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Catching Up: VHS Mechanics

In Project Zomboid, the “Life and Living” television channel provides free skill experience for the first 9 days of a world’s lifecycle. Players who join a server late will “miss the show,” but they can recover this vital XP by finding and watching the corresponding Home VHS tapes.
Reading TimeDifficultyLast Updated
4 minutesBeginnerJanuary 2026

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How it Works

  1. Looting: Locate “Retail” video stores in cities like Muldraugh or Riverside. Look for tapes titled “Woodcraft,” “Cook Show,” or “Carzone.”
  2. Watching: Interact with a television and insert the tape via the media slot. Press Play.
  3. XP Gain: You will receive experience ticks exactly like the original broadcast.
    • Note: You can only gain XP from a specific title once. Rewatching the same tape will not grant additional experience.

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Configuration Variables

These values in SandboxVars.lua affect your training:
  • XPMultiplier: Tapes are affected by your global server experience multiplier.
  • LootRarity: On “Extremely Rare” settings, finding specific educational tapes becomes much harder, making them high-value trade items.

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The Library Combo

To maximize your efficiency, always read the corresponding Skill Book (e.g., Carpentry Vol 1) before watching a VHS tape. The book’s multiplier will apply to the VHS experience, allowing you to skip several character levels instantly.

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Support Channels

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Last Updated: January 2026 | Project Zomboid: Media systems verified.