What is the difference between a bandit and a coward?

[Ozelot (DayZ) 394]

Help me understand the difference.

I am mostly a solo player. And I'm pretty good at it. I don't often have to fire on other players because I possess a remarkable ability to avoid them, even on highly populated servers in popular places, I often get away unnoticed and almost always unscathed. This isn't to say I've never had to shoot someone before. I have and I can honestly say it felt pretty good. But deep down for some reason I can't shoot someone who clearly poses no threat to me-- There is no honor in it, no gain. If I see a guy at 400 yards through my sniper scope with a crossbow, I'm not going to shoot him in the back. If I see a hatchet player near me, I'm not going to shoot them in the face unless they get too close. But if I see someone with a nice long rifle or with some gear I really want at the moment? I'll take them out.

This is where I get a little confused-- Because in many circumstances other people would consider me a bandit for this kind of behavior.

But what about the type of players who ask for rides and then end up opening fire on you? What about the players who DO take out someone who poses no threat to them? What about the players who drive around in convoys firing on unarmed spawners with their friends and their Mk48s and As50s?

To me these people aren't really bandits-- If they are, they're also shitbags who have forgotten the face of their fathers. These are the types of people who would, if you gave them and another player a revolver and told them to walk 50 paces, would turn at 15 and start shooting.

I think the difference between a bandit and a coward is one is willing to sacrifice his honor, and the other isn't. They're willing to risk dying, rather than taint that aspect of themselves. It has nothing to do with what other people think of them, it has to do with what they think of THEMSELVES. They say 'I have more pride and respect for myself than that.'

So who among you is a coward? Do you really think you can call yourself a bandit?

[Fenrod 60]

I was reading with attention, but your signature broke the whole thing. Damn.

Anyway, you're totally right. Bandits can be treated as cowards, who can't stand the constant pressure and insecurity in DayZ.

[Warhog (DayZ) 26]

Shooting freshly spawned players on the coast with a high-tech sniping rifle is the lowest level you can sink as a coward and below.

[MrN79 3]

It all depends on how you want to play, neither one is honorable but shit-stains who go around killing unarmed players or shooting players armed with hatchets from a distance are shitbag cowards. How easy it is to kill? Try surviving without needless killing...I know it's not what most will do. I can honestly say, I've only killed one other player only because he just axed my playing partner and was coming to axe me, so I shot him with an explosive tipped arrow from my high powered crossbow. The funny part was that we were talking to him and we offered him blood because we saw he was getting attacked by Zs.

I'll always play to protect myself, but I'll never kill needlessly or kill players just to take something from them. That's probably why I get killed all the time, I won't shoot first.

[MrN79 3]

Shooting freshly spawned players on the coast with a high-tech sniping rifle is the lowest level you can sink as a coward and below.

Yep, sniping new spawns or kidnapping for sport are just as bad.

[Dancing.Russian.Man 1631]

Bandit

1. A robber or outlaw belonging to a gang and typically operating in an isolated or lawless area.

No matter which one you do from those situations(the ones you mentioned in your post), you are a bandit. But whether or not you are an HONORABLE bandit or not, that's a whole different story.

I'm going to use an example from my all-time favorite game; S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl.

At one point, when you enter a certain zone through a certain path, you run into a group of about 6 bandits. There's literally no way around them, as it's sort of a tunnel that you're coming from, and they are at the entrance. The guy at the very front will point his gun at you and tell you to holster your weapon. (If you don't, they will open fire.) After you do, he will tell you to slowly approach them, after which the same guy will start a dialog with you, asking for most of your belongings and all of your money. If you choose to refuse, they will open fire. If you oblige, they remain neutral and you get to go past them if you do so quickly.

Those bandits were honorable. They were simply doing what they had to do, to survive. They meant no physical harm to others unless they were acting aggressive towards them, thus being an imminent threat.

Most of the time the kind of bandits you meet in STALKER are the ones that will instantly open fire on you. These types are far more common, and who are you to blame them in a world ridden with radiation, anomalies and mutants? They just want to stay alive as long as possible. Yes, they are cowards for sometimes shooting you from the back, but ambushing is not a cowardly thing, it's an effective tactic.

Edit; The person below me is hilarious. Good one, sir.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Dancing.Russian.Man

[LegitOldSchool 261]

What is the difference between a bandit and a coward?

At least 300m. Ba-Dum Tish.

Now more seriously. The way I play the game, I could possibly be thought of as a coward, but I don't think I am. When I spawn on the coast, I usually head for the nearest city, Chernogorsk, Electrozavodsk or Berezino, depending where I spawn. There I grab basic supplies and a backpack if possible, and head for the northern part of the map, NWAF, Stary Sobor or NEAF. I try to gear up the best I can, THEN I find a spot to snipe from, pick a fight here and there, move from east to west and back and I do my thing. I never go back to the coast all geared up and kill fresh spawns, that's just no fun at all. I kill players who made their choice of going north and those players have to expect being shot at when exploring these areas. That's my opinion. If you go north and don't expect a fight, you're not prepared and have no business there.

Edited February 6, 2013 by EchoZeero

[misterwit 118]

I shoot you because you're just going to take all the good loot if I let you live... and then I'll have to kill you to get it.

Most people aren't really friendly anyway. Even if they aren't hostile, they'll take things without sharing, assume it's your civic duty to drive/fly them cross-country, and then act all buddy-buddy up until you die and then suddenly they can't be arsed to help you. I know the type. They're leeches. If I can run buck-naked through cherno, kit up, and God-willing kill someone on the way out to finish the gear-run, you can do the same. If the city's too much for you, don't run into it for the 9000th time and die, try actually going north.

Don't blame people who are better off for your problems, if you hang along the coast you're asking for trouble.

[Ozelot (DayZ) 394]

I mean if you have to shoot someone with no weapon at all or someone who stands no chance against you, you really must not respect your own abilities very much. If you're that afraid of weaker players you might as well just give up and lay down in the middle of Cherno and wait for someone to take you out with a DMR. You'd probably just cower and die as soon as an actually skilled player comes along to challenge you in that case, it doesn't matter how much gear you get.

A coward will always die like one.

[misterwit 118]

I mean if you have to shoot someone with no weapon at all or someone who stands no chance against you, you really must not respect your own abilities very much. If you're that afraid of weaker players you might as well just give up and lay down in the middle of Cherno and wait for someone to take you out with a DMR. You'd probably just cower and die as soon as an actually skilled player comes along to challenge you in that case, it doesn't matter how much gear you get.

A coward will always die like one.

You mistake someone who kills EVERYONE they see with someone who kills nuspawns EXCLUSIVELY

[Wazza 274]

Maybe they just use the fresh spawns as target practice...less risk than firing on a fully geared player... also requires less nuts..

[Velvet Remedy 11]

Bandits are the ones who make DayZ worth playing. They're the ones who'll engage in firefights with me that might last an hour if I have gear they want.

Cowards are the ones who are just disgruntled DayZ players, who can't seem to handle the fact that they're going to die. The ones who lost items one too many times and decided to become worse than what they hated. They'll try to kill you, and when they fail they combat log the second a bullet lands nearby.

[Ozelot (DayZ) 394]

You mistake someone who kills EVERYONE they see with someone who kills nuspawns EXCLUSIVELY

equal levels of cowardice

more likely these types lack the self-confidence to confront people, so they just shoot them

[misterwit 118]

equal levels of cowardice

more likely these types lack the self-confidence to confront people, so they just shoot them

There should be a report button for people who cry as much as you do about dying.

[codave 121]

I find the notions of cowardice and bravery, or any of the bravado associated with them ridiculous in a video game. Get over yourselves already, you sound ridiculous.

I can tell you what annoys me to no end, though.

1. People crying because someone killed them.

2. People bragging because they killed someone else.

No one is a coward, no one is brave, no one is moral, immoral, or amoral here.

You suck the fun out of it when you take it seriously, IMO. If thats what you want to do, I suppose you go right ahead.

[Ozelot (DayZ) 394]

There should be a report button for people who cry as much as you do about dying.

I think you're missing the point entirely, lul. I choose not to kill non-threats because I don't have to, I am not so unaware of my environment that they will suddenly get the drop on me. If your confidence in your abilities are so poor that you have to stoop to that, it's pretty pathetic.

"Oh no this person with a flashlight might kill me if I don't break both their legs!"

[Brawke 0]

I suppose talking about morals in any form other than in real life is pointless to you isn't it, Codave? Placing people into a virtual scenario and seeing how they act not only shows what kind of person they are but how they would act in that given situation. I'm sorry you would rather just run around and yell "bang bang" and not immerse yourself in the world. Which, in that case I ask, why do you play video games then? Especially something as immersible as DayZ? Seems pretty pointless IMO.

As for Honor. There are different levels of honor. Good men can do bad things and bad men can do good things. Honor is a characteristic. Some people lack it entirely, others don't. I rest on neutrality because it's the most versatile. You do what you have to when you have to. Don't shoot unless shot at or it's necessary. Help others when it's convenient or you simply feel like being generous. Also, kill every bandit you come across. Have to make the world safe somehow. Killing all the bad guys seems like a good way of doing just that. B)

[bfisher 561]

What is the difference between a bandit and a coward?

At least 300m. Ba-Dum Tish.

Now more seriously. The way I play the game, I could possibly be thought of as a coward, but I don't think I am. When I spawn on the coast, I usually head for the nearest city, Chernogorsk, Electrozavodsk or Berezino, depending where I spawn. There I grab basic supplies and a backpack if possible, and head for the northern part of the map, NWAF, Stary Sobor or NEAF. I try to gear up the best I can, THEN I find a spot to snipe from, pick a fight here and there, move from east to west and back and I do my thing. I never go back to the coast all geared up and kill fresh spawns, that's just no fun at all. I kill players who made their choice of going north and those players have to expect being shot at when exploring these areas. That's my opinion. If you go north and don't expect a fight, you're not prepared and have no business there.

I agree that players in the north are much more geared up. But other than NWAF, it's so big up there, I barely run into other players. The Twin Cities of Death, OTOH, everyone makes a bee-line there to gear up or kill those trying to gear up. It always feels like a running gauntlet of gunfire.

[misterwit 118]

I think you're missing the point entirely, lul. I choose not to kill non-threats because I don't have to, I am not so unaware of my environment that they will suddenly get the drop on me. If your confidence in your abilities are so poor that you have to stoop to that, it's pretty pathetic.

"Oh no this person with a flashlight might kill me if I don't break both their legs!"

It's like you come from some part of the internet where no one ever trolled or pulled pranks or anything. You're obviously just butthurt that you don't know how to survive without getting everything in 2 minutes at cherno on a low-population server. It's fun to watch people get mad, that's all the reason to plink a nuspawn.

[codave 121]

I suppose talking about morals in any form other than in real life is pointless to you isn't it, Codave? Placing people into a virtual scenario and seeing how they act not only shows what kind of person they are but how they would act in that given situation. I'm sorry you would rather just run around and yell "bang bang" and not immerse yourself in the world. Which, in that case I ask, why do you play video games then? Especially something as immersible as DayZ? Seems pretty pointless IMO.

Just, no.

[Ozelot (DayZ) 394]

It's like you come from some part of the internet where no one ever trolled or pulled pranks or anything. You're obviously just butthurt that you don't know how to survive without getting everything in 2 minutes at cherno on a low-population server. It's fun to watch people get mad, that's all the reason to plink a nuspawn.

I think YOU'RE butthurt. I made a thread calling out precisely your type of behavior and explained why it makes you an honorless fart-smear to act that way. It's easy to tell how much a man respects themselves when you insult them directly for the type of things they do. If they know it's true and they have no real justification they respond defensively, otherwise they ignore it.

No one's really getting mad-- except maybe yourself. The real outlaws and bandits here are simply disappointed with your utter lack of self-respect. We may not respect or trust much, but at least some of us respect ourselves. And it's people like you who give the rest of us a bad image. You want to look like a hard ass bandit out there in the wastes, but the best you can do is take on bambis?

Such a shame. Tsk.

But if you want to keep hiding behind the 'u mad bro?' approach to shield your fragile ego, go ahead, I won't waste my time any longer.

[AlexanderMarksman 2]

I recently had an incident like this, i usually never kill fresh spawns, unless they are trolling talking shit to me or something like that. There was one incident however im not sure what this would be considered, a fresh spawn had found a car well of course i wanted the car. He then decide to drive it to electro where i was set up in ambush with an AK-74. I then of course shoot the guy out of it sweet new car, i then took the car and went on my way, idk if this would be considered a coward move or more of a bandit move to me its more of a bandit move, because bandit are bandit because they kill people for what they have and i wanted the car because i dint have one. :/

[Cpt.Undead 21]

But what about the type of players who ask for rides and then end up opening fire on you? What about the players who DO take out someone who poses no threat to them? What about the players who drive around in convoys firing on unarmed spawners with their friends and their Mk48s and As50s?

To me these people aren't really bandits-- If they are, they're also shitbags who have forgotten the face of their fathers. These are the types of people who would, if you gave them and another player a revolver and told them to walk 50 paces, would turn at 15 and start shooting.

I think the difference between a bandit and a coward is one is willing to sacrifice his honor, and the other isn't. They're willing to risk dying, rather than taint that aspect of themselves. It has nothing to do with what other people think of them, it has to do with what they think of THEMSELVES. They say 'I have more pride and respect for myself than that.'

So who among you is a coward? Do you really think you can call yourself a bandit?

Isn't being a mean basterd not a main part of a bandit's life?

They are filthy ugly people and they normally don't care about the other "life". They lie, the betray and they kill your daughter's dog if they want to.

Honor has gone long time ago. :)

That's why i'm a survivor. I would never do this.

Killing others while you are under attack is self defense.

[Victim187 23]

Yep, sniping new spawns or kidnapping for sport are just as bad.

Kidnapping is hilarious. As a test, I started kidnapping people and then Gladiator style asked the entire server or side chat whether he should live or die.. If they said die then I would shoot but if they said live, I would give the guy all of my gear and see what his reaction would be to having an unarmed defence player in front of him (An unarmed player that just kidnapped him and threatened to kill him, mind you).

Most of the time the server decided to let them live, ironically not all of those players let me live but that was the point in the experiment.

[Ozelot (DayZ) 394]

Isn't being a mean basterd not a main part of a bandit's life?

Being mean and being a coward are two different things entirely. While I agree that bandits are 'bad' people that doesn't make them all without honor. What says they can't ascribe to their own personal code of honor?

After all, many bandits are FORCED by the nature of the world of DayZ to act the way they do. Just because they're dangerous and mean doesn't make them scum-licking toads, afraid of every weaker player that comes a long.