Suggestion: Bird Warnings, and the science behind it!

[streakthefox 28]

A quick story before I begin this:
 
While stalking around the wilderness west of Berezino, I became really attuned with all the ambient sounds, though there was one in particular that really caught my attention.  Every now and then, I would hear what would sound like a small group of birds scattering out of a tree, as if something scared them.  And you know what I did? I looked around!
 
-Suggestion: Bird Warnings!
 
While it would still be small, I believe that this addition would be a worthwhile investment to the game, and add in a few elements to enhance the experience.  Allow me to elaborate.
 
Let's say you're doing what I was, and there's something beyond the bushes or past some trees that you can't see, and is too far off or too quiet to hear.  However, that thing just happens to be a roaming player, and he just happens to pass by a tree that has a bunch of birds in it.  Suddenly, those birds scatter and fly off into the air, creating noise, and allowing anyone to see for a few seconds a group of birds fluttering up into the air and speeding off.  You not only hear this, but also see it as well, and suddenly you know that something or someone is over in that direction, and you are on alert.  This could very well save your life, or mean the end of another's!
 
This system could work in a multitude of ways, starting with what I believe would be:
 
The Simplest Way - Essentially, there would be a set or randomly generated number (between two values) of trees throughout all of Chernarus that would, for a set or randomly generated (once again, between two values) amount of time that would harbor these ready-to-flee birds in them.  A triggering event would then set off the birds, making them fly up and away while making a bunch of noise.  When their time expires, they simply "poof" to another random tree.
 
Triggering Effects: A zombie walking too close to the tree, a player walking/jogging/running too close to the tree (not trying to sneak at all, not crouched or crawling or anything), a large animal approaching the tree, or even something hitting the tree (A bullet impact, the blast from a grenade (would scatter birds in a large area, though), or just a thrown item, like a can of beans!).
 
More Complex - With this, there could a multiple of elements effecting not only where the birds would be, but how they travel from tree to tree, projected paths, the size of the flock, the required triggering effect, and so on. 
For instance, instead of just some random trees having some random birds, why not some bird movement paths?  There would be a set or random number of groups of birds (different between servers) that would travel around any number of pre-planned tree paths (also different between servers)
Here would be an example:

 
Now, obviously the picture above is just a quick little fix up, but the point I'm trying to make should be there.  Individual "flocks" moving around according to their set path, and those flocks will occupy any number of trees depending on which part of the path they are in.  If they're over a heavily wooded part of their path, then each tree would hold less, or even no birds at all.  On the contrast, birds going over open or lightly wooded areas would be more tightly packed to individual trees, or to trees that just happen to be grouped together. 
The time it takes for the birds to move from one tree to another without any outside interference however, would differ between not only flocks, but perhaps even each individual group.  For instance, every group of birds in Flock B would stay in one tree for 3-5 minutes, while every group in Flock C would stay in for 7-10 minutes.  However, Group 1 of Flock B is currently occupying a tree for 3:25, and Group 2 is occupying another tree for 4:21.  If a certain group is further back along the Flock's path, their tree-stay time is ebbed towards the shorter values so that they will catch up.  If they are further out in front, their times would ebb towards longer holding times to slow down for the others.
 
Perhaps even the types of trees they occupy would be a factor.  One flock could prefer only staying in Ashwood Trees, while another would go into every tree except for short pine trees.  Not only this, but each flock could have their own set of characteristics such as the color/species of the birds, how large the flock is, the sounds they make, and their triggering factors.
For triggering factors, some flocks could be on edge, reacting to literally anything that comes nearby, regardless of how stealthy it is, while another flock would be so laid back as to require their trees they are occupying to be struck by an axe or even chopped down in order to trigger.  Perhaps to build onto this a flock would start out at a certain level of "edge" and increase it the more times groups of a flock are triggered to evacuate a tree.  A flock could go from only being triggered by passing zombies and players who aren't sneaking, to reacting to even a harmless little bunny rabbit just passing by. 
Here is a compiled list of factors that would go into triggering a group of birds to flee from a tree:

• Vicinity: How close the entity is to the occupied tree.
• Entity: What the object of question is: a zed, a player, an animal, ect.
• Movement: Is the entity running, walking, sneaking, crawling, ect.
• Noise: Is there a nearby gunshot, an explosion, eating, footsteps, talking, growling, ect.
• Contact: Something struck or came into contact with the tree, whether it be just a player bumping into it as he passed by, an axe striking the tree, or even a gunshot or explosion.
• Time Till Movement: If a group in a tree is nearing the end of their stay on a specific tree, they would theoretically be more prone to being influenced by a trigger than if they had just landed.

 

 

So, obviously the more complex versions would have a lot of factors, and perhaps they would be a bit too much work for such a small addition to the game, but the entire idea of having birds flying out of trees due to a triggering event would add to stealth/tracking elements of the game.  The birds themselves wouldn't have to be individual entities either, they could just be a particle effect accompanied by the sound of fleeing birds and a slight tremor in the leaves whenever the triggering factors are met.  The transition from one tree to another, regardless of the system, would be soundless as well if it wasn't due to a trigger, so there wouldn't be random and unnecessary crying birds out in the middle of a forest (unless bears!)

 

 

In Conclusion, I believe this would be a worthwhile addition to the game.  There are many ways this could impact the game, and as shown, many ways to implement depending on how the devs/community feel regarding the idea.  It would add immersion to the game, reduce unnecessary ambient sounds (as hearing birds scattering would actually mean something), and just be one more extra trick that a player could learn to use in tracking, or avoid in stealth.  And who knows, maybe it could get to the point where you would want to trigger some birds flying out of a tree, simply so you could shoot at'em with your shotgun to get some bird meat!

 

 

Thank you all for your time, and I hope both the player-base that roams these forums and the devs see and consider this as a valid idea!

 

tl;dr make birds sometimes fly out of a tree when something disturbs them.

 

 

P.S. I could not for the life of me figure out or find out how to add spoiler boxes in to hide the picture and the list.  If someone could let me know, I will update this and thank them promptly!  Cheers!

Edited October 11, 2014 by StreakTheFox

[SNPxASSASSIN 6]

Very well made and a great idea! However, I notice all of these little changes or very time consuming projects that really don't need focus right now but definitely do later on. For example the dev team is adding in a Steyr AUG and a Derringer lever-action rifle to the game. But do we REALLY need that at this point? Zombies are still walking through walls and through floors, hitting you form miles away, loot is unbalanced, melee combat is bad, etc. I think that yes this is definitely an idea that would be amazing and I commend you on it but this is something I think should be added later on.

[Xbow 362]

-Suggestion: Bird Warnings!

 

 

I Like it but for now I think being able to hear a zed walking, stumbling, or running at you from the same distance they can hear you would be a good start is the ticket. I really hate stealth zeds although since zeds have such a limited attack profile this may be intentional.  In any case thanks for the good post. 

[dannsair2 (DayZ) 16]

I like it very creative.

[Steak and Potatoes 13480]

Been suggested alot here going back to June 2012 http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/16342-player-activated-environment-sounds/page-1?hl=+bird I am for the idea and admire the depth you put into your post. 

 

Regards,

 

Steak.

Edited October 12, 2014 by Steak and Potatoes

[Troll_Hunter 54]

Love the idea.

 

However for the sake of easier implementation, I suggest that the client's loudness (running, cutting, shooting) in the woods or in the fields have a certain chance of generating a flock of of panicking birds to take of nearby.

 

It's a brilliant mechanic idea scaring players, giving their location away, alerting others nearby, having the game focus more on sound and stealth.

[d.walker43 196]

Great idea. I would also like to tie in the fact that the birds should be actual animals, not just basically pictures, by this I mean you should be able to shoot at them in stuff. This would allow duck/goose hunting, which, if your a hunter, you know is not only quite enjoyable but would be a great source of food. It would add another aspect to the game, groups could build a duck blind, then go duck hunting for food.

 

If this was the case, there should also be random groups of birds flying around aimlessly, not landing at all unless triggered to by a player using a call and/or decoys, and they could travel in groups and formations similar to in real life. the example im going to use is geese, they always fly in that sort of "V" shape. It would be awesome if this type of hunting could somehow be implemented.

 

Im sorry if I kind of hijacked the thread a little but I feel these 2 ideas relate to each other. Thanks.