Hunger & Thirst mechanics explained

[ramatakahn 38]

DayZ standalone introduces much more complicated hunger and thirst mechanics compared to the mod. Instead of your hunger and thirst being satisfied as soon as you eat or drink anything, each type of food and drink restores varying amounts of energy and can add or remove water. Additionally, your stomach can only hold a limited amount of food and water.

Examples

When you eat a box of cereal, it restores around 1000 energy, and drains 250 water. Eating sardines only restores 333 energy, but adds close to 100 water. Drinking a can of soda restores a bit less than 150 energy and adds over 300 water, while drinking from a canteen doesn't give any energy, but adds 1000 water.

Effects

When you have less than 100 energy, you start losing health and blood. However, when you have a ton of energy and plenty of water (3500 and 3000 respectively), you start regenerating blood. Once your blood is refilled, you regenerate health instead.

Dehydration is much more dangerous than starvation: you lose five times as much health and twice as much blood. Once you accumulate a water deficit, it can be difficult to recover from it if you wait too long.

Status Messages

While they don't tell you exactly what's going on with your character, the status messages that pop up can still help you figure out what you need to get yourself healthy again. Keep in mind that there are other effects that share some of the same messages, so this is by no means a conclusive way of diagnosing yourself.

Hunger

When you're hungry, you see the following messages: 
"I feel tired", "I feel run-down", "I feel worn-out", "I feel like taking a nap", "My stomach grumbles", "I'm feeling hungry", "I want to eat something", "I feel hungry"

When you're very hungry or starving, you see these messages:
"I'm extremely hungry", "My stomach grumbled violently", "I'm starving","I feel exhausted", "I feel extremely tired", "My head pounds", "My head throbs", "My head hurts", "I feel dizzy", "I feel light-headed", "I feel faint", "I feel unsteady", "My stomach grumbles", "I'm feeling hungry", "I want to eat something", "I feel hungry"

Thirst

When you're thirsty, you see these messages:
"I feel tired", "I feel run-down", "I feel worn-out", "I feel like taking a nap", "My mouth feels dry", "I feel thirsty", "I'm thirsty", "I need a drink", "I feel like having a drink", "I want to drink something"

When you're dehydrated, you see these messages:
"My mouth feels dry", "My head pounds", "My head throbs", "My head hurts", "I feel dizzy", "I feel light-headed", "I feel faint", "I feel unsteady", "I feel exhausted", "I feel extremely tired", "I feel thirsty", "I'm thirsty", "I need a drink", "I feel like having a drink", "I want to drink something"

Being Stuffed

You can also eat and drink too much and overfill your stomach. Once you see these messages, if you keep eating or drinking, you're probably going to end up vomiting.

• My stomach feels absolutely stuffed
• I feel over-fed
• My stomach feels much more full then it's normal
• I am close to vomiting
• I think I'm going to vomit...
• I'm going to vomit...

 

http://dayzdb.com/news/hunger-and-thirst-in-standalone

[Steak and Potatoes 13480]

Thanks I will add this to kichi's helpful links also can you edit the text its a wee dark to read.

 

Regards,

 

Steak.

[OAM 4]

Great post, thank you.

One question - how do you lay down? F3 is sit... Z is prone but there's no key for lay down that I've found.

[Snoopie (DayZ) 30]

You might just refer to this post:

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/159251-in-depth-video-guide-on-eating-drinking-and-blood-regeneration/

[frosti 2165]

What those 'energy' do?

[blfonsworth 32]

Great post, thank you.

One question - how do you lay down? F3 is sit... Z is prone but there's no key for lay down that I've found.

 

 

I gave you my Beans for being a fellow Gallente..