1. Survive the First Night

Find any building with doors — close them and crouch to stay silent. Craft a Makeshift Bandage (Cloth Scrap x2 + Alcohol x1) and a basic weapon immediately. Do not use firearms at night — the noise attracts every zeek in a 50m radius. Barricade one room and wait for daylight.

2. Base Location Strategy

Build near a water source and away from major roads. Elevated positions (hilltops, radio towers) give visibility and natural defense. Avoid cities entirely for your first base — too many zeeks, too few resources to justify the risk. A small farmhouse on the outskirts is ideal.

3. Best Early Weapons

The Crossbow is the best early-mid game weapon: silent, retrievable ammo, and one-shots most zeeks with headshots. The Makeshift Baseball Bat is your reliable backup for close encounters. Suppressed firearms only become viable in the mid-game when you have ammo stockpiles.

4. Scavenging Runs

Plan runs during daytime when zeeks are slower. Park your vehicle 100m from the target and clear the area on foot first. Always carry: 2 bandages, 1 food, 1 water, backup melee weapon, 1 Molotov for emergencies. Check containers, shelves, and behind doors — valuable loot hides in unexpected places.

5. Vehicle Basics

Vehicles need fuel, batteries, and occasional repairs. The Pickup Truck has the best storage-to-noise ratio for scavenging. The Motorcycle is fastest but has zero storage. Never drive directly to your base — park 300m away and walk the last stretch to avoid leading hordes home.

Quick Tips

• Always carry 2 bandages minimum — bleeding is the #1 early-game death cause
• Crouch-walk past sleeping zeeks during daytime to avoid detection
• Molotov is the best emergency weapon — it blocks a doorway for 8 seconds
• Rain masks your footsteps — perfect time for risky scavenging runs
• A generator attracts zeeks from 200m — build walls and traps before powering it on