Day Z: a realistic open-world zombie mod for Arma 2 with PvP and persistent death

[Vegeta897]

This alpha is not meant for impressions on the game. It's strictly for testing and feedback. If you're looking for something better than the mod, wait until it's done. If you've heard of all the upcoming features planned for the game (and content), you'd see how very incomplete the game is in this state.

Most of the work they've done in the last year is getting the network architecture working. I'm amazed at how well it has performed on release day. Took me mere seconds to connect to a server and start running around. Only had occasional desync problems. Not bad at all for a game untested with thousands of players.

 

[Mogi67]

I watched my friend play for a couple hours last night. ArmA3: Breaking Point is way better imo

 

[Ennui]

I've still been off and on playing DayZ since I originally posted this thread. I have probably around 1000 hours logged in the last two years on the mod version (I only really play vanilla DayZ Chernarus, albeit with modified servers).

I did buy and install the standalone alpha but since I'm going to London for Xmas I won't be able to check it out properly until I get back in early January. Looking forward to it even though I know it's a pre-release build... luckily I'm not your average Kotaku-reading entitled gamer brat sniveling at how bad it is because I actually understand the point of the pre-release. I bet I'll love it anyway tbh... I played Day Z very early on and it was a huge pile of buggy crap and I still got addicted as hell to it.

 

[Mogi67]

reports of hackers, combat logging, and ghosting

 

[Tacoeaterguy]

gee, thanks for the warning!

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

reports of zombies

 

[Lobster]

After dying suddenly to a single sniper round at the climax of a fairly long life I decide to run north from the beach. I pick up some vital supplies (including a woolen bobble hat and a blue pen, truly vital stuff!!!) and a few minutes later I spot four figures moving swiftly across the field ahead of me. Usually I would be quite cautious and move away from a large group like that, but being so early in a new life I decide to follow them and see what they do.

After about fifteen minutes of fields and trees the four figures stop at a town in the far west, so I figure that I will just run over and see if they shoot me on sight. It doesn't take me long to get close enough to see that the four players are all dressed in the same gear: green ballistic helmets, gas masks, mostly camouflage clothing and all carrying M4 rifles. They don't notice me at first so I make sure to stand still in the road outside one of the buildings they are looting.

It doesn't take long to be spotted by one of the soldiers, and the other three soon flock to my position. One of the men steps close, he tells me to stop and put my hands up (it takes him a few tries before he tells me to press F2) and up go my arms. So there I am, backed up against a chain link fence with my hands in the air, and my bobble hat as my only protection.

The handcuffs go on.

Another guy (an American this time) tells me to "be calm" and stay where I am. He tells me that it will "all be over soon" and that I would be "let go" if I stayed still.

Their intention soon becomes clear to me, as the message log begins to indicate that my blood is being drained. Bag after bag they drain my ruby life essence away. I start wondering to myself why my screen isn't turning grey, does the blood system not drain your actual blood? if it does then are they going to leave me enough to survive? they don't seem interested in my bobble hat, or even the empty weapon I am carrying.

Once the draining is over, the European guy tells me again to "stay calm" as he is going to take the cuffs off. Wow I think to myself, These guys are being awfully decent, I should give them that blue pen I found!

Sadly once the cuffs are removed the effects of blood loss hit me instantly, and I fall immediately unconscious.

Blackness fills the screen. The sound of wind amongst the trees.

"Thanks for your cooperation" the first voice says in the darkness.

"Thank you for your cooperation" the second voice adds.

I can honestly say that they were the most polite vampires I had ever encountered.

-

How can I possibly say anything bad about a game that allows stuff like that to happen?

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

We need to get another short story contest in, you write very well Lobster - that goes without saying. Great read, awesome post.

 

[Vegeta897]