Day 60: Tips and Tricks (with my survival path)

[omgwtfbbq (DayZ) 1069]

I've finally hit Day 60, and I just wanted to share my little achievement with you guys. Along the way I've found many tips and tricks, as well as some facts. So let's start that list:

FACTS:

• Surviving over 1 week makes people believe that you aren't really playing the game. All the hackers and dupers and snipers make everyone think you're playing the game like a pussy, when really, you aren't. Everyone doubts you.
  
• Servers with less than 20 players are 99% clean of hackers. Across hundreds of servers I've played on with less than 20 people, only one or two has had hackers.
  
• The rarest gear in the game IS rare, contrary to the popular belief that everyone is carrying it. Finding things like a GPS or a Ghillie Suit is hell, because the chance of finding them without killing anybody or raiding a player camp (AKA where they spawn) is very very small.
  
• Vehicles are hoarded on every server, and if you find a vehicle that is in its spawn point, then it has respawn without the hoarder's knowledge, or someone else left it there.
  
• Helicopters are now ALMOST ALWAYS in player camps. Not once have I seen a helicopter in its spawn point.
  
• Humanity raises 150 every 20 minutes that your humanity is above 0
  
• Ghillie Suits guarantee that people will try to kill you on sight. I have been shot at numerous times since I got my Ghillie suit, and I expect to be shot many more times. (No, I don't ALT+F4. I just run away in zigzags. All the people that have been shooting at me have had shitty aim. I'm sure if someone with good aim comes along, they're going to get me.)
  
• Not killing players is bad, according to the forums. I have gotten a lot of shit for not killing anybody, but I haven't had the need to. Even some of the people who have fired first on me, when I turn around to shoot back, instantly disconnect.
  
• Not killing every zombie that appears on your screen is also bad, according to the forums.
  
• It still rains far too much. All of the pictures below were shot on two servers. (The first was when I forgot to turn on debug, so I just joined another random server to take another picture) It was raining on both servers at the exact same time. Yes, they were different servers.
  
• The serverhopping bug STILL isn't fixed, reason why I'm on the beach. I should be here, and there is even a picture of me standing there last night. So can someone tell me why the hell this isn't fixed? According to my last post about this, it's not a feature, it's a bug.
  
• In relation to the above, infinite loading screens/waiting for character to create still isn't fixed either. This is probably due to the server, or with ArmA2/Battleye itself, but I haven't seen any fingers pointed at anybody yet.
  
• Player camps are no longer at the edges of the map, but rather in the middle of forests in the middle or western parts of the map.
  

TIPS AND TRICKS:

• Lying down while being shot at by another player reduces the chance of them hitting you. Not a guarantee, but it usually works. Especially works in open fields, where you don't have any cover. Lie down and face your aggressor. Instant makeshift cover. (Once again, this isn't a guarantee that they won't hit you, but it makes you a smaller target. Think of someone standing upright in a field, versus the head and shoulders on the ground.)
  
• While being chased by zombies, lie down in short pine trees to lose them.
  
• Nevermind on this tip.
  
• If anything is on fire, and by this I mean the entire city is on fire with ridiculously tall flames, then there is a hacker on the server. Leave immediately.
  
• If a hacker teleports you into the air and makes you start to fall to your death, quickly ALT+F4. Now, join another server. Just as the screen fades in, ALT+F4 again. Repeat until you respawn back on the beach for serverhopping. YOU MUST BE QUICK OR YOU WILL DIE (Note: this has not been tested. Sounds good enough to survive without injury. Someone test this and report back on the results, if you would.)
  
• Zombies do not go on docks. Use this to your advantage when in coastal cities.
  
• When looking for a helicopter at a player camp, think: Where could a helicopter be landed? In other words, look for helicopters in player camps near edges of forests/open fields. Helicopters cannot be landed in forests easily, nor can they be flown out easily. Be careful.
  
• Hero skins make you run significantly faster. Try to be a nice guy, and you will be rewarded.
  
• Any zombies that are running somewhere without reason have been alerted by another player. Watch where they are running, as the zombies go for the closest player
  

THINGS I STILL DON'T KNOW:

• Do tents and vehicles save outside of the map?
  

If you already know some of the tips/facts provided, good. Knowledge means survival. These tips are aimed at newbies or other people who don't know much about DayZ. Any other tips listed in the comments will be added to the list.

So really, living for 60 days has become more of a test than survival. And now, pictures for all the pix-or-GTFO people. Yes, I'm still not carrying a third gun. No player kills, not a lot of zombie kills. No tents or vehicles. Everything I need is on my person. If you don't believe that I legitimately lasted 60 days, I really don't care. Believe it or not, it's possible to do good in this game without killing people/hacking/duping/logging.

I wish I could see my own stats. I want to know how far I've run! (No, I'm not a statwhore (lol) but I'm curious as to what it would be.) The only thing I don't have is a radio, but hey, I'm open to anybody donating one!

Once I get a car, I plan to go to the coast, and help anybody that wants help. Blood transfusion, gear collecting, transport, I don't care. 60 days is enough for me. If anybody kills me, good for you, you hit the jackpot. After I inevitably die on this life, I'm going to RUN into Cherno with nothing on me, and laugh at all the people who are freaked out by someone with a flashlight xD

AND NOW: My path! (this took like twenty minutes to make)

The first time I went to Zub castle, I went there to meet my friends. We ran around, then split. 2nd time, I was going to meet up with Inception., then we went almost to the NWAF, then split.

GG, all!

Edited September 10, 2012 by omgwtfbbq

[Max Planck 7174]

Good one, congratulations. My personal best is a mere 15 days, most of which were spent in some bushes up north, silently weeping.

[Inception. 9443]

These are honestly some great tips. I'd probably aim that at noobs to the borderline average range, just a bit higher than what you did.

I know the reason why people get stuck on loading, and I'm just about to make a video about it. Will post it on the forums. [http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/88940-stuck-on-loading-and-spawning-on-the-coast-solution/]

Other than that, congratulations on day 60.

Edited September 8, 2012 by Inception.

[Faceman Peck 93]

congratulations to the Op i truly believe that sixty days is a personal achievement worth applauding.

May i just provide some food for thought that some of your facts are in fact opinion; choppers are not just in player camps I have seen and been using fresh heli spawns for the past month 2 to 3 times a week including an hour ago. Your opinion on them is quite far from fact sir. Also your initial point of surviving one week and other player opinions..well I suppose you wouldn't know what they were unless you asked us players. That said I would also like to say that some of your facts listed are insightful and some of your tips useful so thank you for that. I hope if you reach another sixty you will check back in and see what has changed from your old experiences to your new ones.

[ow1 30]

I have seen 5 servers instantly killed by hackers in the last two weeks alone, your VERY lucky not to have landed on one yet..... and for the record the last one that happened there were four players on.

None the less well done!

[Man vs Wild 313]

Ah yes I remember those days of going bear grylls hence my name

good job!

[reuben5150 83]

I'm on day 25 and have 1 bandit kill and 620 zombie kills, what's wrong with you? Killing zombies is fun.

Also be aware the latest hacks can kill you in an instant, don't play on full servers ever.

[ow1 30]

.

Also be aware the latest hacks can kill you in an instant, don't play on full servers ever.

and for the record the last one that happened there were four players on.

[Hydra (DayZ) 472]

If you don't count haxors, i'm going on around 80 days... I don't update my forum siggy much :P

[mdmonnik@deakin.edu.au 139]

That's amazing mate, congrats :) Also, I have a radio!! Found it on a guy with a ghillie in the east. Dead body, full loot, probably died by Zs. I would love to play with you sometime, call me up if you need a chopper pilot ;)

[Zombie Jesus 723]

I don't kill every zombie I see and usually try to just lose agro but your zombie kill numbers are really low. Don't you ever get bored and just kill some for fun? Otherwise good stuff man, I played the solo survivalist role for 28 days with only two player kills. A suggestion from a former survivalist, once you die try playing as a bandit for a couple of lives just to have the experience.

[jblackrupert 308]

Sorry, but hiding in the woods looting hacker/duper tents on empty servers isn't anything to be proud of.

60 days of being a coward.

congrats

Edited September 9, 2012 by jblackrupert

[chris p. bacon 182]

Join servers with less than 5 people before entering places like Cherno or NWAF if you only want to get gear and get out. The chance of surviving goes way up, because you're only going to meet one or two people at the very most. Unless, for some reason, there's a party in Cherno. However, if you go to these places for PVP, by all means, join 50 player servers and have fun.

What more is this than server hopping? Going onto unpopulated servers, gathering loot, then what? Going back on populated ones and killing or surviving with the loot? Completely destroys the purpose of the game. There should be a risk in going into danger zones.

[joeoblong@yahoo.com 614]

Nice BBQ! My personal best is 16 DayZ. I seem to have the worst luck when I am on a bandit killing spree. (Yeah "friendly" survivor skin I am talking about you) I sometimes regret when I help another player out, but for the most part... I love this mod!

[jblackrupert 308]

What more is this than server hopping? Going onto unpopulated servers, gathering loot, then what? Going back on populated ones and killing or surviving with the loot? Completely destroys the purpose of the game. There should be a risk in going into danger zones.

Come on now, he's trying to show off his e-peen.

Don't spoil with with logic

[omgwtfbbq (DayZ) 1069]

Come on now, he's trying to show off his e-peen.

Don't spoil with with logic

Someone got really mad really fast...

[jblackrupert 308]

Someone got really mad really fast...

Oh go hide on an empty server for another 60 days.

You're just as pathetic as the stat padders in Battlefield.

Ohhh loook at meeee, I'm sooo freaking awesome.... I'm too afraid to play with other players but I'm sooo "1337"

Oh wait.... lookie there, thats your player name.... fancy that.

[omgwtfbbq (DayZ) 1069]

Oh go hide on an empty server for another 60 days.

You're just as pathetic as the stat padders in Battlefield.

Ohhh loook at meeee, I'm sooo freaking awesome.... I'm too afraid to play with other players but I'm sooo "1337"

Oh wait.... lookie there, thats your player name.... fancy that.

Well, there you go, asshat. Updated. Now tell me, does that look like I spent the entire time sitting in one spot?

[duck dodgers 8]

Oh go hide on an empty server for another 60 days.

You're just as pathetic as the stat padders in Battlefield.

Ohhh loook at meeee, I'm sooo freaking awesome.... I'm too afraid to play with other players but I'm sooo "1337"

Oh wait.... lookie there, thats your player name.... fancy that.

I'm with this guy. Unless you've survived on 30+ populated servers for 60 days it's not that big of a deal. If it wasn't for game killing glitches, I would have zero deaths in this game. I just stick to low pop servers and kill zeds for fun. I've never been killed by another player in low pop servers, not even close.

[sostronk 334]

Ive been looking to get a days survived record lately too. I just hit day 13 yesterday. Although your alot more careful than me. Ive got over 1300 Zombies killed in 13 days, youve got 92 in 60 days.

[jblackrupert 308]

Well, there you go, asshat. Updated. Now tell me, does that look like I spent the entire time sitting in one spot?

Congratulation, you know how to use Microsoft paint.

You are the king.... I bow to your prowess......... now go find an empty server somewhere and make us all even more proud.

Edited September 9, 2012 by jblackrupert

[RapturJesus 90]

Honestly all you have to do to get a higher day count is to just log on, log off and repeat that cycle every day. Its not hard.

I stopped playing for 2 days. When I last logged off I was at Day 1. After those two days, my character was at day 3.

[bogroll (DayZ) 26]

Servers with less than 20 players are 99% clean of hackers. Across hundreds of servers I've played on with less than 20 people, only one or two has had hackers.

Decent rule of thumb, but not always. A month ago I shot a guy in the face and within 5 minutes he was back up in the NW homing in on me. I aborted because only myself and him were on the server.

The admin refused to believe the evidence (with screenies and timestamps) for some reason.

[fully 51]

Well Done Leet =)

[Wargunner 55]

Oh go hide on an empty server for another 60 days.

You're just as pathetic as the stat padders in Battlefield.

Ohhh loook at meeee, I'm sooo freaking awesome.... I'm too afraid to play with other players but I'm sooo "1337"

Oh wait.... lookie there, thats your player name.... fancy that.

Uhh. Put a sock in it mate. He's just made a comprehensive and very helpful post that would have taken alot of time and effort, which seems way beyond your capacity.

Your agression and the way you're trying to shoot him down kind of makes you come off as petty and jealous.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Wargunner