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leviathanapsu

Four Flavors of DayZ

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There are four basic sorts of play in DayZ in my experience. With the exception of Hackers, I don't think one style is inherently worse than the others, just different. Each group plays for a different reason and gets something different out of play. The problem occurs when someone playing one way runs into someone playing another way. Most of the time, those further down the list get their fun ruined by those higher on the list. Those earlier in the list tend to look down their nose at anyone complaining from a later list as needing to accept them. IE: you play the way you want and I will play the way I want. Nevermind the obvious problem they have when someone else does something that ruins the game for them. A Deathmatching player will tell an Interactive player to fuck off if they don't like getting shot in the face, but watch how quick they scream when a hacker kills them without a chance to react. No, hackers aren't acceptable, but at the end of the day when you KoS someone who tried to say hello, you are doing the same thing to that player that the hacker has done to you.

 

First up are the hackers. They generally lack the skills required to survive long in the game as it was designed and are easily frustrated with losing. Bypassing the normal difficulties allow them to feel like they have some level of power that they otherwise could never have obtained. They play games because they want to feel like they are unstoppable and awesome. Some of them aren't even inclined to always KoS, as evidenced by some of the videos people have posted, but they are also never comfortable without their crutches. These are the same sorts who always look up the cheat codes right away on any game they play so they can enable God-mode and run through the game blowing away the enemy. If they die, they just respawn all their gear and teleport to go take out whoever made them feel less powerful for a moment. They will complain whenever their account gets locked, along with trying to say they have no idea why it happened.

 

The second is Deathmatching. This is where you KoS against any living person you see regardless of your being outmatched and outgunned. Camping falls into this area, as does the younger crowd who think the only goal of this game is to see how many people you can kill before getting taken down yourself. A few of them get a tickle out of playing friendly long enough to either get gear to walk with them to where a friend is or to get someone with better weapons to drop their guard for a kill shot. They only ever complain when a hacker does something to outmatch them and takes their fun away.

 

The next is Banditry and Heroics. It still involves some KoS, but generally does so as part of a larger narrative. Bandits may ignore targets without anything useful to them and more than a few try to do hold-ups rather than just outright killing. Heros try to take out those they assume are bandits, sometimes killing from a distance without knowing the situation. (not everyone with a mosin or who happens to be looking around at a distance is trying to find someone to shoot after all). Many of these like some degree of roleplay in their interactions. Those who like to interact with targets first are often complaining about how strait KoS players are taking the fun away.

 

Last are the cooperative players. Sure, they don't mind having enemies after some interaction or even strait PvP in a roleplay setup, but they loathe getting shot for what they perceive as no reason. Some want pure PvE and quickly learn to just avoid people altogether, but most want a blend, so keep trying to interact despite the risks. If they have to, they will shoot people, but it is done only when the risk is exceptionally high or the danger extremely obvious. Of course, when they get shot in the face for reasons they aren't able to understand, by any of the other groups, they are upset. We all quickly learn that the battlecry of the KoS/Deathmatch player is 'Friendly!"

 

It becomes especially frustrating for one group when they enter a server focused on their type of play only to find a number of those from another group lower on the list than them is there. Roleplay servers attract a lot of bandit/hero types who will shot you at a distance without interaction. No KoS servers are a huge draw for Deathmatchers who know that many of their targets aren't going to put up defenses as quickly. Every server gets plagued by hackers, though they seem less common on roleplay servers (probably because they don't get to feel as epic when someone isn't firing back).

 

I don't really have a solution, but I sometimes wish that we already had servers with the ability to boot and lock out players who weren't sticking to the style of that server. 'Friendly' servers could boot anyone who is noted as KoS. Roleplay servers could remove people who aren't getting close enough to interact before doing headshots. Every server could boot hackers. Everyone could focus on the sort of play they enjoy without the endless fights on the forum about if KoS is horrible vs LYOL sentiments. So why am I even writing this? Good question. Maybe just to get it off my chest. If a few people read it and start to consider how their own style of play may affect others in the same way someone else has affected them, maybe that is enough. I doubt most will though. Deathmatchers just have too much fun with targets who don't get a chance to defend themselves, etc. I don't know. What does everyone else think about the matter?

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I feel like I'm a combination of all of them. I tend to avoid people altogether, maybe helping or engaging in PVP when I'm with my friends or at a military base.

 

My favorite activity is sitting in a tree and watching players, seeing what they do when they encounter others. If I see a bandit or murderer doing their thing I might intervene, if I see a player that seems lost or unaware of how the game works I might try to give them a few pointers, and seeing a friendly interaction might encourage me to trade with those people.

 

Most of the time though I just watch, eat my peaches and watch.

Edited by Hells High
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I mix it up sometimes (Never deathmatch nor hacker), at times I like to aid others, sometimes I want to strip them of everything they've ever collected and leave them on the side of the road with broken legs, sometimes I just don't want to get mixed. My interactions differ, and it keeps me and my group on their toes. We never know what we're going to do until we get to the actual person we're interacting (Or not interacting) with.

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I guess a good mix of player types (which means no hackers) is probably the most enjoyable. "Heroic" players are in need of someone to help or something to set right, "villainous" players are in need of victims and "social" players benefit from a wide variety of interactions. Also having only "social" players would probably reduce the game to some kind of advanced chatroom that lacks some of the more exciting elements.

 

My own playstyle is something of a lone wolf who cooperates temporarily. However when shot at/attacked I enter "deathmatch mode" - which might potentially endanger people who just happened to be there as well.

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I wish there was a way to have a bandits/heroes/coop server and a separate deathmatch server on the public hive. You know, almost like there were actually two different game modes that would promote those styles of play.

Edited by scriptfactory

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I wish there was a way to have a bandits/heroes/coop server and a separate deathmatch server on the public hive. You know, almost like there were actually two different game modes that would promote those styles of play.

 

There already are separations, but they get ignored. Several Roleplaying servers exist, but those who love to deathmatch hop onto them (along with anything that says friendly or no KoS) because they know there are easy targets there. Short of locked, invite only servers where the admins can boot those players who prove to have only wanted to deathmatch and snuck in under the guise of someone who actually wants some sort of interaction... I just don't think you can make it effective. After the features get added to allow admins some control, then we will see effective separation for those who are disinterested in deathmatches.

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Private shards are coming.  Admins will have the ability to ban / whitelist and proscribe a play style creating communities focussed around a certain play style.  

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Private shards are coming.  Admins will have the ability to ban / whitelist and proscribe a play style creating communities focussed around a certain play style.  

 

This is true and it is definitely a welcome feature. But the public hive could use two separate game modes as well. Some people just don't want to deathmatch all the time. I hear people occasionally throw out the sandbox argument as the reason why DayZ shouldn't have different rulesets but even Garry's Mod (the king of sandbox games) has multiple game modes...

Edited by scriptfactory

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No, hackers aren't acceptable, but at the end of the day when you KoS someone who tried to say hello, you are doing the same thing to that player that the hacker has done to you.

 

 

Huh?!.  What did I just read?  That is not comparable in the slightest.  By no means.  Playing your own way in a sandbox game is one thing.  Even getting upset that you encounter someone who playing differently then you is fine, all though stupid.  But, everyone playing within the rules (IE, no hacking) is playing correctly regardless of style.  Hacking is not a one up on each step like you seem to be saying here. 

 

Very bad comparison.  No, just.... no. 

Edited by cartire

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Yeah, I was a bit taken aback too.  Being disappointed in defeat is one thing, but being upset because you had no chance of winning, not because of actions that you were capable or did make -more specifically because another person has manipulated the odds unfairly - is quite another. Perhaps poor turn of phrase.

Edited by q.S Sachiel

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Huh?!.  What did I just read?  That is not comparable in the slightest.  By no means.  Playing your own way in a sandbox game is one thing.  Even getting upset that you encounter someone who playing differently then you is fine, all though stupid.  But, everyone playing within the rules (IE, no hacking) is playing correctly regardless of style.  Hacking is not a one up on each step like you seem to be saying here. 

 

Very bad comparison.  No, just.... no. 

 

 

Yeah, I was a bit taken aback too.  Being disappointed in defeat is one thing, but being upset because you had no chance of winning, not because of actions that you were capable or did make -more specifically because another person has manipulated the odds unfairly - is quite another. Perhaps poor turn of phrase.

 

The reason I make this comparison is because of the tendency of those who are seeking things like RP/friendly/non-kos servers are doing so because of the expectation that there is a rule (granted unenforcable right now) in place that says you need to try interacting at least a little first. Those who go onto those servers intent on deathmatching and KoS are violating a rule as well. Not a rule of the game as a whole, but a rule of the server. A hacker and a KoSer on a RP server are both gaining an unfair advantage over the people who are following the rules. One form of cheating breaks the game, the other form just ruins the fun of someone. Most people on servers where you are supposed to interact aren't upset at defeat so much as upset at some guy who sits on a hill and pops their head off for no reason other than to amuse himself with how superior he is at taking out easy targets. To me, anyone deathmatching on a RP server is no better than a hacker. Reverse it to where a RP person goes onto a server listed as 'Deathmatch' or something like it and they have no reason to complain and no cheating occurs.

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I know what your message was, but you're confusing rule with 'preferred play style', whatever your opinion of KoS.  These RP servers aren't carebear servers, people are still just as suspicious and malicious.  Everyone also seems to overlook that KoS is a legitimate RP style anyway (as is anything that doesn't involve hacking and to a lesser extent, exploiting).  Enforcing such expectations is currently not possible and against TnC, not to mention an illogical step for someone to make inside a sandbox game.  The two are completely incomparable.  This is not minecraft.  I'd appreciate it if people stopped tarring and feathering with the same brush, particularly when KoS and hackers are concerned >.>.  You project your bias and ignorant distaste for KoSers blatantly, and without logic:

 

"Most people on servers where you are supposed to interact aren't upset at defeat so much as upset at some guy who sits on a hill and pops their head off for no reason other than to amuse himself with how superior he is at taking out easy targets.".  Maybe i'm starving.  Maybe i'm rp'ing as a maniac/mute/mandefendinghisturf. Maybe i don't want to take the chance on you, and you caught me in a position where i felt threatened,maybe you got in before me and took my stuff.  There's a plethora of reasons why someone will shoot you without interaction.  Go corner a fox and see how he reacts.  Stick your hand down a rat-hole and see what happens.  Shit, you could even startle the most docile of creatures and still come out worse off.  All that aside, sometimes in life people just die.  Again, in scenarios listed, you're simply upset that you're dead and he's not.  Don't give me this 'we're all friendly on RP servers' shit.  Maybe i'll start creeping up behind you and scream BOO the next time i decide to snuff you from existence.  Is that enough interaction?  The very fact that i'm there should be interaction enough for you.

/rant

 

Do i really need to go make signs for the pro_KoS movement and start a movement in Berezino?  Do you WANT me to picket your server?

All this forgetting that KoS make up a strong portion of the community.

we are many. we are legion.

Edited by q.S Sachiel

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The reason I make this comparison is because of the tendency of those who are seeking things like RP/friendly/non-kos servers are doing so because of the expectation that there is a rule (granted unenforcable right now) in place that says you need to try interacting at least a little first. Those who go onto those servers intent on deathmatching and KoS are violating a rule as well. Not a rule of the game as a whole, but a rule of the server. A hacker and a KoSer on a RP server are both gaining an unfair advantage over the people who are following the rules. One form of cheating breaks the game, the other form just ruins the fun of someone. Most people on servers where you are supposed to interact aren't upset at defeat so much as upset at some guy who sits on a hill and pops their head off for no reason other than to amuse himself with how superior he is at taking out easy targets. To me, anyone deathmatching on a RP server is no better than a hacker. Reverse it to where a RP person goes onto a server listed as 'Deathmatch' or something like it and they have no reason to complain and no cheating occurs.

 

yah, no.

 

If you share the same hive, get over yourself.  The server can make any rules it wants, doesnt mean crap if its on the main hive.  RP servers, great.  Im RPing as a guy who doesnt trust you and will shoot you anyway.  RP does not equal "loot at your free will without concern."  Once everyone gets their own servers that they can whitelist, do whatever you want.  But until then, Im not buying the "Dont KOS us, we are friendly and jsut want to explore"  Explore on an empty server if you are concerned about KOS.  Meet people on a dating site like match.com if you are in dire need of companionship.  This is an apocalyptic game, not Hello Kitty Island Adventure.  If you are not prepared to be shot at, this is not the game for you. 

 

Honestly, who is playing this game not wanting conflict with other humans?  Everyone realizes that there is zero difficulty in this game without the threat of KOS, correct?  I mean zero difficulty.  Nothing in this game is difficult, or even worth anyones time without the threat of KOS. 

 

And I know for a fact that the majority of you "I hate KOS, I want to be friendly" people are just trying to find a few guys so YOU can turn around and start looking for conflict.  Youre not carrying around the Mosin because you want to hang it above the mantel.  You are carrying it because you know you will have to used it against other humans at some point. 

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spitfires attack bombers out of the sun to conceal their approach

tigers stalk downwind with a low profile and silently to conceal their approach

people don't jump around playing bagpipes when they stalk/hunt/want to kill you.

 

If someone is of the mind to kill you and they start interacting, they're either trying to flush you and most likely operating as part of a team/pack, or they're just toying with you pre-meal.

...

Honestly, who is playing this game not wanting conflict with other humans?  Everyone realizes that there is zero difficulty in this game without the threat of KOS, correct?  I mean zero difficulty.  Nothing in this game is difficult, or even worth anyones time without the threat of KOS.
...

 

Don't forget those mean-spirited stairs that are only out for your blood!

Edited by q.S Sachiel

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Interaction doesn't mean a lack of conflict or touchy feely exploration only. It just means someone has the decency to say "Hands up and don't turn" or "drop the weapon" before firing so that you have some decision to make and you deal with the consequences. It doesn't mean they won't still kill you at the end, nor does it mean that every situation is going to play out with instant interaction. If you turn a corner and a gun is pointed at you and who never made a sound while you were clicking along upstairs or such, it is perfectly reasonable to assume you are about to be shot and react accordingly. That is KoS that I don't think would be considered an issue to someone who plays on any server.  I don't think KoS is an invalid style of play, I just think that there are clearly those who aren't interested in every human face being an instant buckshot to the eyes and it would be great if/when those who like one style can manage to regulate the servers in a way that lets each play in their own favored style.

 

I can't deny that I have a bias against KoS. I don't generally play many FPS games because I find it boring and tiresome with no real gains to be made other than body counts. Here, it can be made worse by the fact that fully kitted folks will shoot newspawns for fun or newspawns will boldly run up to people with gear and start attacking since they have nothing to lose. The reason this game appeals so much is because you have to go out and find what you are going to use. Put hours of time in. When there is conflict, you may die and lose it all, which adds a lot of tension and makes you much more aware and cautious (in theory anyway). Even better as they add ever more systems to explore and try out different roles. I will probably never deathmatch here and it is fair to say I am indeed bias against it since it makes the game dull and makes my hours of play feel like wasted time (which it is anyway if we are being honest, but the illusion is nice). If I go on a general server, I recognize that KoS and Deathmatching is perfectly acceptable and viable there and act accordingly. When I go onto an RP server, obviously the thing I am looking to do there is interactions. Sometimes things go well, such as having two people playing out the roles of UN aide workers patching me up and helping me get to food and drinks after a near death along the coast with zombies. Other times things go bad, such as making a trade with a random person who realized I had a lot of things they wanted but didn't have anything to offer for. They stalked me after the interaction waiting for a chance to take me out and the gunfight that followed was dramatic and felt like it had more weight than just 'Gimme yer shit'. Yeah, they wanted the same thing in the end, but it was through the interaction that it came about, not just because I was random target number 200 who walked past the crosshairs. Whatever server you go to, you obviously are looking for that on that day. Maybe, as with many, it changes over time. Hell, I might even say group 3 of hero and bandit are really just another part of the interaction group, since most of them do interact first.

 

*shrug* My point is, you are welcome to KoS. I don't have issue with it outright. My issue is only when people looking for one form of play on a server labeled with that sort of play, get stuck with something entirely different because someone decided to take advantage. If indeed the majority of players are KoS, it's because those who aren't end up bored or frustrated enough to walk away from the game after a while. KoS folks rarely rant about someone (hackers aside) ruining their fun because very little can. They do however love to get into arguments with the people who are frustrated with the other styles of play getting short shrift. I run into very few KoSers. I have only found one person I suspected of hacking. I wrote this, more as an exploration since I am constantly seeing people bitch about one side or the other. Hell, it is obviously starting here as well. I considered a comment about us all playing nice in this discussion, but that would probably set someone off again about a need for civility = a lack of conflict.

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