(outdated) J's guide to OP looting and inventory management (updated)

They have now (finaly) put a hardcap on modifying the state of you bags (i.e. put things in them) that is tied to your maximum carry limit. As such, this guide is no longer relevant.

Reference to short version (v2)

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=531517927

Introduction

Update : For those of you who want a short read, see Summary after the conclusion. (or link to v2 in previous section)

Do you like to loot almost everything you find?

Are you tired of running back and forth between your base and downtown to loot it all?

Have you ever dreamed to be able to carry 10 propane tank, hundred of canned goods, loads of weapons and much more all at once?

If so, this guide is for you as long as you don't care about exploiting the game and the unrealistic carrying capacity that can result from it.

Please note that english is only a second language for me and I did my best to write coherently. Feedback would be appreciated for further improvements. Also, if this is not an original idea and another guide does exist on the same topic, I would gladly put the link in this introduction.

Section I - An insight on the game weight limit mecanic

Other then the limit of weight you can carry before becoming « fairly heavy loaded » or greater, the game limit any transfer to your inventory (the cardboard box sprite) while the resulting number of weight unit is equal to or less then 50. (edit : not true anymore for unstacking logs, see further)

For exemple, this means that if you are trying to pick-up a baseball bat, you must have exactly 48 or less in your inventory to do it. It does not matter if the item comes from the floor, a container or an equiped bag.

That is the only existing limit to your weight carrying capacity. If an item state is modified while already in your inventory (ex.: equipping or unequipping) or if the item itself is modified, it can make you carry more than the 50 units ''limit''. An easy enough exemple to check is to unbind a couple of log stack while you are already close to 50 (ex.: carrying 4 x 4 log stack, wich would unbind to 144 weight units EDIT : does not work anymore, excess of 50 is dropped automaticaly on the ground). The same is also true for filling bags, wich will be further discussed in this guide.

As of yet, there is no difference in movement speed while you carry 50 or 10 000 weight units. There is also no ill effect on your health. (EDIT : So far I have reach a few thousands without seeing further speed reduction then what 30 or so would give. According to the Wiki, there would be back injury and health loss but I have yet to experience it).

Of course, this is assuming that there is no ''second cap'' that would limit ''alter state'' effects as well. (EDIT : Tested so far at 2-3k, see screenshot in Summary for 800 exemple)

Section II - A little math to demonstrate the maximum effect and what's in between

Assuming that your character does not carry anything else then 50 weight units of bags that are carried in your inventory (which should happen very rarely as food, weapon and clothing would be usualy be present) the following max value could be possible in theory :

(Type of bag by ascending weight unit return)

50 Dufflebags = 900
100 Purses or Totebags = 1 200
100 Schoolbags = 1 500
100 Normal hiking bags = 2 000
100 Big hiking bags = 2 200
500 Plastic bags = 4 000
500 Empty sandbags = 7 500
500 Garbage bags = 10 000
Chuck Norris's pocket = infinite

Obviously, the last one is a joke. All the number are based on the maximum capacity of each bag multiplied by [50 / weight of each empty bag]. You probably won't be able to reach this figure since these value assume that all bags are filled at maximum capacity. It is reasonable to assume that bags would be filled with an average of 90-95% of it's capacity. (edit : a difference of 0,1 or less, i consider normal)

An alternate scenario would be to consider 22 weight units of bag (what you could carry in a big hiking bag equiped on you back) leaving some space in your inventory for your clothes, weapons. food and other disirebale items.

22 Dufflebags = 396
44 Purses or Totebags = 528
44 Schoolbags = 660
44 Normal hiking bags = 880
44 Big hiking bags = 968
220 Plastic bags = 1 760
220 Empty sandbags = 3 300
220 Garbage bags = 4 400

To these values would be added up to 50 weight units (28 available in inventory + 22 from emptied BHB) and maybe a bit more if one (or two) weapon(s) was (were) equipped before loading the bags (ex.: baseball bat goes from 0,6 to 2). To make use of that extra carrying capacity, your inventory need to be filled prior to filling the bags, since after you exceed the 50 weight unit mark, it will be impossible to move any new items to your inventory.

Of course, more modest scenario are far more likely such as a couple of big hiking bags.
But while your paying for your heavy load with your time, might as well make the most of it and go all out, no?

EDIT : Note that the Organised/Disorganise traits will alter thoses values as they increase/decrease bag capacity as well as containers.

Section III - Some preparation required

To make use of this exploit you will need a three step preparation : cleaning the looting zone, having the necessary equipement for the trip in your inventory and selecting the bags to use.

1) Cleaning the looting zone

Since you will be moving very slowly, the zone you intend to loot should be cleared of zombie beforehand. The way back should also be relatively free from zombies. Don't panic if there is a few sparse zombie left over, you will still be able to equip a weapon from your inventory (even in both hands) and fight if need be. Just make sure it is only a few, and they are sufficiently isolated. Clearing some sort of waystation for rest along the way back is also a good idea.

2) Having the necessary equipement for the trip in your inventory

Since it will be impossible to move any new items to your inventory after you go over the 50 weight units mark (unless you mass drop your bags, which kind of defeat the concept), it is crucial to have all you need in your inventory. The exact list will vary depending on each player but may include : proper clothing, weapons, food, water, light source, pills and first aid materials. Tent and firekit would probably be useless as they cannot be picked after having been set-up in this instance.

3) Selecting the bags to use

It is useless to have more bags in your backpack and a secondary bag then what you can fit in your inventory. The bags you chose are mostly a question of presonal taste, availability and the maximum values defined in section II. Whenever your ready to loot, make sure your bags are all in your inventory. That brings me to section IV.

Section IV - Plastic bags are your friend

As seen in section II, all form of bags that weight 0,1 individualy generate the best return. Since availability is a factor plastic bag should be a strong candidate (with as many garbage bags as can be spared).

You can easily have hundreds of plastic bags by looking at the totebags you find. Some of them will be generated with exactly 80 plastic bags in them. They are most commonly found in kitchen cabinets and on zombies.

You can also use them in an ''Hop o' My Thumb''(1) fashion to mark the way back for an easier navigation, since each wrong step will be more costly once you are heavily loaded.

The only downside I can see with plastic bags, is that their capacity of 8 does not allow for propane tank and log transportation, although any garbage bag you could spare will. (EDIT : With organised trait, plastic bags increase to 10 and garbage bag to 26).

Finally, as their weight of 0,1 is relatively small (representing as low as 1,25% of it's content or 0,5% in the case of a garbage bag), you could always just rename the bag by theme (assuming it does have one) and save yourself the hassle of emptying them at your destination, saving the emptying for when the content becomes needed. I would advise not to name your bag exactly as another item, since the game stack items based on their name regardless of its type.

(1) It seems to be the english translation of ''le petit poucet''.

Section V - When is this a good idea

Such massive looting should not be your first priority. Having a decent base of operation should be.

Once your base is either completed or on its way and cleared of zombies in all directions on a few blocs, massively looting can become a good option if it is at least moderately far from your base. Close locations could be looted in more regular fashion with a reasonable efficiency. Good targets would be large blocs of houses, downtown or even the mall. Don't forget adequate preparation as outlined in section III.

This technique can also be put to good use for relocating your base of operation.

Loot availability is a factor, if you are playing with extremely rare loot, then it might not be as usefull as the default setting or above. Zombie respawn time combined with game day duration is another factor to consider.

Carpentry is usually not a good candidate, as the time to unpack bags will be greater then a few back and forth on an usually short distance. Of course, the unbinding weight limit breach effect already outlined in section I apply. I usually go for 3 x 4 log stack with little inventory otherwise to be unencumbered (with 2 BHB).

It may be less usefull in multiplayer games or when the NPC are implemented as human player and NPC will tend to move around a lot more then zombie and one of the following may ensue :

1) More dangerous way back

2) Base of operation looted or destroyed while away for looting

Those can be lessened with the help of other players or NPC, such as leaving guards behind or having a couple of bodyguard along for the ride.

Section VI - Bag on the floor (new way to use this)

I've just started a new game last night and I found out you can now fill bags on the floor or empty them. Those are subject to the same exploit, meaning that you could potentialy get near unlimited storage right on the floor.

Obviously, scrolling through a long list of bag will be the major factor here, but it can be lessened by renaming the bags.

Section VII - Unstack log... the aftermath of auto-drop to the floor

Ok... now when you unstack logs, the excess of 50 drop to the floor.

After having been a minor inconvenience (now needing 3 more trip to the plank stack instead of carrying 60 plank in a row*)... I can see the benefits.

When you unstack log and/or saw them in the same spot... you'll usually end up dropping more and more on that spot and keeping what your max limit (50) allows (usually 4 log or 13 plank for me). This mean you can build up a stack of log or plank that is truly infinite in a single spot, as it's not restricted by the number of bag you can carry (or the floor can accept... see section VI).

Just though it would be a nice trick to share with neat freaks like me ;)

No section... just another suggestion.

It has been hinted already in my guide, when I said that you could just drop bags in containers (or the ground) instead of sorting them... assuming they had a theme.

After runing around my cinema base a lot to sort things out... I though I'd share my pledge : never again will I loot items in bulk without switching bags!

What's worse? Looking through a scroll down menu (while the time can be paused)? Or running around to find the right container?

Conclusion

Hoping that you have the right circonstances and patience to try this out, i wish you some epic looting!

Also, I would be curious to know what kind of maximum load you really get as opposed to theory (and how you get it).

J.

Summary (short version)

Here I will try to be brief to give you the method in 6 simple steps. I will sometimes refer to sections above if you would like further information on a subject.

1) (Optional) Clear the way beforehand while you have a decent speed and possibly mark the way to avoid getting lost while slowed down. (S. III and S. IV)

2) Fill-up your inventory (box symbol) with basic gear (food, water, weapon, first aid...) and as many garbage bag you can spare or any other bag that has a decent capacity/weight ratio. (S. II)

3) When you're ready to loot, fill the remaining inventory space to maximum capacity, as it would be lost otherwise once you begin step 4-5.

4) Equip an empty bag (let's say secondary) and fill-it to maximum capacity. This will allow you to go above the maximum of 50 in your inventory. (S. I)

5) Equip another empty bag and repeat step 4 until there is no empty bag left.

6) Return to your base and be patient while you organise that much loot.

Here is an example of this method result (with my two regular BHB, 26 garbage bags and 5 plastic bags)

Aftermath

I must admit I'm puzzled as to the reason why such an exploit is (still) possible.

I initialy tough that it was for carpentry and ease of unstacking logs... but it has been fixed so that you auto drop any log in excess to 50 in your inventory.

My actual hypothesis is that it is either to accomodate unequiping items or because the devs like this exploit themselves. Far from me the idea of giving them bad intentions, thus it is a distant second (you never know with humans). Then, I will only discuss the unequiping of items.

Reason 1
Equiping items provide a 70% weigth reduction (last time I checked). It works for everything, weapons, logs/stack of logs, bags and everything else (except maybe body or moveable furniture that may only have a fixed "carry weight"). Just imagine the hasle of having to grab back a weapon you accidentaly dropped because your character now hold 50.01 weight unit... I can surely imagine a few uncourteous post to the dev to that effect.

But would it justify having 2-3K of loot just so you have a reasonable margin to avoid being unduly strict? Most certainly not. A few extra units for weapons would be allright, the rest could be treaded as unstacking log has been. Actualy, the maximum needed is quite easy to calculate : heaviest weapon x 0,7.

Reason 2
I must admit, I'm no coder even though I can see logic and math in front of me.

Thus, I don't know if it's difficult or not to create a second "hard cap".

I guess that targeting specific items is simpler, with the example of unstacking logs.

Why not limit to 50, only for bags, what I call "alter state" (i.e. modifiying an item by adding to it or substracting to it, see my guide on rain collector for another exemple, or even unequiping). Then, a bag that get's too heavy just drop on the ground.

I must admit that there is a difficulty : the bag you are filling is equiped (thus at 30% of it's weight). It is not before the bag is unequiped that the limit reach over 50 (if you were not already above it). That leaves two solutions :

(1) once unequiped, it act the same way as logs unstacked (the smallest possible number of unequiped bag drop to the ground until 50 is reached), or
(2) the bag preemptively drop down once it reach the point were unequiped, it would go over 50.

Solution 2 is ill advised (think having your backpack drop all of the sudden because your inventory is to full IF your backpack was to be unequiped), so only one remain.

[J's]

And as far as going slow, i already acknowledged that in S. III (some preparation required)

[J's]

@ Shiana, I re-read your comment and I was mistaken, there are no extra cap... as for going slower... going half or a quater as fast with 100x the loot is worthwhile (except the back injury risk... that may be a show stoper)

[J's]

That's new for the slowing until there is no movement speed anymore, it fixes it. What is the new threshold? As long as it's about 120ish i'll survive ;)

Although, it was not about bag withing bag, only filling them then unequiping or equiping another to fill it, and so forth.

[Shiana]

Seems all of those bugs were closed. as in the current state of the game:
More weight -> you will get slower. Until you can not run anymore, and even going is slower than normal.
More weight -> much faster exhaustion. More exhaustion -> reduces run speed, and even runnung ability.
Bags in Bags -> doesnt work anymore. Weight-reducement for bags is only calculated if you wear the bag in one of the three bagslots (primary, secondary, back), having it in another bag or directly in the inventory means full weight of contents + weight of the bag itself...

[BlitzBob NoPants]

Ah, yes. That makes more sense then. Thanks for clearing that up.

[J's]

To BlitzKrieg-Kjeld : The bags must remain (or go into) your general inventory as the bag weight limit is absolute (cannot go over). Once the bags are in your inventory however, they can be filled regardless of the weight you are already carrying.

[mary]

Ooooh I did this by accident and thought it was a bug. Now I feel less guilty doing it "on accident" again. ^^

[BlitzBob NoPants]

So basically what you are saying here is; Fill up a bag and put it in another bag, then fill up that bag and repeat until you either run out of bags to fill or loot to loot?

* Except that you said it with a very well written, 5 sections long guide covering the theory and mathematics behind it of course.

[Jacozard]

Chuck would not approve, I on the other hand wil give it a try, thnx for the guide

[GhostFaceSaint]

Chuck Norris's pocket is never a joke!