Realistic sound and visibility

[Mandalore (DayZ) 76]

Before we start I realise this is a game, but I also realise that it is trying to imitate real life as best as possible.

Intro : This is about how zombies perceive us and how the indicators work/should work.

I can't help but think that the sound/visibility system currently has it all wrong. I've learned how to play with it because I adapt fast but it just feels weird. Specifically :

Sound :

If I were to make a list of how much sound moving generates in real life (from high to low) it would be like this

1)Running (very high)

2)Crouch running (high)

3)Fast crawl (high)

4)Slow crawl (medium)

5)Crouch walk (low)

6)Walk (none)

However ingame, the lower your height profile is the less sound you make, which is just wrong. If you try going prone and moving in real life you will make a lot of noise, you do less noise when not coming into contact with your clothes/gear while moving which is why walking is the best choice for being silent.

Also another thing I find weird is how much sound you create while moving on different terrain. If you've ever moved outside city limits you will know what I mean.

When you're walking in the woods, you will *ALWAYS* make much more noise than when walking in a road or pavement unless you are walking on wet grass ( extra idea from this - less sound on grass for 1 hour after the rain, more noise in city areas because of formed puddles etc).

Especially if you go prone, you will make so much noise you will alert everything in a 20 meter radius (provided you move as fast as you move ingame - you can crawl silently but you'll be moving 1 meter per minute and I don't think anyone would like that)

Generated noise from terrain should be (from high to low)

High grass (very high)

Gravel (very high)

Dirt road (medium)

Low grass (low)

Pavement (very low)

Asphalt (none)

And as previously stated it would be nice if your noise is lowered after the rain when walking on everything except pavement/asphalt and increased for those two. (another extra idea - when moving through a bush you should generate even more noise).

Visibility :

The visibility range for the zeds should be increased BUT mobility should play a very important role and so should your current clothing.

Currently the zombies see everyone the same regardless of what they are wearing which is wrong.

Spotting a ghillie suit while in the woods/treeline should be impossible even when you are standing, provided you aren't moving.

Wearing a ghillie and crouching while on grass should also make you have zero visibility to zeds regardless of the time of day.

Same stuff should apply to the camo clothing but with a bit more visibility. Obviously, all of this would only apply when not inside a city, being dressed as a bush in the middle of the road isn't going to fool anyone, zombies not excluded.

The only thing I don't currently have problem with is their cone of vision, which is exactly as it should be, so don't change that :)

That's all thanks for reading my 2 cents. I know every game that has a "stealth" playstyle also follows this "low height profile = more stealth" but it in most cases that's false.

Discuss, /beans, blahblahblah if you agree disagree etc. and thanks again for reading.

[Mos1ey 6301]

The zombies have incredibly poor eyesight and make up for it with hearing, that's why ghillie's etc. don't affect their ability to detect you.

I kind of agree about the height profile:sound issues but that's pretty standard video game logic, lol.

[Dubkipz (DayZ) 8]

i agree with most of this but it isn't that big of a problem right now. What difference will sound make if a hacker can just teleport to you or see you on a map? Maybe in the full game.

[Riem 164]

i agree with most of this but it isn't that big of a problem right now. What difference will sound make if a hacker can just teleport to you or see you on a map? Maybe in the full game.

Hacking has nothing at all to do with this. These are suggestions for the standalone, not the mod, and the standalone will have its own dedicated anti hack system, and not some system designed for such a mod friendly game.

On to the issue at hand. I agree with the OP on how tall you're standing affecting the noise level you're making in reverse to the game's current logic. It isn't hard to make little noise when you're walking over solid, flat surfaces, whereas if you were to crawl along, you'd have to inch your way forward to get the same level of quiet.

What I don't agree with is that crouching makes more noise than walking. I believe some fabric would brush together, yes, between your jacket/shirt and pants, but you're still not touching the ground with more surface area than if you were casually strolling along the road. I believe the engine should calculate how much of your body is touching the terrain next to you, how fast you're moving, and what position you're in, for noise purposes.