josef
01-05-2008, 06:54 AM
here are some basics of survival that i've learned firsthand and from other players during my tenure in both ZP and ZP:S. please add on with your own experience.
Teamwork
absolutely critical. you have two options - work together as a human team, or join the zombie team. my personal philosophy is to help as many humans as possible survive. if i'm the only one left, even if i take down the last zombie and "humans win," i have failed.
- stay in a group. this means more guns to bring down zombies, and more eyes to look out for them. even if you're just making a quick run for supplies bring a buddy. zombies can set up an ambush around any corner.
- share weapons and ammo. this gives as many people guns as possible, making you more able to bring down zombies and also distributes the weight so that no one player is seriously slowed down. if you decide to be greedy and horde all the weapons it'll hurt you - you can't fire any of your guns fast enough to take down a horde of more than a few zombies, you won't be able to run away and you teammates will not risk their lives to try to save you. if you have more than one primary weapon (shotgun, rifle, magnum) and you see someone with just a pistol, give them a weapon. now note that early in the game, you'll run accross lots of weapons and ammow, and you'll be scattered out. in this case, if no else is around (or they all are carrying stuff too) go ahead and start stockpiling so that you can share the wealth later (still - if you're in a group, take turns picking up ammo, so that no one is seriously slowed down).
- share health. if you have 75% health while a teammate has 50% or 25%, let them take the health kit. remember: every human that dies is a zombie trying to kill you, but every human that lives is another gun putting lead in zombie skulls.
- back your team up. if someone really needs health/ammo and you're doing good, go with them on a supply run. if you see a zombie going after someone who can't defend themselves, shoot it. if you don't have any ammo, but plenty of health and can get close enough, go after it with melee. now, keep in mind there are times when survivors get in tight spots, and have to conserve their ammo and health, or when there is no way to help someone without getting killed yourself, then you may have to let them go. ultimately you have to do what will save the most members of your team, even if it means letting some individuals die.
- respect authority. part of being a team is that you all need to be on the same page - where you are going, who needs what ammo/health, etc. and for that to happen, someone usually has to step up and take charge. unfortunately, the only criteria for someone taking charge is being loud, but 9 times out of 10 you're still better off with an incompetent leader than working by yourself. be willing to work with the self-appointed leaders that pop up and at the same time don't be afraid to pitch in advice of your own. and if no one is taking command and you think you're up to it - go for it. i recommend reading German Troopers leadership guide (http://www.zombiepanic.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1742).
- communicate. let your teammates know if you need ammo or health, or if you have extra weapons or ammo that you can share. and please, if you see a zombie, even if it's just one, even if it's in plain sight, let your team know, or at least shoot it so they know. if even one zombie manages to close range, he can do some significant damage if you don't take him down quickly.
Defense
first of all, see above. teamwork is the best defense there is. that said, there are other details that need to be covered.
- know your surroundings. keep an eye out for supplies, but don't just zero in on them - experienced zombies are notorious for waiting in ambush at popular weapon spawns. every doorway could have a zombie waiting around it, so if you can, step back and check around the edges before walking in. when backpedaling and shooting at a zombie, make sure you don't back into a corner. and constantly check your back - zombies love to sneak up on you, especially in the midst of combat.
- keep your distance. the zombies have really impressive reach, about 5 feet in-game. that means that even if they look like they can't reach you, they can. and with the release of ZP:S, they can lunge (sprint) and for a short duration are faster than you. combined with the fact that it only takes 4 hits to kill a fully healthy human, this means that if they get within melee range, you won't be able to run away in time. your only hope is to rapidly fire whatever weapon you have and hope you take them down before they take you down. so even if you have full health, stay back about 10-20 feet and shoot the zeds from safety.
- find a camping spot. as i've said before, this isn't Quake, Counterstrike, or Gun Battle Slap Fight XXXVII. this is a totally different type of game - cooperative survival horror shooter - and camping is ok. if you don't like the term camping spot, you can call it a fallback point or something. in this case it's essential. a good camping spot has few (but more than one) entry points, so that you know where the zombies will enter, but still have a way out if you get overwhelmed. a good camping spot is fairly wide open while the entrances are narrow - this slows down the incoming zombies while giving you space to maneuver if they make it in. a good hiding spot has supply spawns in it or near it. granted, a few spawns won't be enough for you to supply your entire team, but it will keep you going for longer between supply runs. i could (and someone probably should) write an entire post on camping spots alone, but this paragraph covers the main bases.
- have a backup plan. this is a crucial part of survival that hardly anyone ever uses. most of the time, if the survivor's camping spot gets overrun, it's game over. usually at least half of the team dies in the onslaught. the rest panic (both emotionally and gameplay-wise) and run away, often getting themselves caught in the chokepoint exit that was supposed to be their defense, and more die. occasionally some will make it out alive, but these individuals are usually disorganized, low on health and ammo, vastly outnumbered, and instead of working as a team they are trying to survive on their own. they usually don't last long, unless they go lurker (http://www.zombiepanic.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7304), in which case they sit on their ??? for several minutes and then die anyway. instead, you need a fallbackpoint that is close to your camping spot and relatively defenseable. actually, you need at least two fallback points, in case you can't get to one. make sure that you and your team discuss this, that everyone knows where it is, and everyone knows what to do if things get too hot. as well, don't wait for half your team to die before you fall back - by that point, the zombies have taken over and you've lost control. if a large number of zombies make it through all at once (in my opinion, if more than half the number of your team), then you need to go ahead and give the fallback order - and not everyone can be the first out. you need to decide beforehand who's going to pull out immediately and who's going to guard the rear. that way, your force is still strong even as you retreat, while the zombies have to spread themselves out chasing you. by the time you make it back to the fallback point, you'll have thinned out the zombie ranks, and then you'll be in a position to make another stand.
Attack
the part we all love.
- aim. this may sound dumb, but i'm surprised at how many people seem to spray and pray when it comes to shooting zombies. the zombies are tough - it takes 3 shotgun blasts, 3 magnum bullets, about half of a rifle clip, and an entire pistol clip (2 clips for the ppk) to bring one down. so every shot counts. for now, headshots do not do more damage so until the patch, aim for the body so you have less chance of missing.
- control your fire. unless a zombie is closing in and you have to take him down now, shoot in controlled bursts. not slow, controlled. while this mainly applies to rifles, if many people are trained on a single zombie you can still use up many more rounds of pistol and shotgun ammo than you need to trying to kill a zombie.
- manage your weight. you do not need more than one primary weapon - an AK and a Remmy is waste of your time. i would even reccomend only one backup weapon (pistol or melee. even if you run out of primary ammo and pistol ammo, by that time you can find a melee weapon as a last resort.) it'll slow you down, and it won't kill the zombies any faster - you can only use one weapon at a time. if you happen to have two weapons, and one is lower in ammo, drop it. i don't care if your grandfather gave it to you on his deathbead, you'll be joining him if you don't drop it (preferably give it to someone who can use it, or drop in a safe place where you can get back to it, but do not get caugh
- don't waste ammo. if the zombie is too far away, don't use the shotguns. and if he's dodging in between cover, wait for him to come out in the open to gun him down (unless he's getting too close, then you have to do whatever you can to kill him). and if you see him peeking out from beind cover, he's trying to get you to shoot him and waste ammo. don't. sooner or later he'll get bored and try to make an attack, or some more zombies will arrive and they'll try a rush. you know what? better yet (if you can do it without getting killed) get a buddy or two to go with you down there to flank him and take him out.
- be extremely careful in melee.
Teamwork
absolutely critical. you have two options - work together as a human team, or join the zombie team. my personal philosophy is to help as many humans as possible survive. if i'm the only one left, even if i take down the last zombie and "humans win," i have failed.
- stay in a group. this means more guns to bring down zombies, and more eyes to look out for them. even if you're just making a quick run for supplies bring a buddy. zombies can set up an ambush around any corner.
- share weapons and ammo. this gives as many people guns as possible, making you more able to bring down zombies and also distributes the weight so that no one player is seriously slowed down. if you decide to be greedy and horde all the weapons it'll hurt you - you can't fire any of your guns fast enough to take down a horde of more than a few zombies, you won't be able to run away and you teammates will not risk their lives to try to save you. if you have more than one primary weapon (shotgun, rifle, magnum) and you see someone with just a pistol, give them a weapon. now note that early in the game, you'll run accross lots of weapons and ammow, and you'll be scattered out. in this case, if no else is around (or they all are carrying stuff too) go ahead and start stockpiling so that you can share the wealth later (still - if you're in a group, take turns picking up ammo, so that no one is seriously slowed down).
- share health. if you have 75% health while a teammate has 50% or 25%, let them take the health kit. remember: every human that dies is a zombie trying to kill you, but every human that lives is another gun putting lead in zombie skulls.
- back your team up. if someone really needs health/ammo and you're doing good, go with them on a supply run. if you see a zombie going after someone who can't defend themselves, shoot it. if you don't have any ammo, but plenty of health and can get close enough, go after it with melee. now, keep in mind there are times when survivors get in tight spots, and have to conserve their ammo and health, or when there is no way to help someone without getting killed yourself, then you may have to let them go. ultimately you have to do what will save the most members of your team, even if it means letting some individuals die.
- respect authority. part of being a team is that you all need to be on the same page - where you are going, who needs what ammo/health, etc. and for that to happen, someone usually has to step up and take charge. unfortunately, the only criteria for someone taking charge is being loud, but 9 times out of 10 you're still better off with an incompetent leader than working by yourself. be willing to work with the self-appointed leaders that pop up and at the same time don't be afraid to pitch in advice of your own. and if no one is taking command and you think you're up to it - go for it. i recommend reading German Troopers leadership guide (http://www.zombiepanic.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1742).
- communicate. let your teammates know if you need ammo or health, or if you have extra weapons or ammo that you can share. and please, if you see a zombie, even if it's just one, even if it's in plain sight, let your team know, or at least shoot it so they know. if even one zombie manages to close range, he can do some significant damage if you don't take him down quickly.
Defense
first of all, see above. teamwork is the best defense there is. that said, there are other details that need to be covered.
- know your surroundings. keep an eye out for supplies, but don't just zero in on them - experienced zombies are notorious for waiting in ambush at popular weapon spawns. every doorway could have a zombie waiting around it, so if you can, step back and check around the edges before walking in. when backpedaling and shooting at a zombie, make sure you don't back into a corner. and constantly check your back - zombies love to sneak up on you, especially in the midst of combat.
- keep your distance. the zombies have really impressive reach, about 5 feet in-game. that means that even if they look like they can't reach you, they can. and with the release of ZP:S, they can lunge (sprint) and for a short duration are faster than you. combined with the fact that it only takes 4 hits to kill a fully healthy human, this means that if they get within melee range, you won't be able to run away in time. your only hope is to rapidly fire whatever weapon you have and hope you take them down before they take you down. so even if you have full health, stay back about 10-20 feet and shoot the zeds from safety.
- find a camping spot. as i've said before, this isn't Quake, Counterstrike, or Gun Battle Slap Fight XXXVII. this is a totally different type of game - cooperative survival horror shooter - and camping is ok. if you don't like the term camping spot, you can call it a fallback point or something. in this case it's essential. a good camping spot has few (but more than one) entry points, so that you know where the zombies will enter, but still have a way out if you get overwhelmed. a good camping spot is fairly wide open while the entrances are narrow - this slows down the incoming zombies while giving you space to maneuver if they make it in. a good hiding spot has supply spawns in it or near it. granted, a few spawns won't be enough for you to supply your entire team, but it will keep you going for longer between supply runs. i could (and someone probably should) write an entire post on camping spots alone, but this paragraph covers the main bases.
- have a backup plan. this is a crucial part of survival that hardly anyone ever uses. most of the time, if the survivor's camping spot gets overrun, it's game over. usually at least half of the team dies in the onslaught. the rest panic (both emotionally and gameplay-wise) and run away, often getting themselves caught in the chokepoint exit that was supposed to be their defense, and more die. occasionally some will make it out alive, but these individuals are usually disorganized, low on health and ammo, vastly outnumbered, and instead of working as a team they are trying to survive on their own. they usually don't last long, unless they go lurker (http://www.zombiepanic.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7304), in which case they sit on their ??? for several minutes and then die anyway. instead, you need a fallbackpoint that is close to your camping spot and relatively defenseable. actually, you need at least two fallback points, in case you can't get to one. make sure that you and your team discuss this, that everyone knows where it is, and everyone knows what to do if things get too hot. as well, don't wait for half your team to die before you fall back - by that point, the zombies have taken over and you've lost control. if a large number of zombies make it through all at once (in my opinion, if more than half the number of your team), then you need to go ahead and give the fallback order - and not everyone can be the first out. you need to decide beforehand who's going to pull out immediately and who's going to guard the rear. that way, your force is still strong even as you retreat, while the zombies have to spread themselves out chasing you. by the time you make it back to the fallback point, you'll have thinned out the zombie ranks, and then you'll be in a position to make another stand.
Attack
the part we all love.
- aim. this may sound dumb, but i'm surprised at how many people seem to spray and pray when it comes to shooting zombies. the zombies are tough - it takes 3 shotgun blasts, 3 magnum bullets, about half of a rifle clip, and an entire pistol clip (2 clips for the ppk) to bring one down. so every shot counts. for now, headshots do not do more damage so until the patch, aim for the body so you have less chance of missing.
- control your fire. unless a zombie is closing in and you have to take him down now, shoot in controlled bursts. not slow, controlled. while this mainly applies to rifles, if many people are trained on a single zombie you can still use up many more rounds of pistol and shotgun ammo than you need to trying to kill a zombie.
- manage your weight. you do not need more than one primary weapon - an AK and a Remmy is waste of your time. i would even reccomend only one backup weapon (pistol or melee. even if you run out of primary ammo and pistol ammo, by that time you can find a melee weapon as a last resort.) it'll slow you down, and it won't kill the zombies any faster - you can only use one weapon at a time. if you happen to have two weapons, and one is lower in ammo, drop it. i don't care if your grandfather gave it to you on his deathbead, you'll be joining him if you don't drop it (preferably give it to someone who can use it, or drop in a safe place where you can get back to it, but do not get caugh
- don't waste ammo. if the zombie is too far away, don't use the shotguns. and if he's dodging in between cover, wait for him to come out in the open to gun him down (unless he's getting too close, then you have to do whatever you can to kill him). and if you see him peeking out from beind cover, he's trying to get you to shoot him and waste ammo. don't. sooner or later he'll get bored and try to make an attack, or some more zombies will arrive and they'll try a rush. you know what? better yet (if you can do it without getting killed) get a buddy or two to go with you down there to flank him and take him out.
- be extremely careful in melee.