Gameplay Mechanics Pt2 - The Infected

[akafugitive 244]

^{*Disclaimer* The following are my opinions of features I would enjoy seeing in the game, this thread is in no way intended to express negativity towards the current development or express ignorance towards current development plans. I am fully aware of what alpha or "work in progress" means, as such I am doing what is intended for alpha testing and making suggestions, not demands. Please keep feedback constructive, and on topic.}


Infected Re-spawn

Infected re-spawn should be a progressive re-population over a long period of time, populating small amounts over that time. Times and numbers are example only

- An area or object is assigned a value of population (eg: NWAF is assigned 200 infected population, Farm house is assigned 5 infected population, car wreck is assigned 1 infected population, etc.)
- When all or part of the population is killed a re-spawn timer will activate once the area becomes inactive (no player network bubble intersects its zone)
- Live Infected would remain and not clean-up
- When the timer fully counts down it will re-spawn a small % of the population, and start over till population is full (eg: 5% every 10 min of inactivity, could be based on server population size, more people faster respawn)
- If a player enters the zone before it is fully repopulated re-spawn timer will pause

Example: A group cleans out the NWAF at 200 Infected; every 10 min, 10 infected re-spawn, it would take just over 3 hours of inactivity to re-spawn the full population

 

Infected Loot

I know the current plan is for no loot due to performance reasons on calculating the items. My solution if this was to work would be to have bodies transition to a mannequin container upon death to replace the body.

- Visible clothing items spawned on the mannequin would be directly linked to the model of infected it replaced. (eg: NATO military infected will always spawn with NATO shirt/pants/boots/plate-carrier)
- Items populated on the body could be generated randomly based on the infected type, short animation plays when selecting "Search Body" to allow items to load in (eg: 10 seconds)
- Infected would be only carrying damage, badly damaged and ruined items, and would carry a high chance of contamination
- Mannequin will clean-up as soon as players leave the area and re-spawn timer becomes active

 

Catastrophic Damage

Just like my idea on catastrophic damage to the player, same is applied to infected without the medical system ties. Without catastrophic damage(detailed wounding of the body) shot calculations becomes a little bit more of a guess work, even with high powered optics, since we don't get a good visual of pink mist when the round impacts with a living target. It also can be difficult to judge if you have critically wounded your target or not, leaving you wondering if you should displace and check the body or give a 10 count and wait for movement. Understanding spatter patterns and having trails to follow will allow us to identify how injured a target may be and track them. I'm not asking for an over the top introduction of gore and dismemberment.

- Small bleeding wounds don't piss blood everywhere, instead they just slowly change the texture model with an expanding red layer, leaving behind a small trail once every few feet
- Heavy bleeding wounds will do the same as above but faster and spirit blood, leaving a constant trail that has splatters every few feet

- Standing still will cause pools to form
- Rounds striking non-critical areas of the body will spray a small amount of blood, texturing the surface below/ behind them (eg: a shot to the shoulder will spray a small amount of blood on the wall behind the target)
- Rounds striking fleshy critical body points will spray a large pink mist and a large dotted texture on the surface below/behind them (eg: being shot in the upper torso with no armour will spray a large blood cloud covering the wall behind the target with polka dots)
- Rounds striking a body part covered in armour will display like a smaller version of a ground impact
- Extreme damage applied to the head will change the texture to give appearance it has been opened up
- Extreme damage applied to the torso will change the texture to give appearance it has been opened up (clothing can still cover this)

 

Diverse Infected Attributes

Having Infected be a challenge to players seems to constantly be debated, my belief is once it is figured out how hard they hit, fast they move and range they can detect you, they become predictable and easy. I think adding unknown variables to the infected that can change case by case will keep them unpredictable and a threat. There should be a baseline stat for infected; they are weak, have a chance to infect/ knock down/ cause bleeding, and movement is slightly slower then jogging pace when aggressive towards a player. Infected have a % chance based on type of infected to have attribute enhancement(s). Attribute values assigned are just as an example.

Adrenaline
Infected is able to chase the player at sprinting pace

Resilience
Infected can take 25% more damage and is 25% more resistance to being knocked down

Heightened senses
Infected has a 25% increase to hearing and sight

Rage
Infected deals 25% more damage and has a 25% increased chance to cause knock down

 

Types of Infected

I believe there should be 4 core and 2 special types of infected, each type will determine rarity of spawn, location, and what randomly generated attributes they may have. Types will be identifiable by appearance, attributes will not. Attribute/Re-spawn percentages assigned are just as an example.

Core Infected:

Infected Civillians
Attributes - 20% chance to spawn with 1 attribute, 5% chance to spawn with 2 attributes, 0% chance to spawn with 3 or 4 attributes
- Unarmored (no damage resistance)
- Highest spawn chance in coastal spawn areas (85%)
- Most common spawn chance in towns, cities, civilian wrecks/camp-site (60%)
- Lowest spawn chance in military zones (5%)
- No spawn chance in military crash sites/special outposts/camp-sites (0%)
- Loot consists of basic civillian objects, watches, coins, etc.

Infected Police
Attributes - 50% chance to spawn with 1 attribute, 10% chance to spawn with 2 attributes, 1% chance to spawn with 3 attributes, 0% chance to spawn with 4 attributes
- Spawns with Soft Armor (torso resistance to melee blunt damage and small calibre rounds)
- Low spawn chance in coastal spawn areas (14%)
- Common spawn chance in towns, cities, civilian wrecks/camp-sites (30%)
- Low spawn chance in military zones (10%)
- No spawn chance in military crash sites/special outposts/camp-sites (0%)
- Loot consists of police equipment, pens, notebooks, etc.

Infected Soldiers
Attributes - 100% chance to spawn with 1 attribute, 25% chance to spawn with 2 attributes, 5% chance to spawn with 3 attributes, 1% chance to spawn with 4 attributes
- Spawns with Hard Armor (torso resistance to melee blunt/edged damage, large calibre rounds and fragmentation)
- Lowest spawn chance in coastal spawn areas (1%)
- Low spawn chance in towns, cities, civilian wrecks/camp-site (9%)
- Highest spawn chance in military zones (70%)
- Common spawn chance in military crash sites/special outposts/campsites (40%)
- Loot consists of local and international low yield military equipment, maps, compass, etc.

Infected Special Forces
Attributes - 100% chance to spawn with 2 attribute, 25% chance to spawn with 3 attributes, 5% chance to spawn with 4 attributes
- Spawns with Hard Armor (torso resistance to melee blunt/edged damage, large calibre rounds and fragmentation)
- Spawns with Ballistic Helmet (head resistance to melee blunt/edged damage, small calibre rounds and fragmentation)
- No spawn chance in coastal spawn areas (0%)
- Lowest spawn chance in towns, cities, civilian wrecks/camp-site (1%)
- Low spawn chance in military zones (15%)
- Highest spawn chance in military crash sites/special outposts/campsites (50%)
- Loot consists of local and international high yield military equipment, key-cards, GPS, etc.

Special Infected:

Infected Hospital staff
Attributes - 20% chance to spawn with 1 attribute, 5% chance to spawn with 2 attributes, 0% chance to spawn with 3 or 4 attributes
- Unarmored (no damage resistance)
- Only spawn chance in medical area's (80%)
- Loot consists of scrubs and various medical supplies, pens, stethoscope, etc.

Infected Scientists
Attributes - 20% chance to spawn with 1 attribute, 5% chance to spawn with 2 attributes, 0% chance to spawn with 3 or 4 attributes
- Unarmored (no damage resistance)
- Only spawn chance in military crash sites/special outposts/camp-sites (10%)
- Loot consists of scrubs and various infection vials/vaccines, key-cards, journals, etc.

 

 

If you liked this, also read/like/comment on these:
Gameplay Mechanics Pt1 - The Player

Gameplay Mechanics Pt1 - The Player(skills)
Gameplay Mechanics Pt3 - Environment
Gameplay Mechanics Pt4 - The Weapons

Gameplay Mechanics Pt5 - The Interface
DayZ - How it all began... (coming soon)

Edited March 19, 2014 by akafugitive

[yogi92 50]

Hooh, wooh... I read it and surprisingly it all makes sense, both as respawn mechanic and looting. You have my  beans

[akafugitive 244]

Updated to include Catastrophic damage

[ImmunePower 26]

I like the ideas! i love the catastrophic damage stuff.

[majo 23]

I like most of your ideas. Also from the other topics.

 

I would consider 'climbing' and 'jumping' also beeing possible attributes.

 

Climbing

If you're running away from a group of infected and manage to climb a ladder (e.g. fire station, lighttower) I think it would be nice if a few of them surround the building while others will follow you and also climb the ladder.

Same should work with smaller walls or other obstacles a human can climb on (e.g. bigger trash containers, cars etc.).

Infected will lose this attribute when x% damage is dealt to the arms or legs.

 

Jumping

A few infected do not notice smaller obstacles like fences when they are chasing you and stumble upon them whereas others recognize the obstacle and jump over them.

Infected will lose this attribute when x% damage is dealt to the legs.

 

 

 

 

Actually it would be great if all the infected would be able to climb and jump but a player should also have the chance to shake them off if fighting is no option.

[akafugitive 244]

That's the feedback I was hoping to see, have some beans.

I like them, I look at it as parts of their brain that the infection hasn't destroyed.

[Nickboom 6]

Hmpf first person I have seen who doesnt want them to be taken down by headshots only. I like all your ideas though I think more mutations would be cool I cant really think of any my self. However I really like the randomization in zombies which kind of does make it a lot more interesting.

[akafugitive 244]

Bump, Poll added

[akafugitive 244]

Cleaned for easier reading