DayZ

[Eric]

DayZ is a free modification of the commercial military game, ArmA II: Combined Operations (currently on sale for $25).  The zombie apocalypse has happened.

I've not tried the mod, but I've watched some videos and read up and am intrigued. It's a persistent world; meaning that the world is always active even if you're not online.  Scavenge, slay and survive.  Unlike most zombie shooters, the player should avoid the zeds -- like The Walking Dead, gunshots will very often alert other undead and possibly worse:  Other players. Oh, and when your character dies, he is permanently dead.  There is no respawning with all your equipment.  It sounds like you even have to start on a new server.

Meeting other players is like the tavern scene in last season's TWD.  Are they friends or foes?  Will they kill you just to get your bandages, if not to see what else you have?  Do they have the Bandit clothing (the game's indicator of people who kill other players) because they are crooks? Or because they killed in self-defense?

Find food.  Find bandages.  Find shelter from the rain.  Avoid zombies and players who aren't friends.  It's all necessary.

As I wrote, I haven't actually tried the game.  I'm not sure I want to spend $25-30 just to find out (though ArmA II is supposed to be good) if I can live past the website's claims of a 38-minute average lifespan.   But color me intrigued.

DayZ is in alpha in development, so at this point there will be bugs.

DayZ - The Survivors

One player's 40-minutes of gameplay, including his finding a ghille suit and how much he's afraid of dying and thus losing something cool: 

◀ArmA 2: DayZ - Clothes Make the Man, Ep 13

[Eric]

While it sounds very interesting, the same guy who did the second video above had previously made this one.  It pretty much highlights the issues of it being in a buggy alpha stage.  It also shows just how dark the night time is, how people cheat to make it brighter (adjust the in-game gamma) and how bad player vs player killing is.

I'd probably get just as frustrated as he is.  Realism in a scenario like this is interesting, but as he says: There's no way to simulate life. 

◀ArmA 2: DayZ - Night TerrorZ, Ep 12

[Spooky]

Sounds cool, but don't want to spend $25 to try it out just yet.

[AdmiralDigby]

I watched the daylight video - pretty cool

[Spooky]

The more I think about it I like the idea of a persistent world. I may have to check this out.

[AdmiralDigby]

The more I think about it I like the idea of a persistent world. I may have to check this out.

To be honest , I simply fear getting too involved in a computer game

[Spooky]

The more I think about it I like the idea of a persistent world. I may have to check this out.

To be honest , I simply fear getting too involved in a computer game

You can spend a lot of time playing them. I know I do. When I was younger I would have weekends that I would play for 20+ hours. Now I try to limit my self to 2 hours max at any given day. It's probably still more time than I should be spending.

[Eric]

The more I think about it I like the idea of a persistent world. I may have to check this out.

To be honest , I simply fear getting too involved in a computer game

You can spend a lot of time playing them. I know I do. When I was younger I would have weekends that I would play for 20+ hours. Now I try to limit my self to 2 hours max at any given day. It's probably still more time than I should be spending.

I don't see it as being too different from watching most TV.  Being unproductive is being unproductive?

[Spooky]

The more I think about it I like the idea of a persistent world. I may have to check this out.

To be honest , I simply fear getting too involved in a computer game

You can spend a lot of time playing them. I know I do. When I was younger I would have weekends that I would play for 20+ hours. Now I try to limit my self to 2 hours max at any given day. It's probably still more time than I should be spending.

I don't see it as being too different from watching most TV.  Being unproductive is being unproductive?

True and the entertainment value can be better playing a game. I also find tat my imagination is more engaged playing a game and my sense of accomplishment is much more than watching TV. Even if that accomplishment is virtual. 

[AdmiralDigby]

The more I think about it I like the idea of a persistent world. I may have to check this out.

To be honest , I simply fear getting too involved in a computer game

You can spend a lot of time playing them. I know I do. When I was younger I would have weekends that I would play for 20+ hours. Now I try to limit my self to 2 hours max at any given day. It's probably still more time than I should be spending.

I don't see it as being too different from watching most TV.  Being unproductive is being unproductive?

Drinking beer is very productive !