If you haven’t seen the latest devlog post yet, go check it out!
With the addition of the latest vehicle revision, it’s time to give our beloved feedback and criticism. 
The latest addition to the game are *car keys*. In order to lock or unlock a car, you need a car key. That is all you need the key for, so here a few things to note:
- Cars must be manually unlocked before they can be entered.
- Cars can be exited while the car is locked.
- You can start the car’s engine without a key.
- You can drive the car without a key.
- You cannot lock the car without a key, even if you are inside the vehicle.
- You cannot unlock the car without a key, even if a windshield is broken.
- You cannot unlock the car without a key, even if you are inside the vehicle.
I have a few discussion points regarding how keys could work instead, and a few quality-of-life suggestions.
(Suggestion 1), Unlocking cars via broken windshields
Currently, the 7.62x51mm Firing Range Gun can easily break the Hatchback’s windshield. Personally, I think it’d make sense if you could unlock a car door if the windshield is broken, although it would make keys (in their current state) far less useful.
(Quality-of-Life 1), Unlocking cars from interior
I feel like this is more of a quality-of-life addition, rather than anything game-changing about how keys work. If you are inside a vehicle, I feel that you should be able to unlock them (with or without a key).
Perhaps the method of doing so differs per vehicle, but, generally, it should be possible.
(Quality-of-Life 2), Automatic unlocking upon attempted entry
If you have a key to the vehicle, and you are trying to enter the vehicle, you should be able to do so without having to manually unlock the car. This would allow players to more quickly enter vehicles without having to stop and fiddle around right next to the door, even if the time saved is incredibly brief.
If you have other players that are trying to enter the vehicle with you, you would still need to unlock the vehicle for them, however.
(Suggestion 2), Keys required for ignition
Right now, cars can be started without a key. This could be intentional, or it could be an oversight. Regardless, I think keys should be required to start the car. Without keys in your inventory, you cannot start the car’s engine.
(Discussion 1), Individual keys for individual vehicles?
Or, should players only need to obtain one key? Right now, it’s practically just a better Stealy Wheely Automobiley.
However, would it make sense for “fun gameplay” for each key to only work on a specific vehicle, or is that too “hardcore?”
I came up with a few propositions regarding how to implement this, so those will be detailed below. There are two suggestions that are not directly related to them, but can be assumed to be features to improve game quality.
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Keys (car keys, door keys, and lock keys) can be stored on key rings, which reduce the overall amount of space keys would take up in your inventory.
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Duplicate keys can be crafted (somehow).
Proposition 1: Keys spawn with the car
Keys only work on the car they spawned with.
[PRO] This is immersive, and players would be unable to just take random car keys and unlock someone else’s vehicle.
[CON] One is useless without the other. With individual keys tied to individual vehicles, you will never use that key if you somehow cannot manage to find that vehicle.
[PRO] It is incredibly easy to find the corresponding car to a vehicle.
[CON] Keys would only be found next to actual vehicles, which makes them irrelevant as any sort of progress-gating, and makes it really easy for people to steal and intentionally never use.
Additionally, it would likely make sense for quality-of-life for the key to automatically have a custom description that says the corresponding license plate.
Proposition 2: Keys per vehicle type
There are car keys for each “type” (Hatchback, Van, APC) of vehicle. These keys will work on any vehicle of that “type”, but only for that type of vehicle.
[PRO] This keeps the usefulness of keys tied to a vehicle, but it’s a wider range of applications that might eventually fit you, even if you can’t find that specific vehicle right now.
[CON] Once you collect every type of car keys that exists, you’re basically the king of unlocking anyone’s vehicle. Locking vehicles becomes irrelevant if people can obtain the same key as you.
Proposition 3: Syncing blank keys
Keys only work on one vehicle. However, all keys start off “blank,” and aren’t assigned to any particular vehicle. Upon starting a car’s engine, you can sync your blank key to that vehicle, and from then on that key will be required to use that vehicle.
[PRO] Naturally-spawning “blank keys” will never be “useless,” because you decide when they will start having a use.
[CON] You could accumulate a large number of keys from civilian-grade areas, and then use all of them on military-grade vehicles.
[PRO] Creating duplicate keys is as simple as just plugging a new key into the ignition. It’s difficult to lose keys to a vehicle.
[CON] Stealing cars is as simple as finding a blank key and plugging it into the ignition. If you can unlock car doors via broken windshields, then stealing civilian-grade vehicles is incredibly straightforward.
Additionally, people can still grief other players by just using every car key they find on random vehicles. This would make finding blank keys more annoying, and it can result in the car owner unknowingly using a vehicle that multiple other people can easily unlock and steal.
) also, the keychain should easily hook onto your pants, not requiring inventory space.
Why would anyone choose to hotwire a car if they’re able to turn the ignition switch with their bare hands? Or does someone want to go through a hotwiring animation every time they start any car? Most likely some people weren’t careful enough when selecting options or didn’t think about what those options meant.