Drinking water, MRE's and soldier's needs...

[Blake 0]

As ArmA 2 has taken more steps towards realism in infantry department (eg. first aid module, surrendering, etc.) and interactivity with the environment ("conversations") I would like to see this taken further. As it seems that Operation Arrowhead will take place in hot desert environment where "hydrating" (drinking) regularly is essential to maintain fighting condition I would very much like to see it implemented somehow in a module for example.

For example, after exhaustive running and fighting for a long time the soldier would not only be short of breath but also water. He would have to take a swig from a canteen to maintain focus. Neglecting drinking would cause various symptoms, like increased blurred vision or excessive hand shake and so forth.

Soldier's "hydration status" could be additional slider in the unit menu and be fully adjustable, if player would like to make a mission in which for example the soldiers are behind enemy lines, short of water and desperate.

Eating could probably be made in a similiar manner, it would be very immersive in a long coop mission with long foot partols for example to sit on the ground and have a MRE (Meal-ready-to-eat) lunch break with your buddies and recover stamina.

I hope Operation Arrowhead would take soldiering a step further and provide some aspects that are essential to every grunt instead of just warfighting.

[kremator 1065]

What happens if you need a pee desperately in battle ? Or even worse ......

:)

[Blake 0]

What happens if you need a pee desperately in battle ? Or even worse ......

:)

I saw that coming...but let's try to keep it serious shall we?

[SASrecon 0]

should be for ACE2 rather than a commercial game/simulator

[django333 10]

All player skins have a camel back so a mod isn't really needed is it?

[Hbomber110 0]

I dont know , im more interested in a combat simulator than a soldier's live simulator lol

[Inkompetent 0]

Since the game isn't designed around horrendously long missions I'd say it is up to the mission makers of said missions to make scripts for peeing, eating and drinking.

It simply doesn't have anything to do with the scope of the original content.

[NeMeSiS 11]

Since the game isn't designed around horrendously long missions I'd say it is up to the mission makers of said missions to make scripts for peeing, eating and drinking.

It simply doesn't have anything to do with the scope of the original content.

I agree, ill just simulate being hungry and having pissed in my pants. ;)

[max power 21]

Grunt needs food!

Grunt needs food badly!

[kuIoodporny 45]

(hitting the table with fork and knife)

[TmanEd 10]

It would give an actual use for a knife...

[icebreakr 3157]

I wanna fork on the table! (Italian accent)

[Sulu 10]

It's a silly idea really.

"Sorry Sergeant I can't fight my hunger and thirst levels are reaching bottom!"

[Daniel 0]

I'd say since packs and camelbacks are already modelled, thirst considerations should only be added to a mission. Say you get shot down or cut off without supplies, then it might be an important factor. Otherwise, most missions don't span enough time, and if they do, then you'll probably be eating and drinking in real life. :p

[Evil_Echo 11]

Given how many people complained about stamina feature in ACE1, do you really think adding bio needs like water, food, etc are really going to be that well received?

[Blake 0]

Would not hurt to have such module for eating and drinking. After all, all modules are optional. Don't like it, just turn it off.

Anyway such little pieces of everyday stuff add to the immersion it's tiny bit. Games will probably go down the realism path down to that.

Cold & hot weather, sweating, tiredness, hunger, wet clothes, etc. should affect fighting ability just a little.

If you take Gauntlet II path then you'd get messages like

"OPFOR soldier shot the food!" :P

Edited September 2, 2009 by Blake

[nomdeplume 0]

Initially I liked the idea, but after reading some comments I agree that I don't really see the point. It would only be useful in very specific scenarios, and those few can be dealt with well enough by the mission itself using scripting. I don't think I've seen a function for directly adjusting the weapon sway on a unit, so it would perhaps be useful if BIS could add that.

My thinking is that it would be exceedingly rare for soldiers to be in a position where they haven't eaten/drunk enough to get by. When it actually came to combat, adrenaline would kick in and get them through it no matter how shit they were feeling. Few missions in the game last long enough for soldiers to get the point where their ability to fight is significantly affected by their hunger / thirst levels. So adding it would mean you'd never encounter it because missions don't last that long; or alternatively that you'd get hungry and dehydrated at a ridiculously accelerated rate just so you'd see the effects in game. Then people would complain it's meant to be a milsim, not a foodsim.

All that said, I am a fan of immersion and e.g. starting missions in friendly bases rather than out in the field. So having eating and drinking animations would be a great addition to making a world feel "lived in". Civlians in town could also benefit from it.

But if the designers and artists are busy making awesome things for Operation Arrowhead, I think that's probably a better use of their time. Save it for Operation Sandwich.

[Blake 0]

Indeed immersion is the point and not making every soldier cry out for food after 15 minutes and make the entire thing just an annoyance. Probably the food & drinking issues should be buched up with other aspects of soldiering rather than put it in as a separate module apart from others. Naturally, this should not take priority over other issues but as BIS has taken first careful steps towards role-playing department too it just might see daylight in the future.

Perhaps I've just had played too many long co-op patrol missions jogging around OFP/ArmA/ArmA II islands that I've gotten hungry & thirsty myself while my character has retained perfect fighting condition.

[Patrol17 10]

I like your idea. But as other say the gameplay is more or less combat oriented and most missions aren't long enough to justify drawbacks for skipping meals etc. Though, I'd love to play a more RPG-ish version too, with longer patrols and such where that would be necessary.

A totally unnecessary detail, but cool anyway, would be if soldiers picked up their canteen to take a sip automatically now and then when in safe mode.

[Commando84 0]

Sounds like a cool idea, just some people work a bit diffirently with how fast they burn through the food energies :P

A buddy of mine sometimes manages like 6-8 hours with no food, just cigarettes :D

then he has a big meal at the evening.

while I get all wobbly in my head if I don't get to eat or drink during 4 hours :D

besides a module won't be forced upon every user of the game, only those who play missions that use that module ;)

[JackandBlood 10]

Soldiers needs...Lets not. I object to the notion of a piss or poop indicator, and the corresponding animations...

[no use for a name 0]

I think it would work good in a mod, or single mission. i.e. You're a pilot who gets shot down behind enemy lines, and you have to survive while dodging enemy patrols, etc.

I just don't see it being practical (or even fun) for the core game

[dunedain 48]

Yaii combat jack in Arma2 would be cool too. :rolleyes:

No seriously, it can be nice to see that kind of features on some games but I definitely don't see the interest on Arma2..

Edited September 3, 2009 by dunedain

[maddogx 13]

The idea sounds nice for a mission or two (via scripting), but it's definitely beyond the scope of the core game. Even for a mod like ACE2 it would probably be a bit over the top. If they added hunger, fatigue and bladder meters they might aswell throw in a plumbob as a health indicator hovering above peoples heads. :D

[Blake 0]

Modules, people, modules...not the core code.