Real Life Skills You've Learned from DayZ

[Tatanko 5591]

 

I can't help but feel like a similar discussion has occurred here before, but I couldn't find it anywhere -- so I'll start one! After hitting 1000 hours in the Standalone, I was reflecting on what I had experienced and learned along the way. Then it hit me: I have actually gained semi-useful, real-world knowledge from playing this game. There are areas of my mental capabilities that have improved as well.

 

I can think of two big areas I've improved in: language and orienteering. In regards to language, I have gained an ability to read and remember things in the Cyrillic alphabet now thanks to the prolific use of Russian in our fictional land of Chernarus. I would never claim to be able to read or write it, but I have no trouble looking at something like a road sign or a billboard and knowing exactly what it says. At the very least, it has given me an appreciation for the language instead of my mind simply rejecting it as gibberish :P

 

As for orienteering, that has been a dramatic improvement for me in real life. Running around a 225 km² map all the time has led me to learning many of the skills utilized by real life adventurers to get myself from location to location in the quickest and safest manner. Although I am perfectly at home roaming the fields and forests without any tools at all, my ability to use a compass has also seen positive development. I was a Boy Scout as a young lad, but orienteering was always my achilles heel; this game has taught me something I was never able to grasp in real life.

 

On the same note, my general sense of position within the space of my surroundings has also seen progress. I wasn't exactly oblivious to the world around me, but my spacial awareness and sense of direction are both massively better than they were 1000 hours ago. I know better where I am -- and I know better how to get there.

 

My ability to remember massive amounts of information has been enhanced greatly. As a kid I struggled to remember long lists of items or locations (such as the 50 states), but thanks to the unending amount of information involved in understanding this game to it's fullest, my capacity to remember a lot about a particular subject has improved. Think about it: there are something like 150 unique locations in this game and I know all of them fairly well. Then there are all of the items, the crafting recipes, etc. etc.

 

Now I ask you: what real life skills have you learned in your time playing DayZ? :)

[BCBasher 2465]

I've been brushing up on my orienteering for sure granted I use a map app that gives me a heading in degrees and a jog and sprint time. With an old style compass in good enough condition to read the numbers and I can run through the woods I can get to my destination without roads. When I can find my trusty stopwatch on my shit mess desk I can even do intentional course changes in the woods without landmarks like deerstands and avoid areas I don't want to go.   

[TheCreeper (DayZ) 3563]

For me it was the other way around, I brought my real life skills to Arma and Day Z, has worked out wonderfully.

[chokko 45]

eating canned food much quicker/easier/cheaper than preparing fresh food

[Red_Ensign 990]

1. I now eat bacon and peaches 50 times a day so I won't die.

2. I avoid stairs so I won't die

3. I shoot people in the face when they say hi (hey this rhymes so far)

4. I hunt deer by placing a bush in a field and hitting them with an axe when they start galloping in circles around it

5. I carry everything I own, because houses disappear, maaan

6. when I fuck things up, I don't say sorry anymore - I say I'm alpha

[roguetrooper 201]

(Survival) skills I've learned: sitting in a comfortable chair in a warm room with a toilet, fridge and microwave in range while clicking a mouse and hitting some keys without having actually to move.

[TheWizard14 372]

I learned how to be a massive dick.

Edited April 12, 2015 by TheWizard14

[BCBasher 2465]

I learned how to be a massive dick.

 

That's a funny one, I'm super nice in game on the odd chance I actually run into someone.

 

My nickname IRL is asshole (behind my back and to my face) and I come from a long distinguished line of a-holes.

 

RPing someone who isn't a backstabbing prick is therapeutic.

[Excanto 336]

I've learned to run faster and weave left and right when I hear someone say "Hi" over in game mic, trying to get me to stop so they can shoot me easier.

I've learned to get trees between me and the gun firing bullets at me as I run.

I've learned to break line of sight and then change directions so the player chasing me runs the wrong way.

I've learned to look more carefully as I move and be patient when I feel like someone is near, even though I don't see anyone.

I've learned that it is crazy fun to not be seen, while seeing others, getting close and watching them and then watching them leave without knowing their danger. Fun!

I've learned to be ruthless when I'm near death and in desperate need, even shooting a man in the dark with a shotgun at close range while he is picking apples.

I have only acknowledged in this game my understanding of how important food and water and good gear and good decisions are to surviving in the wild.

I'm sure we all have realized how accidental shootings can occur while we are under great duress and so jumpy that any movement causes a trigger squeeze.

And I am positive we all know how pathetic it is for someone to say "it's magazine not clip" someone needs to put there nose somewhere less stinky,

[Tatanko 5591]

Not the replies I was expecting, but these are highly entertaining. Keep them coming!  :lol:

Edited April 12, 2015 by Tatanko

[atempleton 123]

I've learned to be able to chat people up in friendly manners to lower their guard so I can fuck them over. But as a door knocking salesman by occupation, I already do that in the real world.

[TheCreeper (DayZ) 3563]

And I am positive we all know how pathetic it is for someone to say "it's magazine not clip" someone needs to put there nose somewhere less stinky,

 

In that vein of logic, its like saying coolant goes in the gas tank and gas goes in the radiator, because they both make the car work, you only sound like you don't know what your talking about and don't wish to learn, that is called ignorance.

 

Using the proper terms for things is not pathetic.

[Tent survivor 2]

Mainly basic survival skills such as map reading, how to use a compass, how to hunt, and a few little things on the side. For the real world I have mostly learned how to deal with silly people, how to be a friendlier person myself, how to judge character and an important thing for me, patients.

[or'dinii 28]

I've learned that the virtual nature doesn't produce anywhere near as much edible stuff as the real world. My wildlife skills are bashed with the nerfhammer when in-game -.-

[Grimey Rick 3417]

Not sure if OP is serious, or delusional. If serious, I've learned that I'm a massive cynic and likely marginally psychopathic.

[Tatanko 5591]

Not sure if OP is serious, or delusional. If serious, I've learned that I'm a massive cynic and likely marginally psychopathic.

Why would I be delusional from learning a thing or two after 1000 hours of exploring a game world?  :huh:

[Whyherro123 2283]

Not really.

 

Most survival games don't really go into all that much depth with "survival", and as such, there isn't all that much the game can teach me.

 

Even games based on realism, like "The Long Dark", still have a depressingly-high tendency to make me stare at my monitor in frustration while muttering, " Why the FUCK can't I do that?!"

 

Not even touching that the environment that Day Z takes place in is the environment that I specialized in (which is what you really should do, when it comes to wilderness survival), so I usually wander through Chernarus looking at various plants/terrain features thinking "cordage material, food, shelter material, fire-starter, water-proof bark, effective place to build a shelter, there totally should be a stream there and isn't,  why is there a stream there?, etc etc etc".

[BCBasher 2465]

Not really.

 

Most survival games don't really go into all that much depth with "survival", and as such, there isn't all that much the game can teach me.

 

Even games based on realism, like "The Long Dark", still have a depressingly-high tendency to make me stare at my monitor in frustration while muttering, " Why the FUCK can't I do that?!"

 

Not even touching that the environment that Day Z takes place in is the environment that I specialized in (which is what you really should do, when it comes to wilderness survival), so I usually wander through Chernarus looking at various plants/terrain features thinking "cordage material, food, shelter material, fire-starter, water-proof bark, effective place to build a shelter, there totally should be a stream there and isn't,  why is there a stream there?, etc etc etc".

 

The stream thing, they have kind of missed the mark on that. I used to take my youngest son out behind town up the logging roads in the evening when he was 4 or so and he'd say he was thirsty why can't he drink out of the puddles or ponds and drainage ditches. I explained that the still water grows algae and bacteria, follow the water up hill and find the spring it comes from and that water is good. There should be some moving natural water that is safe if you're not stupid.  

[DemonGroover 8836]

Ive learnt that in a real life zombie apocalypse we are all doomed.

We would all run around thinking DayZ has trained us for the real thing. I would collapse and die if I ran without resting for 15 minutes.

[soulfirez 901]

Ive learnt that in a real life zombie apocalypse we are all doomed.

We would all run around thinking DayZ has trained us for the real thing. I would collapse and die if I ran without resting for 15 minutes.

Not to mention we would kill our only hope of survival ,other people. People would be logging in to find the devs of the real zed apoc to tell them it sucks cause they cant find any lootz....

[wwwradybiz 9]

I've learned to wait for new patch >:(

Edited April 13, 2015 by domelek

[CANUCKinNZ 108]

Sadly trust no one.

[stonecutter357 17]

I have found out it takes 20 apples to fill me up , but no really I am from Alabama we know how to do things most folks don't.

[SniperV (DayZ) 43]

There are no mushrooms in Chernarus :/

 

I know my myshrooms. I've been mushroom picking every summer/atumn for ages now. My first time was when I was 3 years old.

 

I want mushrooms.

 

 

Uh, rl skills?

Does holding your pee for  long time, count?

[Helldogz 37]

1. Turn of your shoes before you get in a vehicle. They will be destroyed in a accident

Bushes are bullet proof

Morphin cures broken bones instantly