Playing DayZ with an unusual or non-PvP approach? Tell us!

[Sula 1205]

Yes, we know that lots of you like to PvP and you like to say so in the threads like it's a joke never heard before but we know, already.

However, I keep coming across people in Dayz who tell me they think I'm unusual in the way I'm playing the game but I don't think I am. I suspect there are lots of us out there, and I've come across quite a few who are taking a similar approach.

My approach is this:

I play for the fun of exloring the Dayz world. I loot for food, drink, essential items and try to find what I need to hunt. I want to be able to hunt for myself and to travel from town to town without worrying where the next can of beans can be found.

I don't particularly want to be off in the hills, a lone survivor. I like meeting up with people for parts of my journey. It's great meeting people and sharing with them, helping each other and swapping stories about what we experienced. I do know this game would be nothing like as good without a microphone.

I have never shot anyone in Dayz, and won't unless they are shooting at me and I can shoot them first. Truth is I'm usually sniped, so I never see who kills me. I don't kill zombies unless I can't avoid them. Shooting seems to end in bad results for everyone, so I avoid it.

I'm not against shooting people who want to kill me or my friends because I know I am harmless. So they are always trying to kill an innocent player. Often I don't carry more than an axe, so anyone who kills me is most likely hiding in hills in the distance. And I see that as cowardly and childish.

I was once shot in the head by a looter but I don't blame him. He didn't even loot me. I think he was running through and trying to stay alive. Probably thought I was a risk, though I had broken bone and was lying on the floor.

So that's my way. I like meeting people, everyone I've met via skype in Dayz has been great, good fun, friendly and helpful. We haven't all shared views. Some were looters looking to go PvP but not while with me. What I find touching is no matter who they are, because of this forum and what I've said here, they know they can trust me. They know I will never shoot them and so I get a great reward helping newer players to have someone to interact with safely in their first day or two. Then I tell them about the people I've met and they contact them too.

Of course, I get tricked and killed sometimes but that's all part of life in Chernarus. You can't take it personally. You have to look at things with a pragmatic approach, smile and move on. :thumbsup:

I've learned about myself in Dayz. I know I'm a loner and find it easier to survive without the distraction of other people but I also know it's lonely being alone and that a mix of time with people and time alone, works best for me. What about you?

I know Bianca has a fascinating approach to the game. She too seems to spend time alone, meeting up with people from time to time. She's very independent and looks out for vehicles to fix. I can't imagine even trying! :o

So what about those of YOU who are also taking a non PvP approach? I'd love to hear what you do. For example, medics! What about lone survivors? Or groups of friendies? Or RPGers?

[Saucy (DayZ) 38]

I've always been the type to take risks when looting to get some of the best equipment in the game, often grabbing spare guns back when you could relog for more ammo, often passing guns off to fresh spawns. I hadn't really used the forum until recently, and have been trying to help out the TMW by taking some of the patients off their hands. I'm in no way affiliated with them and anything I do, good or bad, should be reflected on them.

[Bobcomss 189]

Stealing my post :P

http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/71740-how-you-play-social-experiment-questions/#entry683003

[Furry_PawstarZ 31]

I'm a Friendly and i avoid all communications with other players all together as i can't hear or see direct chat on dayz (can't find a solution).

If i see another survivor i'll try my best to bypass them without them spotting me as if they see me they usually shoot me. I tend to loot around the outskirts of cherno or elektro before adventuring into the forest as i find it the best place to stay alive as there is minimal interactions with players.

From there i usually go deep into the forests usually come across a few tents and camps every now and again. This is where i find much needed medical supplies as a lone player the main one being morphine as there is always usually someone at the hospitals so i avoid them at all costs.

I'll them usually head to stary sober supermarket. Main thing i'll be looking for... Matches to cook meat just in case of any blood loss. Now I've got all i really need a weapon just in case for zombies i can't bypass, matches to keep up my blood.. and morphine just in case one of those zeds breaks my leg, or the odd door.

Now i just go from town to down staying alive best i can. Although these days as soon i i stay still for more than 2 minutes a hackers spawns behind me and kills me or i get shot by a sniper i never even saw.

[Glaive 4]

I tend to stick to the outskirts of the coastal cities. Occasionally making a quick run into Elektro or Cherno to look for things I might need, such as medical supplies or food. Otherwise, I'm content to stick to the shadows of the tree line, with healthy lines of sight all around without exposing myself.

I also try to avoid others, usually by sneaking away upon seeing them. Over the time I've played DayZ, I've been shot at way too often to really trust anyone any more, unless I've spoken with them before on the forums or know them in real life. Unlike others, though, I do my best to avoid a confrontation rather than needlessly gunning down someone who might be totally innocent.

Avoiding others doesn't mean that I'll just sit and watch someone get nom'd on by zombies. If I saw someone being chased, and if they were completely unarmed (meaning no hatchet or anything) I'd jump in to try and rescue that person, no questions asked. If they were hurt, I'd heal them up, give them some basic supplies if I could spare it, and send them on their way. Otherwise, I'd just drop to prone and hope they don't run in my general direction. So far, I have yet to put a bullet into anyone I've come across, though I've been shot at a few times.

I suppose you could consider me a sort of guardian for the weak, and a ghost to the more experienced (and possibly dangerous).

[Obvious 20]

I'm friendly and I tend to stay in Elektro and Cherno untill I find my hatchet, matchbox and compass.

I always shout FRIENDLY FRIENDLY when entering buildings where I know people will be inside.

I shoot as few zombies as I can, and I have killed 6 people in a total of 3 weeks.. It was self defence.

[gambla 118]

It's not my way but it's great that we have different ways of playing, and women here too. I'm playing lone wolf and do some looting for fun, main objective is to kill bandits and raid their camps. But after being killed by hackers two times yesterday, it's getting hard to have fun with this great mod. That's why i stopped moving across the whole map, it doesn't make sense anymore, thanks to the hacker.

[AnnieGYG 32]

I took a vow not to kill anyone in this game and so far in 2 months I have stuck to it, except one guy in self defence.

I'm usually all over the map searching for vehicles except for Cherno, Electro and the NWA using stealth and avoidance when I see others and never firing a weapon unless forced into it. I don't do PvP in this game so logically I avoid those areas. I'll only venture to the cities when I need bloodbags and morphine with a group of friends. Just because I won't kill you doesn't mean my friend won't kill you to protect the group.

I'm not sure if the new skins are going to effect my gameplay yet. But if bandit hunting raises humanity then it fits in with my personal aims for the game - long survival and high humanity, currently at +8300.

I've hardly played in the past week since the games been almost unplayable with the deaths from hacking on average every 7 hours and spawning you on the coast if you get stuck connecting to a server. I run north drop off supplies in my tents, I have 3 of them on 3 different servers so it keeps spawning me on the coast since one of them is very unstable (which is exactly why I chose it for my tent). School summer holidays end in Europe at the start of Sept so hopefully things will calm down then with the script kiddies.

Nothing makes me sadder than noobs sniping Electro and Cherno since 95% of players in there are new spawns looking for low level loot so I've been searching for groups that help people but have an over 21 policy.

Edited August 14, 2012 by AnnieGYG

[suiside 20]

i run with a few guys that pvp and they love to pvp but i don't, so what i do is i go my own way yet share resources and often place tents at locations where i stash loot, (for all to use not just my group)

when one of the guys is in trouble, blood loss or injured i go and try to find the guy and help him out, and when they are under fire like when there is a team vs team situation i will join in if i am in the area.

we also go on looting trips together and when we get in trouble i sure as hell will help and fire at other players, but only when fired upon as a group, when they see some one and think easy target, i do not join in with the fight,

they know i don't like the thrill kill grief and noob bashing, and accept that, and we are like one team but they do pvp and i don't, and there is no problem in that,

i am like a scout, nurse and back up, they are a fire team.

there are some guys who join me from time to time in scouting and random walks, and when it is only two of us the other will not go in pvp mode but keeps silent like me, which is nice

age seems to be a factor in whether guys pvp or not, the older guys get the less likely they are purely pvp not saying the older guys don't pvp but they have more discipline i guess not to kill on sight.

[Sula 1205]

Thanks for your replies. I knew I wasn't alone. I think many players aren't interested in just PVP. I agree with so much of what you've all said. Living around a city, get in and out with what you need, maybe run with people for a time, move on from town to town.

I hope to run into you in the game some time. :thumbsup:

Bob, sorry I didn't see your thread. This bloody forum is full of people posting threads saying "Looking to meet someone to play dayz..." If only some of them would actually read the threads already there maybe they'd find someone. :rolleyes: My thread is different though. I'm not interested in why someone chose become a bandit or whatever they are. I'm just interested in learning about those who play differently to the PvPers who make our lives a pain in the neck

I agree, Sui I think younger players often just want to shoot but, as you say, there are old ones too.

[YESbrah (DayZ) 10]

I always scream friendly when I see people, but I overall try to avoid other player contact because if I have any gun that's military quality they will shoot me for it. I like stalking other players rather than actually killing them, it's interesting to watch people without them knowing.

[Sula 1205]

Yes, I've seen it on youtube. Fascinating. I lay in Elektro one night watching a player dance about with his gun on the top of the office block. :)

[gfresco 2]

I'm new. My goal for DayZ though is to try and be as social as possible. Shooting doesn't count as social. I'll probably end up dying to traitiors and bandits more-so then lone-wolfs but I'm hoping to meet people in-game and start little impromptu surivalist groups.

[spammy@live.de 19]

I play on public servers only with friends. We generally avoid others because there are too many players just looking for kills.

When I play solo, it's mostly on private servers and RP servers.