Project Zomboid is a survival indie game that puts you in an apocalyptic zombie outbreak set in Kentucky, USA. It's seen a lot of development, and that combined with its great atmosphere, PS1-style graphics, and realistic gameplay attributes has made it pretty popular.
As is the rule with most survival games of this caliber, the fun of the game is not to "beat" it, but to survive for as long as possible. If you want to live the longest, establish a defensible base and watch the apocalypse from safety, you gotta start somewhere. Every player's introduction to Project Zomboid comes with some growing pains, but remember these tips while you're getting started.
10 Bunker Down and Be Patient
Project Zomboid is not a zombie game where you're expected to shoot up zombies for XP. In fact, the more zombies you're exposed to, the shorter your expected lifespan. Leaving your base for supplies is always a gamble, so don't go out until you absolutely have to.
Find a fenced-in house with a sink and a bed or at least a couch. A washer, a fridge, and an oven would be added bonuses. When you're just starting out, take advantage of the relative safety of your base and only leave for short excursions.
9 Stay Light, Stay Fast
Despite how easily the tutorial makes it seem, you will likely not encounter a backpack wherever you begin. If you do, good for you, but you're more likely to find garbage bags and toolboxes, which must be held in order to function as containers. So needless to say, inventory management is one of the first crises you face early on.
The real solution to this is to place a limit on how many items you're picking up. If you've found a base, place important items in cabinets and crates, and only carry weapons, water and maybe some food when going out. An over-encumbered player is a slow player, which kills your chances of escaping the undead.
8 Traits: Only the Essentials
The first few times you encounter the Traits menu, it can be a little overwhelming. Traits work by a points system, with better or worse traits having a higher positive or negative value respectively. Know that none of these traits will make or break your run, but there are a couple you'll want to pay attention to. The Burglar and Carpenter classes start you out with good building and sneaking skills, which are helpful in the beginning.
Stay away from Claustrophobia, since it will poorly influence mood while you're holed up in your base. Otherwise, negative traits can be worked around. Every skill can be built onto, so you're not necessarily screwed if you have poor Fitness or First Aid.
7 Run For The Hills
You'll start out every run in the city, which just so happens to be the scariest place to be. Areas with lots of buildings, especially near big roads, are going to be swarming with zombies. You'll want to find the quickest way to the country, which usually involves finding a car.
Cars make a lot of noise, but getting some distance between you and these heavily populated areas is certainly worth it. Walking takes too long, and you're likely going to attract a horde anyway. Once out in the country, you can think about collecting tools, starting a farm, and building a base.
6 Knowledge Is Power
Once you find your starter base, you'll want to focus on building skills, which can be done in a number of ways. Look for Skill books marked "Level 1" unless it's in a skill your class is proficient in, in which case higher leveled books may be readable. Spend your early days in your base reading these books and building skills to improve your chances of survival outside.
If you don't have any books, find a TV or radio. Use the Device Options to "Tune In" to a specific station, some of which will help you improve skills like Carpentry and Cooking, which are some of the best skills to have. These are also great for reducing boredom, so it's worth taking a radio along if you're going somewhere remote.
5 Live Together, Die Alone
Like most survival games, you have a far higher chance of flourishing when you're part of a team. Create or join a server with friends, a world where you can cooperate in finding resources and building a base. Project Zomboid is by no means a game where you can only succeed in a multiplayer environment.
The game constantly reminds you that death is a regular part of gameplay, but with a server, you can preserve saved worlds and return to give survival another shot. Cooperation as an added element to gameplay also makes it more fun, so try it out.
4 Vegans Beware
When you're first starting out, you're probably gonna be relieved when you find a kitchen with a fridge full of fresh food. Of course, you'll want to take as much of that food as you can. But with your limited inventory, it's important to note that raw ingredients - especially produce - do not satisfy the hunger to nearly the same degree as cooked food. In all likelihood, you won't have great cooking skills unless you're the Chef class.
So if you're in the middle of deciding what food to take, focus on cooked meat and canned goods (if you have a can opener). Don't waste precious inventory space on apples and oranges. The longer you're in town, the more likely you are to find food when you need it.
3 Embrace The Minimalist Lifestyle
Smaller bases mean fewer chances of zombies breaking in. Zombies can see you from outside a window without a curtain, and will try to break those windows to get to you. Wooden barricades are sturdy, but you likely won't have the resources or skill to build them early on. Close all curtains and cover exposed windows with sheets.
If you find a big building like a grocery store or the prison, don't bother trying to hole up in there, as there are far too many windows and entrances. These bigger buildings are also usually more populated. A small one or two-story house on the edge of town with all the basics is your best shot.
2 Dupe Your Pursuers
Of course, you can't play Project Zomboid without at some point getting attacked by a zombie. When you're in the moment, it's important not to panic. You can run in a straight line for a long time before the zombies give up, and their endurance is probably better than yours. The best way to outsmart pursuers is to place barriers between you and them. Climb over fences, skirt around and through buildings (not before checking if there are zombies inside).
The farther you run, the more likely you'll just attract more attention, so focus more on what's ahead of you than the act of getting away. All the same, surviving an attack is always a bet, and sometimes you just gotta be lucky.
1 Keep The Mods For Later
Project Zomboid has been well-optimized for mods, which can be found in the game's Steam Workshop. When you're first starting out, it can be tempting to look for mods that will make the UI easier to navigate, or else improve some other aspect of gameplay that will make it easier for you. While there's always merit in game-changing mods that you wish you'd never played without, it's worth it to get familiar with the vanilla game first.
The UI is like navigating your grandad's Windows 98 trying to find a file you're looking for, and the point-and-click versus keyboard method of gameplay is kind of awkward. Figure out how to navigate the system easily enough, and you can download some of the best mods based on what you need.