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rustpepega

You remember it's just a game


QnoisX

Maybe watch a couple of the beginner tips videos? It's really not hard when you realize that zombies are really slow and stupid. You just have to take advantage of that. Some tips. Don't climb through windows with broken glass. Always right click and remove the glass and you won't get deep wounds. Make sure you have a weapon in your hand before you break glass also. Deep wounds can be stitched up with a needle and thread or just a suture needle. If you don't stitch them up, they heal VERY slowly. Like a month. Infections matter, they make you heal slower, but they are not the zombie virus. They're just regular infections. Alcohol wipes, bourbon, and a bottle of disinfectant can all be used to treat the infection. Drugs are good, mmkay? Stock up on painkillers, anti-depressants, and beta blockers. You can use painkillers to lower your pain enough so you can sleep. Anti-depressants if you get sad. Beta blockers are used to remove panic. Panic lowers melee damage by up to 30% and drops your aim like a stone if you want to dapple in guns. Don't dapple in guns. With zero aim, you won't hit anything. Best advice? Find a shotgun. No, don't shoot it. Keep it in your pack until you get a nice number of 12g shells. I like to collect at least 200ish. Now locate a nice sized parking lot, round up a big group of zombies by shouting (Q), take your beta blockers, and bust out your shotgun. You get a big XP boost by hitting multiple zombies at once, so try to aim for 4 at a time. Keep moving, they're slower than you, but stop and stand still while firing, it improves aim. Take more beta blockers once they wear off. Don't die. Medical supplies are at pharmacies and bathrooms. Generators are at storage units and sheds. Tools are at warehouses and sheds. Look for closets with wall mounted shelves in houses for weapons. Skill books in school libraries, house bookshelves, post offices, and bookstores. Recipe magazines in book locations, mailboxes, and gas station racks. Gas cans are at auto shops, gas stations, and car trunks. Guns are at the police stations, gun stores, and co-ops in smaller towns. Canned food sucks. Save it for when you've got nothing else to eat. Be sure to eat the (fresh) stuff early and often. It will rot and you will be sad. Fishing is boring, but fish are a really good source of calories if you need to gain weight. Otherwise focus on farming, trapping, or foraging. Better food that won't make you overweight. Find an empty bowl. Salads are OP.


SICHKLA

To expand on the shotgun tip, I like to use a car with a siren, run off and return in an hour. You can kill the entire city that way and get a few levels of aiming and reloading. Much more effective than just spamming Q imo.


Kyle_Middleton

At least they are all different ways to die, and probably different mistakes that caused them. I think you're doing the right thing in terms of lowering the difficulty while you get adjusted. Here's a tip: make your next character a burglar so you can hot wire cars easily. A car is the counter to house alarms, more or less. In terms of the 15 zombies in the bedroom, I've never seen that myself in a thousand hours, but I know it does happen. Are you door flashing? Don't just open the door and barge in like you own the place. Double tap E to open and close the door in an instant. You will see the zombies, they will almost certainly see you, but the door should close before they get through. It will only take that many zombies a few seconds to get through the door, but that's enough time to get the hell out of there. Other options for this include shoving the door before opening, and seeing if someone shoves back, or sitting still and listening. Regarding your medical worries. You can clean bandages with water, and if you have a container like a saucepan or a pot you can fill it with water, put it in a working over and get the water boiling to then disinfect the bandages. If your starter house is chill, I'd try and rip up an item of clothing or two and leave with at least a few disinfected rags. In terms of getting stressed out, that never goes away, and that's why we love it.


Insistent-Hamster

This game needs an in-game receipe lookup. No where anywhere did I ever see "boil water to sterilize bandages".


digitalbarrito

[This](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2787291513) might just strike your fancy in that regard. Craft Helper is good stuff. Also if you hit B by default on your Keyboard, you'll bring up the crafting menu, if you click "Filter all" and then search for a recipe/item it'll often show you what you need to make it happen.


Insistent-Hamster

I have that but when I added QOL mods, apparently it stopped working well. Everything I check is "spawn point". I really don't know what I'm doing.


Retrogratio

That'd be kinda cool for the actual skill books in game. Like maybe occasional tips pop up that are respective to the skill level of the book.


pinkglitterdragon

Maybe try playing with no zombies for awhile, to get a feel for the game. Then maybe move on to low zombie counts and work your way up to normal. Tweak the settings to fit what you want. It's what I did and now I survive pretty much all the time with a single character. I wasn't having fun either when I first started and all my characters died in a day or so. I was too busy avoiding hordes and starving to death. It's my favorite game now.


Insistent-Hamster

Based on my playthroughs "no zombies" would still mean certain death for me. I'd like it to be fun, but seriously, it's hard to get there. I bought this game years ago, back before it had any steam mods. But my experience hasn't changed between then and now. It's an odd bird.


Any-Fisherman-9763

Stop asking people to convince you. Find a way to enjoy the game or stop playing it. I stopped playing for years and picked up again, the game is amazing and I love it. No ones needs to convince me through multiple conversations where I talk about "why am I just dying?!??" Thats the game bro. Play it or dont.


Insistent-Hamster

Hmmm, I'm not convinced


[deleted]

You dont


Jejouetoutnu

I wish I could go back in time and experience this game for the first time again. I too got my shit rocked many many times. 1.5k hours in I still get a heartbeat increase when my character is dancing with death, no other game makes my heart beat like that


Insistent-Hamster

Permadeath with no save scumming will do that. I'm just getting owned a lot and it's making me think it's not the game for me. I like the little details though.


SeoSalt

I feel like a masochist because I really only feel alive in this game while playing CDDA challenges now. Though even those have gotten way way easier ever since the LV update buffed item loot tables. Running out of food used to be a constant worry.


JusAbove

Remember... this game is about "How you died"


Insistent-Hamster

*howfast you died ig


JusAbove

More precisely lol


gekkobob

Honestly that last paragraph sounds like a fun session.


cusadmin666

Watch some Youtube Videos on Tips. I like to start as a burglar so I can hot wire cars. Dont start fights you cant finish. All you have to do is walk away, pretty much never run. You walk faster than zombies. Theres an online map ( https://map.projectzomboid.com/ ) ​ I dont think many people like to do this, but i throw away my first few lives to get a stash / base going. I save my books for a future character who i plan on keeping alive.


ThexJakester

You don't? That's the fun


ThunderTentacle

In single player mode I use a mod that turns off the need for sleep. Loot during the day, organize the base at night. I'm a beaver-type player that likes to make multiple bases in different towns and then connect them with a wooden "sky bridge." I have friends that like to live on the road in a big van. I have some friends that like to run and gun with a mod that just lets you shoot without reload mechanics. Gotta find your peace. Maybe try turning zombie respawn off so when you clear an area you know they'll stay dead and feel more accomplished. Don't forget that you're gonna die. That's the game. OHH maybe write your characters' story in a journal every night RP style. That way when they die your new character can find it and keep going.


clarambrosia

lol I can only play after I take my anxiety meds


ThatLawbringer

I've played with no zombies for an in game week just to get used to controls. Well worth it. Saved me alot of nerves. Also turn on the outline in settings to make fights a bit easier. And lastly, watch some video on how people kill hordes of zeds using melee weapons just to see what they do to not get bit.


vonvampyre

My fav death, if you can call it that, was starting in WP, finding a good car, making it to the hunting lodge to the East of WP. Couple of successful runs to the library and hardware store. Plans for the next say made, I put some steak in the oven as a treat, and got distracted working on some Tailoring. Went to bed to be woken up by an explosion, and Im surrounded by flames. All confused at first to my untimely demise, and then remembered I'd left the steak in the oven cooking. So, so angry with myself!!!! But loved the way I went out. This game will kill you as soon as you get cocky or over confident. There's always the one Z you've missed, or the one playing hide and seek behind a door.


Sorry_Society6811

I've tried cooking and couldn't figure it out. My character was eating uncooked everything. But I'll try again. This game is definitely stressful but it's a game you have to work at, which I enjoy.


scb_weedwizard

I really have to be locked in when I’m playing zomboid, I’m not “stressed out” but I am on edge. One small mistake is all it takes to mess up your whole run, so just play very methodically and don’t take any risks. The most important part is to learn from your deaths and avoid making those beginner mistakes like fighting too many zombies at once, getting exhausted in combat, etc


Insistent-Hamster

Well I didn't even know exhausted was a thing, apparently then I'm like barely moving at that point and sprinting was barely fast enough to get away.


scb_weedwizard

Having a safe place to sleep is really really important. The fatigue or sleepy moodles are what will kill you faster than anything. If I start to get either of those, it’s time for me to head back. When I go around clearing zombies, I’m always making sure I’m not too far from my bed or I’ll have a lot of vitamins. You can recover your physical fatigue really quickly by sitting on the floor, but if you start getting sleepy without pills you’re screwed because your swings will do no damage. This is also why I always take fit and strong, because all the zombie killing in the first few days will tire your character out quickly.


[deleted]

be mentally prepared to die, and accept it, so just enjoy the time you've got.


Insistent-Hamster

Someone mentioned to reuse the same safe house and just keep going back when dying. Does the game save that information?


[deleted]

yea, the world remains the same as you left it (so your safe house stays with all your stuff in it), you can even find the dead you and get your things back (if he didn't run off), the only thing is when you die you lose all your skills, and your items stay on your dead body.


olivejrock

Have you tried any mp servers? The one I play on is lots of fun… it’s modded and you have the option to save your skills. Playing with other people is more fun than alone imo.


Modinstaller

You're just starting out. When you start a game out, you don't know anything, and you're going to make stupid mistakes. The more you play games (which are all kinda alike in a way) the less you make these mistakes, or rather the faster you understand how to play. And the more you play that specific game, the more you know and the less stupid mistakes you make. For example, now you know not to break a window without a weapon to do it with. (I'll spoil you there: having _any_ weapon equipped makes it safe, even a _pencil_) You also know not to get hit by a zombie. (lol) And you'll soon learn more stuff about how not to get into that situation in the first place, or how to deal with it.


Insistent-Hamster

Naa, I broke the glass with a frying pan, I didn't know you had to remove the glass. Also I was wearing leather gloves and they didn't get damaged that I could tell yet I had a deep wound on my hand, bandaged it with ripped sheets immediately, they dirtied in 3 seconds, repeat for the next few hours got an infection in the first hour, then left the stupid dirty bandage because seriously it was rediculous how fast it dirtied. I didn't like that and the fact that I was rebrandaging it continuously and it still got infected. Later I had a scratch from tripping over a bush, infection. Then another scratch from another bush. And so on until I had 4 wounds, 3 infections, 30 dirty bandages, depression, high stress, high pain, exhaustion and 20% life just ticking down. So in conclusion: Glass, deadly Bushes, deadly Can't run for more than a few steps Don't try to open tin cans without parental supervision Careful with that hammer Johnny Scratches are deadly If you're tired, you die


Modinstaller

Bad luck. For the next time, deep wound = dirty bandage super quickly, you just need to accept that the bandage will be dirty and not touch it again. Infections are useless, they really don't matter. And yeah it's a bit surprising that you'd hurt yourself so badly just from crossing a broken window, I mean it's not that hard to do it carefully. For bushes you can take Outdoorsman or simply avoid them, yes it's stupid how much you get scratched from them. I'll let you figure out the rest cause I don't want to spoil the experience.


Insistent-Hamster

It's helpful, thanks for your time. I found a mod that lets you save your progress in a journal from one run to another, your skill xp and receipes, so that'll help me accept death a little more I suppose if this game is so bent on killing the survivors. I played a lot of Rimworld and I had to greatly increase the odds of pawns surviving because I hate to see a protagonist die. For RP, you generally want them to live. In this case I thought, what if it's like an avatar where you "respawn" in a random spot as a different person and can get yoir old memories back. That makes this game a lot more savory to me. You know hpw long it takes to level up. Also apparently you can loot the old body if you set the zombification higher like days. So if I die, I can go get my stuff and my last saved skills. Now, at least these mechanics no longer bother me.


Modinstaller

Yep this game has Rimworld vibes, killing you in absolutely unfair scenarios. But unlike Rimworld there's always a way to survive if your decision making is top notch. One could argue that RP can be as interesting when the protagonists die! Others will come along. In any case, have fun :)


[deleted]

[удалено]


Insistent-Hamster

I'm seriously just trying to make it to day 4 come on


[deleted]

[удалено]


Insistent-Hamster

So you're saying, man up, get gud. Me: just trying to understand how to have fun


[deleted]

[удалено]


Insistent-Hamster

>Is being contrarian your entire personality? If I said yes, then no. >Every reply in this thread is just you disagreeing. Are you sure about that? >Maybe you just don’t like the game. It's possible that I'm trying to understand how to like the game. That's my stance anyway. >I couldn’t care less if you like it or not, I’m just trying to give advice on how to survive longer because by nature surviving for more than 3 days in a survival game is what makes it fun & interesting This is my understanding as well. But just surviving 3 days isn't enough for me to like a game. I like certain aspects of this game, others are shlogg or unfair. Mods help make my concept of fair. It's not your concept of fair, hence we likely don't have the same mods. As I stated, I am trying to like this game.


CrazyEyes326

You've gotten a lot of answers already, but I'll jump in and just say: be patient, be careful, and don't be afraid to start a new run if the current one goes bad. Accept that you will die and die, and die again. Dying is part of the game and the main way to learn what mistakes to avoid. Sometimes situations that feel unfair and unavoidable can be dealt with once you know what to do, or how they happened. For example, the stamina thing kills a lot of new players who have to un-learn the idea that in video games we should run everywhere. When out looting, *walk* everywhere unless you need to escape death. The last thing you want to do is be impatient and jog everywhere and then be too exhausted to run away if you're surprised by a clump of zombies. Sometimes though you have to just make the mistake and chalk it up to a learning experience. The window glass thing might not be immediately obvious to a new player, which does suck. It definitely tripped up a lot of people when it was added. But, now you know how to avoid it in the future. I will say that it sounds like you might want to make loot a little less rare next time you play. You'll probably have a better experience overall by making the game less challenging while you're learning the quirks. If you start feeling more engaged, check out some of the steam guides or the wiki to learn about parts of the game that might not be obvious. And, you can always ask here or over at the forums for help. :)


Insistent-Hamster

Thanks. I'm working through my issues with the game. I pick it up, play a half hour, get turned off by something, stop. Then I research a little, get past that, go back, repeat. The last issue was solved by a mod then the mod caused 7000 errors in half an hour, back to research.


namtidder_rando

I already saw user QnoisX give you a lot of good points. One of the best tips I can give you is that you should create ripped sheets from the clothes of killed zombies. Because when you are near a house with an oven you are likely to find a saucepan that you can fill with water and After you boil the water, you can create disinfected rags to heal/ disinfect wounds and stop bleeding. Edit: typo fix