Feedback on Unique Zombie Survival Game Idea?

Started by
26 comments, last by dtg108 11 years, 5 months ago
The Character (Eric Reece) wakes up in the middle of a field. He has no recollection of anything. However, he sees that he has a police uniform on, so he knows that he must have been a cop. Also, there is a cabin standing He stands up, and this is where you take control. The objective simply says: "Find out what's going on." When the character gets to the door, a cutscene starts. The character grabs a note off of the door, which reads: "The world has gone to hell, run." The character turns around when a zombie pops out, knocking the player to the ground. There will then be a button that pops up on screen, and once pressed, the character will grab the gun and shoot the zombie.


So what stops us NOT going to the cabin? Perhaps an objective like 'investigate the cabin' would be better, at least this lets the player know what objective you intend ... why cut away from the action so shortly after giving it to the character with a cutscene? Can't we just have one cutscene of Eric waking up, looking at his uniform, going over to the cabin, reading the note and being attacked - que game start? Or perhaps there is no cutscene and you read the note and spawn the zombie attack in play?

Perhaps its me, but cutscenes as you describe feel very interuptive. I'd also have to agree with everyone else though, theres nothing that pops out as unique or 'wow never seen that before' from what you describe.
Advertisement

The Character (Eric Reece) wakes up in the middle of a field. He has no recollection of anything.


Consider not using the amnesia trope. Its has been done to death. >___<
Most tropes have been used before, and amnesia is a good fit for a story based video game.
But so far there is nothing here that is Unique.

The title should read "Feedback on Zombie Survival Game Idea?"

So far there is nothing Unique here, the story sounds like something straight out of The Walking Dead.

-Exo

Most tropes have been used before, and amnesia is a good fit for a story based video game.

But so far there is nothing here that is Unique.


1. "Most tropes have been used before" is not a sound reason to use tropes that has been done to death.

2. But I agree with you: tropes can be ok if there is a reason for it, like if your way is unique. E.g. Johnny Mnemonic or Total Recall's amnesia sounds plausible and is different from simply waking up with amnesia from knocking your head.

The title should read "Feedback on Zombie Survival Game Idea?"
So far there is nothing Unique here, the story sounds like something straight out of The Walking Dead.
-Exo


Agreed. Even the starting scene feels similar to The Walking Dead video game opening. The rest of the description sounds like what other zombie games are already doing. Although I am a big fan of zombie games, there is pretty much nothing compelling here.

To OP: You should come up with some truly unique elements and highlight them to us.

To OP: You should come up with some truly unique elements and highlight them to us.


Hey guys, I've toyed with the idea a little more, and thanks for the CC. In the last week, I've gotten another programmer and animator/3D artist, and we have brought a couple of other things to the table that we haven't seen yet. NOTE: Please, tell me if it's in another game. I WANT to know:

  • An inituative combat system- We are bringing a combat system into a zombie game, something I haven't seen much of. You can stab a zombie with anything from a knife to a screw driver, or you can smash their skulls in with a baseball bat. The choice is yours.
  • Decision Process- As the story progresses, you choose decisions that could affect the outcome of the game. Will you choose to kill that person, or let them join the team? A player was bitten. Do you put him down, or try to cling on to the last bit of hope you have? This option allows you to make decisions while still being in full control of the character without making a storybook feel.
  • Wear-and-tear system- A new system design that affects how your character progresses. Based on your decisions, your character could become very dark, or he could be a saint. Our programmer has been working ont this one for months, before we joined as a team, and it's still in production.
  • Group effectiveness- the choices you make will decide whether the group likes you or not. Will your group hate you or look up to you?
  • Multiplayer- You can play in Survival co-op, where you can create classes and customize your character's looks based on the currency you earn. Also, in head-to-head, you can be infected OR you can be a human.

Once again, please tell me if these are in other games, and if so, what games.
My Project info: My Dev Journal: http://www.gamedev.net/blog/1571-the-life-of-a-unity-developer/
I update this more: http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/158344-Not-Dead-Enough-a-zombie-apocalypse-simulator-now-in-production!

  • An inituative combat system- We are bringing a combat system into a zombie game, something I haven't seen much of. You can stab a zombie with anything from a knife to a screw driver, or you can smash their skulls in with a baseball bat. The choice is yours.


I think Left 4 Dead and Dead Island do this to a degree.


  • Decision Process- As the story progresses, you choose decisions that could affect the outcome of the game. Will you choose to kill that person, or let them join the team? A player was bitten. Do you put him down, or try to cling on to the last bit of hope you have? This option allows you to make decisions while still being in full control of the character without making a storybook feel.
  • Wear-and-tear system- A new system design that affects how your character progresses. Based on your decisions, your character could become very dark, or he could be a saint. Our programmer has been working ont this one for months, before we joined as a team, and it's still in production.

[/quote]

Can't say I know a zombie game specificly but the likes of Knights of the Old Republic and I believe Mass Effect (Also Dragon Age? Jade Empire?) do something of this vain. It often comes off abit hackneyed in execution so if you can do this really well that could count.


  • Group effectiveness- the choices you make will decide whether the group likes you or not. Will your group hate you or look up to you?

[/quote]

Again I think Mass Effect/Dragon Age does something like this?


  • Multiplayer- You can play in Survival co-op, where you can create classes and customize your character's looks based on the currency you earn. Also, in head-to-head, you can be infected OR you can be a human.

[/quote]

Hmmm, well there are a few class based co-ops now, the most obvious being Left 4 Dead as the zombie example ... customization I suppose adds abit of a welcome change but not something that hasn't been done in other genres. Again Left 4 Dead for infected or human play.

[quote name='Legendre' timestamp='1351735126' post='4996040']
To OP: You should come up with some truly unique elements and highlight them to us.


Hey guys, I've toyed with the idea a little more, and thanks for the CC. In the last week, I've gotten another programmer and animator/3D artist, and we have brought a couple of other things to the table that we haven't seen yet. NOTE: Please, tell me if it's in another game. I WANT to know:

  • An inituative combat system- We are bringing a combat system into a zombie game, something I haven't seen much of. You can stab a zombie with anything from a knife to a screw driver, or you can smash their skulls in with a baseball bat. The choice is yours.
  • Decision Process- As the story progresses, you choose decisions that could affect the outcome of the game. Will you choose to kill that person, or let them join the team? A player was bitten. Do you put him down, or try to cling on to the last bit of hope you have? This option allows you to make decisions while still being in full control of the character without making a storybook feel.
  • Wear-and-tear system- A new system design that affects how your character progresses. Based on your decisions, your character could become very dark, or he could be a saint. Our programmer has been working ont this one for months, before we joined as a team, and it's still in production.
  • Group effectiveness- the choices you make will decide whether the group likes you or not. Will your group hate you or look up to you?
  • Multiplayer- You can play in Survival co-op, where you can create classes and customize your character's looks based on the currency you earn. Also, in head-to-head, you can be infected OR you can be a human.

Once again, please tell me if these are in other games, and if so, what games.
[/quote]

Ok, sorry if my previous posts have been harsh, I only meant to inform.

This is looking interesting now, let me go through ur points.

  1. Dead Island did this, putting player choice in weapon at the forefront of the game.
  2. The walking dead, this is pretty much what the walking dead game is all about, decisions decisions decisions. (not an FPS though)
  3. A binary choice between a good or an evil ending has been done a lot in RPGs, from Fable to Mass Effect. As Zombie game, id point out Fallout and Bioshock. (Not straight Zombie games but close enough)
  4. Left 4 dead focused on group effectiveness in player based environment.
  5. Part one: Borderlands (Zombie Island of Doctor Ned makes it technically a Zombie game), Part 2 sounds straight out of Left 4 dead.

Ok, so most of these points are not exactly what u describe, except for point 3 and point 5 part 2, that u should look at.

But, let me point out, all these features comprise some of the best features, from some of the best games in this genre over the last few years, putting these features together into one game sounds really awesome. Ambitious... yes, but awesome...

Looking forward to the game.

-Exo
You, and/or your team, really needs to start playing Zombie games. Like. All of them.
Because it sounds like you haven't.

Also, I think you should think about focus. DayZ is awesome because of the harsh setting and the PvP. The Walking Dead is awesome because of the story and its characters. Dead Island is great because I can rage and bash zombies with anything I want. Left4Dead is cool because I can co-op with my friends.

Trying to be all of these (and more) at once is most likely just too ambitious. That said, I hope you pull it off smile.png
Did anyone else chuckle upon seeing the word 'unique' beside the words 'zombie survival game idea'?

NOTE: Please, tell me if it's in another game. I WANT to know:

  • An inituative combat system- We are bringing a combat system into a zombie game, something I haven't seen much of. You can stab a zombie with anything from a knife to a screw driver, or you can smash their skulls in with a baseball bat. The choice is yours.
  • Decision Process- As the story progresses, you choose decisions that could affect the outcome of the game. Will you choose to kill that person, or let them join the team? A player was bitten. Do you put him down, or try to cling on to the last bit of hope you have? This option allows you to make decisions while still being in full control of the character without making a storybook feel.
  • Wear-and-tear system- A new system design that affects how your character progresses. Based on your decisions, your character could become very dark, or he could be a saint. Our programmer has been working ont this one for months, before we joined as a team, and it's still in production.
  • Group effectiveness- the choices you make will decide whether the group likes you or not. Will your group hate you or look up to you?
  • Multiplayer- You can play in Survival co-op, where you can create classes and customize your character's looks based on the currency you earn. Also, in head-to-head, you can be infected OR you can be a human.

Once again, please tell me if these are in other games, and if so, what games.


1. This has been done quite a bit in zombie games. Tripe As: L4D, Dead Rising, Dead Island. Indie: Dead Frontier, Urban Dead, Zombie Pandemic. Knife, screw driver, baseball bat, golf clubs, frying pan, shotguns, pistols, machine guns, rifles, chainsaw, chef's knife, tire iron etc etc.

2. The Walking Dead definitely. But I think you're right that not many zombie games deal with story. Hmmm...Resident Evil series?

3. This is quite common I think. Bioware games?

4. Most RPGs I suppose.

5. Left 4 Dead! Probably the best infected vs humans and survival co-op out there. Also, Dead Space multiplayer allows you to play either as survivors or infected.

This topic is closed to new replies.

Advertisement