Currently this is how it works:

• You find a safe place (a fallacy, there are no safe places in dayz)
• You assess the surroundings and determine you would most likely stay alive for the next 30secs
• you press escape and choose exit
• you are now looking at the main menu.
• your character is still in game sitting down for the next 30secs.

Sure it might stop combat logging, but essentially it's a mechanic designed to provide free loot and kills for griefers. Dean Hall vaguely suggested that it was designed to prevent server hopping and ghosting. But I can't see how it does.

The way it should happen

Prevent Server Hopping & Prevent Ghosting

• Switching server(or server group) within X hours of joining current server(or server group) results in you being moved to a random location that is neither near other players or high value loot locations.

The benefits of this are:

• Loot Hoppers will be facing a far amount of time running to new high value loot locations each time they change
• Ghosters will find that they are now facing a long trek to attempt their "flanking" manuvure.

The downsides are :

• Players performing a legitimate server change will find themselves in new locations.
  • However if these server changes are happening after an hour or so then we should probably leave them in the same location.

Prevent Combat Logging

• You find a safe place (a fallacy, there are no safe places in dayz)
  • ensure you are not in a status of combat.
  • You assess the surroundings and determine you would most likely stay alive for the next 30secs
• You press escape and choose exit
• Your character is sitting down for the next 30secs watching a timer.
  • At this point you are only able to stand back up or move your head.
  • Head movement will not cancel the logout timer process.
  • Standing or clicking the cancel button will cancel the logout process.
• Someone finds you before the timer ends? move and defend yourself. simple. logout prevented.
  • You will then be in combat for the next 60secs.

People claim my idea allows for abuse, but I can't see how.

The common counter argument is:

• Sit in a building, with only a door way view to your sitting location
• Initiate the logout timer
• Wait for someone to come:
  • If no one arrives:
    • let logout timer get to 29secs, cancel the timer.
  • If someone comes, (now here is their crazy logic):
    • Stand-up and defend yourself. (wow, aborted, much combat log, wut?)

There is a group of people that hate the idea that someone logging out can cancel the logout and defend themselves.

The only reason I can think of that someone wouldn't like that is because it means can't catch people in the process of logging out undefended.