GSC

As stated by others, building your own solar farm would require a lot of technical knowledge, materials usually not available in small towns etc. That being said, I could totally see finding (and being able to use) solar arrays installed on the top of buildings in some larger / rural settlements. Maybe not to power ovens (the big ones need several kWs of power), but lighting and some electronics (e.g. alarm system) definitely.
 
And we definitely need a way / more ways to cook things after the power goes out. I don't like eating all my hoarded foodstuffs raw

I have another - potentially silly - idea. Remote control toys (battery operated) that you use to distract zombies from a safe vantage point (e.g. peeking out from a window). They could use the same mechanic as real vehicles (when we have them), scaled down.

This is hollywood stuff, wouldn't normally work in real life - especially the first one.
 
You could use gas to set a house on fire or something, but that's a bit extreme for distraction, isn't it? Gas is rare and heavy and it wouldn't be a quick process. You also have no way to put out the fire afterwards. I remember in the 0.1.5 build when I burned down half a street with a molotov. Sure, I got some zombies in the process but it was hardly worth it.
 
However, I do like the idea of more commonplace, sensible distractions using everyday items. Alarm clocks / egg timers, firecrackers, neon store signs (switched on at night, while there is electricity), air horns, car / house alarms, rocks thrown at windows, smoke / tear gas grenades (from police stations), road flares, flashlights set on blinking mode (and left on the ground or thrown), glowsticks etc. could attract nearby zombies, letting you sneak past.
 
Most of these items could reasonably be found in several residential / commercial locations and used to distract / bypass a horde. They would mostly be one-shot items but not heavy, dangerous or complicated.

For boobytraps or passive defense I was thinking of logs / planks studded with nails or axes swung down when triggered, though these would probably be complicated to build and endanger me as much as the zombies or rogue NPCs.
 
I would be more inclined to use traps that are essentially a harmless early warning system (e.g. a cooking pot balanced on top of door / window frame or tied to a string, which makes noise if something triggers it.

This is hollywood stuff, wouldn't normally work in real life - especially the first one.
 
You could use gas to set a house on fire or something, but that's a bit extreme for distraction, isn't it? Gas is rare and heavy and it wouldn't be a quick process. You also have no way to put out the fire afterwards. I remember in the 0.1.5 build when I burned down half a street with a molotov. Sure, I got some zombies in the process but it was hardly worth it.
 
However, I do like the idea of more commonplace, sensible distractions using everyday items. Alarm clocks / egg timers, firecrackers, neon store signs (switched on at night, while there is electricity), air horns, car / house alarms, rocks thrown at windows, smoke / tear gas grenades (from police stations), road flares, flashlights set on blinking mode (and left on the ground or thrown), glowsticks etc. could attract nearby zombies, letting you sneak past.
 
Most of these items could reasonably be found in several residential / commercial locations and used to distract / bypass a horde. They would mostly be one-shot items but not heavy, dangerous or complicated.

Played on here the last 2 days, met some nice people, had a great time overall. Recommended.

Played on here the last 2 days, met some nice people, had a great time overall. Recommended.

I thought of this too (or with a crossbow when we have them), but in a few days I'd probably forget where I set it up and walk right into it when looking for the nearest bed.

Rain doesn't seem to water the plants at the moment, so they require regular watering by the player.
 
Running back and forth with a can or bucket of water is fun at first, but it's exhausting and soon becomes mundane.
 
My idea is a simple craftable "irrigation system" that facilitates this process. It would utilize a hand pump and a length of punctured hose (plugged at the far end) to transfer water from a nearby rain barrel to a batch of crops, watering them evenly, with less physical effort.
 
Crafting such a contraption would require a hose, screwdriver / drill (to make the holes, duct tape (or similar) to seal the joints and a pumping device (perhaps also craftable?) to get the water flowing.
 
I know it sounds a bit elaborate, but I think we would all devise something like this if we had to become farmers without machinery. People often have such watering systems (with electric pumps) installed in their gardens. Hand pumps can often be found in gardening and DIY stores, sometimes even at gas stations.
 
Edit:
A simpler option, based on TinnedEpic's suggestion: use gravity instead of a pump. Craft some stairs, place the barrel 1 floor above ground level and let the water flow by itself. Turn it on/off at the barrel or let it shut of automatically when the plants are fully watered.
 
After further thought, I think the irrigation hose should cover either a (5-10 square long) straight line from the barrel, or a rectangular area (say 4x4 or 5x5) around the barrel.

I was actually thinking of building a roof garden on top of the NW warehouse. What else am I going to use that big flat, walled around roof for?
 
I would just need some empty containers (empty plaster bag, bucket, whatever), dig up some earth and carry it up there. I would probably need quite a lot but not much more than I need to plaster a whole house. Maybe I would need to craft some flowerbeds from wood, but that's about it. And the rain could water it just like on the ground.
 
This would be great, the zombies couldn't occupy my plantation (like they usually do).

I think a raincoat or a biker jacket would be better to protect you from the elements and zombies respectively.
 
I would save any duct tape I find for crafting. As the mythbusters have shown, you can build pretty much anything out of it if you have enough.

Now if only I could find / dig a pool to build this next to... Cannnonnballl! No more boredom

Yes, I think this should be an option, depending on the type of ground (tile) you are working on. Hard packed earth would be tough to dig into unless you have at least a stick, but the fenced farmland for example looks soft and manageable by hand.
 
Working by hand should definitely take longer and be more exhausting (urging you to look for tools), but causing illness sounds a bit too much. Maybe a chance for slight injury (hurt your hands on a rock or something) that won't kill you.

I have survived for over a month now, not sure how long exactly.
 
I usually try to do the hardest / riskiest things early on, in case a zombie gets me. Then I get more cautious as I progress.
 
I stuff my face with fresh food as long as it's available (they rot soon and I need the energy in the beginning). I stockpile the long lasting food and some water at my base / in stashes. When fresh food is gone / rotten, I eat much more sparingly to make the rest last longer. (The hungry state is not so bad.)
 
When I have the essentials to build / farm, I establish a base outside of town, far enough to be peaceful for a while. When I go into town to loot, I carry a tent kit in case I can't find a safe bed to sleep in.
 
In my current game I've set up camp at the logging company at first, but a massive horde appeared one morning. I blasted them with the shotgun but they didn't die (bug), so I had to abandon the place. I went back a few times to get all my stuff (which was risky business, but necessary). Now I'm camped out at the farm in the east. I've built up the house a bit (screenshot here - date is incorrect), but most of my crops had vanished one day :/ Waiting for the new release to fix some of the issues.
 
My goals are usually like this:
- Get a good weapon
- Find 2 or more duffel / hiking bags to carry stuff
- Break into the nearest warehouse, get some axes, hammers, saws and screwdrivers (at least 1 of each)
- Loot the pharmacy for beta blockers and maybe some painkillers
- Gather supplies to make a tent kit (for loot runs and exploration)
- Gather non-perishable food and skill books from houses and stores, stockpile them at the base. Upgrade the cooking skill as much as possible while fresh food is available
- Loot the warehouses and the logging company (guns and ammo are not very useful at the moment, so mostly for food, nails and axes)
- When zombie levels in towns go insane and/or food runs out, retire to base and start building, farming (although it's best to get a head start on farming, while there is still other food available)
 
I follow these rules to avoid scratches and bites:
- Always have an escape route when entering a building. If you break in through a window, open a door to be able to run out. Don't go into a building with only 1 way out when followed
- Don't open the doors of tiny storage rooms and bathrooms. It's just not worth it
- Never eat rotten, raw or burnt food. Don't even put them in your inventory
- Don't turn corners next to the wall. Keep a wide birth to be able to see and react to zombies
- Peek into buildings before entering, whenever possible
- Don't charge headlong into rooms and buildings. Open the door and stand still while the inside is revealed
- Constantly look around as you move, especially during combat. The zombie you don't see in time is the one that will get you
- Don't keep bashing a downed zombie if others are near. Landing the final blow then and there is not worth getting scratched
- Deal with the fastest zombies first (not necessarily the closest ones)
- Keep an eye on your surroundings as you loot, especially in corners. Zombies can sneak up on you when you back is turned
- Try not to carry a heavy load through heavily infested areas. Don't overburden your character, make 2 trips instead
- Only approach a body if you are sure it is one you had killed properly. Don't fight crawlers unless absolutely necessary
- Never go through trees / bushes where zombies could be. Being slowed down can be a death sentence
- Don't fight a horde with a melee weapon. More often than not killing one will attract several more. Practice melee on lone zombies
- Run instead of fighting unless you have a good reason to fight
- Take beta blockers when using a gun so that panic doesn't overwhelm you. Lead the zombies away from places of interest (base, looting point) as you are shooting. Reload the shotgun constantly, when your panic is reduced by the pills
 
That's about it, good luck!
 
Once farming works properly, we'll be able to survive quite long (barring accidents and ambushes)

Loaded up my .15 save in this new release and my previously vanished crops came back! Some of them have rotted while they were gone, but the rest is alive and well. Potatoes for everyone!

Each of these rules come from a previous death, when I wasn't careful enough
 

The new sledgehammer destruction is awesome, by the way. I can finally get to those crates in the back
 

I'm having the rain barrel water retrieval problem too. The context menu appears when right clicking the barrel, but the "fill bottle" option can't be activated. (The bottle is half full, it can be filled from a sink.)
 
I'll try to smash them and make new ones.
 

Loaded up my .15 save in this new release and my previously vanished crops came back! Some of them have rotted while they were gone, but the rest is alive and well. Potatoes for everyone!

I have survived for over a month now, not sure how long exactly.
 
I usually try to do the hardest / riskiest things early on, in case a zombie gets me. Then I get more cautious as I progress.
 
I stuff my face with fresh food as long as it's available (they rot soon and I need the energy in the beginning). I stockpile the long lasting food and some water at my base / in stashes. When fresh food is gone / rotten, I eat much more sparingly to make the rest last longer. (The hungry state is not so bad.)
 
When I have the essentials to build / farm, I establish a base outside of town, far enough to be peaceful for a while. When I go into town to loot, I carry a tent kit in case I can't find a safe bed to sleep in.
 
In my current game I've set up camp at the logging company at first, but a massive horde appeared one morning. I blasted them with the shotgun but they didn't die (bug), so I had to abandon the place. I went back a few times to get all my stuff (which was risky business, but necessary). Now I'm camped out at the farm in the east. I've built up the house a bit (screenshot here - date is incorrect), but most of my crops had vanished one day :/ Waiting for the new release to fix some of the issues.
 
My goals are usually like this:
- Get a good weapon
- Find 2 or more duffel / hiking bags to carry stuff
- Break into the nearest warehouse, get some axes, hammers, saws and screwdrivers (at least 1 of each)
- Loot the pharmacy for beta blockers and maybe some painkillers
- Gather supplies to make a tent kit (for loot runs and exploration)
- Gather non-perishable food and skill books from houses and stores, stockpile them at the base. Upgrade the cooking skill as much as possible while fresh food is available
- Loot the warehouses and the logging company (guns and ammo are not very useful at the moment, so mostly for food, nails and axes)
- When zombie levels in towns go insane and/or food runs out, retire to base and start building, farming (although it's best to get a head start on farming, while there is still other food available)
 
I follow these rules to avoid scratches and bites:
- Always have an escape route when entering a building. If you break in through a window, open a door to be able to run out. Don't go into a building with only 1 way out when followed
- Don't open the doors of tiny storage rooms and bathrooms. It's just not worth it
- Never eat rotten, raw or burnt food. Don't even put them in your inventory
- Don't turn corners next to the wall. Keep a wide birth to be able to see and react to zombies
- Peek into buildings before entering, whenever possible
- Don't charge headlong into rooms and buildings. Open the door and stand still while the inside is revealed
- Constantly look around as you move, especially during combat. The zombie you don't see in time is the one that will get you
- Don't keep bashing a downed zombie if others are near. Landing the final blow then and there is not worth getting scratched
- Deal with the fastest zombies first (not necessarily the closest ones)
- Keep an eye on your surroundings as you loot, especially in corners. Zombies can sneak up on you when you back is turned
- Try not to carry a heavy load through heavily infested areas. Don't overburden your character, make 2 trips instead
- Only approach a body if you are sure it is one you had killed properly. Don't fight crawlers unless absolutely necessary
- Never go through trees / bushes where zombies could be. Being slowed down can be a death sentence
- Don't fight a horde with a melee weapon. More often than not killing one will attract several more. Practice melee on lone zombies
- Run instead of fighting unless you have a good reason to fight
- Take beta blockers when using a gun so that panic doesn't overwhelm you. Lead the zombies away from places of interest (base, looting point) as you are shooting. Reload the shotgun constantly, when your panic is reduced by the pills
 
That's about it, good luck!
 
Once farming works properly, we'll be able to survive quite long (barring accidents and ambushes)

I have survived for over a month now, not sure how long exactly.
 
I usually try to do the hardest / riskiest things early on, in case a zombie gets me. Then I get more cautious as I progress.
 
I stuff my face with fresh food as long as it's available (they rot soon and I need the energy in the beginning). I stockpile the long lasting food and some water at my base / in stashes. When fresh food is gone / rotten, I eat much more sparingly to make the rest last longer. (The hungry state is not so bad.)
 
When I have the essentials to build / farm, I establish a base outside of town, far enough to be peaceful for a while. When I go into town to loot, I carry a tent kit in case I can't find a safe bed to sleep in.
 
In my current game I've set up camp at the logging company at first, but a massive horde appeared one morning. I blasted them with the shotgun but they didn't die (bug), so I had to abandon the place. I went back a few times to get all my stuff (which was risky business, but necessary). Now I'm camped out at the farm in the east. I've built up the house a bit (screenshot here - date is incorrect), but most of my crops had vanished one day :/ Waiting for the new release to fix some of the issues.
 
My goals are usually like this:
- Get a good weapon
- Find 2 or more duffel / hiking bags to carry stuff
- Break into the nearest warehouse, get some axes, hammers, saws and screwdrivers (at least 1 of each)
- Loot the pharmacy for beta blockers and maybe some painkillers
- Gather supplies to make a tent kit (for loot runs and exploration)
- Gather non-perishable food and skill books from houses and stores, stockpile them at the base. Upgrade the cooking skill as much as possible while fresh food is available
- Loot the warehouses and the logging company (guns and ammo are not very useful at the moment, so mostly for food, nails and axes)
- When zombie levels in towns go insane and/or food runs out, retire to base and start building, farming (although it's best to get a head start on farming, while there is still other food available)
 
I follow these rules to avoid scratches and bites:
- Always have an escape route when entering a building. If you break in through a window, open a door to be able to run out. Don't go into a building with only 1 way out when followed
- Don't open the doors of tiny storage rooms and bathrooms. It's just not worth it
- Never eat rotten, raw or burnt food. Don't even put them in your inventory
- Don't turn corners next to the wall. Keep a wide birth to be able to see and react to zombies
- Peek into buildings before entering, whenever possible
- Don't charge headlong into rooms and buildings. Open the door and stand still while the inside is revealed
- Constantly look around as you move, especially during combat. The zombie you don't see in time is the one that will get you
- Don't keep bashing a downed zombie if others are near. Landing the final blow then and there is not worth getting scratched
- Deal with the fastest zombies first (not necessarily the closest ones)
- Keep an eye on your surroundings as you loot, especially in corners. Zombies can sneak up on you when you back is turned
- Try not to carry a heavy load through heavily infested areas. Don't overburden your character, make 2 trips instead
- Only approach a body if you are sure it is one you had killed properly. Don't fight crawlers unless absolutely necessary
- Never go through trees / bushes where zombies could be. Being slowed down can be a death sentence
- Don't fight a horde with a melee weapon. More often than not killing one will attract several more. Practice melee on lone zombies
- Run instead of fighting unless you have a good reason to fight
- Take beta blockers when using a gun so that panic doesn't overwhelm you. Lead the zombies away from places of interest (base, looting point) as you are shooting. Reload the shotgun constantly, when your panic is reduced by the pills
 
That's about it, good luck!
 
Once farming works properly, we'll be able to survive quite long (barring accidents and ambushes)

REMEMBER: This is a forum test release because it may have new bugs or other serious issues, in fact a few we're aware of already and this latest build hasn't had a huge amount of closed testing. However we'd like to extend it to a forum test to get any remaining issues as quickly as possible.
 
If not comfortable with that, please wait until official release on Desura, which should hopefully be for Mondoid if it goes well. REMEMBER, it's always advised to manually back up your saves (C:\Users\<username>\Zomboid\<gamemode>) when using forum builds.
 
Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/alpha.projectzomboid.com/Project_Zomboid_Windows_2.9.9.16.zip
 
Mac: https://s3.amazonaws.com/alpha.projectzomboid.com/Project_Zomboid_MacOSX_2.9.9.16.zip
 
Potential issues with linux! Please read here: http://theindiestone.com/forums/index.php/topic/1044-damn-you-ubuntujava/
Linux AMD64 Deb: https://s3.amazonaws.com/alpha.projectzomboid.com/projectzomboid-amd64-2.9.9.16.deb
 
Linux i386 Deb: https://s3.amazonaws.com/alpha.projectzomboid.com/projectzomboid-i386-2.9.9.16.deb
 
Linux AMD64 (tar.gz): https://s3.amazonaws.com/alpha.projectzomboid.com/projectzomboid-amd64.2.9.9.16.tar.gz
 
Linux i386 (tar.gz): https://s3.amazonaws.com/alpha.projectzomboid.com/projectzomboid-i386.2.9.9.16.tar.gz
 
Change list :
 
   [New Stuff]
Added a little icon over the inventory icon if the concerned item is equipped. Survival guide ! Explanation from Will : It start automatically on a new game, but you can press F1 (default key) to toggle it.
Torch can flicker, especially when they're almost run out of batteries. Crawlers won't turn while attacking + Balanced them a bit. New key bindings : F2 to pause, F3 for normal speed, F4 for Fast Forward x1, F5 for Fast Forward x2, F6 for Fast Forward x3.D Double click in any food in your inventory to eat it (more quick double click action coming ). Double click in any item of the loot inventory to grab it. You now need to equip a bag to put things in it or get weight reduction, on your back or in one of your hand. Destroy furnitures, walls, stairs and almost anything with a Sledgehammer ! (right click then "Destroy"). [bug Fix]
Fixed the zombie kill count. Torch now works properly. Rain now water your plants. Rain collector barrels doesn't share the same amount of water (you can now build multiple rain collector barrels). Fixed crawler attacking through wall. Fixed teleporting crops (again... Now it's all save in java, making the job easier for any modders, and should avoid all this kind of problem). No more "exploding" zombie when entering a new house. Changed the inventory male zombie icon for the correct one. You can't do action while sleeping. [bALANCE]
Balanced the zombie density a bit. Lowered the time needed to water your plant.  [MODDING]
Lua debugger. We're post instructions on modding forum on release. Hold L-SHIFT when loading PZ to go into debug mode. Default key for debuger is F11, it's bindable in the option.
Mac Users need to follow these steps to use the debugger:
Open your PZ.app and look for a file called "Info.plist" then search for this line:
<string>-noverify -XX:+UseNUMA -XX:+AggressiveOpts -XX:+TieredCompilation -XX:Tier2CompileThreshold=70000 -XX:CompileThreshold=1500 -Xms64m -Xmx512m -XX:+UseAdaptiveSizePolicy -XX:GCTimeRatio=50 -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=20</string>add "-Ddebug" to it (of course before the last </string> tag).

Big hiking bag back and front! That's how I roll (literally, when I trip). It provides ample storage as well as a protective cushion

Rain doesn't seem to water the plants at the moment, so they require regular watering by the player.
 
Running back and forth with a can or bucket of water is fun at first, but it's exhausting and soon becomes mundane.
 
My idea is a simple craftable "irrigation system" that facilitates this process. It would utilize a hand pump and a length of punctured hose (plugged at the far end) to transfer water from a nearby rain barrel to a batch of crops, watering them evenly, with less physical effort.
 
Crafting such a contraption would require a hose, screwdriver / drill (to make the holes, duct tape (or similar) to seal the joints and a pumping device (perhaps also craftable?) to get the water flowing.
 
I know it sounds a bit elaborate, but I think we would all devise something like this if we had to become farmers without machinery. People often have such watering systems (with electric pumps) installed in their gardens. Hand pumps can often be found in gardening and DIY stores, sometimes even at gas stations.
 
Edit:
A simpler option, based on TinnedEpic's suggestion: use gravity instead of a pump. Craft some stairs, place the barrel 1 floor above ground level and let the water flow by itself. Turn it on/off at the barrel or let it shut of automatically when the plants are fully watered.
 
After further thought, I think the irrigation hose should cover either a (5-10 square long) straight line from the barrel, or a rectangular area (say 4x4 or 5x5) around the barrel.

Yeah, have a hardcore setting for it, that sounds good. Someone just needs to code it into the game then