So, after fifteen or so games, three worlds, and realizing after the first time an NPC strolled into my home and jacked everything in sight and then offered to sell it back to me that NPCs are broken and should be turned off, I finally successfully survived my first couple of days for the first time. My major problem is figuring out how to spend the night. Unless you’ve been lucky enough to scavenge the fixings for a bed, you’ll probably be snuggled up in a pile of the warmest clothing you could loot from shambling dead people, which means getting to sleep is nigh impossible unless you’re dead tired. I haven’t found many books yet, and while I built myself a fireplace in the basement, I don’t want to waste firewood right now to read anyway. I don’t want to stumble around at night, especially since I might become tired at any moment, and I don’t have enough supplies to even practice building anything. Without a screwdriver and hammer, I can’t even disassemble benches out of boredom.
Any suggestions on what to do all night except hold down “.” and wait for “tired” to pop up? Seems like a serious waste of time, especially since you have to keep eating and drinking and using up scarce supplies. (Speaking of which WTF is wrong with the metabolism of these bloody survivors? If I consumed as much food and drink and these people, I’d be 400 pounds and pissing every 15 minutes. I do regular fasts in real life – usually 2 weeks but my record is 37 days – and the average person can survive 60 days without a bite. I’m feeling like DDA is the QWOP of eating.)
Take the sleepy trait. i would say that getting tired at that increased rate is actually beneficial, as it mostly get rids of the what to do at night problem. Alternatively attempt to loot the center of towns during night. Be wary of running into bloaters/hulks though.
Masterbate! [size=4pt]Mrnocamera Industries does not recommend this. Mrnocamera Industries would like to remind you that beating Mrnocamera is considered painful by him.[/size]
I have to agree on the food thing, these survivors seem to feed an intestinal black hole, then again, it might just be the contagion affecting them, since they heal at a pretty crazy rate too.
As to what to do at night, I usually try and build a lightstrip as early as I can and use that for reading/sewing/electronics till tired. (all the materials for a lightstrip ‘can’ be scavenged from a fully dissembled and recovered flashlight.)
I made one foray out at night and it resulted in being chased over half a continent by a fucking moose. Why moose are relentless, bloodthirsty predators who will pursue you to the ends of the Earth through zombie-infested apocalyptic wastelands is a mystery.
I live in Canada and go camping regularly, so I have a healthy respect for moose. But I’m pretty sure moose, however angry, will not pursue you across hill and dale, tracking you through houses, forests, and craters all night long like some kind of cervine Terminator.
Always take the night vision trait, makes night looting much easier. If you are having trouble, night loot runs are often your best bet, you will attract Zs from just noise rather than every damn one that sees you. Short of that, glowsticks for reading till you learn to make a lightstrip, if you want to do some fortifying, night is a great time to dig holes, also great for working on your car. You can read by the light of a computer like the one in the starting shelter (radio stations are another building that always has a working computer for light) if you want, though you probably want to craft up a makeshift bed in the basement to save on running about. The not non drowsy cough syrup will make you a bit sleepy, ambien will make you very sleepy, not chugging energy drinks all day also helps with a decent sleeping cycle. Or chug heaps and dont sleep.
Generally though, I just carry on with my looting as per usual. If you are moving to an area you havent cleared yet, find a 1 tile wide window, climb though then (s)mash the wall to make noise to attract Zs, then smash em down as they climb though.
I mostly read some books under the light of the console in my starting shelter, or sneak out to town to scavenge some foods. If I want to sleep, cough syrup (not the non-drowsy version) is very useful, just take a sip and you will feel sleepy soon enough.
Night Vision and Light Step are a must for my “Survive forever” characters and always have them. Makes Night looting easy. But this doest help for Random chars, but I play those to die spectacularly anyways.
Once I realized the computer in the starting shelter was a permanent light, I was delighted. I began reading my way through the sleepless night… until a bear busted in the window, bit out my whole ribcage, and I bled out still holding the book I had been reading.
I almost always take Night Vision, Insomniac, and Heavy Sleeper.
Night Vision lets me wander around at night doing things without walking face first into a special zombie. The first day in game is usually the scariest (its daylight, and I need food/water because as you said … WTF why do I go through so much so damn fast), then I switch to full on night-only sorties.
Insomniac and Heavy Sleeper combine into a wonderful mix of staying awake long hours (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJL6emZdNvc) yet when I finally get to sleep I sleep long enough it makes the ‘Tired’ go away. Sleeping in the evac shelter basement is pretty safe with the current way basement levels work. Don’t think I’ve ever had an issue down there except an NPC that somehow appeared down there, and woke me up screaming at me to put down my weapon.
Reading at night is good, as other said. Another option (if you can’t find books) is to make a bone needle and rip up clothes for thread, then fix all the zombie clothes you found, and/or make yourself some better clothing as your tailoring skill rises. … night is an ok time to go around disassembling all the furniture you won’t need too, collecting nails and boards to build & fortify with. Taking things apart spends time pretty well, so it makes nights go by and tires you out pretty decently.
Once I realized the computer in the starting shelter was a permanent light, I was delighted. I began reading my way through the sleepless night… until a bear busted in the window, bit out my whole ribcage, and I bled out still holding the book I had been reading. :/[/quote]
Never forget to close the curtains on the windows. Cuts down on this more than a little.
Also: be wielding a loaded shotgun rather than a book while sleeping/reading/car fixing/anything that can let nasties creep up on you. Means that the 10% of things that bust through the closed window are 100% fucked.
I give you a pro-tip: Flashlight, batteries and a book. That’s all.
Also, there’s a button that makes you to waith without pressing" .". Check in the binds menu “?”, then “1”.
[quote=“RogueEsp, post:18, topic:5867”]I give you a pro-tip: Flashlight, batteries and a book. That’s all.
Also, there’s a button that makes you to waith without pressing" .". Check in the binds menu “?”, then “1”.[/quote]
i think its waste of bateries is better to scavenge in night and read at day for reading at night is better to get Cranial Flashlight, Joint Torsion Ratchet and Power Storage (or Power Storage MK.II) because you can read/craft at night without using batteries
