Alright, so I've had this idea in my head for a actual zombie apocalypse, and for any sort of game involving one, for a long time. However, project Zomboid seems like the first game where the implementation of such a concept is really viable, or useful even. The power goes out after a while, and so does the water, you're in the stone ages, and you're not quite happy about it. What if you wanted to figure this out on your own? To find the switch that needs throwing and put such a plan into action as to power the dark zombie-infested streets again? Or maybe just not having to use rain collectors would be nice too. Most cities have their power stations and water sanitation buildings, and if you've been near one, you'll know that they can often stick out like a sore thumb, and sometimes also cause plenty of noise for the neighbors. However, now the neighbors are zombies, and despite maybe just a few loyal workers valiant efforts, they decided to find the noise. Overwhelming whatever staff was there, or chasing them off, and eventually, they found the source of the noise. Maybe a open water tank stirring to try and sanitize water, and somehow, they clogged it up, likely by just falling into it, contaminating the water, if not clogging and stopping it's flow entirely. This could also open up the possibility of a bit of a warning as to when water was going to go for new players, first it starts becoming murky, then black or brown, then shutting down. The power station would definitely make more noise though, and be the first to go, zombies breaking in, and finding some very noisy turbines. Not having more mental capacity than a moth drawn to a flame, they fling, or walk, themselves into the turbines, powered by coal, or maybe a running river (yay green technology.) This wouldn't really give the whole warning thing the water one would give, but it'd give some actual reason as to why the power went out. So how do we fix it? This was actually a really hard list for me to nail down for this game without it becoming horribly unimplementable(not that it's a easy task now), but I've narrowed it down to a few things that could be done, and might not be impossible to do either. Water Utilities: Sanitation or pumping facility invasion event (Or having already happened with the shutoff proceeding as normal behind the scenes)Possible roaming workers? Can't expect the player to really know how to operate everything unless it's simple enough, workers could stay behind and defend if player left fortifications for them, though the necessity of food may be a extra thing for the player to consider.Unclogging the pipes. The zombies clogged it with themselves, and as such, you're probably going to need a net, or maybe a shovel of some kind to get them out. However, zombies can't drown, so if you find one not too mangled, you run the risk of it biting you as you work when careless.Re-invasions later. They're not going to give up that easily, the player may have to come back if they want their precious water on tap, further adding a set of tasks to players who want to go above and beyond the call for survival.Possible generators and gas on site for when the power went out to continue powering the plant. This would be a good explanation for why the water stayed on if it was based around a system that needed powering, and possibly a location for the player to raid for such supplies. However, if the player showed up after the water turned off, they might have missed the window to find such gas, and be left with empty, heavy, generators.Lots and lots of zombies. This is not a activity for the weak of heart, this would be the perfect place to truly have a sea of zombies for the player to try and wade through. This would be a luxury event for players to embark on, and would likely require coordination between a few players, or very clever strategies.Power Utilities: Power Outage event: The power going out, usually the end of perishable foods, and also whatever staff was employed at the power plant still. This plant would be much louder, and as such, much more a target for the zombies, seeking food.As with the water plant, the player should not be expected to know how to fix and run everything in the plant. Possibly they find a worker that is necessary to run the plant as the machinery is a little bit more complex than before, maybe with special needs that threaten to turn the power off if not supplied booze or cigarettes, leaving the player in the dark as to if the worker was dead, or if they were just unhappy.The turbines must spin. Zombies likely would have crawled, or just maybe pounded on turbines until the sound stopped, or they weren't able to. They could have clogged the spinning up, leaving the player to shovel and poke out the corpses, which may still stand a chance of catching them off guard.Different types of power: It may be a coal plant, or possibly a solar plant, however, most plants do need water for steam, and subsequently, the ability to spin the turbines. A reservoir on site or maybe water from the other utility plant may be necessary for actual power. This could both implement the possibility of unclogging the intake pipes at the power plant, and dealing with the water plant, meaning the player had to put some problem solving skills into action.Power lines. Pretty self explanatory, but a power line could go down, leaving the player without power, making it a (relatively) simple fix that the player could accomplish with cutting down a few trees and maybe a ladder.Even MORE zombies.: Some power plants are quite loud near them, and are quite the beacon at night, usually having quite a array of lights on the various things needed to run the plant. Again, this is a luxury event, cleverness and resources would be the top priority for completing it, and the more companions you have, the easier the event would likely be. This is a long list, but I think it'd be a interesting thing for players who think they have it all to try and attempt, though this would probably be something that's not even a year down the line for development, the resources involved for creating this would be immense, but I think it would be something quite unique to have in the game.
