The thought of a Zombie MMO excites every person who is remotely intrigued by the thought of a post-apocalyptic zombie world. Undead Labs is hard at work in bringing a world to life with just that, and although they still have a ways to go, their fan base is consistently growing and turning into a zombie horde dying to get their hands on the game.
Luckily they plan on releasing an XBLA game that will consist of the MMO’s gameplay just on a smaller scale. We have been staying up-to-date on all aspects of the title that they have made public. Even releasing the first bit of gameplay in a video just a few weeks ago.
The arcade game will almost act as a beta for players to give feedback and help shape the full MMO and more importantly really turn the hype machine on for the eventual release of the Zombie MMO.
Now a little over a year ago when we first learned about this game we put together a top five list of things we want to see in this game. Well a year has passed and in that time we have done an interview with the team and learned more about the game in-general. I spent the weekend trying to figure out what top “X” list I wanted to tackle and although I had six possible ones I wanted to do like top settings we want to visit or top structures we want to be able to build, we settled on weaponry.
1. Long-Range Sniper Rifles
This one seems like a simple no-brainer and unneeded to start the list, but when I say “long-range sniper rifle” I mean LONG RANGE. It doesn’t have to be absurdly long-range like a realistic sniper that can shoot a zombie from two miles away, but I wouldn’t mind the ability to go prone and blast a zombie from a couple of hundred yards away.
Why you ask? Well there are two reasons I can really use to defend this:
1) This gives a designated sniper role to groups of players and allows this player to set up in the most ideal vantage point to help his team. Having an eye in the sky watching your group is much welcomed commodity and it only takes one time for you to be really thankful when you feel blood splatter on the back of your neck because your friend just hit a flanking zombie from 300 yards away.
2) This one isn’t that pure but I feel would be realistic. It is an MMO, players are trying to survive everywhere and do whatever it takes. I am sorry but if I need to get from point A to point B and I see a horde of zombies in my path from far away, but then I also see a fellow survivor or two trying to sneak by them, you can bet your ass I might fire off a round into that group to alert them. That way I can sneak by as these two unsuspecting gentlemen battle for their lives.
2. Lasso-Type Weaponry
I couldn’t find a better word than “lasso” in trying to describe this. Essentially players would be able to round up zombies for strategic advantages, creative kills, or just for fun.
I mean we have seen two instances of this in the Walking Dead so far, last season they used the dog catcher catch-poles to drag two zombies and lock them up in a barn. Then the first season when the camp gets attacked by a horde and their alarm system of roped cans was disabled, it is believed that a horde was lured by a disgruntled character.
This option is more of a fun type of weapon I would like to see added. I can see a lot of fun coming from it. Whether you lasso up a zombie who is trying to lunge at a friend, tie up a zombie and hook him to your vehicle, or you gently pull a zombie horde into a survivor makeshift town, I can see some enjoyable outcomes.
3. Explosives
This is a personal favorite of mine. I would even go as far as to say that if the option to become an explosives expert in the Zombie MMO is available I might not have any choice but to take it.
I am not talking simply grenades and molotov cocktails, I am talking about a more in-depth explosive experience, that turns a player who specializes in this weaponry into the equivalent of a trapper in an ordinary MMO.
Being able to wire up tripwire explosives, planting C4 on propane tanks, setting up claymore mines, et cetera, could not only be super fun but also a great addition to a group of survivors. For example lets say you and a group of survivors need to break into a building that has the entrances just swarmed with zombies. This explosive expert could possibly plant a few bricks of C4 on a vehicle and throw in a few propane tanks, then if he is smart he will have a friend drive the vehicle into the group and as his friend jumps out he detonates as it makes contact.
Boom! Instant entrance that you and your friends can now capitalize on by moving swiftly afterwards. Then if you wanted to, the building can then be booby trapped to keep your team safe or you can even lure them into your traps.
4. Dual-Wielding
This is less of an actual weapon but rather an ability or feature. Now the thought of dual-wielding tends to excite everyone. My core difference on this feature though would be realism.
I don’t want to see people dual-wielding katanas and doing a little slice-n-dice through dozens of zombies and I also don’t want to see someone wielding two light machine guns with a cigar in their mouths.
I want to see realistic options for dual-wielders. Knives, daggers, hatchets, pistols, sub-machine guns, and tasers would be great and interchangeable. Meaning you wouldn’t have to wield the same weapon in both hands and it is up to the player to see what they prefer or what they find most effective.
Obviously there is a give and take for this choice. You have less range clearly and that means you may have to get more up close and personal with kills. On the bright side though you are a lot lighter and obviously more limber. You could move a little quicker and maybe have the opportunity for some gruesome yet effective kills that other members who are using two-handed weapons may not be able to perform.
5. Do-It-Yourself Weapons
This falls along the lines of Dead Rising 2. Players could combine items to make makeshift weapons that were very useful and fun. I would like to approach this like dual-wielding and make it more realistic.
Yes, I understand that wearing a moose head with knives duct-taped to the antlers and ramming enemies is super fun. Don’t get me wrong you can still have fun with my stance, but it is a little less extreme I admit.
Think of it as temporary weapon customization, you can find a hunting knife and duct-tape then make a bayonet for your weapon. This attachment would have limited durability and eventually break off obviously, but it will give you a slight advantage for a little while at least.
Of course players could find permanent attachments like a real bayonet to place on their weapon, but if you find yourself in a power plant trying to turn the power back on for a town and you run into these items, a temporary attachment would be very welcomed.
Another idea for the DIY weapons could be a little more insane but still realistic (sort of), maybe you and your friend have dirt bikes/motorcycles, what if you could connect them with a couple of feet of barbed wire? Imagine both of you riding down the road side by side and clotheslining zombies, tell me you aren’t giggling. Shoot I think it would be even funnier if you accidently wrap around a telephone pole and both of you fly off your vehicles like idiots.
These are just two examples of course and if you have your own ideas please post them in the comments.
6. Zombie Bait Weaponry
Crafting will play a role in the Zombie MMO, we know this with building structures or reinforcing windows, things like that. What about crafting items to specifically combat zombies?
These items could have two effects. They will either attract zombies or hide you from them. I would even like to see a possibility to specialize in this type of crafting.
The simple option is to use human flesh or limbs to attract zombies to an area or just away from you. If you had a hideout the ability to hang some disgusting limbs from trees or just setting up areas of rotting flesh as an alarm system could be very helpful. You can also go approach this weaponry in a way that would detract rather than attract.
For example the ability to harvest a zombie to help make a fluid to cover yourself in and decrease your chance of detection would be pretty cool. Then the players who specialize in this will get better and better at making this and it will lower the odds even more, or allow them to sell their special perfume to other survivors.
