Week 7: The End is the Beginning

After many weeks playing DayZ I have experienced the life of a friendly survivor to that of a bandit. Players have come and gone in different stories and servers. Survivors have been saved and killed. The friends have stayed by my side. Gear has been won, found, lost, and stolen. Zombies have been killed in many different lands by thousands of players. Vehicles have been recovered, crashed, burned, and buried. Beans have been consumed on many occasions. Multiple tents have been raised to hold various gear. The weeks have shown what DayZ is about and how the world interacts with the player. Players are not only forced to survive against the world but also against each other. As our time with the game comes to an end there is still only one constant that remains, death. All players die sooner or later. Maybe from another player, zombies, a glitch, or hacker. One survivors story may be shorter than others. However, there is always a story to tell when you fight against the world.

DayZ will soon be released as a standalone version and feature many similarities from that of the ARMAII mod. I hope to pick up this standalone and continue in this FPS survival shooter that I have come to love. It has grown to become a very popular game and should draw many more players to the shores of Chernarus in the future. Only one question remains: Will you try to survive?

Cruising in a car with friends can make any ride memorable.

The landscape is a great escape from the constant fear of death.

Not everyone is lucky enough to survive.

Make sure you trust your driver.

Patch up the wounded to keep them alive.

Week 7: Darkness Falls

Summarize your experience in DayZ from the point of view of a researcher, what did you learn?

Washing up on a random shore. Confused and dazed looking around for the nearest person. A simple set of gear to start with. You must now go looking for gear to survive in this new world.  Finding a map can help you navigate the world. Finding food and water will keep you alive and healthy. Finding a gun will help you protect your gear. When starting your adventure you may come in contact with others like yourself. Those who share the shame goals as you. Do you trust these random people, avoid them, or murder them? There are many choices to make when starting your adventure in DayZ. Those same choices may change day to day as the world molds you into something else, a survivor. DayZ has become a great simulator to what might be seen in a post apocalyptic world. Players can be friendly with the hopes of s helping any and all players. They build the world in the hopes that an established law can be created. Bandits are killing machines in the world. They move around the world looking for better gear and players to kill. Then there are the survivors. Those who ignore others just to make it another day.

There are many different ways players can enjoy DayZ. The major feature that draws players to DayZ is the one life rule. That means there are now respawns, revivals, or restarts. Once a player has been killed they must create a new character and start from the shore again. They have to find all the gear they had from before or, if their lucky, find their body. There is no way for players to buy gear besides find it.

This does not discourage other players from trying to gain access to gear they should not have. Hackers are a major part of the game themselves. They bring in guns and gear to help them. Some add in god mode to kill off players and ensure a high player grief. Some decide to have fun with the entire server. They will teleport players around the map, move buildings with ease, create a thunderdome in which to pit players against each other, or do all of the above.

To become a great legend as a survivor many players should know many of the common traits of the game. To survive a player should know the map they are on by heart. They should be able to understand what each weapon does and how it sounds. The same must be said about vehicles. Players should know where certain gear spawns and how to obtain it. They should know where players like to hang out and how they move. They should understand how zombies move and what they are capable of. Above all players should be patient and watch their surroundings. My making any mistake players will pay with the ultimate price, death. Once players understand how this game works and how to play there will be no greater relief than death.

There are many different maps to choose from and each have certain features to work around. Each player must understand what dangers each map presents and how to work around them. They should become familiar with vehicle spawns and industrial drops that will help fix those vehicles. Players should also be prepared to walk short and long distances around each world. There is no stopping any player with a sense of exploration.

Above all players should remember that this is a game. It is a simualtion based within ARMAII, a military based simulator. There will be times when the game does not make sense. There will be players who do not like you. Not every server will allow you to kill the admin without repercussions. In the end each player should have fun. DayZ is best played when with a group of friends with a love for zombie survival games. Good luck survivors!

Week 6: Taviana

After a much needed update, DayZ welcomed a new addition to its map roster this week with Taviana. Taviana is a 625 km2 map. This new, larger map features many new additions that mix up the gameplay from the past couple of weeks. Now players are dropped into a large world where player encounters take place between vehicles rather than on foot. The new island brings in many new landmarks that players have not experienced before. The island features a smaller island called Lesh, large mountains, dense forests, and a volcano. Many servers have updated and switched to this new and exciting map. Players are currently pushing the limits of Taviana through sheer numbers. The release of Taviana was long awaited and has garnered much praise due to its limited item drop and vehicle accessibility. Taviana should continue to see great amount of player action in the next couple of weeks. Hope to see you on the new map!

*The following are pictures of my adventure with friends on the map Taviana*

Taviana features a large network of trains systems.

A military checkpoint has kept many from entering the city.

The environment is a great reason to visit this map.

The military is always in action to fight the infection.

Taviana is the first map to feature a soccer stadium.

Large graveyards add an eerie feeling into the mix.

A working Ferris wheel is a great way to scout out the city.

Class is out of session! 

Playtime!

"Nice to see you comrade."

Taviana features the largest bridge in any DayZ map spanning almost 2km.

Week 6: IRL

How closely does behavior in DayZ correspond to that in real life?

The behavior seen in DayZ relates to real life in many different ways. As a simulator the game tends to bring out certain qualities from players that might not always be present. Each player sets a certain goal for themselves when playing. This can range from trying to get the highest zombie kill count to highest player kill count. Some players are friendly and band together in groups to help others on the server. Other groups ban together to kill the other players on the server. We also see certain players who break the rules with scripting. These players can cause destruction or toy with other players. Not all players have the same goal. Each player simulates how they would react in each situation presented before them. Should they trust the new player they just met? Should they try and kill an entire squad with a handgun? Would it be easier to steal an item from another player or wait until they leave? DayZ can mold your best qualities or your worst. Which qualities will you choose to rely on?

Week 6: Thoughts

How do people respond if you tell them that you are a student studying DayZ as part of a university project? 

When informing other players that I am studying DayZ for a university project most respond with a simple "nice" or "ok." Most players will ask what I am studying the game for and if there is any way they can help. At times this help can come in many different forms. One survivor may help me by driving me around in a car. Another survivor may engage in a squad battle and allow me to watch from a distance. I usually inform each player that I am playing and taking screen shots as needed of everything that happens. As there are is a multitude of players from the beginning of the mod there are many stories and options at my disposal. Some days I will meet players from the early days of the mod that will help me out. Most will show me the advantages and disadvantages of using a certain weapon or type of gear. Others will explain how the gear has changes over the course of the mod with certain patches. One of the best experiences is when I can talk to another survivor about the great zombie change that occurred in the 1.7 patch. It is great to gain knowledge and insight into a game that has captivated a large audience of gamers and is on its way to becoming a major title. Out later this year the standalone version of DayZ should provide players with a new way to experience the zombie apocalypse. You never know where your adventure will take you.

Week 5: The Other Side

After a couple of weeks playing as a survivor in DayZ I decided to become a friendly survivor. This meant more interaction with players with the intention to help them as needed, rather than killing them. I spent my time picking players up and driving them around each map as a taxi service.

Other times I would bandage them, give them a blood transfusion, or fix their broken legs. I would help new survivors learn the map. Let them understand where they need to go. In the end I would help gear them up and send them on their way with a vehicle. Normally my general attitude as a survivor is to steer clear of other players or kill them if necessary. Now by interacting with them I made friends and went on a great adventure.

During my travels on the map  Panthera, I met with a couple of players who were friendly. We were talking and helping one another and eventually began to trust each other. As the day progressed we picked up new gear, new weapons, and new vehicles. Our group grew from three people to twelve people. All of us working together on one server for the benefit of the entire group. At one point we even had three helicopters which enabled us to scour the entire

map. It did not last though as our group was soon the target of the many bandits that had joined the server. There were many casualties as our time together progressed. We remained vigilant and continued our fun together. As players logged off or died our group dwindled down. This eventually led to the original group of three that we had started with. Once it was all over we were up eight hours of gameplay, great stories from Panthera, and one helicopter.

I found that as a friendly player there is still a large amount of gameplay that can be entertaining. While there is not much killing compared to a bandit the interactions with other players is still fundamental to survival. Each player has a story to tell from their perspective. The only difference is, will you be ending their story or taking part in it?