How to make the zombies more of a threat, by only changing a few small things.

[metapaus 31]

I know what you mean, should just take a chill pill, but death kinda lacks any permanency or any real cost, when it should suck to die infinitely more than it does currently.

When you're part of a decent size group 9 times out of 10 someone can grab most of your important gear and just hand it back to your new clone as if nothing happened.

And this fuels the Kill on Sight banter ad nauseam. I can't think of any solution to that off the top of my head.

But I rekon, slow down Zeds just a wee wee bitty and make them hard as nails, shoot 'em in the head, scary to deal with. It would make hordes less of a trivial nuisance and more of an engaging challenge.

I'm sure everyone has their own ideas about where this game is going, but I think if general overall survival was more difficult, every facet of gameplay would improve. Or at the very least feel more rewarding.

I understand what you're saying, but I tend to hold myself tighter. You see, to me, DayZ gives as much as you give. So when I die, I leave ALL my gear, regardless. Once, I gathered 4 tents and filled them to the brim with weapons, ammo, medical supplies, food and water, just from Cherno. I died because zombies broke my leg and I passed out, so when I awoke not only were the zombies blocking me from moving but there was a wall on the other side. I left that stuff there. A Remmington, a few AKs and tons of ammo, about 3 Makarovs, a few revolvers and M1911s, some Enfields, double-barrels, Winchesters (I was currently trying to supply a small army that we were organizing) but I just left it there. It's not because I have some sort of "honor code" or anything. It's because once I go back and get that stuff, it just isn't fun. It doesn't feel right. I even did it once. Next time I played I killed myself right off the bat.

So cheaters, hackers, glitchers... don't really make sense to me, why you would set yourself up with the best in the game and not actually have the satisfaction earning it, then be bored because you've nothing to do. But that permanant death factor is still there for me, and it just makes it all the more fun. When I say, "Oh well, time to respawn.", it isn't that simple. First I take a gander at what I did and how I got there. Then, I see what I should have done differently. Then I think if I'll do that next time. Am I disappointed? Yes. Am I a little angry? Of course. Do I still fear death in-game as much as any other rage-kid out there who throws his computer down the stairs? Hell-fucking-yes. But every single time I have died (not to a bug) I have been able to say, "That was fun. Truly fun."

You are going to die. There is no way around it. You need to prepare, and you need to be ready. And you need to accept it, so you can enjoy it. Because if you don't like getting there all over again, you'll never see it to its true potential. Every time you respawn it's a different story. Every time it's an adventure. Part of that is your end, making these things happen. Part of it is the inconsistency of DayZ. So don't fucking whine.

Edited September 23, 2012 by metapaus

[noblebrutus@live.co.uk 26]

The part about throwing your computer was intended as a joke obviously... and yes it is all fun and enjoyable and we'll all die in-game sooner or later, I have many cosy memories of 'lives' and mistakes made and have considered on how to improve from them. But death really should be a thing to fear while playing and a healthy dose of despair at the moment you die shouldn't go amiss, but in the minutes afterwards when you take the time to think over all you achieved and all the experiences you had in that life perhaps over a beer on the couch you find the enjoyment and fun you've had and maybe ponder on what story you'll tell your friends the next day... that's when it all changes from tense and gripping to realising the great amount of fun you've had. That's what I think anyway.

On topic again, I was wondering, that if we have zombies running through buildings how would we lose them? Steep hills are not overly common, and I think there should be another way to lose them than simply killing them. I know it has been suggested before (in another thread) but allowing a player to throw empty tin cans as a distraction could work.

[metapaus 31]

The part about throwing your computer was intended as a joke obviously... and yes it is all fun and enjoyable and we'll all die in-game sooner or later, I have many cosy memories of 'lives' and mistakes made and have considered on how to improve from them. But death really should be a thing to fear while playing and a healthy dose of despair at the moment you die shouldn't go amiss, but in the minutes afterwards when you take the time to think over all you achieved and all the experiences you had in that life perhaps over a beer on the couch you find the enjoyment and fun you've had and maybe ponder on what story you'll tell your friends the next day... that's when it all changes from tense and gripping to realising the great amount of fun you've had. That's what I think anyway.

On topic again, I was wondering, that if we have zombies running through buildings how would we lose them? Steep hills are not overly common, and I think there should be another way to lose them than simply killing them. I know it has been suggested before (in another thread) but allowing a player to throw empty tin cans as a distraction could work.

Click my signature. Read a bit.

Anyway, yeah, back on topic. Distracting zombies? What about the church bell? Fires might be nice to give as a distraction. Break a window WITH a can? Set of a broken car's alarm. Those seem pretty good to me.

[omgwtfbbq (DayZ) 1069]

Something few people understand:

Making players enter towns to loot more often doesn't change anything, it just becomes more of a pain in the ass for the player. It also encourages playerkilling, as to reduce the chance of having to go into town. Bad idea. No.

Edited September 23, 2012 by omgwtfbbq

[wolfstriked 143]

Was thinking about the infected today and I thought about these zombie ants that I read about.A just discovered intelligent(??)fungus invades the brain of these certain ants and then controls them to find a good spot so they can then eat the body inside out and a stem or stalk appears out the head of the ants.This got me thinking that it would be kool to use this as the base for the infected.Heres why....

Make it water borne fungus that is in the water supply of Chenarus and so you must boil any drinking water.If you do not you will get infected most likely though antifungals might work to kill the fungus.These fungi grow stalks out of the heads of their host humans and control them to eat other animals to sustain them while the fungi incubates.The reason why they do not eat other infected is that they are already brimming with fungi spores.You could also have the monkey and crawler infected have the telltale forked stems growing out of their heads that explode when near a new host(us players)to allow the fungus to attach to a new body since the one they are occupying is almost dead.This makes sense in their lifeline lore where when you see them low to ground and weak it means the stalks on their heads will explode sending spores your way.Makes them more dangerous than the ones that just want to eat you.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/pictures/110303-zombie-ants-fungus-new-species-fungi-bugs-science-brazil/

Edited September 24, 2012 by wolfstriked

[metapaus 31]

Was thinking about the infected today and I thought about these zombie ants that I read about.A just discovered intelligent(??)fungus invades the brain of these certain ants and then controls them to find a good spot so they can then eat the body inside out and a stem or stalk appears out the head of the ants.This got me thinking that it would be kool to use this as the base for the infected.Heres why....

Make it water borne fungus that is in the water supply of Chenarus and so you must boil any drinking water.If you do not you will get infected most likely though antifungals might work to kill the fungus.These fungi grow stalks out of the heads of their host humans and control them to eat other animals to sustain them while the fungi incubates.The reason why they do not eat other infected is that they are already brimming with fungi spores.You could also have the monkey and crawler infected have the telltale forked stems growing out of their heads that explode when near a new host(us players)to allow the fungus to attach to a new body since the one they are occupying is almost dead.This makes sense in their lifeline lore where when you see them low to ground and weak it means the stalks on their heads will explode sending spores your way.Makes them more dangerous than the ones that just want to eat you.

http://news.national...science-brazil/

Fun-fun!

[farren.5@osu.edu 2]

Visiting low pop servers is a natural survival instinct for players, and the fact people do it is generally encouraging... it shows DayZ is doing something right. Now what we have to do is hide the population count when you join... and things will get a whole lot more scary and intense.

Also, the utility for knowing how many people (P) are on your server should be hidden.

[Hello moto 70]

Also, the utility for knowing how many people (P) are on your server should be hidden.

Absolutely.

[tommes 331]

Also, the utility for knowing how many people (P) are on your server should be hidden.

Would have a nice uncertainty factor to it but would make server picking a real pain in the ass.

[ClareRedfield 0]

Many of the ideas presented here seriously complicate life, without serious reasons for this. But right thoughts still there

2 things

1) Zombies scream thus forcing other zombies within (and discretion) slowly approached the scene of action, which in combination with a shot of the player to make a zombie fight back

2) Why not make it possible to close some doors, and so the strength depended on the quality of the doors and Progress Reports. Such as closing the door to the cottage on the (all-but) Castle - zombies can easily knock it, but the more sturdy door, in combination with, say * boarded * - is a more serious prigrada.

Axes and crowbars (which would create one of the ejection function of these doors) will be more universal, such as the opportunity to stop for a while and is gathered out of a hell of a lot of screaming zombies: D

[mr_chabowski@live.co.uk 2416]

The more complicated and difficult the better.

Remove pop. count, Name tags (even during text chat and VoIP)and kill messages

Make zombies headshot only, and all that other badass stuff (communicating, grouping up, hunting players)

Make applicable tools wear out (run out of matches, military flashlight out of batteries etc.)

DayZ just needs to be generally less easy

[rn_max 202]

On topic again, I was wondering, that if we have zombies running through buildings how would we lose them? Steep hills are not overly common, and I think there should be another way to lose them than simply killing them. I know it has been suggested before (in another thread) but allowing a player to throw empty tin cans as a distraction could work.

Cans and whiskey bottles are throwable like grenades. If they make a noise on impact zombies can be distracted by them.

[tommes 331]

When the zeds run inside buildings I will laugh my arse off (Rocket has done this already, all he had to do was change a building parameter) When it will be introduced I don't know, we will seperate the men from the boys. Imagine running inside a Red House and they run in not giving you any quater.

Add this to the 7/10 scary factor he wants to improve, Zeds will be a new threat all over again.

What I like is roaming Zeds, this will offer a false sense of safety even for the piss drinking survivalists hiding in the woods. Chopper sites will no longer be an easy way to get gear. and Aggroing zeds will scar players for life.

It will make things definitely much more annoying. I just doubt this will be any fun.

Any Zombie-Apocalypse-Scenario is never really about the zombies. Why should it be? Zombies are dumb. They're merely environmental. It's always about how people act, re- and interact.

I disagree, the entire point of DayZ is to get immersed and be physically scared of dying, the base of this game in my opinion was to get rid of the 'oh well, I'll just respawn' mentality.

You should be scared to die, you should be scared to lose your stuff... and when you do die you should try and throw your computer out the window.

Visiting low pop servers is a natural survival instinct for players, and the fact people do it is generally encouraging... it shows DayZ is doing something right. Now what we have to do is hide the population count when you join... and things will get a whole lot more scary and intense.

Sorry, but that's the mindset of a pussy and people who Alf+F4 out of combat. I was afraid of dying (aka losing your gear and position...and that's all it is to) at first. Now I don't care anymore. I just need an Enfield and an Alice-Pack to be happy. I can find that pretty quickly anywhere. Encountering other players is still exciting. Just surviving for it's own sake seems so goddamn pointless. It's still just a game. It's main point is to make fun which means create excitement through moments of failure/success. To hide away in solitude in DayZ to me is as much success as it would be in real life. None.

Reducing the spawn chance for matches and limiting the uses would mean less wilderness survival and more village survival.

How would solo players be more affected then other players?

Does anyone ever have problems finding some food to reset his hunger meter? I don't think so. The reason to get steaks is to buff up blood again after being hit by something. Without a buddy bloodbagging you your only way of achieving that is consuming steaks. Solo players therefore would be affected slightly more by limiting matches than groupies, but I doubt anybody would even notice it. I for my part never had any of my characters ever do more than let's say 3 camp fires. Either died or found some other means. I would support the motion though just because of realism...or in DayZ-terms...authenticity or plausibility.

[mr_chabowski@live.co.uk 2416]

It will make things definitely much more annoying. I just doubt this will be any fun.

Any Zombie-Apocalypse-Scenario is never really about the zombies.

Man, you are going to LOVE the standalone.

Diseases spreading, bad food, dirty water, fractured ribs, bruises and limps reducing your mobility, AND more zombies. Lots more by the sounds of things.

EDIT: In any zombie-apocalypse scenario, as soon as you get complacent and forget that it's full of zombies, you die.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Chabowski

[tommes 331]

Man, you are going to LOVE the standalone.

Diseases spreading, bad food, dirty water, fractured ribs, bruises and limps reducing your mobility, AND more zombies. Lots more by the sounds of things.

EDIT: In any zombie-apocalypse scenario, as soon as you get complacent and forget that it's full of zombies, you die.

I'm gonna be fine as long as they fix zombie movement and animations. You can deal with anything else if you know how and get the right equipment. And if that won't work out...I still am not afraid of losing my virtual DayZ life. Why should I be?

[mr_chabowski@live.co.uk 2416]

I still am not afraid of losing my virtual DayZ life. Why should I be?

It's kinda Rockets whole jig. The devs are working to create an emotive world, full of fear and tension. The same way as any movie wants to make you care for the characters, or the situation.

Except DayZ is there to make you care about _^YOUR character and situation. With the tagline : DayZ - It's your story. The effect it has depends on you.

If your story is *spawned**got armed**went looking for a fight**found a fight**killed someone**went looking for a fight**found a fight**died**spawned* rinse repeat. It is what it is.

[tommes 331]

It's kinda Rockets whole jig. The devs are working to create an emotive world, full of fear and tension. The same way as any movie wants to make you care for the characters, or the situation.

Except DayZ is there to make you care about _^YOUR character and situation. With the tagline :DayZ - It's your story. The effect it has depends on you.

If your story is *spawned**got armed**went looking for a fight**found a fight**killed someone**went looking for a fight**found a fight**died**spawned* rinse repeat. It is what it is.

I don't do stories. I am not a role player. And a virtual death can't be something to actually fear because it can't be real or permanent. If you once realize that nature, you are not afraid anymore. That's just what it is. Getting in fights or other interaction is still exciting. That's why I'm explicitly looking for it and why I just can't understand people hiding away in low pop areas. Who would buy a camping simulator?

But that's just me. Feel free to play however you please.

[enforcer1975 1111]

You don't have to roleplay to make a story...as Chabowski posted above

*spawned**got armed**went looking for a fight**found a fight**killed someone**went looking for a fight**found a fight**died**spawned* rinse repeat.

then this is it as boring as it is.

Or wouldn't it be better to tell your friends that you saved this guy from that bandit, shot some zeds while they were attacking an unconcious player, bandaged him and he thanked you for it etc.?

Edited September 29, 2012 by Enforcer

[tommes 331]

I do some of that on youtube. ^^

[Shadow Man 142]

Ok, I have been on low pop servers simply to avoid being killed. But only to get a break from being killed over and over. The way it is now it just seems a bit unbalanced. The bandit factor absolutely has to be in the game, no doubt. But they shouldn't be the primary threat. I want the zombies to be f**king hardcore. They need to be hard enough that camping on a hill and firing one shot with a high powered rifle is nearly as risky as being the guy he's shooting at stood in Cherno. Then it would give would be bandits more to think about rather than sit and snipe while drinkin a bud with their mates.

Making the zombies brutal but not impossible is the trick though. No one will want to play if they all see you from miles away and come running. Zombies are stupid, but infinitely persistent. Their awareness needs to be predictable but punishing. They should run straight at you. Yes, that makes them easier targets but then there could easily be more than all your ammo.

[ProfessorKoble 17]

Wtf? ARE YOU 6?

[Shadow Man 142]

Wtf? ARE YOU 6?

I'm assuming that was directed at me. Would you mind being a little more specific about your problem, rather than talking like a dick?