We Dedicated Few: A Guide to Debug Island

[Tatanko 5591]

Greetings, forum members! Earlier this week, a few of us (Odin Lowe, GaryWalnuts, and myself) made the journey out to Debug Island. It was my first time in 14 months, the last being July of 2014, and we were very excited to be able to complete the trip in the harsh conditions of 0.58. It was a voyage I never thought I was going to be able to make again, so imagine how happy I was to set foot on the island again especially in the company of two fellow adventurers. It may never happen again after 0.58 depending on how the game changes, so if you'd like to go you better do it sooner than later.

 

Below I will include a guide on the island and how to reach it as of 0.58, followed by a recap of our adventures this week so you've got some nice visuals to go with it. Enjoy :)

 

 

 

This will serve as a preparation checklist and guide to making the trek to Debug Island. As of the writing of this guide, DayZ is in version 0.58; as such, this guide may not apply to future versions due to changes made in weather, resource consumption, clothing stats, etc.

 

 

About the Island

 

Located approximately 11 kilometers out to sea from Skalisty Island, this place (also called "Schadenfreude Island") is one of the toughest PvE challenges a player can endure. Dedication, preparation, and a bit of good luck are all needed in order to successfully reach the island. Few have been there in DayZ Standalone as a result. Although accessing it in the Mod was considerably less difficult thanks to air vehicles, players in SA must swim there on their own.

 

Although a very unlucky player or two has found themselves here as a result of an old spawn glitch, in the summer of 2014, a few forum members were able to reach it successfully on purpose: Gews, myself, and Weyland. Much of this is owed to the homework done by Gews, who calculated what would be necessary logistically to reach the island. This was done around the timeframe of 0.45/0.46, prior the introduction of temperature as a factor for player health. As such, the journey then was considerably easier than it is today. Despite a couple of brave individuals having made their way out to sea since then, the total number of visitors even today can still be counted on two hands and even fewer among us have made multiple trips.

 

The island itself is roughly "285 m long, 130 m wide, and 25 m above sea level at its highest point (925x427x82 ft)" according to Gews. There is absolutely nothing here except what you bring along, though a few key resources can be harvested here. Most important of those resources is water, which can be collected in bottles during periods of rain. The ground is also just the right type for digging up worms, and is additionally suited for garden plots (though they are invisible to the eye here for some reason). Fishing is your only means of gathering meat here, but works just as you would expect it to anywhere else. Rabbit snares do NOT work on the island.

 

Surprisingly, persistence IS functional here! It is possible to set up a camp and leave behind items just as you would anywhere in Chernarus, and you will still find those items waiting for you if you return. Fireplaces also work perfectly normal here, providing a source of light, heat, and a place to cook your food; your only limitation is how much firewood you can bring along since there is no source of wood or sticks here.

 

The original forum thread by Gews can be found here: https://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/201494-journey-to-schadenfreude-island/

 

 

Preparing for the Journey

 

Before you can even think about making the lengthy swim to the island, you need to gather the necessary equipment and supplies to survive the ordeal. What you gather and how much will be determined by how long you wish to remain there once you reach your destination. Below, we'll talk about the bare essentials necessary to complete the voyage -- if you wish to bring more, consider how much inventory space you'll have available after you've got the essentials, because if you can't complete the trip then nothing you bring along will matter anyway.

 

Now, onto the preparation. The biggest hurdle you'll face in making it to the island is the punishment the sea will impart on your poor, fragile body. If you attempt to swim there in standard clothing, you'll likely die of hypothermia before you make it half way. The water is cold and harsh, and the only way to keep from a watery grave is to repel the water completely. In other words, you need an entirely waterproof outfit. Ideally, you'll also want to assemble the warmest outfit you can in order to shield yourself from the cold.

 

Below is a list of items that are 100% waterproof. You'll need one item from each category, except where "None" is listed; these categories don't have any available items that do not absorb water, and so unfortunately in this case, you cannot wear anything from that category (don't wear a vest or gloves is what I'm saying). Also note that as of 0.58, the only totally waterproof pants in the game are the Firefighter pants. Glasses do not seem to have any effect, negative or positive, so wear them if you like. The lists below are ordered based on insulation factor (listed as "i") and number of inventory slots.

 

Tops:

1. Firefighter Jacket (i = 15, slots = 6)

2. Raincoat (i =15, slots = 4)

3. Dress (i = 15, slots = 2)

4. Prison Uniform Jacket (i = 9, slots = 2)

 

Pants:

1. Firefighter Pants (i = 3, slots = 4)

 

Backpacks:

1. Drybag (i = 1, slots = 28)

2. SPOSN Tortilla Backpack (i = 0.08, slots = 28)

 

Hats/Helmets:

1. Motorbike Helmet (i = 1.2)

2. Pilot Helmet (i = 1.1)

3. Gorka Helmet (i = 1) (same w/ and w/o visor)

4. Firefighter Helmet (i = 1)

5. Hard Hat (i = 0.9)

6. Skate Helmet (i = 0.5)

7. Scrubs Hat (i = 0.5)

8. Ballistic Helmet (i = 0.13)

9. Leather Hat (i = 0.13)

10. Headtorch (i = 0)

 

Shoes:

1. Wellies (i = 3)

 

Vests:

None

 

Gloves:

None

 

Masks:

1. Gas Mask (i = 0.8)

2. Respirator (i = 0)

3. Dallas Mask (i = 0)

4. Hoxton Mask (i = 0)

5. Wolf Mask (i = 0)

 

Miscellaneous:

1. Armband (i = 0.2)

 

Total possible insulation: 24.2

Total possible waterproof capacity: 38 slots

 

 

Getting yourself a waterproof outfit is the most important part, but your journey will still fail if you do not adequately prepare your body as well. Prior to jumping into the water, you will want to be bright green energized, bright green hydrated, healthy, and free of any negative status indicators (cold, fracture, sick, etc.). Even once you are "fully" energized and hydrated, it is advised that you continue to fill your stomach with water as much as possible without making yourself vomit in order to make your hydration last as long as possible. Of all your vital stats, hydration will likely take the biggest hit on your journey.

 

If you wish to remain on the island for any length of time or make the trip back safely, at the minimum you will need to bring some food and water along on your swim. It is advised that you bring at least three bottles of water and a few cans of food or packets of powdered milk. Anything else you take with you is "extra," but if you've got the space there are many useful things you can include such as farming supplies that will allow you to stay on the island longer.

 

One additional item you will absolutely need: a compass. I recommend a traditional (metal) compass rather than the plastic cereal box variety as it is easier to be accurate with it, not to mention it tends to be more common.

 

 

Making the Voyage

 

When you are certain that you're ready for the swim, head to the southeast corner of Skalisty Island. Do this immediately after filling up on water so you waste as little as possible. While you're still standing on land, set your compass heading to approximately 106° (East-Southeast). Once you do this, put yourself into "free look" mode (double tap "Alt" or use the asterisk (*) key on the numpad by default). By entering free look, you are preventing yourself from accidentally becoming disoriented if you bump your mouse or keyboard during the swim; if you get messed up you may never see land again because there is no way of re-orienting yourself if you deviate from the course.

 

Keep a close eye on your status indicators as you swim -- both the text in the corner of the screen and your colored inventory menu indicators. You will gradually see your hydration drain down to yellow thirsty by the time you arrive, but the other stats are more important to pay attention to because they will be the earliest indicator of imminent failure. Wearing the proper clothing, you should never get any worse than a yellow "Cold" indicator before arriving at the island; if you dip below that it is likely you are not going to make it to the island before dying of hypothermia no matter how much you warmed up beforehand. Likewise, in proper conditions, you shouldn't see your energy drain much at all (it's entirely possible to arrive at the island still bright green energized).

 

The server you are swimming on can have a massive impact on your body's ability to withstand cold, which can indirectly cause you to use all your energy to the point of starvation. If you find that your vitals are draining quickly as you make your way out, you may want to try another server with more forgiving temperature conditions. Unfortunately, there is no real way of telling this without simply going for a short swim to try it out on each server and observing the effects.

 

The swim itself takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes, give or take, depending on how accurate your bearings were. At around the hour-and-a-half mark, you should begin seeing the underwater mountain. Shortly thereafter you'll start to see the island above water as you approach it. You'll come to the tall, narrow end of the island first, and once you scale to the peak you'll see the rest of the island in front of you.

 

 

-----------------------------------------

 

 

The following is a recap of Odin, Gary, and I's adventures from the last few days:

 

 

When you begin the voyage to Debug Island, it can be scary to see Skalisty Island shrink into nothing in the distance as you swim away from the mainland. For all you know, it will be the last time your character sees home before potentially meeting a watery grave.

 

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Paddling out to the island can feel like an eternity. It basically is: it takes around 1 hour and 40 minutes to reach it from Skalisty.

 

Late into the trip you will begin seeing a "mountain" grow in height underwater until eventually you spot the peak sticking out of the water in the distance...

 

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Finally, after an exhausting and harrowing voyage, you'll see a friendly green patch of land jutting out of the sea. At first it may not seem like much, but you'll soon realize it's larger than you think.

 

When approaching the island coming straight from Skalisty, you will see the narrower, taller end of the island which is helpful for spotting it while you swim.

 

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Do a little celebration dance. You've earned it.

 

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As I said earlier, your first glance at the island can be deceptive. Here we see a survivor at the peak of the island on the short side getting a good view.

 

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The island isn't very big, but it's got a very distinct shape, somewhat like the letter "B." One end has a tall, narrow peak, and the other end is a little more flat and wide.

 

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Viewed from the peak at the narrow end, the island begins to appear even larger. Here we see the broader, flatter area on the southeast end.

 

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It's not much to look at, but it's still marvelous that such a place exists way out here.

 

----------

 

 

You might be tempted to spend some time at the peak getting a view of the sea, but visitors have remarked that this just makes you feel VERY alone out here. It can be a lot like staring into the abyss, especially on a cloudy night.

 

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Never ones to waste an opportunity, we believe we are the first to establish a camp here in this remote location (in the Standalone).

 

In this shot, we see Gary refueling our fireplace to get it going again.

 

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From certain angles it may look pretty flat, but make no mistake there isn't really any flat ground here. Our camp is stable, but it sits at quite an angle.

 

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If you're resourceful enough to bring the proper equipment, fish net traps work just fine clear out here in the sea. I was able to catch a few Carp to cook over the campfire.

 

----------

 

 

Because the island is able to provide so little, you must bring everything you need -- including your own entertainment.

 

----------

 

 

This far out into the sea, security is the least of our concerns. Just kick back and relax.

 

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Telling stories around the campfire is the best way to pass time on the island. The next time we make the journey, we'll have to bring more people!

 

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Garden plots are invisible out here, but they still work if you've got the patience to tend to them. Since rain can be collected for water and seeds can be taken from our vegetables, it is possible to feed yourself indefinitely now in this remote location.

 

Here, we see Odin planting some fresh crops before we take a break.

 

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Another reminder that this island isn't as small as you might think. In this shot, we see myself and Odin waiting for Gary to run across from the other end of the island.

 

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Just as we go to pose for a group photo, we got banned from the server we were on for "too much PVE." So sorry admin, no bloodbath on Debug Island this day...

 

 

Hope you've enjoyed the guide and the album of our journey. Stay safe out there, survivors! ;)

Edited September 10, 2015 by Tatanko

[Death By Crowbar 1213]

I'm trying to determine why you brought the dress... what did you guys DO out there Tatanko!??  :wub:

[Tatanko 5591]

I'm trying to determine why you brought the dress... what did you guys DO out there Tatanko!??  :wub:

What dress? Or do you mean our firefighter outfits? The outfits we have on were necessary for the swim ;)

[☣BioHaze☣ 7337]

Can you imagine trying to swim in wellies?

 

It would be like swimming with cinder blocks on your feet... :lol:

[S3V3N 1402]

Why don't you drive over there in the truck? Or have they been fixed not to drive underwater any more? I used to go over to Prison Island that way sometimes. If the tents stay there after restart this would be the remotest place for a base ;) 

[Tatanko 5591]

Can you imagine trying to swim in wellies?

 

It would be like swimming with cinder blocks on your feet... :lol:

Our characters must have massive leg muscles :P

 

 

Why don't you drive over there in the truck? Or have they been fixed not to drive underwater any more? I used to go over to Prison Island that way sometimes. If the tents stay there after restart this would be the remotest place for a base  ;)

Trucks can't be driven there because it gets INSANELY deep at certain points, plus I don't think you can that anymore in general :(

 

Definitely the most remote base ever. I don't believe anyone has ever set up a camp here, so it's been fun to hang out and experiment to find out what we're able to do on the island (i.e. fishing).

Edited September 9, 2015 by Tatanko

[odin_lowe 3686]

This is probably the most interesting and fun adventure I've ever done in DayZ. It's an accomplishment in itself!!

 

I'm glad to have been part of it!! Thank you Tatanko, GaryWalnuts, and let's not forget Gews!  :thumbsup:

 

Getting banned because of too much "pve" in the Slaughterhouse server was hilarious, and ended the evening on a high note!!  :lol:

 

Gary on the left, me in the middle and Tatanko on the right, last shot of the night.

 

 

P.S.: I totally forgot to go back to the camp and check the tomatoes after the "ban"....  :rolleyes:

[Whyherro123 2283]

"banned from the server for too much PvE"

 

What the actual everlasting fuck?

[BleedoutBill 1636]

Gotta watch that gratuitous PVE. It'll get you in trouble every time! :D

 

Congratulations, gents. The beans are on me. :beans: :beans: :beans:

[Tatanko 5591]

This is probably the most interesting and fun adventure I've ever done in DayZ. It's an accomplishment in itself!!

 

I'm glad to have been part of it!! Thank you Tatanko, GaryWalnuts, and let's not forget Gews!  :thumbsup:

Thank you sir, I had a huge amount of fun as well. This was way more fun and challenging than my lonely solo swim 14 months ago, and consequently way more rewarding. I can't wait to see what we come up with next!

 

"banned from the server for too much PvE"

 

What the actual everlasting fuck?

Yyyyyup. That seems to be the universal reaction  :lol:

[Tatanko 5591]

Gotta watch that gratuitous PVE. It'll get you in trouble every time! :D

 

Congratulations, gents. The beans are on me. :beans: :beans: :beans:

You need to join us! We're going to leave the camp around and make more trips back, and having more people certainly can't hurt. We've got tons of food, equipment, etc. we just have to resupply water regularly and bring firewood with us each trip.

[odin_lowe 3686]

"banned from the server for too much PvE"

 

What the actual everlasting fuck?

I know right!!  :D

 

The server was called "This is a Slaughterhouse", and we didn't think much of it, as being on the island renders the possibility of "kos" to zero. The admin messages when we got in were "No-kos will result in ban.", "KOS only server.", "Enjoy the kick." and a few others clearly stating that it's either you go hostile, or get kicked...

 

All the opposite of "pve" servers. Mostly a "troll" admin who only wants the server for himself, and instead of illegally whitelisting or putting a password on his server, simply kick or ban any players that join and don't kill other players within minutes of joining...  :rolleyes:

[BleedoutBill 1636]

You need to join us! We're going to leave the camp around and make more trips back, and having more people certainly can't hurt. We've got tons of food, equipment, etc. we just have to resupply water regularly and bring firewood with us each trip.

Sounds like a hoot! I'll find a firehouse and see what gear I can scavenge.

[Tatanko 5591]

Sounds like a hoot! I'll find a firehouse and see what gear I can scavenge.

Firefighter clothing can only be found in the Novo city hall right now, actually. Fire stations only seem to contain the axes and helmets.

 

You need:

1. Firefighter Jacket

2. Firefighter Pants

3. Motobike Helmet

4. Wellies

5. Dry Bag

6. Gas Mask (optional but highly recommended, we haven't tested it without this)

7. Armband (again, optional, but it can't hurt and it's easy to make one)

[BleedoutBill 1636]

Firefighter clothing can only be found in the Novo city hall right now, actually. Fire stations only seem to contain the axes and helmets.

 

You need:

1. Firefighter Jacket

2. Firefighter Pants

3. Motobike Helmet

4. Wellies

5. Dry Bag

6. Gas Mask (optional but highly recommended, we haven't tested it without this)

7. Armband (again, optional, but it can't hurt and it's easy to make one)

Why were the bureaucrats hoarding all of the fire fighting gear?!?!?! WTF!!!

 

Perhaps the Chippendales were there, entertaining the horny lovely ladies of Novo?

[tobias winfro 305]

Wow banned for too much PvE, that's a new one on me. Rather amusing, I do remember hearing about a server that trolled like that but dismissed it as nonsense. Good read though, beans to the OP and the others involved.

I guess I never realized this was an actual place that could be traveled to, this may just end up being my new challenge....debug island here I come

[Tatanko 5591]

Why were the bureaucrats hoarding all of the fire fighting gear?!?!?! WTF!!!

New theory: they were rebuilding civilization on Debug Island and wanted to keep the necessary clothing to themselves  :lol:

 

I guess I never realized this was an actual place that could be traveled to, this may just end up being my new challenge....debug island here I come

Do it! :)

[freethink 984]

Does the tent fit in the drybag? I saw the thread on reddit earlier and how many trips by how many people did it take?

[Tatanko 5591]

Does the tent fit in the drybag? I saw the thread on reddit earlier and how many trips by how many people did it take?

It does indeed fit in the drybag. The three of us made a collective four trips (Gary suicided and swam over a second time). We all swam over together technically, but I went unconscious from starvation right before reaching the island the first time. Odin stayed on the island, but Gary killed himself and swam back over with me on my second attempt. It turned out to be a good thing because we were able to bring a lot more firewood and other supplies. What you do is drop all your stuff and then suicide. Persistence works, so all that stuff you brought over is there in addition to what you bring with you when you swim back over, so it will just continue to build. I hope to add more tents :)

 

Here's how close I got the first time:

 

[freethink 984]

It does indeed fit in the drybag. The three of us made a collective four trips (Gary suicided and swam over a second time). We all swam over together technically, but I went unconscious from starvation right before reaching the island the first time. Odin stayed on the island, but Gary killed himself and swam back over with me on my second attempt. It turned out to be a good thing because we were able to bring a lot more firewood and other supplies. What you do is drop all your stuff and then suicide. Persistence works, so all that stuff you brought over is there in addition to what you bring with you when you swim back over, so it will just continue to build. I hope to add more tents :)

 

Here's how close I got the first time:

 

 

I honestly don't know the tent fit in the dry bag. I'v only ever pitched a couple (not a euphemism) and I've always carried in hands. I knew they fit in mountain backpacks but apart from that i didn't have a clue.

 

Brilliant OP btw - love shit like this

[Tatanko 5591]

I honestly don't know the tent fit in the dry bag. I'v only ever pitched a couple (not a euphemism) and I've always carried in hands. I knew they fit in mountain backpacks but apart from that i didn't have a clue.

 

Brilliant OP btw - love shit like this

Yup! They're 6 slots tall, and the Drybag is 7 slots tall, so it fits. You could bring two if you really wanted, and still have room for a couple of water bottles and cans of food :)

[GaryWalnuts 1680]

It was a great trip but it's not for the faint of heart.  

The preparation was an end-game task all in itself ... as with any other item in DayZ, you can't find a drybag when you absolutely need one.

Watching Tatanko die within 100m of the holy grail was heartbreaking and on that trip I was dying of starvation and freezing also, one minute more and I would've been fish food too.  Thankfully, Odin was waiting there and forcefed me before I even got me feet out of the water.

That said, it was one of my best experiences ever in Dayz, it's an unforgiving grind and well worth the hardships!

Why?  Because it's there.

 

Thanks to Gews earlier work we knew our heading was going to be 106* from the southeast corner of Skalisty Island.  

Get swimming, set it to free-look.  Don't change your direction or you might not be able to correct it properly.

In about 90 minutes you should begin to see the island and then you can change course accordingly.

Pic is from a previous trip.

 

 

Tatanko in the middle just before his untimely death, Odin on the far left.  

Not knowing whether I'll survive the last leg of the journey.

(Please forgive the gamma crank, I was a long strange trip  :) )

 

 

Relaxing at the camp after getting my health back and attempting to eat disinfected worms which you can dig on the island.

I didn't get sick but Odin did (we wouldn't have attempted it without charcoal tabs)

 

 

 

And this randomness ....  getting kicked from a "No PVE" server was completely appropriate!

 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2015 by GaryWalnuts

[Tatanko 5591]

Why?  Because it's there.

This sums it up pretty nicely :)

[ColdAtrophy 1850]

I wish I had something more constructive to say but when I read "too much PVE" resulting in a ban, my blood boiled. 

 

Very cool though guys. Maybe I will try this at some point.

Edited September 10, 2015 by ColdAtrophy

[Tatanko 5591]

Very cool though guys. Maybe I will try this at some point.

You definitely should. I'm beginning to think it might be fun to organize a larger group gathering out there before 0.59 hits Stable (which leaves plenty of time).