Concretely: what differs the pro from the noob?

[MarchmelloMan 16]

Hey guys!

 

Im pretty new to DayZ, played it for about 10 hours now or so and yesterday I had my second death. The first one was because I starved (cause i couldnt open that damn cans) and the second time cause I ate a rotten apple and got sick (nobody told me that ;(( ). In summary, I have no plan on how to effectively gather my stuff to survive. 

 

I watched some streams and what I could hear, motivated me to post here; they mentioned that it took them 1-3 hours to get their basic stuff, which means, enough to eat, drink and a weapon. Seriously? My goal is to claim my hands on at least two of that things before I die.

 

So my question is: what do the pros do, what the beginners dont? Especially in the beginning? Do they have the whole map in their mind? Do they exactly know, where their stuff spawns, always? Do they have special houses they go in?

I work with the chernarus+ map on a website to locate myself and try to reach cities, but there has to be more concrete stuff the pros know and do, what the baby survivers just dont. 

 

 

Hope anybody out there is kind enough to help this little noob here :)

[enforcer1975 1111]

Noob goes KoSing while the pro goes the survival route.

 

Don't just run around aimlessly, keep and eye and both ears on your surrounding, think about the consequences of you actions, like is it really wise to run over the meadow to get to that house faster or would it be better to circle around and use the woods as concealment, learn to read zombie behaviour...are the zeds running around or are they roaming, avoid major towns although the loot there might be better ( which it mostly isn't since it's already looted by tons of people because everybody goes there first ) read some tips and watch videos on DayZ survival and not just "i killed that bambi i'm so pwnerz" clips.

Edited February 22, 2014 by Enforcer

[herrjon 478]

At least for me, it's really hard to put my fingers on what I do that allows me to survive so much easier than other folks.  I'll do my normal survival stuff but I've also gone in the big cities on a 35 player server while hearing gunshots and meeting people, and I was still able to survive just fine and find enough loot to get by.  It just comes down to overall experience in looting and moving around safely.

 

I mean if I truly was wanting to survive, I'd stay out of the big cities at least until I've gotten food and drink from small towns and know that no one is there.  Because of how loot works, if someone has been through the whole area, all you have left to take is what they left behind, which typically doesn't include food.  Basically you head inland towards smaller towns, get some basics like clothing and food, and find a water pump.  Once you're set up that way, depending on where your at, head to an airstrip, military base, or city for a weapon if you haven't found one yet.  This process only takes an hour or two, and if luck is on your side, you'll be set.

 

Oh, and if it comes to a point where your inventory is full, don't carry disinfectant spray, alcohol tincture, antibiotics, pain killers, syringes, water purification tablets, matches, firewood, and any cooking gear.  None of those are currently doing anything right now and are just a waste of space.

[wild_man 4442]

good knowledge of game include mechanics and systems for survive ;)

 

good knowledge of map and ability to navigate no compass no 3rd party map bullshits >:(

 

skill with gun quick aim accurate headshot master B)

 

ability to hold nerves no panic react fast without think stay always calm in control :)

 

good decision making not stupid like noobs because they don't have big store of knowledge to assist  :D

 

me too I was noob before but now I am more like pro :thumbsup: :ph34r:

 

but still sometimes I making big mistakes and game don't forgive no mistakes :o

[Hethwill_Khan 233]

Concretely: what differs the pro from the noob?

 

The team.

[irl-calibre 744]

your first primary concern should be getting healthy

[PhilB 230]

Here's a few-

1. It will get fixed eventually, but for right now start taking note of which buildings aren't spawning loot. This will drastically cut down your loot time, only going to those houses you know there's a chance for loot.

 

2. Still true for SA, GO INLAND! (for example, yesterday I went immediately inland on a packed 50 pop server. Gorka, Mysta, Novy/Stary, Rogovo, Pogorevka and Zelenogorsk all still had loot in them. Then I went back to the coast, forced to kill 3 survivors who tried to gang up on me and eventually got killed in Elektro). I recommend plotting a course or plan of attack before heading out. Make small, specific goals. I notice with western side of the map it seems to be primarily heavily kitted players. I'm noticing a pattern, in western towns, where the military specific buildings are looted and everything else in town is untouched. These folks have all the food and supplies they need. Go to those towns deep inland. It may take 5 extra minutes to walk to Zeleno versus walking down to Elektro but is totally worth it.

 

3, Until you get a strong sense of the map, your routes should follow the roads. It is so easy to get lost. Rather than continuing to guess for an hour while lost in a woods, staying next to road will make sure you always hit that next time you're after. Seems stupid while you're in the zone, in the moment. But have you ever been in the woods, alt-tabbed for a moment, re open game window and realize you have no idea which way you were running before alt-tabbing?

 

4. This is almost opposite to mod and a result of latest spawn locations, but I'm finding the nwaf, stary/novy and cherno to be more safe than let's say neaf, berezino and balota.

 

5. So, if I had a noob in tow and I was really motivated to keep them alive, I'd take them to Zelenogorsk area.

[applejaxc 2500]

Noobs fire indiscriminately or explicitly trust everyone they meet, with no middle ground. The pro follows the SLAT program when he sees another player:

Stop: Crouch, go prone, whatever you can to hide while letting you keep a safe eye on the other player

Look: What kind of backpack and weapons do they have? That should determine how dangerous they are. If they have a military chest rig, assume they are a bandit or otherwise skilled/lucky enough to be a threat. See if he has any friends with him.

Attack: If the other player has more than a melee weapon and cannot be approached from behind + is well geared, assume the worst. If he has friends, assume he is using CheatSpeak and is a bandit.

T-BAG: Because no acronym is complete without t-bagging.

Edited February 22, 2014 by Applejaxc

[glemmar 88]

The first one was because I starved (cause i couldnt open that damn cans

You can open them with can operner, kitchen knife, bayonet, combat knife, screwdrive and axes. Altough you will end up losing 10-70% of the food if you use anything other than can opener. Tuna can be opened without any tools though.

 

I ate a rotten apple and got sick (nobody told me that ;(( ).

Well you wouldn't eat an rotten apple in real life would you?

 

So my question is: what do the pros do, what the beginners dont? Especially in the beginning? Do they have the whole map in their mind? Do they exactly know, where their stuff spawns, always? Do they have special houses they go in?

I work with the chernarus+ map on a website to locate myself and try to reach cities, but there has to be more concrete stuff the pros know and do, what the baby survivers just dont. 

Most of the spawns are in the east and south coast between Berezino and Elektro. If you spawn closer to Elektro, I would suggest you proceed there. Don't bother with the buildings in the center of Elektro since they are most likely picked clean. Instead head to the coast of Elektro behind the industrial buildings since you have about fifty-fifty chance that they aren't looted. After that head to Cherno and from there to north towards inland.

If you are closer to Berezino, you might as well head there. Most likely it is looted and if you see any open doors just find a water pump (I'll go into this later) and then head out towards Stary Sobori and loot all the towns in your path.

 

There are water pumps and ponds scattered through out the map. Drink from one of those until you have light green text "Hydrated" reading in your inventory. After that you should start to look for food. Eat everything (except for rotten fruits of course) you can find until you get stuffed. After that eat only when you are no longer stuffed. Also remember to drink something every once in a while. Sodas are great since they help you with hydration AND hunger.

When these basic needs are in order, it is time to find a weapon. Fire axe is the best melee weapon since it one hits zombies. Spliting axe is also good. DO NOT use one handed melee weapons (machete, kitchen knife, hammer, etc) they are horrible.

When killing a zombie, what you want to do is you run straight at it and whack it what ever melee weapon you have found. If you had fire axe and you hit it, then the zombie should be dead. With any other melee weapon, try to get some distance between the zombie and then turn back and run straight at it and whack it again. Repeat this until the zombie is dead. You could also try running around the zombie and maul it with your melee weapon.

If you start bleeding while batteling the zombies, put your t-shirt in your inventory and tear it into rags, you can use those to bandage yourself.

Now you have killed few zombies and you are hydrated and boasting with energy it is time to find a firearm. They are easy to come by if you know where to look. Military buildings obviously have them but other buildings that might contain weapons are:

Schools: A grey three story building with a ladder on the side and a huge windowed wall in the front.

Piano buildings: A grey building with one side showing visible bricks and green wooden things sticking out of it.

Dark red brick buildings: They are made out of dark red bricks and they have a fridge in them that is lying on it's side.

Brown barns: They are long and wide and look bit crappy to be honest, but they might have a weapon in them.

TEC office buildings: Grey hospital looking building with several floors and on the side of the building reads TEC in big letters.

There are many more buildings that have weapons in the, but those are just few I could name from the top of my head.

When you have all the equipment and supplies you need, you can easily stay alive for as long as you want if you avoid cities, big towns, military bases and airfields.

EDIT: Also note that other surviving tactics are also available and may work just as well as these.

Edited February 22, 2014 by Klemingway

[Knifeguy 17]

On one of my lives I had to run through 5 or 6 towns, large and small, on a low population server to find enough food and equipment to survive.  I was literally starving when my luck turned and I found a can opener and a few cans of sardines in one building.  I have never felt so powerful as when I found that can opener.

[Jayz1331 62]

My basic route is right away check maybe 1/2 of the buildings around me, then head inland or towards a main town or city, depending on how you move around, its very easy to sneak in, loot and get out of any town or city without being seen, i have died many times but as i play longer and longer i start replacing food and drink with more valuable items. once your fully hydrated and energetic (Well fed) you dont seem to need much water or food,

my current life is spanning way past 20 hours now, im currently stacking 2 pistols with rounds exceeding 150+ per gun, a sniper carried in hand with 50+ rounds in my pack and an M4 with full attachments with around 300+ rounds in 60round clips.

still having room for my can opener, compass, map and other essentials.

 

always pick up the containers and boxes if you find them, they take up 4 slots but carry 6, i currently have 4 of them which gives me an extra 8 inventory slots to use :) 

[enforcer1975 1111]

CheatSpeak

 

You don't seem to like any 3rd party program huh??  ;)

[MetapoliC 263]

Buying a brain before game may help. Because then you finally can think for YOURSELF and are able to figure out where to find something to eat/drink. 

[mssing 34]

alotoftextand ..CheatSpeak... andsomemoretext

 

..how stupid... but i guess it goes with the age. the t-bag comment made it obvious you know.

[shagohad 124]

play 1st person

 

know the map

 

spot other players first

 

being a good shot ect, is less important

[djporternz 644]

Everyone of the more helpfull posts here are pretty much on the money. Go to: http://dayzdb.com/map. While I don't advocate using it while playing, use it to get the general layout of the map. Especially note the tap icons. These are the life saving clean water sources. As a first priority, start remembering where these are. Can't stress this enough, thirst will kill you first! Note the cities Cherno, Elektro and Berezino as well as the airfields in the SW, NW and NE. These are the major points of interest, but they are also where everyone will usually be.

 

Cherno and Elektro are meat grinders for new players. High quality loot but camped by low-lives and kill-count PvPers ;)  Avoid them until you are confident you can handle that level of interaction. Berezino up north, is slightly less dangerous, and if you get a good spawn close by, can be a good spot to get the basics you need. Good industrial sites, a hospital, and two supermarkets. It's a lot more open than Cherno or Elektro, but still don't take it too casually. Use the openess as a means to scout out the areas before committing to getting too close. Get in, get what you need, and don't hang around, get back out to a safer locale ASAP.

 

To start off try to find lower pop servers. They ARE less deadly than fuller ones. If you can, get on a night server. Crank up your gamma and brightness and play there. It is harder to play on, for sure, but 99% of the KoS/banditry crowd are afraid of the dark and you'll have a lot better introduction to the game.

 

Concentrate on food and water and a decent melee weapon at first. You'll probably stumble across a gun sooner than later but expect an SKS or shotty rather than an M4 to begin with. Unless you want to run straight to an airfield or mil base, in which case your life expectancy is dramatically shorter. But it can be done if you're that way inclined.

 

You can out sprint Zs, so don't spend too much time trying to go toe-to-toe with them unless your sure you can best them.

[applejaxc 2500]

blabla wrong blabla

 

It is cheating.

[applejaxc 2500]

You don't seem to like any 3rd party program huh??  ;)

 

Nothing but video capture.

[Irish. 4886]

The answer is simple, and only one answer is correct. 

 

Concretely? Experience. 

[ASDF991 8]

survival is trivial and easy at this point of the games development, the only real thing that differs anyone is if they know how to press page up and page down to correctly zero a gun..lmao...

 

you will not believe how many fail to do so and end up missing you from close range.

[Chauz 166]

Concretely: what differs the pro from the noob?

 

The team. 

 

This + game experience

[Badlywrapdkebab 2]

If you want to get kitted out quickly the best advice I can give is to join a low pop server and follow the advice from the previous replies. But thats so boring.

 

Personally I think you're better off joining 30+ servers and don't rush to get fully kitted. The game is so much more fun when you start out and every bit of loot you find means something. Once you've got your primary and secondary weapons and all the ammo and food you need there's very little left to do and it becomes harder to get much out of the game. So much so that I regularly become suicidal and start looking for tall buildings or zombies to stand next to!

 

This game was definitely the most fun when I was a complete noob and I learnt everything the hard way. I'm up to 150 hrs now and its lost its appeal to the point where yesterday was the first day I didn't play since I bought it. (I'm just about to load it up now though :) )

[pilgrim* 3514]

the pro players have an objective for the day and they go to get that

 

(also quite often, pro players can tell if they've been shot or if they were killed by a glitch)

 

when they log in, pro players usually remember where they are and what they are doing there

 

xx pilgrim

[Slyguy65 499]

Pro knows how the game works, how it plays whats good whats useless, what buildings are good, what guns are good, where to find supplies.

 

Noob runs in elektro expecting to make friends.

[isolasjon 0]

Take your time. You won't get that edge if you rush it :)