The comments asking for anew DayZofficialmap have become more and more frequent in recent years,mostly among console players who do not have the opportunity to enjoy what community maps have offered since their emergence thanks to modding.While I would also love to have something different from Livonia or Chernarus with the same- official development - quality standard, what most of people don't seem to notice is that the problem (if there really is one) is not about the map itself, but about an outdated concept that fails to take full advantage of the impact the map could have on gameplay.They bothneedto evolve towards a new paradigm, to thetrue potential that the game has shown (through some community maps) it can offer in this regard. Both Chernarus and Livonia have lagged a bit behind the expectations players now haveas a result of their experiences on community maps (especially after playing Namalsk). The, to conceive the idea of a new official map without first understanding what is currently missing (or not fully capitalized)would be a waste of time and resources.
l. Introduction | General concepts
Just to lay the groundwork and provide some general information for anyone reading this post (new players, regulars or even outsiders), lets start by saying that DayZ Standalone currently has two official maps that both PC and Console players can enjoy: the mythical and historical Chernarus (225 km2) and the more recent Livonia (163 km2), which is a paid DLC. While Chernarus is an extremely well made in many ways and definetly the most popular one, Livonia still has some critical points regarding its general distribution and main points of interest.But a map its not only a beautiful and innocuous landscape where the player is deposited to "create his own experience".Along with each official terrain, there are other elements that determine to a large extent the gaming experience the player will have over there. Every map, through its points of interest, pve threats, distances and others, conditions the game experience and creates, promotes or discourages certain proposed endgames that are already part of the game.This is determined by the topographical featuresof the map (terrain) + itsmission(name given to the folder where all these configurations of the map are located) +the narrative (the history of the map and its relationship with our character).All thisprevents amap from being just a piece of land and became a living enviroment.
In recent times, it is common to read comments asking for the creation of a new official map for DayZ. Many players have become bored with Chernarus and others have not yet managed to fall in love with Livonia. But even though I believe no one would object to the development of a new map,the proposal would be to analyze the reasons why Chernarus has lost some of its charm and how some community maps (especially Namalsk, community made map) have probably shown a way to move forward.
Sidenote: While Consoleplayers can only play these two official maps (Chernarus/Livonia), PC players can try tons of new community made maps thanks to modding support (or even variations of the vanilla maps).
ll. The Namalsk paradigm
What is Namalsk? Once again, trying to make this post 100% compressible for everyone, we will say that Namalsk is a DayZ community made map created by Adam (AKA Surmak, current leader of DayZ official development and “former” map designer for the game). Being over 2 years old still remains as probably the most popular community map ever made and its a constant demand from console players to be able to test it one day (dismissed by the dev team for now).
Why do I refer to Namalsk as a paradigm in terms of DayZ maps?I consider that Namalsk has shown us a how the map can be merged in a functional and determinantin a way that we had not seen with either with Chernarus or Livonia. In this sense, the map is not just a sandbox with more or less pre-defined points of interest and endgames, where there is progression is determined mainly by the transition between tiers (bad gear to better gear). There is something deeper going on in Namalsk.In this frozen piece of land, there is a narrative that can drive the gameplay while the absolute free gameplay remains intact. A reason for being there and a background story (lore) that is not only possible to know within the map itself (without having to resort to external sources) but that has the power to condition and direct a large part of the gameplay. The map then has a story, which may or may not be followed, but which explains and re-signifies to a large extent everything around us.Its history then takes on a different relevance than the simple presence of references to it with elements on the mapor for the mere excitement of rolelpay-loving players.
In addition to the above, Namalsk innovates in game features making the map an unique experience in many ways. The absolute darkness, the cold as a permanent pve threat, a more dynamic and less conservative gameplay style as a consequence of its size, the clothing as a real element of survival, the presence of structures that can only be found there, a global dynamic event that that challenges all players equally and invites them to join the narrative. There is more in Namalsk than just an icy terrain.This new “standard” o paradigm proposed by Namalsk with its narrative has reformulated the expectations that every player has regarding the maps in DayZ and its influence was evident in the successive community maps that were absorbing part of this new paradigm. Banov, Deer Isle, Istek… among others, are clear examples of this.
We can therefore say that there are four things that are part of this new standard of maps that can maximize its potential: A) Its uniqueness B) Lore and narrative C) Endgame/goal D) Defined and meaningfull POI´s (points of interest). Lets now see if any of these 4 elements are fully present in Chernarus or Livonia.
Am I asking for Namalsk features in Chernarus? Absolutely not. Namalsk is unique and Chernarus should be too. What I am referring to is the way in which Namalskand its narrative enhance the gameplay by offering endgames other than mere loot progression.Namalsk is not just about throwing us onto a frozen island and telling us to "survive". That's the basic expectation of DayZ on any map no matter how good or bad it is. In this case, the map offers a raison d'etre and a progressive objective that lets us know its full potential. Then if someone doesn't want to follow it the map is still perfectly functional and entertaining.
lll. Chernarus and Livonia comparison:
A) Uniqueness:
As I described above, the fact that a map has unique features enhances it as a product (like in any other market) and endows it with interest and depth. While Namalsk meets this condition (Underground location, total darkness, more clothing, cold as a permanente PVE threat, frostbite, frozen food, medium size map, new assets, dynamic global event…), in my opinión Chernarus and Livonia are still far from it.Of course this is not the fairest comparison of all considering that we are comparing a community made map (Namalsk) that can segment its audience in an almost arbitrarily way, with maps that aim to fulfill the vanilla experience where the full spectrum of the game can take place for the greatest number of players.However, I would question this last argument because with the addition of the Livonia underground bunker, a new feature and appeal of the game has produce autonomy and uniqueness to Livonia in this regard, and thats why the Devs have not yet been very enthusiastic about bringing it to Chernarus.
Because apart from that (underground bunker), the playstyle on Livonia or Chernarus its in essence very similar, not to say the same. Both do not escape from the usual rhythm of the tier progression concept. There is no other pve threat that the usual ones. The number of interactions is not significantly higher or lower. Progress times (after the map is known by the player) are extremely similar. Both maps propose the same style but with a different “flavor” (the landscape) without any unique feature. Nostalgia and fanaticism aside, there is nothing in Chernarus or Livonia that makes them absolutely unique as a gameplay proposal (I hope you guys understand what I mean, clearly Chernarus is unique in many ways. I am referring strictly to the playstyle proposal).
B) Lore and narrative:
It would be completely unfair if I did not say that the current DayZ Dev team is probably the one that did the most in the history of the game in relation to its lore. That its something that should be pointed out and appreciated. No one who has followed the development since the days of Dean Hall can say otherwise.But historically, the game has always neglected this element (lore/narrative), relativizing its importance for the actual gameplay. Apart from the assets around the map that are not always quite representative the know DayZ lore (I am one of those who believe that Chernarus looks too "sterile" for a global apocalypse and that when one tries to know where we are in the apocalypse, we can think that we are the next day as years and years after the outbreak), neither Chernarus nor Livonia have a narrative of their own or ways to delve into its history directly within the barriers of the map itself.Once again, numerous changes have been made in this regard in 2022 with static toxic zones, air strikes, military convoys, this sort of multiple "spin-offs" from the main story... but both maps still suffer from an absolute lack of context and representativeness in my opinion.
Namalsk has shown us that a Lore for the map is not only “flavor” but that it can play a key role in providing in-game objectives, gathering players, re-signifying points of interest, giving atmosphere and depth to a map. Both Chernarus and Livonia, at least for the moment, have failed to capitalize the on-going narrative as an actual part of the gameplay experience.
I am asking for the creation of an expanded and elaborated lore in DayZ? Of course not. We don't need it. The Lore to a large extent is already built and I know that the mystery is in turn a large part of it. What I am saying is that, in the case of adding elements, areasor features to the map, these should have a closer link to the map's narrative to enrich them. Otherwise, their attraction will continue to be almost exclusively in the loot that we can find in them. And where possible, these elements should be part of a larger objective and with possible impact on other players as well. That is the concept that Namalsk brought as a novelty.
C) An Endgame / Goal:
Yes, I'm aware that DayZ, as a sandbox survival game, doesn't need any “endgame” and that you should create your own story under the premise of spawn, survive, die and repeat. I fully agree with this. But let's clarify two things: 1) When we speak of an endgame in the terms proposed in this new paradigm, we are not talking about a linear final objective, but a circular or loop type one, complementary to free will. And 2) It is impossible to deny that any map, with its terrain, mission files, features, points of interest, distribution, pve threats, size and narrative, at some point conditions the player towards a particular style, even with a vanilla configuration. In this sense, the gameplay style that I particulary feel as a vanilla hardcore kind of player while plaing on official Chernarus/Livonia servers is definitely not the best I have experienced in all these years. The endgame seems to have become an extremely flat one that consists of an absolutely conservative style (with almost no interaction), where the priority is to gather the necessary toos to build a base, reinforce it, accumulate supplies and go out to search/raid other bases to go back to accumulate the loot obtained.
But leaving aside the impact of basebuilding on the game (where at some point we will have to vindicate people like Smoke, Mandibull, Sanguine, Spaggie, Rene and others guys who saw before many the negative impact that this – basebuilding focused gameplay - would have on the original concept of the game), I believe this happens because neither Chernarus nor Livonia have a parallel global objective that the player who wants a more dynamic experience can enjoy.One may think that Chernarus tried this approach with the presence of static toxic zones, giving a solid goal of getting the full NBC to acces those, or Livonia did it recently with the underground bunker. But in neither case is the objective linked to the narrative, making them merely a "demonstration" of a new cool feature whose interest is usually exhausted when first experienced. I appeal to everyone's honesty (mainly veterans) to tell me how many times they've done the goal of collecting the full NBC suit or accessing the Livonia Bunker? Is the experience so enriching and rewarding to do it over and over again or to do it with a new partner?In my case the answer is no. And the reason for this is that none of the four conditions we are describing can stand on its own. They need to be connected.
Does dayz need an endgame? It already has one, whether you want it or not. Everygame has an endgame understood as objectives within the freedom of decision, even if we are talking about MMO´s.These can be determined by strong points of interest, by the mere transition between tiers or by the experimentation of a new feature (underground bunker in Livonia for example). Iimagine if at some point an helicopter is added to the map. Getting the parts and accessing it will became an endgame of its own, and this does not means that its crushing the idea of "create your own story".What this objective/goal/endgame never has to be is a conditioner of the absolutely free gameplay (becoming aboslutely linear as in a singleplayer game). But the presence ofmission/sin line with its narrative has proven to be an excellent way to enhance the game experience in relation to the map, and I believe today that Chernarus has almost none that if its not strictly linked to the loot and tier progression.
D) Defined and meaningfull POI´s (Points of interest):
Im probably a Namalsk fanboy by now but I must say that point of interest or location there has a reason for being that is linked to the narrative, its lore and the tier progression. On the contrary, in both Livonia and Chernarus the only element that determines a point of interest is usually the loot that we will find there and the transition between tiers. In the absence of any real lore or narrative, the POIs are only relevant in terms of gear or encounters probability.And this is not necessarily a bad thing, because the game has followed this concept for many, many years successfully. We all learned to move around Chernarus from north to south, or east to northwest, following points of interest largely determined by the gearwe would get or the likelihood of players encounters/interactions.However, and here I will concentrate particularly on Chernarus, the former concurrence and relevance that certain points of interest had on the map have suffered modifications that have diminished their relevance for the player (Even with the loot reason/motivation is still present in them). The case of NWAF I think is one that any veteran DayZ player can notice and I was happy to learn that the Devs will focus this year on modifying it.In any other map, the loss of value (for different reasons) of a point of historical interest would not condition the gameplay too much because it could be moved to another one or simply atomize the movement around the map. But on maps of this size and with 60 players,the lack of references or solid points of interest brings with it a lack of encounters and interactions, elements that are the raw material of DayZ in terms of its gameplay.
But going back to the original promise of this post, I don't think the NWAF has declined as a hotspot or organic POI of Chernarus just because it has modified its internal distribution and pvp is now less frequent or attractive. The NWAF and Tisy are paradigmatic cases to show how the lack of an ulterior narrative or objective - different than just a loot quest - is necessary to provide continued life and raison d'etre to a POIs.Clearly many of the changes sought a noble higher interest, such as the balanced distribution across the map and the idea of a less "linear" gameplay. But without that organic linearity that the old Chernarus had and in the absence of reasons to visit the POIs, the map gets smaller and the fundamental element of DayZ (the interaction with good or bad intentions) becomes infrequent, ergo, the game loses quality.
In few words: It is quite possible that the Devs will re-invent some points of interest in Chernarus. The NWAF case has been perhaps the most publicly announced and the presence of people like DOJ (who has already modified parts of the map in previous patches) adds to the general hope. My reasoning is that, taking advantage of that, it is not only an aesthetic change and / or in order to encourage their visit exclusively from the loot, but consider incorporating elements of the narrative of the map and, if possible, part of a general objective to create (perhaps linked to air strikes, static toxic zones, etc.).
lV. Conclusion (TLDR):
The requests for a new official map do not delve into the reasons why Chernarus has lost much of its charm. The old linearity and organic popularity generated in the classic points of interest, today has been lost as a consequence of some modifications on it and the map works more as a mere "sandbox" than as an element with real incidence in the gameplay.Namalsk has shown a way forward in terms of what a map can and should represent for the DayZ gaming experience. This implies that it is not just limited to a terrain and a base configuration, the map should also provide withuniqueness and a narrativet hat explains, gives meaning to and re-signifies the points of interest and ambience.Subsidiarily, this narrative must provide a circular and voluntary endgame (not linear or associated exclusively with loot) that allows gamplay to be directed in conjunction with the natural progression between tiers.
Chernarus and Livonia currently lack this (or at least they have not taken advantage of it), and the alternatives that have been proposed in order to approach these features (underground bunker,static toxic zone, etc.) were not very functional because they were made in the absence of a narrative and without a raison d'être independent of the mere progression of loot.The location of the static toxic zones makes them a transitional and unattractive target, with no real relevance or incentives for their realization. For its part, the underground bunker of Livonia has no narrative or circularity for the gameplay, so that once the curiosity to visit it is satisfied, this objective is exhausted.
Both Chernarus and Livonia must evolve according to the standard projected by Namalsk and under the features we tried to describe above. The idea of a lore with real impact on the gameplay and predominant reflection in the map's environment must be rethought. An organic mission should be developed, possibly linked to air strikes, toxic zones and possibly with a resignification of the NWAF or, failing that, Tisy.There are many details to explore and I do have many proposals in this direction,but in this first post I just wanted to see ifI'm the only one who feels the same way about Chernarus and Livonia.
Thanks for reading.
Edited by Asmondian