Bikes, Skis, Cars, let's call it transport

[Xogroroth]

BEFORE WE BEGIN… a note.
This post is NOT! a petition, it is NOT! to be used in any similar matter.
This post is for me to learn about insight in the thinking of the players, nothing else.
The “poll” here was for me personal, to keep tabs on things, nothing else.
It will not be used against either Avalanche, a member of Avalanche’s team, or a member of the community.
Again, it is PERSONALLY interest in the minds/thoughts of others, where it concerns ‘transport’.
Thank you very much all.

Another one, a voting kind of system, in which I ask your cooperation.

In Discord, we had a few days discussing skiing ingame.

Now, let me explain why I do not like transport in general in GZ:
Machines.
The end.

Wait, you want a more elaborate explanation, I reckon, correct?
Well, it comes down to this: Machines kill.
In the “real world” one would not have machines that ignore you if you fire from 70 meters up.
Hell, these would spot you from 500 meter, with all the sensors they have, right?
Especially the Military, not even to say FNIX models.
Not only would they spot you from that distance, they’d probably headshot you from the very first shot, from that distance.
We make, after all, machines, because these are superior to people.
If we could throw a rock a mile away and have a headshot, would we have guns?
Precisely.

In a world where machines tore through the military, and, unless all soldiers were blind, deaf and paraplegic, one might assume from this annihilation, that the machines are… let me rephrase… should be a threat.
One, from that argument, would assume, that biking, skiing and other forms of transportation that is not carefully sneaking around because machines scare me, would be utterly… unhealthy, let me put it that way.
I mean, you focus more on the road ahead, than machines likely lurking in the bushes on the side of the road?
Not to mention, if you see one, what do you do…?
Do you stop?
You be extremely dead even hitting the brakes.
Do you move to evade?
Well, accuracy of the machines would not let you go, if things were real.
Do you shoot back?
Yep, good luck doing that while biking…
We are not fighting inferior humans here, but machines that have but one goal: making you pretty much very lifeless.

Otherwise, there is the landscape.
Save for roads, bikes are not that interesting.
One could disagree, but some actually said this, and I foresaw this.
I heard of folks falling into abysses, tumbling down mountains, or not been able to get up a mountain with bikes.
And now we get skis.
And I wonder… how can this, by all means, go well…?
It’s you basically in just a different form of playing prone target, no?

Both introductions costed a lot of effort, a lot of time, a lot of money, I mean, making all these biking motions for the players is one, it did far from stop there, coding wise.
Skiing is the same thing: one needs the skis for one, but that is not it.
You need the graphics, motions, interactions in so many different ways, which again will cost a heap of all previous mentioned resources.

Let me say one thing though: I do not mind getting these in.
Just… not NOW…

The game has been torn down in many a gruelling way.
People are so dang negative about it.
And, sadly, often even for good reason…
Multi-player stability is… not that great…
3, ALMOST four machine types (that matter anyway, combat wise)…
Machine AI is very underwhelming…
There is a list of stuff that could be improved.
But folks want skis.

As I see it, Avalanche should do things in a different order.

1. Unbug the game.
2. Make more missions/side missions (partly fixed).
3. Make more machines, improve AI. (And I am aware, both are 2, since equally important).
4. Revamp weapon/Add-on drops: Better class stuff just drops far too much.
5. Rebalance game: some weapons are just too OP, while others (like the Magnus .44) are the very opposite.
6. Make Bunkers and similar military bases more MILITARY (too much civilian stuff can be found there, while military stuff is VERY hard to find) Logic eludes me).
7. Do the above please.
8. NOW you can think of transport thingies…

But that is how I would do it.

I would do things this way.
I do NOT believe in add-ons “because they would be cool” or “because it looks neat” or even “Just because” (Which I hear a few times too much for my liking, truthfully).
If it was about stuff being cool, then I would love a Tie Fighter and a Light Saber.
A Red or Purple one, because I am quite Sith like.
But I do not request this, because, it simply does not fit the story, the game.

Looking like Freddy Kruger?
I do not see many dress up like Fred, when the world just exploded.
But hey, sure, be my guest, really.
It’s I think fairly easy to do this.

Transport then?
Well that’s quite a different story all together, ainnit?

And, so, I come to you.
I explained how I see this in this otherwise brilliant game, why I think this, and I believe, but I could be wrong, the motivation and logic is… good.

Please do disagree.
But also, give me reason to make me think otherwise…
Stick with logic, stick with the story they told/tell, stick with the game.

Thank you all…

[Zesiir]

I’m going to quote the Code of Conduct on this one.

Petition posts are frowned upon. Please keep in mind that this is a discussion forum. If you have an issue with the game, please discuss it in a civil and informed fashion. There are other places on the Internet to form online petitions.

So keep it a discussion, and less of a poll with votes.

[Xogroroth]

Thank you.
My apologies, I thought I was obvious in what I tried to accomplish here, sir.
I truly did not, in any way, aimed for trouble…

Thank you for allowing us to continue, sir.
Thank you for that vote of trust!
I truly appreciate this.

[pegnose]

I’d like to see shorter posts, even if it is something really important to you. Long walls of text rather turn me away.

I read a few lines of this, mostly the list in the middle. And I understand this is about transportation options. I see benefits:

Bikes are rather silent and let you travel more quickly in the beginning when you do not already have leveled running speed and stamina (regeneration). Or if you decide not to pick those. Plus it still always give me a good laugh, if I crash ridiculously. The ragdoll is just so cute. A small fun component is an important factor for any game!

I see the same for skiing. Let’s have some fun!

And skiing is also a very silent and fast way of traveling, in one direction at least. Plus I’ll probably really enjoy the change of pace! Why not have some minor fun components?

A game can also be too hardcore, too realistic, too niche. At the end of the day, everyone benefits from a larger player base. Let us not be so narrow minded. If we look very close at the complete game, basically every component of it is unrealistic. That’s what video games are: an enjoyable metaphor on stuff you can’t do in real life. Enjoy!

[Xogroroth]

@pegnose
Thank you, sir.

I do admit, I take this game, story, a bit too serious.
I’ve been a fervent role player in the past: Earthdawn, DnD, ADnD, Warhammer non-40K/Non-Table Top so just pen, paper and die, Call of Ctulhu, …
And these were nigh always… “dead serious”.
Doing something stupid/silly would likely be the end of the character.
And, as this game is so DARN awesome in setting, story, approach… I entered it from that stand point: it is dead serious, failure = death.

This kind of game, as I saw it back then, was a marvel.
STILL is.
And from that point of view, well…
I am SO guilty of loving this game (far too much), but who could, in all honesty, blame me…
It is just THAT awesome…

I appreciate your input, sir.
Thank you for sharing this.

@pegnose
On a different but yet same topic: is there a GZ styled game out that that is “realistic”?

[Howie666]

The bike crash thing, definitely. I even experimented a bit with crashing (always funny, especially when the immovable object is tiny), not stopping the bike when I jump off, watching it freewheel down the road on its own.
I feel/felt that having a bicycle as transport was typical Sweden, just adding to the overall feel of the game
Oh, and all the cars are good for is exploding and loot stuff…

[Xogroroth]

@Howie666
Thank you, sir.
Much appreciated!

[Ennui]

Bikes are rather silent and let you travel more quickly in the beginning when you do not already have leveled running speed and stamina (regeneration).

This actually indirectly raises an interesting point: a lot of the skills seem to play a zero sum game with inventory space (would you like a skill that gives free revives so you need fewer adrenaline pens, or instead a skill that does more effective heals so you need fewer medpacks, or rather a skill for higher accuracy so you need fewer rounds etc.). By that model, it would only be fair if you don’t have the running skills, you could use the bike, but it would take some inventory slots.

A game can also be too hardcore, too realistic, too niche.

I must admit that I’ll be taking the shouts for “realism” with a large dose of salt until they ask for healing to take weeks or months, wounds limiting you, and a chance that an attack might take out an eye, resulting in the game only rendering part of the view for the rest of the play-through. Until then, with respect, it’s just talk.

@pegnose
On a different but yet same topic: is there a GZ styled game out that that is “realistic”?

I’m not @pegnose, not even a little, am I’m not quite sure what you mean by “GZ styled” (or, for that matter, by “realistic”), but on one hand I know that the Arma players take their game very seriously, and on the other, while not about robots, in my mind it’s always, “People who liked GZ might also like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. — Call of Pripyat / Call of Chernobyl” (or vice versa) in terms of “atmosphere.”

[pegnose]

Unfortunately, I am not aware of any such. Although Stalker, even if a little outdated, is indeed awesome. I played all three parts multiple times.

I’m not @pegnose, not even a little

There can only be one.