First impressions and: I am doing it wrong? Basic gearing up dilemma

[cuddly_rabbit 102]

Bought the game yesterday, played it all night and again today, so my experience is still very limited.

 

I am stuck in a dilemma, somehow.

I love playing with/against other players (mainly with, though) and that is only possible on full servers. I mean, 40 players on THAT huge territory. But the thing I found out is that you won't get any progression in a reasonable time frame when you are on a full server because there is nothing to loot. It's no fun to run around in your white undershirt and all you have is rags, hunger and thirst.

 

So the alternative seems to be: go to low populated server and loot where no one has been before. But I found that this is rather boring. There are like... 4 Zombies per village and fighting them yields you exactly nothing. After fixing my FPS, I can now beat them to death in melee, if necessary with boxing - all fine. But: how is running around, looting stuff from buildings that are 95 % empty fun?

 

Somehow, the fun comes from interaction. With other players. But: this interaction needs to be on a level that "Bambis" don't reach (because there is no loot on high populated servers and few seem to take a Bambi life serious enough - me included. If I die without having anything invested... ye, who cares.)

 

The fun was definitely there when:
> I managed to loot a city and had survival gear (just basic, cool clothes, rucksack, etc). I was taken seriously, could offer trades, but was no danger. Interaction was cool, teaming up was nice. And having something to lose made playing a lot  more immersive than the "I am bambi! Trying to set up quickly, so... sprint on highway...".

> I managed to get geared to fight, but of course lost because I was just a noob and naively assuming that he would not shoot me. Ye. Bad call. ;) Still a good experience.

But most of the time, I don't get to that "can be taken seriously, looks like a survivor, is worth my attention"  and most importantly "feels like a survivor for myself" stage.

 

Getting there takes me about 1-2 h of rather senseless running around on empty servers... and as a new player, my life on a full server very likely ends abruptly. And then I go back to the "gear up" grind.

 

The combination of "losing + being punished by boring oorp grinding + the waste of time before you can come back into meaningful interaction with other players" is what kind of spoils it a little for me.

 

I realize that the looting, scavenging part is meant to be tense. It's not.

 

So my questions:

> How do you get reasonably geared up fast? (1 melee weapon, backpack, clothes, food, some trade stuff - nothing fancy needed; I don't want to be that military SpecOps look guy). I take too long. That will ruin the fun in the game, if every death means 3 hours of running around empty building with exactly nothing happening.

> I never seem to find ammo.  Likely because everybody loots it, of course. But... QQ :D It's kind of frustrating if you manage in 10 lives to get a gun twice, but you search 2 villages for 2 hours and not a single shot to be found (and that was an empty server). Where is it?

 

Anyways, I had 1 really nice run. Was great fun. Met a cool guy who explained things to me and helped me a lot.

 

I still enjoy it, but I have to get faster in "getting back on my feet" after my char died.

I'd hope for some tips, how I can do that. Best would be if it could be done with players around because senseless grindwork just is not what I think makes this game fun.

 

See you out there. :)

 

Andy

 

 

[Bozey 34]

Go for the big looting areas such as:

Big Cities: Fire Stations, Police Stations, bigger buildings and hospitals

Air strips/Military bases: Dangerous areas, even in low populated servers, but still a very good place to get yourself some nice gear

 

Goodluck mate, all the help i can give   

[SpiraxSarco 23]

Best times to have a fresh loot, between 8:00 and 11:00, most of this servers at with lots of players, so try to pick one with at least 10, if you have more players, then more chances are you to die from bandits.

Best places to gear up, military bases, airfields, this for military stuff, outside you can go to police stations, hospitals, offices.

[btw001 19]

I usually just go on low populated servers till I can gear up enough to actually have a chance at not being wrecked by someone with an M4. I usually loot Elektro (on low populated servers) to get an axe and maybe a pistol. then I go to the Balota airfield for some military supplies (usually just get an M4 and a mag or two) then I go hide in a safe area and play on a more populated server. All this can all be done very easily if you know how to play and if you know the map well. I also recommend you play with a few friends because most people play in groups, and the bigger your group, the stronger. If you have any questions just message and I can answer them. If you ever want to play with me or something to learn strategies and stuff we can do that.

[Electi 149]

Sad fact - join servers who was restarted just 5 minutes ago and low pop, otherwise - prepare to die edition will be activated.

Same stupid loot type will be continue till those who make that game - will FIX THE BLOODY LOOT SPAWN SYSTEM
Κύριε ελέησον!!!

Edited April 5, 2014 by Electi

[sokaku 50]

The best place to get started is to look for low pop servers with 2 or 4 hour restarts in the title. Then figure out where you are and head for the inland towns that have hospitals, supermarkets, schools, police stations, and/or fire stations. Typically you can find towns that haven't been touched so it's not too hard to get yourself to a sustainable level with a backpack. axe, food, and at least one gun.

 

Target military bases and airfields with extreme caution. These are going to be priority targets for players re-gearing, and a good number of bandity-types that will be jumping from server to server around these locations to gear up. Don't expect friendly encounters around these spots.

[The_Monk 320]

I gear up on 40 player servers now. You're almost guaranteed not to bump into someone the moment you get 1km from the coast. Much more likely to find the other 2 people on a low pop server at an airfield, full servers everyone is too scared.

 

Most of the time you end up in some half decent military kit, plenty of guns and ammo.

 

 

As opposed to if you stick to the coast, where you end up brightly coloured, without ammo and wielding an assault rock.

 

Edited April 6, 2014 by The_Monk

[nikko 0]

The best place to get started is to look for low pop servers with 2 or 4 hour restarts in the title. Then figure out where you are and head for the inland towns that have hospitals, supermarkets, schools, police stations, and/or fire stations. Typically you can find towns that haven't been touched so it's not too hard to get yourself to a sustainable level with a backpack. axe, food, and at least one gun.

 

Target military bases and airfields with extreme caution. These are going to be priority targets for players re-gearing, and a good number of bandity-types that will be jumping from server to server around these locations to gear up. Don't expect friendly encounters around these spots.

 

I did this myself, had to log out on the airfield for 5 minutes and when I logged back in I saw there was one other person on there, as I loaded in I got that reloading sound effect...I dont mind admitting I nearly leaked a bit of wee out right there and then shakily saying "Hello hello?" over coms. I guess it was a sound bug or something but I was crapping myself for a few minutes :D

[Grimmok 2]

Just yesterday i entered elektro as fresh-spawn, run into the police station, saw a bandit with a clown mask and mosin, knocked him out, took his gear ran into a treeline, saw another 2 players shot'em down -->full equip
Sometimes its a little annoying to get the gear but in my opinion this is what makes the game more exciting cause one has something to lose. If you want to gear up quicker you need to study the map and the house-types/loot spawns this will save you alot of time.

Btw: There are more people complaining about exactly the opposit- "its too easy to find stuff"

[barnabus 1708]

I did this myself, had to log out on the airfield for 5 minutes and when I logged back in I saw there was one other person on there, as I loaded in I got that reloading sound effect...I dont mind admitting I nearly leaked a bit of wee out right there and then shakily saying "Hello hello?" over coms. I guess it was a sound bug or something but I was crapping myself for a few minutes :D

If you have a rifle and log in you will get the reloading sound every time you come on.  If you hear that and you have already been on for a bit---RUN AWAY.

[cuddly_rabbit 102]

Thank you all for the advice.
I am doing better now, after realizing that there are only few buildings in cities that are worth searching. That sped up things a lot.
Also the piece of advice to get away from the coast as fast as possible.

Gearing up (the colorful, combination, ragtag look ofc!) has been fun for the first time yesterday and today. Thank God I found Khelm (no idea I was there). It had what I wanted. :D

 

Tnx again and see you ingame!

 

Andy

[artisan661 13]

look at this map, it helps http://dayzdb.com/map/chernarusplus ive been using it since the mod. Its a good loot map. To learn the layout of things when your 1st starting, then you get an idea of what buidling have what in them. So it makes it easier to learn, what buildings are better then others. THen youll figure it out and be able to navigate around without using it. It takes sometime when your new to learn the layout of the map and navigating.Then youll learn loot routes and how to gear up faster.

 

 I like to plan out routes. and get an idea of what loot spawns where. SO i can go in and loot fast. I dont like to stick around places unless im looking for people(Lately ive been seeing people 1st and then usually just evade, i find that part fun also) I just cant trust people. If i get the drop on them i can decide what to do, where as if i get sighted, its usually kos, so when you get unlucky is when you die. If you get the drop on someone, its kinda hard because each situtation can be different. . I always have my head on a swivel. Stay in cover.Dont be in a rush if your geared out, waiting game is good sometimes. I like to look for open doors. If its open chances are that someone has been around is is around. Listen for footsteps, youll figure out zombies vs player foot steps..  I really only hit up certain places in towns real fast. I learned wht buildings are better then other with loots spawns. A place to get food fast or w/e you need.

 

Servers are hit and miss on loots. I just use certain servers and when i play they usually have loot. You can look in your history for the servers that end up being good. I just think depending on the reset. some servers are low loot and others are fast restarts for loot farming. Just have to server shop and find the ones you like.

[Jayz1331 62]

i did play on unpopulated servers to start with but after wondering why i should spend hours upon hours searching for gear without interaction to only log and worry about losing it upon death gave me the question to answer.

 

is it worth spending hours on your own looting area to then die by a bandit, or is it more fun to play on servers that are full and interact and maybe die ever hour or so. I now only play on full servers due to the fact i now know that i will die eventually, so why hide with a lrs waiting for a friendly player when i can as easily go out and find one myself.

 

also with your thoughts on gear, i usually try to find any food or water possible, Il pick up a weapon if i see one but my main concern is food aswell as an item to open it with, knifes/ bayonets are quite common. Then go for your lesser needed items, military gear etc.

Edited April 6, 2014 by Jayz1331

[Zeromi 4]

Sad fact - join servers who was restarted just 5 minutes ago and low pop, otherwise - prepare to die edition will be activated.

Same stupid loot type will be continue till those who make that game - will FIX THE BLOODY LOOT SPAWN SYSTEM

Κύριε ελέησον!!!

 

damn - I've been playing prepare to die edition since day one. the most food i've seen was in a farmhouse about 75km in from the coast, a rotten tomato and kiwi

i've found one well and no canteens or water bottles

 

not a single weapon since i started the stand alone. 

 

how do you swap servers? I don't want to be 'that guy' - but i would like a weapon and some food! 

[tbear1981 16]

On start up screen theres 5 options change server is one of them, look for a fresh spawned low populace server click on it then at bottom of screen click connect. im a noob on here myself if you want to add my steam ill join you for abit, i have a spare 1911 pistol and ammo and we'll have a loot

[Zeromi 4]

Are you just Tbear1981 on steam?

I'm doctorgonzo (or zeromisery, i forget) 

 

Thanks for the help :) 

[tbear1981 16]

Hey its tbear1981 all lowercase. cant login from lappy atm stupid steam guard lol