An attempted experiment...

[Redrick (DayZ) 72]

This isn't a rant thread, this is purely a research thread that I hope from it's contents I can learn a little something:

The Experiment:

Every time I spawn, I wouldn't seek out any items, nor weapons. My objective was simple: To find another player along the coast, and make friendly contact with him. 8 times, 8 times in a row this happened, and I'd like to know why:

I'd approach a player with nothing in hands, clearly unarmed, and obviously the player could kill me if he wished to in the time it took me to draw a weapon if he so speculated that much. I'd claim friendly, type it out, do everything in my power through direct chat (which works now mind you) to make it clear of my intentions, but I am immediately shot at or killed.

Now mind you, I'm not mad, I am sincerely curious as to why those of you out there do this? You can see I am unarmed, and odds are since I am along the coast all I have is the starting gear of a bandage, a painkiller, and a flashlight. So, why does this happen?

[pred@tor 26]

They're stupid and paranoid or they just do not wish to deal with you. I have tried myself I dunno why its so hopeless.

[Gravelsack 3]

Did you try direct voice chat? Or just typing?

[Izo Azlion 3]

We were refuelling a redneck convoy (ATV, Tractor, Hilux) at the gas stop near Solnichny, when a chap called Liam happened upon us. He had nothing so we took out a spare AK Kobra with a few mags, dropped it on the floor and moved the vehicles away, leaving him with a gun and a friendly bit of cheer.

That said, near the same spot just now I took a guy off an ATV who unluckily drove within 50m of our group at night, purely by chance (off the road!)

[Cormac McCarthy 15]

ive run into plenty of people along the coast, i just run past them ,look back so they kno i saw them, then turn and keep heading north, on

one time a man followed me into a barn, when i found a shotgun he took aim at me and forced me to fire. idk what is going through peoples minds,

when i play tis game, i want to get a gun, find a person to team up with, and kill some zeds. but guess what. im the .1% that wants that, you may be part of that .1%

[Sephka (DayZ) 51]

If it makes you feel better, I wouldn't have shot you. I would have even let you tag along with me and I would find you some gear, it'd give me something to do.

Hell, I had some dude who'd just spawned sneak up behind me and steal med supplies from my backpack. I didn't notice that he took stuff until I'd gotten him some gear and parted ways some 20 minutes later. I thought it was hilarious.

[mansen 1]

I mostly live up north in the very empty areas (playerwise) - If I spot someone I usually crouch down and observe them. If they come too close for my taste I fire off a warning shot (not at, but near them). If they run away, no sweat off my back - if they keep coming closer or shoot back they're fair game in my books.

(Obvious "I sniper, hurr I keel you" people excluded - If I see anyone in a sniping position, they're dead)

[zombiegenesis 0]

Because there are two kinds of people who fall into the "kill on sight" mentality.

1. Children, or immature folk, who think the game is simply made to gather a gun and shoot someone else. Even if these people are fresh players (in fact moreso, because they are an easier kill.)

2. People who fear player type one, and think everyone they encounter is one. They aren't really much better, because despite the lifspan in the game being a mere half hour anyway, they would rather disregard ALL kind of player contact than risk being shot at.

There are genuine bandits in this game, who steal and play it carefully. These killers I like.

[Redrick (DayZ) 72]

Did you try direct voice chat? Or just typing?

Both, on all of them I get the words friendly out in through my mic and my keyboard.

[Gravelsack 3]

Hows your humanity? Perhaps people are hearing heartbeats when they look at you?

[Redrick (DayZ) 72]

I've been playing the game since release and have yet to kill one person who hasn't shot at me first. My little face was at a smile, and not a nasty one.

[zombiegenesis 0]

I'd just like to make this little scenario known, hopefully this will make my views more apparent.

So a few hours back I was in a city and had just raided a mall- it was totally empty, and I came across so much gear. I needed food however and saw a grocery store was nearby, so I made a sneaky trip over there. Considering my gear was already piled up I only took a few bits, snagging a few cans of tuna. When I looked up, there was another player there! Just come into the building. Bearing in mind I was holding a rifle and he was obviously keeping clear of the Zack's, he says "Friendly, Friendly!" on the chat, and honestly? That was enough for me. I didn't do anything against him, after all there wasn't much there I needed and I doubted he had anything super awesome I could use.

Even if he was lying, and bided his time for a careful murder plot, that would be okay. At least it's not a damn SoS, if I wanted to play Arma II I'd play Arma II.

Then, shortly after. I realised I had left some soda in the store when I was picking up a few flares, and made a quick detour back. I was in the back room when a zombie (trapped in the door texture) spotted me. I turn around and... oh shoot, another player. Different guy.

Now this is difficult. I had my gun out, there were hostiles around, and both of us were in a sneaking position. As soon as I turned and saw him perched behind me he started to fire. I fired back, I died of bloodloss, he was killed by the zombie that was right behind him.

On the one hand I accept turning around with a gun (when he might well have been stealing from me) seems like a fair enough reason for a kill. Sounds like some genuine bandit activity, not just being a bad player.

Though I can't help but wonder if he would have killed me anyway, despite the zombes that were coming right for him.

[wolfstriked 143]

I think its that your coming off strange.Most people see each other and go their speerate ways.You are trying to convince them your friendly and if they have seen any of the bandit Youtube griefer videos they know where that ends.

[rick57@gmx.de 38]

Cuz they are dicks :)

[Redrick (DayZ) 72]

I think its that your coming off strange.Most people see each other and go their speerate ways.You are trying to convince them your friendly and if they have seen any of the bandit Youtube griefer videos they know where that ends.

Why is it strange though, back on the initial release this was the norm to do when you encountered another player.

[wolfstriked 143]

Forums and Youtube change the game for the worse.People get bombarded with every post saying I KOS due to everyone else doing same.Players lose the morality of it and get gamey since "everyone else says they will do it" or at least majority.

[daedrick 90]

People are scared, fear dominate their mind.

One time I encountered another player on top of a mountain, while trying to repair an atv he shot at me, he was a shity shot and I managed to come near him and yell friendly while running around him telling him to lower his weapon, guy got so scared he disconnected.

English was obviously not his first language, but he attempted to communicate saying ''oh you are friendly'' and as he raised his weapon I kept yelling lower your weapon... thats when he disconnected.

How pathetic is that.

[integ3r 5]

Just today I passed a guy who had no weapons. He was sitting on the coast doing nothing. Walked up to him, had a look, then he told me he was waiting for someone. I left him alone.

Later, I was going to Rog castle, and someone was already there. He called out to me even though he'd get me by surprise if he just hid. He told me he had a single bullet left. I gave him some morphine, told him there was food and ammo in the tower, then we parted ways.

[Gravelsack 3]

If it makes you feel any better, earlier this week I grouped up with 2 guys, stayed friendly with them even after I got a gun, some other folks joined us, and we ran around the coast as a big happy group of friendlies.

Then someone else shot me in the face :)

So, it is possible to group and be friendly...just uncommon.

[zombiegenesis 0]

My first encounter with this mod was actually a LetsPlay video on Youtube, where the guy pretended to be a friendly so he could exit a Zack infested area without PvP trouble. As soon as they got to the road he shot his new fellow in the back of the head and took his stuff.

Better than KoS but still, if this is how people are being introduced to the game (and how some are playing it) are we all that surprised?

I can only summarise that people who trigger happy every time somebody waves are cowards.

[Wulfear 6]

I started off friendly. I would give everyone the chance I wanted. After relentless pk'ing by almost everyone, I now kill everyone I see with extreme prejudice with the only exception being the unarmed. If I start to feel bad about it, I just come read these forums. It's enough to make a saint rage.

[Gravelsack 3]

I really think the problem is just that guns are pretty much the only content right now. You've got guns, you've got players. Not much else for anyone to do but shoot at each other or collect gear.

Once we see an increase of non-gun related content I think it will be easier to group because there will actually be reasons to group.

Right now, I usually play lone wolf because I can handle the Zed on my own, and I don't really want to share the loot spawns.

[Maca (DayZ) 769]

I think its that your coming off strange.Most people see each other and go their speerate ways.You are trying to convince them your friendly and if they have seen any of the bandit Youtube griefer videos they know where that ends.

Why is it strange though' date=' back on the initial release this was the norm to do when you encountered another player.

[/quote']

Can remember them good old days, when you came across another survivor it was such a relief to find someone to group up with.. Direct voice chat was all over the place so everybody had to type to communicate. Even the loading time to get into the game people just used side-chat (taken the piss) waiting 15+ minutes or longer, all in good spirit.

Grouped up once with 9 total strangers (no Direct voice) all typing away trying to organise ourselfs and head out, played for about 5 hours...

Alot has changed sence then, bandits were feared and respected because they killed not for "leader-board stats" but because its how they wanted to RP(Not be assholes).. Nowadays its just disappointing that we have a chance of getting a great game out of this, but instead people just want to fuck it all up.......

Also the domino affect isn't helping..... (I got KOS so I'll KOS)

[Wulfear 6]

It's the crowd. I missed the early dayz unfortunately, but it's pretty obvious why things are the way they are now. The same thing happened to EVE as well.

Reddit.

SomethingAwful.

4chan.

As well as other games, like CoD, CS, etc...

I would have several IRL kills under my belt if it were not for modern laws. Yes, over a game. Deal with it. Teach your kids better, or someone else will....

[SomeChief 3]

I did the exact same experiment. 9 times out of 10 I was shot on sight after telling them I was unarmed and friendly in direct voice chat. I ran into a unarmed survivor in a house. He kept saying he was friendly then he found a gun. He turned to me and said "sorry bro" then killed me. I guess these kids what to climb the leaderboards. Its the COD mentality or just ignorant griefers.