sachad

I wonder more about all those deaths at the edges of the map. I guess players went on until they reached the Great Nothing, and the overwhelming sense of despair made them turn the gun on themselves...

Just explore. Getting lost is part of the experience, in my book. At first you'll feel like you're going in circles, but after a while, you'll recognize landmarks, you'll learn where towns are in relation to each other and you'll figure out the shortcuts to lessen your travel time. Use the road signs, they're quite helpful even if they're in Cyrillic. But don't just follow the roads... you're quite exposed if you do ;) There are still vast swathes of Chernarus where I get lost, but there's a few areas I know like the back of my hand by now. The Berezino-Svetlojarsk-Novodmitrovsk triangle holds little secrets to me now. But don't ask me to find my way from Chernogorsk to Zelenogorsk.

Because there's not much else to do right now. But as development progresses, these guys will be the first to suffer the full wrath of Mother Chernarus.

I would chastise you for not picking a laptop with a built-in microphone :P

True, but these are all still placeholder features. And a sewing kit doesn't make clothes new, worn is the maximum you'll get.

Leave him standing there and go watch a movie or something. If he doesn't get killed, he'll eventually die of starvation or dehydration.

Use walkies and whisper. And if you can't remember what your friends look like or where you last saw them, you deserve to get shot and killed, really. This isn't a game that holds your hand. It throws you into the lion pit with a sharpened stick.

Sounds kind of vague... any chance we could get some screen shots?

I've got a combat knife tucked in my boot. Bayonets are easy to find if you know where to look. Haven't seen a hunting knife yet.

Well, I'm no KoSer, but I will likely shoot you out of sheer annoyance if you don't have a mic. It's just... poor manners.

Defibrillators aren't Phoenix Down potions. They only work under select circumstances, and even then success hangs by a thread. Forget hospital dramas where people survive multiple gunshot wounds by getting defibbed twice. Defibbing is only step one of the life saving process anyway. Someone who just got defibbed succesfully isn't going to jump up and carry on with his business.

Chalk that up to dudes hiding in closets or something. Never assume you're alone, ever. This seems like a rather elaborate fix for something that can be easily avoided with some common sense and foresight.

People who open with "I'm friendly" are typically anything but that, IMO. Those who open with a simple "Hello there!" usually are. Of course there are exceptions, but in my experience this is a fairly accurate assessment.

Things like tags are always going to be shitty in DayZ, because nothing ruins your immersive experience like spending 3 hours pussyfooting through towns and forests at night avoiding death, only to see some tag pop up in the distance that says "[420]GaNjAbRuH" or some dumb shit like that. There are plenty of ways to make yourself recognizable to others that don't require nametags or HUD upgrades or any of that nonsense. Be creative and think for yourself. Talk to that silhouette. Have you and your friends wear matching gear. Or just keep your eyes open and track friends and foes.

Or just go play on private servers. That neatly eliminates the issue of server hopping.

DayZ isn't like other games. Dean Hall described it as the Anti-Game. This game wants you to cry for your mommy in abject despair. This game does not want to help you beyond the absolute bare necessities, and even then. You should be confused and uncertain whether that dark silhouette in the trees is your friend, or an enemy, not see a marker pop up over his head saying either. DayZ should never cater to the whims of the 'larger gaming public'. DayZ should be DayZ, and if you don't like it, there are other games out there.

1. Melee weapon 2. Main weapon 3. Sidearm 4. Surprise sawn-off 5. Surprise derringer 6-10. Various tools like compass, binos, knife, lockpick, etc.

These days I prefer the head-on head-splitting dance. Much more satisfying!

Dupers, most like...

A first version of the ghillie suit is in the game yes. It's just netting and burlap that transforms into a splendid camouflage suit. I wouldn't get too used to that.

Are you one of three stooges by any chance? You need a helmet, son.

I'm all for these improvised tools and upgrades. It'd feel more DayZ-y if you saw people with knives and flashlights taped to their shoddy SKS, as opposed to the current sitution where people walk around with thousands of dollars worth of weapons and equipment.

That's the proper mindset right here.

My personal list: 1. MP-133: As I am a pretty lousy shot at distances over 50 yards, shotguns are my weapon of choice, and the MP-133 is my #1. It packs a wallop even at a distance, and with the ability to fire six shots in rapid succession, this thing has the potential to tear through a group of enemies in seconds. One or two solid hits will drop most survivors. Ammo is plentiful, and the gun itself is not difficult to find. 2. Sawn-off Izh-43: I make it a priority to get one of these. It tucks away nicely in your backpack or Riders vest, and it is extremely deadly up close. And while you may only have two shots, you can fire them within a split second, turning anything standing before you into swiss cheese. This is my go-to weapon for going door-to-door in dangerous cities. 3. SKS: I consider this the AKMs baby brother. It's accurate and fairly powerful, but it lacks that full-auto mode. I'm still placing it above the AKM, however, because unlike the AKM, you don't have to bother with finding magazines. The SKS was my first favorite weapon in my early playing days, and I still consider it the best civilian rifle for my own taste and skills. 4. AKM: My favorite weapon in terms of pure badassery. Hearing an AKM go off nearby still frightens me. Having one on you just gives you rush. Also, drum magazines! 5. Magnum: My favorite handgun by a mile. Loud, powerful and accurate, requires no magazines and doesn't take attachments. Just pick it up, load it and you're ready to go.

You're talking about the game as it is now, which is miles apart from the end goal. Come full release, there might not even be enough clothes in Chernarus to throw on a matching outfit anyway. You won't have time to think about looking fashionable. You'll be lucky if you survive long enough to find a tattered rain coat. A clothing simulator has nothing to do with surviving the apocalypse. It'd only serve as a totally unnecessary feature catering to a tiny fraction of the playerbase. If you want to mix and match, do it properly.