Ok, Recently I have been Playing allot of Left 4 Dead.
I am developing an Idea for a Game that revolves around a Zombie Apocalypse. I know that this genre has been done to death as of Recent.
But I really want to make a decent zombie game that stands out.
I want to know what you guys think about this genre and if too many games have been made that include zombies.
EDIT: Can I Upload a Video Game Design Document to the Forums?
Second one down. I love a good zombie game but it really doesn’t matter if I am shooting at people or zombies, as long as the game was done well, I will have fun. Plus there are tons of zombie games already, so, you know.
Get infected and become a Hunter. Why be a human when you can be a Hunter and jump roof to roof? 
To me, Zombies are just an excuse to not work on making really good AI.
And it’s a dang good and fun excuse!
I see people on forums complain all the time about the AI in Modern Warfare 2. Heck, they complain about the AI in a lot of games where people spend a lot of time trying to make the enemies behave realisically.
But there’s only so much you can do.
Then there’s the whole “morality” of shooting and killing people. There will be complaints about that.
But if you make them zombies… well, they really can’t complain then can they? They’re mindless husks of evil! They don’t need AI. They’re dumb! Morality? They’re pure evil!
Ha, I voted before realizing you were just talking about games.
Well, my plan would have been guns, barricades, and a lot of canned meats.
Now that I know you are talking about games, well zombie games are OK, I guess.
I would have to agree about the Morality of Shooting people.
Speaking about morality.
During a zombie apocalypse zombies are not your only enemy but your fellow man is also a Enemy at times.
Because you are not the only one trying to survive. Some people will want certain things from you and they will try and take them by force.
I am thinking about including a moral system that certain choices can be made a checkpoints and Safe houses during the game.
I am going to upload my Design Document sometime today just need to Finish typing it out from the papers that I wrote it on.
I think a “moral system” is a nice idea for a campaign, but as long as it has consequences. Such as if you are a nice guy, people will weigh you down and come looking for help. Sure, you might want to be the savior of the wastelands or you might not care and survivors might just shoot at you as well knowing you’re a bastard and will try to take their stuff.
Either way, being good requires sacrifices and if you have unlimited attempts because of game saves, then there is no real risk and consequently no real sacrifice anyway. That is a weakness in many games, so it is just a general comment.
Hmm… moral choices?
It will be like Left for Dead meets Mass Effect.
The combined awesomeness may blow up computers.
Yes there will be consequences but the effect
Will last with you till the end of the episode…
For Example Shoot a guy who stole from the military rations. Will cause you to get kicked out of the Military base. However if you follow him and find out that he got in threw a hole in the Electrified fence. You will be tasked with hunting him down and that may lead to a hidden weapons cache or a food supply that this guy made.
I Guess I should explain. I am not talking L4D episode, But map episode. Each map is an Episode with different zombies and different “Special” zombies. There are a total of 20 episodes. So twenty maps.
But Each map has a hidden area that can be used just like a safehouse. Just that area is hidden.
An Example of the Special Zombie is the PRIME
Here is what i wrote down about it.
Strong Hide - Has a almost bullet proof hide in areas such as the Chest and the head. But not in the legs. Requires you to Immobilize it or light it on fire.
Superhuman - Is super humanly Strong can take out normal men with ease.
RAGE - Can go into a rage if you shoot at it in the wrong places enough. (Head and torso)
im sorry, but i have voted “OMFG… Not another Zombie Game! (Hates Zombie Games)”
i just generally hate zombies, since Night of the Living Dead and thriller, i have found zombies one of the lamest creatures and story plots in existence
and yeah, i think today theres just a lot of zombie games and all of them basically have the same dumb mechanics over and over and as WinningGuy said, zombies are just an excuse to avoid making a decent ai
but please dont take this the wrong way, no offense intended, i dont mean to be rude… just trying to express my opinion 8)
Go fishing!
Creating an AI that can win every time is incredibly easy. Creating one that can mimic realistic human fallibility is exceedingly difficult. Try creating something as simple as an AI controlling a paddle in a game of Pong, and you’ll see what I mean!
Zombie games are ok… I choose meh on the vote. Now it is 14:14 :lol:
OMG! Junjun’s a zombie!
Sorry, do go on…
I’ll be heading to Alaska. With there low body heat zombies will freeze instantly.
Anyway back on topic zombies games seem to an really overused concept, but in regards to the gameplay elements you could still come up with something that would be considered original. For example if you are familiar with Resistance 2 you basically played as a half infected Zombie (Chimera) and had special abilities because of that. Expanding upon that idea you could create your own original ideas.
Actually, my house is well suited for a zombie attack.
god damn zombies werewolves and vampires…Hollywood just messed everything up and made these once oh so threatening beings into mainstream metro sexual or homosexual entities that “sparkle in the sunlight”, never wear a shirt, and are able to fly/walk up buildings and stop bullets with their fingers.
I hate what Hollywood has done to these monsters.
My zombie survival plan: turn off the TV and read a book.
Zombie games are some of my favoriate genres - yet at the same time I can’t name a single zombie game I like (l4d doesn’t really feel like zombies).
So instead I’m making my own zombie survival. 1800s - middle of winter. Procedural terrain + towns + buildings. Slow moving zombies. ectect
The problem ain’t the topic. Make it about zombies, vampires, second world war, racing, stealing cars and hitting prostitutes. Make it about whatever you want.
Just don’t make another game about “X”.
There are a shitload of games about shooting wave after wave of zombies, as if there where still bullet factories up and running in a post-apocalyptic world.
Then you have FPS (First Person Scream-like-a-little-girl) zombie games. L4D pretty much covered all angles, you can’t add anything more to the genre.
What’s left? RTS? Now THAT I haven’t seen about zombies. Make a game about gathering resources (what’s left of them, anyway) while dodging the baztards, building up defences and traps (ravenholm ringing any bells, anyone?) and fortifing the house, etc. Make it an RTSRPG if you will.
Just make a game where your main goal is survival without firing a gun, and you’ll be onto something there.
OR mix some crazy shit together in a box and see what comes out. Zombies VS Plants was pretty fun.
While L4D is one on my favorite games it gets extremely boring at times. Especially when I’ve been playing for over an hour. To comment on what Excess said I would like to see a zombie game for once where the player is not running through the map with molotovs and a chainsaw mowing down the zombies…