How do you play this game?

[Esoteric 2]

I'm not asking how you play this game as in, how do you move.. more like..

How do you play this game without being killed by hackers? I don't read many complaint threads on the forums however every time I've been on a server since returning to this game yesterday, I've met a hacker.

*This isn't a complaint thread, more just asking how are you guys playing?! *There is a TL;DR at the bottom.

Yesterday I went online, made my way to my old base camp to find everything is still there, awesome. I grab a weapon and just do a bit of overwatch on the small town near basecamp, I'm hidden in a tree as I do this, while watching a dvd I hear the crunch of leaves right by me then 'hey you need any help?' I was completely surprised by this, I truely doubt that anyone of the twelve people online could possibly have walked out from the right patch of forest and seen me prone there. I didn't even want to turn around because I instantly knew it was a hacker, I couldn't think of a reason why they would want to help me so I figured it was just to play with the mouse before killing it (trust no one, you know?). I logged off and took a break for a couple hours.

I then signed on again, went to check the tents to see if they had been searched, nope nothing. As I was going through a tent, looking for a weapon of choice I found that my AS50 that I was wielding earlier had turned into an AS50 TWS.. odd.. then I realised I had -everything-, every single slot filled in my gear sheet, ghillie suit, nvgs, rangefinders, etc etc. I turned around and got another surprise for that night, a black SUV right behind me with someone sitting in it.. I did the old QE dance to show I mean't no harm, although I don't think he'd of cared if I tried to shoot. So.. I hopped in the passenger side. Zooom, we teleport to some random city that I can't think of the name, he jumps out of the SUV and runs off, I'm left dumbfounding while still loading my surroundings after having been teleported. I figure theres no point waiting around for him, he can just teleport after me, so I hopped in the drivers seat and found somewhere safe to park out of view from the city and once again, signed off.

The next night I signed on again, different server, one with more players, I figured, if there was a hacker on the server, people would log off it.. right? Well, I look for a place that I have view of the city, note, it is nighttime, pitch black. Luckily I have my 'hacked' NVGs, so I sit right next to a stone wall with a bush at my side, I lay prone and watch the city ahead. Now, I swapped my AS50 TWS for a normal AS50, seemed more familiar, wish I hadn't now. Anyways, about 30minutes after I started my watch.. I got shot and died.

The end.

TL;DR

How do you play without constantly having hackers ruin your fun? Am I just unlucky with what servers I choose or.. what?

Thanks.

Edited September 15, 2012 by Esoteric

[Man vs Wild 313]

Play on servers with around 10 ppl

[Inception. 9443]

I choose my servers correctly.

Trial and error.

[Hetstaine 10852]

Changed my whole outlook atm, Running around with an axe and med supplies on the high pop servers . I help people if i can, die needlessly to kos people if they feel the need to pop my melon,or fly to the ocean if the breeze is right. Last night i gave away a tractor to a new spawn ..last seen heading towards Cherno at top speed commanded by a guy with no weapon, good luck fair citizen.

[daze23 549]

look for a server that's actively kicking/banning people

it won't be a guarantee you won't encounter hackers, but it definitely helps

[Esoteric 2]

Anyone have any Australian suggestions for servers that kick people/haven't had as many hackers?

Most of my friends are simply refusing to play due to not wanting to die over and over to hackers, they'd rather wait for a standalone game.

I'm starting to feel the same way.

[Spunkmire 36]

try joining a private, password protected, white listed server.

like;

http://www.survivedayz.com/forums/forum.php

[Inception. 9443]

Anyone have any Australian suggestions for servers that kick people/haven't had as many hackers?

Most of my friends are simply refusing to play due to not wanting to die over and over to hackers, they'd rather wait for a standalone game.

I'm starting to feel the same way.

Unfortunately because there aren't that many Australian servers, it tends to get crowded on the servers, therefore hackers like to hop on there too and insta-kill everyone.

I am Australian but I rarely play on Australian servers. The majority of lower populated US servers are what I play on, and I rarely see hackers on them. 200-270 ping on US servers isn't that bad, if you were wondering.

[Esoteric 2]

Thanks, I might have to try that. I have noticed many many US servers, so I'm sure a few go under the radar from hackers.