Zombie Apocalypse


Hey, I'm new here, but I'm very interested in helping out as a developer. I can do C/C++, and scripting stuff in Python and Ruby. So, count me in.
 
emil10001 said:
Hey, I'm new here, but I'm very interested in helping out as a developer. I can do C/C++, and scripting stuff in Python and Ruby. So, count me in.
Welcome

It's always great to have new developer's!
 
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If you could use me anywhere, I code PHP, Perl, Python, and I'm learning C++. Also, I have done level/map design frequently, and written some game design documents, only 1 of which ever got made.
Also, I made music in Reason and sound effects in... different stuff. Also, I do spriting. Nothing complicated though, but definitely passable. And graphic design, but I'm honestly not that great at it.
 
Now that you mention it, I have no idea what programming language we would use. BenT, what did you have in mind? I assumed C++.
 
PlopperZ said:
Now that you mention it, I have no idea what programming language we would use. BenT could you provide some insight into this? I assumed C++.
C++ is the industry standard, and it would probably be best, because it has the most programmers out there, other than net development languages such as PHP and stuff. It has loads of libraries, including support from nearly every major library or dll, good portability, and well organized. Fast, and (sort of) easy. Also, OOP.
 
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Multiplayer
I'm not sure how you can make a good/great game out of multiplayer zombie killing (whilst also remaining in genre). As soon as you give multiple people guns running around a "level" with slow moving undead as the enemy - you've just gone and made a Quake Mod rather than a new game (in my opinion). If you want to do that, go for it - you need less developers & a few models/maps to get you started.

For a zombie MMO - check out http://www.deadfrontier.com/

I doubt we'd be able to beat that AND you'd be able to play against non-pandora people :)

Story
There is indeed a good story framework done by MattRDavis. It probably needs tweaking and so on, but was waiting for a development team to gather before hacking into it (it would have to be agreed on by everyone involved - otherwise the project dissolves)

Development Language
C/C++ is the most likely candidate. ioquake3 uses it, as do most other engines I can see us using for this.

Resources Needed
I'm putting together a quick webpage for the development of the game where developers can add content, free discussion can occur (on storyline, etc) which we cannot do in public, and so on.

What I think would be a good start is some concept art for areas/levels desired, zombie models, and so on. Start from a good concept and the project can continue past the initial developers (should that be required).

--BenT
 
I haven't seen the story line, but I think co-op multiplayer would work good. Like I said earlier, I don't think this is the right game for an MMO. Dead Frontier looks alright, from the info and screenshots I saw, it'd be a while before we'd see a Pandora port, if at all, since it's still in development.

I wish I had at least some artistic skill, I'd have a bunch of concept art done by now. I'm going to look at GIMP again and see if I can edit some screenshots from other games.
 
The idea that I had for multiplayer stuff would be that if you're online, other players can wander into your game, and help you survive, or keep you company for a bit. Most zombie films that I've seen have a few people trying to survive together for at least part of the movie, so I don't think that it would be unreasonable to put a couple of players on the same map. I don't think that it would necessarily hurt the gameplay, or turn it into a quake clone.

I was also about the concept of currency, why would people in a post-apocalyptic world rely on currency? It doesn't make sense to me that money would be seen as having any value in a survival situation. I think that it would make more sense to allow players to trade ammo for food or something. I think that we should keep weapons to a minimum, and focus more on the struggle to find supplies, and stay out of the way of zombies, while still forcing a confrontation to occur once in a while. Because, if you're trying to survive, then you're going to want to avoid running into zombies as much as possible, and only come into contact with them if you're going after something you need, like food, ammo, or other possible survivors. So, basically I'd like to see a situation where you have a pretty limited number of supplies to start out with, and you have to find supplies to stay alive. The health meter might drop if you don't have enough food or something.

While I like the overall idea of the story outlined on the google docs page, I think that I've seen the 'patient wakes up from coma/etc into a zombie apocalypse situation' like the intro to 28 Days later. I think it might be more interesting to have the main character as some sort of an engineer at a biotech firm, where, while he isn't directly involved with the project, he does get wind that what they're doing there is pretty dangerous. He hears of some limited outbreak in the lab, and decides to take a 'vacation.' He flys down to the island, hoping that it will be remote enough not to be effected should a full outbreak occur, and if nothing happens, it'll be a nice vacation for him. While on the island, he pays attention to the news, and starts to fear the worst. He pays some locals to put him up in a bomb shelter, full of a few months worth of supplies. The game starts when the shelter runs out all but a week's worth of food.

Also, I would really like to see MattRDavis' story outline.
 
BenT said:
Multiplayer
I'm not sure how you can make a good/great game out of multiplayer zombie killing (whilst also remaining in genre). As soon as you give multiple people guns running around a "level" with slow moving undead as the snip



There are quite a few differences in that game than what I had envisioned- first of all, its a 'shop model' type MMO: buy in game currency with real money. Yuch. Second, it is more 'straight shooter' and less RPG. Third, its clunky and unbearable. But it is the closest I've seen.
Although this topic definatley splits into two branches: More RPG, free roaming, persistant type world, and the more straight forward, shooter type.
I think the second is rather pointless as there are countless quake mods for it
 
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PlopperZ said:
Alright, so I quickly edited a Resident Evil screenshot in GIMP. It's nothing revolutionary, but it shows all of the feature I'd like to have (which really are not that many): Multiplayer chat, health and ammo meters, RADAR, and selecting objects and enemies to a view detailed description.
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/P...pg?t=1211248163


So you're saying its just a beat-em-up?
 
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No,
I'm suddenly thinking of more and more things that I should've included. It wouldn't have as many zombies as the RADAR would suggest, but would still have quite a few. Also I should've included a Mission objectives menu. Weapons would be rare so you'd need to go out and look for them. Things like that.
 
WE need a wiki page and then vote one thing at a time on what to add to it..... cause this thread is just getting too long for my dial up connection
 
What happened to the quake engine ideas? We have
+ Topdown RPG/Shooter
+ Action/Adventure FPS
+ BenT's 3rd Person Action/adventure game

I think there should be a vote.
 
PlopperZ said:
No voting, we've tried that twice already and it hasn't worked.
Why didn't it work?
Anyway, even though it wasn't my favorite style, I think it should be a quake mod. It seems easiest- at least, until OpenAnno on FIFE gets released, and the Netcode that it uses is published.
 
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PoisonedV said:
PlopperZ said:
No voting, we've tried that twice already and it hasn't worked.
Why didn't it work?
Anyway, even though it wasn't my favorite style, I think it should be a quake mod. It seems easiest- at least, until OpenAnno on FIFE gets released, and the Netcode that it uses is published.

Because everybody votes for the most complicated choice, and not the most realistic possibilty.
Also it should be up to the dev's since they're the ones making the game.

There are a billion Quake mods out there, many of which have done the exact same thing that we are suggesting doing. Easiest doesn't mean best, if we want a quality game, we're going to have to put some work into it.
 
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