IWBUMS Question: How to aim guns to shoot?

[123]

It seems like every time I try to use a gun or shoot my person just randomly shoots everywhere like an angry Yosemite Sam from Looney Tunes. Is there a way to "aim" to make sure I'm hitting targets instead of just randomly popping off shots everywhere?

I've put a lot of hours into Zomboid but never did firearms much. Any help is truly appreciated. Thank you and have a wonderful day.

[BaronVonBunghole]

I created a new survivor for the sole purpose of getting a feel for the gunplay. I gotta say, some guns are just not worth the while. Very hard to hit anyone unless you have a decent aiming skill, or if they're very close to you. Sometimes the red/yellow/green aiming outline just doesnt show up on a zombie, even if I feel like I'm aiming straight at them.
You sort of have to shoot everywhere like some cowboy lunatic to even rank up your skill.

[123]

Originally posted by BaronVonBunghole:

I created a new survivor for the sole purpose of getting a feel for the gunplay. I gotta say, some guns are just not worth the while. Very hard to hit anyone unless you have a decent aiming skill, or if they're very close to you. Sometimes the red/yellow/green aiming outline just doesnt show up on a zombie, even if I feel like I'm aiming straight at them.
You sort of have to shoot everywhere like some cowboy lunatic to even rank up your skill.

That is why I said Yosemite Sam. XD

I've tried aiming, hovering over zombies, getting close to the point of being bitten, etc. and can't seem to get a hit with the ranged guns for nothing...seems it's better to just build a strong melee character. -shrug-

[Death]

Ok, so for starters there is a bit of progression to using guns. From 0-4 levels of aiming you should pretty much only use the shotgun, as your skill will be very low and using anything else will ultimately be a waste of ammo. From about 4-7 (I think) pistols become more useful and after that rifles.

Second. When aiming, make sure you stand still for a second or two and aim before shooting. Trying to shoot on the run will get you nowhere fast.

[123]

Originally posted by Death:

Ok, so for starters there is a bit of progression to using guns. From 0-4 levels of aiming you should pretty much only use the shotgun, as your skill will be very low and using anything else will ultimately be a waste of ammo. From about 4-7 (I think) pistols become more useful and after that rifles.

Second. When aiming, make sure you stand still for a second or two and aim before shooting. Trying to shoot on the run will get you nowhere fast.

I happened to run into a house full of guns and ammo after I made this post and I tried using shotgun and pistols both and both missed with me standing and aiming with yellow and green outline. -shrug- I'm thinking unless you start off as a cop or someone with GREAT aim it seems kind of broken. That's just my opinion.

[Death]

Originally posted by The Kotho:

Originally posted by Death:

Ok, so for starters there is a bit of progression to using guns. From 0-4 levels of aiming you should pretty much only use the shotgun, as your skill will be very low and using anything else will ultimately be a waste of ammo. From about 4-7 (I think) pistols become more useful and after that rifles.

Second. When aiming, make sure you stand still for a second or two and aim before shooting. Trying to shoot on the run will get you nowhere fast.

I happened to run into a house full of guns and ammo after I made this post and I tried using shotgun and pistols both and both missed with me standing and aiming with yellow and green outline. -shrug- I'm thinking unless you start off as a cop or someone with GREAT aim it seems kind of broken. That's just my opinion.

Odd. I know that isn't the case, because I don't take those professions, in fact I generally start as an Electrician due to that being one of the more time consuming skills to level and shotguns work just fine for me. Without some video or something I can't really say what you're doing wrong.

[123]

Originally posted by Death:

Originally posted by The Kotho:

I happened to run into a house full of guns and ammo after I made this post and I tried using shotgun and pistols both and both missed with me standing and aiming with yellow and green outline. -shrug- I'm thinking unless you start off as a cop or someone with GREAT aim it seems kind of broken. That's just my opinion.

Odd. I know that isn't the case, because I don't take those professions, in fact I generally start as an Electrician due to that being one of the more time consuming skills to level and shotguns work just fine for me. Without some video or something I can't really say what you're doing wrong.

Well I waited until they were close and I aimed towards them. It showed yellow then green. I shot and it didn't hit.

[Survivor]

Panic highly affects it. Maybe that's your issue?

[wfawn999]

Very disappointed to hear how difficult it is to actually hit your zombie target. I had planned on positioning myself at an upstairs window with a rifle and popping them off one by one, then hauling butt out the back door once I had gathered a small horde. I thought this might be a good way to get them to move a couple of blocks away from my safe house. I guess that could still work but just won't thin them out. Could be lots of fun though....

[123]

Originally posted by Survivor:

Panic highly affects it. Maybe that's your issue?

My survivor wasn't panicked, fatigued and had no other negative debuffs.

[123]

Originally posted by wfawn999:

Very disappointed to hear how difficult it is to actually hit your zombie target. I had planned on positioning myself at an upstairs window with a rifle and popping them off one by one, then hauling butt out the back door once I had gathered a small horde. I thought this might be a good way to get them to move a couple of blocks away from my safe house. I guess that could still work but just won't thin them out. Could be lots of fun though....

You can also bust windows out of a house, turn on a TV or radio, turn to max volume, honk a car horn out front, fire off a few rounds, set up a stove to burn food and catch fire and when they all get there and are rushing to the house you'll be outside, nearby, in another house, safely watching, as they all burn to ash, dust and rotting meat BBQ.

[wfawn999]

Awesome...I'll give that a try.

[123]

Originally posted by wfawn999:

Awesome...I'll give that a try.

Hope it works out good for you. Keep in mind takes a while to catch fire using a stove so a molatov works better / quicker. Just have 2 windows to go in and out on and then when they rush you just drop the bomb on them and run out and they'll all burn. Keep in mind you'll lose a loot zone doing this.