How long do cars last, and what is considered "off map?"

[Mjolnir (DayZ) 1]

I recently hid a car and a tractor in the far northwest corner of the map. I was under the impression that "off map" would be any area that is off of the in game map, and doesn't have proper foliage. The area in which I hid my vehicles was most certainly on the in game map, but north of the area shown by any of the loot maps.

The issues I am about to describe could very well be server problems.

I hid the car and tractor, then disconnected. The next day I rejoined the same server, only to find that my tractor had been moved about 20 feet south and the car was nowhere to be seen. However, I seriously doubt anyone stole the car or moved the tractor, as my tent (which was in plain view of both vehicles) had nothing missing (there was an M14 AIM in it among other things, and there was plenty of room in the car and tractor to take the gun if it had been stolen). I went down the road to the south, where I finally found the car parked at 16 22, which (interestingly) is on the loot map. The tractor and car were both saved in their hiding spot at about the same time, so I don't understand why one moved MUCH further than the other.

Today (a few days later) I spawned in my camp again, only to find the car gone again. This time the tractor did not move at all, but it was SEVERELY damaged. Before the tractor had green for every component, but now it has deep red for everything except the wheels. I walked down the road, and the car was nowhere to be found. This leads me to believe that it was destroyed by the 24 hour "off map" timer. It could very well have just been a server glitch, but the fact that the tractor was almost destroyed in a single day seems to indicate to me that it was indeed this anti hoarding measure.

Anyway, I would be interested to know what Rocket considers "off map" if that was indeed what happened here. Is it anything that reads "wilderness" when you spawn in (which seems to include the ocean near cherno sometimes, among other on map locations) or is it areas that are obviously outside the map (with no foliage)? My vehicles were hidden just north of the bend near the Grozovy pass. They were within 100 meters of both a house that spawned zombies and a main road, in an area with dense foliage. This led me to believe that they were still on the map. Was I wrong?

Did Rocket change it so cars decay after 24 hours even when they are on map?

Just to be clear this is not a whining or complaining thread; I know if I get attached to my gear I am "going to have a bad time." I realize this is an Alpha and I am just trying to determine if this is a bug or an intended feature.

[Inception. 9443]

Did you save them?

[Mjolnir (DayZ) 1]

Did you save them?

Did you even read my post? I said the car and tractor were saved at the same time. I saved them on both occasions; I even saved them multiple times in a row just to make sure.

[Powell (DayZ) 734]

I heard 6 hours. I flipped an ATV off map. RIP ATV

[Mjolnir (DayZ) 1]

I heard 6 hours. I flipped an ATV off map. RIP ATV

Has Rocket ever said what the "off map" areas are defined as?

[Brudagon (DayZ) 64]

Generally off map areas are off of the map. It's fairly obvious.

[Aitloian 11]

I think you just got trolled hard dude, my camp is literally on the EDGE of the map like the wheels of my vehicles are pretty much on the edge of the map, the edge of the map is where the long grass stops growing and its just one texture with no depth of grass on it that is the edge of the map.

So your vehicles did not despawn by the "offmap" timer or what not. I think someone screwed with you, and personally when I stumble upon a camp and tent I may glance in the tent before I steal the car but if it was just an M14 AIM I would leave that crap behind, but that's just me I don't consider it rare.

Here's an example of crazy situations. Found a VS3 and a white car and went and parked them near pambena dam and logged off for the night logged in and they were gone, so I started heading west where I stumbled upon the VS3 a blue Ural our white car and a UAZ. I woke up the roommates and we robbed the VS3 the Ural and the UAZ and went and made a new camp we then headed back to get our faithful white car and it was gone, we then started heading towards the NW airfield and stumbled upon a white offroad truck.

So thats how crazy this game can be lol

[M@gic 13]

Bro,I'm really tired of this.everytime I get a car it just vanish when the server restarts... I hide them far way,inside the woods but it always vanish. I'm really tired.

[Seanosilas 11]

Bro,I'm really tired of this.everytime I get a car it just vanish when the server restarts... I hide them far way,inside the woods but it always vanish. I'm really tired.

They are not meant to be hidden fuckwits

[0675056510@orange.fr 0]

Bro,I'm really tired of this.everytime I get a car it just vanish when the server restarts... I hide them far way,inside the woods but it always vanish. I'm really tired.

hmmm, I rarely have this problem, all my vehicles are exactly where I let them on every server I hide one.

I don't even save them as main (Hive) server save the last location

Although I just lost a S1203 van from where (1.6Km North of the map border) i parked it... :beans:

[M@gic 13]

They are not meant to be hidden fuckwits

Bro,Trust me,THEY WERE HIDDEN... Last Time my car vanishs I was drivin him and the server went down,when I back the car VANISHED.

[xarok777@gmail.com 205]

Bro,Trust me,THEY WERE HIDDEN... Last Time my car vanishs I was drivin him and the server went down,when I back the car VANISHED.

It happens, also "hidden" is fairly impossible in this game, there will always be people roaming around and bumping into your "hidden" vehicles.

[Mjolnir (DayZ) 1]

Why would someone not take the M14 aimpoint, 9 stanag SD mags, blood bags, and other stuff if there was room in the car? If they were attempting to troll me then they failed miserably by not taking my stuff as well.

This still doesn't explain how every component of the tractor EXCEPT for the wheels was heavily damaged, yet the tractor was not destroyed. Why would someone do this? It isn't even clever trolling.

[Slyguy65 499]

Bro,I'm really tired of this.everytime I get a car it just vanish when the server restarts... I hide them far way,inside the woods but it always vanish. I'm really tired.

Has it only been happening since post 1.7.5?

[M@gic 13]

Has it only been happening since post 1.7.5?

Yes! only been happening since 1.7.5

[ZedsDeadBaby 2287]

There's no such thing as hidden, trust me. The map is not as large as you think and lots of people play this game every day.

Off map is obvious, all foliage, grass, trees, rocks, etc. end in a perfectly straight line and the world is just a flat texture and rolling hills.

[dms (DayZ) 24]

All the blood bags, Stanag mags, m14s in the world arent gonna stop me from stealing your vehicle. Most people have all that, most people dont have vehicles.

[Mjolnir (DayZ) 1]

All the blood bags, Stanag mags, m14s in the world arent gonna stop me from stealing your vehicle. Most people have all that, most people dont have vehicles.

I understand that many people already have this stuff, but given that the car was basically EMPTY it would have taken literally one minute to take all the good loot from the tent, or at least SOMETHING. No one would leave ALL of that behind.

On top of this the first time the car moved there was a MK48 in the tent; now don't you tell me that people wouldn't take THAT gun, because they sure as hell would.

[Spikér 136]

how many times can you say bro? FFS

Edited August 3, 2012 by Spikér

[Nichols 13]

It depends on lots of situations in my book. I am going to check the tents and take food, drinks, water bottles, ammo and then start stacking up to kit out new guys or old guys in our group that needs weapons after they get smoked. Then depending on if I have buddies with me or not something is going to get shot up as denial of resources to an "enemy". If you are out looking for engines, wheels, scrap metal, etc... you probably aren't a threat to me and mine. However now that we take a stance of observe and engage if needed you might have a chance of survival.

Oh and I found a tractor on a server the other day up in the NW corner of the map and it has served me well in my northern recons lately. Time to get it and its gear back to the southern camp where we outfit the main group.

Edited August 3, 2012 by reschke

[Cheekything 10]

I would like to also know I recently managed to find a pbx only to get out of it and watch it drive off the map, i tried to swim after it but no luck.

[SmashT 10907]

Anything past the black line is off map, maybe someone took your car for a joy ride and returned it, they last a week if not used afaik

Edited August 3, 2012 by smasht_AU

[alicefanboy 0]

So my question is, can you save more than one car? like say i have a truck and an ATV at my base, and I save both of them, will they both stay there assuming i come back before 6 days and no one steals them?

[Hetstaine 10852]

I understand that many people already have this stuff, but given that the car was basically EMPTY it would have taken literally one minute to take all the good loot from the tent, or at least SOMETHING. No one would leave ALL of that behind.

On top of this the first time the car moved there was a MK48 in the tent; now don't you tell me that people wouldn't take THAT gun, because they sure as hell would.

I have left heaps of mk48's in tents :) A lot of the time if we are solely vehicle hunting we have full kit, so tents do not mean a thing.

[csharp 47]

You keep your M14 as proof that player didn't steal your car? I've seen probably 20 or so M14 in last 2 days. And keep in mind, that this was all legit at crash sites, barracks and other military locations. I wouldn't take your M14 either. But then again, if your car was like old hatchback, i wouldn't take that either :P