[Guide] Pro Tips for Starting Out

[Lukio (DayZ) 24]

Lurikeen (DAoC rocked btw) you need two free inventory slots for a wood pile, maybe thats the issue.

[Lurikeen 0]

Lurikeen (DAoC rocked btw) you need two free inventory slots for a wood pile' date=' maybe thats the issue.

[/quote']

It did indeed, and still continues too :)

Thanks, although not directly related to the issue I'm having (can't equip the axe as a weapon), you've made me realise that perhaps because I have a makarov equipped, the option won't come up to allow me to equip the axe.

[clintmbaptiste@gmail.com 2]

There should be two options when rightclicking the Axe on toolbelt bar.

Harvest Wood and Remove from Toolbelt.

You want to choose "Remove from Toolbelt"

If not then something is wrong... respawn and try again or double check to see if your DayZ and Arma 2 beta files are up to date.

[clintmbaptiste@gmail.com 2]

Camps and Vehicles section has been revised to allow quicker access to vehicles.

Soon as you have an Axe, Knife, Matches and a 16-slot backpack your main priority should be finding a vehicle to repair.

[K69 (DayZ) 2]

Lurikeen (DAoC rocked btw) you need two free inventory slots for a wood pile' date=' maybe thats the issue.

[/quote']

It did indeed, and still continues too :)

Thanks, although not directly related to the issue I'm having (can't equip the axe as a weapon), you've made me realise that perhaps because I have a makarov equipped, the option won't come up to allow me to equip the axe.

You can't have a primary weapon as that's the slot where the axe goes, but you can have a pistol. Once equipped (as stated above, by clicking 'remove from tool belt) you have to reload it ® before you can use it.

[NightRipper 284]

One neat trick I thought I'd share, has saved me from death a few times now...

If you've aggroed some zeds before you find any weapons, and you happen to be near a downhill, take off running down it. Lead the train of aggroed zeds down the steepest part of the slope you can find, but before it flattens out, stop suddenly. You should watch the zeds go flying over your head, and fall to the ground, dead. I've lost a tail of 3+ zeds this way, completely unharmed. Also, it's damn satisfying to watch. Hope this helps.

[weld 26]

Slow crawl with pistol can be accomplished by pressing W+A or W+D in most cases. You'll crawl at an angle but with a pistol equipped it is slower than crawling forward so it will not trigger the speed noise.

[clintmbaptiste@gmail.com 2]

Slow crawl with pistol can be accomplished by pressing W+A or W+D in most cases. You'll crawl at an angle but with a pistol equipped it is slower than crawling forward so it will not trigger the speed noise.

Ah very nice, didn't notice

Only in tall grass though, it still makes noise on hard surface.

[weld 26]

Yeah, the scraping on concrete or gravel is still loud despite the slower speed.

[Naykon (DayZ) 25]

Great tips,

I find the crossbow a bit useless though at the moment, also use VOIP, hit "/" then up arrow twice to get to local comms then caps lock for local voice, you might just avoid a bloodbath.

If you have a lot of gear and see another player with anything other than an axe or crowbar then shoot on sight.

Better safe than dead.

[UbiquitousBadGuy 846]

Added to Index of Helpful threads sticky as "Newbie Survivor Guide #2".

[clintmbaptiste@gmail.com 2]

Added to Index of Helpful threads sticky as "Newbie Survivor Guide #2".

Awesome much appreciated! My first sticky! kinda... lol

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Great tips' date='

I find the crossbow a bit useless though at the moment

[/quote']

Once you start to use it more you get better with it, not like most weapons takes a bit getting used to.

I use it constantly till I get a vehicle, never miss with it and recover 75% of my arrows shot.

[clodan 0]

i liked this guide, a lot... except for the crossbow part, i used it a couple of time... its good, but not that good to carry it arround... i would just pick it up if extremly necessary.

[clintmbaptiste@gmail.com 2]

Ah man... seriously the crossbow is godlike if you learn how to use it properly, like I said it just takes some practice.

I've cleared whole towns of zombies without making a single noise or taking any damage or aggro...

Gonna add some tips for Crossbows

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Tips added for Crossbows

[clintmbaptiste@gmail.com 2]

guide constantly being revised today so make sure to read it over again!

changed up the Camps and Vehicle sections.

also added looking for toolbox to Survival section.

[NedEleven 1]

*points to sig*

The default field of view setting is incredibly narrow. If you hate playing DayZ in first-person view, increasing the fov will make a huge difference in playability.

[clodan 0]

I think you might be right about the crossbow, i will use your tips next time i have to start... right now i have an AK-Cobra and a DMR, and i will not drop any of those for a crossbow :P

[clintmbaptiste@gmail.com 2]

If you are having a hard time with the Crossbow then might want to stick with an Axe.

I'll add some Axe tips later.

Can clear towns with the Axe alone taking minimal damage if you walk backwards and melee at the same time.

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*points to sig*

The default field of view setting is incredibly narrow. If you hate playing DayZ in first-person view' date=' increasing the fov will make a huge difference in playability.

[/quote']

Thanks for the FOV tip, that will help a lot actually.

[Disgraced 1123]

Another helpful tip:

- If you have your sidearm out and try inventory while prone, you will go into crouch. Same thing if you try to 'throw' something. To do these things and remain prone, switch to your main weapon.

[SystemiK 366]

Nice guide +1. Couple of points you might consider adding. (a lot of these are fairly obvious but I'm sure some will benefit from them).

Might want to include the fact that drinking or eating from cans will make noise which nearby zeds (as well as players) can hear. Soda cans are especially loud. Zeds will not agro to this sound, but with the new mechanic they may investigate.

Someone above mentioned FOV. Changing your FOV settings may alter weapon sighting slightly.

I don't approve of your suggestion of drinking / eating items immediately when you find them. If you have little space and do not want to carry them, of course this is fine but with the increased rarity of food/drink it makes much more sense to wait until you are blinking or even a bit longer before consuming them (i usually wait for 15 minutes after blinking). Get the most out of your timer, you never know how long it will be until you find more. This had been the difference between life and death for me on several occasions when covering long distances and/or having low loot spawns.

Additionally, can someone confirm that you need to eat drink more often when sprinting long distances? Sure seems that way.

If you have a canteen, you dont need to wait for the animation to complete when drinking/filling at ponds. Step into the pond slightly, click drink and immediately click refill. You can be in and out and back on the move in 3 or 4 seconds. ALWAYS drink / refill canteens when you encounter ponds. Even if you are still green you will reset the timer. Same goes for water wells.

A lot of new players are not aware of the ALT key for looking around. You stay much more hidden when using ALT to free look around, as your body does not rotate with your head. When running through the woods, stealthing zeds etc. always use ALT to keep an eye behind you and to your sides. Takes some time to get used to but it's a gamechanger. Not using ALT to scan the area around when in cover is why most people are discovered by other players. If you are swinging your rifle around wildly the pixel movements another player sees on his screen can give you away from great distances.

Shift key is a toggle. I always double tap shift once before stealthing around zeds. This way the default is slow movement and I dont accidentally "fast move" by forgetting to press shift. Once back in the woods another double tap will allow you to default run without having to hold down shift.

You can use distant zombies as an indicator of other players in an area. I always ask myself when overlooking a village etc. "am I close enough to have spawned those zeds or did another player in the village spawn them?" This has saved my ass on numerous occasions.

I constantly see new players crouch running accross wide open fields. Crouch is very effective for zombies but not at all effective for being less visible to other players. Use full sprint, it will get you to cover faster. Better yet never cross open fields at all. There are almost always treelines to use for cover when traveling between settlements.

Always check dead zeds for loot. It's rare but it's often there. Also military zeds often have some random ammo (but can often be harder to kill, be extra careful around these guys).

Occasionally the game will spawn an unusually high number of zeds very close around you, in these rare cases it is generally better to abort your plans and clear out of the area. I see this most often in the smaller villages.

New players: By all means, enjoy the music, it is very atmospheric and creepy. Later on, you should consider turning it off. You'll need to be able to hear every sound around you if you wish to keep yourself safe.

Hopefully there was something in there that will help someone...

[clintmbaptiste@gmail.com 2]

Never had a zombie aggro eating or drinking and I do it constantly... hmm.

Guess I won't be changing my FOV then, thanks.

You should always be carrying a Water Canteen and Meat on you, there is no room for cans of food or soda. Always drink the Soda immediately so you don't have to drink from your Canteen, the Canteen is for when you are blinking red. There is soooo much soda to be found... hardly ever do I even get to the blinking point unless I been running a long time. If you do have to drink from your Canteen your first priority should be to go fill it back up.

Like I said, canteen is emergencies only.

Thanks for the other tips, the zombie one is good. I already consider that when playing, just didn't think about it.

[SystemiK 366]

Never had a zombie aggro eating or drinking and I do it constantly... hmm.

Yeah, same here. I heard rocket mention this in an interview with TotalBiscut though. Maybe it's new.