In combination with the persistent game mechanics and the simulated hostile environment, the game becomes a lived experience of the sf trope of postapocalypse that is unlike any provided in film or literature.
DayZ is noteworthy insofar as it rejects a moral baseline inherent in the diegesis it denies players a pre-scripted narrative, instead relying on open-world mechanics that allow player interaction with little algorithmic limitation. In adding the threat of a zombie attack, the game further emphasizes the existential nature of these decisions and foregrounds player agency as the determining factor for game experience. By modeling a postapocalyptic world, the game forces players to make moral decisions regarding scarcity, survival, and social order. With an active modding community for Arma 3, it’s not that difficult to get started modding the game.
The simulated space of the game foregoes sf-typical centering on historic narrative progression and accumulation of knowledge about the diegetic world for an active exploration of space and the accumulation of lived experience. Arma 3 is a ton of fun, but modding can make it even better Here are some of the best mods to install for Arma 3 to keep you busy for weeks. In this article, I argue that the video game DayZ is an engaging representation of the zombie apocalypse, moreso than any cinematic or literary forms, specifically because of its status as digital medium and interactive simulation.
