Scavenging

Scavenging is the means by which the player can obtain food, scrap, and money. With a certain Combat Training upgrade, medkits can also be found during scavenging. During any given scavenge attempt, the player may have a Boss Encounter: either 2 zombie-dogs or 1 zombie bear will appear along with a few regular zombies. These comprise 2 of the 3 possible boss encounters.

The player moves around the screen, picking up 3-4 randomly-appearing supplies while shooting or (more efficiently) avoiding the zombies which approach from the edges of the screen. The number of zombies depends on the zombie activity level when you choose to scavenge, which in turn depends on the time of day. It varies from Low around noon to Deadly at midnight. Ammo is used to kill zombies that threaten the player, but most scavenges can be completed successfully without firing a single shot if the player moves cleverly enough.

Food is by far, the most common resource found during scavenging. However, the player has a base limit of 250 oz. of food that he can carry back from scavenging unless having Extra Capacity perk, which tops the max oz. to 350.

If the player is touched by a zombie at any time, the scavenge will immediately end. The player will suffer a health penalty (which can be reduced with the Body Armor skill) and lose up to half of the supplies scavenged so far.

=Food items= Sack of flour: 15 oz

Can: 20 oz

Grocery bag: 100 oz

Shopping cart: 250 oz (collecting 2 of these in a single scavenge will usually earn the Overstocked achievement)

=Money items= Dollar bill: $5

Wallet: $20

Money bag: $50

=Scrap items= Scrap A (grey spark plug): 5 scrap

Scrap B (roll of duct tape): 10 scrap

Scrap C (gear and orange bits): 15 scrap

Scrap D (pile of gears): 20 scrap