How to not be killed on sight

[MCRoadkill 7]

I carry around rotten fruit...it is actually far from useless. I try to avoid killing people whenever possible, so being able to handcuff someone and make them eat rotten fruit to get sick gives them immediate problems and could buy me some time to get clear. 

 

I know the tactic and idea, you can carry one, you can find them everywhere when you need more of them but not a backpack full like i've seen some /doh

Force feeding someone a rotten kiwi :P

[bad_mojo (DayZ) 1204]

" Stop being retarded. Stop hiding in the bushes on the top of the hill with that camo clothing of yours. Stop sneaking around the town without taking 30 seconds to think how dumb you look. It's a survival game, people aren't meant to KoS everyone for fun, so start playing it like one. "

 

^This is how I feel every time I walk up to someone in Elecktro, wave and say "Hi" and promptly get shot in the face or chased with a melee weapon. Except the latter is funny because I get to talk to them while they exhaust themselves and eventually give up.

[Batbard 9]

I think you're playing the wrong game, friend. You should check out Left for Dead 2

Honestly, I completely understand some people playing DayZ as a comfy simulator with a hint of zombies. Walking around fields and abandoned cities and watching the god rays flow in through a barn window is just fantastic.

...Buuut at the same time no matter how nice it is to soak in everything it's important to only do that if you're looking to enjoy those surroundings 'til death does you part.

[MCRoadkill 7]

" Stop being retarded. Stop hiding in the bushes on the top of the hill with that camo clothing of yours. Stop sneaking around the town without taking 30 seconds to think how dumb you look. It's a survival game, people aren't meant to KoS everyone for fun, so start playing it like one. "

 

When they implement a reward/penalty system maybe people will start to think about not shooting people on sight and help each other out with food and water and give you a karma status of some sort.

[Apple Monster 6]

I believe that once there are more Zeds, people will start to conserve ammo and KOS will get old and not necessary...that is until we can set up bases!

 

One tactic that has not been mentioned, which I learned from State of Decay and feel it's somewhat useful, is to close doors behind you if you can. (but not so you're trapped)  Sure right now Zeds can run straight through buildings, but getting used to covering your tracks will save you in the end.  Especially if they add some kind of system where Zeds try and break down doors.  I get a peace of mind knowing that if someone is seeking to kill a player, they are mostly looking for buildings that have been entered to some extent. (At least that's what I think)  A closed door means in theory, an untouched building.  I guess it's also a good tactic if you wish to ambush someone.

 

I think a great feature to add to this game would be a "head turn" so you can look a bit more to the left or right while running/walking.

 

I learned the hard way about running through fields of gold...no no no.  I crawl up on towns most of the time prone, survey one side, then loop back and check the other...takes more time, but I live damn it!

[LeoIvanov 27]

I think you're playing the wrong game, friend. You should check out Left for Dead 2

 

People like you made this game "wrong" for me. If you are serious about whatever you just wrote, I have Left4Dead2. It's nothing but a linear zombie shooting game with friends. It's fun, but once you finish all the campaigns, it just becomes boring. But hey! L4D2 is still a good co-op zombie shooter game, and people didn't completely change the way it's played. DayZ seemed like fun and interesting back in it's days. Once it became interesting, people like you flooded it and made it into MMO Deathmatch with perma death. It would've been cool if I wanted a zombie game with people that deathmatch each other... But I don't want that. So excuse me if I wanted to have DayZ being that "ultimate zombie apocalypse simulation" that I always wanted to experience.

 

That's right, experience. That's what you people are massively killing off with your KoS4F attitude (Kill on Sight for Fun, for dummies).

[Batbard 9]

I believe that once there are more Zeds, people will start to conserve ammo and KOS will get old and not necessary...that is until we can set up bases!

 

One tactic that has not been mentioned, which I learned from State of Decay and feel it's somewhat useful, is to close doors behind you if you can. (but not so you're trapped)  Sure right now Zeds can run straight through buildings, but getting used to covering your tracks will save you in the end.  Especially if they add some kind of system where Zeds try and break down doors.  I get a peace of mind knowing that if someone is seeking to kill a player, they are mostly looking for buildings that have been entered to some extent. (At least that's what I think)  A closed door means in theory, an untouched building.  I guess it's also a good tactic if you wish to ambush someone.

 

I think a great feature to add to this game would be a "head turn" so you can look a bit more to the left or right while running/walking.

 

I learned the hard way about running through fields of gold...no no no.  I crawl up on towns most of the time prone, survey one side, then loop back and check the other...takes more time, but I live damn it!

"Head Turn"

Go hold down the alt key, then have a miniature orgasm. Now use that key for the rest of your life and complain when other games don't have it.

 

Also I don't feel like zombies by themselves will reduce KOS tendencies, mostly because people who do it usually either have nothing or have everything - they either would like to gain anything so they kill indiscriminately or they've stopped caring about losing stuff so they kill indiscriminately. A few dozen zombies aren't going to stop that mindset.

[doctorbadsign 645]

My advice would be; be patient and observant. 

 

Also set your default character to be wearing beige/green.

[doctorbadsign 645]

People like you made this game "wrong" for me. If you are serious about whatever you just wrote, I have Left4Dead2. It's nothing but a linear zombie shooting game with friends. It's fun, but once you finish all the campaigns, it just becomes boring. But hey! L4D2 is still a good co-op zombie shooter game, and people didn't completely change the way it's played. DayZ seemed like fun and interesting back in it's days. Once it became interesting, people like you flooded it and made it into MMO Deathmatch with perma death. It would've been cool if I wanted a zombie game with people that deathmatch each other... But I don't want that. So excuse me if I wanted to have DayZ being that "ultimate zombie apocalypse simulation" that I always wanted to experience.

 

That's right, experience. That's what you people are massively killing off with your KoS4F attitude (Kill on Sight for Fun, for dummies).

 

Why does KoS detract from the experience and immersion of DayZ?

 

As I've said, it adds a whole moral dimension to the game. Imagine living in a society that has crumbled to the point where people will kill you for fun.This adds a level of drama to the experience, and to the moral dilemma of being someone with principles, trapped in a world without them and forced to compromise their morals in order to survive. This is what makes DayZ, it shouldn't be about holding hands and dancing around the camp fire with flowers and bunnies. 

 

There is so much depth to the experience of DayZ and KoS is a huge part of that. It has forced me into positions where I've had to kill people when I don't want to etc. Just like the kinds of moral drama you'd get in real life. Quit whining about it just because you lost your gear or someone attacked you as a fresh spawn. Think about the moral depth that it creates. 

[dnk 18]

My own tips, many of which will repeat others' in the thread:

• When you're accessing inventory or standing still, be crouched or prone. You make a less visible target.
  
• When inside, be crouched. It's harder to see you through the windows that way.
  
• Before entering any area, check if zombies have spawned. Take more than 5 seconds to do this. If they have, avoid entering the area unless it's like Cherno where you're guaranteed PvP anyway you go about it.
  
• Stick to the less popular locations/trails. Avoiding people avoids KOS, and generally people in these areas are there for similar reasons, so you might get luckier when dealing with those you do come across.
  
• Avoid PvP areas, or only enter them when there's a low server pop.
  
• Don't shoot, don't make loud noises, don't draw attention to yourself.
  
• When you go to loot a smaller town, go in and out quickly, don't wander about, and don't loot every building. Before you enter the town, pick out the high value buildings, then plan a simple and fast route through those and perhaps a few lower value places. Rush in, rush out. The longer you stay, the more likely another player will stumble across your town, see it's spawned zombies, know you're in there, spot you, and set up an ambush.
  
• When planning to enter a city, make sure of 2 other things: 1) your entry route is relatively camouflaged by a treeline/bushes/buildings, and 2) your exit is similarly well covered (this is more important than the entrance), plus you will be able to scope out your exit from the city before you leave.
  
• Don't move in straight lines for long distances. Don't make your destination obvious (this is more an issue when you're returning to a base, which we don't have yet, but still).
  
• Before you finally exit a city, do a slow check of the direciton you're heading in to see if anyone's lying in wait or heading towards you. You planned this, right?
  
• Once you have left the city, make sure you have no zombies in tow, and that you lose them if you do.
  
• Don't run in the open - at the very least, use lines of bushes/trees.
  
• Stick to the forests, and stick to non-obvious routes in the forests (like, don't just follow a ridgeline that everyone going from X to Y popular spots will use).
  
• When you do spot another player, it's your choice to interact, but if you don't want to, assess the situation. If you can get away without being seen, do so, otherwise find a well hidden spot that they're unlikely to pass by, and stay low.
  
• Whenever you aren't running (like, when scoping out a place), don't move your body. That means use the free headlook. Don't be lazy - movement is a large part of what makes players easily spotted at a distance. If your whole body is swinging around as you look, you're going to be FAR more visible than if it's just a small part of the model (the head). You did remember to lie down or at least crouch, right?

Really, though, avoiding high traffic areas and situational awareness (also SA) are the keys. Knowing how to be a minimal target (including clothing) is important as well. A larger, but much more brightly colored backpack isn't always worth it - actually, it's rarely if ever worth it.

[Gator Biggs 22]

Why does KoS detract from the experience and immersion of DayZ?

 

As I've said, it adds a whole moral dimension to the game. Imagine living in a society that has crumbled to the point where people will kill you for fun.This adds a level of drama to the experience, and to the moral dilemma of being someone with principles, trapped in a world without them and forced to compromise their morals in order to survive. This is what makes DayZ, it shouldn't be about holding hands and dancing around the camp fire with flowers and bunnies. 

 

There is so much depth to the experience of DayZ and KoS is a huge part of that. It has forced me into positions where I've had to kill people when I don't want to etc. Just like the kinds of moral drama you'd get in real life. Quit whining about it just because you lost your gear or someone attacked you as a fresh spawn. Think about the moral depth that it creates. 

 

Coudn't have said it better myself.

[dtvh 6]

Research about some "long range patrolling" to learn how to enter, leave, steak out an area, cover and concealment then next is "close quarter battle" like how SWAT does it to learn how to clear a building, room, safely enter and get out.

Learn some basic soldiering and you will be living a long time.

 

thats whats kept me alive 

[Snawfu (DayZ) 4]

In my over 1000hrs of playing the DayzMod I've found out that, unsurprisingly, most people are fucking retarded. If you don't want to get shot, don't expose yourself. Most people don't even make it north where almost everyone shoots on sight. Even with all these changes to hinder PvP-gameplay (making it impossible to give call outs since they destroyed the compass, item degradation and so forth) people will still most likely shoot any random players, especially if armed. So I suggest you learn how to survive by avoiding encounters if you can't handle yourself in a gunfight or eventually joining a server where PvP isn't allowed (this actually exists).

[dut 21]

Sadly I feel like a lot of people look at someone in a bright red backpack running in the open, and think they need to "teach him a lesson".

 

I was hanging out behind a low wall in a front yard when I saw two guys running down the main road towards me, they were about 30m away and the only think I was thinking was "oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck" they ran past without looking but it made me wonder how often it happens the other way around. Many times I've watched somebody and just let them go, creepy to imagine them doing the same to me.

 

Image

Edited December 24, 2013 by dut

[El Lowell 3]

I forgot that DayZ was a survival game. I was starting to think it was a hunting game where people just shot at humans instead of bunnies or deer.

 

At this point, I know how to not get killed and survive relatively well. Moving around tactically, being paranoid, and staying the hell away from everyone who wasn't a friend was kind of fun, but it got boring. The risk of dying and losing all my stuff was part of what made DayZ fun for me. The part of the game I was looking forward to most, and enjoyed very much (when it used to happen for a bit) was the unpredictable interactions with other players...

 

...except, it's not unpredictable anymore.

 

People will kill on sight, that's it. Almost no one wants to take risks in this game. Some KOS out of boredom, or paranoia, or anger, or reflex, or all the above; whatever their reason is, almost no one tries to take a risk and be a bandit who doesn't shoot everything, or try to team up with strangers in-game to help one another and kill their KOSers.

 

Many KOSers say all the time that it's not hard to get your stuff again, and I do get myself the stuff I want with almost every character. I just wish more of them were willing to take risks in the game if they believe that it's not difficult to get their stuff back. Although, I guess this is due to lack of things to do in an alpha that are more fun than random murder.

 

Anyway, I enjoy having KOS in the game to a certain degree, but when everyone does it, the game begins to lack variety. It's not very appealing for new or potentially new players. I don't have enough friends to team up with because of this. The endless KOS turns them off, especially when there are other games for this type of thing. If it continues into the full release, the game might just have a limited audience that will only shrink in size over time.

 

For now, I'll join a friendly bandit-hunting clan or something. : D

Edited December 24, 2013 by El Lowell

[LeoIvanov 27]

Why does KoS detract from the experience and immersion of DayZ?

 

As I've said, it adds a whole moral dimension to the game. Imagine living in a society that has crumbled to the point where people will kill you for fun.This adds a level of drama to the experience, and to the moral dilemma of being someone with principles, trapped in a world without them and forced to compromise their morals in order to survive. This is what makes DayZ, it shouldn't be about holding hands and dancing around the camp fire with flowers and bunnies. 

 

There is so much depth to the experience of DayZ and KoS is a huge part of that. It has forced me into positions where I've had to kill people when I don't want to etc. Just like the kinds of moral drama you'd get in real life. Quit whining about it just because you lost your gear or someone attacked you as a fresh spawn. Think about the moral depth that it creates. 

 

I like some of the points you make, and some of them just makes me ill.

 

I can't understand why people immediately imply that anyone who dislikes "KoS" wants DayZ to be about "holding hands and dancing around the camp fire with flowers and bunnies. " No, for god's sake, I pointed it out countless times : I'm okay when people Kill on Sight because they are afraid for their stuff/life! That's probably what is going to happend in the real apocalypse when there are no more rules to obey, and nobody enforces them upon you. However, just as I like some of the KoS, I also dislike it's other type - the "because I can" or "For fun" type. THAT KoS should be got rid of.

 

Also, your point about KoS not hurting immersion would've been flawless.... If DayZ was about KoS. If their early access trailer included stuff like "This is DayZ, this is your story. MMO Competitive Survival Shooter", I would've just raised my hands defendeless, and called it quits trying to argue. but the fact - it's not. It isn't aiming to be a game where people shoot other players as soon as they see them. The fact that Dean Hall implemented item damage per shot proves that he wants the player interaction to be something more than just "Die bitch!". Although those games were made as sort of clones of DayZ, if I wanted to play a game where people shoot each other in order to have fun in post apocalyptic settings, I'd just go play Nether or Infestation : Survivor stories.

[Apple Monster 6]

"Head Turn"

Go hold down the alt key, then have a miniature orgasm. Now use that key for the rest of your life and complain when other games don't have it.

 

Also I don't feel like zombies by themselves will reduce KOS tendencies, mostly because people who do it usually either have nothing or have everything - they either would like to gain anything so they kill indiscriminately or they've stopped caring about losing stuff so they kill indiscriminately. A few dozen zombies aren't going to stop that mindset.

 

 

Sweet! thanks for the tip.  

 

I do believe it will cut it down some KOS in the sense that some players who would normally shoot someone running, will rather save bullets for when their asses are on the line from a large pack of Zeds.  That's just my opinion, and it seems natural to want to save your ammo for threats only...and by definition Kill on Sight means to Kill on sight, not Kill on Threat.

[bad_mojo (DayZ) 1204]

There is so much depth to the experience of DayZ and KoS is a huge part of that.

 

Senseless killing in DayZ has the moral depth of most other video games out there, in that it sends enemies to kill you for no other reason than you're a player in the game.

[DaveAzoicer (DayZ) 135]

"Member since 22 Dec 2013"

 

Yes, you are right. But playing as a PVPer is not the way to go.

And STOP complaining about people complaining about KOS! It is a useless argument because it only goes in circles.

Give some suggestions or actual decent banditry ideas instead of your average FPS-game bullshit.

This is NOT any of the following games: CoD, Battlefield, and what ever else they're called.

 

This is a ZOMBIE survival game. With an element of pure sanbox, which means that zombies WILL become a major threat and shooting someone nearby them would be ill advised (yes we're not there yet, but eventually).

 

And one last thing. You come here and tell people how to play the game? Please. There isn't a specific way to play this game.

There is TIPS that you can give, but they're for damn sure not the way to play the game.

[Coleman (DayZ) 14]

Sometimes it's inevitable that you're going to die. I've been in a group with ex-squaddies playing tactical and some lone gunman's had the drop on me. You just have to deal with the death, the quicker you can deal with losing all your shit then you'll be able to get it right back (well, after they fix the loot not respawning).

[doctorbadsign 645]

I like some of the points you make, and some of them just makes me ill.

 

I can't understand why people immediately imply that anyone who dislikes "KoS" wants DayZ to be about "holding hands and dancing around the camp fire with flowers and bunnies. " No, for god's sake, I pointed it out countless times : I'm okay when people Kill on Sight because they are afraid for their stuff/life! That's probably what is going to happend in the real apocalypse when there are no more rules to obey, and nobody enforces them upon you. However, just as I like some of the KoS, I also dislike it's other type - the "because I can" or "For fun" type. THAT KoS should be got rid of.

 

Also, your point about KoS not hurting immersion would've been flawless.... If DayZ was about KoS. If their early access trailer included stuff like "This is DayZ, this is your story. MMO Competitive Survival Shooter", I would've just raised my hands defendeless, and called it quits trying to argue. but the fact - it's not. It isn't aiming to be a game where people shoot other players as soon as they see them. The fact that Dean Hall implemented item damage per shot proves that he wants the player interaction to be something more than just "Die bitch!". Although those games were made as sort of clones of DayZ, if I wanted to play a game where people shoot each other in order to have fun in post apocalyptic settings, I'd just go play Nether or Infestation : Survivor stories.

 

How do you get rid of someone killing on sight for fun. Any measures taken in that direction will make people want to do it more. That's the way it is. Just accept it as part of the game. Again it still adds moral depth to the game. "Be careful out there, there are crazy folks who will kill you just for fun...."

 

Part of surviving involves shooting people. Why else are there guns in the game. Don't get me wrong, I rarely KoS unless I cannot avoid it. However the simple risk of getting shot randomly increases the tension of the game as a whole and of any interactions that I do have. People kill to survive in desperate situations, players killing players is all part of survival. Sure there is more to the game (hence why it is not advertised as a shooter), but to deny that it is an integral part would be folly.

[Mallow88 110]

People like you made this game "wrong" for me. If you are serious about whatever you just wrote, I have Left4Dead2. It's nothing but a linear zombie shooting game with friends. It's fun, but once you finish all the campaigns, it just becomes boring. But hey! L4D2 is still a good co-op zombie shooter game, and people didn't completely change the way it's played. DayZ seemed like fun and interesting back in it's days. Once it became interesting, people like you flooded it and made it into MMO Deathmatch with perma death. It would've been cool if I wanted a zombie game with people that deathmatch each other... But I don't want that. So excuse me if I wanted to have DayZ being that "ultimate zombie apocalypse simulation" that I always wanted to experience.

 

That's right, experience. That's what you people are massively killing off with your KoS4F attitude (Kill on Sight for Fun, for dummies).

 

Man you're a bag full of stupid, aren't you? Been playing DayZ since vanilla. Been a bandit since day 1. Sorry if your style of play isn't popular. Get over it.

[doctorbadsign 645]

Senseless killing in DayZ has the moral depth of most other video games out there, in that it sends enemies to kill you for no other reason than you're a player in the game.

 

It might have that moral depth for the person doing the killing, but not for me playing against those people.

 

I attempt to avoid killing other players on sight, because I am a principled person, so I try to translate this into how I play the game. However I am aware that in the world of DayZ there are people with no principles who will kill me, meaning that I am forced to make decisions that contradict my principles in order to survive. I probably have shot friendly players because they seemed like a threat to me, and it makes me feel guilty and I question my actions afterwards. Some people wouldn't, but then some people wouldn't in real life.

 

It adds moral depth for me as a player.

[LeoIvanov 27]

Man you're a bag full of stupid, aren't you? Been playing DayZ since vanilla. Been a bandit since day 1. Sorry if your style of play isn't popular. Get over it.

 

Sure, because I have a point and give fair insight on the problem, I am automatically a bag full of stupid.

 

I didn't say that you were one of the people that flooded DayZ with it's mindless Kill on Sight. I said people LIKE YOU (As in - people who like being a "Bandit") flooded it. I never said vanilla DayZ haven't had "KoS bandits". I just said that they were the minority, mostly camping at big cities to kill newbies. Now those type of players are literally every person you see. Sorry, but I want that shit to stay at it's minimum.

 

I won't be surprised if you were also one of the people that complained about DayZ taking too long to release.

[Mallow88 110]

So you made generalizations and assumptions, and when caught dead wrong you try to squirm your way out of it by ultimately making more generalizations and assumptions? Alright, well I'm done discussing anything with you.