Highway Area - Providing car parts and variety.

[Riem 164]

So, was perusing the forums, had a minor idea strike me when visiting some threads about cars and how rare they are.

It makes sense, as most people would have attempted to turn tail and flee in their vehicles once the outbreak started, and, most working cars since the initial wave of panic would have been dismantled or taken as well. But, obviously, that wouldn't work so very well, now would it? Not with everyone trying to crowd the highway all at once. We've seen it in countless zombie movies and games, where there are highways just utterly packed with stuck cars, all with nice little morsels stuck in their cars until the zombie can openers get there.

Ahem.

So my suggestion is this:

Have a large stretch of highway packed with stuck cars.

I'm not suggesting any of these cars be drivable, right off the spot. They should have to be repaired, as they would most likely have all been picked apart by scavengers. If we had that many immediately drivable cars spawn at once, well, Twisted Metal: DayZ, anyone?

There should be little to none in the way of military or weaponized vehicles. They would have been the very first to go, either to scavengers or the military that would have tried to establish a presence, and as such would not be still at the highway. This is for both realism and practical gameplay reasons.

What I am suggesting is it would be just one different area to explore, filled with your typical, shambling zeds, rife with spots to be picked off by bandits, and ample spawns of loot from inside the cars and around them. There could be many many dead bodies inside and beside vehicles, as I'm sure there would have been many dying inside their cars. Also, as a fun and completely different scenario, perhaps someone infected could be trapped in a car, and if you're not paying attention, they could jump out and attack you.

The area itself should have rows of cars all stuck as if lunch hour had just struck in a major city. Lunch hour for zombies anyway. Plenty of wrecks would break up the monotony of rows of vehicles. There should be little to none buildings around, as this was a highway, not an apartment row. Perhaps some semi trailers, both capsized and still upright, could be still entered, and have loot spawns.

It would also be the spot where you find the most vehicle parts in the game. Now, yes, most parts would already have been scavenged, and it should reflect that, with some cars stripped to the frames, others on cinder blocks, etc. But there is a likelihood that some of the cars weren't deemed good enough to loot, or they were just missed. I'm suggesting over fifty cars here at the minimum. Even a large group would be hard pressed to need that many car parts.

You would also be able to loot some fuel from the cars, but this would be in very small quantities. Those cars would have idled there forever, and likely would have been drained for the most part by people way back when.

Additional Ideas:

Addetter has suggested as an alternative, should there not be space in the new map for it, or even a companion, to have a large overpass type stretch of highway that spans a small gap of the ocean, perhaps leading to an island out in the ocean, if it is still included. You can read posts numbers 34 and 35 for more details and a small representation of the idea.

Ruins:

With the ability to create bases for persistent use, I think it would be great for them to slowly fall into disrepair, making it necessary to continually gather supplies to fix up barricades, expand and reinforce the base, and add features to it. The tedium and effort it would require would certainly balance out the game-changing benefits that bases would provide. It should happen more quickly when a player is around, as a constant, quick decay would be somewhat heavy handed towards non-active players. But it should still happen, albeit on a slower rate.

The logic for this is that your bases aren't going to be built with heavy equipment and the necessary supplies to make them last, and while in your base it would make sense that the zeds are still trying to get in. They'd tear down boards, probably claw at anything they could, and generally make a mess of things, while trying to get at a player within the base.

When the player isn't there, or able to be sensed by the zeds, then they'd leave, more than likely.

If buildings reach a critical point where it can't remain standing, it should fall over, or a wall should cave in, the roof collapses, you get the idea. I'd love to be able to find weapons lockers in the remains of a base, stock up on food from this place's personal stash, water, and other supplies. Some supplies and weaponry could be damaged from the collapse as well, ensuring that some of the item tables are taken off of the server, if only until someone finds the exact item in a new spawn.

Collapsed buildings also should be somewhat repairable, and could provide a decent alternative to finding, supplying, and building your own base.

---

Anywho. Positive and negative thoughts are always welcome, and suggestions to build onto this would be appreciated.

As suggestions are in no short supply, to avoid a massive wall of update text, I have hidden it via spoiler tags for your eye's pleasure. I do suggest reading them, as they do contribute much to what could be a very fun site.

DemonGroover suggested some drivable cars, which isn't completely unrealistic, but would have to be balanced very rigidly, and, more creatively, a crashed train site, that could be either with the highway itself or somewhere different.

Zeppa gave the idea for also having groups of dead and stuck cars near blockaded exits/entrances of cities.

Michaelvoodoo25 expanded on the car loot, as it would be realistic, provided you had the tools, to grab the parts off of the cars themselves. He ALSO suggested being able to steal the tires off of other people's cars. Which, being the saboteur I would love to be in DayZ, appeals to me. A lot.

James Ashwood added the suggestion to be able to pilfer from the gas tanks, adding to precious stores of petrol. Could easily be done via a syphon, or just by wrecking the tank with a screwdriver, then draining what liquid was left into a container. He also led to some clarification about the cars themselves. He also suggested the fuel be very difficult to obtain, as not only would that effectively balance out all these drivable (After you repair them) cars, but it would be realistic, as it is much easier to just take the fuel from a car and leave it on the road.

Kpekep2 suggested having cars stuck in the middle of the road with inoperable cars around them, making it necessary to find a new vehicle spawn, and fix it. The new vehicle would be able to tow some objects you can hook to it, much like a tow truck, and would allow you to then drive your vehicle out. He also suggested having small military-like outposts that might be the cause of the roadblocks. After all, it would be likely some of the military would be tasked with trying to keep the infection in check.

Edited with a few new area suggestions. And bumped for new input from fresh eyes. Also necro'd from three months deep. Dear lawd.

Edited January 19, 2013 by Riem

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

I like it!

[birdman 108]

Not bad. I could see that as a really creepy place to encounter Zeds. Also it would be a great place for bandits to camp and ambush. Nice

And better and more original that any apache25 idea to date.

EDIT: Beans

Edited September 23, 2012 by thebirdolux

[DemonGroover 8836]

Yep, i agree, having a stretch of road littered with cars would be cool.

A couple of these cars could be driveable and i also agree that salvaging car parts from other cars makes more sense than finding an engine block in a random shed.

I'd even like to see a crashed train with carriages to explore.

[Riem 164]

Not bad. I could see that as a really creepy place to encounter Zeds. Also it would be a great place for bandits to camp and ambush. Nice

And better and more original that any apache25 idea to date.

EDIT: Beans

Not all that hard to do. Just requires the ability to search and think.

And yes! It would be rather creepy due to the lack of places to hide from any zombies that see you.

Yep, i agree, having a stretch of road littered with cars would be cool.

A couple of these cars could be driveable and i also agree that salvaging car parts from other cars makes more sense than finding an engine block in a random shed.

I'd even like to see a crashed train with carriages to explore.

The cars that would be driveable would have to spawn on the edge of the area, otherwise you'd have a fine time trying to ram your way out of the rest and not explode.

(Though honestly I would find it hilarious to watch someone get a working car and not be able to drive it out.)

As for the train crash perhaps there would be an overpass and a small set of stairs that could take you down to the train tracks level, complete with a mess of crashed train cars.

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

Not bad. I could see that as a really creepy place to encounter Zeds. Also it would be a great place for bandits to camp and ambush. Nice

And better and more original that any apache25 idea to date.

EDIT: Beans

Lol, is Apache25 still trying out his ideas?

[Zeppa 562]

I think he has settled to comment other peoples ideas. (for now atleast)

I like the OP idea... even at current map, maybe cars near blocked town entrances inside large citys etc...

Edited September 24, 2012 by Zeppa

[apache25 133]

............hated by the dayz community i am

[Michaelvoodoo25 3120]

Could this be part of the crafting element? there are cars all over Chernarus, what i found frustrating was If i wanted a wheel I couldn't get one off a wreck! I suppose you could introduce a scavenger aspect on top of the finding loot, Freeing up industrial areas with more different Loot spawns instead of engines and wheels for eg.

Map takistan has a similar area but with millitary vehicle near the northern airfield, walking through the vehicle graveyard adds an immense ammount to the tension when you find another player there.

Lets hope Chernarus plus has a stretch of road added to it with a car cemetary. I'd visit often. :thumbsup: I'd love to see roaming hordes of zeds walk through it, A la walking dead style, this would scare me to death and my heart would explode. :o

[Riem 164]

I think he has settled to comment other peoples ideas. (for now atleast)

I like the OP idea... even at current map, maybe cars near blocked town entrances inside large citys etc...

I agree with this, it would make sense not everyone would be able to get to the highway before getting stuck. Maybe it would be a more common spawn instead of just one long stretch of dead cars.

............hated by the dayz community i am

Aww. Don't say that. You gave us wall climbing machetes after all!

Could this be part of the crafting element? there are cars all over Chernarus, what i found frustrating was If i wanted a wheel I couldn't get one off a wreck! I suppose you could introduce a scavenger aspect on top of the finding loot, Freeing up industrial areas with more different Loot spawns instead of engines and wheels for eg.

Map takistan has a similar area but with millitary vehicle near the northern airfield, walking through the vehicle graveyard adds an immense ammount to the tension when you find another player there.

Lets hope Chernarus plus has a stretch of road added to it with a car cemetary. I'd visit often. :thumbsup: I'd love to see roaming hordes of zeds walk through it, A la walking dead style, this would scare me to death and my heart would explode. :o

Yes, yes, and more yes! Being able to take the wheels off of cars would be awesome. And, as a side note, the lead bearings in a car wheel can actually, with use of a lead furnace, be melted into ammunition.

List updated.

[Michaelvoodoo25 3120]

Side note: Imagine coming across a camp / base and you steal a wheel of a vehicle? I'd pay to see the looks on a players face. 4 vehicles and wheels missing.

[Riem 164]

Side note: Imagine coming across a camp / base and you steal a wheel of a vehicle? I'd pay to see the looks on a players face. 4 vehicles and wheels missing.

I've already suggested a bunch of sabotage ideas for food/blood bags/vehicles. Didn't think of this one.

But it would be amazing.

Edited September 24, 2012 by Riem

[schrapple 119]

............hated by the dayz community i am

And if you are wondering why just read your first thread.

[Gordon Axeman 191]

Totally like the idea.

Maybe some stuck ambulances, police and civilian cars scattered around the cities? With open doors, blood trails, maybe bodies inside. Like the passengers were drawn out by zombies, or the car ran out of fuel and a survivor fought the zombies until the last round came. Maybe some military outposts in cities, and there may be such cars, just like already infected people tried to escape, but were shot by the quarantine forces, or they just ran out of time and zombies attacked the outpost with the cars trying to pass. These events should vary, loot there spawns once in three normal loot cycles (building loot refreshing).

[starwarsfan@gmx.de 450]

I'm not sure what exactly you mean by 'not every car should be drivable'. But I actually think that they should all be repairable, maybe except for a few burned out cars. It just seems silly to me that there should be that many car wrecks and nothing you can do with them at the very least you should, like suggested, take car wheels of off them.

In a zombie apocalypse, broken down cars and even perfectly fine(drivable) cars should be plentyfull, the thing that should be lacking would be fuel. Maybe some cars are wrecked but still have fuel in them? So you can, with the right tools, extract fuel from broken down cars.

And better and more original that any apache25 idea to date.

I find it funny how apache25 is slowly becoming an insider meme of the suggestion forum. lol

[Riem 164]

The only reason I suggested they wouldn't be all repairable or drivable is merely for the sake of keeping the servers a driving mess. I'm unsure of what effect that would have on the servers, load and lagwise.

I do however agree, many of the cars would be able to be repaired, realistically. This would need to be balanced very thoroughly, as it would be considered a very high reward area. First off, there should be zeds everywhere in this small, close quarters area. A lot of them would have stayed, and truthfully there is nothing like not being able to go inside and cower when you've alerted one of the flesh hunger monsters to your presence. It should also be very open save for in between the cars, and a horrible place to be ambushed by bandits. There should not be vehicles with any weapons spawnable, or at the absolute least, utterly rare. Those would have been picked apart and driven off first. Civilian vehicles, trucks, semis. All those vehicles you'd see on a jam packed highway of fleeing and panicked people should be there. Military grade vehicles should, likewise, be completely uncommon there as well, as they wouldn't have used the roads like that and would have been more suited to go off of them.

It is a good suggestion, adds to the realism, and the list is edited as such.

I also meant that they shouldn't be drivable immediately, and will clarify.

And while I may not like the blatant disregard for netiquette, apache25 is welcome to continue to be the butt-end of many jokes here, so long as he doesn't remain a nuisance.

[starwarsfan@gmx.de 450]

Like I mentioned, I think it should rather be 'balanced' thorugh the means of fuel being very rare. You could basicially get 2/3 of the vehicles repaired to a state where they could dirve if only they had any fuel, besides how are you supposed to get your car off of that highway anyway if it's in the middle of all those other cars? lol

[Riem 164]

I mentioned that o3o. I would enjoy watching someone get a car, then realize they're going to have to ram their way out of the road.

Also adjusting for the rarity of fuel. Fuel canisters have a capacity now, so this makes it more worthwhile to add.

[IIII_joshua 16]

I don't see how you think a packed highway fits in Chernarus. In fact, I don't know how you imagine this idea to fit at all -- the whole concept feels extremely out of place on this map.

Rush hour traffic in such small cities? Vehicles packed with goods in such a rural industrial setting? Sudden mass media style panic on an isolated rural inland? everything about this concept just clashes with what I know about the setting of DayZ. It's like it belongs in a separate game all together.

if I were developing DayZ I would be quite confused as to why you suggested this at all. I mean it's pretty much one of the most popular themes for zombie movies already, so it's not like anybody had ever heard of it before your suggestion.

Edited September 24, 2012 by IIII_joshua

[Gordon Axeman 191]

Maybe not a packed highway, but some packed roads in cities. Maybe add some military outposts on the road entrances, just like the one on square in Cherno. About the cars: they should not all be drivable, about 1/3 of them.

Also a wrecker can be implemented, so you can toss broken cars away. It will not be easy to repair, as you'll have to do the usual car repair + hydraulics and crane part repair. After you have tossed the broken cars away, you can repair and drive out the repairable ones.

[Zeppa 562]

People from larger cities tryed to flee to inland, got stuck at smaller city blockades?

Everyone didnt make out, lots of vehicles left to the main citys.. so on.. so on. Cars are plenty and they just simply not disapper even in russia.

"ot": its interesting how bodies doesnt decay over time ingame ^^

[Riem 164]

I don't see how you think a packed highway fits in Chernarus. In fact, I don't know how you imagine this idea to fit at all -- the whole concept feels extremely out of place on this map.

Rush hour traffic in such small cities? Vehicles packed with goods in such a rural industrial setting? Sudden mass media style panic on an isolated rural inland? everything about this concept just clashes with what I know about the setting of DayZ. It's like it belongs in a separate game all together.

if I were developing DayZ I would be quite confused as to why you suggested this at all. I mean it's pretty much one of the most popular themes for zombie movies already, so it's not like anybody had ever heard of it before your suggestion.

It was my understanding that the Utes map was the island, with Chernarus being a mainland state. If it was an island, then no, there wouldn't be this kind of mass panic and gridlocked highway. Though, a boat graveyard would be just as fun.

Don't get me wrong, negative constructive criticism gives you the balance you need before you get an inflated ego, and it is always welcome in my threads.

On to your next point. When people panic they generally grab everything near them that they think would help them survive. Most drop family valuables and clothing, besides what they could wear, obviously, and would grab weapons, ammunition, food, and water. Anything else would be a burden and likely left behind. As a novel idea it would be fun, and add to the immersion, to find the occasional picture of a family or note left behind on a picture in a car that someone took in a last, sentimental moment. Thus it would be plausible to find food, water, and those such items in the cars that people left in panic because they loaded their car with too much and when it became apparent they were no longer moving along the road, had to leave behind.

As for a highway, Chernogorsk is not the small industrial city the game paints it to be, though that is due to the limitations of the engine, and the fact that you don't want such a detailed city to lag the server down. In actuality, the city is just over 70k people in population. I do believe it is a mining city of some sort, in the Khakassia Republic, which is located in south/central Russia. This is all of course stipulating that the same city in the game is based on this real city, but you can see why I would place a highway near such a large and economically important city. Even post Soviet Russia has to have highways.

As for your suggestion of there not being a mass panic over this infection, I really don't understand why there wouldn't be. True, Russia doesn't have the vast media networks many modern countries do, but with a population that big, it would be hard to avoid a mass panic when people in the streets saw other people being eaten. Word of mouth is a terrifying way to get news out. It gets distorted, warped, and genuinely more terrifying the more people pass what they saw or heard on. And with the looting, rioting, and general chaos that would consume a city when the outbreak struck, well, it would make sense everyone would want to get out at the same time.

If you have any disagreements with any of the points above, I would be happy to tackle 'em. I like it when people actually challenge my suggestions.

Maybe not a packed highway, but some packed roads in cities. Maybe add some military outposts on the road entrances, just like the one on square in Cherno. About the cars: they should not all be drivable, about 1/3 of them.

Also a wrecker can be implemented, so you can toss broken cars away. It will not be easy to repair, as you'll have to do the usual car repair + hydraulics and crane part repair. After you have tossed the broken cars away, you can repair and drive out the repairable ones.

I don't agree with putting in more military spawns in the game, as I think Rocket has mentioned making less of them and the gear they spawn much less common.

A crane could be very fun, but in my opinion it's too specific of a use to bother fixing up a crane, then moving cars out of the way, then repairing a car so you could drive it off. But it is a neat idea.

[Gordon Axeman 191]

I don't agree with putting in more military spawns in the game, as I think Rocket has mentioned making less of them and the gear they spawn much less common.

A crane could be very fun, but in my opinion it's too specific of a use to bother fixing up a crane, then moving cars out of the way, then repairing a car so you could drive it off. But it is a neat idea.

Who said the outposts should spawn loot? Also cranes may find more uses, like towing a car with a broken wheel, or removing other debris from the roads. It is a question of fantasy.

Without a mean to get the cars out of the stuck road this aspect is totally useless in your idea.

Edited September 24, 2012 by Kpekep2

[indominator 95]

it also would make us feel the map to continue despite of the invisible walls.

[Riem 164]

Who said the outposts should spawn loot? Also cranes may find more uses, like towing a car with a broken wheel, or removing other debris from the roads. It is a question of fantasy.

Without a mean to get the cars out of the stuck road this aspect is totally useless in your idea.

Now there we go, though I would have it as a tow truck instead of a crane. Added to the additions list.

As for outposts not spawning loot, I would find that frustrating. New building type, enterable, without loot? Saddening. Perhaps it would have just basic spawns, food, etc. Though that's getting slightly off topic, but still on it.