City survival

While many players will consider the wilderness the go-to place for survival after the cataclysm, some scenarios may make that goal very difficult or next to impossible to start with. What's the solution? Stay in a safe location in the city; while this is a difficult task and takes a lot of patience, surviving in a city is very doable and can reap some of its own rewards.

Scenarios involving the city

Known scenarios involving the inner city are Missed, Burning Building, Challenge-Really Bad Day, Challenge-Fungal Infection, Challenge-Abandoned, Infected, Large Building, Surrounded, and High Tech, Low Life.

It is also possible, but quite rare as of 0.E (Ellison), for the player to have crashed in the city in the Helicopter Crash scenario.

Where to stay?

Note that some locations (such as evac shelters), while associated with the city, are found in the outskirts of the city instead of in it; such are not the focus of this guide.

• Cathedral: The basement of a cathedral is actually built as a shelter; the surface of the cathedral is also very durable and easy to sneak into without the zombies seeing. Just be sure you are able to clear out any zombies that lurk in here before you start settling in.
• Apartment tower: This place is quite rich with both perishable and non-perishable food, medicine, and other items in each room. Moreover, aside from the roof, it doesn't often contain many zombies. However, every single door to the rooms is locked, so you may need to craft a good supply of improvised lockpicks to get into them. You may want to set your main base on the top floor, for easy escape and hiding from zombies. However, just try and keep away from the roof until you have the weapons to clear away the many monsters from the roof - although if you are lucky, they may fall off the roof, killing themselves. If they do, try and get an opportunity to pulp or butcher the corpses.
• House basements: The only good houses to take shelter in within the inner city are those that have a good basement in them; you do not want to sleep on the main floor of a house. Depending on the basement, you will either be set for living there, or you will need to get or build some needed furniture such as makeshift beds or cots. On the surface, make sure you board up those windows against those dangerous zombies so they don't see you and will be delayed if they try breaking in. Be forewarned to be prepared for any that may be attracted to noise you make - be able to deal with them without making more noise!