Zombie FPS MMO. Thoughts?

[Arionis]

I very much approve. Mostly because I wrote a roughly 60 page document about the same exact thing. Then I realized that I was only writing it for the fun of it and that there was literally a zero percent chance it will ever be made. I still have it somewhere on my computer... I might get back into writing it (for the lulz, of course).

Go for it, I'd love to read it. Just, spoiler tag by page, please? xD

I had to PM it to you. When I tried to post it told me the comment was too long.

Maybe it's due to this shitty laptop that I am using currently, or that all I can use on it is even shittier Internet Explorer, but, your PM came up as an advertisement for AVP, which only served to remind me about having to give the money I'd saved for the Hunter's Edition to my mom after she lost her job.

Thanks for that. xD;

 

[GreyWolf257]

I very much approve. Mostly because I wrote a roughly 60 page document about the same exact thing. Then I realized that I was only writing it for the fun of it and that there was literally a zero percent chance it will ever be made. I still have it somewhere on my computer... I might get back into writing it (for the lulz, of course).

Go for it, I'd love to read it. Just, spoiler tag by page, please? xD

I had to PM it to you. When I tried to post it told me the comment was too long.

Maybe it's due to this shitty laptop that I am using currently, or that all I can use on it is even shittier Internet Explorer, but, your PM came up as an advertisement for AVP, which only served to remind me about having to give the money I'd saved for the Hunter's Edition to my mom after she lost her job.

Thanks for that. xD;

Your joking, right? I'll try to do it again, but I'm not sure if it will come through. Sorry for that, by the way.

 

[Arionis]

I very much approve. Mostly because I wrote a roughly 60 page document about the same exact thing. Then I realized that I was only writing it for the fun of it and that there was literally a zero percent chance it will ever be made. I still have it somewhere on my computer... I might get back into writing it (for the lulz, of course).

Go for it, I'd love to read it. Just, spoiler tag by page, please? xD

I had to PM it to you. When I tried to post it told me the comment was too long.

Maybe it's due to this shitty laptop that I am using currently, or that all I can use on it is even shittier Internet Explorer, but, your PM came up as an advertisement for AVP, which only served to remind me about having to give the money I'd saved for the Hunter's Edition to my mom after she lost her job.

Thanks for that. xD;

Your joking, right? I'll try to do it again, but I'm not sure if it will come through. Sorry for that, by the way.

Now it's offering Time Warner Cable.......8/ Thanks, Internet Explorer. If you want, you can email it, zeronanaki@yahoo.com .

Need to get on there, actually. Been a week since I could check it.

 

[MONSTERheart]

I just want to point out that MMOs do NOT work on consoles. Other than that, zombies+fps+multiplayer=victory

 

[Arionis]

I just want to point out that MMOs do NOT work on consoles. Other than that, zombies+fps+multiplayer=victory

Well, there are two games that fit your criteria for victory.

I can't remember the damn names, but they both looked REALLY awesome.

One of them involved the barricade system in a sense, and was actually mentioned on the The Escapist a few months back, I believe.

OH!

You could try Zombie Panic, I hear it's pretty damn good. It's HL2 source based.

 

[derelict]

monolithoftext

You've come running out of the gate with all the mechanics of a game and apparently no story to back it up. Welcome to horrible MMO land. But then I suppose all free MMOGs fall to that side of the fence. The story that drives the game is more like a book the game was based off of. Wanna make a MMO worth playing, need to actually involve your playerbase in the story as it happens, or so I'd like to see it.

Beyond that you'll have that inherent FPS problem that clashes with most MMOs, skill with aiming the controller overrules any relevant "level" of the character in most cases, so the people that have been gods on Halo or the like will seem to have an unfair advantage vs someone that came from say...EQ. To correct that you could just use an auto aiming system...but then it's not really a FPS at that point, eh?

 

[Arionis]

monolithoftext

You've come running out of the gate with all the mechanics of a game and apparently no story to back it up. Welcome to horrible MMO land. But then I suppose all free MMOGs fall to that side of the fence. The story that drives the game is more like a book the game was based off of. Wanna make a MMO worth playing, need to actually involve your playerbase in the story as it happens, or so I'd like to see it.

Beyond that you'll have that inherent FPS problem that clashes with most MMOs, skill with aiming the controller overrules any relevant "level" of the character in most cases, so the people that have been gods on Halo or the like will seem to have an unfair advantage vs someone that came from say...EQ. To correct that you could just use an auto aiming system...but then it's not really a FPS at that point, eh?

Well, no, as most FPS do have an "Aim Assist", which would be helpful to new players.

And the story I admit I have left out. But, in my defense, which, do not take as me wanting an argument or flame war, not many Zombie Apocalypse games other than the Dead Rising series have stories beyond "You survived. Keep it that way"

 

[gsf1200]

It could work if done well. Maybe set up like WOW with two sides. Maybe if you die you are a zombie until you get so many kills, then go back to human. Or pick sides and be a zombie forever. Or You could have PvP and PvE servers. I like the thought of having to build your barricades, too. If you ever played Natural Selection the scariest part is trying to build something while listening for an attack!

 

[Chunko]

Stole my idea XD. I need a tinfoil hat.

 

[Corkydog]

monolithoftext

You've come running out of the gate with all the mechanics of a game and apparently no story to back it up. Welcome to horrible MMO land. But then I suppose all free MMOGs fall to that side of the fence. The story that drives the game is more like a book the game was based off of. Wanna make a MMO worth playing, need to actually involve your playerbase in the story as it happens, or so I'd like to see it.

Beyond that you'll have that inherent FPS problem that clashes with most MMOs, skill with aiming the controller overrules any relevant "level" of the character in most cases, so the people that have been gods on Halo or the like will seem to have an unfair advantage vs someone that came from say...EQ. To correct that you could just use an auto aiming system...but then it's not really a FPS at that point, eh?

Well, no, as most FPS do have an "Aim Assist", which would be helpful to new players.

And the story I admit I have left out. But, in my defense, which, do not take as me wanting an argument or flame war, not many Zombie Apocalypse games other than the Dead Rising series have stories beyond "You survived. Keep it that way"

Oh man, what if Dead Rising was a MMO? I'd play it...

I like the idea, and I wish people would be more constructive other than saying your idea won't work, so here's my two cents: When a player is biten by a zombie, he has twenty four hours to find a cure (these cures can be makeshift or found in airdrops from the military, or from a hospital research lab, or...I don't know, space). Then the player becomes a zombie, and here the depth of the game shines through. The player can choose to amble over to a top secret medical site that does de-zombification and be made human again (this costs massive amounts of whatever is used as currency) or they can spend a little time specializing as a zombie. XP can be earned for certain traits, and indeed whole subclasses of zombies can emerge, from the speedy ones, to burly slow ones, and the player can spend any amount of time as a zombie. The zombie can also, inexplicably, carry loot with him, so he can keep whatever he's earned if he goes back to human life.

What this means: Fighting zombies is a ton more interesting, because they can be smart enemies, death has a very real consequence, and there is a whole new level of customization to be had. This also means the city won't be crowded with survivors.

 

[derelict]

Hehe...aim assist. "You fail. Here, have a cookie anyway."

Thing about the story is- it's an MMO. Usually that engenders some seriously rare empowerment, to make it so not everyone that plays the game walks as gods among men. Usually that comes with things like item and level progression being slow, as they would have to be to satisfy the basic need of a MMO. Long story short it ends up being a lot of unavoidably grindy mess, and the story of the game would be the creative outlet, the carrot on a fishing pole that's always driving you to keep going with your mundane tasks.

Without a story, well, there's not much but a lot of samey shooting going on. There should *always* be something going on, even if behind the scenes. Maybe mutable terrain, or areas that change ownership and have different uses, etc.

Random thought would be something like a secret story NPC scientist faction that's working on a cure to some zombie nonsense, and assisting them would be the "endgame". Throw in some corrupted anarchist officials in it so the story never really ends, and you have some quick direction for your players to aim, figuratively.

 

[Chrissyluky]

zombie fps free roam with up to 4 people including you. yes. mmo anything. no. mmos take all of the immersion out of things and really we dont need anymore.

 

[fozzy360]

The only thing I didn't like was the whole bad dream thing. It's creative, but it kinda destroys immersion, in a way. Other than that, you got a solid idea that seems fun to play.

 

[Blaze_Cutter]

I've so been thinking about this idea for like 2 years now...hope no one makes it before I get out of college I'll be pissed :/.

 

[xDarc]

I'll paraphrase Yahtzee here. MMO players and FPS players don't overlap much. MMO players wouldn't like the run-and-gun style of the FPS part, and the FPS players wouldn't like the leveling up and grinding of MMOs. You effectively have no target market.

Ben is wrong because he makes assumptions on top of assumptions. He assumes the style of game play/design doc as he perceives and he assumes that new markets can't be carved out or created.

If new markets couldn't be carved out- we'd have never seen things like bottled water, five bladed vibrating razors, eminem, the snuggy, blu-ray, etc.

P.S.

The idea has come before, zombie MMOFPS. There was a project called Twilight War, After the Fall around 2004-5. It fell apart, has been taken over and the direction and people behind it is entirely different now.

MMOFPS faces a unique challenge because it belongs on a PC at a time when developers are keeping their distance from it. Current gen consoles are inadequate to provide a proper MMOFPS experience. And yes I'm entirely discounting the laughable "MAG," which is years behind what PlanetSide was in 2004.

 

[sumanoskae]

Great idea!, absolutely fantastic!. The only thing I can suggest on the fly would be some physics, nothing hardcore like Red Faction, but something like Half-Life or Dark Messiah

 

[Arionis]

I would like to say, thanks everyone who to took the time to not only read this, but actually give some insight and thoughts on it.

Those pointing out the difficulties of a FPSMMO, I do admit you are all correct, it would be hard, and more than likely impossible for a mass of people to enjoy it.

Suman, to your concern about physics, I was thinking of maybe trying PhysX systems, and even if that couldn't be used, just for the Barricade system itself, some form of physics need to be in place.

 

[darkloki117]

I have been waiting years for someone to make a game exactly like this! Every single idea is better than anything I ever thought of for a zombie mmorpg for the Xbox 360. I like the communications idea the best. Every player would get there own cell phone number. If you forgot your number you would have to go to the main menu to see it. You should also have flash lights, lanterns, torches ect. For the flash light you need batteries, for the lantern you need oil, and for the torch you need......well a stick, rag, and fire. But whole point is I love this idea and someone needs to make this game not only for the excitement but imagine how much money this idea would make! Blaze_cutter you said that you were going to make something like this when you got out of college? I encourage you to! This would be the best for anyone who loves mmo, fps, rpg, or zombies! But for the time being there's not much to do about it except wait and hope but just maybe in the near future some genius might make this.

 

[darkloki117]

Hey they already have a game similar! It's the closest thing you can get to this! And it's a mod! It's for Arma 2! You have to have Operation Arrow Head. It's called Day Z! Look up 'Arma 2 Day Z' on YouTube! Watch a few videos then reply back!

 

[Zaik]

It sounds very very similar to Dead Frontier, just in first person.

Not necessarily a bad thing, I guess.

I'm inclined to agree that the MMOFPS is not a beast meant for consoles, loading screens would likely need to be a little too common due to lower RAM/processing power.

One point I'd like to make, you might want to divide loot-able areas from barricade-able areas, it's become a bit of an issue in Dead Frontier. They recently finished interiors and barricades and such themselves, and now nearly every building within a 5x5 area of...areas around any safe zone is barricaded. Most of the looting was moved indoors, so these places were more or less rendered useless unless you're just running around with tons of ammo looking to grind.