Anyways, I was thinking about some of the ways a zombie outbreak could be caused, and that different causes would create different playmodes:


Cause:
Radiation Leakage

Story:
A nearby nuclear facility (reactor, research, etc.) has melted down and released dangerous levels of radiation into the surrounding area. This type of radiation inexplicably "kills" the body's cells, but the "corpse" is still capable of movement. Though the conscious mind has been snuffed out, a primitive instinct-brain remains. Its number one prerogative: Find Food.

Characteristics:
-Zombies will not infect upon injury. They will simply tear their victim apart and devour them.

-Due to the mass deaths of entire populations when the radiation was released, there will be large amounts of zombies in each area; however, once all the zombies in an area are wiped out, the area is essentially "clean" (until more zombies arrive from outside the area). Translates into lots of spawn points, long spawn timers.

-Local law enforcement, or even military personnel, will be deployed with the objective of liberating any survivors from the "hot zone". Since the zombies leaving the area cannot infect others and will "die" of their own accord within a short period of time, containment efforts are minimal.

Possible Objectives:
-Escape the infected area.

-Rescue as many survivors as possible.

-Alert the outside world to the presence of survivors among the living dead.

-Kill any exceptionally large and powerful zombies (i.e. Fred).

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Cause:
Toxic Waste Leakage

Story:
A local chemical weapons or chemical waste storage facility has been breached in an earthquake, accident, or terrorist attack. The toxic brew, consisting of dozens of chemicals mixed together and rendered aerosol in the explosion, has drifted to and descended upon an unsuspecting populace. Skin lesions and uncontrollable bleeding give way to coma, death, and reanimation.

Characteristics:
-Due to the populace's death and reanimation over a longer period of time, there will be fewer zombies walking around each area, however, they will continually reappear. Translates into fewer spawn points but shorter spawn timers.

-Zombies have a chance to infect upon injury.

- Local law enforcement, or even military personnel, have been deployed with the objective of liberating those unmarred by the vile toxins. However, they rigorously scan anyone attempting to leave the area for traces of the toxin. Containment efforts are more rigid here and make it harder to escape the "hot zone".

Possible Objectives:
-Escape the infected area.

-Rescue as many survivors as possible.

-Alert the outside world to the presence of survivors among the living dead.

-Kill any exceptionally large and powerful zombies (i.e. Fred).

-Obtain a "safe" sample of the toxin brew.

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Cause:
Viral Outbreak

Story:
A mysterious virus has slowly and insidiously infiltrated an unsuspecting community. The virus spreads by infecting its host, killing it, and reanimating it. The reanimated host spreads the virus by attempting to feed on the uninfected, spreading the virus with every bite or scratch.

Characteristics:
-Due to the sporadic deaths and reanimations of the local inhabitants, there will be fewer zombies at a time, but they will appear quickly and seemingly out of nowhere. Translates into few spawn points but very fast spawn timers.

-Zombies always infect upon injury.

-Local law enforcement and/or military personnel have been evacuated to the perimeter. They will not dare venture into the infected area. Anyone attempting to leave through a heavily guarded checkpoint will have to prove that they are not infected. Containment measures are strict; escape from the safe zone, difficult to begin with, becomes even more difficult with the placement of quarantine barriers across possible exits.

-If an outbreak proves uncontainable, all personnel will be evacuated and the area will be destroyed by a nuclear weapon.

Possible Objectives:
-Escape the infected area before the nuclear weapon is detonated.

-Rescue as many survivors as possible.

-Alert the outside world to the presence of survivors among the living dead.

-Kill any exceptionally large and powerful zombies (i.e. Fred).

-Obtain a "safe" sample of the virus.

-Obtain research documents, journalistic accounts, etc. in order to help the world fully understand the zombie plague, and how to prevent future outbreaks.

-Find and destroy a mass grave site in order to prevent them from reanimating.

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Cause:
Bio-Weapon Experiment

Story:
The totalitarian government of a rogue state has been working on the ultimate terror weapon: A virus which reanimates those it kills. They have decided to test the virus on a remote town with a large dissident population; the perfect test subjects.

Characteristics:
-Mostly the same as Viral Outbreak, but with one major difference:

-All quarantine personnel will fire on sight at anyone, living or dead. In addition, efforts to alert the outside world and summon assistance have instead elicited a response in the form of government Death Squads. These elite troopers enter the "hot zone" via helicopter in order to hunt down and silence anyone who may escape or somehow send word to the world of the horrible experiment.

Possible Objectives:
-Escape the infected area before the nuclear weapon is detonated. All exits have been sealed; the only way out is to somehow capture or commandeer a Death Squad chopper.

-Rescue as many survivors as possible.

-Kill any exceptionally large and powerful zombies (i.e. Fred).

-Obtain a "safe" sample of the virus.

-Obtain evidence which can be used to alert the rest of the world to the atrocities commited here.

-Find and destroy a mass grave site in order to prevent them from reanimating.

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Cause:
Demonic / Unholy / Etc.

Story:
Basically an occult, Satanic, or paranormal cause of some kind.

Characteristics:
-Player zombies will infect and convert to undeath anyone they touch, instantly.

-Zombies will continue hunting for the living even after the brain or the brain/body link has been destroyed. Zombies require massive effort to "kill". However, in this mode shooting them will slow them down, or with more powerful weapons, knock them back.

-There will be no NPCs of any sort, no slow zombies, no survivors, and no containment forces. Only players and fast-moving player zombies.

-Only occurs in a rural area, perhaps a small village or even one house.

-All players begin as uninfected. X number of seconds in, one random player will turn.

Possible Objectives:
-Escape from the infected area is impossible. All zombies must be eliminated.

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It would also be nice to have a gameplay mode where you play as a containment trooper in one of the modes. Or have players on both the Survivors and the Death Squad teams, fighting each other while NPC zombies close in.

In addition to this, I have some ideas of new enemies besides Zombies and Big Zombies:

-Crazed Survivor (I see it's still at the top of the page biggrin.gif)

-Death Squad Assassin (See Above)

-Death Squad Infiltrator: Their mission is to silence any survivors of the horrific bio-weapon experiment. They disguise themselves as survivors, local law enforcement, etc. and when the time is right, they turn on their "rescuers".

-"Crusader" Survivors: Unlike the Crazed Survivors who cower in a corner with food, water, and ammunition, firing at anything that comes near, the "Crusader" Survivors also seek escape, while firing on sight at anyone who is not a member of their heavily armed band. Usually only seen in areas where Death Squad Infiltrators and infected (but still living) survivors are.

-Containment Trooper: Outfitted in full riot gear, including a bulletproof riot shield (used to create a shield-wall with allies to keep waves of undead at bay), tonfa bat (effective in close combat with both the living and the dead), and an assault rifle complete with grenade launcher. These NPCs are hostile only in the Bio-Weapon Experiment mode.

-All government forces are issued a suicide pill which they use if they get infected. When they feel themselves beginning to turn, they will use it, sparing themselves from undeath.

-Crazed Survivors often sit behind an explosive booby trap, which they lay knowing that if a zombie gets close enough, he too will be spared from undeath.

-NPC Allies will either shoot themselves, or if unarmed, request that a player shoot them. If this is not done in time, the NPC Ally will become another Zombie attacker.

This post has been edited by EcheloN on September 04, 2006 05:01 am

Isn't this in the original BB suggestion forum?

I had a look at the Most Recent Post Dates there and that forum is all but dead.

This one, on the other hand, is quite lively.

Ah, I understand.