capable of. Nothing better can be had. And it is also why people get pissed off when they are killed for their beans by dickheads

[rocket 16567]

All things considered, I'm pretty sure once the group and meta-game content is rounded out, much of this frustration will disappear.

I didn't expect any real replayability at this stage, the concepts involved are extremely basic. The fact that it is replayable is kind of bizarre, but cool.

So while we're waiting for the "after day 1" content and features to be put in (and it would be bad to rush this), we're testing, finding all the hacks, exploits, mistakes, etc... and tidy those up... then come on in for the big win.

It's not all or nothing guys, posts from all angles seem to take things to extremes. I think most people are managing their expectations and adopting a wait and see approach, tipping their hat to some early success. I think that's a pretty sensible way to consider all this.

[x7steelers7x 1]

Why are all these idiots asking for a smaller map? Thats what sets this game aside from others, its immensity! It's quite easy to get lost if you don't know where you are going and I think thats what really helps bring together the whole zombie apocalypse experience. And complaining about pvp then asking for a smaller map sure isn't going to solve it. If anything it will make it even easier to kill people..

[sanktas 6]

Dayyuuummm son! You be bitchin'!!

Learn how to play this game really. Let me explain it. This is my story.

My first few lives of dayz, when i was a noob, i was constantly looking for "friendlies" to play with. It was rare to find some, they mostly just shoot you, but after some time i found a guy. We played together and we were both loyal to eachother, we were using mics and had added eachother to steam and such. Finally i had found an ally and could continue my mission.

Both of us were newbies and wanted to stay friendly with everyone. After a few lives we figured out that, being friendly with everyone is never gonna get you "rich" as in letting you keep good equipment and such. We started being hostile to everyone but the ones we knew irl, or "trustable" persons ingame.

We started getting loot, good loot, weapons with aims and stuff. Then ofcourse we die cause we didnt play carefully enough.

I think after about 100 hours of gameplay, i really learned how to play this game good.

I've played a total of 217hours of this game. And i gotta say, i've become really good at it. Doesn't matter if i'm solo or with friends. When i play, i don't die.

I've been in very many firefights vs other players, i'm simply better. How? I play safer. Really, you can play it safe or play it unsafe. I would prefer crawling for 5 minutes around in a city if i knew someone else was there, rather than crouch running. Why? Cause if i die, i lose 30 hours+ atleast, of my progress.

Yesterday i was looting a town up north, i hear a car. I was playin solo. They stopped the car near the city, looting houses. Then i asked in chat if i could join their crew. Also i asked if they were friendly, no one replied and shortly after they ran back to the car and drove away.

I followed the car on foot, running along the treeline to make me harder to spot. Then i see 2 persons crouch running towards the city i was in, i avoid them and keep heading towards the car. Further out i find the car hidden behind trees, and 1 guy guarding it. I take him out and then rush to the car, knowing the other 2 weren't close. I get in the car and drive to the city i was in, i manage to kill one by driving on him, the other one got away. I was happy with the results tho, i just drove away and stashed the car for when my friends came online.

This whole event took like 1 hour, why? I was sneaking like hell. Stealth = win. You can't trust people in this game. In my experience the only people you can trust is people who are willing to get on skype/ts3/whatever with you and speak to you, those are usually "friendly" Although i have found unfriendly people there, just talking to you finding your location and killing you. It's unlikely. Either find people like that, or get IRL friends who play this game.

TL;DR - Basically, trust no one but your close friends or people whose willing to get on a microphone program with you and talk with you. Play safe. And stop bitching and get more experience, really.

The pvp part of this game is what makes this game AMAZING imo. In ANY other game that i've played, i've never faced theese harsh punishments for dying. You lose EVERYTHING, all your progress and weapons and gear and shit, the only thing you don't lose is your experience. With that said, die much and die often. But in time you will learn from your mistakes and be able to survive longer and longer. Just keep at it bro!

Btw, if you ever manage to get good gear. Just wait until you get into a firefight with another player, your heart will be pumping so hard and your adrenaline will be flushing cause it's so much at stake. No other game in my entire life has given me that experience, thus i'm playing this game.

[Keurk 4]

Of course there won't be a forced system like the bandit skin. We all know that didn't work well. But i have to disagree that there shouldn't be any consequences. In real world, nobody wouldn't be happy just because they killed someone for supplies and nobody wouldn't just go killing people because they are bored. That's why someone made a suggestion of a mental consequence where players would go nuts if they kill people, and i think this would work both for you and all others.

omfg wtf STOP THIS BULLSHIT man , in a real world with all the humanity anihilated by some shit and with only infected people and survivors, do you really think we care about who kill each others?

"ho comon he killed someone in a survival mod where there is no law at all and were you can4T even fucking find a playstation 3 but yes, you can find lawer and some kind of justice system so if you kill a guy he'll go in jail..."

stop with this, guys STOP IT you are giving me herpes with ya closed mind , you guys don't even know what the word sandbox fucking means . YOU WANT TO LIVE YOU WANT TO STOP BITCHING JUST GROUP WITH PLAYERS WTFFFFFFFFFFFFF thats so fucking hard to find 3 friends to play with? thats so hard to stop walking middle of the street and then complain because you dont fucking walk near walls and got shot by snipers? COMON STOP WITH YOUR BRAINLESS "ho in a real world" WTF is that, in what kind of real world with zombies do you live can you tell me?

[Virfortis 111]

All things considered' date=' I'm pretty sure once the group and meta-game content is rounded out, much of this frustration will disappear.

I didn't expect any real replayability at this stage, the concepts involved are extremely basic. The fact that it is replayable is kind of bizarre, but cool.

So while we're waiting for the "after day 1" content and features to be put in (and it would be bad to rush this), we're testing, finding all the hacks, exploits, mistakes, etc... and tidy those up... then come on in for the big win.

It's not all or nothing guys, posts from all angles seem to take things to extremes. I think most people are managing their expectations and adopting a wait and see approach, tipping their hat to some early success. I think that's a pretty sensible way to consider all this.

[/quote']

That's really the way I'm looking at it right now. I admit that I'm not a great video game tester of sorts, so I jumped into the Alpha just to see what was there. DayZ is still in its infancy and I WANT to see it become something that turns the FPS genre on its head. I may be wrong in wanting that, but I think that even the inkling of potential I've seen here is enough to make me excited for the future.

I'm still watching and waiting. There's a lot more on the horizon. So anyone feeling burned out needs to take a break, because this is not all DayZ will be, not by a longshot.

[Tleilaxu 2]

1.Why is CoD so popular? Because it's what players really want.

2.Why aren't good games made anymore? Because players abuse the good ones.

1: It's not what "players" really want,it is what appeals to a broad mass of people from the age of 10 to 2x,mostly on the console sector.

Xplozions,pew pew pew,omgsoawsum!

You don`t need to do much thinking while playing and 1 or 2 buttons on a gamepad are enough to play,due to the corridor-shooter design where a giant Arrow points you to the place you're supposed to go it almost plays itself.No chance that someone says "I don't understand this game",thats why it sells.Even my cat could play it

2:Good games aren't made (that often) because publishers usually dictate what has to be pushed down the consumers troath & even if designers come up with fancy ideas,that doesnt mean the publisher thinks/agrees that it should be ingame cause "peeplz dun want these thingz".

Also: to make good games,the desigers need more than creative freedom.The right mindset! Not this "my paycheck comes in no matter what so i'll won't do more than the basics"

Take Syndicate as an example,great games in the past.

New installment: Corridor shooter,handholding so you won't even think about trying an alternative route trough the levels.Much pew pew kaboom and after 6 hours you're done.

Waste of time,money,potential and the "product" Syndicate is down the pooper.Gameindustry in a nutshell

People are tired of this BS,thats why DayZ got so much attention.It is something new,something fresh.Not watered down Cawadoody-BS.

[UbiquitousBadGuy 846]

All things considered' date=' I'm pretty sure once the group and meta-game content is rounded out, much of this frustration will disappear.

I didn't expect any real replayability at this stage, the concepts involved are extremely basic. The fact that it is replayable is kind of bizarre, but cool.

So while we're waiting for the "after day 1" content and features to be put in (and it would be bad to rush this), we're testing, finding all the hacks, exploits, mistakes, etc... and tidy those up... then come on in for the big win.

It's not all or nothing guys, posts from all angles seem to take things to extremes. I think most people are managing their expectations and adopting a wait and see approach, tipping their hat to some early success. I think that's a pretty sensible way to consider all this.

[/quote']

This is exactly my frame of mind and I'm glad to see some vindication for it. I'm also certain that the majority of players are like this. Some of them posters but most lurkers, not really compelled to make an account to complain/suggest/discuss but interested in DayZ's status nonetheless. The silent majority who is interested to see where this is going but thankful for the opportunity to participate.

[Virfortis 111]

stop with this' date=' guys STOP IT you are giving me herpes with ya closed mind , you guys don't even know what the word sandbox fucking means.

[/quote']

It means more than having the same rules as every other FPS in the world: Kill everyone. You say we have a closed mind, yet you want us to act as anonymous and harassing as every other "Sargent Faceless" on Xbox Live.

Also, I can't pass this one up:

Take Syndicate as an example' date='great games in the past.

New installment: Corridor shooter,handholding so you won't even think about trying an alternative route trough the levels.Much pew pew kaboom and after 6 hours you're done.

Waste of time,money,potential and the "product" Syndicate is down the pooper.Gameindustry in a nutshell

People are tired of this BS,thats why DayZ got so much attention.It is something new,something fresh.Not watered down Cawadoody-BS.

[/quote']

I agree wholeheartedly, but then why is it once we're handed DayZ people stick to the same watered down formula and call everyone that wants to branch out "closed minded"?

[SilverWeed 0]

Couple of points I'd make to keep things in perspective:

1) Good mods usually have a fairly long evolution, with both highs and lows. Try to focus on the things you like through good and bad, and hope that your contribution in the forums and in the game will reward you with an experience you will enjoy for years to come.

2) Very few mods get the attention shortly after launch that DayZ has gotten, which forces Rocket and co. to focus on polishing the existing content more than creating new content or working out meta issues and undesirable emergent behaviors.

Anyone can find a reason to stop playing out of frustration in the alpha stage of a mod, and that's not even considering the frustration someone has with a published legit hardcore game (Arma, Dark Souls, etc). You get what you pay for, you bought Arma 2 to play a hardcore mod in Alpha stage. You're going to need real patience to play DayZ consistently at this stage, and maybe for the duration of its existence.

[rocket 16567]

Yes, things are pretty broken and there's hacking, duping, all sorts of issues. But that is a good sign, we're shaking all these issues out now. It's not the standard of "public alphas" which are really just poorly tested Beta's - i.e. the companies are too scared to make any changes or have run out of cash to do any.

The only thing that bothers me, is all this talk of "CoD kiddies" and how they can't play games right or they play the games wrong. I saw some kid at E3 who came over to ArmA3 to try it out, he said he had played heaps of CoD. He was damn impressive, not just because he was good but because of his enthusiasm. Once he had learned the controls, he turned around and said "okay, I want to try the hardest thing". I was impressed (Dyslexi can back me up on this, he was there!).

Anyway, CoD is an impressive game. I can sit here and go on about how the old XCom, or Desert Strike, or some other old Amiga game was the shit and all this new stuff is crap - but I can't expect people to have played them or to try them out today.

I don't know, I think the generalizations aren't entirely accurate. There is a relatively small percentage of players griefing, hacking, and cheating. But that's fine, cause they are fucking obvious about it which makes it easier to identify and focus for future patches.

[Rudy (DayZ) 0]

Quote from BoogieMan,

"...the zombies need to be more a part of the game. Right now their most prominent roll is being shambling speed limit signs."

I absolutely agree with your opinion. Zombies are not a big part in this game, they need to be way more deadly. The only real threat that me and my friends perceive is other players.

Maybe players should be allowed to play as zombies?

[lexxer 25]

2 fixes to make zombies WAY more deadly:

1. Run indoors.

2. Not have to stop to swing at you.

** very deadly zombies randomly in the woods, wandering , etc would be cool too.

[Virfortis 111]

There's a very big difference between someone that plays CoD, and someone that enjoys military games. The kid in question sounds more like the latter.

When I speak of the "CoD kiddie" I'm referring to what made CoD a cash cow. I think we can all agree that (though this is old hat by now) CoD 1/2/4 were good, but after that things began to take a nose-dive. I'm not talking about people that get on and play it for the experience, I'm talking about the people that want nothing more than "a combination shooting-gallery, and nothing else" (Game Overthinker, Episode 45). If someone says they play a lot of CoD, and then turns around and enjoys ArmA3, I would be happy (surprised, but happy).

But when I think about what kills the whole concept of DayZ being a game where you care about your character, I think about the people touting the "No fucks given" mode.

I think about this:

And really, why shouldn't I think that after dealing with the trolls? They're certainly the most vocal, and claim to represent the game as a whole, so where is the other voice for us to sit there and say "no, these are the real DayZ enthusiasts."

[rocket 16567]

Maybe players should be allowed to play as zombies?

AI, at least for our foreseeable future, will never be as compelling as other players. They are a key aspect of tension.

And one does not simply allow players to be zombies.

It's a major balancing issue with huge amounts of work, more animations, design of attack modes, exploitability of it, boredom, why are the zombies so smart, etc... etc...

It's something I've considered, but it is such a big job that it would need several months work from a professional team dedicated to it, in order to get it working.

[Sihrak 0]

I'm fine with the PvP' date=' real loss adds some care and caution to it. But to lose days of progress and countless hours of traveling, dodging zombies, players - all that just to die in 2 seconds is just horrible. [/quote']

Last night when I was shooting zeds at Devils Castle, a guy spawned next to me. Although his character was there, his game was probably still loading and he most likely wasn't playing yet. So I had to make a quick decision, and ended up shooting the poor defenceless guy before he had even made it to the game. If I hadn't I done it, chances are that he would have shot me in the back. I guess I could have just run away, but I only realized that after it was too late. And he still would have had a decent chance to shoot me at the back.

I felt really bad for shooting the guy, because he had gathered some decent gear, wandered deep to the north and obviously spent some time doing all that - only to have his character dead while loading the game.

I'm OK with this "sudden death" concept - it is the thing that makes this mod infuriating, yet also very compelling. I just hope that when this mod has matured past alpha/beta stage, these kind of stupid deaths that are not your fault could be somehow ironed out (although one might argue that "parking" your character inside the Devils Castle probably isn't the safest thing to do).

[Rudy (DayZ) 0]

Quote from Rocket,

"AI, at least for our foreseeable future, will never be as compelling as other players. They are a key aspect of tension.

And one does not simply allow players to be zombies."

I totally understand and it's still an alpha. Me and my friends are still having loads of fun.

[PeepSquirrel 0]

When you reach a certain point : Alice pack, knife, matches, hatchet, map... AK / M4 with 5+ mags. There's only one option left. You before the other sucker.

There's no other way to say it.

I just don't take my chance anymore if the guy is potential buddy or not. Sometimes I decide to engage because I will get the jump, other times, I just hide and wait for the other survivor who seems better/well armed go the other way. Because 1) I'm not sure if he's alone 2) Too risky 3) Too risky.

Also, when you are exploring a building and at a corner you encounter someone right in your face, I already pulled the trigger.

I don't consider myself as a bandit, but in world where everyone is armed with winchester / assault rifle... with scarce food and water. Well, remember the OFP "if you see the flash its already too late." tag line? Fit the mod perfectly as well!

[mrcheapy 1]

DayZ would make an awesome MMO.

No leveling, no skill trees, just pure player skill making the difference.

Imagine a server with 1000 people. The Trading posts would get set up, people would form bandit camps, survivors would try to clear out a place and set up a village.

Only real goal is to survive as you see fit like it basically is now.

Some choose to hunt players for beans, some will choose to scavenge, some will choose to trade..

Imagine all the dynamic events that the players would create themselves, Police forces killing raiders, raiders assaulting a trading post.

It would be really fucking awesome.

[Virfortis 111]

DayZ would make an awesome MMO.

No leveling' date=' no skill trees, just pure player skill making the difference.

Imagine a server with 1000 people. The Trading posts would get set up, people would form bandit camps, survivors would try to clear out a place and set up a village.

Only real goal is to survive as you see fit like it basically is now.

Some choose to hunt players for beans, some will choose to scavenge, some will choose to trade..

Imagine all the dynamic events that the players would create themselves, Police forces killing raiders, raiders assaulting a trading post.

It would be really fucking awesome.

[/quote']

The problem is that most bandits run NFG mode, meaning they literally are unstoppable. Police forces only work when there are a finite number of forces. If there was a long time between bandit attacks, more than the 10 minutes we have now, a police force might work. As it stands though, it has the same system in an MMO where you kill 20 CHOTA, and made no difference because they just popped right back up.

[Heizenberg 8]

If any of you folks played a game called Eve Online...

Their security status for different areas "systems" could work pretty well here.

Lets say you are in an area with the highest security rating. You would be shot instantly, on sight, or very quickly the moment you attacked someone and would have an aggression timer that would make you stay in place should you D/C (In essence, you wouldn't disappear until that timer went away even if you logged off).

As the security ratings drop, so will the response time and presence of security forces. Eventually you are at a sec level so low that it is basically how the DayZ environment is now.

This could give the carebears a place to hangout and pick flowers or build tree forts with their wood piles and tool kits. While the PVPers could even camp outside of the towns and ambush unsuspecting targets or venture to the lower sec areas and farm for good loot.

Obviously there would be the risk vs reward thing here. You could get loot in some safer areas but it would most likely be crap or not very useful. Whereas places like the NW AF would spawn great loot, be out of the way, and be extremely dangerous.

A thousand players would be nice. I can only imagine the kind of hardware that would take to pull off though.

Anyway, Eve was pretty cool because it had those safe areas that progressively became less safe and very dangerous. The less safe areas were areas that players could gain control of or have sovereignty or however it's spelled. They even built bases and could build ships, items, etc, in those bases. (Internet spaceships of course). I'm not saying hey lets make a crafting system for DayZ because I can just think about how fraking complicated that would be but the security status and safe/unsafe areas is a nice idea.