Suggestions to Lengthen the DayZ Play Experience

[PorkNBeans (DayZ) 20]

Having played and enjoyed this game for about three weeks now, I'm hitting a wall. I knew my time in DayZ was nearing an end when I willingly jumped off Zub castle just to have some fun again as a fresh spawn.

Zeds are no longer a threat. Most of the time I just ignore them or lose them. Bottom line is that PvE holds no more excitement.

I've legitimately earned all the gear, fixed up a few vehicles, etc. From an rpg perspective there is not much left to do.

Now that the rpg and survival mechanics have faded, at this point the game has devolved into a simple FPS. As someone who's played FPS games since, well, they were invented, I am a bit jaded here. If I'm going to play an FPS it has to bring something new to the table. Here are the available playstyles at this point:

1. Become a bandit - This is the easy route, since you just shoot anything that moves. This does not appeal to me as a player. I do like the fact that there are bandits, and I have no problems with those who want to play like that. Unfortunately the alternatives are not fully supported by the game mechanics.

2. Hunt bandits - The bandit/hero/survivor ID system does not function well. If you want to keep your humanity you can't shoot at people in camo or ghillie, since you can't be sure of their status unless you have the time to observe them killing multiple players (rare). Bandits know this of course, and this creates a very wierd dynamic. Firstly it means that if you want to be identified as a hero/survivor you can't wear the camo or ghillie suits, which is not a good play mechanic imho.

It also means that the easiest way to ID bandits is to see them when they first spawn, and haven't had time to get new clothes. So wannabe bandit hunters are actually driven to do something distasteful and unsportsmanlike: shoot fresh spawns. Bandit hunting is also more difficult because bandits only represent about 15% of players, so your available targets are fewer. On a server with 25 players there may be only 4 bandits. Good luck finding them.

3. Become a medic - Some players enjoy this playstyle, and I respect them for it. I would bodyguard for a medic but I don't want to be one. Another problem is that medics get shot in the face too often. Medics really need some way to be identified as medics.

4. Escort/protect noobs - This might appeal to some people I suppose, but it's not my favored playstyle.

Even if the above-mentioned player ID problems are resolved, it's still just an FPS, albeit one with long down-times and a huge death penalty. That is a point of distinction, but not enough to keep me playing.

Suggestions to increase the play longevity:

1. More rpg elements - Make gear harder to get or more rare in order to lengthen the aquisition time. Add more survival elements like cooking, crafting, weapon customization, etc. The more players feel that they are really struggling to survive in a zombie apocalypse, the better. Add more placeables and allow players to build meaningful encampments or even take over or fortify some buildings.

2. More PvW (player vs. world) difficulty - Food and water are way to common. I am never in danger of dying from thirst or starvation. That game mechanic holds no meaning. Neither does the heat system. I don't even pick up heat packs since they serve no purpose. Survival should be a bitch. I should be forced to go into towns just to eat. Finding an animal in the wilderness should be very rare. I should be truly motivated to shoot other players for their beans or to band with them to increase our survival chances.

Also, solo players shouldn't have to eat meat to heal. That's just stupid and it breaks immersion. Add some kind of med kit for the single player, available at hospitals. It shouldn't be as effective as a transfusion.

3. More PvE difficulty - Rank the infected. Soldiers>Hunters>Civilians in terms of toughness and damage. Maybe even add some military infected with guns, like the ones in STALKER. They can't shoot for shit but the bullets are deadly. Consider also adding small roving groups of quasi-military NPC survivors in the north that are hostile to all players.

4. Fix the player ID system. It's been suggested before that if you hover your crosshairs over another player for 2-3 seconds they will be identified. That might work.

I may still fire up DayZ now and then for a quick zombie fix but for the most part I'm done. I'll be keeping an eye on the Standalone. And for all the idiots on these forums who will inevitably interpret this as a QQ thread, I hope a zombie eats your face.

[SoWeMeetAgain 100]

I agree making the game harder would be better.

How about more zombies overall, making them walk in groups. With that(!) make zombies different - single zombie should be NO problem, you shouldn't even take damage most of the time fighting it with an axe. Three zombies or more? You're in deep shit. How to accomplish that? For example when a zombie strikes you, you would become disoriented and lose quite some stamina. Yes this would require a stamina system which should be a good idea anyways.

How about making it impossible to have all the items at once? So you could be a hunter with hunting knife, axe, matches and a flashlight, but can't at the same time carry all the other things like tool box, entrenching tools etc.

Maybe add new items for weapon maintenance and other things.

The former two ideas combined would mean you HAVE to have a group or a pretty save tent if you really want to play alone, otherwise you will not be able to do everything on your own.

Get rid of the night vision. Yes, there, I said it. It's stupid.

Carrying stuff shouldn't be "x spaces" only. It should be a combination of volume (in liters) and weight (in kg). You can fit so and so much volume into your inventory(pockets) and backpack, however heavy that may be (to a limit...), but carrying heavy stuff should slow you down and drain your stamina (see above) faster.

[twitch13 49]

1. has already been suggested and addressed.

2. has already been suggested and addressed.

3. zombies wielding guns? no. as for roaming zombie hordes, that has already been suggested and addressed.

4. what about the ID system needs fixing? you either play on a server with nameplates on or nameplates off. and if it's immersion you're looking for, you should be campaigning to have nameplates removed completely.

[PorkNBeans (DayZ) 20]

1. has already been suggested and addressed.

2. has already been suggested and addressed.

3. zombies wielding guns? no. as for roaming zombie hordes, that has already been suggested and addressed.

4. what about the ID system needs fixing? you either play on a server with nameplates on or nameplates off. and if it's immersion you're looking for, you should be campaigning to have nameplates removed completely.

I know 1&2 have already been suggested and discussed. No reason I can't add my voice to others.

As for zombies with guns, you say no but why not? As infected they already behave like they still have some semblance of former memeories by hanging around their old haunts. Soldiers would have the muscle memory of pulling a trigger.

The roving NPCs I am suggesting would be living, un-infected quasi-military (just like the NPCs in ARMA II). Maybe they are government forces sent in to sterilize the area, killing everything they see. Much more dangerous and rare than zombies, but also potentially packing good loot.

I'm not against nameplates, but the way they are currently implemented breaks immersion. I do think we need them, since without them I can't tell if another survivor is my buddy on teamspeak even if I am five feet away from him. On the other hand waving my crosshair wildly over some bushes to reveal the ghillie guy's nameplate is not a good thing.

[RogueTroopa 7]

You forgot to mention the hacking which makes everything you say pointless.

[bazbake 456]

The decision to treat DayZ as a persistent RPG experience instead of a roguelike is probably your problem there, mate.

[Expressen 4]

Well, why not satisfy some FPS RPG MMO wishes then? There is NO game that has gotten this close to it. Make factions, and add some instances. Maybe even monsters. If you would then put those monsters in instances it would be free to venture inside for those that like the idea. Nontheless. you can find other games with multiple playstyles. I would actually, (eventhough not related to the topic) like to play sometimes with a little less stakes.

[F4tal3rror 2]

1. More rpg elements

- Maybe

2. More PvW (player vs. world) difficulty

- Probably like this idea, but if you did that, you would also need to lengthen the time between hunger/thirst stages

***Also, solo players shouldn't have to eat meat to heal. That's just stupid and it breaks immersion. Add some kind of med kit for the single player, available at hospitals. It shouldn't be as effective as a transfusion.***

This idea I definitely like

3. More PvE difficulty - Rank the infected. Soldiers>Hunters>Civilians in terms of toughness and damage. Maybe even add some military infected with guns, like the ones in STALKER. They can't shoot for shit but the bullets are deadly. Consider also adding small roving groups of quasi-military NPC survivors in the north that are hostile to all players.

I like this idea...not so much gun weilding zombies, but varying difficulty zombies.

Improving zombie pathing and AI would help a lot.

Roving groups of military npcs could be interesting if implemented properly.

4. Fix the player ID system. It's been suggested before that if you hover your crosshairs over another player for 2-3 seconds they will be identified. That might work.

I dislike this, I don't like player ID at all, though i wish players looked more unique.

[birdman 108]

I know 1&2 have already been suggested and discussed. No reason I can't add my voice to others.

Sure, just try to add it to those posts if you find them in the search.