The wastelands of The Fun Pimps' zombie survival crafting game 7 Days to Die is harsh and unforgiving. Besides the undead hordes and wild animals that make jaunting through the preset world of Navezgane a dangerous affair, there's also the need to fuel up on food and water so as not to perish. Speaking of refueling, one of the items players should consider at some point during play is some form of motorized vehicle, be it the minibike, motorcycle, 4x5 truck, or something else of that ilk. With said vehicles, it becomes a priority keeping it refueled with gasoline.
While obtaining vehicles is a separate task in and of itself, once players have one in their possession, maintaining it becomes a very important part of video game vehicle ownership, not too dissimilar to real life in that respect. With that, here are the best places to source gas from to keep vehicles running for longer. It's worth pointing out at this point that in some instances, players will need to have some advanced skills, which are normally acquired later on in the game.
Red Barrels / Pump Stations
Finding useful items inside of barrels can often be a game of chance. Whereas locked safes may contain just a few items that probably weren't worth the lockpicks it took to break in, a simple cardboard box could contain valuables a-plenty. With barrels and gas station pumps, players basically know what they'll be getting once they open them.
Although something of a staple in FPS games, and 7 Days to Die is arguably no exception to this trope, barrels are also a handy way to store items. Of course, they can be used as explosive devices if facing off against a horde and the situation requires it. However, looking inside these red barrels, also known as gas barrels, can reveal a can of gasoline which is free for the taking. These barrels are usually found at gas stations, although there are a number contained within the shooting range, which is a recent addition to the game.
Speaking of gas stations, while they are generally a good source of general supplies, as well as zombies, the pumps that are located outside the main entrance are also a potential source of gasoline. Similar to the barrels, these can be exploded or simply looted for the gas that's inside them.
Cars and Army Trucks
At the start, 7 Days to Die players will spawn next to a rusty car and possibly a rucksack. This immediately teaches the player that some cars, the ones that still have most of their chassis intact, at least, can be a good place to seek out some goodies early on. What's not immediately obvious, however, is that these vehicles can be stripped down of their components to be used elsewhere.
In order for this to be done, the player will need a wrench, either by finding one, purchasing one, or crafting one after getting the schematic. Approaching a car, or an army truck which yields even greater material, simply using the primary or secondary attack function will break down the vehicle and fill up the player-character's inventory with things like springs, metal, mechanical parts, leather, and gasoline. The amount that is harvested varies, but find enough vehicles and it's possible to extract hundreds of units of gas.
Cars are also very easy to come by. Many are parked outside establishments, such as convenience stores or delis, some are still parked on the driveways or inside the garages of broken down houses, while others are found randomly on the side of the road. Either way, once a wrench is obtained, vehicles become a treasure trove of useful material as well as that all-important fuel.
Shale
It's possible to mine and eventually create gas. In order for this process to be fully realized, players will need to have the skills and schematics to create a chemistry table. Once that's done, it's simply a case of setting out into the desert biome to seek out shards of pure shale. These are scattered throughout the hot terrain and are pretty easy to spot. They will be noticeable by the pointy shard of rock that sticks up from the ground, which has a rainbow sheen to it, similar to how oil looks.
The best tool to use for mining shale is the trusty pickaxe, which will make much lighter work of digging it out. In order to create a full canister of gas at the chemistry station, 800 pieces will need to be mined. Shale is also not just on the surface. As the main shard that sticks up from the ground gets chipped away, more rainbow-colored textures will appear on the ground. This means there is more shale underneath, so it's worth players continuing to dig to get the maximum amount. For those who do wish to continue to dig, always remember to either bring a shovel to dig your way back out of the hole or bring enough wood to create ladders.
7 Days To Die will arrive to the PS4 and Xbox One on June 28. The game is also available now via Steam Early Access.
