DayZ : Day 1 - stumbling aboutJanuary 15, 2014 by pinkdino - Edit

[pinkdino99 13]

IGN has put up a few posts about DayZ, and Naomi has been on twitter chatting about how much fun she's been having ... especially rolling down hills ... I thought I'd jump on youtube and have a look at some longplay videos.

Whenever I have done this on games previous (Simcity), if I have watched more than 5 minutes worth of footage, then I know I'm going to end up making a purchase.

Arma interested me, but I'm not a great fan of military games. I'm ok at FPS, but get tired mentally quite quickly, as the required adrenaline to sustain 10 straight deathmatches seems to be fading for me with age. DayZ seems to be the perfect mix of survival horror and epic size sandbox.

I bought my first ever gaming headset on the way home, then a nice smooth and rapid transaction was made on Steam. Then came a miserable 3hr wait while it downloaded. For the record, if you do watch the clock, it does move REALLY SLOWLY ! Thanks goodness there was some football from the playoff weekend I could watch.

So it's Tuesday night. It's a work night. The game is ready to play at 10.41 pm. I've got goosebumps.

I spawn for the first time at some docks, which I later find out are on the very SW corner of the map. I'm instantly impressed by the feel of my surroundings. The grass, draw distance, sea all give a feeling of space around me. Space where I feel instantly vulnerable. I run for the warehouses at the docks.

First building I check has a pink beanie hat for me. WOW ! They knew I was coming !

The keyboard controls are a little clunky, and for some reason 3rd person won't work. A little reading online suggests that some servers turn that function off. Oh well !

The other side of my brain is wondering how I'll deal with the other people playing, assuming they don't just snipe me from a distance. I want to appear useful and resourceful to them, so I plan to start collecting as much food, tools and medical supplies as I can.

About an hour later, the controls are starting to feel more natural. I've even braved a few ladders to get some idea of the surroundings from a high vantage point. The small village surrounding the port has rewarded my search with a backpack, some decent walking shoes, a raincoat, camping gear, lots of food and some decent first aid packs. I carry a copy of the Bible I found for as long as I can justify the space. I am not religious, but I figure if the world has gone to s**t, then that's what I'd probably do in real life !

Best of all, I find a map, and hotkey it for quick use. I've bumped into a few zombies which have been axed quite efficiently, and I've had to bandage myself once. Looking at the map, I see a military base to the North. I'd really like a gun for defensive purposes, and also to help get into a negotiation with a small group to pimp out my medical and food supplying resources.

I've gotten into the habit of drinking soda on sight. The last place in the village that I checked had a kitchen knife, so now I can munch away on canned food. I never leave food behind, but instead eat as much as I can when I can.

My SHIFT button keeps having problems. It stops toggling the walk/run, so all I can do is walk, or double tap W to sprint. I look online for a solution, no suggestions work aside from re-logging, and the problem kicks in again and again. I turn all my sticky keys off.

This actually ends up being really beneficial later in open terrain, and has created a tactic for movement which I think may stick with until I can get into a group. Crossing the terrain becomes a long sprint into cover of the trees, avoiding the roads. I pride myself of having a great sense of direction, but wish that I had a compass. Even so, the sea behind is south. Sun is on the west. I have a map, so this  should be easy peasy. Problem becomes that I have no sense of scale. Have I run for 1/2 mile, 1 mile, 2 ? I cut across East to where I feel the base is and it isn't there. I see farmhouses here and there but no major landmarks. My life becomes sprinting from cover to cover, and then scratching my head whilst resting and looking over the map.

There is a radio antenna close by on top of a hill. I walk up to have a look around. Once up, and looking at the map I swear I know where I am and head off down a path. I don't find a military base, but an airstrip. Where the heck am I ?!?! Then I hear a gunshot.

All of a sudden It's metal gear solid time, and I creep and crawl to the airstrip buildings, but whoever was there is long gone. I find a few Magnums, a larger rucksack and take out three or four zombies with my trusty fire-axe. Maybe I've eaten too much, or run too much, or eaten something dodgy because my character is making the odd groaning noise. She sounds like me on a Monday morning, and that's never going to be good. My inventory screen says she's healthy enough though, but it's becoming a disconcerting feeling.

A quick glance of the clock says that it's nearly 2am real time, and I have work in 6hrs. I find a nice safe farmhouse and log for the night.

I now have that nice addicted buzz that I get on really special games. This means that this game is all I am going to be able to think about all day, waiting, clock watching 'till I can get back home, log in and continue my adventure.

Hooked.

[Window Licker 504]

Love beginners stories

[OfficialHG 6]

I had your shift problem too, I think it happens when you have nothing in your hands and then you right click. Try right-clicking with nothing in your hands if it is happening, and it should stop. Nice story :)

[pinkdino99 13]

Thanks, will give that a go !