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Dead Island Co-Op FAQ and Tips

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We break down the common co-op questions and pass on some tips for Dead Island.

Dead Island Co-Op  FAQ

Gameplay Tips

 

 

How many players does Dead Island support in co-op?

Four players in online co-op.

 

Can I play split screen or couch co-op in Dead Island?

Unfortuantely, no.  There's no local co-op play of any kind.

 

Can I play Dead Island over a LAN or System-Link?

Yes!  Both console and PC version of Dead Island support LAN play.

 

Can there be more of one character in a co-op game?

Yes.  You can mix and match any of the game's four characters.  This means you could have an entire four player co-op game filled with four Purnas.

 

Are players tethered together during co-op play?

You are free to roam anywhere in the zone you currently are without being tethered to another player.  These include the jungle, resort, city, etc.  Each one of these zones provides a huge playing area completely untethered from the other players.  The game will warp all players to the same spawn point if any player uses the fast travel system.  Players will need to be near each other to complete certain mission objectives.

 

Does the game scale in difficulty for co-op play?

The more players in a game,  the more zombies there are to kill.  Zombie level still appears to be tied to the host player.

 

Does the game save the progress of guest players? 

Yes and no.  If the host and guest players are in the same chapter, then both players can gain plot progress.  If the guest player is from a higher chapter they can still earn XP, gain money, and gather items.  If the guest player is from a lower chapter  they can still earn XP, gain money, and gather items, but quest progress will not be saved.  The game will post a message letting you know what will (or won't) be saved when joining a game.

 

Does the game scale items for guest players?

Yes!  When an item is awareded/dropped/discovered it's appearance is relative to the player picking it up.  So if player 1 looks at a weapon and he is level 15 - the weapon would be relative to his level.  If player 2 looks at the same weapon and he is level 30 - the weapon would be relative to his level.  Both players can take the weapon.  They will not see the other player's item.  

 

Can I join a game of a friend that is a higher level?

Yes.  You won't get any quest progress saved, but you will earn XP and items tailored to your level.

 

Can I join a game of a friend that is a lower level?

Yes.  You'll earn quest progress on any side quests you didn't complete as well as earn XP and rewards from quests already completed.  Once you have caught up to your own chapter progess will be saved in your own game.  

 

Are there team based skills?

Certain skills like those that affect money and XP benefit the whole group.  When Sam B's passive skill that allows him to earn more money is acquired, everyone benefits.  Purna, in particular,  has several passive buffs that will effect teammates within a certain distance to her.  

 

How do achievements and trophies work in co-op?

You can earn single player Achievements and Trophies in Co-Op, both as a host and as a guest.

 

How do collectible items work?

Collectible items, such as personal ID's, recordings, and mods, exist as a separate entity in each character's game. If player 1 picks up an ID, player 2 will still see it on their own screen. Each collectible has to be picked up by each individual. It is impossible to "steal" another player's collectible item.

 

What about consumables items? How do they work in co-op?

Consumable items, such as energy drinks, med kits, and weapon parts can be shared, stolen, hoarded, whatever. When a player picks one up, they disappear from everyone's display. I should note that almost all of these items respawn if you leave an area and come back. This includes cash. (This seems highly exploitable, and I suspect it will be patched eventually.)

 

I can't find anyone to play co-op with! Help!

The game makes it extremely easy to find people with similar progress.  You'll see a prompt appear on your screen if you are near someone who has a compatible story with you.  If not you can always try the Co-Optimus Forums!

 

TIPS: 

STAMINA IS KEY - If you're not kicking, you're probably dying.  A lot.  Your kick is your most valuable weapon.  You can use this to knock zombies down or to stop a charging infected.  Kicking doesn't use stamina, it never needs to be repaired, and you can eventually learn how to curb stomp.  If you don't want to spend the whole game at workbenches, I strongly suggest using it often.

FOCUS ON A FEW - There's going to be A LOT of items to pick up, focus on 2 or 3 as your main weapons and just worry about them.  The rest can be throw aways

AIM FOR THE HEAD - It should go without saying, but damage is location specific.  Aim for the limbs or head of an enemy to incapacitate them.  Plus - you can earn bonus XP.

 

 

 
Reads: 292021
Next Story: Dead Island Day One Patch Detailed 
Author
Nick Puleo
Owner and Managing Editor

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CoopBob
10:15 PM
9/5/2011

Thanks! Awesome list is much appreciated!


Psyclops
12:13 AM
9/6/2011

Thanks guys!!


Anonymous
12:40 AM
9/6/2011

good stuff, can't wait to get my hands on this game!


seshat
1:09 AM
9/6/2011

Wow, you guys should do this for every game! Next up Driver and Resistance 3


TheReaperCooL
3:27 AM
9/6/2011

Okay, I've asked a question, but maybe you don't know the answer, yet - If someone completes the game, can he play in Free Roam or something? Like in Borderlands, when you complete the Story there you can still go and shoot things and stuff


Biohzrd451
6:45 AM
9/6/2011

--- Replying to TheReaperCooL -----

If I am not mistaken there is a new game + option.


Raines
5:11 PM
9/6/2011

Here's one: Kick dead bodies and make sure they're not zombies. You'll find bodies everywhere that seem to be dead, but when you walk past them they get up and come after you.


Neuronyx
1:33 AM
9/7/2011

Great. Another game me and my best friend can't play together. Awesome.


justabaldguy
8:34 AM
9/7/2011

Can y'all expound on how to throw at the head? I see the spinning target reticle, but it stays on the torso. Does it move up? I've not been able to get it to do so...


Cubninja
10:35 AM
9/7/2011

@justabaldguy I can expound all day long! Target the head manually. Then pull the left trigger to prep the throw. Yes, the reticle moves to the torso. Ignore that noise. Pull the right trigger and you'll usually hit what you were aiming at.

Super Special Thug Tip: Target the arms. Cut them off, or break them, or both. You can throw weapons to do this. After that, retrieve all your gear, (watch out for headbutts!) then target ONE LEG. Their life will drop much more quickly than if you target their head or body. Again, watch out for headbutts.

At least that's been working for me.


justabaldguy
11:55 AM
9/7/2011

That is sage-like advice Andrew, befitting your name. I tried targeting but since the reticle was constantly on the torso I assumed I was doing something wrong. I will say I wouldn't mind a little more "sticky" auto aim help on targeting, sometimes it seems like me and the zombie are moving too much and I miss frequently.

Another good tip zeds can't swim. Anytime you get the chance, around the beach or one of the resorts 10,000 swimming pools, kick 'em in the water. They'll drown, leaving you one less undead to fight.


Biohzrd451
12:42 PM
9/7/2011

--- Replying to justabaldguy -----

I was kicking em in the water just for Lulz. I felt like a complete Bad Ass juggling like 4 zombies kicking one away swinging my bat at the other, throwing a knife and then kick one in the pool.


DarinCMU
9:06 PM
9/10/2011

Something worth adding is how XP works. I don't have exact numbers, but based on some testing

- If you contribute to a kill (even just landing a low damage hit), you get around half XP
- If you're nearby a kill (we think within 15 meters, so within radar range) but didn't contribute at all, you get around 5-10% of the kill XP
- If you land the killing blow, no matter how much you contributed, you get the most XP
- You get an XP bonus for Fury kills (great on the Thugs/special zombies)

Quest XP seems a little more bizarre, and we couldn't completely verify this. It seems if you're not near a quest NPC when someone turns it in, you don't get XP. Obviously the main quests that require everyone nearby, that's not an issue.

However, on more than a few side quests, we noticed people weren't getting XP if they weren't extremely close to the NPC.


Raines
12:53 AM
9/11/2011

If you're mostly playing solo, play as Sam B or Logan. Can't speak for Purna, but Xian is f@#$ing terrible solo. when I got to Act 2 I was constantly being slaughtered. Xian has the lowest health and no health regeneration skills, just +% to healing from medkits. I took skills to keep stamina up while attacking, but it was mostly die die die die die die die die some more die die die die again die die die and die. She's a great addition to a co-op team though.


Cubninja
12:03 PM
9/13/2011

@Raines I beat the whole game solo with Xian. I guess I'm just better than you. (I'm kidding!) In all seriousness, there were times where I died A LOT. I've played as all the characters, and she's still my favorite. But you are absolutely right, she's got the lowest health. I spent a good chunk of Act 2 running from fights and letting the bonus XP from missions level me up. The game totally changed, and became much more about survival than actively engaging zombies. I loved the change of tone. The fact that the game can be played as a survival horror title solo or an action packed zombie kill fest with friends is why we scored it so high.


sommiso
11:06 PM
9/16/2011

Hi, for the co-op game, are you able to create multiple characters and save each's progress (sampling all 4), and choose which to use freely at the start of the game?


AtomicPunk747
12:56 AM
9/19/2011

Is it possible to play an offline system link game on this game? I was trying this earlier, and I couldn't get it. Can someone answer this question for me?


glitchmaster93
4:11 PM
9/19/2011

Something kinda like AtomicPunk's question can you LAN from say an xbox to a PC and play the game co-op like that? Or does it have to remain console specific?


Olivasmen
4:03 PM
5/10/2013

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Total Comments: 19

Release Date: 09.06.2011
Genre: FPS
ESRB: Mature

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