Hey there, part time forum lurker here. I've been trying to gather information on what the official zombies are supposed to be like for the finished version of DayZ. So far the only things I've found on them are that the developers are planning on releasing more in future updates and a couple posts that explain they're akin to the 28 days later style "infected", which means still alive but hostile and unable to feel pain. Considering that they're supposed to be a major gameplay factor (when more are added) I'm surprised the issue isn't being brought up in more posts. As a fan of the zombie genre from all forms of media, that all support their own versions of a walking cannibal, I thought I’d throw this out there: I want to see slow, undead, destroy-the-brain-to-kill zombies in this game. Before you start hate posting against this idea, read my suggestions carefully and then give constructive criticism and ideas on how you think zombies should be in the finished product. Realism is also dealt with. Disclaimer: I'm not at all in a position to know how hard any of this is to implement into an actual game from a developers standpoint, but this version of a zombie seems like an easy AI to create compared to enemies in other games. Psychology and Biology Let's get the basics out of the way Zombies are by all definition "dead", in that they do not breath, need food or water or anything except brain function to exist. They do not feel pain. This also means they are able to stay under water indefinitely and are able to have limbs crippled and/or blown off. They have no interest in anything but finding and killing/consuming living beings. Zombies do not "bleed" as living organisms do but instead emit thick black ooze that prevents infection from blood splatter. A Zombie bite has a 100% mortality rate- it will kill then turn an infected host. Infection will only turn humans into zombies, bitten animals only die. Infected flesh is highly toxic and kills anyone who eats it. A Zed subjected to cold temperatures will slow and eventually freeze without “dying”, and become active once again after it thaws. A Zed that is lit on fire will not die or even slow down until the fire destroys its ability to walk or destroys the brain. Zombies either randomly wander or stay completely still until visual or audio stimuli alerts them to nearby prey. They will then investigate the source of the stimuli until prey is located, in which case they will let out an audible moan to alert other zombies in the area and begin attacking the prey. If contact is lost with their prey, a zombie will wander towards its last known location until it loses interest or is attracted by other stimuli. A zombie has no concern whatsoever for its well-being and will walk off the edge of a cliff if it saw prey located on the other side. Zombies do not run but 'shamble' towards its prey, increasing in speed when excited (close proximity) which can be described as a slow jogging. Zombies are also known to wander around in packs, or 'hordes' (Already being implemented into the game). How This Will Affect Gameplay Having this type of zombie helps keep them a threat without being totally overwhelming (runners) and still manageable enough when looting and dealing with other players. Zombies should not be incredibly dangerous unless you play stupidly or they come at you in numbers. Headshots also effectively make every zombie a walking tank unless you aim for the weak spot, eliminating the option for “spray and pray”. In my opinion being surrounded by zeds would be a lot more challenging and rewarding if you're aiming instead of firing in a zombie’s general direction and watching it drop. This would separate experienced marksmen from unexperienced players. These types of zombies will also affect bandits and working together. Players will have to weigh the consequences of firing at another player depending on the amount of Zeds in the area that would be alerted. Working in groups is a more viable option for players to clear out highly infested areas and defending outposts, while keeping it a danger to travel in large groups and convoys that would attract attention. Remember, just because a Zed loses sight of you doesn’t mean is still can’t hear the sound of you running or whatever vehicle you happen to be travelling in, and will still head in your last know direction. Hordes will also allow players to “herd” Zeds to a player’s base, making for some very interesting gameplay. Note: While typing this I’ve realized a lot of these instances can also be applied to the concept of a “running zombie”, albeit at a faster pace. The purpose of “slow/headshot zombies” is to keep the game at an even pace while still being a challenging enemy. It’s only a suggestion and is open to fresh ideas. This will also make projectile weapons (crossbow, bow and arrow, high powered slingshot), silencers, and hand to hand combat more desirable. It will make guns that switch between semi-auto and auto fire highly desirable in order to deal with both accurate head shots on Zeds and spraying down players. But Muh Realisms The idea of a zombie apocalypse is not a realistic concept. Yes there are diseases that exist in real life that closely resemble the symptoms of a zombie. But a hyper aggressive cannibalistic disease that makes you immune to pain? No. Not yet, at least. Realism aside, DayZ is still a game, and the main enemy of a game has a dramatic impact on how it is played. What is and what should only be realistic in DayZ is the world and how the player reacts to it. Zombies are there because zombies. Besides, do you expect me to believe 1000+ infected humans can survive more than a week in a world where thinking players are supposed to have a hard time without starving or freezing to death? Undead, at least in this instance, makes more sense and is much more interesting. Last Thoughts There is a whole world of zombie fiction out there to draw inspiration from, but most of these concepts are largely based on both the Walking Dead series (comic and TV) and the World War Z book (the movie butchered just about everything in the book) which in my opinion explains in great detail exactly what a zombie should be and the tactics against fighting them (ex. RS (reinforced square) formation). I highly suggest you at least look into how World War Z (book) explains their concept of a zombie, I found it extremely interesting.
