Physiology of the Day Zed Zombie

[agouti 105]

So I noticed in experimental, and have heard in stable as well, the zombies are tremendously faster, more dexterous, agile, coordinated, resilient, and powerful. So, I know the zombies are created from a prion-like or prion infection which infected approximately 98% of the population, with a low number around 10-15% making a partial recovery becoming what we now know as zombies or the infected.

 

These are just normal humans, albeit highly brain damaged.

 

 

Which brings me to my major point -how are the zombies superior physical specimens to healthy humans?

I could see the brain being damaged to the point where the person is driven to an animalistic state, and thus being less prone to pain, or psychologically induced failure (like the phenomenon where somebody being shot just drops to the ground, alive or dead). I could even see them having a heightened adrenal response, giving them this improved physical prowess. However, this would come at a cost.

 

Continual high doses of epinephrine and norepinephrine would dramatically reduce their ability to digest food, and increase their water expenditure tremendously. 

 

Thus, I can see every damned one of these things being dead in LESS than 3 days.  But let's say, every night, the zombies head downhill to find a water source and gurgle it up to prevent desiccation. Of course, this would give them cholera and they'd shit themselves dry very soon.

 

I have no problem dealing with weak sickly people in a rabies like state (the excitative phase), while aggressive, they are mostly harmless, and this is a more realistic scenario.

 

Sick people don't just get out of bed and become olympians, this is ridiculous. I played the mod, I get it. I want zombies to be stronger, but taking multiple hits with a sharpened axe is something a steel plate of armor would do. Are the zombies now made of steel? It's not a matter of resilience regarding steel contact with the skull or neck, it would simply destroy or remove the head.

 

 

Here's a video to prove my point. It doesn't show anything happening, but read the description. It's the aftermath.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CdnTCsSmVg

 

I've also seen liveleaks of machetes to the head, also one hit droppers. Maybe not dead, but out, and out hard, and likely to die if not treated if not already dead.

 

[pillock 850]

Without wanting to use the A-word, the game is pretty far off being balanced.

 

Edit: I do agree with everything you say, though. There is a limit beyond which it doesn't really matter what you hit a human skull with, because the effect will be the same. Melee needs to be believable in the final version, and that means people and "infected" should go down more easily.

Edited April 2, 2015 by Pillock