Beegs

You are not the only arse so rest easy as I did the same as you and had the same fears... Id intially just bought Arma2 thinking that was all i needed. Anyway turns out once you install both games you launch Operation Arrowhead in steam and it gives you the choice to launch Combined Ops so alls well.

Speaking from my own experiences - friendly's seem few and far between and the consequences for hesitating are huge. Uptil yesterday Id never shoot and hope to team up or just let each other go on our way. Id always end up dead though. The only time ive not been shot in last day or so was by a guy stuck inside the hospital with a 1.7.1.4 level horde of zombies outside. I helped him thin the mob and he left. From now on im going to shoot on sight unless its a unique situation like above. Indeed today I got my 1st kill... Its a shame but its just not worth the risk of somebody doing me and taking my stuff :(

Ive only been playing for a few days, was 1.7.1.2 when i started and it seemed like some servers had side chat on and some didnt, never did work out what the criteria was for having it on. I can see both pros and cons to it - its more in keeping with the "feel" of the game to have no global chat no doubt about it. I will say that the only time ive done any significant teaming up was on a 1.2 server that did have it on - crawling thru cherno i spotted and was spotted by 2 snipers on a roof, luckily instead of shooting it was "Beegs friendly?" across sidechat. And thus followed almost an hour of co-op, which as it was on my 1st day was pretty exciting. Until i startled one of them in my new Ghillie suit id just found and I was shot dead. Anyway, like i say it has pros and cons, from my short experience its more conducive to actually finding people to play with, but by the same time i suppose it removes a little of the immersion.

I find when i spawn its important to look to the lower right of hud and it tells me the rough area im in, you can usually scout a little and pinpoint your location. If I happen to miss this though it can be pretty tricky sometimes working out where I am. As for the lighthouse spawn, im not sure where that is. It may be when you log in you get the hud update i mentioned above, not sure if its just on new spawn.

They do spawn but are uncommon. Some buildings are just better for loot than others, play a bit and youll get to recognize them. My first play (yesterday) all i could find were tin cans for the most part and it gets a bit frustrating i admit, youll learn though. Citys seem to have better loot in general but that brings more players and subsequently more danger. Dont dismiss the makarov - this difference between having one and being unarmed is light and day.

Im a new player - just started today and played for 5 hours or so. As a new player ill state 2 things -1) the games hard to get going in and 2) I dont know enough about the game to make judgements about what should or shouldnt be in it. Id imagine point 2 should be the case for all NEW players. Im finding it very fun, granted after watching numerous lets play youtubes I was baffled at not having a gun but a quick gogle confirmed it wasnt a bug but a new feature. Took around 4 deaths for me to somewhat get the hang of things and it was quite a steep curve but then I imagine that is part of the game. Its not supposed to be some L4D or COD rehash, I rather like the pace of it. After 5 hours or so im now toting a pistol with 2 or 3 clips, water bottles, alice pack, some beans, binoculars and a newly found Lee Enfield (found on a corpse - wish i could have nabbed his ghillie suit...). Im just hoping all this will be on me when i log back in as i didnt get to try the rifle out (do i need to join same server?). So as for the thread title - no not near impossible, just pretty tough going but i think its a refreshing change. Who said zombie apocalypses werent tough going?