1st day, 28 days later, 3 months

[ianopolos]

This post should be people thoughts how game should start.

 

I watched movie remake: Dawn of the Dead and thought this scene shows best how game should start.

 

-So 1st day should start when you wake up in ur house.

Everything is calm and you go outside house to city for food.

You see ur neighboors doin their daily jobs and you can visit their houses and see what they doing.

When you visit city and enter store in city something goes wrong and sudenly you see people runing in street and get hunted by group of zombies.

So you take supplies and run home

Point of 1st day is that begin of game you see NPC screaming and running from zombies

 

-28 days later

Youre barricaded in house alone or with ur family, and you have to watch out for zombies and burglars

 

-3 months

Youre friends and ur family is probably all dead and only unique NPC with survival skills have survived so far.

[RoboMat]

This is a quote from the old forums of one of the devs:

 

13. Early-beginning -

"Without a massive reworking of how NPC works and adding a massive workload to the map creation this wouldn't be feasible. 300 npcs going about their business without being on spline paths or similar would slow the game to a crawl" - Lemmy101.

 

So this rules out your first suggestion. It has also been stated one some other occasions that the game will start after the apocalypse has broken out

 

I agree that it would be a cool intro, but on the other hand it wouldn't really fit into PZ. Besides that I guess it would be kind of hard to survive

[Jethro]

Dead Island was pretty shit but yeah this is how it should start

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ialZcLaI17Y

[SenorMonstro]

This is it how it should start (?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG8wsae-6tU

[LeoIvanov]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HawhjjF5qFc

 

Best way to start a zombie game.

 

Everybody runs for their life, explosions, fires, random deaths. You shouldn't wake up in a way that you'd have to go shopping and shit, but instead, when you wake up, you see about dozen of npc's doing nothing but running for their life, screaming stuff like "Holy shit!"; "oh my god!"; "What the fuck!"; "Is it my.. Neightbor?!"; etc.

 

You can decide to stay in your house for that day, or (With addition of cars) drive your car out somewhere out. The main thing is, the whole "Zombies are now absolutely devastating your world" thing we have right now in the main game should start after you fall asleep, and wake up the next day.

 

 

So think of it like this :

 

Day 1: NPC humans escape/run away (We already have escape mechanic for npc's) from zombies. Nobody fights nobody, no meta events are happening, just humans running away from the zombies for some supposed "safe place". You end up the day falling asleep, (Or blacking out if you refuse. We already have sleeping overhaul do this :3)

 

Day 2: You wake up. Depending on if you fell asleep at your house, you look outside. No more panic, no more chaos. Now everything is completely empty/filled with random zombies, the way it runs right now when we start the game. Only NOW Metagame events start taking place, and random survivors begin appearing.

 

 

I'm thinking that with this suggestion the whole "Day 1" suggestion does not seem to be really hard thing to do anymore. I mean, script up some random NPC's running away from 3-4 zombies that chase after them, occasional ones get eaten, randomized death screams (that you hear after you die) somewhere in the distance, just like with current gunshots and helicopters.

 

Post what you think, this isn't your usual "Day 1" suggestion where you have to script ton of events where you "go to food store" and shit.

[k12314]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HawhjjF5qFc

 

Best way to start a zombie game.

 

Everybody runs for their life, explosions, fires, random deaths. You shouldn't wake up in a way that you'd have to go shopping and shit, but instead, when you wake up, you see about dozen of npc's doing nothing but running for their life, screaming stuff like "Holy shit!"; "oh my god!"; "What the fuck!"; "Is it my.. Neightbor?!"; etc.

 

You can decide to stay in your house for that day, or (With addition of cars) drive your car out somewhere out. The main thing is, the whole "Zombies are now absolutely devastating your world" thing we have right now in the main game should start after you fall asleep, and wake up the next day.

 

 

So think of it like this :

 

Day 1: NPC humans escape/run away (We already have escape mechanic for npc's) from zombies. Nobody fights nobody, no meta events are happening, just humans running away from the zombies for some supposed "safe place". You end up the day falling asleep, (Or blacking out if you refuse. We already have sleeping overhaul do this :3)

 

Day 2: You wake up. Depending on if you fell asleep at your house, you look outside. No more panic, no more chaos. Now everything is completely empty/filled with random zombies, the way it runs right now when we start the game. Only NOW Metagame events start taking place, and random survivors begin appearing.

 

 

I'm thinking that with this suggestion the whole "Day 1" suggestion does not seem to be really hard thing to do anymore. I mean, script up some random NPC's running away from 3-4 zombies that chase after them, occasional ones get eaten, randomized death screams (that you hear after you die) somewhere in the distance, just like with current gunshots and helicopters.

 

Post what you think, this isn't your usual "Day 1" suggestion where you have to script ton of events where you "go to food store" and shit.

 

Still, how difficult do you think it would be to script everyone scrambling in terror, getting INSANELY spread out, then random NPCs meeting up, and forming a story through the meta-game?

[LeoIvanov]

 

snip

 

Still, how difficult do you think it would be to script everyone scrambling in terror, getting INSANELY spread out, then random NPCs meeting up, and forming a story through the meta-game?

 

 

As I've said, no need for metagame events in day 1.

 

The whole chaos goes as far as you can see, but nowhere further than that. You get about dozen NPC's (on screen) running around in terror from about two dozen zombies, dissapearing behind the non-visible area. They go about few more blocks in metagame before they completely dissapear from meta events, so your system does not get eaten alive. Zombies aren't streamed outside of your meta location either, so it's all about the chaos that happens around the player, to create the atmosphere that is supposed to suck you in. You fall asleep, and while you are sleeping, the horrors of meta agony screams (the ones that work the same way as meta helicopters, gunshots in current version) continue, and only stop after you are about to wake up.

 

When you wake up, all the chaos, running around etcetera is gone, and a "real" world finally streams in, with proper meta events, NPC placement, Zombie hordes, etc. 1 Day is enough for some sort of virus to wipe out those who run around in panic aimlessly, and turn them into zombies.

 

So that way, we have randomised chaos event in the beginning, that is solely based around player's position. That way, if there is someone brave enough to go outside, or a zombie decides to pound on your door, and, through the whole chaos you could make your way towards the house that you want to take refuge in. Later on when NPCs are more worked upon, you'll be able to get some of those NPC's that run in terror and make a part of your group. So, the day 1 is purely about either staying inside the house, barricading/watching TV/listening for radio, or about running along the chaos on the street, looking for a better shelter. Day 2, along with the implementation of meta events, proper NPC's and meta zombie hordes + their migration, is when the "real" game begins.

 

It is solely for the purpose of setting players into the mood of the apocalypse, and does not require THAT much of coding, unlike the suggestions where people ask the developers to make "Day 1" literally a life from Sims 3 day, where you go shopping, etc. Which -IS- a hell to code.

[ianopolos]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HawhjjF5qFc

 

Best way to start a zombie game.

 

Everybody runs for their life, explosions, fires, random deaths. You shouldn't wake up in a way that you'd have to go shopping and shit, but instead, when you wake up, you see about dozen of npc's doing nothing but running for their life, screaming stuff like "Holy shit!"; "oh my god!"; "What the fuck!"; "Is it my.. Neightbor?!"; etc.

 

You can decide to stay in your house for that day, or (With addition of cars) drive your car out somewhere out. The main thing is, the whole "Zombies are now absolutely devastating your world" thing we have right now in the main game should start after you fall asleep, and wake up the next day.

 

 

So think of it like this :

 

Day 1: NPC humans escape/run away (We already have escape mechanic for npc's) from zombies. Nobody fights nobody, no meta events are happening, just humans running away from the zombies for some supposed "safe place". You end up the day falling asleep, (Or blacking out if you refuse. We already have sleeping overhaul do this :3)

 

Day 2: You wake up. Depending on if you fell asleep at your house, you look outside. No more panic, no more chaos. Now everything is completely empty/filled with random zombies, the way it runs right now when we start the game. Only NOW Metagame events start taking place, and random survivors begin appearing.

 

 

I'm thinking that with this suggestion the whole "Day 1" suggestion does not seem to be really hard thing to do anymore. I mean, script up some random NPC's running away from 3-4 zombies that chase after them, occasional ones get eaten, randomized death screams (that you hear after you die) somewhere in the distance, just like with current gunshots and helicopters.

 

Post what you think, this isn't your usual "Day 1" suggestion where you have to script ton of events where you "go to food store" and shit.

yes i agree with ur suggestion for day 1 and i didnt even mean for story go to food store and make things complicated.

I just wanted to see alive NPC running from zombies.

 

But i didnt know is it posible cause programing and what is posible and what is not.

[k12314]

Well regardless, the devs have already said a "1st day" start is a total no, 28 Days Later is obviously against the lore they're trying to stick with, and a "3 month" starting option doesn't seem to have any point asides from dead NPCs and less supplies.

[SenorMonstro]

Yeah, I don't know, if you have to do something like that every time that you start a new game, in my opinion, it's pretty shitty...

 

And I like how starts now, it's pretty good, I feel it pretty immersive.. I think that this way fits excelent with pz

[GodWaffle]

Personally I'd like to see other starting scenarios such as waking up in the hospital, as cliche as it is it makes a hell of a lot more sense than waking up in a house about a month (by how many zombies there are) after the apocalypse has started without any supplies or anything.  I would like to see NPC's panicking and quickly dying out, but if that's a total no, then some other scenarios to start the game in would be neat.

 

-GodWaffle

[k12314]

Actually, you wake up one morning two weeks into the apocalypse, and you make up what happened to your supplies. You make your own story. You got raided, they ran out, you had a friend who took it all at night and ran off... You gotta think about these things yourself. Speculate.

[GodWaffle]

Actually, you wake up one morning two weeks into the apocalypse, and you make up what happened to your supplies. You make your own story. You got raided, they ran out, you had a friend who took it all at night and ran off... You gotta think about these things yourself. Speculate.

 

But it would be more interesting to newcomers if there was an explanation to why you are there at that time without anything and no experience with the zombies at all.  I think it would just feel a bit more immersive in my opinion.

[k12314]

 

Actually, you wake up one morning two weeks into the apocalypse, and you make up what happened to your supplies. You make your own story. You got raided, they ran out, you had a friend who took it all at night and ran off... You gotta think about these things yourself. Speculate.

 

But it would be more interesting to newcomers if there was an explanation to why you are there at that time without anything and no experience with the zombies at all.  I think it would just feel a bit more immersive in my opinion.

 

 

It's immersive because it doesn't force any backstory on you.  You create your character's backstory.

[TheCenturion]

 

 

snip

 

Still, how difficult do you think it would be to script everyone scrambling in terror, getting INSANELY spread out, then random NPCs meeting up, and forming a story through the meta-game?

 

 

As I've said, no need for metagame events in day 1.

 

The whole chaos goes as far as you can see, but nowhere further than that. You get about dozen NPC's (on screen) running around in terror from about two dozen zombies, dissapearing behind the non-visible area. They go about few more blocks in metagame before they completely dissapear from meta events, so your system does not get eaten alive. Zombies aren't streamed outside of your meta location either, so it's all about the chaos that happens around the player, to create the atmosphere that is supposed to suck you in. You fall asleep, and while you are sleeping, the horrors of meta agony screams (the ones that work the same way as meta helicopters, gunshots in current version) continue, and only stop after you are about to wake up.

 

When you wake up, all the chaos, running around etcetera is gone, and a "real" world finally streams in, with proper meta events, NPC placement, Zombie hordes, etc. 1 Day is enough for some sort of virus to wipe out those who run around in panic aimlessly, and turn them into zombies.

 

So that way, we have randomised chaos event in the beginning, that is solely based around player's position. That way, if there is someone brave enough to go outside, or a zombie decides to pound on your door, and, through the whole chaos you could make your way towards the house that you want to take refuge in. Later on when NPCs are more worked upon, you'll be able to get some of those NPC's that run in terror and make a part of your group. So, the day 1 is purely about either staying inside the house, barricading/watching TV/listening for radio, or about running along the chaos on the street, looking for a better shelter. Day 2, along with the implementation of meta events, proper NPC's and meta zombie hordes + their migration, is when the "real" game begins.

 

It is solely for the purpose of setting players into the mood of the apocalypse, and does not require THAT much of coding, unlike the suggestions where people ask the developers to make "Day 1" literally a life from Sims 3 day, where you go shopping, etc. Which -IS- a hell to code.

 

 

Grr... you guys are suggesting a whole new game, not new game mechanics. And it really does kill the whole 'what on Earth happened here' element to the game, which is far better than 'ho-hum, another generic everybody running about scenario". That, and the fact the game is set some time after the initial panick.

Then again, your idea is so much better than those 'Let's simulate an entire town guyz' ones...

[Jethro]

You know what he said...

It's a really hardcore start to the game but it is overused now, maybe it should be done a new and different way?

PZ is more about surviving then gunning down zombies and finding the best weapon like DayZ, L4D. If the game had a begging like The Walking Dead which was really new for the genre it would be nice. I currently like how the story starts in PZ and how you can choose to either kill Kate or help her

[LeoIvanov]

 

You know what he said...

It's a really hardcore start to the game but it is overused now, maybe it should be done a new and different way?

PZ is more about surviving then gunning down zombies and finding the best weapon like DayZ, L4D. If the game had a begging like The Walking Dead which was really new for the genre it would be nice. I currently like how the story starts in PZ and how you can choose to either kill Kate or help her

 

 

Please name me atleast 1 game that has the game start off with a total chaos and mass destruction, people running away from zombies and you choosing whether to join in the chaos and look for a better shelter or stay in your house for the day, boarding it up.

 

Name me one game where you wake up the next day after this and the city turns into a ghost town, where zombies dominate over the population. The game where it's entirely up to you, and not the well-written script how to survive and adapt to the chaos. AND you gotta keep in mind that the games should be sandbox, or something similar to it.

 

Please name me that game and I will play the shit out of it, because so far I've seen none of the games (Especially single-player ones) that drop you into the apocalyptic city chaos that you'd expect to see when some shit hits the fan. To even counter your point, I can name a few games that actually make use of your "The Walking Dead" mechanic where you are thrown into the middle

of the apocalypse, not knowing a lot about what has happened.

 

State of Decay. You and your friend come back from the lake fishing trip. They aboard the dock and are greeted by some man who decides to try and take a bite outta your friend.

 

DayZ. You are thrown into the middle of the apocalypse without much backstory or an idea of what's going on. You are forced to adapt into the surroundings, or you'll simply die.

 

WarZ (Dear god, why did I even bring this up?) Same as above.

 

Left 4 Dead, Killing Floor, Dead Island, No More Room in Hell, Dead Rising... I can name dozens of zombie games, and none so far have had that "complete destruction on day 1, ghost town on day 2. Sandbox" feeling attached to it. I've always sort of had to deal with the game throwing me into the middle of action, and I had to figure out how to beat it.

 

Now, Project Zomboid does a hell of a good job at maintaining it's open-world zombie survival rpg elements. I however aren't a big fan of the whole "You create your own backstory about how you end up in that/this house you spawned in, with no weapons or anything, in the middle of the mess." With my "Day 1" idea, you can still create a hell of a backstory, and even stay true to your survival time. (Because let's be honest - when we survive "48 hours/2 days" It actually is something like "1 week and 48hours/2 days")

 

Try to understand, people,  please. "DAY ONE" - is the first day when the whole normal citizen life turns into a big zombie survival hell. You don't just assume your "DAY ONE" to be some random day when you boarded up in a random house with no weapons on you, when your wife and family are either already dead or missing.

 

I am not suggesting the stuff that was already denied by the developers, either! I am not asking them to make day one into a "normal Sims-like city life" and on day 2 turn it into zombie hell mess. I think I am asking for something achievable here, as I think scripting in NPC's that suppose to do nothing more but "Run away from zombies that chase after them" and only be streamed at LOCATION WHERE YOU ARE CURRENTLY AT. I am not even asking for the meta-system to take place at day 1. How easy is that?

Hell, even if it doesn't make into vanilla, atleast please make it an option, so hardcore zombie fans like me could enjoy the game at it's fullest!

 

(Now I might have went a little overboard with the last couple of paragraphs. I didn't meant to sound agressive, so sorry if it felt so. Adressed to either developers or the guy who I quoted in this reply.)

[TheCenturion]

 

 

You know what he said...

It's a really hardcore start to the game but it is overused now, maybe it should be done a new and different way?

PZ is more about surviving then gunning down zombies and finding the best weapon like DayZ, L4D. If the game had a begging like The Walking Dead which was really new for the genre it would be nice. I currently like how the story starts in PZ and how you can choose to either kill Kate or help her

 

 

No, really, you know what he said... (scroll upwards for text wall)

 

Ok then... *takes deep breath* 

 

ROUGE SURVIVOR! AHA! Didn't see that coming, did you? But I know what you mean. But I think we was referring to all zombie fiction, in general- zombie movies usually have some sort of intro along those lines. Having that mystery there is what makes it tense, dangerous- you don't actually know what the hell happened here. 

 

But frankly, the real reason why games never fully include such a thing is that either A. Doesn't suit said game's mechanics, B. Too resource intensive, or C. Far too difficult and time consuming to develop.

 

PZ is a good example. I'm thinking mods MIGHT come up with such a thing, but it'd be along the lines of simply having a crap ton of npcs across the map from the beginning. Which would send your computer into a coma, probably.

 

 

 

How easy is that?

 

I'm guessing a lot harder than you think. Nobody has seen the metagame yet, but I'm betting that the NPCs are going to be tied pretty heavily to it. In concept your idea might be difficult, but even adding it in as an option isn't going to work fully. Oh yeah, and remember PZ isn't set anywhere near 'Day One', since the place is very much devoid of the majority of humans... or rather now very hungry peeps anyways. 

[Marinus]

I watched movie remake: Dawn of the Dead and thought this scene shows best how game should start.

 

 

Blasphemy! it can only start like this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd04SwR2eU8

[LeoIvanov]

Blasphemy! it can only start like this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd04SwR2eU8

 

You win this arguement with that video, hands down. Can't even think of a reasonable responce to beat this one.

[Jethro]

 

 

You know what he said...

It's a really hardcore start to the game but it is overused now, maybe it should be done a new and different way?

PZ is more about surviving then gunning down zombies and finding the best weapon like DayZ, L4D. If the game had a begging like The Walking Dead which was really new for the genre it would be nice. I currently like how the story starts in PZ and how you can choose to either kill Kate or help her

 

^ Scroll up dudeman ^

 

Ehh well day 1 stuff IS rare but it's too meh it's not really scary in my opinion more "Hey we have really good SFX we want to show off, lets do this - "

Last of Us beginning was good but you didn't have a choice to hide or barricade anything, L4D has a pretty hardcore beginning it's nearly day 1 or 2

[Taintedblood]

What I don't get, If there was gonna be a day one, how would it work? Twenty four zombies wouldn't stand a chance against twelve regular PZ humans. I mean, I took down a hundred zombies with nothing but an axe, I survived with just a few scratches, and I suck at this game. Would they just let themselves be eaten or something? Plus to be realistic, the first thing a person would do is run into there home, make sure there family is safe and have them barricade the windows and doors with furniture and grab their gun. They shouldn't have a problem with it either, its not like the zombies could catch up with them.

 

Overall I think the developers should leave it as it is, this way we have no real idea on how it came to such extremes and don't have the urge to question how realistic it is. Well in that aspect.