Just started this game..Have no idea what I'm doing..

[Volgus 0]

Like the title says, I got this last night since Arma 2 was on sale yesterday on Steam. I've been curious about playing this game and seeing if its as good as I've been hearing. I get all of the patching/installing done (which took about two hours), and since it was a bit past four in the morning, I decided to get some sleep before playing.

Tonight, I load up the game, go on a pretty high populated server from what it looks like. I enter the server, create a character and spawn at a dock (ChernosomethinginRussianthatIhavenoideawhatitsays).

Where the hell am I supposed to be going to to actually find some people, or to just get some sort of gear at all? I know that there's supposed to be a lot of walking in this, but I really am just completely lost at this point trying to figure out what's what in this game.

If anyone is able to help me out, that'd be much appreciated. Otherwise I'll probably just stop (though I'd hate to do so since I'm not the kind of person that gives up so easily).

[sarlac 10]

I'll help. I'm bored.

[CIarkness 1]

I suggest you get use to Arma II controls first, then go for towns to loot supplies and arm yourself. Then go for one of the bigger city after you gotten a map to find other players.

[slyder73 94]

First, go to the Arma2 game itself and play the tutorial missions, and get used to the mechanics of the game.

Almost everythign anyone says to you until then will make little sense to you in terms of keys, scrolling mouse, map, navigating my map and landmarks etc.

[HoOKeR (DayZ) 4]

You gotta think, what would I do if i had no food or weapons during a zombie apoc? Part of the fun in this game "shit any game" is that first time play though. Atleast in your next life or the one after you can learn from what you did the first time.

[evilkim 2]

Be aware tho. Hide and start a conversation with them (40m is it?) on the direct chat. Too many pose as friendly while they really want to kill you and loot your gear. Just my 2c.

[sarlac 10]

Your first action should be to hunt for supplies and weapons. That means heading into town. But you need to understand the inventory system before you can hope to do that. If you want a walk through I'm seriously offering. Send me a PM maybe we can get on Skype or something.

[Volgus 0]

I already have the mechanics down, somewhat, that's fine. I'm not having troubles with controls at all.

I'm just completely lost in terms of where the hell I am. So far I've died twice, the first time I bled out to one zombie bite, and the second I fell off a building (somehow) that I found after running away from zombies and finding different buildings to scavenge through and such. A zombie that happened to be right next to where I landed ate me after breaking my legs from the fall. Had a crowbar and a couple of bandages there too.

Learned from that life to never trust the edges of buildings. Or glitchy mechanics.

[slyder73 94]

I already have the mechanics down, somewhat, that's fine. I'm not having troubles with controls at all.

I'm just completely lost in terms of where the hell I am. So far I've died twice, the first time I bled out to one zombie bite, and the second I fell off a building (somehow) that I found after running away from zombies and finding different buildings to scavenge through and such. A zombie that happened to be right next to where I landed ate me after breaking my legs from the fall. Had a crowbar and a couple of bandages there too.

Learned from that life to never trust the edges of buildings. Or glitchy mechanics.

OK, easier fix.

Go here and bookmark this map.

http://dayzdb.com/map#4.085.067

That map will show you all the buildings that have loot, what kind of loot and the probability of it showing up.

It is also a countour topographical map. Learn to use the contours and landmarks to navigate. The game world is modelled EXTREMELY accurately to the real world.

If you can read the stars, you can navigate at night for example; the Big Dipper points to the North star (if you are one of the increasingly rare folks still educated in astronomy and know the constellations then no problem at night). In the day, landmarks, contour lines, and short moves ALWAYS under cover and scanning ahead for other players.

Try to find an in game map and compass. Learn how to mark waypoints on the map, that makes a HUGE difference navigating, especially if you are new.

Also, AVOID going into Cherno or Elekro at all costs. Just don't do it. You will die and be frustrated.

Get a hatchet, because that is the number one best zombie killing weapon that doesn't attract other human players, and get to smaller places to gear up.

If you do find a gun and have to shoot a zombie (only do this as a last resort), then that gunshot will be like ringing the 10 dollar special bell at the only whorehouse in the West. EVERY other player within a few kilometers will be coming to kill you. If you have to shoot a zombie...get the HELL out of town and away from the area until you get a group to work with.

Edited July 23, 2012 by Slyder73

[Mountain Dew 13]

i can join you to i just got my game working today and can you us a xbox controller to play

[DayzSandBox 157]

I already have the mechanics down, somewhat, that's fine. I'm not having troubles with controls at all.

I'm just completely lost in terms of where the hell I am. So far I've died twice, the first time I bled out to one zombie bite, and the second I fell off a building (somehow) that I found after running away from zombies and finding different buildings to scavenge through and such. A zombie that happened to be right next to where I landed ate me after breaking my legs from the fall. Had a crowbar and a couple of bandages there too.

Learned from that life to never trust the edges of buildings. Or glitchy mechanics.

If and when you find a map you will be able to use the waypointfunction to pinpoint your location. Holding down shift, you can place a waypoint by leftclicking.

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

i can join you to i just got my game working today and can you us a xbox controller to play

Technically, yes. If you want to survive for more than 2 minutes, no.

[IamtheYeti 0]

Also, AVOID going into Cherno or Elekro at all costs. Just don't do it. You will die and be frustrated.

Get a hatchet, because that is the number one best zombie killing weapon that doesn't attract other human players, and get to smaller places to gear up.

If you do find a gun and have to shoot a zombie (only do this as a last resort), then that gunshot will be like ringing the 10 dollar special bell at the only whorehouse in the West. EVERY other player within a few kilometers will be coming to kill you. If you have to shoot a zombie...get the HELL out of town and away from the area until you get a group to work with.

I follow this rule except if i spawn right next to those cities. They obviously will have a ton of loot but I wont take the time to trek there because there is a high chance of getting shot. All the supplies that you can find in those cities you can find elsewhere. The only thing I seem to have trouble finding is food.

[ALiborio 13]

If you're in a low population server going into Cherno or Elektro is really beneficial. I went into Cherno on a <5 player server and there was soo much loot. I got a couple great guns, bunch of medical supplies, knife, compass, matches, soda cans, canteens, cans of food. On another server that I went through the city it was picked clean. If you are near it when you start it can be worth just running through and running into any open buildings until you find some stuff then head to the woods and start raiding barns along the way.

[guidez 180]

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