Things I wish I knew

[Mr Zee 30]

Important Things I wish I knew earlier....

(will update every so often as I find new stuff, suggestions are welcome)

Zombies

• You can lose zombies in buildings, because they can only walk
  
• No buildings to lose them in? find a hill, you can run up a hill and zig-zag left and right, this causes the zombies to walk up the hill, which slows them to a very slow walk allowing you to prone and get away
  
• No hills or buildings? never fear, if your close to a dock just sit around the pier and wait for your opportunity to escape, they zombies usually walk into the water and are slow
  
• Don't fight zombies on stairs, you have a greater chance of encountering the zombie 'super attack' which does massive damage, you'll also have a higher chance of breaking bones on stairs while fighting a zombie.
  
• Zombies can glitch through walls slightly and attack you, they can sometimes get through doors too, and up stairs/ladders so don't put your back to an open wall.
  
• Keep your distance from hoppers (hopping zombies) they seem to have the longest aggro range of all zombies.
  
• If you have a gun, and your in a city with zombies all around you simply must shoot a zombie to defend yourself always use your sidearm, they are a lot quieter than many primary weapons. Remember hatchet is just as effective as an Makarov Pistol but silent.
  
• Hatchets are usually one hit kill vs zombies, aim for their legs for the best chance to not miss, Crowbars will take about 3 hits to kill a zombie.
  

PvP Combat (basic survival against other survivors in new areas/cities)

• Close quarter combat, Hatchet vs Gun usually wins as it knocks them unconscious pretty quick and breaks bones. Just remember to strafe around that player while swiping with the axe so they cant lock their aim on you with their gun.
  
• Scope out where you want to go, watch it for a bit to see if anyones around, then move in, don't just rush in.
  
• DON'T trust anyone coming at you with a hatchet, just GTFO, don't bother shooting them unless you have the element of surprise
  
• When you kill a player don't loot him straight away, pay attention and watch flanks from the back for about a minute in case he's got a buddy. Remember the rules for close quarter combat, HATCHET, if your in a narrow corridor / stairs then a gun is preferred.
  
• Lots of zombies in the far distance means there is likely a couple players around that area, and is unsafe, a couple zombies around usually means its just you (you learn how to distinguish this with practice).
  
• Sprint out of combat if you don't think you are going to win or have been ambushed, just GTFO your pursuer can't shoot if he wants to chase after you, zig zag run like a mo fo into the nearest forest or weave in/out of buildings..
  
• Use the cover of the forest for cover, don't walk in the road/coast.
  

High Risk Areas (PvP)

• Electro - Forest area behind the power station in the hills is frequently visited by high end snipers in ghillies, avoid the road alongside the fire station at all costs unless you don't mind losing your gear.
  
• Electro - Grocery store, the hill directly behind it is watched by snipers, make sure to check this before entering via the back.
  
• Cherno - The Northwest Hospital, snipers frequently sit in the four apartment buildings and snipe people, be sure to go far back around the bottom hill to stay out of sight of these buildings during your approach.
  
• Cherno - Fire station, players often sit atop the stairs aiming down, waiting for that unwary survivor.
  

General Survival

• Sprinting by double tapping forward, will raise your body temperature to the maximum, even in rain! *you don't want to go below 36degrees*
  
• Don't drink / eat until they are blinking red, from there it takes five minutes before you will start losing blood (20/psec).
  
• Water Canteens can be filled via water pumps around some cities and locations, and also ponds.
  
• Eating 'Cooked Meat' will restore 800blood per piece, this can bring you back to full from the brink of death. Cows give 8 pieces and are often found near barns & open fields, you need Hatchet (chop wood), Hunting Knife (to gut animal) and Matches (to make fireplace). If you only have a hunting knife you can find fire bins around major cities and use them to cook.
  

General Stuff to watch out for & oddities (I've learned the below the hard way)

• Don't crash vehicles into trees, cars explode a lot easier than you think and kill you instantly (if your lucky you'll be thrown out the window)
  
• Don't log out when your in a car, as when you re-log you'll be crushed by the car and die.
  
• Don't drive too fast on the main roads, rubble can pop in suddenly and BANG out the fkn window you go, bleeding like a mo fucker and losing 8k blood.
  
• Don't forget to 'Save' the vehicle after you put a replacement part on it, or it wont apply when you logout/back in.
  
• Biggest Don't!!! climb around rock faces or try to jump up/around them, there is a bug where you can lose control and just slide down a bit & randomly break your bones & insta death (lost my ghillie suit and night vision goggles doing this, body was bugged and couldn't loot it when I got back)
  
• Don't place items into a tent until the server has been restarted after placing it, or it eats your items. I've tested this three times and after the first server reboot items never disappeared for me.
  
• Don't place items into your PBX Boat, it has no inventory and will eat your items (lost two silenced weapons because of this)
  
• Don't put weapons/items into your backpack if you don't have room, your weapon/item WILL disappear forever.
  
• Don't just 'TAKE Backpack' you'll lose everything in your current pack, transfer the items from your current backpack into the new one first via the 'Gear' or 'Open xxx backpack' option when you scroll
  
• See a backpack and can't pick it up? clear the junk around it first and then you can loot it.
  
• Ghillie suits do work now, but your zombie kills/murders won't update until you next login (just doesn't update in real time is all)
  

Web Resources

• Interactive Map with loot locations & vehicle spawns (must have for any newbie)- http://dayzdb.com/map#3.072.086
  
• Wiki Page to answer all the questions you may have about items and/or their use - http://dayzwiki.com/...title=Main_Page
  
• YouTube Videos - Search 'DayZ How To' if you don't understand something in the wiki/game.
  

Edited July 22, 2012 by Mr Zee

[TheDesigner 1197]

Your avatar creeps me out.

[Mr Zee 30]

Your avatar creeps me out.

Lol yeah is a little creepy...don't worry its not a pic of me.

[wish (DayZ) 9]

nice guide, just one thing: the hatchets acts as M1911 / revolver, the crowbar is like an makarow or 9mm