Hey gamers: quick question.

I think in your game, it'd be quite nice to have an open world plan, so that the characters can travel where they like, when they would like (ie. in between game tasks). I think quite a lot of games miss this, and it really makes the player have more freedom, and they could encounter zombies in the wild.

There could be sidequests, which the player gets rewards etc.

Good luck with your game!

 

being able to customise loadout, the weapons in it and characters would be good.

btw i design games, only they always remain on paper because i suck at coding.

 

Why don't you make a zombie playable who's different from all the rest. He joins the group of friends and helps them out... Maybe... Possibly,.. Nah that's a crap idea. A different game setting would be awesome though. Maybe in the desert or arctic tundra or some unique setting... They escape to a space station and think they are safe but the zombies turn out to be aliens who take control of the dead. Yeah a game half set in space would be cool. Open world like above even, using things found in space to customise... Well I think I got a bit carried away there sorry :/

 

So a an open world desert with lots of customisation. Well I think a desert on its own would be boring so how about a temple in it, a large oasis, a desert city and an underground something? As well as the open desert.

In zombie stories people are always trying to survive. This is unreal... Maybe kill off a character halfway through and another significant character at the end... Maybe a sacrifice??? Basically I always find zombie stories cliche and unoriginal. So a capturing, emotional story, or a quirky humorous one etc... Maybe one of the characters have a link to a similar event that happened in the past???

 

In terms of the characters and the fighting, what I'd like to see is a gritty take on it. By that I mean, rather than have a group of super-ultra-badass-space-ranger-ninja-generals who kick ass daily as your main characters, go for something like the last of us or the walking dead. Where characters actually are normal people and aren't all that great at fighting. Where sometimes you have to hide or find another way around rather than pull out the chainsaw. Where you have conflicts and power struggles with other people that are just as dangerous as any zombie attack. Where you have limited supplies and it's up to you to decide how, when to use them and who to use them on. I ultimately prefer that kind of realist approach. It's more relatable and adds more to the game.

Maybe some kind of dialogue choice as well. I think a lot of zombie games focus on the zombies, and that's been done lots and lots, whereas what could be more interesting is turning the focus to your group and how you hold it together... maybe you could have a friend that's suicidal, one that's infected, one that is a good person but is a liability to the group (injured or slow-witted for instance). So yeah, I'd like to see a game with more emphasis on survival politics / lifeboat ethics than the actual zombies.

 

If the zombie thing must be dragged out it needs to be taken to it's logical conclusion.

If you get injured, you are screwed. If you jump to far and break your leg, you're limping for the rest of the game. If you get your hand bitten, you cut that arm off! If you only have enough food and water for three people and you've got 6, you either lose the energy to fight properly or somebody dies.

Survival is fun IF it's done right. Choose a dominant hand and some crappy skills you had before. None of this "I'm on office worker of COURSE I know kung-fu" crap. If you're a fat guy you ain't running as far as the athletic girl. If you're a track running female you're not taking is much of a hit as the boxer.

Destroy the genre with a game so infuriatingly complex and difficult that it can't be continued.

 

I agree with Holly - I want a zombie game like that! Being able to create a character where you can mix up flaws/skills is a good idea.

And I think if you get bitten there should be some kind of timer that tells you how long you have til you turn. Maybe there's stuff you can find to prolong the turning, but ultimately you'll turn. And it's whether you tell the others (because only you know) that you've been bitten and let yourself be killed. Or keep it to yourself and turn on them.

 

Maybe different endings based on that idea?

 

Pretty sure if you applied that to story based gameplay rather than openworld you're just recreating the walking dead games by telltale.

I was thinking more loosely...if there even WAS an end. You know, you either die or you keep going. Lots of ways to get killed, lots of ways to survive...

I know there are zombie survival games out there but I'm not sure how many force you to start of as an every day shmuck and then force you to become progressively worse as the game goes on...

 

Make it a satire dark comedy. Like I can see some funny stuff from it. Seeing as zombies are so insanely popular it would be hard make it on your own as one that isn't make a joke of itself. But I am more interested at what mechanics and things you are using? Because remember MECHANICS FIRST STORY SECONDED! That is unless you are trying build the story around mechanics and such but your making a zombie game not really pushing the envelope that much...

 

I like good plot twists. Something like at the end of the game it turns out your character caused the zombie apocalypse and had been trying to propagate it all along since the start.

Happy days

 

Also just want to add 2 things. If you need any help I have a fairly good understanding of game design and such. The other things is I want to give an example of what I mean from satire dark comedy thing. Like the jokes being more along the lines of you finding a email chain from 2 office workers during the apocalypse complaining about the other for the other not going and grabbing him something. (something stupid like Twinkies) But after all of the emails it just ends with the guy saying fuck it I don't want to live in a apocalypse any way and kill himself. But like I said MECHANICS FIRST STORY SECONDED!

 

Make the game have a real point to it. It shouldn't just be "survive the zombies" or even "find/disperse a cure." What do the zombies do for the game other than infect the living and raise hell? <<THAT is the question so central to lots of zombie fic, and most get away with glossing over it in favor of badass zombie-killing action. But the latter has been done; the only way to stand out is to make it a significant experience.

What the others said also rings true though. An open-world zombie RPG would be so freaking awesome. But I don't imagine you are the lead designer of a multimillion dollar studio, so make good choices with the idea

**I do have a modest game design background, so I'd love the attention if you want my advice or opinion on something lol.

 

One of the major things I didn't like about L4D was the lack of ability to drive quads/trucks/dirtbikes/mounts. If you would make a drivable pickup with a machine gun mounted on the back, it'd be deadly. Also, maybe a level where you have to drive a skidoo over a frozen lake, and it you drive on the same spot/stay on it too long, then the ice starts to crack. That'd be so awesome. Also, maybe some helicopters, and some external missions on the side for you to complete and earn rewards somehow.

 

Open world...I would kill to see GTA meets Zombies

 

Depends on what engine you are using. If you are using Unity 3D I would suggest trying to use this FPS Kit 1.3.5 [MOD] - Armedunity It works. I have used it. But for creativity means I would suggest parkour methods. Parkour Intermediate - Armedunity.

If you are using Unreal engine then I would suggest graphics updated first. Also try and have good AI scripts.

As for your mom getting nauseous I would suggest getting rid of the bobbing effect for the main camera and lower the sensitivity. Hope this helps