So I've just finished playing DayZ standalone with my first character. The game looks great and although it's in Alpha it shows a lot of promise. I've never played ARMA 2 or the DayZ mod so I come to this game as a total newcomer. However, i did find the learning curve pretty steep. Ok I understand that is part of the challenge and I'm up for that. However, having spent 3-4 hours running from town to town (going inland as some have suggested) looking for food, water and loot I eventually passed unconscious from starvation having found nothing in any real quantity. My first stop was an abandoned military base north of Kamenka (where I spawned). I found an unusually large number of biker helmets, a screwdriver and lots of rotten fruit. This base seemed to contain a medical facility but I didn't find any medicine nor drinks canisters etc. Not that it would have done me any good as i still couldn't find a backpack to carry anything in. Finally I got some luck when I found two dead bodies, perhaps they died from starvation? I searched them and found a crowbar on one. At last i was armed! Having searched the base thoroughly, I left heading north, search houses on the road I still found nothing. Heading east and then north I arrived at a small town in which I found two water pumps. I drank from each of them but it didn't seem to have an effect on my thirst. I found some more rotten fruit and giving up all hope of finding healthy food, I decided to eat it. however, it seemed I couldn't as it remained on the table in front of me even when I had chosen the action "eat fruit". Having been unable to eat and drink my vision began to blur and a few minutes later still searching for anything edible I passed unconscious. Ok, I realise what some of you may say, I could have hunted out a bigger town and perhaps had more luck. However, I think I did enough to at least grantee my survival. Also, it seems i'm not the only one who is struggling to find basic provisions. Perhaps either the levels of hunger and thirst or the availability of food and water needs to be balanced better? What I also found strange was I saw no-one. No Zombies or people (other than the two dead guys). When you log onto a server are you only likely to meet those on that server (max 40)? If so I think this needs to be increased (I would suggest a max of 200). This is NOT a rant. I am very happy with my first play through of DayZ as i was fully aware when I bought it that this is a game in early Alpha. I just thought the developers might benefit from my experience.
