Announcing your presence and to kill or not to kill

[Xelacalle 0]

I basically just have a few questions for the people here.

When you see a player, and they don't see you, what do you do?

Do you kill on sight, let them go by, or announce your presence?

Personally, I have had only six encounters with other players, ignoring the friends I play with.

Three, I was shot on sight. Once near an airstip (to be expected), once outside of a barn, once in a castle.

Another, neither of us had weapons so we chatted but didn't group up.

A fifth, in a barn, a guy spawned inside it, with me and my friend. We told him we were friendly, but he unfortunately jumped off of the second story and broke his legs... after which I hit him in the face with an axe...

The sixth, a player was running from zombies near Staroye. We had clear sight to him (me and two friends) we chose not to kill him, even though we could deal with the zombies easily.

To me, it's on a case-by-case basis. I might kill someone if it benefits me. Or if they're as good as dead anyway. I'd probably try to talk first, despite the fact that this puts me at a severe disadvantage.

So again, what do you do if you see a survivor, and why?

Or what have you done?

(This post isn't well-structured and thought out. Sorry.)

[Nymann93 0]

I'm one of the guys that wont shoot-on-sight .. I haven't been in one of those situations though. I just started playing and haven't found a weapon yet (atleast not with ammunition). But if I feel threatened by him, if he's carrying a weapon and pointing at me without typing/talking I'd prolly feel scared and shoot him. But I'd never shoot someone unarmed!

I've been shot once by a sniper in chernogorsk and I was completely unarmed, and pretty much just spawned so I had no items, I was just looking for someone to team up with!

Was kind of annoying :P But I just respawned and continued, I didn't have any items so couldn't care less.

[clever 12]

I tend to never shoot on sight, unless I know that player is a bandit. Usually though, I just ignore other people and try to avoid them by being as stealthy as I possibly can. Occasionally if I see a player without a weapon, I'll go up to him and offer some supplies if I'm in a good mood.

[chaz gelf 15]

I once encountered someone in the camp just outside the airstrip, I'd taken a tumble out of one of the deer stands (Just me being stupid) and had started bleeding out. I informed him of my status and he replied saying he'd left a bandage on the floor. I was able to patch myself up and continue on my way.

Most other times I've tried to at least say hi to any fellow survivors I find, but they tend to run away, probably afraid that I'm packing heat. I've heard gunshots here and there too but I don't think they were directed at me.

[Shomet 0]

All three airfields, Cherno, Elektro, and military camps are shot on site, no arguments but on most other cases i will try to talk to people before i decide what to do from then. People who don't have i mic i will watch until i feel safe and then move on, but if they act nice i might even help them loot up the town. Others that don't see me i will let them pass. I don't normally shoot people unless i need to or feel threatened.

[Robert Shannon 27]

I dont announce crap over global chat, if I see someone that looks like they are going to do some banditry I blow them away and take their goods.

[djkling 5]

I use direct chat and try to talk to them. I won't kill unless provoked and only yesterday. Guy was being chased by Zeds in electro and he rn into the same building with me. Gave him my axe and we fought our way out (had a 1911). I let him keep the axe and gave him a can of beans to boot.

[sambrown1994@gmail.com 2]

I kill anybody I see on sight, I don't care if they say they're friendly or not. That's a good way too get back stabbed.

[lukewishere@hotmail.co.uk 7]

Depends really. If they have LOTS of gear, then they're probably going to be paranoid and kill you. I hate the people who get tons of gear, head to Elektro/Cherno and just kill every newly spawned survivor they see. It's pathetic. I mean, is this how you find fun in a post-apocalyptic survival game? Killing people constantly? Go play CoD.

In terms of what I do: I usually try to avoid contact unless I'm seen. Then I shout "Friendly" a hundred times. Although, if I'm packing very good gear that I worked hard for, I'd still attempt to avoid all contact and only attack if found. I never return to the main cities once I leave unless it's to get a friend that's just spawned.

[ZomboWTF 527]

most of the time, i try to talk with them and not to shoot on sight, i recently dicovered direct chat + voice chat (50 meter radius and you can talk to that person)

sometimes though, i tend to shoot on sight:

1)I have good gear on me and dont want to risk it (like a coyote backpack + M24 or something)

2)The player has good gear and trusts me, and i have an axe or cheap pistol/enfield

3)The player seems to be tricking me

4)The player is a camper on a roof or similar camping spot and i have an enfield/CZ550

[SIYR Pheonix 0]

First post ^_^

Anyways, I've really become paranoid around people who don't speak. For example, I was in Elektro and some guy randomly turned the corner and looked right at me. I was halfway down the street and typed friendly, as that's who I am, I don't shoot unless aggroed. He didn't reply but went on his merry way so I figured he was friendly and just searching for supplies. Later on, we met again in some random building (couldn't tell ya where, I have no idea where I am most of the time) as he was looting something so I kept guard at the door so he could do his thing, you know, to maybe improve relations and we could group up. 5 seconds later, a second guy is walking towards us. Again, I typed friendly but this second guy didn't answer either, only sidestepping to let me through the doorway. So I walked through and bam, hatchet to the back of my skull. I think the other guy, the first guy I met, avenged me or something, as right after I died, somebody else did too XD.

[Arach (DayZ) 7]

Im fairly new, but the few times i've ran into other players, i'd try to stay hidden, but close enough to ask them if they're friendly.

It has worked out well a few times, whenever i have been killed by another player, i never even knew they were there until it was too late... :(

[xarok777@gmail.com 205]

Murder everyone. Get a strong heartbeat. Win the internets.

[Lukio (DayZ) 24]

Currently there is no incentive to socialize with or trust other players. Even people with just an axe will take their chance to chop you in the back if you have far better gear, even if they first acted friendly.

So either avoid or shoot if they get too close to your comfort zone. I've been friendly several times, have even been called out for being to friendly on the forums, but that was some patches ago, now its just about greed and backstabbing.

I've learnt my lessons and it will take a lot to revert those negative experiences.

[vanchrian 2]

I've had some pretty bad experiences. More often than not I end up getting shot at while I'm looting a major city. I will only approach people if:

1) I have very little equipment on me

2) They're in serious trouble and I help them out

Otherwise, I avoid direct contact like the plague.

[BinoChrist 0]

I shoot on sight almost all of the time unless they're unarmed. Why would you take a chance? You can't trust anyone.

Of course there are exceptions. I've encountered players and not shot them and ended up making a new friend, but usually when we met we were both unarmed.

[wordplayuk@gmail.com 101]

roughly twenty encounters now, all but two tried to kill me, the 2nd of which I killed on sight (and he was unarmed).. Iv'e become KOS, I wasn't originally but after a good ten times walking around a corner and hesitating only to be shot repeatedly I kinda turned into a prick. If your not where I'm going (pretty much directly in front of me) Ill leave you though.

EDIT: Oh yeah Ive never announced my presence, I think that's insane.

[Xelacalle 0]

From what I'm seeing most people are nice but just get paranoid around other players. I think if I ever noticed a player close enough, I would be paranoid too, but luckily I travel with friends, so if I'm ever killed, I have them to avenge me and pick up some of my stuff.

The only time we've announced our presence is as follows:

I was killed by someone in a building who followed me in. My friends quickly avenged me, but they were paranoid about going outside in case my killer had friends.

So, I told them for one of them to announce their presence over direct chat. If there was anyone nearby, they already knew there was a player in the building, as there had been gunshots. If they were friends of the murderer, they would know that there was one person with a silent weapon. If they were not, they would know there was one person with a makarov. Eventually, one of my friends agreed. There was no answer, so they ran into the forest and were safe.

I feel like this was the best course of action as one of my friends (who is still on his first 'life') was panicking after I had been shot. Taking this sort of logical step and thinking about my arguments calmed him down, and if there had been anyone outside they may have replied. Besides, there had already been gunshots so they would know there was players around.

Would any of you have suggested this? What would you have done differently?

[Vlad_I 2]

Ohhhh... good old memories. Ill never forget the first time i got killed in DayZ by another player. There already werent any bandit skins and i surely didnt know about the heartbeat thing. I announce myself before coming into Elektro. Go into the school with a PM - there were three guys on the first floor. I looked at them as i entered from the right side entrance, all happy at the prospect of making some buddies, one of them looked at me, long enough to aim for a HS, and just pulled the trigger. All in all - 2 seconds of contemplating humanity and asking myself the eternal question: "Is he going to fire?". He sure did.

Now, after having been shot many times, outright betrayed over a stupid common assault rifle, eaten a couple times by Zs... i have little faith left in humanity. Generally i will shoot on sight if i begin collecting rare loot, without announcing a single thing. Right now im in a ghillie suit with a silenced M4 and a G17 and you better believe it - at the slightest hint of being spotted i open fire. It would be pretty stupid of me to type in global/side chat "Hurr durr guys im coming into Stariy Sobor to loot some mil-tents, dont shoot". I will also most likely fire at people looting what i need. If i see a player and warn him over direct that i have him sighted so he better leave and he doesnt reply or begins sudden movements, i shoot. After i got shot in the back for an AK-74 Kobra... i seriously learned my lesson.

But if im just running around with a PM and an Enfield near the beach i gladly announce myself when coming into town, offer help to other players, share supplies, cooperate etc.

[CommodoreFrank 13]

I've only had one random face to face encounter since side chat removal. A man in a ghille suit somehow wandered past me about 20-30m away without seeing me (in a bloody open field as I was heading to a boar for meat). I decided to be nice and call out to him, and luckily, he didn't shoot me in the face. He seemed pretty well geared, so I can't say if he was actually friendly or just didn't shoot because I spared him. I had nothing too special on me (AMK, Glock), so I figured it was worth trying for a friendly encounter. We ended up just saying hi and going our own ways.

I honestly think that a lot less people would shoot in that situation, since they know for sure that I'm not an enemy. A ton of killing on sight surely comes from paranoia. However, when my gear matters, I'll probably ignore them or call out only if I have good cover. I'm not a fan of killing just for my own gain.

[sandorski 17]

If they don't know u r there, Good. Keep it that way and you'll have less trouble.

[ArcticWhite 2]

First time - A guy agro'd some zeds and ran in to the barn I was hiding in for my friend cos I had broken leg (stupid, in hindsight). To save myself I hit him with a hatchet so her ran away.

Second time - Same barn, guy points a gun at me.. Friend brought me a gun so I defend myself.

Third time - Same barn, someone spots me and opens fire. I kill him, his friend kills me.

Fourth time - Some server hopper pops up right in front of us at airport, he takes a bullet before disconnecting.

Fifth time - my friend accidentaly discharged his gun in the woods and 2 guys (ghillie and camo) started grid searching for us out of nowhere.. We kind of felt like chasing, but is not a good way to survive so left them alive.

Overall I have shot/killed more than I left alive, but this is mainly because these players seemed a threat to me. I suppose I/we would work on a leave me alone and we leave you alone basis. That said, if someone has gear we NEED, we will kill.

[Im AliVe 0]

I countered one man.ASk me if he can go with me.Told ''sure''.Found him a gun and i was in good mood to gave him some bullets too.Next second he shot me in my face.:D

Now i have shot 4 people all ready and trust no one.

Exept people who dont have guns,they do not harm.

[Golgo82 28]

started playing DayZ with my brother a week ago.

First encounter with an armed Player (me unarmed) ended with me taking about two mags worth of ammunition from that prick.

Second Encounter in a supermarket, we had just looted our first Alice backpacks and just a remington on my brother, suddenly someone enters from backroom (ghillie suit, assault rifle) and instantly turns us into swiss cheese.

Third Encounter out in the Wilderness near a Farmstead we (AKS Kobra, CZ550) spot two guys(makarov and hatchet) crawling around and decide neither to announce our presence nor to shoot them.

Fourth Encounter about 5 hours later near Stary in the hills, we're prone overlooking the tents, spot one dude, crouching into the tents, while another one shoots some Zeds and then the crouching guy. We decide to open fire, my brother shoots for the first time with cz550 and misses the killer, we decide to haul ass since my bro is infected. But instead of taking the route through the little patch of forest on the hill, we stupidly decide to run down the hill...heading to the airfield. Shot fired from the Dark instantly kills my brother - i hit the deck, roll around dodge the sniper fire 3 times, then i bite the dust.

We adapted since then.

Four days ago we shot some guy in cherno, he had superior gear and we had just a makarov and an 1911..but a ton of medical gear - didnt wanna lose that.

Three days ago i axemurdered two guys with makarovs, that tried to stalk me around cherno.

If they have a weapon that can kill me, I avoid and observe or kill them outright.

Its a mad world.

But im not gonna get shot ever again for being too nice/hesitating to ruin someones day.

DayZ lessons learned.

[maxim_malcon@yahoo.com 0]

If you want to be a kind / good karma player and at the same time not be stupid / get backstabbed.

The only choice for you is to ignore player contact, it is boring, but I believe that is the kindest thing you can do the way things are right now.

Until karma system is fixed and starts working properly that is.