I want to be scared - A discussion on horror and Dayz

[relapse808 2]

I agree with the music. It makes sense...scary movies use music for tension and I believe scary games benefit as well. I would like to see more dark and haunting ambient style music. I thought the breaking point mods music was at least decent seeing as its something at least. For those that prefer no music just make sure it can be turned off.

[Mullraugh 1151]

When I first started the mod, I would literally see ONE zombie, and instead of shooting it, I would flop to the ground and start crawling. Because as soon as the damn thing saw you, or you shot it, it would scream and alert every zombie in the freakin town. That ear and eye symbol on the right of the screen was the bible of any new DayZ players. If you ignored it, you died - unless you got a little better at the game and figured out you could lose zombies in a bush or a building.

 

Regardless. Zombies should share the scariness of the game equally with the scariness of other players. It shouldn't be 99% of the fear coming from other people and 1% of it coming from zombies.

 

This is what the Scary-Chart should look like:
 

40% Zombies

40% Players/Bandits

9% Disease/Environment

11% Green Mountain Curse.

Edited April 15, 2014 by mullraugh

[hrdrok 183]

11% Green Mountain Curse.

 

Very much so :D

[NagsterTheGangster 388]

Environmental nature effects different depending on the location you are in.

Eg trees rustling in forest, water running in streams, birds chirping but not everywhere you are..

 

thats all i really got

[weydman 2]

 

For more atmospherics in some cities and other places I would like to see something like this or  

http://gamesblock.ru/Prohogdenie/tvirus/4_ehtazh.jpg     

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140316211105/plagueinc/images/4/43/US_Anarchy.png
+ Various paintings on buildings with a sign biohazard!

Edited May 17, 2014 by weydman

[DropBearChick 1216]

They wont do this because of the time/resources available and the lag youd get in those cities, though if i can find a guy to help me make custom terrain and building packs im gonna do a chernobyle esc map when modding support is out

[minime1000 78]

This should have been so from the very start but they decided to use a an old map from a 2009 game (made for a non zombie game) and thus it looks nothing like there has been a zombie apocalypse. Shameful for a game that is supposed to be stand alone.

[terminal_boy 860]

Not hearing every door, gate, zombie, bird, soda can opening and goat fart across the whole server is current taking a big shit on whatever atmosphere the SA has at the moment.

[DMentMan 707]

i agree, beans for you

edit: the post above me… best post ever.

Edited May 17, 2014 by DMentMan

[Steak and Potatoes 13480]

This suggestion has already been covered in length, here is a more recent thread on the same path http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/186114-i-want-to-be-scared-a-discussion-on-horror-and-dayz/?hl=%2Bmore+%2Batmosphere you can post in.

[OrLoK 16182]

 

 

For more atmospherics in some cities and other places I would like to see something like this or  

http://gamesblock.ru/Prohogdenie/tvirus/4_ehtazh.jpg     

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140316211105/plagueinc/images/4/43/US_Anarchy.png

+ Various paintings on buildings with a sign biohazard!

 

as per steak, hold on boys and girls. were gonna merge!

[hrdrok 183]

Holy crap Necro!

 

Alright guys n gals I made a small update to this post. Each section has a small Update at the bottom to indicate what is being done in each section. If I missed anything please post so I can add it. I am pretty happy so far with changes. Still a ways to go. And as always any suggestions are welcomed, as part of Early Access is to try and help mold the direction of this game. I will update OP if any awesome, new ideas crop up.

 

Anyone seeing things get better? Worse? 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Hopefully next time I necro this post, I can just delete it all and say "Mission Accomplished". 

[starthealmighty 597]

Jesus this is a necro (found it from notifications) 

 

....and the sad thing is that none of this was ever implemented and continued to get worse :( 

I would still be playing the game if even 5% of what I talked about on the first page was done. 
All they needed was one single sound designer to spend a few months perfecting the sound design (or lack thereof). 

Edited May 4, 2015 by Star Thornberry

[8bit_Survivor 93]

Great post and I agree with most. I think a lot of the visual atmosphere will be coming later. After all they are still adding building models and vehicles. Once they are all in I'm sure they will be dressing it all up.

Audio is a big area that currently falls short. But have been seeing a lot of dev updates concerning sound, especially gunshots. Once the new engine is in we will hear the true apocalypse.

P.S. Being eaten alive is clearly a terrible way to die. Saying you don't think it would be worse than a bullet in the head is ludicrous. ..

Edited May 4, 2015 by 8bit_Survivor

[Deathlove 2280]

P.S. Being eaten alive is clearly a terrible way to die. Saying you don't think it would be worse than a bullet in the head is ludicrous. ..

Thats like some one saying they would prefer to be burned alive rather than a quick bullet to the head.

[Nicko2580 398]

Since I'm never going to actually be eaten by a DayZ zombie irl, that's never going to actually be scary for me. 

I'd rather DayZ stayed away from cheap 'jump scares' like zombies bursting out of cars and shit. 

I'd like to see better SFX and a more post apocalyptic atmosphere, but I don't play DayZ for Resident Evil type 'horror'. 

I play it for this: 
 

 

The scariest thing about DayZ will never be zombies, it's scary because of what people become when society breaks down, which is far more chilling.

 

The zombies are just the trigger that set events in motion, but the real terror comes from never knowing if there's some asshole around the corner who's willing to kill you for a tin of beans, or worse some maniac who'll slaughter you just because he gets a kick from it. Even worse knowing that, somewhere in the back of your mind when you meet someone who seems friendly that some part of you is sizing them up, trying to see if they have anything you might need and if you'd be able to take that item from them.. and the creeping suspension that they're doing the exact same thing.

 

If that isn't fear inducing, I don't know what is.

 

This guy has it exactly right.

[PlasticAssasin8 (DayZ) 78]

Yes , as said earlier. Make players have to think super hard about taking a shot at someone, just for kicks. If there was the threat of a zombie horde making a b line toward them i think it would change the whole game.

It would have to be a life or death need to have to shoot another player

[hrdrok 183]

Yes , as said earlier. Make players have to think super hard about taking a shot at someone, just for kicks. If there was the threat of a zombie horde making a b line toward them i think it would change the whole game.

It would have to be a life or death need to have to shoot another player

 

Absolutely agree with this. It seem they are currently working on this to some extent. New gunshot sounds and added increase to shot volume. The dinner bell days need to return for sure.

[Rammit (DayZ) 153]

I would just like to see the fear factor approach a level of parity between zombies vs. players (which one, I am more scared of as a player) by the time the game reaches gold. More specifically, which one I am more scared of killing me. Humans, being complex creatures have many more reasons give pause when you encounter them.

 

A world where kos isn't the first and (pretty much) only option (still an option, though), and where zombies are more than a mild annoyance when looting. 

 

I understand and appreciate that other players are ultimately the thing you have to be most wary of, if for no other reason than they are complex/thinking beings. Though, I'd like to see zombies be more than a minor nuisance, and players actually be more of thinking beings. As it stands now, player interaction is the same thing as an encounter with a zombie (only with guns)... A mindless killer... I'm ok with kos being an element of the game, but I would much prefer if it wasn't 98% of all player-to-player interaction. I know they are trying to work towards that a bit (and electro pvp'ers can have fun with that when the game is moddable). 

 

It is quite a challenge, though, to make zombies more threatening without it being at the expense of lone-wolves and fresh spawns. It is also a challenge to encourage other types of interaction among players without stripping away the freedom of choice. I like the freedom of choice. I would just love it if (like in real life) actions have reactions, choices have consequences (good and bad), and KOS wasn't the main focus of the experience. I get that some people like that. I even appreciate that it should be an element of concern as a survivor (there are sadistic murderers in "civilized" society. No doubt, they will exist in a post-society scenario. Additionally, moral lines become a lot grayer for some folks when their safe existence is torn down). But, they've been pretty clear that this game (the vanilla version) is meant to be a hardcore survival game. (I don't mean to start another pvpve argument). That is the experience I am buying into (early). And, (right after performance, b/c... bohemia) it is the gameplay element I am most looking forward to seeing as a priority with future patches.

 

It will be interesting to see how they move in that direction in the coming year.

[Deathlove 2280]

This guy has it exactly right.

 

 

He may be right but thats exactly what needs to be changed with the game.

 

Nothing scarier than some jackoff high pitch kid running and gunning you down with a gun they find am i right? I can understand the need and the struggle for survival against players but thats not what i play this game for. To me the game will never be about the PVP aspect. To me this is just flavoring on the cake if anything and i choose to avoid it whenever possible especially in its current primitive state and play-style.

 

Zombies will make players think allot harder about there actions and what they do. Yeah your allowed to be a jackass but your actions should yield just as much consequences if not more for what you just did because you decided to straight up pvp.

[JPWiser 251]

Great write up.

[Nicko2580 398]

Yeah your allowed to be a jackass but your actions should yield just as much consequences if not more for what you just did because you decided to straight up pvp.

No they shouldn't. It's the apocalypse. There's no one to punish you if you decide to be a jackass to everyone you meet. And neither should there be. 

There should never be system imposed consequences for 'being a jackass' as you put it. This game isn't about PVE. There's literally hundreds of other games that are all about that. If 'high pitch kids' are the only players you come across, I suggest you find a better server. 

I'm not opposed to having to think before I shoot someone, in case a ravenous horde descends upon me like the wrath of an unholy God but this game isn't - and never will be - about the zombies. Zombies will never make my heart pound as much as seeing another player in close proximity who's armed. Zombies will never make my heart pound as much as a gunshot out of nowhere. Zombie's will never leave me literally shaking with adrenaline after a hectic encounter. 

If you're not interested in the PVP aspect, then there are literally heaps of survival games out there for you: The Forest, State of Decay, Dying Light, Alan Wake, Alien: Isolation, This War of Mine, Project Zomboid... The list goes on and on and on. 

DayZ will never be on that list.

[Bsur 11]

if you want shock value you simply have to play first person and get up north. find a good private hive and go. 

 

in first person you will find yourself actually bumping into people around corners and walls, other than just spotting them too early. i am playing on a first person pvp server and have almost crapped myself a couple of times now.

[Deathlove 2280]

No they shouldn't. It's the apocalypse. There's no one to punish you if you decide to be a jackass to everyone you meet. And neither should there be. 

Yes there should be. It keeps the power hungry KOSers in check. Makes them have to think about what there doing before they shoot. This is after all not a straight up pvp game like you want it to be.

 

 This game isn't about PVE. There's literally hundreds of other games that are all about that.

So we can't have both a balanced PVE and PVP elements at the same time is what your saying. can you tell me why we cant other than it might ruin your run and gun playing style?

 

 

If you're not interested in the PVP aspect, then there are literally heaps of survival games out there for you: The Forest, State of Decay, Dying Light, Alan Wake, Alien: Isolation, This War of Mine, Project Zomboid... The list goes on and on and on. 

There are literally heaps of other survival games out there as well as straight up FPS shooters that would better cater to your needs of a pure blood PVP shooter. Because it sounds to me like you never want this game to become anything but your standard basic pvp FPS game like most ppl don't want and are trying very hard to get away from that the mod was plagued with.

Edited May 8, 2015 by Deathlove

[Nicko2580 398]

Yes there should be. It keeps the power hungry KOSers in check. Makes them have to think about what there doing before they shoot. This is after all not a straight up pvp game like you want it to be.

 

So we can't have both a balanced PVE and PVP elements at the same time is what your saying. can you tell me why we cant other than it might ruin your run and gun playing style?

 

 

There are literally heaps of other survival games out there as well as straight up FPS shooters that would better cater to your needs of a pure blood PVP shooter. Because it sounds to me like you never want this game to become anything but your standard basic pvp FPS game like most ppl don't want and are trying very hard to get away from that the mod was plagued with.

A) My play style isn't run and gun.

B ) We can have balanced PVE and PVP. As I said, which you clearly ignored, I'm not opposed to having to weigh up whether pulling the trigger is worth it. However no matter how hard you try you will never stop the KoS mentality. If I think you're a threat, I'm putting a bullet in you before you see me, end of story. If that means I have to risk a potential horde, then I'll weigh that decision. But, 9/10 times, you're more of a threat than a horde ever will be. You're a threat to my life, my food prospects, the prospects of any team mates I have with me, the prospects of finding something which might help me survive longer. So If you put me in a situation where it's you or me, I'll choose me every time. 

C) Assuming that I want this to be DayZ: Battlefield is pretty naive. You know how many people I've killed in the 200 or so hours since I started? I can count them on my fingers. 

The day the fear of zombies outweighs the fear of other humans is the day this game becomes as boring as all the other PVE survival games out there. I have no interest in pitting my wits against a computer, thanks.

Edited May 8, 2015 by Nicko2580