DayZ - Starter Guide

STARTING OUT

If you are spawned ingame, make sure you open up the map first to see where you are.
Hit the big industrial buildings outside of the city and try to find an Axe, a Knife and Road Flares. They will come in good advantage later on.
Stealth your way to the Hospital for medical supplies and loot anything you find on the way. Make sure to keep an eye out for other players in windows and on rooftops. Listen carefully for footsteps, gun shots and avoid others at all cost.
Hit the supermarket and med/high loot spawns in the residential areas to try to find matches and a Pistol then GTFO ASAP.
If you’re having a hard time doing the above, just try to get an Axe and Medical Supplies then get the hell outta town.

Make trips to all the Med/High Loot places, Deer Stands, Farms, Supermarkets, Industrial and Military loot spawns.
Farms to find a Crossbow, Supermarket for Camping Supplies, Industrial for a toolbox, Military for GPS and 24-slot Coyote Backpack.
Keep an eye out for animals to gut for food.
Drink all the Soda you find immediately to stay hydrated. Don’t bother wasting space on Soda if you have a Water Canteen.
Same goes for canned food which also helps keep your blood level up.
Keep at least 4 or more pieces of cooked meat on you at all times to heal up in case you get in trouble.
Manage your temperature, if it starts to go below 38 degrees then find shelter, cozy up next to a fire or use a heat-pack.
Try to keep your Blood over 9000! Any lower and you risk serious injury, aka, passing out while zombies eat your face.

If you have a 16-slot backpack and a toolbox by now then make some room in your inventory for vehicle parts.
You will want at least 4 slots free in your main inventory and 12 slots free in your backpack. This allows 2 large vehicle parts to be stored in your bag and 1 in your inventory.
Find a wrecked vehicle and repair it! Check http://unfair.co/dayz-mod-map-with-loot-and-vehicle-spawn-locations/ for vehicle spawns, not all vehicles can be repaired. Easy way to see if its repairable is if it can be entered or not which then tells you what parts need repair.
Once you have a Vehicle drive around to all the Supermarkets and High Residential spawn areas to find a tent.
Fortify a camp with your tent surrounded by Sandbags, barb wire and tank traps to stop vehicles from running over your tent and destroying everything.
Make sure to save your tent and vehicle by mouse wheel menu and then choose Save.