How to Play Project Zomboid – Beginners Guide

Project Zomboid is one of the most challenging survival games out there. The learning curve is steep, but this guide will walk you through the essential steps to survive your first days. Follow these steps to become a zombie-killing machine.

Step 1: Complete the Tutorial

When you launch Project Zomboid for the first time, always start with the tutorial. It covers basic mechanics like movement, combat, and survival essentials. Pay close attention to these lessons as they will set the foundation for your survival.

Step 2: Starting Your World

Choose Custom Sandbox when creating a new game. This allows you to modify settings for a personalized experience. Select Rosewood as your starting location because:

• Zombie population is relatively low.
• The police station has firearms.
• The fire department offers melee weapons.
• The school has backpacks for storage.

Key Sandbox Settings

• Time Settings: Set the start time to 5 AM to take advantage of the Life and Living TV shows that provide free XP.
• Zombie Population: Lower it if you are playing on a weaker PC to avoid performance issues.
• Blood and Corpse Removal: Adjust these settings for a smoother experience.

Step 3: Building Your Character

Your character’s build affects your survival. Burglar is the best starting occupation because it offers:

• Medium fitness
• Stealth advantages
• Ability to hotwire vehicles

Since Burglar costs six points, you need to balance it with negative traits. Recommended negative traits:

• High Thirst: Easy to manage since water is plentiful early on.
• Slow Reader: You can speed up time while reading.
• Weak Stomach: Avoid rotten food and you will be fine.
• Prone to Illness: Counteract with the Outdoorsman trait.
• Smoker: Cigarettes are abundant and reduce stress.
• Underweight: Eating frequently helps regain weight quickly.

Positive Traits

• Strong/Fit: Improves melee damage and stamina.
• Handy: Helps build stronger bases.
• Amateur Mechanic: Ideal for vehicle repairs.

Step 4: First Steps in the Game

Upon spawning, follow these steps:

• Secure your house: Close curtains to block zombies from seeing inside.
• Turn on Life and Living TV: Free XP starts at 6 AM.
• Search for supplies: Look for food, weapons, and books.
• Find a water container: Use bottles, pots, or even a bleach bottle (after emptying the bleach).
• Arm yourself: A frying pan, guitar, or kitchen knife is better than fighting bare-handed.
• Collect bandages: Rip up socks or curtains to make emergency bandages.

Step 5: Essential Early Game Tips

Avoid Fatal Mistakes

1. Remove broken glass before climbing through windows.
2. Avoid sprinting unless necessary. It drains stamina and attracts zombies.
3. Enable Aim Outline in settings to better understand melee attack range.
4. Level up carpentry early by dismantling furniture.
5. Leave your car running to make a quick escape if overwhelmed.
6. Manage negative moodles to maintain combat efficiency.
7. Avoid guns early on. They are loud, and ammo is limited.
8. Use shotguns if necessary. Low-level characters have poor aim with rifles.
9. Check the Project Zomboid map online for loot locations.
10. Avoid hitting zombies with your car. It damages vehicle parts.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you will increase your survival chances significantly. In the next installment, we will cover combat strategies and how to survive your first weeks in Project Zomboid. Stay safe and keep slaying!

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