Outbreak Types

[GlaciusTS 7]

This could apply to both the Mod AND Standalone game. A lot of game these days force a certain zombie type on you... why not offer different types of outbreaks instead of the usual Easy/Normal/Hard difficulties? This would offer different gametypes for people to play as.

The first gametype could be what we have now.

Infected Outbreak - Semi-28 Days Later style fast paced running zombies. Zombies can be shot anywhere and die with enough hits, however headshots = 1 hit kills. Fewer zombies spawn and are more spread out. Character has to die from being attacked to become an infected.

Night of the Outbreak - Romero style slower zombies. Zombies HAVE to be shot in the head in order to actually die, however shots elsewhere can slow them down (Blow off every limb and they drop be they can still bite if you walk over them.) Zombies are thicker in numbers and while some roam independantly, they often appear in thicker hordes. A single bite results in infection, player can choose to kill themselves, ask to be killed, or keep it a secret and eventually turn on other players once they die.

I had another idea, if you survive for so many hours in either gametype, you unlock another mode...

Return of the Outbreak - Return of the Living Dead style zombies. While somewhat comical, this is an insanely difficult mode. Zombies moan "Brains" and run just as fast as the player. They are typically louder than other Zombies because they can talk. These zombies are 100% immortal. Gunshots can rip them apart until they are immobile but they are always alive. Headshots do very little. Numbers are a little more frequent than the Infected. Infection is random, a bite may or may not infect you.

That last mode would be utterly insane and there would pretty much be no bandits because there's rarely any place safe to pull off a robbery. It's so difficult players feel forced to work together in order to survive. If this mode had a difficulty, it wouldn't be "Very Hard", it would simply be called "Oh shit..." or "F***...". It'd be a humorous but insane homage to a classic film.

I bring these modes up because it would be nice if the game could appeal more to all zombie fans. Many of us prefer slower zombies, and while people argue it would be too easy, I beg to differ when your forced to make headshots and there are more of them and a single bite means infection.

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

In the standalone they are going to attempt to have a whole life cycle for the infected.

[GlaciusTS 7]

In the standalone they are going to attempt to have a whole life cycle for the infected.

What like... how long before they rot enough to drop dead? That'd be cool. ROTO mode would have skeletons still up and walking around, lol.

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

Not different modes, an actual life cycle with different stages of infection. This would result in a much less predictable envoironment with a more "natural" evolution of the virus.

[GlaciusTS 7]

What do you mean, like, after infection, they gradually slow down from fast zombies into slower ones?

Then we'd just have a mix of fast and slow zombies around, like dead island. It's cool but I think Id like the opportunity to choose.

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

I mean like an actual infection. Rocket's brother is a virologist and has joined the project. They are looking at implementing a realistic virus with it's own life cycle that spreads naturally. If you want to choose different modes or zombie types then you can play one of the other 1000 zombie games that already cater to that.

[GlaciusTS 7]

Name 1 game with slow zombies you have to shoot in the head.

[GlaciusTS 7]

And what does viral cycles have to do with Outbreak modes? A slow zombie virus could circulate the same as a fast zombie virus.

To my knowledge, this section was for threads recommending new features. I wasn't aware that suggesting something would result in "Go buy another game with that thing you want." Implimenting such a feature in the game would be no more difficult than adding an easy/hard mode. The only extra work would be separate animations and minor tweaks.

By adding these couple minor tweaks, players could simply choose a new mode and it's almost like playing a different game. Replay value like that is very valuable to player when you take into consideration that it wouldn't require much more work.

Please, when your in a suggestion section, don't ridicule gamers for suggesting something rather than just "Buying a game that caters to what you want." I suggested this because such a feature does not exist in any other zombie games and it's not that hard to do. I mean the mod even has a slow walk animation already. It's just to create a separate mode that eliminated the running, increases zombie spawn frequency, and negates damage to any part of the zombies body but the head. It wouldn't be much different in a standalone game. So what exactly is the issue with catering to zombie fans who would like the option to choose Romero style zombies?

[GlaciusTS 7]

And what does viral cycles have to do with Outbreak modes? A slow zombie virus could circulate the same as a fast zombie virus.

To my knowledge, this section was for threads recommending new features. I wasn't aware that suggesting something would result in "Go buy another game with that thing you want." Implimenting such a feature in the game would be no more difficult than adding an easy/hard mode. The only extra work would be separate animations and minor tweaks.

By adding these couple minor tweaks, players could simply choose a new mode and it's almost like playing a different game. Replay value like that is very valuable to player when you take into consideration that it wouldn't require much more work.

Please, when your in a suggestion section, don't ridicule gamers for suggesting something rather than just "Buying a game that caters to what you want." I suggested this because such a feature does not exist in any other zombie games and it's not that hard to do. I mean the mod even has a slow walk animation already. It's just to create a separate mode that eliminated the running, increases zombie spawn frequency, and negates damage to any part of the zombies body but the head. It wouldn't be much different in a standalone game. So what exactly is the issue with catering to zombie fans who would like the option to choose Romero style zombies?

[GlaciusTS 7]

Oops, I'm on an iPhone and it posted twice. And the iPhone doesn't have an option to edit or remove a post. If mods feel it's a problem, please remove this post as well as one of my previous double posts. I apologize for the inconvenience.

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

No probs. BTW, I think you took my comment the wrong way.

I was just informing you of the intentions of the developer in case you weren't aware. I thought that the "life cycle" would mean that some of your ideas were going to be implemented (sort of) without needing different modes and thought you might like to know. Also, read my post again. I was simply suggesting that different "modes" was not in the style of a progressive, persistent world that DayZ is aiming to achieve. To me your idea sounded a bit "arcadey", like many other zombie games that already exist. I didn't mean to offend, I hope I made myself clearer this time.

[GlaciusTS 7]

Alright, sorry I must've assumed you were trying to debunk my idea. No I didnt intend for it to sound too arcade-like or anything. It's as simple as easy, regular and hard mode. But it's more of a preference choice.

I would assume the viral lifecycle is referring to either one of two things, either it's referring to how one reacts to getting infected, dies, comes back to life, and gradually deteriorates and slows over many years until the zombie does not have enough muscle mass to move or the brain has deteriorated to the point of death. Either that, or, the zombie population fluctuates as people become immune and the zombie virus adapts.

While this could result in slower zombies, they still aren't really classic Romero style zombies.

But a life cycle could still work. You could still have zombies gradually deteriorate and become slower. Let me compare how it would work in either mode.

In slow zombie mode, the zombies would start off relatively slow. And as they deteriorate, they grow slower over time until they can no longer move.

In fast zombie mode, zombies start off fast and it takes them just as long to deteriorate, but they would slow at a much faster rate.

Immortal Zombie Mode is there for the sake of extreme difficulty and some humor. These zombies take a lot longer to die because they remain immortal until completely decomposed, and for the sake of staying true to the film, they don't slow down over time until a leg falls off, which may not even happen. As I said, unrealistic but it would be add a lot to the game.

Lifecycles can still be implemented. It's just that zombie fans tend to have preferences. Many of us only feel immersed in a world with slower zombies. Cuz yno, they're dead, rigormortis and such would prevent them from walking too fast. It's like George A. Romero says "It just doesn't make sense for a dead man to run. He'd take 3 quick steps and his ankles would snap off!". Lol, paraphrasing but I know I got the gist of it.

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

The point here is that they're not dead, they're "infected" so it could take any number of forms not necessarily relating to slowly decaying.

Anything else I offer would be pure speculation but I'm looking forward to seeing how they implement the cycle of illness and how that transfers to players. They're also going to tie it in with a backstory for the game along with things like diaries, radio messages and so on to help us understand what the hell is going on.

P.S - I still don;t like the idea of different modes or players having difficulty options. It kind of goes against what helped make DayZ so popular to begin with.

[GlaciusTS 7]

Ohh... so that`s what you meant. I wasn't aware that this wasn't a zombie game. If they aren't dead they're just infected. Well if that's the case well I get the whole virus cycle thing. However, considering they are marketing this a zombie game, I see no reason not to offer you a choice when you start the game. It literally wouldn't take anything away from the experience you would already know.

I know the novelty of a choice don't look good to you. Maybe you prefer rabies victims over actual zombies and don't want time spent on something you don't care about. But your experience would be no different aside from starting up the game and getting a message saying "What kind of outbreak is it?" and choosing "Infected". The game would be no different in either mode aside from the zombies themselves. The rules for survival would only adapt to the style of zombies. I'm not sure why you think it's a bad idea when it's almost no work for a significantly different experience depending on what mode you choose. Is it so wrong for a so-called zombie game to cater to zombie fans?

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

The game is whatever they want it to be. So are the Zombies, regardless of what stories have come before. Your obviously a fan of some specific titles and seem to be upset that DayZ is not fitting in with your requirements. I can't really help you with that.

[That Guy (DayZ) 46]

This is going to be the basis for the whole infected/zombie thing, when a person first gets infected their muscular system and nervous system has been basically unchanged, after a while the virus starts eating away at the body probably causing muscles, nerve, and even bone to deteriorate making the said infected person less responsive, and in turn slower. Keep in mind that they have not risen from the dead. they just simply got a really bad cold, so shooting any part of the body will cause severe trauma almost as much as you would be shooting a non infected.

[GlaciusTS 7]

Despite that these aren't undead, they are infected, it does not denote the possibility of giving us the option of undead zombies. I like infected too, but I prefer the undead. This is kinda further enforces the concept of 28 days later mode actually, because in 28 days later they were still alive. This is still a suggestion, I wouldn't want them to take out the infected, I just think it would be awesome if we could choose between an Infected outbreak and an undead outbreak. As I said before, it requires very little work and would offer a significantly different gameplay option while catering to zombie fans who've been holding out for a true-to-the-lore zombie game.

I have no quarrel with the current game, just think it would be a very easy to add option and wouldn't take away from the experience you already love.

It may sound like I'm a fan of another form of zombie game, but I'm serious, I don't think I've ever heard of a zombie game that actually follows the rules of classic zombies. What few zombie games are out there with slow Romero style zombies, not one of them forces you to shoot them in the head. Once upon a time there was gonna be a game like that, called "City of the Dead" and George A. Romero was behind it. But then HIP games went bankrupt and vanished.

Sadly the game never saw the light of day, and was forgotten. Only zombie game I've ever heard of that would've forced you to make head shots. It looks very outdated because it is, it would've been on last gen consoles.

Edited August 23, 2012 by GlaciusTS