This is an idea I had for a while. It's been a concept I kept in my head and in my note books for quite some time. I've always loved a game with Zombies. Their portrayal of this concept was good, but made it seem like a fun apocalypse. I know what makes a horror game work and I would love to make the game a feared one. I know the Zombie trope is a typical one, but I don't want to make this game the next Dead Island or Dead Rising, I want this to shadow the game STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl.
Although, not technically a Zombie game, but a survival horror with radiation-exposed animals and humans. There were a large variety of enemies, creatures and including humans, that made the game feel like you weren't alone as you wandered the forest or abandoned facility alone. It gave a genuine fear to the player that made the him paranoid. A glow in the distance could be an invisible monster waiting for a chance to kill you or that sound might have been a tentacle-faced monster hunting you.
I want to make a similar variety of enemies, each one being frightening and feared to the player. It would be like Left 4 Dead's special infected, like the tank or boomer, but instead of four or eight, their would be twenty more of them to worry about. I've always loved a game that made the player pay attention to the game, like Silent Hill's radio. Every time you heard that eerie and disturbing static, that meant an enemy was near by. Although, I don't want to do that typical Japanese Horror method, I rather do that in a way with environment sounds. A can being kicked, the skittering bushes, gravel falling, anything that would happen in real life, would take place in the enemy-spotting mechanic.
Since most games and movies say that the head is the only weakness to the horde, I would like to expand that. Since most games have the player just hit anywhere to kill it, I would like to put that in the game, but not really. My idea would be that the virus would heal the body even after the brain is damaged and bring it back up with new and stronger skin. This would have them get up and wonder the area or hunt the player depending on which type it was. This would encourage the player to destroy the head off the body for them to not resurrect. On top of that, the infection can regrow limbs, but not creating a hand, but a long blade or jointed knife, having the player to rethink cutting the limbs and laughing at them.
Of course, most Zombies would be different according to their environment; Hunters like to stalk their prey in the woods, while the Brute likes to travel in the cities and track his prey once they're seen. The Slashers like to hide in dark places since they're blind, while Fog Walkers like to follow the fog and capture their prey as the fog/mist blinds them. Walkers and Runners will be their, but only to give the idea that there are Zombies in the game, but can be a hard enemy. Harmless ones, although in different types and in varieties, are called Scavengers. They would be too weak and frail to attack and aren't aggressive. You can kill them for loot and supplies, but they can attract other zombies to in the area to follow.
In many cases, you don't want an intruder or villain to know where you are, so, like in most Zombie games, sound is important to not make. Gunfire, a car starting and a missing swing hitting the floor can attract something to you. I don't want to make it like other game where they only have runners come after you, but I want to have a nearby horde to hear it and follow. Do you remember that one season of Walking Dead where that helicopter flew in the sky which lead to the farm? I want it to be like that where they follow the sound. I want to have the player not use the gun or rely on it too much, since you can sneak around them or just take some out with a knife or blunt weapon.
Another thing I would really love to see in this game is different hordes, a horde of Brutes, a horde of Runners, a horde of Night-Crawlers, if it's anything other than a walker or crawler, than you should be cautious.
If you remember the Witch from Left 4 Dead, then you probably recognize her cries and screams. She had such an iconic sound that if anyone heard it, they would know it's from that game. I want to make that a thing in this game, but not like how Valve did it. Each Zombie would have a signature scream or groan to tell them differently between to others. A Brute would have a deep and menacing scream, while the Hunter is a loud clicking sound as he watches his prey.
Besides the zombies, I would like to have humans as an enemy. Of course there are those people that care for themselves and only them, so people like scavengers would be in the game as enemies or cautious CPU and raiders would be in groups attacking anyone that cross them. They would be in places to spawn like camps or secure places, like bunkers or safe houses. I would like them to work as well as the Zombies, but with a slightly smarter AI. Added to their character and AI, I would like to have them tremble in fear when they seem to be overpowered by the player, have them lead the player to a trap to at least hurt them.
This is what I got! I know it seems half-baked (At least, it feels like it to me), but I would like to hear what you guys think of it. I would love to hear what you guys might think of this and if their is anything I could improve would be great. I hope you somewhat enjoyed this and 'til next time...
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