Does the sun exist and are zombies supposed to move so fast?

[Leezeebub 7]

So I tried playing for the first time late last night after getting it all DL'd and set up, but im havig some problems.

1. I can't find any servers in the day time. I'm using DayZ commander which displays the server time, but most servers either give me and error "bad version, Server rejected" or they have the message "required: 1.65620.036(random numbers)" displayed in red inthe bottom right corner and are unresponstive when I click them. So far the only games I have been able to get into have been pitch black. Have I done something wrong?

2. While stumbling around in the dark I came across some zombies in a settlement, they were quite a distance away so I thought I would experiment with sneaking etc... Then BOOM the zombies start sprinting at me as fast as an Olympian! Looked like a video being played in fast forward or something. Is that normal?

3. Is there any way for me to defend myself when I first start out? Shining a flashlight in the zombies eyes didn't seem to help much while it was munching away at my face.

[Zeppa 562]

You need to download latest arma2 beta patch, those arent random numbers.

here: http://www.arma2.com/beta-patch.php

check your time zone, if you play server that has same zone(ex: gmt+2) than you its same as in RL (day = day) and from that calculate the hours.

Zeds can be fast and bugged that they see you from miles away.

Find an axe, your first option... you can find it almost everywhere.

Edited September 4, 2012 by Zeppa

[INickeragua 121]

I would use the in game server browser rather than the dayz commander. A lot of the time for me it glitches up and only shows a few servers or none at all. You can go to settings in Dayz commander and click launch Dayz now, then go to multiplayer. In the mission type DayZ and in hose type the number of the beta patch you are on.

As for the zombies they do run really fast. You can keep running and they won't hit you, or run through some type of house of building. They get stuck and walk slow through buildings.

[Joekanone 3]

1. Look in the "versions" section if everything is up to date. If servers aren`t running in realtime, the dayZ commander shows the actual servertime under the day/night column. Yellow time = daytime; Grey time = guess what ;)

2. The Zombies are supposed to be more "28 days later"-Style. You can loose them easily by running into a building, preferably with two exits or let them loose sight by zigzagging through bushes and go prone.

3. No....go find some weapons quick :)

[RVizzle 3]

I too find the Commander's clock reading a bit screwy. My home server time is like 2.5 hrs off the time Commander says it is.

If you still have problems finding the sun, (this is a double edged sword, of course) find a server with ppl in it. Most servers with less trhan 6-7 players are most likely dark. However the higher population increases your odds of running into other players instead of just Zed. I actually prefer to re-gear in the dark, with a flashlight. The zombies take no notice of your flashlight, as long as you crouch-walk/low crawl around them they will most likely not notice you. Ditching zombies when they do aggro is a bit more challenging, as you can't see where you're running to find a barn/building to ditch them in.

Weaponless? Find a hatchet! Pretty easy to locate, one hit silent kill against zombies, and you can take one out from about 8-10 ft. Once you find one, right click it in your inventory and "remove from toolbelt", then reload it. You will need some extra bandages for this, cause it is inevitable you will take a hit from a zombie now and then.

Happy hunting, stick with it, it gets easier as you get more used to the sneaking around the zombies.

Be glad you started when you did, the zombies were much faster a cpl patches ago.

[Dr Cheese 100]

3. Is there any way for me to defend myself when I first start out? Shining a flashlight in the zombies eyes didn't seem to help much while it was munching away at my face.

You can kill them by throwing tin cans and empty bottles at them if you don't have a hatchet

[Leezeebub 7]

Ok thanks for the tips!

I checked the install/Update section in the top right corner of Commander and it said I was up to date, but I will double check later :)

Throwing bottles and cans sounds fun, very Shaun of the dead lol.

[Leezeebub 7]

Oh and one more question please!

The first 2-3 servers I joined were pitch black so I couldn't see how it was running, but the 3rd one was a little lighter and everything looked really jerky. Is that normal?

I don't know if it was just a bad framerate or just jerky animation. Is there anyway to check if my pc is running the game at its full potential?

[Mos1ey 6301]

It takes like 4 or 5 hits with cans to kill a zombie. Possible but more effort than its worth...

[DeadShaun 25]

The zeds are not really zombies but are infected instead, this is probably why they move so fast and have a heat signature!

[Petri (DayZ) 14]

http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/75608-zombies-giving-you-nightmares-when-they-chase-you/#entry718186