In Project Zomboid, the player’s mood is an important aspect to consider in order to survive the zombie apocalypse. Depression and boredom are two moods that are closely connected, meaning that having one of these moods increases the likelihood of experiencing the other.
Depression in Project Zomboid can be caused by prolonged unhappiness, stress, or consuming certain food items. There are different stages of unhappiness that a player can experience, ranging from “Feeling a Little Sad” to “Severely Depressed”. As the player’s unhappiness increases, the negative effects of depression become more severe. These effects include slower timed actions, making everyday tasks like looting or pulling out a weapon take longer.
| Mood | Description | Timed Action Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Feeling a Little Sad | “Find a way to raise your mood.” | No effect yet. |
| Getting a tad weepy | “Seek some excitement or human contact.” | Slightly slower timed actions. |
| Depressed | “Ravaged by mourning and desperation.” | Minorly slower timed actions. |
| Severely Depressed | “Find a way to forget reality.” | Moderately slower timed actions. |
Boredom is another mood that the player can experience in Project Zomboid. If a player builds up enough boredom, it can eventually lead to unhappiness and depression. There are several ways to cure boredom in the game. Spending time outside (not in a structure) can help reduce symptoms of boredom over time. Additionally, speaking in chat or interacting with NPCs can also help lower the player’s boredom level.
If a player is experiencing panic levels greater than 5, their boredom will disappear immediately. This can be a helpful strategy for managing boredom in emergency situations.
There are several ways to cure depression in Project Zomboid as well. One way is to find positive stimuli, such as preparing meals with seasoning to improve the taste, or engaging in activities like listening to music or watching TV for entertainment. Planting and consuming strawberries can also help reduce unhappiness by 10 points. Alcohol can also help reduce symptoms of depression, but it should be used in moderation as it can have negative consequences if consumed excessively.
The most effective mood lifter in the game is reading one of Project Zomboid’s many in-game books. These books can be found while scavenging for food and can significantly improve the player’s mood.
There are also several food and drink items that can help improve the player’s mood by reducing unhappiness. Some examples include canned fruit cocktail, canned peaches, canned pineapple, soup, stew, bread dough, cake preparation, noodle soup, pie preparation, pot of soup, cake slice, muffin, burger, hot drink, pie, taco, waffles, maple syrup, bourbon, red wine, white wine, beer, hot and cold tea, juice, soda, strawberries, croissant, cake slices, carrot cake slice, cheesecake slice, chocolate cookie, cookie, fruit muffin, ice cream, ice cream cone, icing, lollipop, mint candy, oatmeal cookie, raspberry shortbread, red velvet cake slice, shortbread cookie, strawberry cake slice, black forest cake slice, chocolate cake slice, chocolate doughnut, doughnut, frosted doughnut, jelly doughnut, marshmallows, gum, peanut butter, burger, butter, cheese, fries, fruit jam, marmalade, pancakes, peanut butter sandwich, pizza, and waffles.
In addition to food and drink items, there are also certain literature items that can reduce unhappiness. These include books, comics, crosswords, magazines, and newspapers. Engaging in activities like cooking and crafting can also help improve the player’s mood.
It’s important to keep an eye on the player’s mood in Project Zomboid and take steps to manage it in order to survive the zombie apocalypse. By finding ways to reduce boredom and depression, the player can maintain a positive outlook and better handle the challenges that come their way.
Overall, managing mood is an important aspect of gameplay in Project Zomboid. By understanding the causes and effects of boredom and depression, and finding ways to improve their mood, the player can better navigate the challenges of the zombie apocalypse.
| Food | unhappiness |
|---|---|
| Canned Fruit Cocktail | -10 |
| Canned Peaches | -10 |
| Canned Pineapple | -10 |
| Bowl of Soup | -20 |
| Bowl of Stew | -20 |
| Bread Dough | -20 |
| Cake Preparation | -20 |
| Noodle Soup | -20 |
| Pie Preparation | -20 |
| Pot of Soup | -20 |
| Cake Slice | -10 |
| Muffin | -10 |
| Burger | -10 |
| Cake | -10 |
| Hot Drink | -10 |
| Pie | -10 |
| Taco | -10 |
| Waffles | -10 |
| Maple Syrup | -20 |
| Bourbon | -20 |
| Red Wine | -20 |
| White Wine | -20 |
| Beer Bottle | -16 |
| Beer Can | -15 |
| Hot Teacup | -10 |
| Juice Box | -10 |
| Orange Soda | -10 |
| Pop | -10 |
| Cold Cuppa | -5 |
| Hot Cuppa | -5 |
| Strawberries | -10 |
| Croissant | -15 |
| Cake Slice | -10 |
| Carrot Cake Slice | -10 |
| Cheese Cake Slice | -10 |
| Chocolate Cookie | -10 |
| Cookie | -10 |
| Fruit Muffin | -10 |
| Ice Cream | -10 |
| Ice Cream Cone | -10 |
| Icing | -10 |
| Lollipop | -10 |
| Mint Candy | -10 |
| Oatmeal Cookie | -10 |
| Raspberry Shortbread | -10 |
| Red Velvet Cake Slice | -10 |
| Shortbread Cookie | -10 |
| Strawberry Cake Slice | -10 |
| Black Forest Cake Slice | -15 |
| Chocolate Cake Slice | -15 |
| Chocolate Doughnut | -15 |
| Doughnut | -15 |
| Frosted Doughnut | -15 |
| Jelly Doughnut | -15 |
| Marshmallows | -5 |
| Gum | -5 |
| Peanut Butter | -15 |
| Burger | -10 |
| Butter | -10 |
| Cheese | -10 |
| Fries | -10 |
| Fruit Jam | -10 |
| Marmalade | -10 |
| Pancakes | -10 |
| Peanut Butter Sandwich | -10 |
| Pizza | -10 |
| Waffles | -10 |
| Literature | Boredom Change | Unhappy Change | Stress Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book | -50 | -40 | -40 |
| Comic Book | -30 | -20 | -20 |
| HottieZ | -40 | 0 | -50 |
| Magazine | -20 | 0 | -15 |
| Newspaper | -15 | 0 | -15 |