2005 DotD settings, anyone?

[DecepticonZombie]

I see the same bog-standard gameplay starts for people. Brutal settings, bleak prospects, low gear and supplies, etc. 

 

The part of the game that always gets me though is that kind of bleak start. 

 

Why? Why is Kentucky so devoid of all the stuff (regular and redneck)  that would absolutely be common during that timeframe? 

 

Why are houses so devoid of food, clothing, gear? Why are the settings set to "rare" for a lot of that stuff?  It's a fresh apocalypse, folks wouldn't have time to clear out stores and the like. There would be mass confusion and chaos instead. 

 

I offer this: 

Set common things like food (fresh and preserved), materials, etc to common/abundant. The apocalypse Just Started, so that stuff would be common and abundant. 

 

Firearms, uncommon to common. It's redneck territory, firearms wouldnt be hard to come by, nor would ammo. 

 

Vehicles would more than likely have more than a 1/4 tank, but streets should and would be more heavily congested. 

 

I dunno, it just irks me that the default settings aren't "realistic" in the basics for the time and place. 

 

 

As for zombies, make them the sprinters for the first few weeks in-game. After that, reduce the sprinters and replace with shamblers. High population at start, and ramp it up quickly. 

 

 

I've been playing this way off and on for a while and it seems more...immersive to me. 

 

Any other settings you'd tweak?