From Friend to Foe - How I became a bandit

[Duck (DayZ) 0]

I'll tell you all a little story about how I turned to banditry.

When I was first starting DayZ, after I had come to terms with everything, I took in the sights around me, I learned the general psychology of the playerbase, I learned how everything worked, what weapons I could take, what effect they'd have. One of my Skype buddies would play with me, and it was all well and good. At first, our philosophy was 'Give everyone a chance.' And, really, that surprisingly worked for us for a while.

But there's something I realized while walking around. Supplies got sparse. Playing on high population servers meant that there was little to go around, teaming up simply wasn't an option if you wanted to survive. My philosophy then began to shape itself differently. Now, Cherno, Elektro, Balota, the International Airfield, and both Sobors were all 'Red' zones, AKA, I'd shoot anyone I saw in there, no chance. And it made sense, since I would get the first shot off, I was able to eventually upgrade my weapons, get more food, get survival tools, packs, what have you.

Just recently, though, I had gone full bandit, I joined the ranks, so to speak. There were two men in the Cherno Fire Station. They called out friendly, so did I. At the time, I had an M4A3 CCO, now, against my aforementioned philosophy, I trusted them, they gave me some food which I was sorely lacking, and I was off. I perched up on the nearby oil tanks, and watched.

A few minutes had passed, and I see these two stealthily making their way across a zombie minefield. I shot one, and only one of the men, I let the other break off in to a mad dash, from the looks of it, Zombies swarmed him, and it was over. But I'm not gonna kill for sport. I looted the guys, and I got enough food, drinks, and ammunition to last me a while. Then, it had dawned on me.

I used to give people chances, I'd bump in to them, give a friendly greeting, and leave. But not any more.

Regrouping with my buddy, we headed to the nearby grocery store. There were three survivors. My friend hadn't yet known of my intentions, but there was a group of three. All friendlies, all well armed (DMR, Kobra, the likes) And I found myself gunning them down in cold blood.

Here's how it simply is, nine times out of ten, when you trust people, it fails you. Out of a necessity of survival, protection, and distrust for my fellow man, I dropped the saintly survivor act for a more... practical solution. To this day, I will shoot before being shot. I've racked up ten murders in a life (Before a glitch claimed me and sent me all the way back to the coast, stripping me of my beloved items).

And I like this playstyle, I think I'll keep it.

However, one thing worth noting (A promise I still keep), if you're unarmed, I wont shoot you.

[Bubbs 10]

I agree with you strongly. It seems like thee only playstyle that will actually keep you alive for a decent amount of Dayz. I was also killed by a glitch about 2 days ago ( Fell INSIDE a rock broke my legs and died instantly ._. ) I then spawned at Elektro.

I decided to loot around a little, because why not? I came across a player who was killing everyone he saw, at this point i didn't even have a hatchet yet... I moved towards the School/Office building were i came across a player with no weapon but an alice pack, i greeted him in a friendly manner, but i also saw a dead body behind him, presumably i thought he looted him and found it or was about to. Turns out he didn't.

I then looted the body as he went down the stairs from the top floor, the dead body had a czech backpack, matches, binocs, huntin knife, enfield with 2 clips, food and drinks. I though that guy was crazy to leave that. Then all of a sudded i froze as i heard 3 revolver shots on the floor right below me, as a player killed the guy i just met up with, after waiting around 2 minuites, they never came up, so i slowly descended the stairs and all of a sudded im at gunpoint from 2 guys with makarovs, i shouted friendly around 3 times, noticing there was no one with a revolver, i felt a little safer, so to speak anyway...

Then all of a sudden the guy infront of me tried and failed to hit me with his hatchet that he switched to, so i popped him right in the forehead wit one bullet and he was dead, i ran back up stairs and waitied for his friend to come up. After 3 minuites i saw that there was only 1 bullet left in this clip so reloaded a fresh 10 round clip, as soon as i hit reload he walked out but was facing the other way, i panicked... luckily i managed to reload in time but he turned around and managed to shoot me once in the chest and then i one shotted him also, i bandaged up and was left with 7k blood.

After that i took the Alice, the makarov with some mags and boat loads of food, drinks, and even some hospital supplies. From around 20 minuites in Elektro i was already set to head north. :)

It just goes to show that you really can not trust anyone, yes maybe a Steam friend or someone on your Skype.

But a stranger, no way, you're already dead if i see you ;]. ( Also following your terms because what is the point of killing a player with no weapon or any cause of harm? )

[socom77 36]

pretty much the same thing with me, except i've never had someone call out friendly. on my 2nd day of playing, i finally saw my first fellow survivors so i called out friendly and they both instantly opened fire and killed me. third survivor i ever met was a sniper who missed a shot at me while i was looting just outside cherno, who also ended up being my first murder. now, unless i know you outside of the game (steam, skype, etc), i shoot on sight. i've only met 2 people who didn't try to kill me, both of which were unarmed so i guess they don't really count.

[Humdilla 0]

This is how I turned.

I was in one of the firehouses in the northern part of Electro when I spotted someone sneaking up the staircase. He said, "Hey down there! We're friendly. We are just waiting for our buddy. Please don't shoot us." I was with one of my friends, who was watching the doors, and we too were waiting for another friend. I told him, "If your weapon is ready when you come down, I'm shooting." Unfortunately he came down the stairs with his enfield out. I did what had to be done.

After the shooting I had remembered that he said "We're waiting..." I started sneaking up the stairs. At the top I came across the dead man's unarmed friend. Now my adrenaline was soaring because I had been expecting to be shot at on the way up or be pointed at with a pistol upon finding the survivor.

He said, "Hey" and then I shot him.

There was no time to feel bad though, because moments later we heard pistol fire right outside the firehouse. A man ran in with an M1911 and several zombies. I shot him too.

It's just too risky to trust people. :( Banditry is easier.

Edited July 15, 2012 by Humdilla

[Duck (DayZ) 0]

Ah, and something I didn't go in-depth on, I gave too many people chances, and died for it. So that also helped fuel it. There were two times in 30 minutes where survivors murdered me in cold blood /while I was unarmed/. I've also died for calling out friendly (When I had basic guns.) No more of that.

Edited July 15, 2012 by Duck

[GrandMasterAssassin 5]

I had some of the same experiences like that but mine are a tad bit more horrifying

I had just spawned and I decided wtf and headed to elektro and found the Barn I found a CZ550... I was like :-D

So I got on a hospital roof and spotted a lone survivor running down an alley carrying a hatchet... I waited for some zombies... then two heavily armed survivors dash around the corner shooting at the survivor sparatically while trying to run.

After them about 20 zombies! I was like they are trying to kill this guy did he aggro them by attacking or are they killers...

I decided wtf and shot near all the zombies. They I guess thought they were getting shot at by this time they were searching to roofs for my face character.. They continued as they did the survivor they had been shooting at came behind one of them and killed one. I shot him... I guess it was just one of my reactions... He died.

The other dragged the wounded behind cover and they both creeped to my building and I said on direct chat" Don't attack me I am just trying to help." They look up and I crouch they lower their guns and say okay then come down. I wasn't right off trusting of anyone from the beginning. I said"Actually I won't I kinda like it up here" I think they got the idea. I pulled out my makarov and watched the ladder as I added and "don't come up either." They agreed and I waited till they came out and one dropped all his things on the ground... He came up and gave me a bunch of supplies and went back down to get his stuff. I got over to the supplies prone and I guess they knew I would. Something lands on the roof next to me that I immediately realize is a grenade, I run then jump off the building.

I heard the explosion and ringing I had broken a leg and I shot one till he died the other shot me in the face a little to late as I had shot him as well.

I decided to use my sniping skillz to get me gear and to learn the ways of banditry sniping.

[TheTigger 34]

Im sorry but the gear on the ground trap was tooo funny! That sucks that you died though

[InfectiousFTW 24]

I'm a pretty quick learner.

Was my 4th or 5th life in day (obligiatory falling off building, mauled by zombies, getting lost deaths out of the way), and I was pretty comfortable with the game. I could loot and shoot in towns.

I see in side chat that a heap of different people are meeting in the church in cherno, I was close so I asked if I could join, everyone said yeah, so off I went.

I was the first person to meet this guy inside the church, we dispatched the zombies that I had attracted and began waiting for the others to arrive.

My new "friend" asked how long I had been playing and what I planned on doing, he asked this in white text (which I know as direct chat now).

When I began typing I see his rifle point to me and you know how the rest of the story goes.

Since then its a shoot on site, weather on not you are armed. I don't know what you might find, or how long you might track me for.

If I can shoot you, I will.

Your only saving grace will be if I don't think I can drop you quickly and you haven't seen me.