Looting Locations

[Domocus 2]

I was wondering the best places to begin looting as a newer player. I've stumbled across various locations, one of them at the docks (near the train station).

I've looted various items, including several weapons. However, on my current playthrough (approaching two hours), I have not stumbled across a single weapon. I've found several cans of food and soda, but I constantly find items for vehicle repairs. I've found Jerry Cans, Tires, Engine Parts, and various other items, including a goddamn helicopter rotor. But I still haven't found a single weapon.

Is the area near the docks more suitable to finding vehicle items? If so, where should I continue looting at this point? I typically stay along the Southern coast, looting small buildings. While this is safer than the city, it's slow and painful.

[neves (DayZ) 0]

Go inland more; you will get shot hanging around too much in the southern shoreline. Barns (big green dots or diamonds on the loot map I linked below) are good places for starter weapons or ammo.

Use this map: http://dayzdb.com/map

[Domocus 2]

Ah, perfect, thank you! Looks like I was constantly looting the Industrial sectors of Elektro. I typically play on lower population servers to avoid contact, at least for now.

[cerberuscx 0]

If you spawn near Cherno or west of it, head immediately to Balota airfield. It is quick and you just spawned in so it does not hurt so bad to get killed. Do it fast, don't hang around and stay away if you hear gun shots. The ATC tower can be nice if you are lucky but just south of it are 4 deer stands around a grouping of medical tents which can drop AKM, AKS, M16, M4A1 and DMRs for primary as well as a bunch of secondary weapons such as glocks and PDWs. There is a high chance of getting killed here as its fairly frequently camped and anyone in there is jumpy and ready for a fight. If you find a gun in there head inland immediately as you are already miles ahead of most people as far as early gear goes and you are now a walking target dummy.

Once you have a good weapon try and find food water and a better pack before anything else. Then move onto your tools. Finding matches, a hatchet and a hunting knife are my top priority even before a compass or a map for me. If you are going north from Balota, Zelnagorsk is good and pustoshka is better. Stay away from Sabor if you are inland and are especially worried about getting killed.

Once you have all of that stuff the game will be pretty boring for you if you don't got a group to play with. All of the high value things are also heavy PVP areas and you will want at least another body who wont put a bullet in your heady to loot those places. Perfect group size is 4-6 IMO, if you all play together consistently, a group of that size wont collapse under it's need for food and water.