Thread: New guy

Originally Posted by DrunkSnake

Nice idea. The sand box style could work with a zombie game but I'd rather have a character or characters with set backgrounds I hate games that force you to create your own character (probably why I returned Oblivion after 20 minutes of play). Create your own feels like a lack of creativity on the development team. I'd rather learn about a character through progression than know all about them up front.

I do like the idea of the military as an obstacle. I mean the most logical recourse for them would be kill everything so as to not perpetuate infection. Plus they are still humans, frightened and panicked humans with guns.

Overall not bad, sounds like what Resident Evil Outbreak should have been like.

What always kills character creation is that the game elements later on effectively reverse everything you've worked towards (i.e. you put a lot of effort into your physical appearanchttp://devioustyrant.com/images/editor/separator.gife and clothing, only to end up wearing a generic suit of body armor).

I've always felt that a simpler back story works well, too (i.e. in Gears, Marcus Fenix is a veteran soldier who was sentenced to 40 years in prison for desertion to save his father; bam, that's your back story for the main character, and not only does it work well, it's also incorporated into the game's story). Gigantic five-paragraph essays that you have to read on the character selection screen pre-game have always struck me as a turn-off.

So, I'd go for something more along the lines of Halo and Master Chief: it's not the main character's own story that drives the game, it's his/her interaction with the other characters that drives it forward. And in a zombie setting, that's pretty realistic. You're stuck in an abandoned city faced with hoards of hostiles, you're going to want to seek out some friends.

Originally Posted by Flawless Cowboy

I think that whole cover up idea is bullshit. Cities don't disappear off the map magically. People will ask questions (probably friends and realatives living in another city), and the government can try to bullshit them with weather baloons. And if they blame it on terrorists detonating a nuke, well:
A) Mass hysteria
B) People will wonder why its not on the news

I could understand a cover up of a town or military base, but with a city it's illogical.

Yep. I agree totally. That's why I refuse to go with a cover-up story.

Originally Posted by Nuke

What always kills character creation is that the game elements later on effectively reverse everything you've worked towards (i.e. you put a lot of effort into your physical appearanchttp://devioustyrant.com/images/editor/separator.gife and clothing, only to end up wearing a generic suit of body armor).

I've always felt that a simpler back story works well, too (i.e. in Gears, Marcus Fenix is a veteran soldier who was sentenced to 40 years in prison for desertion to save his father; bam, that's your back story for the main character, and not only does it work well, it's also incorporated into the game's story). Gigantic five-paragraph essays that you have to read on the character selection screen pre-game have always struck me as a turn-off.

So, I'd go for something more along the lines of Halo and Master Chief: it's not the main character's own story that drives the game, it's his/her interaction with the other characters that drives it forward. And in a zombie setting, that's pretty realistic. You're stuck in an abandoned city faced with hoards of hostiles, you're going to want to seek out some friends.



Yep. I agree totally. That's why I refuse to go with a cover-up story.

Play style I guess. Dependent on personality too. I'd rather go it alone. Seeking help just increases your chances of being bit or that you find someone infected that lies about it. I dunno though thats me. I always liked Lone Wolf style games more outside the RPG genere.

You could do character creation the way Mass Effect did. Allows freedom to create whatever character you want, while still keeping the story intact

Originally Posted by DrunkSnake

Play style I guess. Dependent on personality too. I'd rather go it alone. Seeking help just increases your chances of being bit or that you find someone infected that lies about it. I dunno though thats me. I always liked Lone Wolf style games more outside the RPG genere.

People faking it... that's an interesting idea.

Originally Posted by Flawless Cowboy

You could do character creation the way Mass Effect did. Allows freedom to create whatever character you want, while still keeping the story intact

For the main character, I think that'd probably be best.

Originally Posted by Nuke

People faking it... that's an interesting idea.



For the main character, I think that'd probably be best.

Yeah kinda like The Thing videogame where any of your team could be infected and they might suspect you.

Well good and bad example I guess. The game wasn't great but the idea was solid, kind of surprised no one else picked that idea up and ran with it.