Zombie - How should they work?

[Wayze 549]

Well, as we all know zombies are kind of paradox. They are in most cases unauthentic, unlogical. I am not talking about them being unrealistic, because that does not matter. But there are questions that are kind of unexplained in many, many zombie movies/books/series.

 

So I will go through some scenarios, I'll start with the virus:

 

A] The virus does spread via smear infection, almost immediate turn into a zombie

-> patient zero wouldn't be able to infect enough people, the virus would not spread far enough to secure a global infection

---

 

B] The virus does spread via smear infection, days or even weeks until the turn

-> humanity would very probably be able to contaminate the virus, the goverment would most likely stay stable

---

 

C] The virus does spread via droplet infection, almost immediate turn into a zombie

-> atleast 90% of mankind does turn within a very short time (a few days) into zombies, the probability that people do survive is very, very low

-> people who are immune do never turn into zombies

 

 

D] The virus does spread via droplet infection, days of even weeks until the turn

-> global panic and chaos would occur, immune individuals would have time to prepare themselfs for the day zero

-> people who are immune do never turn into zombies

 

 

 

Now the zombie behaviour, we assume that the virus was able to infect most of human population:

 

Zombies do eat other human beings

A] -> not possible because people do turn immediatly, zombies will starve to death

B] -> zombies will starve anyway, because at the time people turn into zombies, most of the human population would be infected already

C] -> not possible because people do turn immediatly, zombies will starve to death

D] -> zombies will starve anyway, because at the time people turn into zombies, most of the human population would be infected already

 

Zombies kill each other

A,B,C,D] -> zombies will extinct very fast

 

Zombies do not eat other human beings

A,B,C,D] -> zombies starve to death

 

 

Looks bad for the zombies right? Well, but zombies are not that simple. Some of them do never starve to death, the others do not eat every human being. It depends on the creator.

But how could we explain these things, not realistic but authentic?

 

I always think of zombies as human beings controlled by a virus, a very complex virus. A virus that is so unique and "smart" that it is able to infect every human being on earth. (probably made by human)

I prefer a virus that does spread via air. Every human that is not naturally immune to the virus will be infected and will turn into a zombies in a rather long period of time. But, as the virus gets into the human bodies it mutates again. It analyses the subject and "creates" a virus that is able to break every immune system of every human being on earth. However, the virus after mutation is not able to move via air. Maybe it is to heavy because it has to carry parts of the human DNA (I don't know). Anyway, this "new" virus is able to infect every human being within seconds. So if you get bite, the virus is able to infect your body so fast that you are a zombie in a few seconds or minutes.

But the virus does not only take over the brain it actually changes the whole body of the host. Metabolism and other key parts of the human organism are "rewritten" so that the host is able to survive way longer without food or water.

The zombies do nothing or maybe walk around until they see something living. Their organism is on "standby" to save energy. But as soon as they see a human they turn into "rage" mode and try to eat him. But, as the victim does turn very fast a single zombie is not able to eat it. When a person turns he changes his smell (or something like that) so other infected beings do not attack.

 

Sure, the part with the extra virus is unnecessary, but I think vital for movies or series. It is always about the situation when someone is bitten and will turn in a few minutes.

But in DayZ the people do not turn, they stay immune. I kind of like that because otherwise zombies were very, very dangerous. But I would love to see some of my friends turn into a zombies, so I had no other choice but to shoot them. It would be very dramaticly with a decent character system and less buggy and fast zombies.

 

 

So what do you think guys? Is there something you would really like to see in the SA regarding the zombies, their behaviour or features?

 

 

 

Note: this is a discussion, not a suggestion

Edited September 26, 2013 by Wayze

[Dagwood 680]

If you want to see some "literature" that gives you an idea of how a zombie infection could spread into a global crisis, I would recommend picking up max brooks' book, world war-z. Detailed and very believable.

[Wayze 549]

If you want to see some "literature" that gives you an idea of how a zombie infection could spread into a global crisis, I would recommend picking up max brooks' book, world war-z. Detailed and very believable.

I actually want to hear your ideas of how a zombie infection could spread in DayZ.

 

But thanks, I heard of world war z, but it kind of sounded unlogical. Will look into it though.

[Dr.Duff 211]

If they behave like a pack, I think that will go a long way for the SA, but I doubt from what I've seen Rocket has even thought of adding that. They still look like zig-zagging, soldiers trying to punch you. Humans are naturally pack animals and what are zombies but humans stripped to their primal instincts?

 

This really needs to be implmented or what is the point of buying he SA except for the ability to grow a beard and wear a crash helmet.

[Cap'n (DayZ) 1827]

Alright, here is my idea. Let's say that the virus is blood borne, but can only reproduce off of blood cells of certain types of blood. Once it has attached to a blood cell, it reproduces within it and the blood must be carried to the brain where the cells will burst and the virus will spread, taking control of the victim. The virus will not kill the victim, it only destroys what makes you human. All traits of your personality, memory, and anything else that once made the victim human is now gone and what remains is simply an animalistic shell of a person. The infected individuals will become extremely hostile, attacking anything that is not already infected with the virus. They will form a pack mentality, combing areas for uninfected organisms to consume. The virus only affects primates, so anything else will simply remain unaffected by it. However, most wild and domestic animals would be consumed over the first few years, leaving only the immune human population left for a food source. I'd say a good number of immune would be 10-15%, as anything less would seem rather unusual considering that there are 50 people on a stretch of land on 230km square. As for how the virus came about, I assume that the Chernarussian government was allowing the United States to develop biological weapons in the country in return for financial and military support. When the US military withdraws from Chernarus during the civil war, the development of the virus is turned over to Chernarussian scientists. At some point of time, one of them is infected. From there on, that one individual sets off the domino effect, and thus, a good 90-95 percent of those not immune to the virus would be infected within the first months. Those who are immune? They are left to fend for themselves among the wasteland, and our story starts from here.

[Jamz 253]

To begin with, they are infected people, so still alive and not zombies. I see the virus itself as being very much flu like initially with flu like symptoms. Upon contraction, the victim would develop flu like symptoms within 15 minutes or so, which would then worsen over the course of the following few hours at which point the victim becomes incoherent and hostile. We know the infected can swim, so they must still retain something of their former brain functions.

The incubation period allows victims to travel enough of a distance to potentially spread the virus globally (with the accidental aid of concerned family members) but more importantly the transmission of the virus would be waterborne in droplets. The violent nature of the infected enables them to get close enough to spread the virus, not by bite but simply by proximity. The fact that they kill is due to the virus's effect on the brain itself but a bite, or even contact at all, isn't necessary to spread it. 

I like to think this is the nature of the situation, but if it was then it would all be over after a few weeks. Obviously players survive beyond that and the infected persist, so this is one of several errors with the scenario as a whole. I think zombies would have been better in this respect.

[Hetstaine 10852]

Deans bro is some sort of bacterial specialist or virologist ..vet ? goldfish keeper ? something anyway that i am sure can be found in a .000125346 second google search. From memory he is using his brothers leet skillz in areas of the game related to disease and such, maybe he will contributing in the virus area too ? 

[m.cab 83]

Deans bro is some sort of bacterial specialist or virologist ..vet ? goldfish keeper ? something anyway that i am sure can be found in a .000125346 second google search. From memory he is using his brothers leet skillz in areas of the game related to disease and such, maybe he will contributing in the virus area too ? 

 

Yeah i remember he talked about this several times. Also his brother did some kind of a manuscript for the Zeds in DayZ but i guess its super secret or smth. (:

[mercules 1290]

http://28dayslater.wikia.com/wiki/Rage_Virus

[OrLoK 16188]

hello there

 

Here's a real example of an illness that broke out after WWI and killed more people than the war itself did.

 

And in an age where transport links are just coming into existence it shows how easily a "nasty" virus can spread.

 

Have a read.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_flu_pandemic

 

Rgds

 

LoK

[rn_max 202]

I definitely prefer the modern era viral infection scenario to the old and quite cardboard story of the dead resurrecting themselves.

 

Definitely more 28 Days Later or World War Z to George Romero's B-movies.

[Jamz 253]

hello there

 

Here's a real example of an illness that broke out after WWI and killed more people than the war itself did.

 

And in an age where transport links are just coming into existence it shows how easily a "nasty" virus can spread.

 

Have a read.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_flu_pandemic

 

Rgds

 

LoK

 

This is one of the problems I see with the modern infected 'zombie' lore. Most virus' manifest their symptoms in a similar way to the flu, but I can't figure out  how this could connect to the victims being so spritely. The body should be locked in battle with the invading virus and unable to find the strength to move, let alone sprint after people. I don't think it would even be possible.

That was an interesting read Orlok.

[mercules 1290]

This is one of the problems I see with the modern infected 'zombie' lore. Most virus' manifest their symptoms in a similar way to the flu, but I can't figure out  how this could connect to the victims being so spritely. The body should be locked in battle with the invading virus and unable to find the strength to move, let alone sprint after people. I don't think it would even be possible.

That was an interesting read Orlok.

 

Rabies has "flu like symptoms". Here is a video of a man with rabies in the last stages of the disease:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEKpZzUpO4E

[Mos1ey 6301]

Deans bro is some sort of bacterial specialist or virologist ..vet ? goldfish keeper ? something anyway that i am sure can be found in a .000125346 second google search. From memory he is using his brothers leet skillz in areas of the game related to disease and such, maybe he will contributing in the virus area too ? 

 

Yeah, his brother's a virologist.

 

He's had him write a paper on the DayZ virus and I think it will be researchable in-game in the standalone.

 

I imagine it would have to be an airborne virus similar to that of I Am Legend, but we'll see... :)

Edited September 27, 2013 by mZLY

[Jamz 253]

Rabies has "flu like symptoms". Here is a video of a man with rabies in the last stages of the disease:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEKpZzUpO4E

 

Yes, it could be similar to Rabies I suppose. Then the problem would be that if the virus affects the CNS and takes hold quickly enough to become pandemic then fatality of the host would also be very quick.

[mercules 1290]

Yes, it could be similar to Rabies I suppose. Then the problem would be that if the virus affects the CNS and takes hold quickly enough to become pandemic then fatality of the host would also be very quick.

 

Well, the "Rage" virus in "28 Days Later" is based off Ebola. The Infected eventually starved to death 60 days later. There is a leap of faith we have to make. 

 

The infection from "Quarentine" was an engineered version of Rabies and we never did get to see the long term results of it since both movies took place in less than 24 hours. Rabies however creates Hydrophobia and so "Rabid Zombies" would likely die of dehydration in a few days. 

[OfficerRaymond 2064]

http://28dayslater.wikia.com/wiki/Rage_Virus

Whoever made that page, is an asshole.

 

It literally ripped my eyes from my skull, spit on them, and put them in backwards.

[mercules 1290]

Whoever made that page, is an asshole.

 

It literally ripped my eyes from my skull, spit on them, and put them in backwards.

It figuratively literally did that huh?

[OfficerRaymond 2064]

It figuratively literally did that huh?

No. It LITERALLY did that... I just got back from the hospital for it. Luckily I have a very good doctor. :D

[Jamz 253]

Well, the "Rage" virus in "28 Days Later" is based off Ebola. The Infected eventually starved to death 60 days later. There is a leap of faith we have to make. 

 

The infection from "Quarentine" was an engineered version of Rabies and we never did get to see the long term results of it since both movies took place in less than 24 hours. Rabies however creates Hydrophobia and so "Rabid Zombies" would likely die of dehydration in a few days. 

 

I would imagine with a virus based on Ebola that the host would die a lot sooner than 60 days, starving or not. I've seen these films and they don't go into too much detail about their chosen virus with good reason. However, looking at the infection in DayZ I would think it would have to be not linked to Ebola or Rabies. The incubation period would have to be too fast for a Rabies variant to be a danger as the host would die too quickly and an Ebola variant would not cause the aggression observed. I think it would have to be something entirely new, suggesting a man made origin. I kind of like the idea that it might not be a virus, but rather a parasitic, maybe something similar to a form of Malaria.

[mercules 1290]

Well, the "Rage" virus used Ebola as a base but was man-made. Which explains the hemorrhaging of the eyes and vomiting blood. Ebola does create a heightened state of agitation to the point of Psychomotor Agitation which is similar to late symptoms of Rabies where the individual can't sit still, will wring their hands, pace, and may even become harmful towards themselves and others. Not that one of the Ebola viruses would cause our Zeds in DayZ naturally, but it does have the basis for further tinkering. It also creates some of the same neurological issues Rabies does including swelling of the central nervous system. 


Technically any virus/bacteria/parasite/fungus that causes the swelling of the CNS you see in Rabies can cause the aggression and anxiety that Rabies does. If you want to listen to the kooks on the fringe and conspiracy theorists out there there are plenty of claims of "weaponized Rabies" being developed and even tested. 

[bfisher 561]

The virus works like the "Trixie" virus from The Crazies, turning ordinary people into murderous psychopaths.

 

Guess who is infected?  Every single player except for you!