How to loot effectively?

[verozo 0]

Tips for a new player? I keep getting noticed by zombies, even when crouching and walking.

[burritoman259 593]

Zombie hearing is currently glitched at the moment so stealth goes right out the window when zombies are around the best thing you can do is get a suppressed weapon such as a Bizon pp-19,

[dallas 5195]

Don't approach zombies head on.

Never move on loud surfaces for long.

[klesh 2423]

Nightime is the right time for looting.

Red chemlights work the best (besides the obvious NVGs) as they aren't seen from very far away but still let you operate more or less with reasonable vision. Flares can be seen from quite a distance and blue or green chemlights are visable from further away as well. Your flashlight is a dead giveaway, especially to any player that has NVG's on.

You'd be surprised how close you can get to zombies at night if you are crouching and holding shift as the same time to do the sneaky stuff.

[Leto (DayZ) 72]

If you want to sneak around, crawling over soft surface like grass makes you invisible to zombies, even in broad daylight. On harder surfaces, you make a bit of sound, but zombies will not hear it if they are a couple of feet away. Once you have crawled inside a building, get up, but walk instead of running. The zombies can still be alerted by your loud running footsteps even if they are outside.

The other dangerous, but effective technique is to ignore zombies and run (without stopping) wherever you need to loot. Once inside a building turn around and kill the zombies as they slowly walk thru the door. The hatchet is the best weapon for this as it is silent. Another technique for larger buildings is to simply go up a floor or as far away from the entrance as possible and go prone and immobile until the zombies lose interest and walk out of the building.

At dusk, night (maybe too dark without NVGs) and dawn, zombies are blinded by darkness so all you have to worry about is loud footsteps. Walk or couch-run over hard surfaces and you won't be bothered by zombies.

Of course, none of this will protect you from human players which are the only real enemies in DayZ.

Edited January 1, 2013 by Leto

[mjkproductions 12]

I've found a painfully slow way to avoid zombies.. to crawl. I got through Chernogorsk in only 90 minutes crawling, never had a single zombie after me lol. You can always go around the zombies to avoid them also, like crouch-run behind buildings and then crawl in between gaps.

[Chaze 3]

I'm still a bit of a noob, so I just usually pay little attention to zombies. I'll usually try run around, but it's not too big of a deal if you get a zombie after you, especially if you've only got like a hatchet. Just run to a bush and hide, wait a few seconds for the zombies to head off and keep going.

[terminal_boy 860]

Try to avoid having zombies chase you as nothing gives your position away to other players better than having aggro'ing zombies outside a building or a conga line of them following you.

[mzltv 2281]

Take your time.

You can sprint through and loot quick, but all you're gonna do is draw attention to yourself; from zombies and/or bandits.

Move slow, check openings to make sure the coast is clear.. Maybe even hop onto www.dayzdb.com and plan your route through the town depending on what loot you're looking for!

[iamshade 0]

Be careful if you decide to just start running around in the open and ignore zombies though. Saw a train of zombies in Stary Sobor and nailed him with a m107. If he was sneaky would've never known he was there and he might've even got me.

[Sula 1205]

Tetris. Try Tetris. Frankly, I can't see any way in dayz to avoid zombies for long. *sighs*

[Ninetyniner 0]

1- You asses what is in the loot pile. If you are in a hurry (being chased by zombies/ being overun) its a good idea to visually look at the pile without physically going into it. This works 60-70% of the time. You may miss 1 or 2 mags of what you need but it will help if you are in need of water, food or a weapon.

2- You have to prioritize. This goes for organizing your inventory too. You should become familiar with what the items actually are in the pile. A usual first timers mistake is picking up all the chem lights, flares or what ever is in the pile. This not only fills your inventory, It also may give you items not necessary at the time being. You should know what the items do and when to use them.

Just a little tip: Learn what zombies can and cannot do. They cannot usually run in buildings and most of the time can be defeated by their worst enemy. The Bush or the Legendary pine tree.

Hopes this helps....if anyone actually sees this.

[Sula 1205]

Who are you calling asses? :o *wonders if Ninetyniner meant "assess"* :huh:

[OrLoK 16185]

Asses in the loot pile? how disgusting.

And Sula, try taking off the clogs when sneaking past zeds.

L

[Mr Nasty 1023]

Easiest way to loot is to let other players do it for you.

Hang out in one of the fire stations in cherno or elektro and just wait for someone to wander in. Kill them and loot their body.

This way you dont have to deal with zombies :)

[klesh 2423]

That's so mean, Mr. Nasty! :(