JeffDetroit

I guess it was good timing for me to take a short (week) vacation to allow for a few of the change-overs (ver. 1.7.7) to take place. When I get back home I'm going to leap right into your new server. Halo Jump Spawns? TERRIFIC! Thanks for keeping things fresh.

Episode 26, "Taken for a Ride" http://db.tt/1IGQeUOB

$2000 for a "gaming" computer? Spend $800 for the computer build and use the other $1,200 on hookers.

Worse comes to worse, you could always jump back into playing the mods. Wouldn't the mods still continue even after StandAlone appears?

Finding you way around the Chernarus without an in-game map is pretty straightforward IF you know what the map of Chernarus looks like. While some might feel it is cheating to look at maps from other websites/databases, I figure that if you play DayZ enough, you'll eventually find an in-game map, and be able to absorb the landmarks/cities anyhow, so what's the harm in just having one to review from elsewhere? I actually downloaded one from online to my cellphone (as an App) and consult it from time to time. Okay, so looking at your Chernarus map (from wherever) you'll see that typically you will spawn in along the Southern coast, sometimes, or along the Eastern coast (rarer). That means that, keeping the ocean to your right (or at least in view from the hill past the road) will (if coming from the West) lead you right to the fun cities of Balota, Cherno and Elektro. Hot spots of player v. player interation. If you find yourself in the middle of nowhere up along the East coast, then (duh) keep the ocean to your LEFT and make your way to Elektro, Cherno and Balota. As for navigating without a compass and map, someone correctly mentioned that studying the movement of the clouds will show you East. You can use this to lead you to in-land places from "known coastal cities" but you'll have to be pretty diligent about keeping your movement as straight as possible (so as not to meander off that Northward line from your coastal city starting point). Doing this, the NW Airlfield (a hot spot for PvP and Military Loot) is a straight North run from Balota. Stary Sobor is straight north (kinda) from Cherno. Also, there are Town signs and road signs (in Russian) which will serve you well. You just remember what those Cyrillic letters look like, and check out your handy map (which has English/Russian town names on it) and there you are! Now, if you find a compass, you can at least avoid having to check the cloud movement every 15 minutes. If you find a MAP, well, then you can set Waypoints and it is a NO-Brainer... So... enjoy.

Episode 25, "Nooby McNoob goes on a Loot Run" http://db.tt/X2gD3vwo

Episode 24, "Brains over Brawn" http://db.tt/IzQ4vOOf

Leviski: I have a good one cooked up for the helicopter attack on Nooby and Daisy. Had a long-ass day at work so I'll have to work on it at home. Damned work! Maca: Yeah, I thought the flashlight would be a fun tough. Now Daisy is related to Dev. Matt.... (Lightfoot!)

Wait for the Standalone, because in the year 2075 the game will install directly into your brain.

Episode 23, Nooby goes on a boat ride: http://db.tt/bpk08vC6

"Daisy" really is the perfect name. I had to weigh "killing her off" against "tripoding" her, and really, in that situation you'd do what you could to keep her alive. I like the darkness that shows in amongst the humor of Nooby feeling his way through his DayZ world.

Everytime the word "standalone" is typed in the forum, a hobbit is strangled by Sauron. Let's call it a McGuffin instead. No, but really, don't get all anxious about the "McGuffin" - you're playing DayZ mods which are basically 98% of what the McGuffin is going to be anyways, it isn't like when it is finally available to play, that sparkle pony flying horses are going to suddenly machine gun out of Captain Kirk's ass! It will merely be a nicer (we hope) version of what is already a fantastic product. Remember the Furby? (fuzzy, mechanical, animatronic toy that took the world's attention) Everyone just HAD to have a Furby as soon as possible? Now, nobody even cares about a Furby. Anyhow, just enjoy the current DayZ, and let the McGuffin appear on its own time.

Yeah. I know. Could be perceived as a bit harsh, but Daisy is a trooper!

Hey, I spent plenty of time outside this weekend, but I also made sure to try out your new Taviana map. Wow! that was lots of fun! I spawned right next to an old castle (it is huge!) and geared up nicely, then wandered around a bit. Really nice map. Yeah, got eaten, but I was careless! I love having Planet F8L's Chernarus for my main meal; and F8L's Taviana as dessert! Met a new (like in, "first day of playing DayZ") player over the Planet F8L teamspeak, Alex, and he said everyone he "met" was very considerate on the F8L server. ...so I shot him. No, but really, I told him that is everyday at this server. I also told him a few basics, like how crowbars do the maximum damage (so he gave me his CZ in trade). I kid...

Episode 22, "Sorry ole friend": http://db.tt/ubug2eir (I assure you, no animals were injured in the making of this comic)

So what I think you're saying is, the fact that I switched to a better mousepad is going to do nothing for improving my DayZ FPS?

Wait, DayZ is permadeath?! I didn't know that! I'm on my day 204, I'd better be more careful!

So the question: "How can I get more people on my server, especially late at night/early morning?" Indeed, having "two shifts" of player demographics seems to be the only realistic solution because regardless of how appealing you can make a server, the actual player has real-life work/school/body-exhaustion requirements. But what has been suggested is to somehow develop two distinct time-zones of server members to fill-up the empty server slots 'round-the-clock. The problem with that is "ping" as players want minimal ping and typically ping is server-location based. Though perhaps there are now multi-server location solutions available to minimize ping. Then, you should consider that players like to mingle with other players/admins who know/use the same language. So if English is yours, then your 2nd shift of "late night/early a.m. players" won't be Germans or East Europeans (as much). But U.K. players are a healthy share of the gamers, so perhaps starting to market your server on some U.K. forums could help. Probably getting some of your non-U.S. members to act as your sales-pitch ambassadors can help pave the way too! Someone mentioned "lack of consistancy" issues where servers disappear leaving players to have to seek out "new homes" By constant updates, and "checking in with your players to see if they need anything" (kind of like the customer service a waitress does when you're in a restaurant (the Planet F8L admins always say hello and let me know that they're there if I need any help) is crucial to building up that element of trust and longevity of the server. Then there is the element of uniqueness and freshness of the server map: running events, keeping the bits and pieces updated, basic server housekeeping which shows players that you care. Over time, with these varibles in place, the server should fill up nicely.

The great weekend weather has Moms, Spouses, Girlfriends forcing all of the pale skinned DayZ-morlocks into the fresh air. As they squint up at the Sun, they're asking the Admins of their minds: "What is the Day/Night cycle on this map?" No doubt, once they find their coyote backpack only contains a crushed cherry Pop-Tart and warm apple-juicebox, they'll soon be skittering like transluscent shelled crabs back to their subterranean computer lairs to re-join their favorite servers as their all-powerful avatar.

Mine looks like a strobe-lit 1970's disco party at 5-11 FPS. But I'm used to it.

Inspiration for today's comic brought to you by Astro: http://db.tt/IJAb2pTd

Episode 21, Nooby McNoob is Starving! http://db.tt/lMIvJwNv

Are you talking about the server names? There are a dozen (if not more) DayZ maps created by Rocket, and other DayZ developers which you can play on. You'd need to install the particular map in order to be able to play on its corresponding map-server. Also, by using the filtered search in DayZ Commander, you can just choose among the maps you want/installed.

Planet F8L tells you right up-front what their variables are. There are thousands of different servers running all sorts of mods and flavors of DayZ, just run the filter in your DayZ Commander to find the type you like. Also, even if a server has more options than you'd like, there's no Rule that makes you use 3rd Person if you want only 1st person, or if you don't want to fly a heli that you feel you've found too easily, then... don't! Just try to keep in mind that these servers are run by people who work hard to keep them operating smoothly. Many of them put in long hours to keep players happy. I'm sure there's no millionaires made from running a DayZ server, so be considerate. They try hard to market their servers, and a misplaced "critique" hurts some of that hard work.

I'm going to quietly acquire all of the ignored fishing boats and tie them all together to make a "Waterworld"-esque floating city.