Risk of suicide (this is almost certainly too dark for this game, and may even be offensive)

[jefferyharrell]

Many people here claim that suicide shouldn't be implemented because it's a negative mechanic that the player can't control. I agree that you shouldn't, for example, randomly get injured while cooking, but I don't think that suicide falls under this category. While random injuries when doing certain tasks are, well, random, suicide would work as the final effect of a moodle progressively getting worse and worse, much like hunger, thirst, bleeding or fever. You have complete control over this-Don't wanna commict suicide? Don't let your character get bored, sad and finally depressed.

And why would I like suicide to be implemented, what does it add to the game? I think that at the moment, events in the game don't have enough of an effect on the character's psyche. Since boredom and depression don't really do much, the character's encounters with the postapocalyptic world don't seem to have that much of a lasting impact.

 

This is exactly, word for word, what I think. You expressed it much better than I did.

 

And as for control, in a sense the player would have slightly more control over it than he would over the progression of a fever or starvation. If a character gets to that depth of depression, the player can keep him or her away from guns, knives, sleeping tablets, bleach, rope, whatever tools of self-harm might be implemented in the game. The player would have the opportunity to put his character on a very literal "suicide watch" until he can improve his character's emotional state. It would make playing the game very, very difficult, but isn't that kind of the point?

 

Anyway, let me emphasize again that I'm not married to my idea. It was just a suggestion. I'm grateful to Rass for expressing it so clearly and succinctly.

[Rathlord]

Many people here claim that suicide shouldn't be implemented because it's a negative mechanic that the player can't control. I agree that you shouldn't, for example, randomly get injured while cooking, but I don't think that suicide falls under this category. While random injuries when doing certain tasks are, well, random, suicide would work as the final effect of a moodle progressively getting worse and worse, much like hunger, thirst, bleeding or fever. You have complete control over this-Don't wanna commict suicide? Don't let your character get bored, sad and finally depressed.

And why would I like suicide to be implemented, what does it add to the game? I think that at the moment, events in the game don't have enough of an effect on the character's psyche. Since boredom and depression don't really do much, the character's encounters with the postapocalyptic world don't seem to have that much of a lasting impact.

 

Unfortunately this is an apples to oranges comparison, although I can see how you mixed it up.

 

In real life, you go a certain amount of time without water and your body shuts down and you die. You go a certain amount of time without food- your body shuts down, and you die. You go a certain amount of time without whatever tenuous concept "non depressing actions" is... your body doesn't shut down, you don't die. There's no mechanical suicide reaction from our body upon reaching a measurable cap. It's not a valid comparison.

 

I understand the idea, and why you want it, but you're going to find a lot of the playerbase (myself included) don't want to be autokilled by the game for something like that. Certain people never consider suicide, regardless of their circumstance. Other people might for silly things. Most of us lie somewhere in between. There's no box you can shove everyone in and then draw a line and say "yup, when they get to there, they just off themselves!" In my opinion it'd be a disservice to the game's realism.

 

I don't want to just come in and bash the idea, though- there are many ways we could make depression have severe penalties that makes the world dangerous for the player. There's already some in the game, such as increasing the time it takes to do things. Hypersomnia has already been mentioned, and that could be another potential killer due to how severely lack of sleep can effect your combat effectiveness. I think by far the biggest impact, though, will be how it changes your interaction with NPC's. When they're added, managing and communicating with them is going to be a MAJOR, important part of the gameplay and depression could seriously stunt your ability to do that well.

[hrot]

This:

 

Many people here claim that suicide shouldn't be implemented because it's a negative mechanic that the player can't control. I agree that you shouldn't, for example, randomly get injured while cooking, but I don't think that suicide falls under this category. While random injuries when doing certain tasks are, well, random, suicide would work as the final effect of a moodle progressively getting worse and worse, much like hunger, thirst, bleeding or fever. You have complete control over this-Don't wanna commict suicide? Don't let your character get bored, sad and finally depressed.

And why would I like suicide to be implemented, what does it add to the game? I think that at the moment, events in the game don't have enough of an effect on the character's psyche. Since boredom and depression don't really do much, the character's encounters with the postapocalyptic world don't seem to have that much of a lasting impact.

This. It's same thing like hunger etc. you must take care of that or you will take consequences. Also it's really hard to get Severely Depressed moodle. Maintaining level of boredom/ unhappiness is part of survival in zombie apocalypse.

 

But i also agree with Rathlord

In real life, you go a certain amount of time without water and your body shuts down and you die. You go a certain amount of time without food- your body shuts down, and you die. You go a certain amount of time without whatever tenuous concept "non depressing actions" is... your body doesn't shut down, you don't die. There's no mechanical suicide reaction from our body upon reaching a measurable cap. It's not a valid comparison.

 

So best thing would be just very big penalties when you are at highest lvl of depression so it would be very very hard to survive and probably character would die because of zombies or other danger not because he/she commited suicide.

Suicide should be thing that player can control.

[uberevan]

I would also like to point out how it is easier to get sick when depressed, and in that sense it could be hazardous to your health.

[hrot]

Well good point, depression has definitly negative effect on health.

[Jatta Pake]

I would also like to point out how it is easier to get sick when depressed, and in that sense it could be hazardous to your health.

 

My preference: Hit the Severely Depressed moodle and you acquire a "Prone to Illness" trait. Permanently.

 

I like the thrust behind this idea to make the Depression moodle a thing to dread. But no insta-death from Depression moodle.