LackofCertainty

OP, would you like to know the real reason why zombies and not anything else? Zombies make a good backdrop for this game, because: They are simple. (The AI for them is as simple as "Run at detected player. Attack. Repeat") Very little additional modelling. (devs just need to make a couple skins and a couple shambling animations and attach them onto normal player models) They are non-threatening enough that the focus of the game is on player interaction. (as has been mentioned, after a few days of experience, you should almost never die to zombies) Programming in thick fog and Lovecraftian horrors would be great, but the problem with Lovecraftian Horrors are: I will never be scared of something I've seen hundreds of times. (so it doesn't matter how terrifying it is, because I will see it a lot because of how this game works) Much higher amount of dev work. (entire new models and more complicated AI means a lot more work needed) The focus of the game is on Player interaction. (so complex/intelligent monsters just mean more wasted dev time) The core concept of the game is a "what would you do during the apocalypse." A pandemic of rabies is more believable to me than a cross-dimensional god-beast that devours my very pysche. I'm a bit like you, in that I've been a zombie maniac for a while, but I differ from you in that I still love zombies. More zombies is never a bad thing. If you're to the point where you don't want zombies anymore, then just start limiting yourself to only playing/reading/watching the cream of the crop. Just pretend all the mediocre zombie stuff doesn't exist and enjoy the good stuff. P.S. The reason why you don't see Missing limb zombies, or half-rotten zombies in DayZ, is because we aren't dealing with the living dead. The "Zombies" in DayZ are actually just "infected" living people. That's why they die when you put a couple rounds into their bellies. They're basically living people infected with a super-strain of rabies. If you cut off one of their arms with a hatchet, they'd bleed to death. :)

Okay, for everyone who hates the words "endgame content" use your imagination and everytime someone types out "endgame content" replace those words with, "Content for people who already have access to vehicles, high end military loot, and who routinely raid crashed heli's and military barracks." Personally, I don't have a stick so far up my ass that I can't admit that "endgame content" is a handier summation than the 22 word alternative I suggested, but if you're that anal about it be my guest. Anyway, the very fact that "endgame content" exists in DayZ means that more can always be added. I like the idea of more dynamic spawns like the heli's, and fewer static spawns so that you have people exploring the map more instead of farming known hotspots. I also like the idea of basebuilding that rocket suggests, although It'd fall kinda flat for me unless player built strongholds get zombie spawns the same way as towns currently do.

What ridiculous generalisations you're making. I agree. Whoever told you those stereotypes about North America probably told you that every Irishman is an alcoholic too? I live in northern Wisconsin (which is very rural) and of the people I know maybe two carry pocket knives on them. (Note: most Pocket knives are basically useless as a weapon, and are hardly comparable to fixed-blade hunting knives) Both of them happen to use said knives on a daily basis at their work. Expecting the average citizen to be carrying a hunting knife is like expecting the average citizen to be carrying a gun or to have a bug-out bag. Sure, a few people might have those things, but the majority? No.

(did not read the thread up until this point) To the OP: If you don't want to play with people who shoot on sight, then you need to find a group to play with. There are a lot of DayZ communities and clans springing up so it's not too hard to do. If you refuse to join a clan/community or If you want to play a solo survivor, then don't try to party with people. Especially not when you have gear. Either stealth away from them, or shoot on sight. You don't have any other options, because you have too much to lose, and they have too much to gain from killing you.

I've only died before spawning in once, which happened because I logged off in the middle of a high value when I was abruptly invited to see a the new spiderman movie. Logged back in and died before I finished loading. In every single other login, though, I've never died. Make sure you're in the woods, inside a bushy tree when you log out and you won't have any issues.

Nope. In fact, if you make an entire new profile and use it in DayZ, you'll still have the same character.

Sure, why not. Or better yet, remove the respawn button entirely.

But my character isn't a trained military marksman. He's just a jackass with a hunting rifle. (joking. I actually play a survivor, not a bandit.:P)

I was referring to server bans, which is why I mentioned server admins and buddies of server admins. Exploiting is an offense that admins are allowed to ban for. Also, if a server admin bans you without a good reason, (like you suggest) they can get their server's blacklisted. As I said, it is a hard to punish exploit, and one that's easy enough to do that most people aren't being punished for it at the moment. If you want to be a dick and do it, then do it. If you happen to get unlucky and get caught doing it and receive a ban, don't complain. Either way, the log out timer will be added to the game sooner or later, and that'll cut down on this.

1. there is another thread open about this. http://dayzmod.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=21807 2. I'll post the same thing here that I did there. The biggest issue with barbed wire will be gone when 1.7.2 hits. Deep breaths people. Barbed wire is silly now, because there are two exploits open that are letting people get/use nearly unlimited amounts of wire.

The biggest issue with barbed wire will be gone when 1.7.2 hits. Deep breaths people. Barbed wire is silly now, because there are two exploits open that are letting people get/use nearly unlimited amounts of wire.

Yeah, it's not "wait five seconds before you're allowed to disconnect." It's "Your character sits in game with their thumb up their ass for 5 seconds after you alt+f4" Generally five seconds of standing still should be enough for your character to either take some significant zombie damage (plus possible bleeding) or just enough time for the player you DC'ed from to shoot you in the head.