Am I naive in wanting to learn the map myself?

[General Desire 22]

Hi,

Got about 20 hours in the game, little less, and have had my fair share of dead characters. I keep being astonished by how everyone on this forum keeps talking about all the cities as if they live there. I know my way about some areas but know them as Balota, 'the one with all the skyscrapers', 'the lighthouse', 'that weird overgrown place with the pipeline and high walkways' etcetera. I thought I'd first get to know how to play the game a little better. Now I got a character with a large backpack full of food and drinks, a mosin with pristine scope and 80 bullets, and a compass and east map. I thought I'd just go east to the coast until I recognize something on the map and then head north because I heard shit is going on there. A bit of loneranging between trees on the way, think the reason I died so often is because of my run Forrest run approach.

Am I naive to think I will get to know the map using my east map (hopefully completing that), and street signs? Is everyone just constantly alt tabbing to some map they got online? Somehow I think that's kind of cheating, in a survival game I feel like the area is a crucial aspect.

Cheers!

[cywehner1234 582]

Nah man, that's 100% immersion. I did that my first days on DayZ, but knew most of it on Arma II.

[razgriz93@gmail.com 228]

Meh. I know the map from playing especially Benny's Warfare.

Which leads to some interesting stuff, like, stumblimg into the military base at the center of the map (sorta, was east of Stary if I remember correctly).

But you should feel free to play the way you see more fitting. Map or not.

[Kerwyn 77]

Not at all. As someone who uses an online map, I respect people who have the patience to learn the map properly. You'll have bragging rights over guys like me when you say "Yeah, I learned this country the hard way."

 

As a side note, I've found at this point, I generally only use the map to translate the darned street signs into a language I can read so I know where I am. Also with the Standalone came subtle changes, and this time, I am trying to learn the map properly, though I'll admit I still will look up the map when I get thoroughly lost (Which happens more often than I admit, but don't tell my squadmates, as far as they know, every detour was entirely part of my cunning plan!)

[Mr Nasty 1023]

Learning the way of the land by use of in-game maps, landmarks, signs, etc is best for immersion and the most exciting IMO. It also helps in the long run because you will be able to easily recognize cities without having to use a map. Being able to navigate with little to no tools is an incredibly useful skill and  gives you a significant advantage.

[Mos1ey 6301]

My favourite time in DayZ was back when I'd just started playing the mod, I had no idea where I was and there were no online maps. You'll find that you'll develop a much deeper knowledge of the map by finding your own way around too.

[General Desire 22]

Alright, so I'm not alone, good :) One thing I did think of is maybe I'll Google the alphabet so I at least know how to pronounce everything. That's a lot easier to remember than looking at a random collection of letters and signs.

Thanks!

[vampiricmaniac@hotmail.co.uk 19]

My favourite time in DayZ was back when I'd just started playing the mod, I had no idea where I was and there were no online maps. You'll find that you'll develop a much deeper knowledge of the map by finding your own way around too.

 

This 100%. Unfortunately from playing the mod so much I know most of the map, but all the new areas and additions to original areas sure are immersive to discover and explore!

[Kocot 35]

I learned the hard way.

Wandering round and seeing where I ended up. It's without a doubt the best way to learn.

[elf cakes 559]

Not at all. As someone who uses an online map, I respect people who have the patience to learn the map properly. You'll have bragging rights over guys like me when you say "Yeah, I learned this country the hard way."

 

As a side note, I've found at this point, I generally only use the map to translate the darned street signs into a language I can read so I know where I am. Also with the Standalone came subtle changes, and this time, I am trying to learn the map properly, though I'll admit I still will look up the map when I get thoroughly lost (Which happens more often than I admit, but don't tell my squadmates, as far as they know, every detour was entirely part of my cunning plan!)

but getting lost is so much fun! who knows what you might find?!

[DoctorWrongpipes 31]

You'll even start to learn a tiny bit of Cyrillic when you stumble upon road signs :)

[terminal_boy 860]

I had a fair idea from the Mod and ArmA 2, but I'm enjoying discovering the SA map anew.

[floj 393]

Alright, so I'm not alone, good :) One thing I did think of is maybe I'll Google the alphabet so I at least know how to pronounce everything. That's a lot easier to remember than looking at a random collection of letters and signs.

Thanks!

This or use the wiki http://dayz.gamepedia.com/Chernarus#Towns_and_Cities to check spellings without reading a map at all.

 

I don't know the full alphabet, but I can more or less guess what most towns are now since a few letters are the same: a e o K M T ...doesn't help you at all with a few places, but if you know vaguely where you are on the map then you can use the number of letters and one/two words to differentiate.

 

I'm currently trying to work on remembering that  Б=B, B=V, b=y, y=u, C=S, H=N, 3=Z... but yeah, that's confusing as fuck for me specially the 3 B's

[herrjon 478]

The reason people talk about towns like they've lived there is because it was a similar map for DayZ Mod and Arma II, and people typically like to hang around a particular area and get to know it.  Online map or not that will generally happen.  Only handicap they had on the mod was waypoints and login location text.  Now there's not of that BS and we see who really knows the map and who doesn't.

 

For me, I will admit I did use the DayZDB loot map in the mod, but that was well after I had explored for a bit and sort of knew my way around.  Previous to that I had found in-game maps and studied them, and learned how to navigate with just a map and a general sense of North.  Now I can get around in the mod with almost nothing, finding my way back to my body up North without using an online map or looting for any tools.  The new stuff in SA did mix things up, but I think I've gotten a handle on it now.

 

I just can't wait to see what they've got planned for far North.  Right now it's a bunch of roads basically, but you can sort of picture where they'll plop down towns.  I think I'll still live in Zelenogorsk (my "home town") but I'll go exploring up there when they add more.

Edited January 8, 2014 by (TMW)HerrJon

[Element47 2480]

learning by running is the best.

[InflatedLyric 39]

Standalone was my first time on the map.  I have, however, been watching vids of the mod for the last year and a half (that gives me some knowledge of the map I would not otherwise have).  I do also "cheat" if we are going to call it that.  I downloaded an app on my tablet, but since I do not always have that right beside me I have the map pulled up on my PC 80% of the time and alt-tab.  It's been a while since I last spawned, but I used to run North (or just inland if I couldn't find North) as soon as possible.  I am always lost from this point.  I have been some places and I still do not know where they are or how I got there.  I have found myself on the edge of the map more than a few times.  I feel like I run across certain places a lot, even if by chance.  The first time I ran across the train station to the north, I thought the tracks were running north to south and I thought I was more centrally located on the map.  When I look at the map, it is more out of curiousity: "I have been running for so long, I must have made it somewhere"; however, I never really know where I started to know where I ran from.  At this point though, if I were to randomly run, I would come across a place and most likely recognize the name as it appears on the sign, I might not know where exactly it is on the map, but it does ring a bell.  Like, "I think I have been here before" or "I always seem to stumble across this place."  Also, you can look up the translation for the city names on the wiki, just search for chernaraus cities and towns from google.  I have looked at that too and if you just look at the page with the names and translations, it will not tell you where the city is at on the map.

 

I would say, I do not use the map efficiently.  However, I am like you in that I would like to learn the map well enough to at the very least read a street sign and know where I am at, eventually.  I will need to read more street signs, and know where I am at more often to make it a reality.

 

Edit: I also had most of the ingame map, except the NE corner.  I was holding 4 pieces of map up until yesterday (I was having some lag issue after restart and could not interact with inventory properly, but changed my tactical shirt for a camo jacket that did not appear until I finally gave up trying and changed servers, map pieces and compass were in the shirt) and I only ever looked at the IG map once.

Edited January 8, 2014 by InflatedLyric

[sharrakor 3]

You are playing the game how it is supposed to be played. Learning the map is part of the game and to fully immerse Yourself in the gameplay.

I try and find my own way around, learning the map as I navigate. However I have to admit I have at times glanced at a DayZ map, just to get my bearings.

[OrLoK 16185]

Hello there

 

External maps are for cheats and the lazy IMHO.

 

The really cool kids only use ingame comms and maps.

 

Im impressed with the external comms like TS and external maps, but to use them in game is low and sneaky again IMHO.

 

Rgds

 

LoK

[bushwaka 48]

Hi,

Got about 20 hours in the game, little less, and have had my fair share of dead characters. I keep being astonished by how everyone on this forum keeps talking about all the cities as if they live there. I know my way about some areas but know them as Balota, 'the one with all the skyscrapers', 'the lighthouse', 'that weird overgrown place with the pipeline and high walkways' etcetera. I thought I'd first get to know how to play the game a little better. Now I got a character with a large backpack full of food and drinks, a mosin with pristine scope and 80 bullets, and a compass and east map. I thought I'd just go east to the coast until I recognize something on the map and then head north because I heard shit is going on there. A bit of loneranging between trees on the way, think the reason I died so often is because of my run Forrest run approach.

Am I naive to think I will get to know the map using my east map (hopefully completing that), and street signs? Is everyone just constantly alt tabbing to some map they got online? Somehow I think that's kind of cheating, in a survival game I feel like the area is a crucial aspect.

Cheers!

 

Good luck mate! I am currently collecting some goods together for the same sort of journey. I will not be taking any firearm though, just my trusty fireman's axe and bat. I will stay off the beaten track and see what I can find ;)

[ottovonlarnie 4]

After countless hours playing the mod, you eventually get to know the map, but once private hives come in with custom buildings etc. it can get a bit confusing. IMHO try to avoid using online resources such as DAYZDB for maps while playing, it is more fun to get lost and have to work it all out yourself, but they can be worth studying a bit to work out locations for looting and routes for travel across country.

[philbottle 430]

Nice topic. I have been avoiding maps, wiki, this forum and anything that could help me out.

 

I learned Chernarus playing the mod and arma but it was a pleasure to find new map features (e.g. military barracks) I wasn't expecting. I actually got lost on one trip from Elektro to NWA and found myself at Devil's Castle.

 

Teamspeak though I do use if I'm playing with friends, sorry Orlok  :(

[General Desire 22]

Aaaaah, for those who care to read my story, just had an awesome two hours, this game is amazing!

 

So I decided, since I had the east map, I would head east (I had a compass) until I hit water, then head north, because of the things I heard online and because I've never been there. Apparently (which I suspected because there was a construction site), I was near Berezino. Cautious for newspawns and people in the city, I evaded the city and ran along the water. My backpack was full of food and drinks and had a mosin with pristine PU Scope, time to go into the wild! :) I immediately recognized where I was on the map, so decided to head inland to the little village of Khelm. On the way, I immediately found map west, hence I had a freaking complete map! Not too much in Khelm, so I went through the forest and the mountains, looking for Krasnostav. I would go east from the NE Airfield, go up the mountain (not black mountain, the other one, more north), survey the city for people. Airfield seemed pretty peaceful (was on a 20 ppl server), but doors were open and there wasn't that much loot so I was cautious. First buildings were clear, THOUGHT I heard a soda sound which freaked me out. Slowly creeped along the first barracks and saw a fresh dead body near the corner. Kinda stupid, I started looting him and BAM, a bullet hit the metal. I hurried into the barracks, stayed in the back for a while, and crawled back to the front, couldn't see him. I realized that probably my scope isn't zeroed and I had no clue how to do that, so I ran out, round the back, and towards the other prison on the west side where he presumably was. Thought about what everyone said though, better to evade than to die. So I decided to go in the little houses on the side and then crawl up the mountain, positioning myself for a nice view over the airfield, with the city of Krasnostav on my right, ready to be tackled tomorrow. Only have a Mosin though.. so have to be careful :) Started eating whatever I had, drink some sodas, and for the first time; healthy. I'm on a roll <3 Also found some pistol bullets (not many lol), an empty (ruined) M4 mag and a pristine scope stand.

 

ONLY RANT; When combining the map you can not zoom in as much anymore!?

 

Some pics, crappy phonepics since prt scrn doesn't work..

 

 

 

Edited January 8, 2014 by General Desire

[Hosty 647]

Online maps are just for lazy, easy-mode people.

 

Ingame maps, knowledge and compass is the way to go baby.

[General Desire 22]

Yeah, first time I played with the map, it plays so much more fun :) Knowing where you are, and constantly having to hide while reading.

[wearelegion (DayZ) 1]

I admit that online maps are often overused as a crutch. But honestly i see see no fault with them, i think of them as general knowledge of the area, similarly to using voice chat prog like team speak or mumble as having a radio as a starting possession. Besides the online map fails to pinpoint current random events, When stuff like the downed choppers are reintroduced you'll find potential surprises everywhere.

 

edit:  I would like to see the ingame map actually offer some use... perhaps it could provide a function similar to the gps of old.  Maybe looking at the map could tell you your estimated location by highlighting a 10 km area. not pinpoint, but enough to be worth carrying. 

Edited January 8, 2014 by wearelegion