Colourful Stuff

I bet it will be a video of Jeff Goldblum berating whoever removes the final block. Am I right in thinking that there will be micro-transactions for the ability to remove more of the cube or was that a PC Gamer joke? Edit: Pre-empted me Toblix, isn't it thousands of pounds for the best tool?

You can equip the flashlight as your sidearm then toggle it with 'L', but it only works at night. I can see where you're coming from, however I've been very lucky when it come to player interactions (other than silent axe murder).

It feels similar in scope to games like Section 8 and Battlefield 1943, both of which were good value as one off purchases. The free to play model just doesn't make much sense here.

The cost of unlocks is pretty egregious. I was considering getting a starter pack as I'm likely to get at least £10 of value out of it, but gold just wouldn't stretch very far. Unlocking with XP seems like a joke. After three hours I could only afford to unlock the sniper class which I realised isn't any fun to play.

Video games? You've come to the wrong place.

I find playing on low population servers for loot a little pointless. The acquisition of loot and consumables only serves the purpose of facilitating interesting interactions. Also living relatively comfortably in DayZ only has value if you know how it feels to toil for beans.

I've played about four hours and I can see what you mean. Some matches have one team with enough competent players to build defences and protect the base while the other just plays like it's team death match. Is it okay to pick a role in a match and stick with it? Skiing with the flag is more fun than killing people so I've mostly been doing that, however when my team isn't defending our flag or attacking their generator my role is pretty much useless.

Does anybody still play this? I decided to try it yesterday and I'm having fun skiing around grabbing flags.

The best thing about having a few canteens, a hunting knife and matches is the feeling of frivolously gorging on beans and coke. I never leave anything I find. Maybe I should be more sympathetic for those less fortunate than myself. I think the Prone Zone: Bean Bandit Bus should be the Prone Zone: Soup Kitchen, collecting food from towns and giving to the needy.

Deer stands are good. Look for them along tree lines which overlook large open areas. There are four around the perimeter of Green Mountain. I've got an AKM, Remington shotgun (it has a flashlight on it), M24 sniper rifle and military flashlight from deer stands.

Barns will often have an Enfield or shotgun. Good starting weapons that are easy to get if the barn is isolated from other structures. If things go wrong you can just kill the five or so zombies that spawn next to the barn.

Well I should be jaded by now. My first experience with the game was a guy killing me with an axe while I was in my inventory.

My point was more that I feel protective of my stuff and the story my character has accumulated. As a result I'm more likely to default to self preservation when making a split second decision.

What if the're just happy tourists? As a rule I run from trouble, but having above average gear has changed my attitude towards killing. In the first hour of this life I turned a corner at the southern airfield and came face to face with a woman wielding an AKM. She didn't have a mic and was aiming at me. I lowered my AKM and saluted while shouting 'Don't shoot!'. We both survived. If I found myself in that situation with the gear I have now I would shoot her in the head.

The lack of a CLOP thread is distressing. I'm expecting some in-depth strategic discussion. Personally I'm using a solid rhythmic 'HJKL' sequence which gets good speed on the flat but always results in a flip at the first steep incline. I started with a simultaneous 'H+J' to 'K+L' approach but there is an antagonistic action which reduces speed and fluidity. I have obviously thought about this too much. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to http://www.foddy.net/CLOP.html and become a majestic unicorn.

I've been watching it loop for about five minutes and I don't really want to stop.

I'm beginning to realise that going anywhere or doing anything is suicide (unless you stay firmly in the Prone Zone). A ship in harbour and all that.

What is the relative risk of the North-East airstrip? I hear it's the only place antibiotics spawn so that could attract undesirables, however it's so far away from the Southern coast I can't imagine too many people making it there. Getting there seems like a good long term goal (I'm at the dam North of Elektro). I really want to see the lakes up their and some suppressed M4 ammo would be a great find.

You know the bit in The Road when they find the bunker? Finding matches and a knife is a bit like that moment, and after the elation of preparing your first meal you realise that everything is still hopeless and you are no safer than before.

I had the same problem. It took me over ten hours to find matches. I got a box in a supermarket eventually.

Sean, how did your sick, dying and blind in a bush situation shake out?

I made that mistake in Brussels drinking Trappist beers. It's easy to get too drunk very quickly when the beer is stronger than wine.

There is a great beer I buy whenever stay with my parent's in Liverpool. It's brewed in Suffolk with smokey peated malt and each bottle has a measure of an English single malt whisky in it. Quite a unique flavour and the smokiness really hits you, like sitting by a camp fire. http://www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk/store/product.asp?s=oxggdw298548&strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=237

I had a Prone Zone dream last night. Sean had organised a competitive orienteering expedition and was cycling back and forth along the route shouting at the participants. Edit: That would be an amazing thing to do! Have somebody write scavenger hunt clues, meet at a landmark like Green Mountain, then pair off and try to complete them as quickly as possible without being murdered.

Well that was a long walk. Logged off by the dam Sean started. I couldn't find water for two hours and decided that a giant reservoir would probably be a good place to find it. There is a Thumbs DayZ Steam group, but I don't know how active it is.