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Sorry for the late response. I'm a mod on the server, and the vehicles the roaming bandit AI drive are locked because they are not mission vehicles--they spawn and despawn at random, and this means that if you are driving a roaming bandit vehicle when the server decides to despawn it (because the patrol is over), you may die. Best to avoid getting in them, if you ask me. It's a consequence of the bandit AI being relatively easy to kill. They are numerous and provide decent gear (to start), but the server load would be unbearable if the cars stayed around. You will need to find some actual missions in order to get vehicles that survive a restart (or find one of their random spawns on the island).

Finally! I always felt like female PCs were at a disadvantage in cold weather (and the lack of a Ghillie). This should go a ways to increasing player diversity, uncommon stuff like this.

It's not just you. It seems the batch file from the website or using ARMA II MP works best. And yeah, this server is pretty awesome. Dying was never so much fun.....

I shall check it out! Thanks for the post, it sounds like there may be something here, but holy smokes Batman! It's gonna take a bit to download that giant mod. Maybe later this week.

If you are willing to try EPOCH you might try FINALdayZ. It's the Epoch base building system (fairly simplified), but there is an advanced crafting system for most other things, including lockboxes, knives, shovels, meds, water bottles, etc. There are no traders. Don't expect high grade military loot. Don't expect to find vehicles everywhere. The only thing there are a lot of is Infected. The Zed walk, but have really high health, often perform one-hit knock outs, and have 3-5x the spawn rate (really easy to get stuck in buildings surrounded by angry Zed). AI roam the island seeking new unarmed players, cold weather will kill you within an hour or two if you don't find other ways to keep warm, and there are missions galore, with almost no vehicles anywhere except on the AI. It's based in Namalsk, so there's that. But the community is great, and even though it is Epoch (DayZ mod seems to have a much more rigorous--that is, hard/complicated/thought-out/in-depth--building system), I think it's worth a shot at least. Spend an hour there and see if it doesn't offer a similar feel to a new spawn on Chernarus with only flares and a bandage. FWIW, the server owner ARTyom will be opening a harder server (again Epoch) based in Chernarus within the next two weeks (hopefully) in case Namalsk isn't your cuppa. I know this was a shameless promotion (I mean, you were asking about DayZ mod), but I'm not the owner, or an admin (to be fair, I was made server forum mod just recently). I joined the server two weeks after getting ArmA II DayZ and have never had so much fun dying, and I want to at least give everyone that asks a chance to enjoy the Epoch mod at it's best. Maybe give it a shot? and thanks for reading/listening even though I was slightly off-topic. On a more related note I am excited that base building is slowly making it's way into DayZmod, as that was really the number 1 thing it was missing to make it a true "survival" experience, and I'm glad the devs have managed to make that a reality. I just wish information on it was more readily available (and that there were more explorable buildings in the vanilla mod, but that's another topic).

I am completely unaware of the legalities involved here, but I thought that the majority of skins in use were already default ArmA II skins (the ones for male players, that is). If this is the case, shouldn't it be a simple matter to petition BIS for permission to use the female skins as well? I mean, I thought Bohemia has warmed up rather comfortably to the idea of DayZMod, or is this not the case?

It's not RolePlay per se, but you could try (shameless plug) FINALdayZ, which is a "hardcore" server on Namalsk (and a soon to be launched server on Chernarus). DayZForums Link AI, no food, no soda, cold weather, limited loot, no traders, no maintenance, and deadly zombies (hint: don't try using your hatchet). Not much PvP, though it happens. Mostly PvE and PvZ, and a whole lot of freezing to death. ;) New players are always welcome, and while it's tough to get started (I died 6 times in the first hour when I joined), it's really fun once you figure out what's going on.

Check us out on the forum at finaldayzsurvivor . net (remove spaces). There are a number of discovered crafting formulas there. ARTyom is always updating the server with new things, so it's good to stay up on the changes if you want to avoid nasty surprises. Of course, you could also discover them for yourself, but some semblance of warning is always nice IMO, even if ARTyom's words can be slightly misleading....

You may practice KOS, and any other DayZ tactics (glitching included, though doing that with player built walls may just kill you ;)). Just No Hacking (only server rule). However, you may find yourself in a pinch if you don't play with friends, as murders are published on the info boards and newspapers in-game. Don't expect assistance as a bandit, though admittedly recent changes in the weather may make it easier to be one if that's what you want. Actual players are often rare, though, so PvP is probably better experienced on other servers.

Yes, the zombies are slow only. They were that way initially, and ARTyom tried out running zombies, but the game turned into a running simulator instead. Keep in mind that the zombies usually knock you out in one hit, have 3x the normal spawn rate, are stealthy, and have crazy high health (headshots are really the only economical way to kill them). Also, there are now bloodsuckers on the server. Beware, and watch for their eyes. They don't despawn. There is one trader (as mentioned on the front page), and he is not AI, nor does he trade in gold. If you want to find him, log on when he's playing and message him. You can also reach him via the forums at Enjin (he's on here too, but I don't remember his DayZ forum username).

Even in the Apocalypse there can be signs of hope...

At the risk of sounding dumb, what's the Hive?

Hmm. You could try FINALdayZ. All of the combat is first person only, as is high speed driving. It may not be your cup of tea, though, as it's a survival server first. You could always try it out, though. Just don't expect guns, vehicles or food aplenty. Catch: it's a Namalsk map

Well, this is the DayZ Mod (for Arma 2) forum, so... If you have Arma 2 OA, come join us! We'd be glad to have someone to commiserate die with.

Indeed. The admins are fair and friendly (don't expect free loot, but help is almost worth more when it's so easy to die), the mods are active, food is scarce, trash can be useful, the environment is slowly killing you, the zombies hit harder than Babe Ruth on a peak day, the Bandits always have a third partner who never shows himself until you're almost done looting the bodies of his two dead friends you just managed to kill with your makarov and hatchet before bandaging yourself up from an AK wound, and have just found a box of painkillers on the second guy when that missing third bandit no-scopes you from 200m with his 12ga. Shoutgun slugs and you don't have any more bandages so you rush him with your hatchet and manage to beat him to death and just when your vision starts getting blurry you stop bleeding and you've looted all the bodies and the building but now remember that it's a 4-mile run to your base, which is deep into enemy territory, past the radiation zone and the military patrols and three bandit camps and 2 military bases and all you've got is about 1000 blood, a makarov with two mags and an AKM with 1 mag and a hatchet and a 15-slot backpack and some civilian clothes which you hope won't be two bloodied before you make it home so that you can recycle them for canvas (you've got a Ghillie at home) and before you freeze to death and even though you've been trying to stay sane by burying the dead (Bandits or Zed) and you're glad to be alive you can't help but wonder why you left the mainland for this frozen outpost and even though your skills are being honed and you think you will be able to make it back in one piece you can't help but wonder if maybe it would have been better to visit a server where they have custom loadouts and canned food and vehicles everywhere and just as you think about logging out you peek into a barracks and discover an M4A1 with 3 rounds of STANAG and an M203 attachment, and suddenly your bad day just got a little better.