What is the correct way to sleep in a house?

[Hoppimike]

OK so earlier I was playing the build 41 beta for the first time.

I was in a house with all downstairs windows covered and intact. My still fairly noob mind told me it would be safer to sleep on the sofa, to avoid the uncovered windows upstairs.

But during the night... SMASH! In came two zombies through a window right near me and my character didn't wake up until he had already been scratched a number of times!

I guess I have a few questions!

1) Can you manually slow down time and/or wake your character up in such an event? I'd assume the answer is no, for the sake of realism.

2) If I'd slept in the upstairs bedroom with the door shut... would it be the more prolonged banging on his door that would have eventually woken him up? As the zombies must have bashed on the window at least a bit before it broke I guess.

3) Is there anything else I should have done?

Thanks all!

[Pitspawn Fouldog]

Security guard wakes up instantly as they start banging on windows or doors.

[westrud]

Best place is upstairs bedroom with curtains closed if you have curtains, if not turn out the lights. It is likely you would wake up to banging on the door before they destroyed it, although a window breaking will usually wake you up too. I think heavy sleeper or whatever it is called will make it less likely you will wake up and as Ocular said security guard you will wake up instantly.

I usually look for a two story house, with front and back doors if possible to maximize escape routes. I will get there early enough to make sure there area directly around it is clear, clear the house, sneaking to make as little noise as possible. Once inside, make sure all T.V.s and radios are off, close all of the curtains and put sheets on as many windows as I can, turn off lights, especially in rooms with uncovered windows and find a bedroom upstairs with all windows covered. Usually after doing this, you will be safe, usually.

[Sepherix]

Covered windows aren't safe, zombies tend to hit on windows when wandering, occasionally stumbling over inside once they're broken.
Even if they see you, upstair is much safer.

[40000Aggro]

It's funny, because someone posted one of the recent update vids from the developers for the new map system, and there was a house they spawned in that I spawned in on my next game, and I hadn't seen the video until after. I was a bit nervous since it's a one floor house, but I don't encounter masses of zombies so I tend to not worry about sleeping on a main floor. I don't play for a challenge, I play to have fun and to avoid stress, so in my settings I leave off meta events, like the helicopter, respawn, and alarms on cars and houses, so I don't encounter masses of moving zombies in my games and it's more relaxed because of it. I don't play MP or co-op either so I don't have to worry about the game getting too easy with too many people and not enough zeds. I put boards over the windows and haven't had any problems with zombies breaking in. I also disable them breaking my barriers and attacking while roaming.

Maybe I'm just not good enough at the game, I've tried playing with sprinters and found it too difficult. It stresses me out and I don't like losing my progress, I do like a bit of a challenge but I'm not enough of a masochist to want to punish myself in that way, and I tend to get attached to my characters anyway and don't like losing them so it's upsetting for me. Not directly related to the thread, but I don't get the mentality of treating this like a competitive game, even in MP I think I would be frustrated by over competitiveness, and because of it I tend to only enjoy playing with people who won't mock or insult me if I mess up or fail. I like a bit of smacktalk for playfulness as long as it's not serious, but when people genuinely start putting down my shortcomings I tend to not want to deal with it anymore. I don't think I would willingly choose to associate with such people, even if it is true what they were saying about me.

[Chilli Dog Dave]

covered windows reduce a zombies likeliness of hitting random windows
make sure no light is on in the room if its uncovered as if they spot you snoozing they'll come a huntin
blocking stairs only works at the top, most stairs have a window at the bottom, if you try to "block a window" they will phase through the object, this is a bug/possible exploit fix.
heavy sleeper trait is an incredibly bad trait since zombie bashing and smashing will NOT wake you up.
never turn on "sleeping meta events" as this will make it so f helicopter happens while your sleeping its an highly likely an automatic game over.

hopefully one of these points helps you figure out what went wrong and you learned something for the next run! :D

[Chilli Dog Dave]

Originally posted by Sepherix:

Covered windows aren't safe, zombies tend to hit on windows when wandering, occasionally stumbling over inside once they're broken.
Even if they see you, upstair is much safer.

covered windows are actually safer in most cases because they will only really bash the window if they hear a noise, see you go in or a meta event (gunshot, dog barks, etc) and/or helicopter bait them past it or on VERY rare occasions think window = path, but in most cases that last one wont happen unless the earlier points do

[ilikeskies]

best way to sleep in a your house is to sleep on a bed. Also scientists say that sleeping on your back offers the most health benefits so it's the best sleeping position.

[Hoppimike]

Thanks for the great replies so far everyone ^^

I thought I should explain too - the lights were on in the house but I'm pretty sure only in the rooms with covered windows and all the windows around me were covered.

The tv AND radio were on but they were both on 1 or 2 volume so I thought it wouldn't matter. Maybe that was a mistake! I couldn't be bothered turning them off and irl I like sleeping with some background noise, lol

As for placing furniture by doors or stairs... I find it hard to predict which objects might be walked through, climbed over, or smashed through.

A wardrobe in their path would be smashed through but... a bedside table, for example? I assumed they'd just climb over it so it wasn't worth it, but maybe they would have to smash through it, which would buy me time so that would be good :)

Oh, and the game mode was Survivor.

[Ashley]

Upstairs with closed door knock out any stairs as soon as possible

[turrón master]

upstairs is typically safer because there's twice as much coincidence required for them to find you.

if you're sleeping downstairs, they just have to smash a window and they immediately see you. if you're sleeping upstairs, they have to smash through a window, walk upstairs, then smash anything between them and you.
zombies are attracted to noise, light, but prioritise chasing survivors above all else. so, turn off all lights, all appliances, and cover all windows. put as much distance and as many objects between you and the nearest zombie entrance.

also, move everything upstairs that you'll need. you'll want to seal off the stairs. im sure you've noticed the prompt to make sheet ropes? yeah those will start to come in handy.

[Danson]

Really surprised nobody has said to barricade windows and doors.. you would've been fine with a plank or two covering the windows. As said, second floor behind a closed door (which you can also barricade with planks and nails) would've been the better call. Covered windows do next to nothing to stop a zombie who wants in. The "meta" strategy is to find a 2 story building then find a sledgehammer. You can knock out the stairs entirely, making escape ropes from 2nd floor windows the only way in or out. Zombies can't use those, but they can destroy them, so place many. Helps to have a good carpentry skill so that you can rebuild the stairs if you ever get "locked out".

Basically just never, ever sleep unless there's a closed door between you and them.

[Chilli Dog Dave]

Originally posted by Hoppimike:

Thanks for the great replies so far everyone ^^

I thought I should explain too - the lights were on in the house but I'm pretty sure only in the rooms with covered windows and all the windows around me were covered.

The tv AND radio were on but they were both on 1 or 2 volume so I thought it wouldn't matter. Maybe that was a mistake! I couldn't be bothered turning them off and irl I like sleeping with some background noise, lol

As for placing furniture by doors or stairs... I find it hard to predict which objects might be walked through, climbed over, or smashed through.

A wardrobe in their path would be smashed through but... a bedside table, for example? I assumed they'd just climb over it so it wasn't worth it, but maybe they would have to smash through it, which would buy me time so that would be good :)

Oh, and the game mode was Survivor.

the TV and radio usually isnt a problem if they arent next to the window if set to 1-2 so can probably rule that out.

easy way to know if a zombie has to break or walk through an object is to try it yourself, if you can walk through an onject so can they.
likewise never put an object infront of the window from the INSIDE as they will climb over it when they break the window or phase through, hence why i previously said its safer to block the top of the stairs instead of the bottom due to most stairs having a window at the bottom

[Hoppimike]

Originally posted by Chilli Dog Dave:

the TV and radio usually isnt a problem if they arent next to the window if set to 1-2 so can probably rule that out.

easy way to know if a zombie has to break or walk through an object is to try it yourself, if you can walk through an onject so can they.
likewise never put an object infront of the window from the INSIDE as they will climb over it when they break the window or phase through, hence why i previously said its safer to block the top of the stairs instead of the bottom due to most stairs having a window at the bottom

Erm... the radio may have been in a diagonal block from the window, so to speak. so up against the wall, one block from the window.

Interesting point about the objects. Can they ever climb over things like tables or crates? Or is it only thin things they can climb over like fences and stuff?

Originally posted by Danson:

Really surprised nobody has said to barricade windows and doors.. you would've been fine with a plank or two covering the windows. As said, second floor behind a closed door (which you can also barricade with planks and nails) would've been the better call. Covered windows do next to nothing to stop a zombie who wants in. The "meta" strategy is to find a 2 story building then find a sledgehammer. You can knock out the stairs entirely, making escape ropes from 2nd floor windows the only way in or out. Zombies can't use those, but they can destroy them, so place many. Helps to have a good carpentry skill so that you can rebuild the stairs if you ever get "locked out".

Basically just never, ever sleep unless there's a closed door between you and them.

I've actually been a big fan of the "smash the stairs" strategy since I read about it in a book like 10 years ago. I can't remember what the book was. Some jokey zombie survival book! I thought it was smart and yeah was thinking ladder or rope to make up for it, so the zomboid way would be a sheet rope.

I just never seem to be able to find a sledgehammer!

Ha, I just thought of something. TVs block them 100%. A single TV at the top of the stairs should make you literally invincible. XDD

Until they patch it at least. Then we're all screwed. lol

[Chilli Dog Dave]

Originally posted by Hoppimike:

Originally posted by Chilli Dog Dave:

the TV and radio usually isnt a problem if they arent next to the window if set to 1-2 so can probably rule that out.

easy way to know if a zombie has to break or walk through an object is to try it yourself, if you can walk through an onject so can they.
likewise never put an object infront of the window from the INSIDE as they will climb over it when they break the window or phase through, hence why i previously said its safer to block the top of the stairs instead of the bottom due to most stairs having a window at the bottom

Erm... the radio may have been in a diagonal block from the window, so to speak. so up against the wall, one block from the window.

Interesting point about the objects. Can they ever climb over things like tables or crates? Or is it only thin things they can climb over like fences and stuff?

Originally posted by Danson:

Really surprised nobody has said to barricade windows and doors.. you would've been fine with a plank or two covering the windows. As said, second floor behind a closed door (which you can also barricade with planks and nails) would've been the better call. Covered windows do next to nothing to stop a zombie who wants in. The "meta" strategy is to find a 2 story building then find a sledgehammer. You can knock out the stairs entirely, making escape ropes from 2nd floor windows the only way in or out. Zombies can't use those, but they can destroy them, so place many. Helps to have a good carpentry skill so that you can rebuild the stairs if you ever get "locked out".

Basically just never, ever sleep unless there's a closed door between you and them.

I've actually been a big fan of the "smash the stairs" strategy since I read about it in a book like 10 years ago. I can't remember what the book was. Some jokey zombie survival book! I thought it was smart and yeah was thinking ladder or rope to make up for it, so the zomboid way would be a sheet rope.

I just never seem to be able to find a sledgehammer!

Ha, I just thought of something. TVs block them 100%. A single TV at the top of the stairs should make you literally invincible. XDD

Until they patch it at least. Then we're all screwed. lol

the can climb over any object the height of a table as long as they have to hop a fence or window though an exploity way around that is to place a fence, a crate then another fence so that the game doesnt know what to do so the obstacle becomes indestructible and if an object completely block a window they will usually phase through it if its on the other side.
so example:
if you put a fridge as an example OUTSIDE the window they will need to destroy the fridge before they get to the window but if you place it INSIDE they'll ghost through the fridge

the radio being next to the window may have attracted them if there was a station on though :P

[Hoppimike]

Originally posted by Chilli Dog Dave:

the can climb over any object the height of a table as long as they have to hop a fence or window though an exploity way around that is to place a fence, a crate then another fence so that the game doesnt know what to do so the obstacle becomes indestructible and if an object completely block a window they will usually phase through it if its on the other side.
so example:
if you put a fridge as an example OUTSIDE the window they will need to destroy the fridge before they get to the window but if you place it INSIDE they'll ghost through the fridge :theskull:

the radio being next to the window may have attracted them if there was a station on though :P

The radio was permanently on emergency broadcast (because it already had it as a setting - result!) and the TV was permanently on life and living, lol

That's v interesting about the fridge. I'd heard the fence and crate trick yeah. Did you know about the TV trick? :D