Let’s start with the technical stuff. Performance wise, DayZ stutters along. It’s certainly not unplayable, but it’s not exactly very good either. I average around 40 or so frames per second on mostly Medium settings. In populated areas it can drop to around 20-30. As I said, not unplayable, but with an i7 and a 780, I expect better. In terms of servers, I’ve never had any problems finding or connecting and I’ve only experienced a couple of disconnects. So that’s been pretty stable. Bugs. Surprisingly, I’ve not encountered that many, and those I have generally relate to zombies, but I’ll get into that later.
Content and Features. This is the area where DayZ is currently lacking. Aside from exploring the map and scavenging for supplies and cosmetic items, there’s very little else to actually do. Well, aside from killing other people, if that’s your thing. There are hardly any zombies in the world (a good thing, which I’ll talk about in a moment) so currently, it’s mostly just a case of exploring the map and trying not to get shot. Now, the continual search for supplies and the unpredictable nature of player interaction is certainly a core part of the DayZ experience, but in its current state it really is just a basic framework. More features and mechanics need to be added in order to flesh out and add depth to this framework.
Zombies. There are hardly any and it’s simply best to avoid the few you may come across. They can walk through walls, closed doors, and in one case a zombie started attacking me through a floor. You don’t really want to waste ammo on them, but it’s too dangerous to attempt melee attacks as even a single hit will cause you to bleed. And getting hit/hitting back is more a matter of luck, as melee hit detection is terrible. So if you see a zombie, just run and save yourself the hassle. This game desperately needs more zombies, but not until they can get them working right. Until then, it’s simply better off without them.
Now, I’ve talked before about how it’s a risk to purchase a game during development for several reasons and I don’t want to get into all that again. Yes, it’s a risk, but it’s one you accept, and there’s no point whining about it later if you regret it. I’d say that in its current state, the asking price of DayZ is a little too steep. However, this could change quite quickly depending on how frequently new updates and content is rolled out. But does this mean I wouldn’t recommend buying it now? Well, no, actually. Because despite all of these problems, I’ve still had quite a bit of fun with DayZ, even in its current state.
I think the question you have to ask yourself is this – will I get my moneys worth out of the game as it is today, if it never gets any better than this? If the answer is no, then steer clear. If yes, then you may as well jump in now because hopefully, it will only improve from here. Just think of it as a long term investment. So let’s move onto some of the cool stuff currently in DayZ.
It’s a fast game to get into. The initial load to joining a server is quick and without hassle. You can practically jump straight in, which is great. Graphically, the game looks pretty decent, doing a great job with its natural environments. The buildings and interiors look good too, although interiors could do with a lot more variation. The map is very large but you never feel too far from a potential loot area. I really like being able to see my body in first person. I keep saying I wish more games did this.
Despite reports I’ve seen, I’ve not personally had problems finding food or water, although guns are another matter, but that’s to be expected. I guess if you only loop around the larger coastal areas you’d have less luck, because these are picked clean more frequently. I’d recommend heading to smaller settlements inland and checking buildings on the outskirts. I frequently find small hoards of supplies completely untouched. I really like the inventory system and character customisation. I think I’ve actually had the most fun just dressing up my characters more than anything.
I like the basics that are already in place, such as needing tools to open food tins, or tearing clothes into rags as makeshift bandages. Or using a map, compass and Russian phrase book to help determine your location. There’s so much potential to expand on this system and create a very in depth survival experience. In terms of combat, melee is totally unreliable, but guns work okay, although ammo is very scarce. That said, simply carrying a gun around can be deterrent enough. I actually chased off two bandits with an unloaded gun. By the time they realized I hadn’t actually shot at them, I was already legging it in the other direction. Ho ho!
Yes, people will try to kill you in DayZ just because. I guess mostly because there’s sod all else to do right now. But if they can fix the zombies and make them a numerous and serious threat, then perhaps it will encourage more cooperation. Now, you certainly don’t want to prevent or heavily penalise players for killing others, but there needs to be some sort of balance, some incentive not to.
There needs to be a good reason for players to team up and work together other than simply for protection. And this needs to establish some form of long term progression, some goal to aim for other than acquiring a good stash of gear and supplies. Because that honestly doesn’t take very long to do once you know where to look.
So yeah, I’ve had some fun with DayZ. I had to actually kill my first character due to a bug. The second was shot about 5 minutes after I arrived, and I’m currently on my third (although it wiped all my gear the next time I logged in darn it!) I’m enjoying it for what it offers right now and for that, I’d say it was just about worth the cost. But it’s got a hell of a long way to go.
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