Beginner's Guide

[Elunah 1]

Hey, folks. I just threw together a beginner's guide here:

http://www.elunah.com/2012/05/dayz-a-beginners-guide/

I'd appreciate some comments/suggestions on it. I know there's a ton of tips on here already, but I found it a little overwhelming when I was learning the game, so I wanted to write something that had a different structure so I can give it to my buddies when they inevitably start playing.

If anyone's interested, I can also convert it into a board-friendly version for posting.

Love the mod! Keep up the good work, chums.

[sherlock (DayZ) 31]

I shortly read through it and stumbled upon a minor mistake in your hud-graphic. The thermometer represents the influence of the environment and is so far not implemented. If I recall correctly it is rocket's intention to incentivise realistic beahviour like looking for shelter when it rains.

How panicked the player is, is only represented by the heavy breathing of your ingame character.

Edit #1: Under Humanity you write that it can be regained/increased by killing Bandits. This might be incorrectl. Killing a bandit is consequence free (no humanity substracted nor rewarded). It might also be worthwhile to mention that shooting a survivor will substact as much humanity as that particular player had, so if his/her humanity was near zero the concequences won't be as dire. Also an interesting mechanic to mention would be that there are no penalties if you shoot another survivor in self-defence within a 2 minute timespan (however he must hit you first, I think, for the game to register it as self-defence)

Edit #2: Under controls it might be useful to add:

-double tapping the CTRL-key will lower your rifle (doesn't work for the side arm) and will help you to show that you don't intent to shoot the other guy (I did see that you mentioned it in the foot notes but it might be better to put it in this part of your tutorial).

-RMB-hold will also hold your breath, so if you do it for an extended period of time, your vision will start to shake.

-num pad Enter, will circle between 1st and 3rd person view (servers may chose to not allow 3rd person view).

-Alt will allow you to move your head independently from the rest of your body to look around while you're moving in a direction. If you double-tap Alt it will stay untill you double-tap it again.

-It might also be worthwhile to add Caps-Lock. Caps-Lock activates VON and allows you to communicate with other players using your microphone.

-right-CTRL+M, will bring up your GPS (if you found one) and will be displayed in the bottom right of your screen, like a mini-map.

-N, will activate the nightvision goggles (if you found one). It can also be used to read out the grid coodinates of your current position.

-/-key (above ENTER), is used to perform a salute. In DayZ it is used by players without a rifle (only sidearms that cannot be lowered/holstered with double-CTRL) to signal that they don't have sinister intentions.

-"-key (key left of ENTER), is used to sit down and have a break. It's not essential to playing the game, but it can be fun to use when someone lit a fire ;).

-L-key, to switch lights on and off (vehicles).

-;-key, to quickly change from your side arm to your rifle or vice versa.

-all keys can be reassinged in the options menue.

Edit #3: Inventory

If I'm not mistaken, items placed on the ground will despawn once you move too far away from them (staching isn't possible that way).

Edit #4: Navigation

It might be helpful to link these to instructional youtube videos:

1) finding north in daylight using your watch:

2) finding north during night time using the northern star: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df6-M4iAv_o

Edit #5: Doors and Ladders & Final tips

The bug that causes you to fall down from a ladder when you climb it with your pistol drawn will be solved in the next update.

Apart from these suggestions, it looks like a very thorough guide that might help a lot of new players. I can only commend you for your fine work.

I'll let you know about anything I see that might improve your guide.

[ZogVarnoka 26]

Two main things I found that needed mentioning:

The change of negative humanity to a bandit skin will be going away soon. May want to mention that.

And the alice pack is not the largest. The coyote backpack is the largest pack in game with alice being second and czech being third. The coyote backpack is different from the newbie coyote patrol pack.

Otherwise nice guide. :)

[Elunah 1]

Thanks a ton for the comments, guys. I'll work on implementing them. Note that some of the suggestions above were included in the footnotes. Are those too small to notice?

Regarding the bandit skin change: will the skin be replaced with any other means of telling whether someone's a bandit?

[sherlock (DayZ) 31]

Thanks a ton for the comments' date=' guys. I'll work on implementing them. Note that some of the suggestions above were included in the footnotes. Are those too small to notice?

Regarding the bandit skin change: will the skin be replaced with any other means of telling whether someone's a bandit?

[/quote']

The bandit skin will be removed entirely. There won't be any visual distinction between survivors and bandits. Along side with this change it seems that rocket is planing to add skins/uniforms/cloths that can be found in the world and worn. This is a sort of experiment to see where it leads and might be reversed if the creators deem it necessary.

I did see that some of the suggestions I made to the controls section where included into the foot notes. Personally I would include them, since if someone looks at the controls section he/she would want all the controls in one place.

I updated my initial post with some other suggestions (Edit #4: Navigation might be interesting to you), if you're interested. I hope I could be of assistance.

[Elunah 1]

Thanks again for the help. I've updated the guide for these suggestions and 1.5.8. Two questions for you guys (and anyone else):

1) How does one get wood? I don't know if I've ever encountered it in-game. Is it completely new as of 1.5.8?

2) Are the mousewheel commands still the same now that they've added the right-click interactions in the inventory? I haven't had a chance to play the new version yet.

EDIT1: Ah, nevermind, I found the thread about the wood. So... we need wood for fires, but there's no wood in the game, despite the fact that Chernarus is basically a forest? Odd.

[Chimeray 4]

Thanks a lot! Please keep it updated. It's nice to have all that info in one spot, definitely when it's concise and structured (Which some guides are lacking a bit).

[sherlock (DayZ) 31]

1) Wood can be found near/in farms and barns, Edit#1: found some wood in a small wooden shed (there might be other places too)

2) The interaction with yourself (eating, drinking, bandaging, taking medicine) is now entirely over the inventory (g and rightclick on the object).

The interaction with your environment (objects, other players) still works as usual).

Edit #6: Hello World

It might be useful to add the symbols for broken bone and pain/shock to the image. I confused the shock sign for the broken bone sign when I was encountering it for the first time (might save someone a morphine injector ;) )

Again my congratulations on your nicely done guide, had another read and it's in my opinion one of the most complete guides out there, definitely one of the best places to start for someone who's new to the game.

[Elunah 1]

Thanks again, guys! I appreciate all the input and kudos. I'll work on getting myself hurt so I can get pictures of those symbols :)

[rickenbacker 190]

1) Wood can be found near farms and barns (there might be other places too)

Wood is (stupidly) found only IN buildings. Mainly barns, residential buildings and such.

[sherlock (DayZ) 31]

1) Wood can be found near farms and barns (there might be other places too)

Wood is (stupidly) found only IN buildings. Mainly barns' date=' residential buildings and such.

[/quote']

I found some wood in one of the small wooden sheds that you may find in gardens. But you're right that there is a higher probability to find wood within a building due to the spawn locations beeing mostly within structures.

[aragos 1]

I think the logic is the wood represents already cut firewood. Now if we had axes....

Side note, I spent most of my noob time last night working my way into a barn, hoping to find something to defend myself with. I found the uber firewood reserve instead--three piles. Zed ate me soon thereafter. I can only assume he cooked me first.

[Kennster 0]

I have an addition to this thread. It is in the form of a rap. Now this is important.

If you've got a Lee-Enfield I feel bad for ya son, I got 99 problems but a boomstick ain't one.

If you have an Enfield you're going to have a bad time.