2 Gameplay 6
2.1 Design Objectives 6
2.2 Gameplay Philosophy 7
2.2.1. Strategy 8
2.2.2. Tactics 9
2.2.3. Emergent Gameplay 11
2.2.4. Difficulty 11
2.3 Character Overview 12
2.3.1. The Enslaver 12
2.3.2. Devastating Attacks & Agile Movement 12
2.3.3. Enslaver Progression 12
2.4 Zombies 13
2.4.1. Zombie Types/Mutations 13
Type 1: Shambler (Base Class) 14
Type 2: Runner (Mutate Level I) 14
Type 3: Bloater (Mutate Level II) 15
Type 4: Shredder (Mutate Level III) 16
Type 5: Monster (Mutate Level IV) 16
2.5 Enemies 17
Civilians 18
Civilian Paramedics 18
Fire Crew 18
Media 18
Standard Police 18
Riot Squad 19
SWAT 19
Survivors 20
National Guard 20
Military 20
Omega Troops 21
2.6 Supporting Characters 22
2.6.1. The Voice 22
2.6.2. The Media Reports 22
2.7 Single Player Gameplay 23
2.7.1. Overview 23
2.7.2. Game Progression 23
2.7.3. Storyline 24
The Beginning 24
The Middle 25
The End 25
2.8 Tools/ Obstacles/ Consequences/ Rewards Lists 26
2.8.1. Tools 26
The Enslaver 26
Walk 26
Run 26
Climb 26
Jump (Enslaver Stage 1) 26
Jump (Enslaver Stage 2) 26
Jump (Enslaver Stage 3) 26
Jump (Enslaver Stage 4) 26
Drop Large Distances 26
Exploration 26
Possession 26
Attack and Infect 27
Attack but Don’t Infect 27
Guard 27
Mutate 27
Use/Fire Weapon (replaces Attack But Don’t Infect when using Shamblers with weapons) 27
Attack (replaces Attack and Infect for Monsters, who can’t infect) 27
Pick Up/Throw Object/Character (replaces Attack but Don’t Infect for Monsters – used to access Zombie Trebuchet feature) 27
Attack and Kill (replaces Attack but Don’t Infect) 27
Attack and Incapacitate (replaces Attack and Infect – either knocks enemies out, or ties them up depending on situation) 27
Perform Context-Sensitive Action (replaces Mutate) 27
Zombies 27
Explode Normal (releases gas and sends nearby characters flying, doing damage) 28
Explode Large and Infect (when dropped from great heights they explode with a larger radius of blast damage and infection) 28
Explode Large But Don’t Infect (when they die through Fire damage, the explosion is larger than normal, but the gas ignites, spreading like napalm, burning but not infecting) 28
Gas (released during an Explode Normal or Explode Large And Infect event) 28
Pick Up/Throw Object 28
Pick Up/Throw Enemy 28
Pick Up/Throw Shambler/Runner 28
Pick Up/Throw Bloater 28
Pick Up/Throw Shredder 29
Weapons 30
Pipe 30
Baseball bat 30
Golf club 30
Severed Limb 30
Chair 30
Etc. 30
Stimuli 31
Tactical Tools 31
Destroy HQ (reduces or stops deployment of unit types related to that HQ) e.g. 32
Police Station 32
Army Base 32
National Guard Base 32
Survivor Base 32
Fire Station 32
Hotel (Civilian “HQ”) 32
Destroy Supplies (lowers the technology level of weapons held by appropriate unit types) e.g. 32
Destroy National Guard Weapon Depot 32
Destroy Army Armoury 32
Destroy Police Weapons Locker 32
Destroy Vehicle Support (lowers the reaction rate of units deployed to other areas by Tactical Building) e.g. 32
Destroy Helipad 32
Destroy Fuel Supply 32
Destroy Hospital Garage Facilities 32
Destroy Army Depot 32
Destroy National Guard Garage 32
Destroy Fire Station 32
Destroy Communications Relay (reduces effectiveness on a local scale) 32
Destroy Communications Centre (reduces effectiveness of all relevant unit types) 32
Destroy Leader (reduces effectiveness of a unit, or units in area) 32
Destroy Light Source (all enemies not equipped with night vision goggles are much less accurate with their weapons in the dark, and cannot see visual behaviour triggers) 32
Instance-based (through Shredder shrieks, or actions of Activist members during intro level, applies to enemies already deployed in the world) 32
Location-based (through activities elsewhere, lower the spawnable resources available to a location; e.g. causing a disturbance at a strip mall attracts police backup, leaving the Police Station undermanned.) 32
Increase ERL 32
Conserve ERL (i.e. trying hard to keep the ERL low to make a section easier) 32
Circumvent ERL (by causing a disturbance to the local ERL, making people elsewhere think you’re nowhere near them, and then stealthily moving to an area where you aren’t expected, e.g. by a subway system) 32
Remove ERL Threat (by removing a resource that an ERL specifically summons) 32
Increase Fear Level 32
Increase Confidence Level 32
Create Over-Confidence 32
To open a pathway (including creating bridges between rooftops etc.) 32
To block pursuit 32
Mission Specific Tools 32
2.8.2. Obstacles 33
Terrain Obstacles 33
Indestructible, Non-Climbable Wall, e.g. 33
Bulletproof, shatterproof glass 33
Thick metal crate side 33
Metallic surface 33
Etc. 33
Indestructible, Climbable Wall, e.g. 33
Reinforced concrete 33
Terrain banking 33
Riverbank 33
Many building walls throughout game 33
Etc. 33
Destructible, Non-Climbable Wall, e.g. 33
Glass window 33
Thin metal barricade 33
Etc. 33
Destructible, Climbable Wall, e.g. 33
Chain link fence 33
Concrete wall 33
Wooden barricade 33
Etc. 33
Saloon car 34
Wooden crate 34
Golf Cart 34
Newspaper Dispenser 34
Hospital Gurney 34
Shopping Trolley 34
Trash Can (may have Fire Stimulus) 34
Communications Antenna 34
Etc. 34
Van 34
SUV 34
Ambulance 34
Humvee 34
Large wooden crate 34
Dumpster 34
Etc. 34
Delivery truck 34
Train carriage 34
Large Tank 34
Helicopter 34
APC 34
Water Tank 34
Etc. 34
Runoff Drain (as in Terminator 2 motorbike/truck chase) 34
Haha (in ornamental gardens) 34
In between rooftops of similar height 34
Etc. 34
Island Coast 34
Off sides of bridges 34
Stream in City Park 34
Ornamental Lake 34
Etc. 34
Requires Hacking skills of Activist) 34
Requires Hacking by The Voice 34
Requires opening from other side 34
Requires possession (player infects and then possesses a certain human character, such as a Corporation Scientist, whose handprint is needed to open a door. This doesn’t occur in places that the player must go, in case they kill the appropriate character – unless they can drag the body/limb from where it fell…) 34
Etc. 34
Enemies 34
Stimulus Obstacles 35
2.8.3. Consequences 36
2.8.4. Rewards 37
Enhanced Enslaver Powers 37
Increased jump height and distance 37
Stronger attack strength 37
Greater resistance to damage 37
Faster Health regeneration 37
Greater Fear characteristic 37
Increased Maximum Health 37
Increased Maximum Mutation Energy 37
Increased Zombie Influence Range 37
Evolving Enslaver models 37
Immediate visual reward 38
New animations for attacks and Instant Kills 38
New zombie types 38
Grants major gameplay additions up the game with each new upgrade 38
New individual zombie abilities 38
New tactics through endless horde diversity 38
New experiences through 1st person possession of new character type 38
Visual Reward – each Zone features unique buildings and architecture 38
Visual Reward - each District has entirely different atmosphere and appearance than previous areas 38
New Enemies – each District features brand new enemies, that look very different from one another, and use brand new behaviours and tactics to continuously offer entertaining challenges to the player 38
New Gameplay – architectural design of each District offers new challenges related to horde control and deployment 38
2.9 Multiplayer Gameplay 39
2.9.1. Overview 39
Game Types 39
Player vs. Ai (Cooperative) 39
Rules 40
Possession – allows dead players to watch through the eyes of any player still in the game. 40
Spirit Messaging – to allow for communication between ’dead’ players and those still alive. 40
Mechanisms 40
2.9.2. Online Experience 41
Player vs. Player. 41
Team vs. Team. 41
Cooperative missions (Team vs. AI). 41
2.10 Single Player Gameplay Example 43
2.10.1. Key to Diagrams 43
2.10.2. Gameplay Example Scenario 43
2.10.3. Walkthrough 44
2.10.4. Alternative Approaches 49