[_Wouter]

Hi readers,

Here's a thought I just had which seems worth some consideration;

So radiation currently is spread in pockets all over the place.
Now we don't know whether this radiation was caused by nuclear weaponry or some kind of nuclear plant accident, but what we do know is that Rust island is now an empty wasteland with pockets of radiation spread around.
I think we might all agree that the current implementation of radiation is widely unrealistic and, if the nuclear apocalypse theme is here to stay, it could use an update.

So here's my suggestion; make radiation be everywhere.
Remove the rad zones but making equal radiation spread everywhere with gradual differences in radiation levels only by general areas.
In the event of a nuclear explosion, we generally distinguish initial radiation and residual radiation.
Now initial radiation is of course the radiation received directly from the blast and residual radiation is the stuff that get's left behind.
It's everywhere: in the air, in the water and on the ground. This radiation gets more dangerous the longer you stay in it because you take in more of it over time, which gets me to my point.
Radiation should slowly build up over time and symptoms should accumulate exponentially.
The only way to prevent gaining too high levels of radiation is to consume fluids and find shelter.
This would encourage shorter supply trips with rest in between, as is protocol in the event of a real nuclear explosion (and this comes directly from the special forces textbook. No, I'm not Rambo).
Not only would the game be more realistic, but it would also encourage teamwork, communication and some logistics and time management.

In the event of a real nuclear explosion, you wouldn't die from a quick 30 minute trips for water.
What kills people is the fact that they stay outside for too long, causing them to take in too much radiation.
Clothing, even when it's just wool or cotton, would actually be a huge difference. Slow traveling radiation will get stuck in the clothing, which means it doesn't get stuck in you, which means it's not killing you. Which is good.
Part 2 of my idea: clothing will reduce the radiation intake, enabling you to stay out longer.

Water (and foods) would also be contaminated, but water from underground wells/pipes, snow (from deep below the surface) and fast-flowing rivers would be relatively safe to drink.
My idea is to make it so that players can get water from these sources and be able to reduce their radiation levels with it.
This is of course not very realistic either, but it would ensure the game remains playable, while it's alot more realistic.
I would say wells could be found in caves, pipes in town areas and rivers and streams could be found near mountains.

When it comes to shelter, just 20 centimeters (0.7 ft) of metal above your head would reduce the radiation penetration levels by over 50% (real life data).
Being inside a house or a cave (<-- we definitely need caves, even more if this idea would be implemented because it would be natural shelter) would be relatively safe and keep out most, if not all, of the radiation.
My idea is to toss this radiation penetration thing aside and make it so that being inside shelter reduces your radiation level.
That way, you can still go on supply trips and raids, but you'd have to find shelter after a while.
This way nature becomes a factor you'll have to take into account while going out, but not quiet so much that you'd actually be killed by it on a regular basis (which I feel like would just inspire rage and anger).
I will leave it up to the community to suggest how long someone should be able to stay outside.

I'm hoping to hear your opinion on this, and any suggestions are of course welcome.

Kind regards.


TL:DR
- Radiation is everywhere, but it's direct effects are weaker
- Shelter and water are the only way to decrease rad levels
- Get water from wells and rivers
- Get shelter from houses or caves. Metal houses are more effective than wooden ones
- As currently,you won't even notice the effects of radiation at first
- The longer you stay outside, the worse the effects get
- Clothing reduces your radiation intake, enabling you to stay out longer
- No more rad zones. General radiation levels may vary somewhat but it's not like it would be from 0 to 200 rads per second, just by entering a town.

[Dmaster]

So you want to add benefits to eating/drinking besides preventing starvation and thirst..?

The effects of this are kind of redundant because you're pretty much saying "Eating and drinking is good, clothes are nice, and it's safer to live in a house" which are common sense. Hunger, thirst (which is most likely being added) warmth, and protection that clothing offers against other players are plenty enough factors to consider when going outsides.

Radiation is fine and serves its purpose as a detterent from keeping players from practically living in good loot spawns.

[maziar1990]

yea.. but that means changing the whole game again and add waters, rivers idk if they have time for that because they are soo close to the steam release, I don't know I heard from someone that they are adding rives and waters but iam not sure if that was true.

plus we don't need the game to be soooo realistic ... like think about it you can never smelt metal then just make a m4 with holo sight out of it in your lil house, so there is no point of making the game realistic.