DayZ

[J.C.]

I'm really surprised no one has started a DayZ thread yet. DayZ is a multiplayer mod for ARMA II (a very realistic 2010 military simulator), that puts you in Chernarus, a 225 km2 open world post-soviet state, currently in the middle of a zombie infestation. Think GTA with zombies and multiplayer. This is the official site. The cool thing is that it uses a persistent character and inventory systems across servers (normally each server can host about 50 players at once, but I've seen a couple with 75 and 100). So you can play in one server and if you log on to another, you keep everything, and can continue from where you left.

 

In order to play this, you need ARMA II + ARMA II Operation Arrowhead, commonly know in STEAM as ARMA II Combined Operations (20% discount due to summer sales), the latest Beta patch, and the mod files. So, if you've been wondering why a 2 year old game has been at the top of the top sellers list for the last couple of months, DayZ is the reason.

 

The mod has gained such popularity (more than 600.000 unique players in just 3 months) that the creator, Dean "Rocket" Hall, is apparently now working full time in it, while being employed by the makers of ARMA, Bohemia Interactive Studio.

 

I've been playing for a month and a half now, and I have to say it's really addictive. I usually play solo, since I'm not able to play everyday, but there are a lot of small teams out there, and even some hardcore communities that fortify locations and take turns guarding their vehicles and weapons. Hundreds of zombies, a lot of players that are cold blooded killers, and also a few friendlies ones (like me), make for a very intense experience.

 

Here are some videos that will show you a bit more of the game:

 

Spawning - standard supply run

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Fighting a zombie horde

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DayZ Adventures

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Keep in mind the mod is in alpha. Expect bugs in the new releases and frequent hotfixes that can kill you, wipe out your gear, etc. Rule number one in DayZ: don't get attached to your character or your gear. You will lose them. A lot. Due to bugs, zombies, other players, acts of God, etc. Still, a lot of fun to play.

 

This last video, I recorded it yesterday. You can hear me talking in it and probably not making much sense, so please be gentle. I was pumped with adrenaline and in the middle of a murderous rage when I made it.

 

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[Alyxx Thorne]

Military simulators are not my thing. I'm more of a CoD person.

[Martin]

I'm having a lot of fun with this mod. I only play it with a friend and last time we played we traveled until we reached some kind of tower where we made a campfire. Fun stuff.

[Chuckthe2nd]

last time we played we traveled until we reached some kind of tower where we made a campfire. Fun stuff.

 

HOW THRILLING

 

The mod does look pretty cool, though. I wonder if they'll port it over to ARMA III when it comes out...?

[Martin]

Traveling at night really sucks. D: Especially when you don't turn up the gamma like my friend did. The campfire was like a safe haven of visibility.

[J.C.]

Traveling at night really sucks. D: Especially when you don't turn up the gamma like my friend did. The campfire was like a safe haven of visibility.

 

I would really like to get some night vision goggles. I've only seen one pair, and they belonged to another player I shot near Berezino (he fired first). I think he was hacking, because he had NVGs, a GPS, a Rangefinder, and all the special gear, while still having the coyote backpack. You just can't get that kind of gear, and not have an ALICE pack or better. Anyway, I was looting him, and got killed within seconds.

 

Never have I seen that kind of gear again.

[Arby]

Military sims ARE my thing, but call me crazy, I'm not the biggest fan of playing a shooter on the pc. ARMA probably doesn't support gamepads I'm guessing, right?

[Martin]

I would really like to get some night vision goggles. I've only seen one pair, and they belonged to another player I shot near Berezino (he fired first). I think he was hacking, because he had NVGs, a GPS, a Rangefinder, and all the special gear, while still having the coyote backpack. You just can't get that kind of gear, and not have an ALICE pack or better. Anyway, I was looting him, and got killed within seconds.

 

Never have I seen that kind of gear again.

Damn, I didn't even know you could get stuff like that.

[J.C.]

Military sims ARE my thing, but call me crazy, I'm not the biggest fan of playing a shooter on the pc. ARMA probably doesn't support gamepads I'm guessing, right?

Not sure... probably not, there are several key bindings. It is a very good game, check out this video I put together, messing around with the mission editor.

 

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Damn, I didn't even know you could get stuff like that.

Check out these pages from the wiki. I have them bookmarked on my iPad and keep it next to me when I play

http://dayzwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=A_Beginners_Guide

http://dayzwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Equipment

http://dayzwiki.com/wiki/images/4/45/Weapon-chart.png

http://dayzwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Weapon_Comparison_Table

 

And these maps

http://dayzdb.com/map

http://dayzmap.info

[Martin]

Check out these pages from the wiki. I have them bookmarked on my iPad and keep it next to me when I play

http://dayzwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=A_Beginners_Guide

http://dayzwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Equipment

http://dayzwiki.com/wiki/images/4/45/Weapon-chart.png

http://dayzwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Weapon_Comparison_Table

 

And these maps

http://dayzdb.com/map

http://dayzmap.info

Lots of useful stuff here. Thanks!

[Ross Scott]

I was planning on making a post about this later after I move, but I'm toying with the idea of starting a DayZ group. I'd probably want to do low population servers since I personally find this game plenty hard enough with just the zombies without having other people shoot at me as well. My long term goal would be to tour every landmark on the map.

[BTGBullseye]

Well, I con only get about 15 FPS max speed on Arma 2 OA at min settings when cutting the resolution down to 720p... If I get a better computer I might do something with DayZ, but not before.

[J.C.]

I play now as a medic (you know, a guy that goes around helping players with low blood, broken bones, etc.).

 

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I'm number 44 in Dr. Wasteland's freelance medics list (http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/3910-need-medical-assistance-we-can-help/), and regularly monitor the Reddit Rescue Force page (http://www.reddit.com/r/RedditRescueForce/new/). It's pretty cool. If anyone ever needs help, message me or post in the above links. Someone will come for you.

 

Well, I con only get about 15 FPS max speed on Arma 2 OA at min settings when cutting the resolution down to 720p... If I get a better computer I might do something with DayZ, but not before.

Have you tried the config recommended in this video?

 

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I was planning on making a post about this later after I move, but I'm toying with the idea of starting a DayZ group. I'd probably want to do low population servers since I personally find this game plenty hard enough with just the zombies without having other people shoot at me as well. My long term goal would be to tour every landmark on the map.

Cool. Just don't go to Green Mountain man... there's ghosts there...

[Angel Blood]

I have to say, this is a lot of fun and it's practically crucial to play with at least one other friend. JC himself helped us see this by having a MEDIC SERVICE FOR LONE WOLVES. If you're with a friend you negate the need for this. For the most part it's difficult enough starting off, I was lucky enough to start with a string of fantastic luck following my... amusing deaths. Some of the items that you might think "Oh my god awesomeee" I found pretty fast.

Currently as of 9:41 7/10/2012 I have a Mark 48 Mod 0 machine gun with enough ammunition to put me far and away on top of the leaderboard for most zombies killed on any server you'd care to name. Because of the fools that attempt to kill me I'm stuck as a bandit. Don't hate me because I'm a better shot than you. >.>

@Ross, do you head straight into a city or do you mess around in towns like Komarovo or Balota? If so I've found it's far easier to simply head into Elektrodovask or Chernogorsk and gear yourself up enough to head up to Starry Sobor or to the Northwest Airfield.

I think it'd be fantastic to play with you as I generally play with a few friends so if you need a support gunner/medic/backup it'd be a pleasure to join you! If you'd like to set up a session I'd love to get on Steam or Skype and talk to you and play. If you watched JC's video, they were using the ingame chat (sorry, I may be treating you as a newbie! Apologies if you've watched a lot of videos about it) but using the ingame chat for the reasons aside from "I'm here as a friendly!" isn't a great idea.

Steam, Skype and other programs are used for a reason.

PM me if you'd like to play. I'm happy enough to trek back down to wherever you are.

 

 

 

This game indeed does have a steep learning curve, especially with good players being far and wide spread. My friends and I have geared ourselves up and assisted other players only to receive AK shots to our backs after we leave them somewhere. Travelling at night has its advantages, only you're in a bit of trouble if someone decides to make you his b!tch and has night vision goggles.

Flashlights cost lives man >.>

@JC, have you had much trouble with hackers? It seems like I encounter at least five a week. My friend and I actually came across five hackers today, two in a helicopter who actually hacked into the server and remote banned us after we shot them out of the air with our (Legitimately acquired) AS50 and M107 sniper rifles.

Pathetically?

We've got a rule. We kill any hackers, we disconnect and join another server. If we don't we end up getting massacred by air strikes, server nukes or god moded people with full-auto firing M107s. I sincerely wish I was joking.

I'll be perfectly frank, the IQ of the average player seems to be at least eight.

OMG A PLAYER, SHOOT IT SHOOT IT OMG IT HAS COOTIES!!

I notice you have (in your video) an M4A1 CCO SD. If we can arrange a time I'm always carrying a few suppressed magazines for the chance of getting my own, but the Mark 48 is my baby, so I don't need them anymore. Also that guy offering you a weapon was (I think) a hacker, that was an M4A1 CCO SD M203, I'm pretty sure that's a hacked in weapon.

 

To anyone else thinking of getting this, it's definitely worth checking out. If you go into it with a closed mind you'll end up hating it, but if you go in with a "I'm a newbie, I am going to fail at first but once I start understanding what the hell to do, I'm going to kick ass" attitude you're going to do fine.

 

PS, JC, where's your accent from? It seems oddly famliiar but I cannot place it.

 

 

 

The dangers of this game are actually surprisingly stupid. @JC (You seem to be the most competent player I've seen and I mean that) You called out in the supermarket and honestly, I wouldn't dare do that. If I were in that position I'd have the most heavy-hitting gun I owned and I'd be ready to shoot. Some places I don't even dare go without backup... and a machine gun.

Even with that hero skin how often are you shot at?

I'm a survivor and I get potshots taken at me with regularity.

As a bandit I actually got shot at less.

As a hero, after I died the third time I just gave up trying to keep it up.

[ProHypster]

I love this game idea and a friend of mine played this, The engine is Chech and the maker of the Mod is from New Zealand, it can't possibly be bad. I have high expectations for it, but I'm afraid my computer would not work wit this game Seriously does this thing take a lot of shit or would it run on a 4 year old computer? Cause if it would I would download and try it right now definetly.

 

And lol Chernarus? That translates into Black Rus' or Russia, I wonder if that would be somewhere close to Kiev... There's Chervonarus, that would be on the carpathian mountains.

 

Also, great channel, I subscribed!

[J.C.]

@JC, have you had much trouble with hackers?

I've encountered hackers... I would say about 6 or 7 times by now. I've only died 3 times because of them (one after being turned into a bunny, it was hilarious).

 

Also that guy offering you a weapon was (I think) a hacker, that was an M4A1 CCO SD M203, I'm pretty sure that's a hacked in weapon.

You're right, I had not noticed. I don't think he was hacking though, we waited more than half an hour for me to run from the coast to Berezino to blood bag him.

 

PS, JC, where's your accent from? It seems oddly famliiar but I cannot place it.

Well, I live in Chile and usually speak spanish. Some people on my channel have suggested I sound like Artyom, from Metro 2033

 

@JC (You seem to be the most competent player I've seen and I mean that) You called out in the supermarket and honestly, I wouldn't dare do that. If I were in that position I'd have the most heavy-hitting gun I owned and I'd be ready to shoot. Some places I don't even dare go without backup... and a machine gun. Even with that hero skin how often are you shot at?

Thank you. To answer your question, yes, I do get shot as a Hero a lot (I understand that, for all they know I could be a bandit trying to fool them). The thing is, I've been playing DayZ for quite some time now, so dying is not really that big of an issue. When I respawn, all I need to do is run around for a bit, gather some basic gear, and then head to one of my camps, where I've stockpiled pretty much every rare weapon and item in the game. That's why I play as a Medic now, and how I got the Hero Skin. In fact, I set up a special camp on top of Misty Peak on US 3234 for my viewers, to share some of the loot

 

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You're invited to take anything you want: AS50, DMR, L85A2 AWS, M14, M4A1 CCO SD, PDW, FN FAL, M107, Mk 48 Mod 0, SVD Camo, ammo for all those weapons, a tent, bear trap, GPS, Rangefinder, NVGs, Antibiotics, Coyote Backpack, beans and sodas, etc.

 

Seriously does this thing take a lot of shit or would it run on a 4 year old computer? Cause if it would I would download and try it right now definetly

I'm sorry, I don't think it would run that well on a 4 year old computer. ARMA II is only about 2 years old now. You could try downloading the free version of ARMA 2, http://www.arma2.com/free and see how that works as a test.

[Angel Blood]

How often do you play? More out of curiousity than anything else I'm looking up at Misty. That's a hell of a long way away. How do you get used to the tedious 10-14k runs? I took a Mark 48 and replaced it with a lot of food and medical supplies as a thank you. Really appreciate it!

 

 

If many people are interested, maybe we should start a DayZ group, like Ross suggested?

[K4_Kydure]

DayZ sure has a long way to go in development. I love following the development and seeing how much it has come along since it was a mod. It's also hard to find anyone who doesn't shit all over it despite being an in-development title that still a pre-alpha.

 

Then again /v/ is full of such idiots who often use an old .gif of an alpha physics bug as a reason why ArmA 3 is a bad game.