What's the very first thing you do when starting a new game?

[Labtop_215]

[quote=“Oragepoilu, post:47, topic:1967”]Rock get -2 to hit. try getting something else quickly, like crafted weapon with bonus. Even if it’s a bit more volume/weight it’s easy to craft and left alone … and way better to take down stuff with.

Be near city isn’t a problem if you use static spam. Even stick in middle of the city isn’t a problem. Just clear the Z nearby and everything will be fine (unless wildlife spawn, like bear or moose, but its the same everywhere for that)[/quote]

Throwing rocks at enemies is faster than trying to spend a day crafting a weapon that I’ll have to get into melee range to use effectively, and probably safer since I don’t have to get into melee range unless the enemy is faster than I am. Also, throwing at higher level will quickly negate that penalty.

[darth_servo]

Throwing rocks at enemies is faster than trying to spend a day crafting a weapon that I’ll have to get into melee range to use effectively, and probably safer since I don’t have to get into melee range unless the enemy is faster than I am. Also, throwing at higher level will quickly negate that penalty.

Interesting thing about this game is that even throwing a rock against the wall can help level up your skill. Same as shooting an arrow at the wall… It’s just a shame that you can’t really train melee skills with the same ease.

[Labtop_215]

[quote=“Labtop_215, post:48, topic:1967”]Throwing rocks at enemies is faster than trying to spend a day crafting a weapon that I’ll have to get into melee range to use effectively, and probably safer since I don’t have to get into melee range unless the enemy is faster than I am. Also, throwing at higher level will quickly negate that penalty.

Interesting thing about this game is that even throwing a rock against the wall can help level up your skill. Same as shooting an arrow at the wall… It’s just a shame that you can’t really train melee skills with the same ease.[/quote]

Well, if you want to train up melee skills, you might do well to find a rabbit or a squirrel in a building (a mansion most commonly), wear a bunch of stuff on your torso to increase torso encumbrance (usually 5-6 is good), and then wield either a rock, a pocket knife, or your bare hands (for faster, weaker attacks) with no martial arts stance, and just repeatedly “attack” that enemy until you actually hit them.

Also, part of the reason why I’m not overly big on melee combat is because torso encumbrance will generally render melee combat useless if you have more than 1 torso encumbrance. As in, if your not geared specifically for it, it’s useless.

And yea, could just drop your backpacks and loot to fight. And a spitter zombie can just come along and destroy everything. (Just so you know, because I know somebody is going to suggest this.)

[Hyena_Grin]

1. Smash Evac Shelter furniture
2. Fashion makeshift knife-spear out of furniture debris
3. Quest for the Magic Tophat of Broken Promises
4. Stand atop pile of zombies and scream at your mother for not loving you enough
5. Drink until you throw up
6. Sob yourself to sleep

… okay, so maybe my schizophrenic playthroughs are a bit unconventional

[Oragepoilu]

[quote=“darth_servo, post:49, topic:1967”][quote=“Labtop_215, post:48, topic:1967”]Throwing rocks at enemies is faster than trying to spend a day crafting a weapon that I’ll have to get into melee range to use effectively, and probably safer since I don’t have to get into melee range unless the enemy is faster than I am. Also, throwing at higher level will quickly negate that penalty.

Interesting thing about this game is that even throwing a rock against the wall can help level up your skill. Same as shooting an arrow at the wall… It’s just a shame that you can’t really train melee skills with the same ease.[/quote]

Well, if you want to train up melee skills, you might do well to find a rabbit or a squirrel in a building (a mansion most commonly), wear a bunch of stuff on your torso to increase torso encumbrance (usually 5-6 is good), and then wield either a rock, a pocket knife, or your bare hands (for faster, weaker attacks) with no martial arts stance, and just repeatedly “attack” that enemy until you actually hit them.

Also, part of the reason why I’m not overly big on melee combat is because torso encumbrance will generally render melee combat useless if you have more than 1 torso encumbrance. As in, if your not geared specifically for it, it’s useless.

And yea, could just drop your backpacks and loot to fight. And a spitter zombie can just come along and destroy everything. (Just so you know, because I know somebody is going to suggest this.)[/quote]

Yeah, i know about how to lvl up skill. But we are more talking about early game when you start instead of how to reach lvl 5 in a skill in less than 5min.

My last experience with melee is i’v clear with only a knife spear a megatore without a scratch ; i first catch few Z in bush, pick up under amor /tank top fitting, and then slaying everybody in middle of the store. Then you got the full store for yourself in less than 10min IRL just after creating your caractere.

[Labtop_215]

[quote=“Labtop_215, post:50, topic:1967”][quote=“darth_servo, post:49, topic:1967”][quote=“Labtop_215, post:48, topic:1967”][/quote][/quote]

Yeah, i know about how to lvl up skill. But we are more talking about early game when you start instead of how to reach lvl 5 in a skill in less than 5min.

My last experience with melee is i’v clear with only a knife spear a megatore without a scratch ; i first catch few Z in bush, pick up under amor /tank top fitting, and then slaying everybody in middle of the store. Then you got the full store for yourself in less than 10min IRL just after creating your caractere.[/quote]

I’m a tad bit skeptical of that myself. I know the knife spear gets rapid attack, and a weak block, but to use either of those you need to get a critical right? Do you start with a point or 3 in melee skill?

[ICBM_pilot]

If I’m playing my melee character
1.I smash a locker, take a pipe, a rock and a piece of scrap metal
2.make crowbar and improvised picklock
3.open map
4. look for garages, public works and hardware stores
5. if there is any try to find some storage then die
6.if not look for car and gas station then die
7. if I don’t die look for something easy to kill preferably a cougar
8.get killed by wolves.
if I’m playing one of my archers

1. break two windows
2. make shortbow or longbow depending on which archer I use
3. charge in to town wielding a pocket knife
4. look for storage
5. leave town
   6.find deer
   7.stab deer until dead
   8.make wood javelin
   9.almost die of thirst
6. run into nearest town to find toilet to drink out of
7. die because all my stats are like 1 and I found a coyote

[Oragepoilu]

[quote=“Oragepoilu, post:52, topic:1967”][quote=“Labtop_215, post:50, topic:1967”][quote=“darth_servo, post:49, topic:1967”][quote=“Labtop_215, post:48, topic:1967”][/quote][/quote]

Yeah, i know about how to lvl up skill. But we are more talking about early game when you start instead of how to reach lvl 5 in a skill in less than 5min.

My last experience with melee is i’v clear with only a knife spear a megatore without a scratch ; i first catch few Z in bush, pick up under amor /tank top fitting, and then slaying everybody in middle of the store. Then you got the full store for yourself in less than 10min IRL just after creating your caractere.[/quote]

I’m a tad bit skeptical of that myself. I know the knife spear gets rapid attack, and a weak block, but to use either of those you need to get a critical right? Do you start with a point or 3 in melee skill?[/quote]

I don’t know about critical needed for that. I don’t think so. And i start with 20 strenght (yeah pretty hight cost) with no skill, no trait but the one that allow you to move in every type of terrain for same cost as normal one. Only dog are real problem : they can attack you even in iregular terrain and make you bleed/hight dommage if crit. They are also hard to hit. But other (basic Z, spitter, the electric one, hulk) arent a problem, just keep near car, and do hit /back. They won’t be able to hit you so much. And basic Z won’t hit you at all if you back before.

[TheNineRings]

The first thing I do is butcher the npc (if I have them turned on) for their equipment. I then open my map, and see if there is a fungal bloom. I then run there, check for marloss berries, grab them and run to town, and then I turn one of the houses into a temporary base, generally by boarding up all the windows and doors (after moving everything into a bedroom) leaving one window unboarded, which I shove furniture in front of until I have to leave for supplies.

[Livingstone]

Now that the crowbar is zero mechanic skill recipe, I usually go for a rock, then to smash a locker from evac shelter. After that it’s fridge smashing time for rubber hose and a liquid container for gasoline that I siphon from wrecks. After that I’ll try to find a gas station to fill up and a public works for some cosmetic yet spiky changes to the vehicle in use.

Crowbar & improvised “picklock” crafting is efficient way to maximize one’s mechanic skill, especially when everything one needs is available at a public works. That makes public works one of the best locations for early-game situations for me.

TL;DR: crowbar, hose, car, pulp and the world is your oyster?

[Atelerd]

RP!

1. Wake up in some strange building with hardcore amnesia.
2. Talk with the guy that stands nearly.
3. OH MY GOD OUR WORLD HAS ENDED
4. Cry for 1-2 hours.
5. Go into the woods.
6. OH MY GOD IT’S COUGAR HE’S KILLING ME HEEEELP
7. Go to the town.
8. OH MY GOD THE DEAD ARE WALKING
9. Run, cry and die of starvation.

[jcannon98188]

[quote=“Livingstone, post:57, topic:1967”]Now that the crowbar is zero mechanic skill recipe, I usually go for a rock, then to smash a locker from evac shelter. After that it’s fridge smashing time for rubber hose and a liquid container for gasoline that I siphon from wrecks. After that I’ll try to find a gas station to fill up and a public works for some cosmetic yet spiky changes to the vehicle in use.

Crowbar & improvised “picklock” crafting is efficient way to maximize one’s mechanic skill, especially when everything one needs is available at a public works. That makes public works one of the best locations for early-game situations for me.

TL;DR: crowbar, hose, car, pulp and the world is your oyster?[/quote]

Do gas stations run out of fuel?

[MarkB]

I usually take Fast Learner to level skills quickly.

First off make a crowbar to use as both pry and melee weapon, make some lockpicks as well to hit 1 on Mechanics, then raid a house or two trying to find some bottles and a pot or pan. While there, smash a fridge and grab the rubber hose.

Back at shelter, make a slingshot, then bang some rocks together for ammo and spend a while shooting at squirrels and rabbits, and foraging to boost Survival.

Once Survival is at 1, go to the woods and spend a little time punching young trees and crafting digging sticks, which boosts it up to 3 or 4 a lot faster than butchering corpses.

Once Archery hits 3, build a longbow and some field arrows.

At this point, can readily make food indefinitely by shooting and butchering critters, and can boil toilet water to clean it, so mere raw survival is now sorted. From here, will start raiding more specialised buildings to look for stuff that will help for the long term.

[KA101]

[quote=“Labtop_215, post:53, topic:1967”][quote=“Oragepoilu, post:52, topic:1967”][quote=“Labtop_215, post:50, topic:1967”][quote=“darth_servo, post:49, topic:1967”][quote=“Labtop_215, post:48, topic:1967”][/quote][/quote]

Yeah, i know about how to lvl up skill. But we are more talking about early game when you start instead of how to reach lvl 5 in a skill in less than 5min.

My last experience with melee is i’v clear with only a knife spear a megatore without a scratch ; i first catch few Z in bush, pick up under amor /tank top fitting, and then slaying everybody in middle of the store. Then you got the full store for yourself in less than 10min IRL just after creating your caractere.[/quote]

I’m a tad bit skeptical of that myself. I know the knife spear gets rapid attack, and a weak block, but to use either of those you need to get a critical right? Do you start with a point or 3 in melee skill?[/quote]

I don’t know about critical needed for that. I don’t think so. And i start with 20 strenght (yeah pretty hight cost) with no skill, no trait but the one that allow you to move in every type of terrain for same cost as normal one. Only dog are real problem : they can attack you even in iregular terrain and make you bleed/hight dommage if crit. They are also hard to hit. But other (basic Z, spitter, the electric one, hulk) arent a problem, just keep near car, and do hit /back. They won’t be able to hit you so much. And basic Z won’t hit you at all if you back before.[/quote]

Weak block kicks in in place of a Dodge, IIRC. You won’t get good results unless you’re more skilled with the weapon than the attacker’s attack skill, though–your “dice” are worse than the attacker’s on a Weak Block (hence the name) so you’ll want more. Rapid-attack doesn’t need a critical to come out. It’s one of the best attack perks, IMO.

[Oragepoilu]

Gas station run out. It’s random and dice is rolled for each pump.

[Labtop_215]

[quote=“Oragepoilu, post:55, topic:1967”][quote=“Labtop_215, post:53, topic:1967”][quote=“Oragepoilu, post:52, topic:1967”][quote=“Labtop_215, post:50, topic:1967”][quote=“darth_servo, post:49, topic:1967”][quote=“Labtop_215, post:48, topic:1967”][/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote]

Weak block kicks in in place of a Dodge, IIRC. You won’t get good results unless you’re more skilled with the weapon than the attacker’s attack skill, though–your “dice” are worse than the attacker’s on a Weak Block (hence the name) so you’ll want more. Rapid-attack doesn’t need a critical to come out. It’s one of the best attack perks, IMO.[/quote]

Okay, good to know. I’ll keep my eye out for rapid attack weapons.

[HeadWar]

1. Run outside, grab a rock, smash all the lockers, craft a spike, smash a window, reassign the knife to [k], cut the sheet into rags, craft a knife spear. Craft crowbars and lockpicks from the locker remains, bringing Mechanic to 2. Smash a bench, make skewers for portable cooking fires. (And for burning zombies, but that feels like cheating.)

2. Look at the map for isolated or at least outlying houses to plunder. Primary goals are more volume capacity, (hoodies, cargo pants and trenchcoats will do nicely for a start, but a backpack helps), something that holds water, a pot (in the oven of any kitchen) and a rubber hose (smash a refrigerator).

3. ???

4. Profit.

[dv1]

Day 1 is usually

1. Hit the road to find an isolated gas station

2. When I find one, I hopefully have water bottles from scientist groups, so I drink some of those and fill them with gas

3. Find the nearest working truck, refuel it and bring it back to the gas station to completely refuel

[ClaytonRISING]

Another tactic I’ve been exploring lately:

(Only with static spawn)

1: Loot the shelter, get a weapon of your choice, make a crowbar

2: Find a house on the edge of town, clear the immediate area out and make sure to butcher all the zombies

3: Set up temporary base of operations in a house, loot the town from there. Try and find a working vehicle and gas and look foe a Public Works to turn into a permanent shelter

[youtoo]

@clayton: crowbar is not real important with static spawns. noise isn’t that bad. zombies dont spawn on top of you. it can ‘draw’ them. but its not that bad. you can break a window in the back. This is actually better since you get string for each window you break and that string has alot of uses (like making a bow).

If you play with dynamic spawns then breaking a window is problematic because zombies spawn from noise