setting for zombie rpg?

Writing for Games Game Design

Started by suliman November 07, 2016 02:33 PM

1 comment, last by suliman 7 years, 5 months ago

1,720

Author

November 07, 2016 02:33 PM

Im doing a zombie adventur/rpg/survival game, but not sure about the setting/location for it. The player (or players, local coop) loot and explore and must fight an evil group/government that has taken power after the zombie outbreak has derailed society (it's a young post-apoc, like in "walking dead", not a older post-apoc like fallout series).

Setting: USA

-Well used so easy to find content and inspiration.

-Good palette of varied weapons

-Maybe a bit boring/overused

West Africa

-Use fictional country

-Instability in region makes groups siezing power more likely

-Lots of weapons left from interventional groups such as UN, gun smuggling etc

-Hero (player) will in this case be local, not european or american.

East europe/russia

-May be best to use fictional "post-USSR" state.

-Good palette of iconic weapons

-Risk of stereotypic scenario?

South America

-Good usage of drug smuggling groups as new factions?

-Instability regarding army/police/corruption/history of violence

This is a very broad question of course, but what is your ideas/feedback?

Telcontar

1,557

November 07, 2016 03:43 PM

First and foremost, unless you have an overriding reason not to: Go with what you know. If you live in the US, use the US. If Europe, ditto. Etc etc.

Honestly, I think that any setting for an apocalyptic zombie game is going to feel pretty similar anyway unless you put real thought and effort into bringing out the differences. One of the first to come to mind as meaningfully different would be the UK, which might be more difficult due to strict gun control limiting the weapons the player could find.

Another difference would be somewhere in northern africa, where the countryside (especially if you're near the Sahara) may be inhospitable and unsuitable for escaping from zombies. Given that in many games a viable strategy is to abandon the highly populated areas (more zombies and more enemies overall) for the countryside (sparser challenges, can live off the land), this could push people back into the cities.

In any case, in your summaries you seem to focus on weapons and factions. But just about every possible locale will have those. I'd suggest taking a look at other substantive differences.

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suliman

1,720

Author

November 11, 2016 09:44 AM

Im switching for a more lightweight style which I think suits a US setting better. The west africa or east europe setting would suit a more realistic, grittier/harsher game IMO.

setting for zombie rpg?

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setting for zombie rpg?

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