New Player Guide
This guide focuses on a minimalism, and very simple yet effective survival
Author: Reddit User Wonrz94
Created: January 26, 2023
What are my basic needs?
- Maintaining your core temperature
- Providing enough food and hydration
- Being safe
What may I do in order to fulfill my basic needs?
All you need is 5 Cs of survival:
- Container: Something to boil, and store water. Something to cook simple meals
- Cordage: Something to lash, bind, tie, craft
- Cutting tool: Something to cut, chop, craft, kill
- Combustion device: Something to start a fire
- Cover: Something to deal with rain, wind, cold
Important note: A given C is a category of items. Not a single item
Recommended scenario: Evacuee starting at Evac Shelter
Day 1
Do not fight unless you have to!
As an evacuee, you already have a plastic bottle, matches, and a pocket knife. Great start. Three Cs already covered. Two more to go.
You need a cordage. As you can see, Evac Shelter has a lot of windows with curtains. Use "e" on windows to tear up curtains. Now pick up long strings with "g". You should have a few long strings now.
You need a cover. Evac Shelter has lockers too. You may find there an emergency blankets, emergency jacket. It will do for this moment. You may find there a flashlight, protein bars, a whistle, clean water. It will help
It is time to leave the Evac Shelter. Press "m" in order to see the map. Ok, done.
Your first goal is to find a comfy place with a woodstove and a bed. A Cabin would be ideal. Look for them in forests.
If you see any monsters, leave such place immediately. Days are long enough. Just take your time, and calmly go from one location to another till you find a safe place. Stick to the roads as long as possible. AVOID CITIES AT ANY COSTS
You may die a lot at this stage. If you do, try again, and again. Remember: no fighting! Use " button in order to go prone, or start crouching, or RUNNING.
I see that you have found a great place to settle in. You have a woodstove, and a bed. A lot of place to stash your possessions. Great job.
Now you need a firewood. All you need is a nerby forest and young trees. Press "s" to smash a young tree. Now you should be able to see long sticks. Press "B" to change them into shorter sticks. Use "B" on shorter sticks lying on the ground in order to change them into wooden splinters. Now you have a firewood!
Few splinters -> two sticks -> a long stick "D"ropped into the woodstove should be enough for a simple cooking. Use "e" on the woodstove to start a fire. It will warm you too
You are safe now. You can rest there by "|". Drink some clear water, eat few protein bars by pressing "E". You can sleep by "$". Sleep in your bed of course. There may be pillows, and a blanket. Your character will use them automaticaly.
Day 2
Do not fight unless you have to!
You need food, clear water, container for cooking, and weapon. Better Cover would be great. Warmer clothing too. Any backpack will help very much.
Remember young trees? You need a long stick to craft a quarterstaff. Press "&" to open crafting menu. Find a quarterstaff, and make one if you can. Press "w" to wield this weapon
Now the hardest part: finding a container for cooking if you do not have one yet. 2 litre pot would be ideal. Such containers may be difficult to find. Explore, scavenge, loot any locations that are monsters free. You will find it sooner or later.
Use "&" to craft a sling. Use "s" to smash boulders. Then craft pebbles from rocks. They are ammo for your sling. Press "f" to fire your sling. Go hunt small game. If you kill something, press "B" to butcher carcass. Now you have meat.
Of course gather all food that you can find. Save canned food for a rainy day.
Water can be found in forests. Press "e" to fill empty containers with dirty water. Use crafting menu to boil it. Of course woodstove will be needed
You may find a rain coat or a poncho. Great loot. Ideal cover elements. Use "W" to wear them.
Look for warm clothing. Wear them till you are comfortable. Protecting head, hands, and legs will be very important. Check your warmth status by using "@". You will find it easily.
Any backpack will be better than your messenger bag. More capacity, more practical. Press "W" to wear them
Rest, cook, eat, drink, sleep.
Day 3
Do not fight unless you have to!
You need something to heal your wounds. Something to repair your clothes.
By using " B" on clothing, you can change it into materials for makeshift bandages. You can boil such bandages in order to make them better. Use every piece of clothing you will find
Try to find a sewing kit, and threads. You can make threads by "B"utchering clothing (this takes a lot of time) or long strings from tearing down curtains into short strings, which disassemble into thread (this takes less time)
That will be it. You have everything you need to survive for a really long time.
To be honest, the only thing that can kill you are monsters. You will not die of starvation, thirst, cold, wild animals. If you will not fight, even your very first character may survive long enough to learn basic CDDA mechanics
Be patient, be very careful, use real life logic. Plan your next move. Always have escape routes. Avoid unnecessary fighting. Focus on the bare essentials. Your brain is better than any mutation, CBM, weapon, and armor.
GOOD LUCK!