DayZ is one of the best post-apocalyptic survival games around, but it’s also an unforgiving game that can prove frustrating for newer players who are learning the ropes.
It is a multiplayer game, but can be enjoyed solo – in fact, it’s perhaps a good idea to learn the ropes by yourself in the first instance, before branching out and finding a crew.
That being said, we’ve put together a short list of beginner tips for DayZ, which will hopefully provide a good foundation for the evolution of your skill level.
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10. Keep quiet
The first point may seem like an obvious one, but one of the most crucial survival tips for DayZ is to keep as quiet as possible. You might have to rein in frustration and be disciplined, as moving slowly can feel painful at a time when you just want to crack on and get some new gear.
Yet, the moment you run past a small herd of zombies with little to no equipment is the moment you can kiss your player goodnight. One zombie is manageable, two is a problem, any more is usually a death sentence.
9. Stay alert
Another way to get better at DayZ is to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. It’s easy to get complacent and tunnel vision on your end destination, but the best approach is a methodical one.
Pick a goal, plan your route, and move towards it in small increments, stopping to assess the situation at each point. It’s a good DayZ tip to play the game as if you’re constantly being tracked by a sniper (and often you likely will be). This way, you’ll move using the environment as a weapon, finding cover and staying hidden at all times.
8. Learn the map
One of the beginner tips for DayZ that I ignored for too long is to learn the map. New players can roam around the Chernarus aimlessly for far too long. Instead, study the DayZ map, become familiar with the spawn locations, and you will slowly start to create a picture of how you fit into the larger area.
This will hasten your play when you first spawn, as knowing your location will help you plan where to head first in order to get the best possible start.
7. Explore
Following on from the previous point, it is equally useful to explore every nook and cranny in the map. It’s not enough to just know where the main cities and outposts are, you’ll also need to know what’s in each location – where are the most likely places for food, weapons, tools, and other amenities.
This will help you identify where the best loot is, where military camps are, and where most of the PvP action is likely to take place, among other things.
6. Conserve resources
One of the most useful beginner tips for DayZ is to conserve your resources. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s not as easy as it first appears. It can be tempting to eat/drink resources as soon as you get them, but it’s usually not the best tactic.
If consumables are sparse, you’ll want to let your hydration and hunger reach red before eating or drinking. This is because your parameters deplete faster when they are in the white zone, so it is not wise to waste them when resources are minimal.
5. Play with a teammate / Communicate with others
Once you’ve figured out the basics by playing by yourself, you’ll find better luck working in a team. Chernarus is an unforgiving place, so having friends and companions can be the difference between life and death.
Where possible, play with a microphone. This means you can declare yourself as friendly to others, and figure out who might be hostile. Silence will most likely be deemed untrustworthy, and you will be gunned down for refusing to cooperate.
4. Make use of both 1st and 3rd person perspectives
This is a matter of personal preference. But, in my opinion, both camera perspectives have their use in DayZ.
For general gameplay and roaming, I play the game in third-person mode. This allows the player to have a wider field of vision, and enables players to look over and past walls that are not possible to look beyond in first person mode.
When looting buildings, though, you’ll want to switch to the first-person camera, as you’ll be able to see and grab items faster. This camera perspective is also better for combat, as soon as you enter a fight, switch camera to first-person as the crosshair is more accurate in this mode.
3. Hydrate and eat
The bread and butter of almost all survival games is to stay well fed and hydrated, and things are no different here. It’s one of the best beginner tips for DayZ. Expanding on that, though, there are certain things to be aware of that will make your life easier when starting out.
All towns will have a water pump (typically located next to the police station, but not always), and it is always a good idea to take a good drink before traversing the map further. Additionally, most towns have orchards and fruit trees that can be great places to stock up on sustenance for your journey. Learning to identify apple, pear, and plum trees can significantly enhance your ability to survive.
2. Organize your inventory
This is one of the DayZ tips that often gets overlooked, but keeping well-managed inventory is essential. Have your most important items near the top of your inventory, so you can grab them quickly when in a pickle.
This will most likely be fully loaded magazines, food and water, and medical supplies. It’s always wise to keep a number of bandages available should you find them, as bleeding out following a scrap with a zombie can be one incredibly frustrating way of dying.
1. Learn how to build a base
This is more of an advanced beginner tip, but it’s definitely something that you will want to learn once you get better at DayZ. There are certain resources that are essential for base building, such as a shovel, wooden planks and logs, hammer and nails, and a hatchet, among other things.
Having a solid base is a great way to preserve all of your loot and can give you a welcome reprieve from the hostile post-apocalyptic environment of Chernarus. Check out this handy base building guide for a more detailed overview.
Get in Touch
We hope you enjoyed these beginner tips for DayZ, and please let us know if you can think of some other great tips that will help our readers become better survivalists.
If you’re looking for some realistic post-apocalyptic survival games like DayZ, why not check out our article about the most realistic zombie survival games around today.
For any enquiries, contact richard@blogofgames.com
If you’re looking for a good DayZ YouTuber, I’d highly recommend Baby Nades. You can check out one of their videos below.