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[Mephansteras]

Sounds like the first thing we need to figure out is the Zombies. What kind are they? How smart are they? Are there multiple varieties? Do they have any goals?

I'll ponder this today and come up with some detailed ideas.

[Jakkarra]

id prefer Romero-styled zombies, slow, tough and only killable with a _(BOOM) headshot.

however, they should also be able to Infect peoples.

im debating to myself if other types would be a good addition...

unless you simply make the other enemies raiders and such, having the zombies as more of a nuisance.

[Granite26]

Sounds like the first thing we need to figure out is the Zombies. What kind are they? How smart are they? Are there multiple varieties? Do they have any goals?

I'll ponder this today and come up with some detailed ideas.

This would be largely dependant on the game style, wouldn't it?  If squad based, having a line of zombies limp towards your character as you shot them one at a time, counting your bullets and making headshots would be extremely tense.  First person games don't have quite the same feel.  It's harder to get the players to play right, since they can more easily headshot the crowd, or run through it.  You'd almost need trackstar zombies in a FPS environment.

(for FPS, consider sprite based rather than 3d models... you can get a lot more baddies on the screen)


Mutant Zombies?  Rather than traditional undead, mutant zombies are the result of a gene-altering pathogen.  Several brands of this and several levels of contamination could yield a nice variety of enemies.  It also means that the mutagen came from somewhere, and yields a plot.  I'm not thinking anything crazy like RE or L4D, but think of a mutagen that causes zombification (loss of pain receptors and intelligence, mindless rage), but also causes bony plates to form on the skin.  Initially, they'd just be a high DR zombie, but could quickly become horrific, with skeletal extrusions all over the place.  Progression: (Zombie, DR Zombie, Plated Zombie, Spike Monster (high DR and armor piercing), and the rock zombie that can't move, but is nigh-invulnerable)

Infector track:
Zombie
Fast Zombie
Puking Zombie
Plague Bearer (think bloat here, only not quite so ridiculous.  It would be fast, and any blows would burst the swolen nodules releasing retrovirus in a cloud of goo.)

Basically, take a cancer and a virus and an overactive stem cell disease, shake it up and set it lose. 99% of zombies would be boring, but this gives the director a chance to throw a unique/interesting creature into a dark building for high suspense.  It also makes 'old infection' areas more dangerous.  The important thing is to avoid the RE 'guy morphs into a locally appropriate unique monster in a matter of seconds' thing.

[Jakkarra]

man, that last idea is brilliant.

what shall this virus' name be?

O.N.Y.X

possibleh? we need what the acronym could stand for, im thinking it could a least be a rock-based acronym.... or... something.....




we still havent decided whether this is going to be a squad based, or FPS based game? possibly a blend of the two?

[Mephansteras]

Squad based TBS game, I think. X-com/Fallout Tactics style would be my preference.

[Jakkarra]

X-com style would be nice, are we going to do it in 3d?

if so, want me to make some models? i can do weapons and object modelling, just needs a poly count...


oh, and did i mention this idea is awesome?

[Mephansteras]

Thanks.

Yeah, it'll probably be 3d. Or, really, whatever people can do art in. Sadly, I have little in the way of computer artistic skills, so whatever works for people who have it will be best.

I think I've decided a few things.

Zombies: We'll go with the slow, tough, can-infect-people-with-bites style. I want them to be tough to kill and scary if they get up close, because you can have your own soldiers turn into zombies if they get bitten. Mutations are fine. Still haven't decided why they're zombies yet (virus, magic, whatever), but that gives us the core gameplay for them.

We'll have large hordes of them advancing on your troops, and you have to hope your troops can do enough head shots to avoid getting overrun. Ammo conservation, dealing with infected soldiers, and saving civilians (for money or good-will) will be the main focus. You'll also have to deal with rebels, bandits, and maybe hostile government forces and inter-tribal warfare.

The strategic part of the game is going to focus on building up bases that can withstand attack, gathering supplies, and recruiting/training soldiers. Which missions you accept will have major impacts on what areas survive the zombie attacks and your relationship with various factions in the area.

[Jakkarra]

i doubt a magical occurence will sit well with many people.

a virus is cliche, yes, but its the most believeable thing, kinda.

Oh, and if its going to be set in africa, we could make expansions when Technology gets Bettar!

multiplayer would be cool, but i don't think its suited to this sort of work.

what we want is a simple engine test, using just coloured rectangles or something.

we need an engine though...

[Granite26]

Have ya'll considered just modding JA2 or an open sourced XCOM?