DayZ (aka the coolest zombie game you've never heard of)

[Soapy]

That's pronounced "day-z", by the way, not "daze". Or I guess "day zed" if you're British? Maybe? I don't know.

Anyway, DayZ is mod currently in development for Arma II (though due to its popularity the devs have said it may become a full standalone game). It's an open world multiplayer post-apocalyptic zombie survival simulation. Each server can support up to around 50 players. The world in the game is huge. The game features permanent death, meaning once your current character is dead, they stay dead. There is some persistence to the game in that you can take your gear from one server to another.

I'm going to shut up about the game now since I've never actually played it and if I say anymore I run the risk of totally misrepresenting the game. I suppose I'll let DayZ speak for itself.

These first two videos chronicle a small group doing their best to survive. Think of it as half an episode of The Walking Dead or something. Also, the mod is still in early alpha so you'll have to excuse any jank you see.

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

This video is an installation guide for anyone super interested.

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

As a bonus, a fourth video featuring Arnold Schwarzenneger playing DayZ.

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

[Lone]

Third-person view available? Oh God YES!

That last video makes me sad because Arnie was attached to star in "I AM LEGEND" at one point if I remember correctly.

[Master Chief]

I'm really tempted to drop $30 on ARMA II: Combined Ops for this even though the summer sale is right around the corner... I know it's still going through really tough times with updates and whatnot but I want to play it.

[Master Chief]

I played a bit of it. Got spawned on the beach with a bunch of zombies in front of me coz it was a populated server hahah. Caught the attention of one and started zigzagging through a field while losing blood as others started chasing me... I think I saw another survivor lying prone in a bush, but anyway, I ran out onto the road and eventually lost them by running up a hill.

Then I spent 10 minutes trying to figure out how to bandage myself. Got it done, but now the screen was all gray and blurry coz I lost too much blood... found a barn, got a double barrel shotty and a rifle, a pop can, tons of ammo off someone who died in there... then got overrun by zombies and died as I tried to leave coz I couldn't see s**t without a blood transfusion and passed out in the middle of the field.

It's pretty cool but I think I'll get more play time out of the base game hahah.

[Majik1387]

I saw some playthrough test footage a year or so ago with it using music by Goblin from the Romero movies. Creeped me out.

[Nathan]

DayZ is Officially Being Turned Into a Standalone Game

It's been discussed before, but now it's official: smash hit zombie survival mod DayZ is being turned into its own game.

Dean Hall, the mod's creator, will be overseeing the game as project lead, and it'll be published by Dean's co-workers (and ArmA creators) Bohemia Interactive.

Hall says the game will "follow the Minecraft development model", which basically means "fast iterations with the community alpha available for a heavily discounted price."

Those already playing, don't worry: because development is taking place alongside support, "anyone who is playing the mod now will be able to continue to do so".

Can't wait to see what happens with a game actually built around the idea, instead of trying to force the concept onto a military sim that couldn't quite handle it.

Source

[Nathan]

The Makers Of DayZ Want To Put It On Consoles

DayZ on your Xbox? Could happen soon.

Dean Hall, project lead on the popular zombie-survival title whose success transformed it from an Arma 2 mod into a full-fledged game, told Joystiq at Gamescom that he wants to bring it to consoles. And he's meeting with console-makers at the show.

"You're not going to put it on the consoles if you're only going to sell 100,000 units or something like that," Hall told Joystiq. "DayZ will be driven by its PC development and it will innovative on that. And, once we're at a point, we'll take it and do a Mac version, 360 and PS3."

DayZ already has over a million players.

Source

[Soapy]

It's cool that they're thinking about that, but I don't think the console crowd would embrace something like DayZ.

[Majik1387]

They embraced Skyrim, Fallout, and countless other overcomplicated rpg type of games, they'd definitely embrace DayZ.

[Soapy]

Originally Posted by Majik1387

Skyrim

overcomplicated

Not sure if serious.

[Nathan]

Day Z Stand-Alone Game Will Arrive Before The End of This Year

[Nathan]

Guy being chased by a crazy, threatening to cut his head off during a live stream.

[Nathan]

Delay Of Game: DayZ Standalone

DayZ has taken the PC gaming world by storm, as the mod for the military sim ArmA II has racked up users and imitators in equal measure. The mod is available and development is ongoing… but the standalone game has missed its 2012 release date.

So what's the holdup? Apparently, the DayZ team has decided to be much more ambitious in their designs.

According to lead developer Dean Hall:

"Put simply, DayZ Standalone isn’t here because we had the chance to go from making a game that was just the mod improved slightly, packaged simply, and sold – to actually redeveloping the engine and making the game the way we all dreamed it could be. This blew any initial plans we had dictated to pieces."

DayZ has seen some major changes in development. First of all, you'll be able to scavenge parts of items, as well as the items themselves. This won't make the game any easier, as it means now weapons can break or clothing you find can be infested with disease.

Similarly, the game's graphics have been overhauled, with better textures and a more intuitive user interface.

A closed test of the game will be happening soon, and once they've squashed bugs in the architecture, they'll schedule a new release date.

Source

[Destructus86]

So glad this game got flamed into hell...
we don't need developers like that in the industry.

[Soapy]

Why?

[TheDreamMaster]

Originally Posted by Destructus86

So glad this game got flamed into hell...
we don't need developers like that in the industry.

Are you sure you aren't thinking about The War Z? The game that basically tried to rip off DayZ and rushed an unfinished product to market, with millions of bugs, but a completely working microtransaction system. You can read all about that controversy here:

http://kotaku.com/5969784/the-war-z-...we-know-so-far

[masterthehero]

I've seen this game played at gamespot.com Certainly looked interesting, but definitely needs to be a stand alone rather than a mod.

[goldgw]

That's right