Please Make Zeds WD style Lurchers in DayZ SA

[Diggydug (DayZ) 331]

Sorry, there is Sci-Fi and then there is Science-Fantasy. "Proper Zombies" as you guys are calling them are Science-Fantasy zombies, undead beings that are brought back to life. The "Infected Zombies" of "28 Days Later" and "Quarentine" are Science Fiction zombies, in other words they are much more reasonable from a realistic point of view despite lacking the proper means to create them now. We are talking degrees of unrealistic here, but I, for one, prefer the more plausible zombies. It is the difference between Star Trek and Star Wars. One is plausible(in fact there is a theoretical warp drive design out there) and the other fantasy.

I hope they continue to use the more plausible "Infected" and not the silly "Undead". 

 

That's another topic on it's own, but I find it less plausible in the zombie fiction, because they expend way too much energy without enough gain. You would effectively be able to just wait a couple of days, conserving your energy, and then you'd be able to out-walk those that didn't eat. I don't mind either type, but I prefer the slow and rotting zombies. 

 

I'll never fathom why some simple villagers and farmers are able to keep up with a seemingly trained and in-shape individual, while they don't bleed out and aren't phased by any sort of pain as far as I can tell.

I don't care what kind of infection it is, if they couldn't run a mile nonstop before, they can't run a mile nonstop then.

 

 

EDIT: This isn't to say I support DayZ having slow zombies, in fact I don't want that, but just my 2 cents on that. It's all fiction so trying to say how it'd really work is just fun imagining.

Edited October 16, 2013 by Diggydug

[Cap'n (DayZ) 1827]

Ah, but there's plenty proof of concept that slow-moving zombies are equally as dangerous, especially in numbers, in films and in games such as NMRiH, and even The Dead Linger (though in alpha) and others. So, in numbers and in most situations, slow-moving zombies are extremely dangerous.

I actually agree with the OP, and he's got some great ideas (things I myself have been saying for a long time) except for possibly different reasons...

It's not the difficulty, which definitely needs to stay hardcore... it's more for me about capturing the real and classic (i.e. Romero) zombie/zombie atmosphere. It's a lot more ominous atmosphere, and DayZ's atmosphere already lends to that, when the dead are slower, shambling, relentless hordes of horror coming at/surrounding you.

I love the extremely hardcore element of dangerous zombies, but I do have to agree (and I've been saying this for an extremely long time) that the "zombies" in DayZ need to be slower, and do more damage, as well as be upped in numbers as much as is possible/reasonable.

Not because of the difficulty; again, I want the difficulty the same, but I also want more of an actual "zombie atmosphere", where as the "zombies" in DayZ are not actually zombies, they're more "infected", such as in 28 Days Later... an awesome film, and playing in such a scenario is a great experience when done right, but I'm more into the true Romero zombie.

If the zombie speed was never changed, and they were just reskinned to look great, and their animations really tweaked, I'd still be fine with faster zombies. Though I know that supposedly zombie speed is going to be toned-down at least a little. I'm a hardcore DayZ freak, and will continue to be, but then again, I'm also always about the zombies, not the PvP (that's just an added tension in the game).

Personally, in regards to really capturing an actual zombie atmosphere, I'd love to see nothing more than the zombies slowed down, at least to a fast shamble, and do more damage, such as in NMRiH, where you can only be hit a few times before it's all over, and trapped/surrounded easily.

But, as long as they look great and their speed and movement are tweaked to be more reasonable than the "lightning speed zig-zaggin karate zombies" we still have in the mod, lol, then I'll be pleased.

 

I much prefer the 28 Days Later infected, as it seems much more plausible(as plausible as a "zombie" can get :P), and actually seems scary to me. Slow moving zombies aren't scary. Infected, rage filled people who want to crush your skull and bath in your liver fluids are scary.

[SFRGaming 718]

Also...

Vids from E3 still show zeds running around in a jerky fashion...yes i know its alpha just saying.

*sigh* for the last time the zombies dean has showed in his dev blogs are PLACEHOLDERS using old code. The final zombies' code is finished, but not added. He said he's not going to showcase it, rather let the community see it personally when the alpha comes out since the zombie code is the biggest thing he has redone for the game.

[johnm81 15]

Hey Guys I'm happy to let you know that ARMA 3 Breaking Point has put in classical proper zombies.. I highly recommend you check this out. Smak was streaming it and the dev was on answering questions. Really awesome. Imo it is significant competition for the SA. 

 

http://www.thezombieinfection.com/

 

http://www.twitch.tv/xsmak

[WBK 176]

I don't see why we have to make a distinction between the two types of zombies. Sure, lurchers are more associated with the brain-dead fantasy type zombies and 'infected' zeds are more 28 Days Later-esque. But why do they have to be two completely separate entities? Put both in, with the caveat that they are all infected and not brain dead. That way there'll be at least two different ways of dealing with zeds, rather than the classic 'lure them inside then hatchet them'. Obviously in the SA the zeds won't walk indoors but if there's only one fundamental type of zed then we will quickly discover the best way of dealing with them. At least with two there's a second method you have to worry about.

 

What should happen is that we operate under the pretense that all zeds are infected humans. Not a rage virus like 28 Days, but just an infection that makes them thirst for blood and fresh meat. Obviously like humans they have similar athletic capabilites. And like humans they still need nutrition, so it makes sense that the zeds who are better fed will be able to sprint and chase a survivor, and the ones who haven't eaten in a while are lacking in energy, just huddled in packs waiting for their next feast. They would be the lurchers. So in a high-traffic area like the major cities, the majority of the zeds will be fast running and healthy (relatively speaking), with a few pockets of lurchers), and in the smaller towns there would be pretty much a 50/50 mix. Out in the open countryside there would be huge swarms of zombies just huddled together, lurching, because they haven't eaten for days.

 

I'm thinking in the SA also that they could code in zeds that actually need to eat, so that those that eat a body or an animal recently are the most energetic and those that haven't eaten for a while turn into lurchers.