How Much Does DayZ Draw You In?

[RJTurneR 112]

I was reading the other topic about dreams of DayZ and it got me thinking. How much does DayZ draw different people in? I'm talking about mentally, physically, emotionally.. Anything.

Do you feel mentally worn out after a long session on DayZ? Have you ever got emotionally involved i.e Feeling scared, fear, paranoid, etc..

I'd be interested to know, DayZ is a very unique mod (That's right mod.. Not a game!) that draws people in more than what other games do. I can't count how many times my heart has been racing during a shoot out or when something sudden happens and I jump out of my skin. Yet I get into a fight on BF3 or something and I'm as cool as anything. Do you think it's down to DayZ involving the player more? Making you feel like you really are that person and you really are trying to survive..

I have been playing since September of last year, I have logged roughly 600 hours on ArmA II OA (Combo of ArmA/Wasteland/DayZ), yet getting into a fight still gets my heart racing even when I expect it.

So what about you guys? How much do you feel DayZ involves you? Share your first experiences if you want, we all know how scared we were that first time.... ;)

[thelonewarrior 886]

I remember the first time I killed someone, before the bandit skins were out back in ( though he was a bandit kill)

I hesitated much longer than I should have, nearly got me and my friend killed

I always feel guilty when I fail to help someone in trouble and although it doesn't happen with as much ferocity I do still get an adrenaline rush in combat, I'm a lot calmer when interacting with players now, whether or not it's a firefight or friendly chat

I still feel the same emotions but I've gotten used to keeping a calm head now unlike when I was newer I'd nearly always panic under fire

[WBK 176]

Lots

[Wayze 549]

I have been playing since September of last year, I have logged roughly 600 hours on ArmA II OA (Combo of ArmA/Wasteland/DayZ), yet getting into a fight still gets my heart racing even when I expect it.

Haha, and I thought I were the only one xD

I think the adrenalin is coming if you are playing alone. Because most of the times playing with friends I am not that afraid. I don't know why, but DayZ is, like you said, still creeping me out sometimes. Even after player more than a year it is shocking and andrenalin. So who else got this?

Would like to see a survey about this!

Made a topic.

http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/142597-still-getting-adrenalin/

:D

Edited July 9, 2013 by Wayze

[wild_man 4442]

Op you are saying exactly like I think. :beans:

When I play dayz my brain forgets this is a game and my heart thinks this is real life for sure.

One time I am hiden by the hospital waiting for sum player for maybe 2 hours. I just watching at the hospital. My dad tell me 'WAKE UP!!! is time for dinner' lol, I don't even know he is in my room and I jumped like a cat with boiled water and my moniter was falling off the desk because I am 100% inside the game. :D

even counter strike is not like this one

[WBK 176]

Lots

DayZ ideally for me, will simulate the emotions you experience within a war scenario. I've never been to war, but everyone says that it is long periods of nothing followed by short, intense periods of heart-pounding terror. When DayZ does that, it's perfect. So I like to play two or three days a week, for long stretches - about 3-5 hours at a time - as opposed to daily for an hour or two. That way I can usually experience the whole gamut of emotions, and because I don't play every day, they always feel new to me.

When I first started playing, all your reactions to every event are overblown. The first time I found a Lee Enfield, I thought I was King Dick, on top of the world! But as you keep playing, you begin to control your emotions through natural forces such as repetition and through artificial methods like forcing yourself to focus and remain calm. So now I experience fringe emotions such as ecstasy and terror much less frequently. However they are still there. And even less taxing emotions still vex me. Something as simple as allowing myself to get bored and taking the lazy route instead of truly being cautious makes me annoyed and angry. I'm happy it happens though, because otherwise my playing experience would exist in a shallow grey area devoid of emotion.

The single most exciting scenario for me in DayZ is being found by a helicopter controlled by a clan - or at least multiple people. If I made a list of my top 5 DayZ experiences, all of them would involve either escaping, dying or killing after being found by a helicopter.

The way your ears prick up when you first hear a helicopter rotor.

The slight rise in your heart rate as you look for cover.

Praying silently as you hope they don't notice you.

Relief (if they pass)

Feeling your survival instincts kick in when you suspect they've seen you.

The cat-and-mouse game you play hiding in a pine tree, always making sure you're behind the trunk and hidden.

The rush of blood when you know you have to move, and both a surreal acceptance of death as well as heightened awareness and reactions when you do move.

The terror when you hear bullets fly past.

The sheer joy at reaching some proper cover.

Your instincts kicking in again and telling you to calm down.

The shock of being shot.

The ecstasy in hitting your target.

The thrill of escaping.

The melancholy and purgatory of death.

All of these things are how DayZ draws me in. Just a great, great game.

[WBK 176]

I think the adrenalin is coming if you are playing alone. Because most of the times playing with friends I am not that afraid. I don't know why, but DayZ is, like you said, still creeping me out sometimes. Even after player more than a year it is shocking and andrenalin. So who else got this?

I think it's because playing in a group you are not relying on just your own wits. When you're alone you react to everything, have to think of a completely different reaction than you would make playing in a group. Where you can just tell a teammate to check the perimeter if something suspicious happens, alone you have to make the choice whether to check the perimeter at all, hide without knowing what is actually there, stay and prepare yourself for battle, or simply to run. You live and die by your own choices.

Also, y'know, teammates will just guard your gear until you get back. Kinda cheapens the experience.

[RJTurneR 112]

Nice guys, also good idea Wayze!

WBK summed it up nicely. Long stretches of nothing and then an hour of something! The thing about DayZ is that if something out of the ordinary happens, I spend maybe 10-20 minutes checking the area, not moving, only to find nothing actually happened or no one is around. But it isn't a let down, because you'd do the same thing in reality, and the let down would be dieing. Even now after several dozen months of almost playing daily, it still amazes me how a mod can completely immerse you into what you're doing, get your heart racing, and make you scared of dieing in a virtual world.

This is why I play DayZ in what I like to call the 'Original' way. I like interaction and helping others, as well as getting into fights, and setting myself objectives. I hate 24/7 daytime servers. I am lucky enough to be able to play on high settings, I'd much rather have a good looking, immersive experience than everything toned down just because it is easier to spot people.

For me, I'll take immersion and experience over kills and equipment anyday.

[Devon206 (DayZ) 77]

One time I spilt water all over myself when I saw a sniper pop up infront of me...

[svisketyggeren 662]

Dayz dosent draw me in cos I cant find a any servers with proper hardcore settings....either there is 3rd prson, crosshair on, bloodbag self, only daytime, custom loadout, 50000000000000 cars ruining my dayz

[Westyy 3]

This game draws me in so much that it made me spend £16.99 on a completely different game (arma 2)