My Experience Tonight

[DKR 104]

There seems to be hope in the wasteland. Don't read if you're not interested in my experience tonight. No hard feelings. Semi-wall of text follows! I'm sharing this story because of how impressed I was by the interactions of two survivors.

 

Location: NWAF-Firestation & Jail

 

> I see a flashlight shining on the wall of the firestation and move in to investigate. I hear the sound of a voice towards the jail so I slip over behind a pine for cover. Eventually, I get the courage to move up closer to look into a window so I can see what kind of firepower I'm dealing with. Two players are carrying nothing but fire axes. One thinks he hears someone outside, so I fall back to a pine and watch as they both come out the door to investigate (bad move), but eventually lose interest and/or assume they were mistaken about my presence. They move on towards the northern end of the strip.

 

> I stalk them to the north jail. A conversation ensues about various pieces of gear while I slowly move up to some brush in front of the jail door. I'm undecided, at this point, as to whether or not to be cool or attack the survivors. They've done nothing wrong and have no real weapons, but its the NWAF and I'm not about to take any chances. Considering my past interactions with "friendly" survivors (who turned out to be thieving bandits), I was in no mood to trust anyone, especially at the NWAF. I had over 600 rounds and recently cleaned M4...so I was prepared for the worst.

 

> But damnit...I couldn't resist. I assumed the worst would happen. I'd trust someone for a second, and they'd kill me...or just log off when I approach them. This was the NWAF for christ sake...no one is friendly! I'd lose this encounter...just like all the other times. But I couldn't help myself. I wanted to have a conversation...a negotiation...some kind of interpersonal exchange of motives and intentions. Something like in all those YouTube videos...so instead of just popping them as they came out the door, I figured I'd try to communicate. What happened next was the kind of (rare) interaction that I strive for with every spawn.

 

> Sitting in a bush, right out side the jail door, I can hear them talking out loud. I initiate contact with an exaggerated proclamation. "You're gonna die". Well...maybe I didn't start that off very well. I heard them react to my statement. There was no way out for them, and they knew it. But wouldn't you know it.....even with the knowledge of being trapped in the jail...they didn't log. They had fire axes...and they were WAY up at the NWAF and didn't log when I threatened them. Honestly, that impressed me. Kudos to them.

 

> They responded with a plea to spare their lives. We negotiated for a minute...I asked for an ACOG scope, which they could not deliver. They countered my offer with food, a beret, and something else I forget. I told them I was fine on the essentials. The conversation went on for a minute or two and I advised them to not be so liberal with Direct Chat, since that was the reason I was able to locate them and stalk them.

 

> You could say I made a foolish move by offering trust on my part, and I wouldn't argue with you. I told them I could help them since they didn't have any firearms, but only if they walked out slowly. They complied and we spoke to each other for another minute. They said they were moving north to the tents and I offered to assist them, considering the two intrepid bambis migrated to the NWAF with no weapons. After a quick run through of the tents and another couple of conversations, I thanked them for their sportsmanship (for not logging) and playing it cool. It was the interpersonal, RPG experience I had been waiting for that, to date, I have not had in DayZ. I wished them good luck and we gave our farewells. I move off to the tree line to find a spot to log off. I had plans on moving to Vybor and Zelen the next day. But before I do...

 

>>> I hear a clip reload....then get shot 12 seconds later in the back.

 

No way to know, but I assume it was from a combat logger. Fucked up my plan for tomorrow....but you'll never take away hope in the wasteland!

 

And you'll never have the kind of experience and satisfaction that I had with that god awful combat logging playstyle. You killed me and I only lost easily replaceable items. You've sacrificed substance for cheap thrills, so you've lost way more.

 

At least in my humble opinion...in the end, I win.