A static skill system.

[colekern 1364]

Before you say "YOu SKyRIM nO0B GET ofF THEsE foRUm'S YOU baBY!!!!!!!!1", I don't want to add a RPG style system to DayZ.

However, this should be looked at and experimented with.. You should choose your skill, and it should stick with you, and stay exactly the same as when you chose it.

If it doesn't make sense to you, or you think it's stupid, I'll at least try to clarify and change your mind a bit.

In real life, pretty much every well-off person has a job, right? If you want to have a job, you have to have the necessary skills. In order get those skills, you have to apply yourself to learn them. Whenever you learn that skill, the knowledge sticks.

Most people have a specific skill they focus on. They focus more time and attention on it. Many go to college for it. They then use the acquired knowledge to get a job in that field.

If an apocalypse happened, you wouldn't suddenly know how to shoot a gun accurately, or fly a helicopter. If you were say, a doctor, you couldn't immediately learn to be a mechanic, or a soldier, or have the physical power of an athlete. You would be good at medical stuff though.

Which is why I'm proposing this. Everyone has a skill in something. It could be piloting, physical work, or being a doctor, but they all give you certain advantages. When you work with others, you can go even further.

What I'm saying could be added:

-On first starting the game, you should choose what you did before the apocalypse. This would be choosing your "skill".

-The skill sticks with you and does not change on death.

-They should give you certain skills that others don't have.

-Everyone has a form of the skill you character is experienced in, but it is just more primitive.

-Upgrading current skills and gaining new ones should not be available.. DayZ isn't an RPG after all.

What it would do in-game:

It would lower the amount KOSing. It won't punish lone wolves, but it will help those who decide to group up. For example, let's say you find a vehicle. You've done basic repairs, but you don't have the knowledge to repair a car that is this badly beat-up because you're a doctor. So, you go looking for someone who knows how to repair the car. When finally find someone who can, you realize he's badly injured. He agrees to come back with you, as long as you heal him. You repair the car, but you stick together because of the advantages you offer each other.

That beach noob? Yeah, now he's worth more alive than dead.

Tell me what you think. Since it's alpha, now is the time to experiment. There are flaws, sure. But things could be balanced to make the system work better.

And remember... it's a suggestion.

Edited September 12, 2012 by colekern

[JarethJams 87]

Want to be a doctor? Just have a backpack full of meds with a hero skin.

Want to be a pilot? Shit tell your buddies you know how to fly.

Want to be a mechanic? carry all of the parts and fix the car, van etc.

The skills are already in the game.

[CerebralZombie (DayZ) 151]

What if your skill is sitting on your ass, being good at compooter, ect, ect?

If players really don't want to have this system in play, than they can just choose a skill that does nothing for them, as probably the same in their real lives.

:D

Just bein' an ass, but I dunno Day-vee~

[hoik 415]

Want to be a doctor? Just have a backpack full of meds with a hero skin.

Want to be a pilot? Shit tell your buddies you know how to fly.

Want to be a mechanic? carry all of the parts and fix the car, van etc.

The skills are already in the game.

That may be true, but because everyone can do everything those skills have no value. Meaning that the only 'gamey' value other players have to eachother is the suff they carry. It also means that there is little to connect you with your avatar. As much as these ideas might get slammed, they are a very effective way put some value on others that is bound to them and cannot be pillaged.

[JarethJams 87]

They do have value because they carry the supplies with them so theyre considered to be valued same goes for the pilot you want him alive to operate the heli.

[thermonuke1@gmail.com 110]

That may be true, but because everyone can do everything those skills have no value. Meaning that the only 'gamey' value other players have to eachother is the suff they carry. It also means that there is little to connect you with your avatar. As much as these ideas might get slammed, they are a very effective way put some value on others that is bound to them and cannot be pillaged.

Ok in your first post you said you didnt want to add a RPG element to DayZ.

In your retort... You defended by saying that the current elements are not RPGish enough.

Dafuq?

[Lady Kyrah 1109]

The real world analogy is kind of wrong because there are people that are good at nothing, and others that are as efficient as two.

Thre are also jacks of all trade that learn everything they get themselve to fairly quickly. Skills are not a static thing they are something you learn through all your life and doesn't necessarily require teaching.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Lady Kyrah

[Lights Out 141]

They do have value because they carry the supplies with them so theyre considered to be valued same goes for the pilot you want him alive to operate the heli.

Which is what exasperates the player killing problem there is now. I can just kill you and take your pack, problem solved. Now if I actually had to team up with you because you're skilled at special task, well that adds an element to the game. Don't put a player's worth in their pack, put it in their character themselves.

I don't think you should be handed a skill though. Should have to work for it somehow. Doing X things X amount of times. To stop people spamming a task. It should also take X amount of in game days. Should only be allowed to learn one, two skills max. And like I always say, no skills that give PvP advantages. Only survival skills and nothing crazy.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Lights Out

[hoik 415]

Ok in your first post you said you didnt want to add a RPG element to DayZ.

In your retort... You defended by saying that the current elements are not RPGish enough.

Dafuq?

I think you might be getting Colekern and me confused?

They do have value because they carry the supplies with them so theyre considered to be valued same goes for the pilot you want him alive to operate the heli.

So other players value is as a kind of pack mule? I don't think many people view other players this way, though it is a valid point. Like Lights Out says the general mindset of players (and this has been my experience) is that you are just a walkiing loot pile - if you can give players a value that is a part of their character useful to you only when they are alive, IMO then the doors will be open to a much larger range of interactions between players.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Hoik

[thermonuke1@gmail.com 110]

I think you might be getting Colekern and me confused?

So other players value is as a kind of pack mule? I don't think many people view other players this way, though it is a valid point. Like Lights Out says the general mindset of players (and this has been my experience) is that you are just a walkiing loot pile - if you can give players a value that is a part of their character useful to you only when they are alive, IMO then the doors will be open to a much larger range of interactions between players.

You are correct sir!

My apologies!

[starwarsfan@gmx.de 450]

My problem with idea is that it would, unlike you're suggesting punish 'lone wolf' players. They wouldn't be able to do many things because they simply wouldn't have the right 'skill' or 'profession' choosen.

I agree that it might bring a need for group play, but I think this would only help organised groups like clans to get an even bigger advantage over the casual player as they could just coordinate who takes what skill and they will most likely have at least one player for each skill making other players useless again. The casual group on the other hand might always be lacking that one guy with that skill they need.

Also, I feel that this might take away too much of the freedom this game provides you where you can really do whatever you want to do and are not bound by any sort of required skill to do so. I apprechiate the idea but don't think it would add enough to the game to be worth what it takes away.

[hoik 415]

My problem with idea is that it would, unlike you're suggesting punish 'lone wolf' players. They wouldn't be able to do many things because they simply wouldn't have the right 'skill' or 'profession' choosen.

I pose the question - is this really punishment? Or is it more akin to realism?

I agree that it might bring a need for group play, but I think this would only help organised groups like clans to get an even bigger advantage over the casual player as they could just coordinate who takes what skill and they will most likely have at least one player for each skill making other players useless again. The casual group on the other hand might always be lacking that one guy with that skill they need.

I agree this is a likely scenario, but I think the skill redundancy will be only applicable to that particular group. IMO most clans/groups that are orgonised outside of the game-world have a tendancy towards a f*you attitude anyway :) . Really this idea is aimed towards spontanious interation/grouping with strangers, not as a buff mechanic for forming clans.

Also, I feel that this might take away too much of the freedom this game provides you where you can really do whatever you want to do and are not bound by any sort of required skill to do so. I apprechiate the idea but don't think it would add enough to the game to be worth what it takes away.

Maybe your just taking those freedoms for granted? As for what it will add or take from the game, well thats debatable, I would at least like to see a very simple trial of some sort of skill system.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Hoik

[starwarsfan@gmx.de 450]

I pose the question - is this really punishment? Or is it more akin to realism?

As this is a game, not the real world and it would keep 'lon wolf' players from accessing certain aspects of the game, yes it would be punishment for playing on your own.

I agree this is a likely scenario, but I think the skill redundancy will be only applicable to that particular group. IMO most clans/groups that are orgonised outside of the game-world have a tendancy towards a f*you attitude anyway :) . Really this idea is aimed towards spontanious interation/grouping with strangers, not as a buff mechanic for forming clans.

Maybe your just taking those freedoms for granted? As for what it will add or take from the game, well thats debatable, I would at least like to see a very simple trial of some sort of skill system.

I agree that this should be tested and I think this is the best plausible mechanic for adding such a 'skill system' to the game. Wether it is truly good or bad and actually would change anything can only be decided once it has been implemented and actually play tested.

[apache25 133]

ialready suggested this not sure about anyone else though

[Gordon Axeman 191]

This WILL punish lone wolves. Because they will not be able to fix any serious vehicle, also, if they break one, they have lost it forever too.

[hoik 415]

I'd say it would 'disadvantage' them (maybe) not punish them. And it would ALL depend on the implementation. How about some alternatives??

Here is a rather good thread on skills - it takes the other side of the skill debate and wants skills to be earned. It also has alot of good discussion:

http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/86283-experienced-survivors/

there are also many others skill suggestions, try serching for them :) .

[Lights Out 141]

This WILL punish lone wolves. Because they will not be able to fix any serious vehicle, also, if they break one, they have lost it forever too.

The way I see skills being implemented is every one has the base ability to do every task, but skills allow you to become better and efficient at certain things. Maybe someone with a skill can fix certain engine parts instead of having to find a new working one. Maybe someone proficient in medical tasks can heal/bandage/transfuse blood more proficiently and efficiently. Someone without it may not be able to stop bleeds right away with a single bandage. May take another bandage or just a little extra time for the wound to clot. Or possibly when giving blood transfusions they may spill some blood so you don't get as much blood as you could have. Things like this.

Implementing skills as I have suggested won't punish a "lone wolf" but make it a little more difficult to survive and carry out certain tasks as it should be. Doing everything alone in a post apocolyptic world should be more difficult for someone trying to survive by themselves. When you group up with multiple players with varying skill sets, surviving should still not be easy, but rather more manageable.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Lights Out

[m.w. vindicator 880]

I agree with lights out. A "non-skilled" player should still be able to perform all actions a "skilled" player could just no quite as effective.

Maybe there could be a lone wolf skill designed for individual players. It would be a jack of all trades but master of none.

[JarethJams 87]

But why have players concentrate on one skill when they can do it all. I mean I'm a cook, a mechanic, a pilot, a medic, a scout etc etc there's no point in putting skills in. And for the player killing. It's going to happen either way. People like to pvp. When you get the gear you already have theres really nothing else to do but kill players or just survive and to survive you have to kill.

[Bratalise 26]

But why have players concentrate on one skill when they can do it all. I mean I'm a cook, a mechanic, a pilot, a medic, a scout etc etc there's no point in putting skills in. And for the player killing. It's going to happen either way. People like to pvp. When you get the gear you already have theres really nothing else to do but kill players or just survive and to survive you have to kill.

Because it's the most unrealistic crap in Dayz. No one in the world is a cook/mechanic/pilot/medic/scout and so on. I know the game shouldn't be 100% realistic but this a is a big deal. This needs to be in the game That way people will connect to their characters and value life. Plus it will give people something to do get your characters skill up then go do whatever if you die you'll have to restart all over again.

[habinero 8]

I like this Idea, it may need some polish but yes in real life people learn different things and are good at some things over the other.

IE i work in a factory; im good with wrenches, mechanical, and computers. My brother is a cook, trained in EMT and was in the Airforce. He knows diddly about wrenching, mechanical operation or computers, so there for my character could more easily fix a vehicle, maybe require less parts or time? Where as his character would make food give more blood and maybe bandage wounds faster?

Like I said, it needs polish but there should be some kind of system in the game that lets us choose what we are good at. Even one of those slider bar things with set amount of points to be distributed I think would be good. In real life, other than we are all people we are not the same. Everyone has advantages and disadavtages.

As far as punishing the "lone wolf" well yeah, IRL if you have no friends your kinda limited. we all arent Highly trained James Bond type people. all those died in the first attempt to kill the zombies :)

This type of system has been posted before, I know ive seen it somewhere, but yes i think implementing a skill system is a good way to add some depth to this game.

[colekern 1364]

But why have players concentrate on one skill when they can do it all. I mean I'm a cook, a mechanic, a pilot, a medic, a scout etc etc there's no point in putting skills in. And for the player killing. It's going to happen either way. People like to pvp. When you get the gear you already have theres really nothing else to do but kill players or just survive and to survive you have to kill.

I don't want to remove PVP. It is and always will be my favorite part of DayZ.

Also, to everyone who saw this thread, I'm not even sure I want to implement this. I would like to see it experimented with though. If it doesn't fit, trash it. That's what alpha is for.

Edited September 14, 2012 by colekern

[Lights Out 141]

I don't want to remove PVP. It is and always will my favorite part of DayZ.

Also, to everyone who saw this thread, I'm not even sure I want to implement this. I would like to see it experimented with though. If it doesn't fit, trash it. That's what alpha is for.

Which I think is key. Ideas need to be tested so the best possible game can be made. The worst that happens is it doesn't work and it's removed in the next patch of the standalone. I still think something along the lines of this need to be implemented to put more worth in a character. Make them more of an asset in team settings.