Game Guide

1. Getting started

When you first launch Zoms you'll create a survivor — pick a body, face, hair and skin, then choose one of five classes. Your class is locked in once you confirm, so think about how you want to play: ranged, tank, healer, builder, or explosives.

You'll wake up at the Forest campground, the starting safe-ish zone. Talk to Camp Leader Ben (look for the gold ! over his head) to pick up your first quests — they'll walk you through the core systems.

2. Controls

These are the defaults. Every key is rebindable from the Game Menu → Keybinds, so make it your own.

Movement

Action	Key
Move	W A S D
Run	Shift (hold)
Crouch / sneak	Ctrl
Click-to-move	Left-click ground (double-click to run)
Aim	Right Mouse (hold)
Unstick yourself	/stuck in chat

Interaction & combat

Action	Key
Interact / pick up / gather / mount	E
Select target	Left-click · Tab to cycle
Action bar abilities	1 – 0
Cycle weapon fire mode	X
Flashlight	Y

Interface

Panel	Key
Inventory	I
Crafting	B
Skills / abilities	K
Quest log	L
Map	M
Character / attributes	C
Build mode	J
Radio tuner	N
Game menu	Esc
Chat	Enter

Voice chat

Action	Key
Proximity voice (push-to-talk)	V (hold)
Radio voice (push-to-talk)	T (hold)

3. Survival basics

Staying alive is about more than dodging zombies. Watch the gauges on your HUD:

• Health — hits zero and you go down. Bandages and medkits heal you; resting at a campfire heals over time.
• Hunger & thirst — drain over time. Eat food and drink water (wells and rain help) before they bottom out and start hurting you.
• Stamina — running burns it; it regens when you stop. Crouching regens it faster.
• Infection — a zombie scratch can infect you. Infection is a slow death clock — cure it with an Infection Suppressant or visit the Combat Medic NPC.

4. Combat

Combat is target-based. Click or Tab to a target, then use an ability from your action bar. Auto-Attack and Shoot Gun are toggles — turn them on and your survivor keeps attacking the locked target.

• Melee — bats, machetes, axes. Reliable and quiet, no ammo.
• Bow — silent ranged damage; needs arrows.
• Firearms — loud but powerful, with single / burst / full-auto fire modes (X) and reloads. Loud gunfire draws the horde.
• Armor & shields — reduce incoming damage but wear down. Repair them at a workbench.

Crouch to sneak — it halves how far zombies and wildlife can detect you, letting you slip past or get the drop on them.

5. Gathering & crafting

Everything you build starts as raw materials in the world:

• Woodcutting — equip an axe and press E on a tree (or click it).
• Mining — equip a pickaxe and hit rocks for stone and ore.
• Foraging — press E on plants for herbs.
• Hunting — kill deer for meat and hides.

Open crafting with B. Basic recipes (bandages, planks, ammo) craft from your inventory; advanced gear needs a workbench (which keeps crafting even while you're offline). Cook meals at a campfire for powerful food buffs. Don't have a tool? Gathering will auto-equip the right one from your bag if you own it.

6. Building a base

To build anywhere, first place a Claim Flag — it marks the plot as yours and protects it. Then press J to enter build mode:

• Pick a piece from the palette — foundations, walls, doorways, floors, ramps, stairs, roofs.
• Pieces snap to a grid; walls snap to foundation edges. Use the up/down floor controls for multi-story builds.
• Add lockable doors, storage chests, and defenses.
• Zombies bash solid walls — repair and reinforce to hold out. Leave a doorway and they'll funnel through it.

Place a workbench and a campfire inside, and you've got a home base. Party members can build on your claim too.

7. Classes & progression

You grow in three ways:

• Character level (1–50) — earned from kills and quests; raises your attributes (STR, DEX, CON, END, INT).
• Class abilities — each class unlocks a full kit as it levels. Drag abilities from the K panel onto your action bar.
• Proficiencies (18 skills) — level by doing: woodcutting, mining, cooking, agility, combat skills and more. The more you do something, the better you get.

Loot comes in five rarities with random rolled bonuses — chase the perfect drop. Bosses and tough enemies drop the best gear.

8. Playing with others

• Party up (up to 4) with /invite <name> — share loot and XP, and see each other on the map.
• Trade with players using /trade, or buy and sell at trader NPCs for Marks, the in-game currency.
• Talk over 3D proximity voice (V) or craft a radio and tune a frequency to reach your crew across the map (T).
• Whisper anyone online with /w <name> <message>.
• Dungeons are per-party instances — clear them together for the best rewards.

9. Survivor tips

• Do Ben's starter quests first — they teach the systems and hand you starting gear.
• Carry a bandage and some food before you need them.
• Drop a Claim Flag early to secure a home spot near the campground.
• Keep a backup weapon — durability runs out and guns run dry.
• If you die above level 5 you drop your gear where you fell; a grave marker shows the way back, so return fast.
• Crouch-walk past predators instead of fighting a whole pack.
• Stuck in geometry? Type /stuck.

Zoms is in active development. Controls, systems, and content described here may change as the game evolves.