[WIP maybe?] ZPO_Starvation

Holobalobalo1 · #1 09-03-2009, 06:54 AM

I'm having an idea for a large open-world style map set in a small city where the main goal is for the survivors to locate a randomly spawned radio to call in some kind of evac. Unique, right? The twist is that the humans are starving.

The humans will have two minutes to live at the start of the round (which more than likely won't be nearly long enough to survive the search for the radio) but there will be food and water supplies stashed away throughout the city, and each time the survivors finds a stash their starvation meter is restored to two minutes.

Food will be plentiful enough that this shouldn't be much of a problem when the round starts, but if the humans can't find the radio in a fair amount of time, food will begin to dwindle and it won't be nearly as easy to find.

Zombies might also be able to ransack food supplies by 'breaking' them (hitting them repeatedly), so if the survivors aren't careful their food supplies can be cutoff.

This is just a proof of concept and I've barely begun work on the level as of yet, but this may be quite a long project (especially considering school is picking back up next week for me) so I'd like to know if others would actually play such a level or if I'm wasting my time before I get started.

And here's a very early alpha screenshot of the front of the school just so that I'm not posting here with nothing to show.

(Updating this shot as progress is made)

Sgt. Lance · #2 09-03-2009, 07:04 AM

Interesting idea and it sounds nice. Here's a quick idea... have all humans get hurt after a certain amount of time from hunger? I'm thinking something like Dead Rising's Infinity Mode.

Holobalobalo1 · #3 09-03-2009, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sgt. Lance

Interesting idea and it sounds nice. Here's a quick idea... have all humans get hurt after a certain amount of time from hunger? I'm thinking something like Dead Rising's Infinity Mode.

Yeah I hear you, that's a good idea. You mean when the two minutes run out humans don't just die but begin to take damage over time, right?

Sgt. Lance · #4 09-03-2009, 07:12 AM

Make it about 25 damage or something every 1 minute or so... The time limit really just depends on how abundant stuff is... I would shy away from a constant dwindle because it might make people mad that they are losing a health every 2 seconds and then lead to rage quits.

Rukus · #5 09-03-2009, 07:14 AM

The logic is a little flawed.

1. If you were starving to death, and you consumed a large amount of food at one time, its likely that you could go into shock.

2. Eating small amounts of food would solve the problem.

How about the city is irradiated and the survivors use household materials to shield themselves from the radiation. Like tin foil, maybe a low grade HAZMAT suit to escape the radiation.

To add tension, make the radio release some chatter every once and awhile so they have an general idea where it is.

Sgt. Lance · #6 09-03-2009, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rukus

The logic is a little flawed.

1. If you were starving to death, and you consumed a large amount of food at one time, its likely that you could go into shock.

2. Eating small amounts of food would solve the problem.

How about the city is irradiated and the survivors use household materials to shield themselves from the radiation. Like tin foil, maybe a low grade HAZMAT suit to escape the radiation.

To add tension, make the radio release some chatter every once and awhile so they have an general idea where it is.

How would you go about the tin foil?

The size of the food has to be checked in order of gameplay first....

Holobalobalo1 · #7 09-03-2009, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rukus

The logic is a little flawed.

1. If you were starving to death, and you consumed a large amount of food at one time, its likely that you could go into shock.

2. Eating small amounts of food would solve the problem.

How about the city is irradiated and the survivors use household materials to shield themselves from the radiation. Like tin foil, maybe a low grade HAZMAT suit to escape the radiation.

To add tension, make the radio release some chatter every once and awhile so they have an general idea where it is.

I'm not sure about that, I might have to sacrifice realism for gameplay here. What excuse could I find for placing tinfoil and hazmat suits all over a city? Food is easier in that it's a common commodity and I'm free to realistically place it just about wherever I want, not to mention it will make more sense to players to be hunting for food than to be hunting for tinfoil and hazmat suits.

Though I must admit I like the name zpo_Irradiation more than zpo_Starvation

And Lance, what I'm thinking is humans will still get the two minutes without taking any damage whatsoever, but after the two minutes is up they slowly begin to take 'attrition' damage until they can find food, in which case the two minute timer is reset and they stop taking damage.

Sgt. Lance · #8 09-03-2009, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holobalobalo1

I'm not sure about that, I might have to sacrifice realism for gameplay here. What excuse could I find for placing tinfoil and hazmat suits all over a city? Food is easier in that it's a common commodity and I'm free to realistically place it just about wherever I want, not to mention it will make more sense to players to be hunting for food than to be hunting for tinfoil and hazmat suits.

Though I must admit I like the name zpo_Irradiation more than zpo_Starvation

And Lance, what I'm thinking is humans will still gite the two minutes without taking any damage whatsoever, but after the two minutes is up they slowly begin to take 'attrition' damage until they can find food, in which case the two minute timer is reset and they stop taking damage.

Thats better. Okay yeah and if you have a display show up then I think thats good and wont cause confusion/limit frustration.

The_Maddog · #9 09-03-2009, 08:06 AM

Instead of food, what about oxygen ? Maybe the survivors plane crashes in a city over run by infected rampaging zombies that have been infected with the air born T virus. If their oxygen runs out they'll slowly die and become zombies. Survivors have to go throughout the city and look for oxygen bottles ? For example there could be a warehouse that has tanks of oxygen, or a swimming pool with bottles of oxygen. They have explore the city looking for a radio or parts to build a radio and a place to put a radio.

Objective ideas:

Your plane crashes
Explore city for oxygen tanks
Find parts for a radio
Assemble radio on say a library roof ?
Hold out in library and defend the radio
Wait for backup to arrive
Backup lands on library roof, quickly get to the choppa and ur saved

Ralf_the_mapper · #10 09-03-2009, 09:05 AM

Your oxygen idea 'sounds' good but it doesn't make any sense.

The t-virus does not replace Oxygen in the air(which is absorbed by the blood cells) (I say this because this assumes this is true that it does with your idea).. ..So oxygen tanks makes no difference. If the t-virus replaced oxygen then the survivors would instantly begin to sufficate.

And your idea would assume also that the oxygen would somehow cleanse the t-virus..but this..doesn't make a lick of sense... Again..oxygen is there..regardless of a virus..and once you have a virus..you need an antidote..not more oxygen...and besides..the air is only partly oxygen... ..are you saying that the tanks are 100% oxygen? (instant death) Ouch...