Character aging, body types and smokes.

[Chamil 22]

So here is something that has been going through my mind for a while. How would it be if your character aged?

I've seen the suggestion where your character grows a beard etc etc.

 

Lets just pretend the experience and perks system has been implemented already, dayz is far, has been officially released etc.

 

• How about implementing facial and body aging?
• How about choosing the type of body/character you want?
• How about sigarettes?

Like, you start off young, looking skinny and normal, inexperienced.

As the time goes by, you start growing a beard, you start getting longer hair, your face becomes a bit more, well, old.

 

Your character becomes more grumpy, your stamina depletes faster, climbing ladders/drawing your weapon goes a tad bit slower etc etc.

I'm talking about lifespans of weeks, not days. Like first two days your character gets facial and regular hair growth, then your character gets a bit bigger and chubbier every day, until your beard/hair starts turning gray and eventually you end up losing abilities, losing stamina, losing speed, etc.

What would be even more awesome is that if you p.e take blood transfusions, take pills or injections etc you risk getting sick more or you risk getting a heart attack more than when you were young. This would give the epi-pen and the defibrillator a good use.

What would be even more immense would be if your diet increases your lifespan by a day or two, or actually decreases it. So lets say you eat canned beans every day, that would make your lifespan stay the same, lets just say you eat meat one time, vegetables the other time, rice that day, fruits the other day.

Right now that would be an useless feature, but looking at far distant DayZ gaming, it would actually seem awesome as hell in my opinion.

 

Give me some opinions, here are mine for now:

 

Positive: People will be forced to live temporary, people won't get attached to their items nor their characters. If building bases and camping tents function properly, it would require them to actually use them instead of being a lone wolf who dies from age somewhere in the woods. If experience and perks come in, people would have to choose wisely what perks they take, instead of having the ability to max-out completely. The diet function would make sure people just don't stack up on 10 cans and be safe for good.

Negative: Is there really anything negative about this?!

 

Now, regarding the body type:

 

Few types:

Athletic(athletic perks)

Medic(medic ")

Survivalist(survivalist ")

Militairy(militairy ")

Casual civilian(casual ")

 

This once again goes in the long distance. If you choose an athletic body type, then you get athletic attributes par example, you get athletic perks easily, you last longer, you're faster but you have issues learning the other skills.

 

As a medic, you're bound to make less issues, get less infections going(thus needing less antibiotics), but you also have certain skills which others do not, like breaking bones back into places instead of having to use splints or morphines etc. Once again learn your own skills easier than others.

 

As a survivalist, you get survivalist perks, which in this case would be crafting perks. Lets just say you can build things that other classes/body types could not, atleast not without unlocking it, like a bow, traps, improvised knives etc.

 

Militairy sounds quite obvious to me, very advanced in fighting skills, p.e doesn't get as much adrenaline as the rest when getting shot at, has a steadier aim, can handle guns faster, jamming is fixed easier etc.

 

Casual civilian is just a civilian who is roundout casual. No special skills, learns everything in a casual way.

 

Now I did mention things like jamming, crafting, experience gaining in order to unlock things etc. I'm hoping these functions will come too.

Positive: Game gets extended features, everyone is very unique.

Negative: Some might lack skills, other people might want to get everything.

 

 

Last one; smoking cigarettes.
Why? Very simple, smoking cigarettes would p.e reduce the adrenaline rushes your character gets when getting shot at immensively and your hands get steadier.

It would reduce your hunger, but in return, you would get nicotine-addicted, and thus need sigarettes again in order to get calm hands and reduced adrenaline again.

 

Adding to that, you would age faster.

To quit, you'd have to find cigarette gums.

 

Positive: Game gets extended and gets unique features compared to other survival games, making this one worth while. People who smoke in real life might also enjoy having their character smoke in-game. It looks badass, gives temporary boosts.
Negative: Very time consuming to make and a small detail compared to the required work.

 

 

-

 

 

Give me some opinions lads, I took a good thirty minutes to write this, I'd appreciate your five minutes expressing your opinions.
Once again, though, this is not for now.
Just imagine when DayZ is all advanced, vehicles implemented, crafting nearly perfect, thousands of guns to be found, zombies completely fixed, and new features are needed, thats for when this is suggested.

Edited October 13, 2014 by Chamil

[Askelon 36]

I have many, MANY, problems with your suggestions. Except for smoking, I'm down for that.

 

As you said yourself "people won't get attached to their characters". That's not the way most of us, so I believe(I don't speak for everyone.), want to go with this. People should be attached to their characters, it gives death more of a meaning. The less you want to do away with your character, the better. Aging would be a problem. I'm sure people would end up killing themselves simply because they aren't fit enough to survive.

 

Body type, I also disagree with. What you described aren't really body types at all, they are classes. Classes shouldn't be a thing. Body types would be more like weight and build. Example, large, medium, small; thin, fat, muscular, normal etc. That would effect simply how you would act physically, nothing else.

 

I'm fine with cigarettes, cause it'd make my character look badass. I do, also, believe there are less common cigarettes that aren't addictive, and don't have all those chemicals poured into them. Still unhealthy though.

[Tegla (DayZ) 112]

Wow, this was a nice presentation of a suggestion you have there, not even kidding.

 

Well, here are my thoughts. I like the beard part, but i can't see my character getting chubby. I mean, he is running around all the time and eating nothing but beans and an occasional meat. I would assume he would lose weight rather than gain it.

 

 

 

What would be even more immense would be if your diet increases your lifespan by a day or two, or actually decreases it. So lets say you eat canned beans every day, that would make your lifespan stay the same, lets just say you eat meat one time, vegetables the other time, rice that day, fruits the other day.

 

Don't know about this part, seems to overly complicate things.

 

 

 

Positive: People will be forced to live temporary, people won't get attached to their items nor their characters

 

Me and Askelon share the same thoughts about this. The point is to try and survive, and get attached to your character as it represents you in the apocalypse.

 

 

I am completely against player perks. It would be good on an rp server, but people would just choose the statistically superior one, and we would have 100's of Rambo's running around.

[rybec 339]

Wait a sec, you want characters to become worse overall as time passes?

[Chamil 22]

@Askelon;

The body type/class thing as you are saying is correct, I didn't quite explain it right.

I don't know about you guys, but don't you all get bored after having the same character, all the items you need, all this and that.. From my personal experience, I end up quitting.

I do agree that getting attached to your character should play a role, but I also think that if you are truely good enough to survive for weeks, the less skilled should have a bit more of a chance.

Plus, who the hell is going to mess around with a grandpa who is fully geared smoking a cig while the beard is totally dominating the scene?!

I do think I overdid that one, but I still stand by my opinion(that it would be epic ofc).

By chubby I meant how the body adapts, put a 20y old next to a 40y old and you'll notice a huge difference between the body types. They for some reason still look 'bigger' imo.

I think classes would totally change the game. Like lets just say you need a certain skill to build this or do that, wouldn't it be way cooler?

You'd have to rely on either your friends, train it yourself or you'll have to steal stuff. In a certain limit ofcourse, hence why it would be harder to get other skills, perhaps even limit the amount you can unlock.

Imagine a full squad with each class all trained to do their thing, that would be the most epic squad ever.

Perhaps even implement skill capes?

Just kidding there, but it would have seem a bit more interesting with a class system imo.

Then again, dayz is so unique, nobody is gonna feel the class system if they don't decide to.

I'm very sorry if I made mistakes, wrote this on my phone, thank you both for the feedback, very very appreciated.

You never realise whats good or bad about your own ideas until you hear the minds of others. So once again, ty! Keep the opinions flowing though, I love debating about dayz hehehe.

[Chamil 22]

Wait a sec, you want characters to become worse overall as time passes?

Woot just figured out how to quote on a smartphone.

Yes, exactly. However, I'm not looking at a few hours and you go like ohh heart attack, darn you age.

I'm talking about a week straight gameplay, like p.e 150 hours straight on that character before you show disabilities. Hair and beard aging happens alot earlier though.

Would you not say that is epic?????!!! An interactive aging simulation in a zombie survival game, where have you seen that before?!

Once again, sorry for my spelling/grammar mistakes, I'm on a phone.

[Askelon 36]

@Askelon;

The body type/class thing as you are saying is correct, I didn't quite explain it right.

I don't know about you guys, but don't you all get bored after having the same character, all the items you need, all this and that.. From my personal experience, I end up quitting.

I do agree that getting attached to your character should play a role, but I also think that if you are truely good enough to survive for weeks, the less skilled should have a bit more of a chance.

Plus, who the hell is going to mess around with a grandpa who is fully geared smoking a cig while the beard is totally dominating the scene?!

I do think I overdid that one, but I still stand by my opinion(that it would be epic ofc).

By chubby I meant how the body adapts, put a 20y old next to a 40y old and you'll notice a huge difference between the body types. They for some reason still look 'bigger' imo.

I think classes would totally change the game. Like lets just say you need a certain skill to build this or do that, wouldn't it be way cooler?

You'd have to rely on either your friends, train it yourself or you'll have to steal stuff. In a certain limit ofcourse, hence why it would be harder to get other skills, perhaps even limit the amount you can unlock.

Imagine a full squad with each class all trained to do their thing, that would be the most epic squad ever.

Perhaps even implement skill capes?

Just kidding there, but it would have seem a bit more interesting with a class system imo.

Then again, dayz is so unique, nobody is gonna feel the class system if they don't decide to.

I'm very sorry if I made mistakes, wrote this on my phone, thank you both for the feedback, very very appreciated.

You never realise whats good or bad about your own ideas until you hear the minds of others. So once again, ty! Keep the opinions flowing though, I love debating about dayz hehehe.

The less skilled shouldn't get a handicap on those who are more skilled and lucky.

 

I, as stated, highly disagree with aging, other than perhaps hair growth.

 

Needing a "skill" to do something is also a concept I disagree with. Anyone should be able to do anything, with at most getting better at a task with practice.

 

I'd mess with a grandpa smoking a cigarette if he was attacking me. Now, a grandpa smoking a cigarette with his chest pinned full of medals, with notches scratched into his AK numbering in the dozens is something I'd be afraid of.

Edited October 13, 2014 by Askelon

[rybec 339]

Woot just figured out how to quote on a smartphone.

Yes, exactly. However, I'm not looking at a few hours and you go like ohh heart attack, darn you age.

I'm talking about a week straight gameplay, like p.e 150 hours straight on that character before you show disabilities. Hair and beard aging happens alot earlier though.

Would you not say that is epic?????!!! An interactive aging simulation in a zombie survival game, where have you seen that before?!

Once again, sorry for my spelling/grammar mistakes, I'm on a phone.

Of course I'm entirely behind the massive beard on my face for staying alive long enough, the idea of being handicapped for living long enough not because of an injury but because you're "growing old" isn't something I can get behind. Give injuries a small lasting effect maybe, but not cripple the character just because.

[Chamil 22]

The less skilled shouldn't get a handicap on those who are more skilled and lucky.

I, as stated, highly disagree with aging, other than perhaps hair growth.

Needing a "skill" to do something is also a concept I disagree with. Anyone should be able to do anything, with at most getting better at a task with practice.

I'd mess with a grandpa smoking a cigarette if he was attacking me. Now, a grandpa smoking a cigarette with his chest pinned full of medals, with notches scratched into his AK numbering in the dozens is something I'd be afraid of.

You know what, you just made a genius mark. You don't get classes, you get experience. Experience, you ask? Very simple, you build a bow p.e, it fqils, build it again, it fails, again, succes. Now next time, you'll have a higher chance of succeeding earlier.

Think that might work, no?

@Heav and Askelon;

Its not really a handicap, I mean getting down requiring a second longer, climbing up ladders with a tiny bit of delay, small things that could potentially differ ya from a fit young person, you know?

I personally think it would offer more different gameplay, unlike all the others where age never played a role. I mean as much as we would love to be fit forever, we are all still going to grow old one day, right? If we're making DayZ as realistic as possible, then why not?! Would be epiccccc

[DemonGroover 8836]

Not a fan of perks.

But if there is one thing I'd love apart from a shit tonne more zombies it is to be able to choose a character age , size and physique.

[Lady Kyrah 1109]

well different morphology means more work to add wearables to the game, as if male/female was not enough work.

[Askelon 36]

Not a fan of perks.

But if there is one thing I'd love apart from a shit tonne more zombies it is to be able to choose a character age , size and physique.

I do agree with you there. I'm a-okay with adding these features if a player gets to pick them of their own volition.

[liquidcactus 719]

Well most of the ideas are good. I think you nailed the cigarette smoking idea. I could never really think how smokes could actually affect you in game other than a cosmetic gimmick.

 

However the aging idea is absurd in my opinion... the longer you survive should always be based on benefit not the focus of disadvantage ? I understand dayz is the anti-game etc but that is taking it way to far! Aging? yes, maybe for cosmetic purposes only but not taking abilities away from you as your char gets older.. The only real aging should be a beard growing in 5 stages over say 2 weeks... and scar's on the face and bags under the eyes etc.. but that's it!  and I would think most would probably agree.

 

So in closing, the idea of aging and losing abilities via growing "older".

 

That's like playing a game to purposely lose and be well aware of a fruitless outcome as a reward for having stayed alive for a long time ??? Dayz is hard enough with out having to add another worry of losing abilities as you grow older. Impending difficulty you cant control ?.

 

It's creating unconstitutional barriers in game like the idea of perks etc

Edited October 14, 2014 by liquidcactus

[Evil Minion 943]

Now, regarding the body type:

Just to make it clear you are not talking about body types but player classes here. Body types would be more about the shape of your body whether be it a cosmetic base type (rectangular, V-shaped, pear-shaped, hourglass) or an aquired type (fat, skinny, muscular) that may or may not have have consequences in terms of game mechanics.

I would really like it if we had some options on the former as it would make character models more diverse. Also aquiring shapes within the game (getting fat, skinny etc.) would be a nice addition but it would probably require a procedural animation system to get them to work. And choosing those would cause balance issues just like fixed character classes - better let them emerge from gameplay.

Aging... I would not like to play a rapidly aging survivor so the effect would be neclectable. However, I would like to play a (cosmetically) old person and it would be more authentic to have survivors of different ages instead of everyone being a younger adult. This also adds diversity and allows for easier recognition which in turn allows for better ingame interactions. Now children might cause some issues but everything between (older) teenagers and old but still fit people might be possible.

Cigarettes - of course. Also add some Cigars! Might end up purely cosmetic but having some effects would also be interesting. Several substances might cause addiction if consumed too often. Tobacco might be one of the weakest, alcohol might be stronger and also cause stronger accute effects and morphine, well... When they add a stamina system there might even be a place for really basty things. Just make sure the side effects are authentic to avoid sending a "drugs are cool" message.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Evil Minion