It’s tough in DayZ, with many characters dying when even one item from the loot list might have saved them. The official Twitter account set off an amusing yet oddly philosophical debate when they asked players, “What is one piece of loot you always have to pick up?” And the answers were just great-they ranged from crucial survival items to… a Pristine Kiwi.
CrossGraves were the first to give out the most absurd answer: “A Pristine Kiwi,” with no further explanation given. Perfectly ripe! Then came that alarm clock from another dimension, courtesy of simon vollum (sivo444); the chilling thought being that if such an alarm clock did ring in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, it would be an obnoxious beep forever.
Convinced, some insistent respondents would not let go of the important, essential gear: Hunter (iHunterGaming) considered: 1-Knife – for zombies, fire making, food. 2-Cooking pot- for water, cooking, etc. 3-Sharpening stone- without this, #1 will be useless… Or, Tr41d0r (Tr41dorArg), would rather have chosen rangefinder or binoculars because spotting threats before they can spot you is somewhat crucial in a game where death comes fast.
Some fashion-conscious punters considered the state of their wardrobe. Fritzy (Fr2tzy_) insisted black jeans needed to be had at all costs, and Mr.Beach (Mykee36) followed up on the sunglasses obsession, both in-game and in real life. In real life, I have close to 100 pairs of sunglasses. (I know I need an intervention). So in-game I’m always looking for that first pair of sunglasses. And if in DayZ you ever find a dead survivor with more than one pair of sunglasses. Yep, that was me.
Then some answers were just a little too much to handle. Blapman_NS (Blapman_LoLS) insisted that An ultra-polymer threaded, kevlar-lined, triple ballistic woven flat cap saved him from scratches at the hands of bandits, bears, and wolves alike. Allen R (ARWeaponsArt), while somewhat uncertain of its functionalities, opted for The Pink Teddy bear. And inside it shall carry my drink and maybe a food item.
There must be layers of existential dread in any conversation on survival. Aaron (Squirtchy) said it well, The will to live — Because really, that’s what DayZ tests you with daily.
Of course, the troublemakers had to put their own spin on it. PDQ114 (Andres_PDQ) looting and killing just for the m4 rail handguard, with The Architect. (TheMarcitect) using the time to throw shade onChinese hackers on official server NA 3814instead of answering the bloody question. Classic DayZ drama.
That thread also offered some great fuel for discussion. Some debated the usefulness of the compass (I still haven’t figured out how to orient with clouds Miser admitted), while others defended their junk piling habits (It makes things so much harder when you’re a hoarder Westy lamented”).
But if anything, the replies cemented one thing: DayZ players are a special breed. Whether planning their survival kit with the utmost care or just running wild gathering alarm clocks and teddy bears, everyone has their own style of surviving or at least dying.
Now, what about you? What is your ultimate must-have item in DayZ? Knife? Cooking pot? Or… Pristine Kiwi? Whatever it is, just make sure you never lose that will to live in the meantime.
