Zombies - getting infected

[Kintaro (DayZ) 11]

I think players should turn into zombies after a random time after they ve been hit by a zombie. I don t mean they should control the zombie, but they should die and then get replaced by a zombie. Maybe with a low chance of not turning into one.

This is like the biggest threat in every zombie movie : getting hit by a zombie. Do you kill you friend then ? Do you wait ?

What do you think ?

(sorry if this has been discussed already, couldnt find )

[knifeparty 109]

I think it would be neat if dead players did end up turning into zombies. There would probably be some pushback from people whom wanted to go back and loot their corpse. If I recall correctly, the timer on a player corpse is ten minutes before it de-spawns. Now, if after that, It turned into a zombie, I think that would be absolutely cool. Even have a different model zombie for it. One that looks more like a player, or perhaps even wears the same clothes as what the player was wearing.

On a side note, I believe they have talked about zombies having a chance to infect you. I can't remember what the infections were called, or what the system messages were supposed to say, but one was less serious and the other, rarer one, meant imminent death.

Sorry for all the half remembered info, but I saw your post and had to chime in.

[Monkfish (DayZ) 339]

This has been covered hundreds of times - please search.

 

For info, the zombies in DayZ are infected humans, not risen-from-the-dead humans. Furthermore, you play the part of a survivor that is somehow immune to the virus/whatever that infected everyone else.

[Hama 60]

The zombies in Dayz are not undead, but living infected people and all players are inmune to the virus.

Dont think I exaggerate when I say that this has been suggested 100+ times the 18 months I have played Dayz

[Michaelvoodoo25 3120]

I don't think this would work in this game, being infected would take a trmendous resource on the server.  It would be nice though and common sense. 

 

I am not too sure if the infection immunity is as sound as most people think, didn't rocket consult his brother about viral infections in order to find a plausable explanation?  So, wouldn't an infection infect everyone?  I remember it being the reason for the Mod, but I thought we had moved on from there?

[Kintaro (DayZ) 11]

I've searched a bit but found only random conversation about it. Also there's like nothing about it in the first 10 pages of the suggestions section.

 

Is there a web page somewhere with official info like "what is dayz / what it will become / what it will not become" ? So far I found planned features only. Also it's kinda hard to follow dev blog / forum / twiter.

 

If someone could link me to an officiel answer about infections I would appreciate it and not talk about this anymore.

 

 

I don't think this would work in this game, being infected would take a trmendous resource on the server.  It would be nice though and common sense. 

 

It wouldn't need more ressources to the currents sick states. It would be like : you get hit by a zombie -> % chance of being infected -> if infected -> after a random amout of time you die, and a zombie spawn where you died.

[Angelo Custode 0]

Players being turned into zombie would be a fun and interesting idea, but unrealistic for this type of game, including its background (ie all players are immune to the zombie virus, why they are not infected). What I would like to see, and this is something i think CAN be implemented (if they really do go with an underground base/virus lab) is the possibility to create SUPER zombies in areas by infecting that area with a player created virus from the underground bases. This would add a whole new and exciting layer to end game for Day Z. My idea would ideally be implemented in this way:

 

Underground bases/Virus labs implemented.

 

Players can go around the bases and the labs underground and find rare science tools (flasks, beakers, reactents etc. etc) of various conditions.

 

A "mixing mini game" of found substances that allows a RANDOM chance to create any one of the following scenarios:

 

FASTER ZOMBIES - like runners or chasers in other zombie games

HARDER HITTING ZOMBIES - that really really hurt and can kill you quickly

EXPLODING ZOMBIES - zombies that hit a little harder and can make you sick if you are caught in the gaseous cloud and possibly would require special medicine to heal from(created in the lab maybe!)  (adds another layer of oh crap)

MORE ZOMBIES - just creates more zombies in the area

ILLNESS/DEATH to player creating the virus - depending on  the condition of the materials used a chance of serious illness or death to the player attempting to create these viruses in the first place to add a risk system.

 

How to use the created virus in game: Ideally, a player could get close enough to a town they know has zombies in it, deploy a canister, and after say 5 min in game time that town would have the new kind of zombie, only in that area.Resetable upon server reset.

 

These same ideas could be applied to COUNTER the viruses with OTHER viruses in the lab that can be created to counter the effects of the malicious virus, as well as create beneficial things to boost your own energy or health.

 

 

For those to narrow minded to see past the word zombie and its meaning in this and/or other games: Just replace the term with infected humans, and the idea here stays the same: create powerful viruses that will make the infection in the infected humans mutate into harder more interesting infected humans or infect the player upon trying to create the virus in game. SImple, easy to implement and code. Much easier than trying to code and implement a system where players lose (or not lose) their hard earned gear by being infected like the other humans in the game. Lets stick to the lore a bit here, let the players be immune to the initial virus, but still be able to infect themselves and thus be an infected human or just die by trying to create NEW viruses to mutate the current infected people more. This creates the aspect YOU were wanting of the chance to get infected. Hell, lets also add the feature to my idea of players not only dealing with the mutated people in the game, but also that the area effected by the canisters can cause infection in other players as well, giving similar effects and thus adding even more to the dimension YOU want of the chance of getting infected, all while sticking to the lore of the mod.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Angelo Custode

[Kintaro (DayZ) 11]

huh okay...and my idea was unrealistic ?

[quobble 175]

Players are immune.

At least according to the lore.

[flygamer1 176]

they are not zombies, they are infected humans. You don't see them trying to bite you they are hitting you.

[Clumzy (DayZ) 377]

I've changed my mind on this. I used to think that players should stay immune, but then I thought, why? The community complains constantly about how the zombies are too easy, but any time someone suggests a fantastic way to make the zombies a legitimate challenge, everyone shoots it down relentlessly. Why? Because they are 'infected' zombies, and not 'undead' zombies. So what? You don't have to die to turn into a zombie, maybe the server would just replace you with a zombie once the infection reaches a certain stage. Of course, some people argue that it's already been stated that the survivors are immune. Is lore so important to a mostly backstory-less game in its early alpha stage? Would it really break the game and destroy the story if we changed this?

 

Players being turned into zombie would be a fun and interesting idea, but unrealistic for this type of game, including its background (ie all players are immune to the zombie virus, why they are not infected).

See, this is what I'm talking about. There is no such thing as realism when we are talking about fictional zombies. There are no rules to follow, and we don't have to do things a certain way forever, just because the mod's webpage said so.

[Spiderdude20 32]

I'm also boggled by this. When people are talking about realism regarding zombies, infection or not,I facepalm. Are zombies and this virus that infected the civies and military personnel real? If they are, I've never heard about it! You think it would have made the news!

 

Since it's Alpha, zombies aren't very threatening for the moment. Oh wait we can't call them zombies anymore. They're infected humans. <_<

 

Why is this game called DayZ, if they aren't zombies!? Now if they made the 'infected humans' fast like in 28 days later, then I would be shitting my pants and running for the hills, that will slow me down and give the humans a chance to catch up. But then we need to discuss about the players that are armed to the teeth, and ready for war.

 

If these things are alive, then they are too damn easy to kill! You don't need a headshot! Shoot them in the chest, legs, and you're safe! There is no danger for a zombie rushing up to you, and scratching you in the face, or biting you, which they should do if they are crazed! Besides taking damage, there is no other danger!

 

The players being immune to the virus. I'm not going to ask how it's realistic, cause I would look like a hypocrite. But it brings up a point. Why doesn't anyone think to take a sample of any of the survivors blood, and isolate the antibodies, or whatever it is that keeps everybody immune, and develop a cure? I'm assuming that the infected can still be saved with said cure? If not, then WHY AND HOW ARE THEY ALIVE!?

 

Rant over, ready your flamethrowers.

Edited March 5, 2014 by Spiderdude20

[Kintaro (DayZ) 11]

If that's how they want the game to be it's fine really.

 

I just think it would add another dimension to have to avoid getting infected and it's why "zombies" ( or whatever you want to call them) are interessting and why you have to avoid getting hit at all cost. Cause right now you could replace them by tigers, snakes, killer rabits or lazor raptors and it wouldn't change anything.

 

And yeah answering "they aren't zombies, they are infected humans." and bring up realism is a bit light for an answer..

 

Anyway, can't wait to see them stronger and a lot more zombies !

[srgntpepper 85]

Aside from the lore in the mod, i think it would be cool if a dead player turned into a zombie, not really into the infected thing tho.

[janol 65]

This has been covered hundreds of times - please search.

 

For info, the zombies in DayZ are infected humans, not risen-from-the-dead humans. Furthermore, you play the part of a survivor that is somehow immune to the virus/whatever that infected everyone else.

 

Sure its been discussed... I'll comment in any case.

 

But players could very well turn into zeds even if the zeds are infected living humans. That just should not occur after death. The player could get infected from virus for example after getting hit many times by zeds (or after eating zed flesh, after spending too much time near zeds, after being injected with zed blood etc) and suffer the gradual "turning" into a zed.

 

"immunity", it is always yelled... but the concept does not need to be so absolute - maybe, after all, survivors are just highly resistant.

 

I suppose the bottom line, last I heard anyway, was that that players-turned-zeds would somehow put too much strain on servers. I guess that would mean that best one could hope for is that effectively "turning into zed" would in the end be just another way of dying, with "you've been turned into a zed" message instead of "you're dead".

[Angelo Custode 0]

huh okay...and my idea was unrealistic ?

Yes. I am a software engineer, and the way you wanted to implement the infection chances and zombification would require too much of an overhaul to the base game code, and would be a waste of time and resources. There are plenty of other implementations that can be ADDED to what is already there to add those levels of game play, sticking both to the lore of the mod and the current game setup.

[Angelo Custode 0]

 

See, this is what I'm talking about. There is no such thing as realism when we are talking about fictional zombies. There are no rules to follow, and we don't have to do things a certain way forever, just because the mod's webpage said so.

Yes, but there are plenty of other ways to implement that level of risk for infection all the while sticking to the base lore of the mod. Re-read my post. In it, I clearly lay out how the newly created player viruses, to MUTATE the currect zombies/infected humans or what ever the hell you wish to label them (it is just a label after all we all know what we mean), create the risk of infection because they are NEWLY created to mutate the current virus that players are ALREADY immune from.

 

When I say realistic, I am honestly meaning a LOGICAL PROGRESSION based on what is alreay there. LOGICALLY, the players in the lore can remain immune to the virus that initially infected everyone, but LOGICALLY they may or may NOT be immune to NEW viruses that are created to FURTHUR mutate the infected humans into faster, harder hitting and/or exploding infected humans. Forgive my use of words. I will try to be more clear in the future.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Angelo Custode

[Angelo Custode 0]

Something that could be ADDED to the game, that would stick to the survival theme would potentially allow players to die and become zombies that can ALSO roam the land, upgrade themselves and have their own version of "bags" to carry around, to see how long they could survive as a zombie. This should be a choice or option tho, and not forced upon  a player at death, IMHO. It would be a whole new angle, and a lot of work coding wise, but it would stick to the lore and add a new lore to what was already there.

 

Example: Your an infected human in this gameworld, but you retain half your wits. You are basically a zombie, but smart enough to open doors, gather stuff, carry stuff and survive in your OWN way just like the human players do. Obviously for balance they would have to have a fighting chance in bases and towns somehow, and this would be the challenge. How could you give a player that uses no guns and advantage over those that do in a fair and consistent way? More shots to be killed? A stealth option for zombies only? Move really fast? Those are just some things that would have to be addressed in this kind of system.

[Kintaro (DayZ) 11]

How do you justify that my idea (basically spawning a zombie where you die) would consume more ressource than your idea of creating more viruses, doing lab experiments, having differents kind of zombies or being able to become and control a zombie ??? I seriously don't get it. Everything about my idea already exist in game (spawning zombies, % chance of getting "sick")

[Pvt_Larry (DayZ) 98]

Players being turned into zombie would be a fun and interesting idea, but unrealistic for this type of game, including its background (ie all players are immune to the zombie virus, why they are not infected). What I would like to see, and this is something i think CAN be implemented (if they really do go with an underground base/virus lab) is the possibility to create SUPER zombies in areas by infecting that area with a player created virus from the underground bases. This would add a whole new and exciting layer to end game for Day Z. My idea would ideally be implemented in this way:

 

Underground bases/Virus labs implemented.

 

Players can go around the bases and the labs underground and find rare science tools (flasks, beakers, reactents etc. etc) of various conditions.

 

A "mixing mini game" of found substances that allows a RANDOM chance to create any one of the following scenarios:

 

FASTER ZOMBIES - like runners or chasers in other zombie games

HARDER HITTING ZOMBIES - that really really hurt and can kill you quickly

EXPLODING ZOMBIES - zombies that hit a little harder and can make you sick if you are caught in the gaseous cloud and possibly would require special medicine to heal from(created in the lab maybe!)  (adds another layer of oh crap)

MORE ZOMBIES - just creates more zombies in the area

ILLNESS/DEATH to player creating the virus - depending on  the condition of the materials used a chance of serious illness or death to the player attempting to create these viruses in the first place to add a risk system.

 

How to use the created virus in game: Ideally, a player could get close enough to a town they know has zombies in it, deploy a canister, and after say 5 min in game time that town would have the new kind of zombie, only in that area.Resetable upon server reset.

 

These same ideas could be applied to COUNTER the viruses with OTHER viruses in the lab that can be created to counter the effects of the malicious virus, as well as create beneficial things to boost your own energy or health.

 

 

So you call the other guy's idea unrealistic? XD I think I can say with reasonable confidence that virus labs will never be implemented in this game. It's too much work for a feature that most players wouldn't use/appreciate. The argument against helicopters is already "Most people don't know how to pilot a helicopter." Do you think that many people know how to genetically modify a virus?

[GiantofBabil 7]

I think it would be better if there was some kind of infection and players weren't immune. It could have a cure even, or maybe you could hack off your arm Walking Dead style and then only be able to use weapons that require one hand.

 

Don't pull that this is the way the game is, it's in early alpha it can be changed.

Edited March 17, 2014 by GiantofBabil

[Thirdthorpe 87]

I think a lot of people get really mixed up about Dayz thinking its a "zombie FPS" when it isn't designed to be that at all. Dayz is designed to be almost a humanity simulator. I read an article a while back about how exactly Rocket came up with the concept of the game and it involved two events; first during a mountain climb he passed a person who was dying. No joke, literally dying from exposure and exhaustion and there was nothing he could do for them. If he stopped and gave up his gear the person would still probably die and he would be in serious danger himself, so he left them there and continued his climb. The second event was during his stint in the Kiwi military during a survival training event in which they were dumped in the woods for several days with zero gear. After having no food for several days he came across another guys camp and had to consider robbing him blind so he could eat, but then consider the fact that by doing so he was leaving his fellow soldier with nothing.  http://www.armchairgeneral.com/day-z-interview-with-dean-rocket-hall-the-games-creator.htm (I can't find the article I read that included the dying person on the mountain climb but its out there somewhere, I swear.)

 

That is what Dayz is. It is a simulated world where laws and morals have been eliminated and you have to question yourself how far you are willing to go to survive. It seems cliché and overdramatic in writing but if you play the game as a survival simulator and actually think about how your actions affect other players then game becomes much much deeper than a simple "zombie FPS".

 

My point to all of this is that focusing on the "zombie" aspect of the game is losing sight of what Dayz really is. The zombies are just part of the background.

Edited March 17, 2014 by Thirdthorpe

[fing24 36]

I like the Idea the op suggested. It would make you think a lot more about taking the zombies on. Do you shoot and attract more of them, do you try to stealth up and axe them with the possibility they might attack you and you might get infected. At the moment they are not a major threat.  And they don't shoot guns.  But if they have a small chance of infecting you you start giving them a bit more respect like when you come across another survivor with a gun. And as for implementation are they not going to bring in more things that make you ill and can kill you if you don't treat them? if they are, then it should not be that hard to make zombies give you an infection. And we are survivors who said we were immune? we might not have been hit by a zed yet.

[bobotype3334 160]

I think players should turn into zombies after a random time after they ve been hit by a zombie. I don t mean they should control the zombie, but they should die and then get replaced by a zombie. Maybe with a low chance of not turning into one.

This is like the biggest threat in every zombie movie : getting hit by a zombie. Do you kill you friend then ? Do you wait ?

What do you think ?

(sorry if this has been discussed already, couldnt find )

Um something has been said, SOMEWHERE, [yes, I know, citation needed] that the Survivors we play as are immune to the virus for whatever reason, hence their survivor status and why there are so few of them.

Anyway, zombies are still going to infect us with other things than the zombie virus in future, because they're dirty yucky creatures. Expect to see dysentery and shit coming as a result of being bitten or scratched or pummeled by the hordes. 

[bobotype3334 160]

My point to all of this is that focusing on the "zombie" aspect of the game is losing sight of what Dayz really is. The zombies are just part of the background.

Considering all of the promotional material and advertising and artistic direction, though, zombies are far more the focus of the game than banditry. Banditry is one of the core features of the game, but so is zombies, and they should not be belittled, or else all we really have is [excuse my break of Codwin's Law] a more realistic Call of Duty.

Even the beginning of the article you posted: Hot on his heels come the groaning cadavers; I can feel the footfalls of the dozen or more of the beasts chasing him. He turns, fires his own pistol dry, but it’s no use. They’re on him before he can reload, pushing him down again and again, devouring him to the bone. My gun is drawn but I’m panicking, my screen shaking with my avatar’s fear, ears filled with horrified gasps. When he is no more, the zombies calm and begin to drift away. After a long while I crawl forward to take his beans.

Zombies aren't just an aspect of the game, they're what makes the game. Along with banditry, of course, but no less than banditry. The mod captured that feeling; the standalone hasn't done so as much yet. You can't say zombies are just an "aspect" of a game called DayZ.