Most DayZ deaths come from being noticed first. Avoiding attention is a skill in its own right, and it beats better gear: the fight you never get into is the one you always win.
Control what gives you away
- Noise — sprinting, gunfire and breaking into things are loud and draw infected and players. Walk and crouch near towns.
- Light — flashlights, chemlights, fires and even your screen glow at night are beacons. Go dark when others may be near. See looting.
- Skylining — never stand on a ridge, roof or open road with sky or light behind you; you become a clear silhouette.
- Cover vs concealment — cover stops bullets (walls, rocks); concealment just hides you (bushes, trees). Know which you are behind.
- Stance — crouch and prone lower your profile and your noise; use them to cross open ground.
Move like a ghost
Hug tree lines, use terrain and buildings to break line of sight, and stop often to listen. Plan routes that avoid hotspots and open fields. If you must cross open ground, do it low, fast and only after watching for a while.
