DayZ DevelopmentZ (Photos)

Now players have to clean up after themselves...that is unless they want to leave evidence of their presence for other players to find. Now when you eat canned food (the primary source of food in game) the player automatically drops an empty can.The new helmets being implemented in the game are not just for looks. They also protect the player's head from melee damage.This snapshot shows how much work the team has put into the new textures. The work is not limited to the interiors, they have reworked the environment from the rooftops to the grass.5 photosView the full slideshow ยป
The zombie count has been increased by 3,000! The zombies also spawn in a central location and branch out allowing the devs to create new behaviors, like zombie swarms.

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What is DayZ?
DayZ blurs the line between different genres of PC games. It has the play style of a traditional shooter, with the large social aspect you would expect more from a MMO. The game started out as a mod for Arma II, and had a community that exploded to the point that the game is currently being developed to be a standalone game.

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What's new?
Today lead developer Dean Hall revealed some of the big changes the game has gone through in his development blog. One of the biggest improvements the testers talk about is the inventory system. In the mod, you had to go into the inventory screen and move all your items around to equip what you need. In the new version, the developers have implemented a new hot bar system which allows you to easily equip a piece of gear using the number keys on the keyboard. Unfortunately there are no pictures or videos of the inventory in action, as they are keeping it under wraps until it is finished. For some more of the recent changes, either click through the slide show above or watch Dean Hall's devblog below. The video is about 20 minutes long, but if you're a fan of the game, it goes fast.

A great looking landscape populated by placeholder zombies
A great looking landscape populated by placeholder zombies
Photo credit: 
DayZ Devblog
If you want a more in-depth look at the changes I strongly recommend watching the video. Everone looks like they are having a good time.
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, Chicago MMORPG Examiner

Michael Roman is a recent animation graduate from DePaul University. He's had a controller in his hands since he was five years old and hasn't stopped playing since. He keeps up to date on games across all platforms, but primarily focuses on PC gaming. Contact Mike at animalchrome@gmail.com.

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