Project Zomboid And Preparing For The Long Term! Project Zomboid Tips For Long Survival Times!

[@MrAtomicDuck]

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[@Isleepalot_sorry]

What's that sick intro song?

[@anthonyzullo]

It's so funny you said "find a freezer with "ICE" written on it at gas stations." We have those at every gas station here in thr states. It's the same company also which is kinda dope as they are thr main market. But, I forgot why my buddy, who's a regional manager for a gas station chain, told us they do it. It's pretty practical. Maybe like they don't want you carrying it condensation dripping sound the tile floor risking fall lawsuits. But yeah. You go to the register and tell them "a 10lb/20lb" bag of ice and someone will go with you outside and unlock the freezer for you. It's probably to much of a hassle or to much of an energy drainer for like the general public to have, but yes, they are pretty large as freezers. But really, every restaurant in the game should have walk-ins and walk-in-DFs. As every spot that serves food or beer will always have both. As a sous it bothers me we don't have these in the game. Like, how do they NOT have that in a rest stop type area. I've been to Kentucky, they have massive reststops. Or maybe I havnt found one.

[@hakkefeke9236]

A little fact many PZ-players seem to not know about: If you have a composter... Place a single worm in it... Every time a rotten food item decays, one or two new worms appear in the composter... Worm Farm!! I have survived for almost a year by now, and with this method I got more than 800 worms... Sadly , there is not lake around, but these worms can be used as bait in the bird traps.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

This is a good one, I always end up generating worms from composters and using them as bait for stick traps.

[@oskaraggfelt6750]

Why upcycle the food when you can just eat the yummy gummy worm?

[@Rilagooma]

@@oskaraggfelt6750 Dinner is depression and worms, tonight and every night!

[@nehpets216]

Thank you!

[@hakkefeke9236]

@@nehpets216 You`re welcome!

[@flavinho91]

Prepare yourself for the long run, gather all these 50 or so items and you'll be ok. Then you get bit once and goodbye long run.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

And thus the cycle continues.

[@magikmana]

I just died from eating rotten ham, why did I do that!?

[@thuglifebmgo1732]

New character : Am I a joke to you?

[@thuglifebmgo1732]

@@secretname2670 I don't get it. Irl, you eat raw eggs, nothing happens(except for the smell), but in PZ, u die.

[@RadishAcceptable]

My last one didn't even get bit. I didn't see a bush when I was walking through the forest and she got scratched when she had blood all over herself from clearing out a group of Zeds 🤣 Wound got infected, even using antibiotics, and she died after about two days of resting 😓

[@ceepert2153]

Important note to the generators, always keep their condition above 50% Once its under that value there is a chance for it to catch fire and burn your base down

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Yep!

[@redfield7389]

That's explains my randomly burnt down mall base...

[@edwardsanchez3708]

@@redfield7389 lmfao!!!

[@stevegilly2748]

Great tip

[@EnycmaPie]

As of Build 41.53, the condition where generators explode is at 20% or below.

[@antoinelachapelle3405]

I remember the first time I was ready for the long term. I had planted seeds, barricaded a whole farmstead, started putting up an outer wall around the property, I had a relatively safe forest for wood and foraging, a good truck with gas and mechanic tools, plenty of food, a well. *And then I ate mushrooms* Got nauseous and never recovered, I died puking in my bedroom even though I hadn't seen a Zombie in days

[@_Waschbaer]

Yeah, happened to me as well, but much earlier. I think to safely deal with mushrooms you either need the herbalist perk or find that book about herbs first. Then it shows if they are edible or poisonous.

[@quartino_]

If you're already foraging, make sure you pick up lemongrass. It can save you from poisonous food, as it removes the sick condition. I think it can take some time to work, whoever, so having it ahead of time is preferable. :)

[@kevinkorenke3569]

Never trust a plant that does not require sunlight.

[@JunohProductions]

It sounds like you set up a decent base for your next character.

[@TheMasterZirrma]

@@JunohProductions once i die i delete the whole save 😂 i hate to think i have multiple lifes

[@frankkoenen7043]

The Project Zomboid life cycle (provided you don’t die): Days 0-4: almost die 15 times setting up your base. Get a car and nail up your base with planks. Find food etc. Days 5-10: loot the surrounding town and clear zombies in the area. Looting mostly non food items like books. Probably build a double gate in front of your base so you’re walled in. Week 1-3: find generator magazine, collect office water bubblers, get an ice freezer. Finish clearing out the surrounding town and go on some road trips and nearly die for hard to find items. Start farming and trapping. Month 1-2: wake up and check your traps, harvest your crops and plant new ones, read comic books and watch VHS to keep from getting depressed. Fill your ice cooler with enough rabbits and potatoes for 2 winters. Haven’t more than 10 zombies at a time in your town in the last month or been in any real danger. Learn metalworking for no reason. Month 2+: Have the sudden realization that you’re now just playing the sims. Start a new save and never look back. All jokes aside I love this game

[@Twistingmp4]

Pretty accurate but I use a fridge & freezer connected to a generator than an ice cooler

[@thespaceman8231]

You could just start a new save... but why not have them die in glory? Go into the mall/school, start blasting, get all the zombies you can then die.

[@FarseerB1rdy]

That's what the weird feeling I had was. I knew it. It's the god damn Sims! Now I can't play this game ever again* *I will

[@Jakkaribik1]

Just Build the Whole time and have Suberb NPC and Expanded Choper Events that makes the Game more ALIVE and you can keep playing

[@NoahtheEpicGuy]

​@@Jakkaribik1 Better yet, get friends to be your NPCs! Note: this is not unhelpful if you have no friends (due to this awesome game being a better timesink anyway), as I never specified _your_ friends, nor the method to get said friends. The internet is your world, just like Knox County.

[@Goofygooberston]

I always plan so extensively for the long haul and end up dying in a stupid way like a car crash or an infected scratch

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Happens to the best of us!

[@lancejobs]

Once i had 3 fridge freezers in my base with power ahhh the lasting foods so great. then o cont overconfident xp but I was eating salads throughout not sure i was ever past glum like levels of mod. just add some salt or peppers vinegar[ as you never seem to find mason jars/ring tops, ironic in how common they are irl] Salad Salad Salads even fruit salads you can use 1 poisonous berry in each and have no risk. so yeah easy foraging life.

[@NvgFilms]

Just started playing in my spare time and I didnt realize how fast the cars actually go now. I used to only play the base version not 41

[@safewizard_3106]

Or the bathroom horde😭

[@lililudanyi6029]

I got killed from a broken window

[@LordGingerBerry]

TIP: Before foraging or fishing when in the wild, walk around and shout by pressing Q, this will attract any nearby zombies so you can dispatch them before they sneak up on you trying to get some food.

[@ryanconnolly1950]

This +1. Shout and wait 20 in game minutes or so. Anything that could get to ya probably has turned up by then

[@jevilz9858]

I don’t care if i get bit i use cheat menu to heal myself

[@ombaaa]

all fun and games until you get surrounded by 40 zombies from all directions

[@LordGingerBerry]

@@ombaaa I said "Walk around and shout by pressing Q" you cannot really be surrounded easily when you are on the move, you just create a conga line.

[@Hejjo_7]

Wait what I thought you pressed Q to take the antidote

[@cdeye7032]

It’s super cool that refrigerated food and working television appears in a zombie game. Most zombie games start well into the catastrophe or focus way more on the mid or late game so these things are irrelevant or don’t appear at all

[@truec0re193]

Thankfully this is a sandbox game, and you can decide to start your survival off really easy, with initial infection day 1, or already a year in with overgrowth and non fresh food

[@pooppoop5717]

This game is hard to play

[@DeuceGenius]

Ya that's great to start right as the shit is hitting the fan.

[@xxCrimsonSpiritxx]

@@pooppoop5717 exactly why we love it, you want casual? You have a plethora of triple A games out there, leave this one for us please

[@Conkussions]

@@xxCrimsonSpiritxx yes! The challenge makes it so fun and the realism of the game makes it so immersive!

[@skiruskronos2732]

I recommend starting fishing skill with a spear before you use a rod (you'll mostly lose your bait before catching) you only need a spear to fish (no bait) if you can build some walls around a fishing spot you can just fast forward time and easily catch fish, try hit level 2 before using a rod, its also better to catch fish at dawn and dusk while at low skill.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Definitely need to look into spear fishing, I've never tried!

[@TheRattYT]

Didn't even think about spearfishing, I finally have a use for more than killing for my 20+ spears

[@chrishubbard64]

@@TheRattYT Maaaaybe use a fresh spear for fishing. :p

[@mishagaming1075]

@@chrishubbard64 Don't worry, most of those spears are untouched, and any spears that they used to fight are probably destroyed, because it's very hard to mass produce spears with attached items, so those spears are probably regular crafted spears.

[@sjonnieplayfull5859]

​@@TheRattYTspears made with lvl 3+ carpentry have the highest durability for fishing, so if you have a few break quickly, those might be the older ones from lvl 1 or 0

[@ellieb.3499]

Important note: the storage room in the back of the post office in Riverside has TONS of skill books.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Nice!

[@redred3511]

There’s a book store in riverside as well in the down town

[@kevinscales]

The post office in West Point too. Made my base right above it before finding all the books. Next to a hardware store too.

[@TheRattYT]

@@kevinscales West Point ftw

[@senpaiyaa]

Good thing i spawned in muldraugh and got a map of riverside. Will be quiet a trip but i hope i can make it there. Thanks!

[@sylvananas7923]

A tip for generators, check the condition of your generator regularly because it will degrade when working, I once died because my generator exploded and set my house on fire lmao

[@lewisduncan5233]

did you post your death screenshot to the steam community section for zomboid?

[@sylvananas7923]

@@lewisduncan5233 Nope that wasn't me but I saw that post though haha

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Really good one. I learnt this after a few playthroughs too!

[@cronnoponno]

I believe the cutoff is 80% durability. If it goes below 80% durability there is a constant chance it will cause a fire. If you plan on going to another town for any reason, it might be a good idea to simply turn off your generator at your main base to stop it from burning your base down when you get back.

[@Look_Upon_The_Heart]

@@cronnoponno below 50% is when you should really worry. Unless you are the most unlucky Bastard in the world you won't see anything happen below 80

[@littlepotato2741]

Another great long term solution for cooking is the pot belly wood stove. There are few across the map and it allows you to have a fire inside without the risk of fire spreading, etc. You need a few levels in carpentry to pick it up. Can't remember exactly how many. Since wood and ripped sheets are endless, you will always have the resources to start a fire. One of my favorite techniques is to saw full logs on the same square in front of the wood stove. Excess weight will drop out of your inventory as you saw logs. I'd also make a good amount of sturdy sticks for fire starting and when I need less fuel than a full log. I've loaded up that square in front of the wood stove with hundreds and hundreds of weight units from planks and sturdy sticks. Then a supply of ripped sheets on the ground next to it or in a container along with a notched plank, etc for starting the fire. Also some houses and clubhouses (rifle club, etc) have "wall fireplaces" which act just the same. One time me and a buddy made the golf course our base and it has one of those wall fireplaces in the study. The golf course is amazing for a multiplayer base. Tons of room, you can really isolate the entrance to the second level to only one set of stairs with a sledge, and an almost fully enclosed backyard around the pool for a growing area, etc.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Good tip that I should have thought to cover!

[@Celikima]

Note that you can store your fire starting stuff INSIDE the fire pit. I don't like when things are in the ground XD

[@olemardy]

About the rain collector barrels. If you place them above your sink, and offset it by one tile, you get the option to connect it to your plumbing when right clicking your sink (It might require a wrench, but I don't remember). This also purifies the water for you, so you don't need to boil it. (Only did this in B40, so I am unsure if it applies to B41)

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Will have to try to replicate this in 41.

[@Naccarat]

It works in b41. It requires a wrench, and the sink has to have been placed by the player, it can't be an already existing sink. So you need some Metalworking as well to pick up sinks.

[@TheRattYT]

It works in 41 too, but I don't know if it auto-purifies anymore. And yes, you need a wrench.

[@ctdaniels7049]

@@TheRattYT You'd think rainwater would be pretty potable!

[@quartino_]

You need a pipe wrench, not just a regular wrench. :)

[@pavelZhd]

Regarding vehicle maintenance - if you uninstall and reinstall wheels, it increases their ground friction value, which in turn makes the car easier to steer and better at towing. So having a jack and a lug wrench is really good.

[@NeoCreo1]

Wheels are also an easy way to grind mechanics as well

[@joebeezy9471]

I wonder if this still works

[@pavelZhd]

@@joebeezy9471 there were no major updates between now and then. So no reason why it would not...

[@12345673260]

11:52 I prefer to save all propane tanks for metalworking and use a wood stove for cooking. 100% renewable but harder to acquire as there are only several locations on the map where you can find them.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Totally understandable!

[@ketch10]

i always find them randomly lol

[@12345673260]

@@ketch10 Yeah, that was changed in a recent patch, they can now be found in warehouse crates. Previously you had to find little shacks around the map that had them to then pick them up and carry them into your base.

[@doursen]

Wood stove being the antique oven??

[@dnsvls]

@@doursen yes.

[@ce4162]

Quick tip: If you can Hotwire a car and the power is still on. Get a bunch of vehicles take it to the gas station and fill it up. You could then park the car (make sure you turn the car off) and use it later to siphon gas out of. At least until you could power on the gas station with a generator.

[@PupLovely]

Water-coolers no longer weight 5, FYI... they now weight 30. Moving them is much, much more difficult and it is recommended that you bring a vehicle if you need to travel a long distance with them. Everything else about them is still true, though, and they are worth getting. (And before anyone asks: no, emptying them does not reduce their weight for some reason).

[@bionmccool]

Don't coolers become much lighter if you get the water out?

[@mrtrolly4184]

I'm pretty sure water coolers are lighter if you empty them out people 🤔.

[@pavelZhd]

I really have to disagree about propane barbecues. Charcoal ones are better, because they can be fueled with twigs and rags - both easily renewable resources (unlike propane). Also by adding just the right amount of fuel you can cook much safer, not risking your food to be burned or starting a fire. And the propane barbecues are invaluable source of propane tanks that can be used to refuel your propane torches.

[@Gorlami14]

Awesome tips and information! Never realized how much early game prep can set you up to be far more successful later down the road.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Hell yeah man. This game is all about looking forward so you're never a step behind.

[@funkijunki4975]

Actually survived up to thinking about a nice long term base, then i accidentally press q and now i have a new character.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

You hate to see it 😂

[@smoothkid765]

2:45 also very easy to pour bleach onto the ground and use the containers to stockpile water whilst it is still on. even after it's off if you're exploring a new neighborhood you can dump out bleach and scavenge a lot of water so long as the sink/toilet/tub has water in it still

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Had no idea you could use bleach bottles for this! I've always kept them for cleaning with a mop. Makes sense though!

[@franciscoarmisenflury4230]

Dont do it in reall life an you'll be fine

[@paulthulhu2679]

Paint cans do the same!

[@eduardotrillaud696]

@@franciscoarmisenflury4230 why not? You can actually do it. IRL rinse it first, but a small ammount of bleach remaining (like couple of drops per liter) will actually disinfect the water and do you no harm. I'm actually surprised that bleach can't be used in-game for disinfecting tainted water

[@viriditoralen1539]

Canned food is really good food, as long as you use the canned stuff as cooking ingredients for stews and soups, stirfries, rice and pasta foods etc and not eat them straight out the can. Also one single can of soup can be poured in a cooking pot, cooked in a fire source, and give you -40 hunger whire also reducing unhappiness.

[@skleem4871]

Clutch

[@Sharticus94]

Then add them to bowls for bonus to nutrition and unhappiness

[@lillyclarity9699]

Just so you know, screwdriver and Bobby pin to lockpick are from the lockpicking mod. I would be careful about that information because newbies are gonna think they can lockpick stuff in vanilla, and you cannot. There's no way to get past vanilla locks as far as I'm aware, apart from breaking down the door or using a sledge, or finally by disassembling the door.

[@BH-ro4ly]

Yea I was a bit confused about this. In the riverside police station theres a locked door that leads to the gun cabinet and if you kill some of the police zombies around the area there is a chance of finding the key on one. Just one example of where u might find thr key.

[@lillyclarity9699]

@@BH-ro4ly yes, zombies near any locked door and/or locked vehicle have a low chance to drop the key for said lock. They can also spawn just on the ground, so pixel hunting is absolutely on the menu if you're lookin for keys. Finally I believe cars parked at houses can have their keys spawn inside containers in the house. (Or on the ground, or on zombies, etc)

[@sjonnieplayfull5859]

Still, you can disassemble doors to enter. Regular doors at least

[@macmartin86]

This game is insane, there are so many meticulously small details with items and things that happen to you, that you have to keep in mind, it's absolutely incredible, I love that!

[@Faramous]

As a new player I’m finding your videos very helpful. Direct and free of gimmicks, straight to delivering information. Thanks.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Glad I can help! Good luck out there :)

[@juhaniheinonen6132]

Someone forgot to mention doing an automated water filter. In case you are reading this and don't know. You can link a water storage to a sink a floor below it (offset by a tile). It can be hard to get to work but once you understand how to do it, it's the best way to get fresh water.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Being honest, I had no idea this was a thing! Will have to experiment with that myself.

[@Magistross1]

For posterity, the offset is not required anymore since version 41.53

[@t395delta]

you can also get water down 2 floors using a bath A bath acts like a water collector, plumb it in on the first floor and you can then plumb a sink, or another bath, on the ground floor. Great for bigger bases.

[@daleyfun2247]

As a nomadic player my best friend is a saucepan. Full it holds 24 units of water and only weighs 2. I don't even carry bottles because with the pan I can boil the water as well.

[@FacePunchSammich]

Pro tip: while power is still on use the washer and dryer to clean your clothes. I usually come back from a run and drop all my filled bags in my base then clean my clothes while I’m sorting.

[@TheRattYT]

Warning: They are loud as hell, I had to leave the place without my clothes because I attracted all the nearby zombies with the noise. Mind you, this was at a laundromat.

[@Arvaar]

I have been without electricity for so long that I didn't know this was possible

[@TheCottonCandy707]

Can't you just wash at a sink?

[@FacePunchSammich]

@@TheCottonCandy707 Yes but you can’t do other things while washing at the sink because you’re locked in animation.

[@FacePunchSammich]

@@TheCottonCandy707 After power goes out you can still run the washers/dryers with a generator. The washing machine won’t have water though. You fix that by going outside and building a rain collector above it, go back inside, right click the washer, and there should be an option to plumb it. Edit: ohh and you need a wrench to do plumbing.

[@MizterMoonshine]

You don't even need rain collectors. Just collect cooking pots (the ones that hold 3 units of water) and leave them outside. 5 or 6 of them and you're set.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

This is what I tend to do up until I can replace them with rain collectors! Usually I fill all the pots I have with clean water before the water cuts out, makes things so much easier.

[@synsol1008]

Higher cooking gets you more nutrition, but it also helps with food moodles, like u can turn stale fruit and veggies into fresh salads, or turn stale meats into happy meals

[@joesgetndown]

You can repair generators with scrap metal? Interesting, I'll have to give it a try. I've always used scrap electronics myself.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Indeed!

[@Myrth1]

One thing to add, since you covered freezers. Containers. This doesn't seem big or important early on, but eventually you realise you don't actually have crates and shelves to KEEP your essential stuff. And when looking for containers, you not only needs ones that contain the most weight possible, but also those that can be ease-to-eyeball and tell apart on first glance (so as tempting they might be, stocking a room full of identical crates as storage is in reality a horrible idea). Beige Wall Shop Shelves and Zippie Wall Shelves are some of the most underrated containers in the game, since unlike most of them, they are lightweight by themselves AND store 50 units, while you can cram a container on the ground below them (other wall shelves vary between 10 to 30 units) and unlike wall-hanging cupboards, they don't cover large section of the wall, so the room is easier to "read"

[@digitaal_boog]

For me, I build up a stockpile of guns, seeds, ammo, food etc, in a city or suburb, and spend some time searching for a good place that’s more rural to then transfer my stuff to. A well makes it great. Build walls, expand buildings if I need to, plant seeds and basically make a farming compound

[@Itrali]

you can also stay somewhere generally near the edge of a town and build a log fence around you backyard and farm there. it takes a lot of work but its doable and its more fun than just going to the middle of nowhere since there's kind of nothing to do out there

[@moistman6302]

Hey hey dont forget you can also hook up rain catchers to sinks to automatically purify the water when drank and collected from the sink

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Good tip!

[@Vinzaf]

Wait what? How?

[@bloodyepicmuffintop]

@@Vinzaf place the rain catcher one floor above your sink, then use a pipe wrench to plumb them together

[@radioactiverat8751]

Had no idea it was so in depth. I might be underestimating the winter. I mean I figured it'd be tough, and mostly spent in doors. But now I'm nervous.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Winter can be rough, definitely wrap up warm!

[@pato4063]

Prep to avoide the harrowing experiences in Raven Creek

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Nighty could benefit from this one

[@nighty3080]

@@MrAtomicDuck Preform fellatio upon my appendage sir

[@von...]

@@nighty3080 lmfaooo

[@chrisleech1]

You can plumb sinks into rain catcher, which magically make the water safe to drink. Much better solution then boiling the water like you suggest

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Always a good way to go!

[@driiifter]

There's a house with a well outside up the street from that fire station you're farming on. Raven Creek has all types of sick, pre-made bases. The 2 story beach villa with 2 story access only is nice also.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Raven Creek has been a fantastic map to explore. The survivor stronghold in the city with the gates, generators, compost boxes, super cool to see. Can't wait to see it in multiplayer.

[@thuglifebmgo1732]

I usually use military bases and the gas station you start in Raven Creek as a main base. It's easy to defend and has availability of guns

[@eldritchsun40]

Pick locks with a bobby pin? I've been playing for 120 hours and haven't come across a single bobby pin

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Try the mod "Better lockpicking"

[@jackthisout9480]

Many canned items can be used in cooking, giving a lot more hunger and thirst saturation than just eating from the can. Also help to decrease boredom and unhappiness. Messed around with it during a 2 days blizzard; you get bored.

[@elitenoob1]

2:36 you can put rain collectors exactly above your sink,bathtub or toilet and then go down and plumb the pipes with a wrench and youre good to go with drinking water without boiling iy

[@r3vak216]

Thank you for this Duck! Some really great tips and tricks to get set up in the long game... maybe one day I'll get there :D

[@MrAtomicDuck]

My pleasure sir. Good luck!

[@ricoswagger7076]

There are also small blue containers of water scattered throughout camps usually npc camps as theirs source found in bases whom didnt survive even if they had a perfectly defendable bases.

[@sgtjohnson49]

Great guide, still haven't made it to week 2, the hordes get to be so massive no matter what I do and I have yet to have a car and a gasoline tank at the same time so that I can molotov hordes.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

I feel you, but remember you don't necessarily have to kill the hordes! I was able to access plenty of military spawns simply by luring them away with a vehicle. Even if it doesn't attract all of them, a couple of repeats and you'll find the numbers a lot more manageable.

[@sgtjohnson49]

@@MrAtomicDuck the best advice I've gotten so far is "You can't kill all of them. Learn to live with them." I'm still learning this :) thanks for the tip I'll try that

[@megc9289]

If you don't have a water collector, place a water crate or barrel inside so it can't be contaminated by rain and then pour all your clean water into it. They can hold more than water dispensers anyway.

[@joebath2045]

New channel on the rise with great, well edited content! I wish you all the best.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Thanks! Very much appreciated.

[@paulthulhu2679]

You, my friend, are my go-to for good advice.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Glad I can help :)

[@KyubiHitashi]

Find a proper well for farming? hah!, i usually use the river i settled near when playing at riverside, combine with some wood remains on a manual stove and you're kinda set for cooking,boiling and preparations, nice video! always keeping players informed and more prepared for long term survivals on PZ

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Yeah, I totally forgot to mention rivers on this one! Really good way to keep farms going, but I do feel like rain collectors make things 10x more accessible.

[@alexhall4812]

Fun fact with the rain collector barrels: Imagine a sink as the center of a 3x3 square. If you place rain collector barrels anywhere in that imaginary 3x3 square, with a regular wrench and a monkey wrench, you can right click your sink, and "plumb ___ sink" What this does is allow you to use your sinks like they're working sinks, the best part though is the tainted rain water in the barrel is automatically cleaned as it goes through the pipes. It's super handy!

[@ChaosDesigned]

So the sinks have to be placed somewhere near where rain can be collected tho? Or can I place it on the roof, above the sink and connect it that way?

[@alexhall4812]

@@ChaosDesigned has to be near the barrels. imagine a minecraft crafting table with the sink in the middle, the rain collector barrels can go anywhere around the sink in that 3x3 square.

[@joshg5352]

Brita filter in the 90's pog

[@coldhaven1233]

I'd love to see a guide for continuing in the same world after a character death. For some reason, your new character spawns in after a great amount of time has already passed (in some cases months) and yet has built no skills. There's no TV to watch like the first 9 days so you're already at a major disadvantage. I wish the devs would account for this on character generation. I could see them taking away some skill levels but then allowing you to redistribute the remainder to the new character to account for time that has already passed in the world. It would be challenging, but not grueling. Unless there is a better way that I'm not seeing. Currently, when starting a new character in the same world, I will just binge read and exercise to try and make up for lost time. I don't really feel like we should be made to go through all that again.

[@whatisahandle_69]

You could watch a video on a late start. 1 year in or something. Might help.

[@MorphingReality]

a bit late but I think the idea is that you can build up a base and stockpile books etc.. with one character, then spawn a new character in the same town or close by, go to the base and have a better head start than the early tv.

[@moodist1er]

That's not a survival game, it's a glamping simulator.

[@plmokm33]

One thing to note regarding the rain collector: if you set up plumbing to have the water from it drain to a sink that's a floor below it, the water will be automatically filtered. Free working sinks from a rooftop water supply!

[@scipio4889]

12:10 here's a helpful tip. digging a grave to bury bodies only holds 5 corpses so what you could do is build a campfire and stack corpses on top of it to incinerate them this allows you to do large amounts of body removal with little to no effort and is much safer then stacking them up and tossing a Molotov on them

[@gameser6052]

You can just throw corpses in the trash can :>

[@gameser6052]

DELETE LOOT, INFINITY POWER!

[@Arvaar]

Why bother, I just trow them away from my house near the river

[@tarryncooper4742]

One that thing I didn't realize I would want / need so much of now that it is the dead of winter: salt. You need salt to make a lot of baked goods, like breads and pie batters. I've been trying to figure it out but I think burgers are the perfect food in that game. Lean meat like rabbit, cabbage as lettuce, condiments don't go bad (outside of mayonnaise), and you can put any random number of things into it that you have lying around, like mushrooms or something. Stuff I have in my freezers. But you need salt to make a lot of bread things. I was a FOOL, an absolute RUBE, and used my salt in stir-frys and roasts.

[@kevinscales]

damn...time to find more salt

[@Arvaar]

Oh, I have used the last salt at my crates to make a stew :c

[@UCUCUC27]

fun fact about game animals rabbits in particular when you butcher them you lose some protein so if you want to eat rabbit just for protein gain then consider cooking and eating it whole

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Never knew that! You learn something new everyday :D

[@styxriverr5237]

Fun fact the composter holds 50kg Zomboid are 20kg. :)

[@operatornaut8534]

South of the louisville Military checkpoint, there is a food market/house combo like building boarded up. This place is filled with prepping gear and is already fortified. Its also attached to two gas pumps just outside of it. To the left of it, on the same property is also a ABC store (so alcohols like beer, wine, etc)

[@soggybeer9169]

Preparing in the long term is important, but if you are an extremely new player. Just play the game and get used to surviving and attempt to solve the problems yourself first. It's more fun this way, and will keep you invested into the game.

[@ZonTall]

I never knew about the blood giving you infections that will help me for sure.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Glad I could help :)

[@ryanclerk9731]

Didnt even know you get sick from blood and bodies, i was chilling in a house for a while covered in blood with bodies everywhere wondering why i was sick lmao

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Haha! Yeah, can often be a big factor if you let it build up.

[@edwardsanchez3708]

Lmfao!!!

[@RyanJosepher]

8:15, watch your back... hm, I better make a dock instead so I can fish facing inland.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

You're out here playing chess while I'm playing checkers.

[@glitterglueblood]

i heard that if you place a sink, build a roof over it, and place a rainbarrel above it +/- 1 tile - you can connect the rainbarrel to the sink and have purified water!

[@bushiido8494]

If you place your water collectors within one space above a sink, the sink will automatically filter the water for you. You can place them by building a platform on the outside and then having 3 a long the wall.

[@mcsizzles4350]

side not on essential tools, add a screwdriver incredibly useful for getting electrics up quick with dismantling watches but also to take door steel doors.

[@badwolf2342]

You can place a rain collector above a sink, and it will drain down into the sink and automatically filter the water for you

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Yep, always a good one!

[@realitylime4896]

Me: this video about the long game looks interesting and helpful. Also me: longest run is 5 days. 👍🏻😂

[@meatball6401]

Recognizing the moments from stream is the best XD keep up the good content duck

[@MrAtomicDuck]

My man. Thanks!

[@philiprodver2521]

The most important skill is..mechanics. Just move around the map and u can find as much food and water as you need. For my first 400hrs in PZ i build a base with fence, farming, etc. Then i live in buildings just crashing the stairs (elevator mod is a cheat!). For now i can live in whenever i want to, no need for base. Siren zombies away, put some trash containers on streets and live in wich town u like.

[@XoXSeba]

I'm with a character with a slow reader, he's a fast learner, my first days are basically reading as much as possible of the book of the next life and living program, watch the show and in the few hours that are left try to sleep, prepare things like a generator, food stock, and tidy the base, I feel like I'm on a speed run

[@brickbam3072]

For easy purified water, make stair to a roof, place a rain collector above a sink or bathtub, and use a pipe wrench to connect the pipes, the water will be purified and be transported to lower floors

[@guysome3263]

Well chosen background music. That piece is such a mood.

[@Stilldontknow-tm5db]

you dont need to purify water ever if you connect your rain colectors to a sink, just get a sink place it below the rain colector and right click on the sink to connect it (you need a pipe wrench)

[@Theak47forall]

Top Tip: When looting pause the game to save time, find a position where you can browse everything in vicinity, pause and choose what to loot, unpause an voila.

[@joban4963]

I generally don't bother watering the crops, but watering cans fill automatically when left on the ground

[@SaintInix]

Good stuff Duck, Appreciate the content.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Thank you sir!

[@kickassv8]

I want to point out that you can read a skill book and watch the Life and Living channel and get the buffs from both at the same time. I sit in front of the TV, then start reading when a skill show comes on.

[@Tuck213]

Trapping tip! If your base is a farmhouse and you regularly head into town, place the traps en route to the city. Stash your bait in the glovebox and stop by your traps to gather the caught game.

[@friedmandesigns]

Sinks plumbed *indoors* to water barrels above them (diagonally -- ideally in a diamond pattern, with the sink below them in the middle) in build 41(xx) still purify water. The Indie Stone on TIS forum posts re: this have stated zero plans to remove this functionality. If you're not able to get a room you've built with a sink to register as "indoors" (e.g., you're not seeing a temperature change when standing in it, or the option to "Plumb Sink" while you've got a wrench in inventory) using a Sledgehammer's "Destroy" option, insure there aren't any 'invisible' posts in the corners of the room. Destroying these will usually get the game to realize it's "indoors." Keep up the great brain-food/content, MrAtomicDuck! Cheers.

[@TheCreeperking01]

this is my go to channel because I just started.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Welcome to PZ! :D

[@passbyicecube]

Funny enough, my biggest discovery from this video is knowing you can put generator in trunk from your equiped inventory. I never check on equiped slots, having trouble finding it from my inventory and genuinely thought it's a way the dev balance us from getting multiple generators. Silly me.

[@kevinscales]

You can also put them (and any furniture) in car seats even if the car seat capacity is lower than the item weight. So long as nothing else is already in the seat.

[@kphamcao]

This guide sounds like it could be used to survive zombie apocalypse in real life!

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Will take that as a compliment!

[@kphamcao]

@@MrAtomicDuck seriously though it sounds oddly realistic. I suppose it is a testament to how well thought-out this game is. Also very nice guide!

[@MrAtomicDuck]

For sure. It definitely takes a lot into account and gives you a lot of goals to seek out. Thank you!

[@goddimmus]

Ill throw a protip in here. Early on a locked door can be a pain. If youre watching TV each day it will increase your Carpentry. Use this combined with a Hammer and Screwdriver to take apart the door. You can disassemble plenty of doors but only at certain angles. Good luck.

[@savvygadgetz]

On the Fishing skill if you find Tree Branches and Chipped Stones while Foraging, with some Ripped sheets you can make a Spear. You can then use the Spear to do Spear Fishing. Once the Spear is in your inventory it becomes an option on the Fishing Dialog. I regularly demo this on my live streams.

[@SushiArmageddon]

Good feeling to watch this video and realize I've done all this and more in my 6 month run.

[@PostMahone]

Do freezers require power? Do you need to keep a generator on 24/7? Wont that attract zombies?

[@ihategoogleplus3790]

i always put generators in a back seat if i can no matter the size of the seat you can put one in just easy with a car saves space

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Nice!

[@dambrony810]

Looting veggies early on will allow you to have a food supply before the power runs out, also helps with levelling up your cooking early to offset the 'Underweight' negative trait. Making stew or soup with Rotten food negates the "Rotten" debuffs. And it also helps push you to gather the needed equipment for long term survival, minimizing the need to hunt for seeds till later.

[@jforozco12]

watching this video is aspirational for me, i havent managed to survive for more than 2 weeks lol

[@MrAtomicDuck]

It comes with time man, you got this!

[@DeuceGenius]

thats fantastic that the power and water shut off. never played this game before. going to give it a try.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Good luck! Its a challenging experience.

[@DeuceGenius]

@@MrAtomicDuck I love the concept. Couldn't get past the graphics years ago. It might be in depth enough to get used to it.

[@ncamon]

An empty bowl is used to make a 'berry' fruit salad, which can be made on the spot without a heat source. Just beware poisonous ones. Also, you can get to lvl 5 carpentry in the first week from just watching TV if you start with one point in carpentry and fast learner. No books were used when I did this, and my character didn't touch a hammer or saw either.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

My 6-month later runs have been teaching me the dangers of berry-eating 😂

[@Arvaar]

I have been 2 months disassembling furniture to get that level

[@terasgamer9097]

6 days in and the water's out. Just chillin' by a lake however.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Damn, tough luck, but seems like you're in a good spot!

[@alexh3464]

Ay man, thanks for these vids. I waited til full release before jumping back in (it's been a long but worth wait) and you've made my return so much easier

[@MrAtomicDuck]

My pleasure!

[@xhappybunnyx]

I also can't stress enough how useful it is to plant 2-3 crops per day at a central river-adjacent location. That way even if How to Use Generators is eluding you you can still munch fresh veggies daily without worrying about your stockpile rotting while you clear out more loot areas.

[@doxed64]

Generators have a chance to explode and burn down anything nearby when

[@St0pTheSteal]

For water it's much better to build your water collectors on the roof and a sink underneath, then plumb the sink with a pipe wrench. This purifies the water so you don't have to cook it and also makes filling containers more convenient. I always put my sink in my kitchen.

[@vellikaari3008]

Unfortunately the water dispensers are now 30kg a piece, but they are still incredibly valuable, and decently easy to port in a large vehicle

[@runikvarze6191]

If we're talking long-term, it pays to have at least two vehicles. One for latge scale hauking, and one for guerrilla scouting or targeted looting.and horde manipuoation. Using a vehicle to lure zombies away from your base will keep your structures standing. Additionally, if you decife to upgrade one of your cars by trading up, go back for the extra one and park it in front of your ground floor entrances. It will keep zombies out indefinitely.

[@andresgarciacastro1783]

8:00 You can fish with a spear, it's basicly why it's the best way to get food.

[@wt4629]

You don’t need a fishing rod to fish, b41 allows spear fishing too.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

True!

[@Arvaar]

But, the chance of catching a fish is lower But it's a cheap way to level up fishing skills BEFORE winter

[@raiyiar]

lots and lots of good stuff in there! def is going to give me a better chance of surviving the midgame

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Glad to hear it! Any questions, lemme know.