KOS – Helping or destroying the game?

[Noobinated]

Before you go, “Oh no, not another guy whining about KOS-ers because he just got killed and lost all his gear.” Please know that I’ve survived for a long time now, and am guilty of KOS-ing myself. I’ve learnt very early from the start not to get attached to my gear/items as I’m probably gonna lose all of it easily to another player with a gun and falling (Falling is my worst enemy lately. But I’ve learnt how to pretty much avoid accidents.) I had very few friendly encounters with other players, and usually when there was friendly encounters there was a pretty big disparity in equipment. (E.g. I’m way better equipped with an M4 while they barely have a melee weapon.) However, I’m sure if they had proper weapons the encounters might have ended differently.

While I don’t personally advocate the KOS mentality, I understand that it is what made the game what it is today. It sets the atmosphere, the creeping paranoia that sets itself into your mind after your first couple of deaths. The way your heart starts pumping and the tension in the air when you hear movement or shots. I won’t lie, it is exhilarating when you come up top in a firefight or kill a gun-toting bandit with a crappy melee weapon. And I believe it has become part of this game, which I have accepted, that will stay.

However, too many of such encounters has left me hardened. I no longer seek social interaction and am content with just looting and keeping myself alive occasionally expending a bullet or two into a zombie’s brain. (Which still makes me smile.) But, that’s not the point of this game, it is an online game for a reason. There is a pretty awesome voice system for a reason. You are supposed to talk to people, not shoot the moment you see a head. If you wanted to shoot human players on sight, go play COD or whatever (Not ripping on COD, I used to play COD quite a lot). I watch videos online about people getting held up and forced to do stupid things, I rather that happen to me then get killed by some unknown guy with a sniper rifle.

Long story short, I believe that the KOS mentality is here to stay. Do you guys think that is keeping this game from its full potential? Is there a way to balance things out?

[Truen]

It destroys the game--the game is missing the real social aspects that a setting like this would encourage b/c of design flaw. A grouping mechanism, a medic role, walkie-talkie communication sets (though people could use teamspeak, and a violent external threat could all help contribute to a game that rewards groupwork more than Dayz does now.

Also, killing someone SHOULD carry a psychological affect that somehow inhibits the player for a time being. In the real world, only the sickest sociopaths could slay another person without feeling remourse, Dayz doesn't take this into account.

[Wafflebutt]

It makes the game what it is.

I actually made a topic about this a while ago and most people think the same:

http://steamcommunity.com/app/221100/discussions/0/558746089517674064/

[The Serious Strategy Gamer]

There is too much of it. Killing for loot, or because the other guy is looking at your stuff in a funny way is perfectly fine. Killing a player that does not pose any threat and obviously has nothing worthwhile taking -> annoying for the flow of the game.

[EstebanEH]

for me it destroy the game.

i'm a fan of zombie apocalypse fiction, and i bought this game because i wanted to be immersed in a zombie apocalypse.

but the griefers have a great excuse...this is not a zombie apocalypse mmo. it is a "survival horror mmo with ermergent gameplay" which means deathmatch when most of the "characters" in your mmo are anti-social gamer nerds that find it too hard and risky to interact with other players when there is no incentive to do this.

the easiest and most efficient way for anyone to be successful at this game is to KoS. without BALANCE, KoS is the minmaxing of dayz

[NoX]

i pretty much agree to everything you say and faced myself to the same situation you describe, except that i didnt change my playstyle...

as there is nothing to do right now once youre full equipd and the survival aspect of the game is barely satisfying ppl tend to go KOS....maybe this will change as the developement of the game steps further

my gameplay varies from looking for shootouts fully geard..chasing ppl...or just running into electro bambi style and spamming BS into voice chat...when i play in my group we actually seek the gunfight with other groups

[The Serious Strategy Gamer]

Postat inițial de Hageshii:

It makes the game what it is.

I actually made a topic about this a while ago and most people think the same:

http://steamcommunity.com/app/221100/discussions/0/558746089517674064/

If you take something valuable and if you would actually expose yourself to danger, by making a proper robbery (instead of a murder), then yeah there is justification in killing. But if you shoot the unarmed player for his torch and rotten apple...

[WhatIsHisName]

nothing stops you making friends out side dayz in the offical chat or on these forums, then playing with people in game and having your so called social gameplay and at the same time protecting yourself from the hazzards of day z world

people seem to think all sort new stuff is going to stop kOs, sorry but no, when they implement base building, people will be killed for the supplies, when they are building there bases am sure bases will be raid resulting in more kOs, when people start making cars, people will be killed for there materials, when you are driving around in that new car, you will be kOs.. when they add zombies you will be killed between locations, or from snipers for distance.. you see the trend here..

kOs is part of the soul of day z, rocket will add the stuff for people to do, people will choose what they want to do..

the problem is not kOs or bandits, the problem is LOOT, it always has and always will be, people hate to lose it, they hate spending hours collecting gear and items to be killed, they feel the time they put in is wasted.. this is survival game, if you are dying you are failing at surviving, dont blame kOs for you handicaping yourself because you will not defend yourself or the people you roam about with..

[user]

I only KOS once and just because to know how it feels to be a bad guy. Well, on the other hand, I am pretty sure that most people beggging for mercy would kill me if I was in their position just because they can. Not to steal anything, but just for fun (russian players are notorious with that, trust me).

What's more disappoingting is combat logging. If you miss - 9 times ofr 10 a player gonna just log out instantly. So KOS play a crucial role in this game and is very important. Personaly I see no fun in killing unarmed people, unless they are asking for it.

[Wafflebutt]

Postat inițial de 9K - Faidid:

It destroys the game--the game is missing social the real social aspects that a setting like this would encourage b/c of design flaw. A grouping mechanism, a medic role, walkie-talkie communication sets (though people could use teamspeak, and a violent external threat could all help contribute to a game that rewards groupwork more than Dayz does now.

Also, killing someone SHOULD carry a psychological affect that somehow inhibits the player for a time being. In the real world, only the sickest sociopaths could slay another person without feeling remourse, Dayz doesn't take this into account.

You can still play the game the way you want. There are lots of friendlies out there.
And DayZ is about survival. If you get KoSed then you have done something wrong.

Postat inițial de clerus:

There is too much of it. Killing for loot, or because the other guy is looking at your stuff in a funny way is perfectly fine. Killing a player that does not pose any threat and obviously has nothing worthwhile taking -> annoying for the flow of the game.

You do not always know if the person has nothing.
Most KoS happens at hotspots and everyone that wants to survive should stay away.
If you die, you learn. If you got to balota you should know that you might die any minute.
People are just running straight to the best loot, it should be obvious that some clash might happen.

Postat inițial de clerus:

If you take something valuable and if you would actually expose yourself to danger, by making a proper robbery (instead of a murder), then yeah there is justification in killing. But if you shoot the unarmed player for his torch and rotten apple...

This was also mentioned in my thread / topic, or maybe somewhere else.
It depends on your playstyle. The more time you take the higher the chance that you get killed. It´s a rule for scavenging and murder.
We don´t know what he has. We can only guess.

That being said tho does not mean that I´m killing unarmed players that have nothing.

-------

I really repeat myself but I have yet to die by the hands of another player. (sa ofc)

[NoX]

Postat inițial de Hageshii:

I really repeat myself but I have yet to die by the hands of another player. (sa ofc)

does that mean in 50 hours of dayz you never died by another player?=?

[Wafflebutt]

Postat inițial de NoX:

Postat inițial de Hageshii:

I really repeat myself but I have yet to die by the hands of another player. (sa ofc)

does that mean in 50 hours of dayz you never died by another player?=?

Yes.

I played the mod so I am experienced and know where to go.
If I kill I do so from a pretty safe spot thats not easy to attack.

[Lil ♥♥♥]

I say get on the ground they log off, so i shoot then ask questions. like whats your mosin scope like?

[Jack Westwood]

Postat inițial de 9K - Faidid:

It destroys the game--the game is missing the real social aspects that a setting like this would encourage b/c of design flaw. A grouping mechanism, a medic role, walkie-talkie communication sets (though people could use teamspeak, and a violent external threat could all help contribute to a game that rewards groupwork more than Dayz does now.

Also, killing someone SHOULD carry a psychological affect that somehow inhibits the player for a time being. In the real world, only the sickest sociopaths could slay another person without feeling remourse, Dayz doesn't take this into account.

Good lord....how much should they take into account? It is a game. Should they have clinics in the game where a player can go to counselling after a murder to relieve his feelings of guilt ? A game is to escape reality...to do things that you either wouldn't or couldn't do in real life. Stop whining...better yet,...stop running down the middle of the damn street and you wouldn't get shot so much. You say the developers don't take remorse into account..and this makes it unrealistic for you? How realistic is it to run down the center of the street unarmed during a zombie apocalypse when you know there are armed killers around? Answer is...it isn't and you wouldn't do that..you would be very careful as it would be terrifying ...but I guess Bohemia didn't take a person's terror into account either.

[Shrapnel]

Postat inițial de Clement:

Before you go, “Oh no, not another guy whining about KOS-ers because he just got killed and lost all his gear.” blah blah wall of text blah.

Postat inițial de 9K - Faidid:

Also, killing someone SHOULD carry a psychological affect that somehow inhibits the player for a time being. In the real world, only the sickest sociopaths could slay another person without feeling remourse, Dayz doesn't take this into account.

No it SHOULD not- its only a Game and up to the individual to feel the guilt of what he's done, not forced upon you by the Game. Cause its just a Game. See where Im going with this?

[Bangsi]

The KOS mentality is more or less about the loot you have or want, If you see someone who is unarmed he wont pose a threat to you at the moment, but he might sneak up on you later with a fireaxe, or maybe just run up to you and beat you up with his bare hands, they just spawned so they have nothing to lose. Plus if you want to take the risk to help a newspawn go ahead, but don't complain when he tries to take your beans.