Did I overreact?

[Sentry (DayZ) 0]

I killed my first player and feel bad. I was in a night server in a pitch black room on the second floor of a building. This was a starter area and all I had was a hatchet. I turned on my flashlight for a few seconds to scan the room. Almost immediately, I heard footsteps. I backed into the room and took out my hatchet. A few seconds later, I see a player crouched in the door with an assault rifle pointed into the room. He never said anything. I heard the reload sound on his gun and then he charged into the room.

I ran at him and began swinging the hatchet. Since it was pitch black, the only time we could see each other was from the muzzle flashes of his rifle. Eventually, after us strafing and attacking, I killed him. I figured he must have had the intention of killing, with the way he was acting and him being in a small starter town with an M4. Do you guys think I was justified? I have vowed to only kill in self defense and I hope this was the case.

[Tb8440 1]

sounds like castle doctrine. lol. i would have reacted the same way . Enjoy your new assault rifle

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

Yup, justified. I generally play friendly, but if I call out and get no reply, I have to assume he's hostile.

[giiwedin@live.com 32]

don't feel bad, sounds like he came in shooting knowing someone was in that building so ya, fuck it ;)

[sixbarns 217]

Sentry, do you play other shooters? Do you feel that way int them? Why or why not?

[Sentry (DayZ) 0]

I wish I could enjoy it. I ended up going outside and laying in some bushes as I was so hurt I could barely see and kept passing out. I was waiting for a friend who was running to help me. After about 15 minutes laying there, I hear someone over voice ask if I have any bandages. I turned and saw a guy about 10 feet away with a sniper rifle. I told him I had one left and dropped it for him. He said thanks and walked around the bushes. I thought "Hey, my first cordial encounter". As I'm trying to crawl away, he shoots me in the back. : (

[Bigtaff 23]

Yep he fired, thats hostile. CHop his ass.

[giiwedin@live.com 32]

also not gonna like him having an AR and you an axe and you killing him?? he kinda deserved to die lol.

[ChiefMasterKush 321]

So your second encounter should let you know you handled the first one correct.

If you have a chance/feel safe. Feel free to call out, but most like they will respond with Im friendly only to shoot u later.

[ChiefMasterKush 321]

Yep he fired, thats hostile. CHop his ass.

Sounds like he fired after he started getting chopped.

[Sentry (DayZ) 0]

To answer your question, I play a lot of shooters. I don't feel bad in those when the objective is to kill. I treat this game as I would real life. In real life, I would not kill someone without justification.

[cmochre 8]

i think its awesome u managed to chop him down with a hatchet! well done to you sir!

[sixbarns 217]

To answer your question, I play a lot of shooters. I don't feel bad in those when the objective is to kill. I treat this game as I would real life. In real life, I would not kill someone without justification.

The game is about survival. It's either you or him. At the very least he becomes competition for food, weapons, and other loot. At worst, he'll kill you. So it's pretty cut and dry unless you're in an area you don't plan on staying and you know how to exit the area while keeping an eye behind you.

Besides, the guy saw a flashlight and went into the building without announcing himself. Sounds like you were going to get killed anyway.

[mindtrucks 28]

When a man goes to a coastal town equipped with a M4 he is most likely there to kill freshly spawned noobs. Don't feel bad.

[Jenn (DayZ) 7]

So your second encounter should let you know you handled the first one correct.

If you have a chance/feel safe. Feel free to call out, but most like they will respond with Im friendly only to shoot u later.

Agreed. My very first time playing I had someone start following me through a warehouse. This was back when you still started with a pistol. So I'm going through and he's following me, and we are not finding any loot. I stop to look in my bag and the dude shot me in the face. So now, I trust no one.

I won't go out of my way to mow someone down - If I see someone and they don't see me I go hide... but... If I am spotted I'm gonna shoot first and ask questions later. I would not however, tell anyone I am friendly nor ask for stuff and then shoot the person who gave it to me... That's just a crummy thing to do.

[teih 36]

You had no choice.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Teih

[Womb Raider 92]

In all honesty you got lucky, if he'd been able to shoot at all then you would have been very bad.

But he was probably one of the people that have never played on Arma 2's engine before Day Z.

[The Funkey Chicken 10]

A few days after I first started playing this game I posted a very similar thread about my first kill (forum got hacked though and I lost my account). I also felt bad about killing a survivor. Two days later I had no qualms about killing on sight.

I think the majority of people kill on sight not for the lulz, but from fear of themselves getting shot by yourself. We don't all want to kos and lone wolf it (in absense of rl mates), but this game has conditioned us in such a way that if you don't open fire instantly then your chances of survival are dramaticly reduced.

I read a possible solution to this on the suggestions forum a few weeks back: Unless you are a sociopath, then murdering people will take a toll on your mental health. So what if bandits were prone to something akin to a mental break down if they don't source particular medication. The less you murder over time then the less you need.

Edited July 19, 2012 by The Funkey Chicken

[Sentry (DayZ) 0]

Thanks for all the replies. I figured I was in the right and the consensus seems to agree.