If you’re thinking of going alone in DayZ, you will soon realize there isn’t an immediate option to do so when you boot up the game.
Even though the choice isn’t clear, there are a few ways that you can go about playing DayZ on your own. With this in mind, we’re looking at two particular ways you can play DayZ solo.
How to play DayZ in single-player mode
The two easiest ways to play DayZ solo are by either downloading and installing a particular mod, or creating your own private LAN server. Let’s take a look at both of these options in a little more detail.
Download the DayZ Community Offline Mode mod
The DayZ Community Offline Mode mod is available via GitHub, and it allows you to create your own game for solo play, but it does come at a cost. If you opt to use this mod, you’ll need to uninstall it again if you do choose to go back to the multiplayer version. If it’s only solo gameplay you are looking for, the mod is likely the better choice for you.
The mod also offers some extra advantages, such as allowing you to enable an object spawner and a teleporting system (although the teleporter has its limitations). These tools can be helpful when it comes to completing certain tasks in the game.
There are also options you can enable or disable with the DayZ Community Offline Mode mod, like the ability to disable the system that spawns in the infected and the loot if you want to keep things as bare as possible.
Create a private LAN server for DayZ
If you would rather have the option to play multiplayer when you feel like it without having to uninstall things every time, creating a private LAN server could be a better option for you.
That said, the files you will need for the server can’t be installed by default, so you will need to do so yourself by changing your Steam library filter so it shows Tools. You can then use the Tools section to install the DayZ server.
There’s another obstacle you will face if you opt to create a private LAN server. Once you have adjusted your Steam library filter and installed the DayZ server, the game will not immediately work. You’ll get an error message if you try to jump into it straight after it has been installed. However, there is a way to fix this, so let’s take a look at the steps you need to take to do so:
- Head into your Steam Library and locate the DayZ server
- Right-click on the DayZ server
- Navigate down to the Properties section
- Find the Launch Options choice.
- Enter the code “-config=serverDZ.cfg” under the Launch Options setting.
- Go back to the DayZ server installation folder.
- Open the option called serverDZ.cfg
- Create your own name for the server and make your choices regarding any adjustments that you want to make.
- Save all of your changes and the file.
- Close the text editor.
When you have completed all of these steps, you should be able to head into Steam and launch your private DayZ LAN server. It might take a bit of time to do so, but once the map has initialized, you can then boot up the DayZ client. To connect to your server, go to the LAN tab, and you should be able to see the private server you just created. Connect to it, and you will be able to jump in and start playing DayZ on your own.
Once your private server is set up, you can also add your own mods to it to create a truly personal and individual DayZ experience. As long as you are fine with not having any contact with other players, creating your own private LAN server could be the choice for you when it comes to experiencing DayZ in single-player.
Using the DayZ Community Offline Mode mod could be best for you if you don’t want to have to perform all the configuration needed to create the server client. However, it might not be the best option for those who want to be able to go between solo and multiplayer modes with ease.
My advice would be to use the mod if you are interested only in playing DayZ solo but opt for creating your own private LAN server if you want to be able to play both multiplayer and single-player simultaneously.
