Okay, I decided that since I have successfully installed XNA Game Studio and Visual C# Express, I would go ahead and make the development thread. Here you may discuss the game, my plans for it, and post your own ideas.


Here's what I've figured out so far.

My game will be played from a top-view perspective. The player will have the option to choose his class, each of which will have a different ability. For instance, the Cop would fire his gun more accurately, the medic would procure more nourishment from food and health packs, and the reporter would be able to open locked doors.

What other classes could I have?

Note that I don't want any supernatural powers or elements int he game other than the zombies.


The gameplay would involve trying to survive for as long as possible in each area. I know I want a suburban neighborhood, a deserted military base, a secret lab, and a highway bridge littered with empty cars.

Any other ideas for levels?


Weapons will be found inttermittently throughout the levels, with the more powerful weapons found in more difficult-to-reach areas. The player would have to find keys and hidden paths to find the hidden weapons. The weapons available would be a pistol, shotgun, uzi, sniper rifle, grenades, a rocket launcher, and a crossbow.

Post some ideas for weapons. Sci-fi weapons are welcome as well.

(I'll only allow the player to carry two weapons at a time)


So, get to posting.

Hmm... Perhaps the ability to wield a melee weapon at the same time as a one-handed weapon? Like, if you have an pistol or uzi. I could assign one to one trigger/mouse button and another to the other button/trigger.

For a class, how about a construction worker who does more damage with a melee weapon than the other classes since his job requires physical strength?

Weapon combinations?

Knife + Any rifle/gun = Bayonet

Or go advanced and:
broken bottle + tape + gun = nigga bayonet

I thought a graveyard type level would be good, and you have a flashlight and all you can see is the light of the flashlight.

Quote from Phosphorus

For a class, how about a construction worker who does more damage with a melee weapon than the other classes since his job requires physical strength?

Hmm... Sounds like a good idea.

Quote from MiniMan

Weapon combinations?

Knife + Any rifle/gun = Bayonet

Or go advanced and:
broken bottle + tape + gun = nigga bayonet

Nah, I can't do that. I couldn't program it well, and it would slow down gameplay too much.

Quote from Audix

I thought a graveyard type level would be good, and you have a flashlight and all you can see is the light of the flashlight.

Sounds good, though i'll use a lantern instead so you can see behind yourself.

Quote from Audix

I thought a graveyard type level would be good, and you have a flashlight and all you can see is the light of the flashlight.

Perfect name for that lvl is "graveyard shift"

Anyways, an abandoned warehouse or factory would be a great level, climb the storage walls, and find weapons, and there are many entrances you have to run to, and close to end the swamring zombies.


Weapons: Ultra rare portal gun?
Harpoon gun? that can kill three zombies if aimed right, and a nail gun, to spear their brains.

Chars: immigrant taxi driver who speaks spanish or somethng?

Quote from Audix

I thought a graveyard type level would be good, and you have a flashlight and all you can see is the light of the flashlight.

Well, it would be just like a normal level, except darker. Zombies don't come from graveyards.

Make it realistic, Ash.

Also, level ideas:

School.
Park.
Boat Yard.
Boat. (Cruise boat.)
A cold place, very icey and snowey and such. The zombies freeze during Winter, you should incorporate seasons.
A perfect zombie defense force. Except you aren't fighting zombies, you're fighting humans. You should know why if you read the mercenaries story in WWZ.

@Grubber:

I like the name you suggested, but the character class is awful. Why would anyone choose it if there are no perks? Also, while the harpoon gun idea is sound, the nail gun seems pointless, and the portal gun wouldn't fit into the gameplay. Not to mention it would make it too easy to escape the zombies.

@Guest:
I'm not going to do any NPCs in the game, and that includes human enemies. I can't do AI that would be worth implementing. And while I am going for realism mostly, i'm not going to make all the zombies frozen, because that'd take away the core source of opposition. Or the ONLY source. And I can't implement seasons. The game won't be a continuous world with saving and such. THe player will choose a level and a class and try to survive as long as possible. I may give each level a plot to uncover to unlock the next level though.

This game needs a co-op mode.

And a survival mode. That is also co-op.

Quote from Ash

@Grubber:

I like the name you suggested, but the character class is awful. Why would anyone choose it if there are no perks? Also, while the harpoon gun idea is sound, the nail gun seems pointless, and the portal gun wouldn't fit into the gameplay. Not to mention it would make it too easy to escape the zombies.

Harpoon guns are cool, and a nail gun is like a harpoon gun, so I popped it down.
Portal gun I knew you'd say no.
Taxi driver is just for fun, only perks he could have are bonus lifer or speed/something to cars.

Weapon Ideas:
-Molotov Cocktails
-AK-47/M16/assaultrifle
-Chainsaw

Also, traps would be nice. Like bear traps.

Quote from grubber

Harpoon guns are cool, and a nail gun is like a harpoon gun, so I popped it down.
Portal gun I knew you'd say no.
Taxi driver is just for fun, only perks he could have are bonus lifer or speed/something to cars.

Meh, no, it doesn't really do anything for the gameplay.

Perhaps you could make like, a knife specialist? He's got more speed, as he uses only blades. (Swords, Daggers, Machetes, Etc.) And he's not heavily armed, so no armor. (If armor has anything to do with damage, or buffers).

A Demolitons guy - C-4, BREACH CHARGES, ROCKET LAUNCHER, GRENADE LAUNCHER, etc etc.

ehh?