When is it acceptable to shoot first?

[silentassassn87 0]

Hey all,

So I've just about had it with bandits lol. Just lost a character to a bandit in disguise. I was up at the NW airfield and I had an encounter with a sniper. I opened fire first out of fear, but missed the few shots I took. He screams friendly, and I apologized and he showed himself and everything was cool. He shot a zombie that came in behind him and said "look here's my back, Im friendly." I said its cool man, sorry about the pop shots. He says "Whats with all the bodies out here-*Pew pew pew pew pew pew*" The prick killed me.

My question to you all is this: When is it ok to open fire first, and still be considered friendly, and NOT a bandit? I'm afraid that if I start now, I won't stop. What do you all think?

[Grimlok (DayZ) 134]

When you see them. Otherwise you are a target.

[GeekPlaya 17]

I'd first go with the in-game chat, saying "I will not shoot, if you are friendly, please lay down" (without being seen), or something where you don't put yourself at risk.

[mac 80]

This has already happened to me I used to never open fire but after dying so many times I never take the chance. Today I bumped into a survivor I said "Halt Identify yourself" I was in cover and he couldnt see me. He didnt stop or identify himself so I shot him. 2 minutes later Im hiding in a tree checking the map when I hear someone crawling really close to me. I turn around and boom a guy in a ghillie suit crawled right past me and I was so scared I just started opening up. I killed him but somehow died instantly, probably from other bandits or a buddy that was with him

[TheMoosiah 0]

When you see them. Otherwise you are a target.

This. You can't trust anybody.

[fonetica 6]

well you`ve opened fire first, with the intention to take him out of course, but missed him.

no good start, i`d probably put you to sleep after that too just to be safe for a lil while longer

[Tricky- 30]

Today I was running to Black Mountain and saw a dude running up to a bush trying to get the jump on me. I pretended not to see him and vanished behind a tree. I said over voice coms "Hey bro, I don't want to kill you, are you friendly?" he panicked because he didn't think I saw him, I noticed he had a pistol out and an AS 50 on his back so figured he didn't want to die to my m14 aim. He said "wait, don't shoot, I'm friendly", and I told him to be on his way and I wouldn't open fire, I followed him with my red dot to make sure he wasn't going to shoot my back for half a minute, then bolted the other way over the hill.

I try to always be aware of everything around me and it's been quite a few moons since I have died to bandits. Another thing, people respond well to nice non-provocative voice com chat, just make your voice more stern if they don't reply. Don't lose faith in the kindness of strangers, but always make sure you have the upper hand.

btw I only play veteran servers, (no crosshairs, 3rd person, etc) makes it more fun and more realistic.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Tricky-

[mac 80]

You also get less jumpy the longer you play. Maybe thats like real life, I'm sure everyone would be tripping hard and scared shitless in the beginning of a zombie apocolypse and will adjust over time

[Tricky- 30]

You also get less jumpy the longer you play. Maybe thats like real life, I'm sure everyone would be tripping hard and scared shitless in the beginning of a zombie apocolypse and will adjust over time

Yeah firefights used to induce adrenaline, now I am pretty calm.

[silentassassn87 0]

well you`ve opened fire first, with the intention to take him out of course, but missed him.

no good start, i`d probably put you to sleep after that too just to be safe for a lil while longer

True, I thought of it that way, but before he opened fire, he literally said "Look here's my back, I'm friendly." I could have dropped him there if I really was a bandit or something. I see your point though. So far my new character has one murder, and that was only because it was someone who took out a squad mate. My adrenaline skyrocketed during that encounter.

[themightyzang 8]

I tried some elaborate glow stick stuff at night once, told the guy to break out a glow stick or flare then move over to the one I had thrown on the ground or else I would shoot. He did it and everything was cool but when he did pull a gun and try to shoot me I threw glow sticks at his face instead of shooting and died seconds later. In future I will double check that I have re-equipped my rifle but otherwise the cyalume gate system seemed to be good.

[Boonies 6]

When they bat their eyelids at you and show a bit of leg. They're clearly up to no good.

Especially if said leg is hairy.