tired of simplistic soldier status, this is supposed to be a simulation!

[tacticalnuggets 24]

injured, low on ammo.

down, out of ammo.

These 4 status variables are the only thing we deal with on the battlefield. Now, a mod is potentially possible (if not available already knowing the community) to make status a more complex thing. But I rather have it be apart of the game, because this is a simulation. Some mods gave us new status types such as stamina. What about more long term ones?

Water

Food

Waste

Those three, in my mind, are long term factors in combat. Why not make them apart of the game? Rations, water, and maybe even 1/2 on the battlefield would be a great addition for long term simulation and role playing.

Another is alertness (sleep needs), but I don't think its possible to sleep your soldier for hours on end without getting the f off of the game.

I think they at the very least need to add water. You cant run across the map in two hours without needing some kind of water to keep going in combat. The option to carry a canteen for long battles would be a great addition.

[celery 8]

Who plays such long missions that those features are needed? By the time your avatar needs to eat or take a piss, you'll be pressing ESC and doing that yourself.

[wolfbite 8]

Well TBH mate you dont drop Trou and goe for a shit/piss in the middle of a firefight anyway. As for the water You can either assume they have a camel pack.. Or just stop running and wait around for a bit. As for sleep its pretty hard to take place in a firefight whilst asleep.. or to stay asleep when there's a firefight.

In a simulation there are certain things that just dont really have enough of a major effect to be worth putting in.

If you can honestly find a reason that makes these essential I would be suprised.. My guy is doing one of those things when i'm afk... WIth the added hardcore factor that in game he doses off into a kind of trance where he wont realize he's being shot at. Lets say its side effects from combat drugs...

Edited February 4, 2011 by wolfbite

[tacticalnuggets 24]

Well TBH mate you dont drop Trou and goe for a shit/piss in the middle of a firefight anyway. As for the water You can either assume they have a camel pack.. Or just stop running and wait around for a bit. As for sleep its pretty hard to take place in a firefight whilst asleep.. or to stay asleep when there's a firefight.

In a simulation there are certain things that just dont really have enough of a major effect to be worth putting in.

If you can honestly find a reason that makes these essential I would be suprised.. My guy is doing one of those things when i'm afk... WIth the added hardcore factor that in game he doses off into a kind of trance where he wont realize he's being shot at. Lets say its side effects from combat drugs...

Water is the one I said they should at the very least put in because it has a major impact in combat. You can assume that he has infinite water, but at the same time it would make realism missions more interesting. And the very fact that you can carry water and have a limited supply makes it a fun element of the game in itself.

It is difficult for people to wrap their heads around the subtle elements that make an immersive experience. But little things like this would be easy to implement and would eventually be appreciated. Just like fuel for vehicles. If BIS never implemented fuel it might have been seen the same way as water. Water is essentially a fuel bar for living vehicles.

[RozekPoland 591]

Such features are possible to be implemented in a proper mission via scripts. You don't have to redone the whole game. It would fit for a certain mission with a storyline that you're lost in the middle of sth and you have to survive by gathering the most important resources.

[tacticalnuggets 24]

Such features are possible to be implemented in a proper mission via scripts. You don't have to redone the whole game. It would fit for a certain mission with a storyline that you're lost in the middle of sth and you have to survive by gathering the most important resources.

Now, a mod is potentially possible (if not available already knowing the community) to make status a more complex thing. But I rather have it be apart of the game, because this is a simulation.

Yes, missions surrounding this would be cool. But it should be like fuel. It should effect your operational range for any mission.

[PuFu 4600]

Such features are possible to be implemented in a proper mission via scripts. You don't have to redone the whole game. It would fit for a certain mission with a storyline that you're lost in the middle of sth and you have to survive by gathering the most important resources.

what he said ^

[tacticalnuggets 24]

what he said ^

Refer back to first post, paragraph 2, sentences 2 and 3. We can put anything almost anything in the game via scripting and modding. But this is something that affects operational range, in any mission, and therefor would be better fit as an addition. Mods usually don't cut it because they just split the small community up into tiny tight knit coops.

[maddogx 13]

But this is something that affects operational range, in any mission, and therefor would be better fit as an addition.

Emphasis mine, and I strongly disagree. What's the average length of a single mission in this game? Surely less that 2-3 hours, right? So unless our soldiers are suffering from narcolepsy, bladder control problems or acute malnourishment/dehydration, I don't see why the game would need to actively simulate water/food intake, urination/defecation or sleep in 99% of the cases.

Mods usually don't cut it because they just split the small community up into tiny tight knit coops.

For those missions that need them, such features can be scripted without the need for addons. So no community splitting necessary.

Edited February 4, 2011 by MadDogX

[Vulgarian 10]

Waste

This is 4 needing a poo, over.

3 wipe 4 at 1 o'clock

This is 3, negative.

I say again 3 wipe 4 at 1 'o clock.

Oh no 4 is down.

This is 3 needing a pee, over...

Well thats what springs to mind, surely as a simulator you would be telling people to go before you are deployed rather than saving a bladder full for the battlefied :D

[NeMeSiS 11]

I recently added this in a mission since it was about survival after a worldwide disaster, but most missions dont take much longer than 3 hours and are played in realtime, so no, i dont think it really matters for 99% of the missions since i can just imagine that my guy took a snack out of his pocket while walking somewhere, it wouldnt take any extra planning or whatever to keep him from dying.

For those few missions where it does matter it can easily be scripted, if i can make something that works, than other people can make something nice that works.

[Maio 293]

What Rozek said .

Plus

Remember that although it has the word simulator attached to it , ArmA is actually a commercial PC game .

It was not created to train us for real life combat .

[metalcraze 290]

Such features are possible to be implemented in a proper mission via scripts. You don't have to redone the whole game. It would fit for a certain mission with a storyline that you're lost in the middle of sth and you have to survive by gathering the most important resources.

And the mission will need to last several days before you will fail it if you haven't gathered anything.

That's great idea. Very fun in a game. Definitely

Hey guys I just played a 3 hours long mission without food and water what should I do?!

[dmarkwick 261]

Speaking personally, I think this is one area where "realism" becomes an intrusive element. There are many things that I assume my avatar can do without having to simulate it, like take a drink when he feels thirsty. To simulate eating & drinking is to simulate something that won't take an effect for at least several minutes, and how do you represent thirst onscreen when the same realism won't even tell you your legs are injured? I'd like some immediate status feedback like injury icons, which is something that does affect the battle.

I mean, I wouldn't deny people their gameplay how they like it, but this is something I'm simply not interested in having built in to the engine. It's a combat sim not a survival sim :)

[rexehuk 16]

Maybe we should simulate battlefield masturbation due to being away from loved ones... would you like to see that too op? Then again we do have hookers in the game... maybe we could make use of those.

Things like this are all well/good in theory, but implementing them into the game makes it increasingly annoying to play it. I don't want to go for a piss... then find out my soldier also needs to piss, but is also feeling depressed from being alone for so long and talk him out of putting the gun in his mouth... then I'd need additional training for counselling and I'm not sure this is viable.

[NeMeSiS 11]

I don't want to go for a piss... then find out my soldier also needs to piss,

Actually you have a good point here, if a mission takes three hours at some point you have to get up and piss, eat and drink in real life, so all of this is already simulated as long as you dont pause the game when you leave your PC. :p

[metalcraze 290]

It's impossible to pause the game in multiplayer. And I have to hold my piss when there is a firefight going on.

See BIS has already taken care of that for you!

[dmarkwick 261]

It's impossible to pause the game in multiplayer. And I have to hold my piss when there is a firefight going on.

See BIS has already taken care of that for you!

Or... you have to find a quiet place to hide your soldier, then go for a piss. The ultimate in realism ;)

[celery 8]

Will the screen have a yellow flash when you really have to go?

[NeMeSiS 11]

Will the screen have a yellow flash when you really have to go?

If you dont go at all it will look like this, except with yellow instead of red crap on your screen.

[[asa]oden 0]

Sometimes people read way too much into the word "Simulation".

It's not equal to 100% reality, honestly.

[mosh 0]

No thanks please. I would not play anything that had 'features' like this at all.

It already can be done through scripts, and there are already outhouses, so script away... just don't forget to wipe.

[cjph 0]

Personally, I eat, drink and visit the little room in real life when I am playing anyway, and often find somewhere to park my character out of the line of fire while I do so. I've always felt this balances in games and does not need simulation. Medical attention and ammo running low - these are the headaches and well covered in the game/mods.

Edited February 4, 2011 by cjph

[Pulverizer 1]

Well if they're adding food then they must also consider the gas build-up based on what you've eaten.

Optimally, there would be an analogue axis dedicated for controlling the sphincter. Sometimes you could try and get a "silent and deadly" going as to not blow your cover on stealth missions.

[hellfire257 3]

Oh god. Shall we simulate breathing too? Having to use your Diaphragm? Or how about we simulate individual muscles, al a QWOP?

No thanks, not my cup of tea.