Tags: Dead State; DoubleBear Productions
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<p>PC Gamer has written up a small <a href="http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/05/03/dead-state-preview/">Preview of Dead State</a>:</p>
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<blockquote>
<p>Brian Mitsoda says gaming just doesn’t “get” zombies. His criticism, in plain nerd-English: “Most of the games that use zombies have nothing to do with the zombie genre.” I’d agree—the best zed fiction isn’t about the bullet-frenzy sprint from saferoom to saferoom, it’s about preparation and survival under pressure through cooperation: maintaining barricades, rationing food, managing the morale of teammates and fending off fellow humans that want what you’ve got. </p>
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<p>As project lead at DoubleBear Productions, that’s precisely the experience Mitsoda wants you to have inDead State: a zombie game with isometric, turn-based RPG combat similar to Fallout and Fallout 2 paired with X-COM’s base management. You’re the leader of a group of survivors that’ve holed up in Splendid Elementary School in Texas. Upgrading the school is essential to survival—like your base in X-COM, it’s the source for facilities and production. “If you want to start building thrown weapons, you’re going to need a lab. A garden will increase food supply by a minor amount per week. An infirmary will make wounded allies heal faster,” says Mitsoda. </p>
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<p>How you respond to the apocalypse is up to you, Mitsoda emphasizes. “You might find out while playing that you’re kind of a ruthless person. When there are problems at the shelter, you simply have to make tough decisions. You may like an ally, but realize that if you had to give out the last of the antibiotics (which keeps infected allies from becoming undead) you might give it to the [expletive] because he’s a great shot. This is a life-or-death situation we’re portraying. There’s definitely room for players to be the biggest threat to the game world. We’re OK with that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mitsoda also wants combat to drive players’ decision-making. You’ll only have direct control of your main character when fighting—if your prized companion (say, a lady commando) is paralyzed with panic during a zombie ambush, she might flee or try to heal herself constantly. Panicking allies won’t accept your orders—how (or if) you’ll save them is up to you. Noise is also a concern during combat, forcing you to weigh the silent-but-dangerous risks of close-combat with the powerful—but attention-attracting—benefits of a pistol.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>You can <a href="http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/05/03/dead-state-preview/">read the full article here</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Thanks Elhoim!</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>PC Gamer has written up a small <a href="http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/05/03/dead-state-preview/">Preview of Dead State</a>:</p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Brian Mitsoda says gaming just doesn’t “get” zombies. His criticism, in plain nerd-English: “Most of the games that use zombies have nothing to do with the zombie genre.” I’d agree—the best zed fiction isn’t about the bullet-frenzy sprint from saferoom to saferoom, it’s about preparation and survival under pressure through cooperation: maintaining barricades, rationing food, managing the morale of teammates and fending off fellow humans that want what you’ve got. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As project lead at DoubleBear Productions, that’s precisely the experience Mitsoda wants you to have inDead State: a zombie game with isometric, turn-based RPG combat similar to Fallout and Fallout 2 paired with X-COM’s base management. You’re the leader of a group of survivors that’ve holed up in Splendid Elementary School in Texas. Upgrading the school is essential to survival—like your base in X-COM, it’s the source for facilities and production. “If you want to start building thrown weapons, you’re going to need a lab. A garden will increase food supply by a minor amount per week. An infirmary will make wounded allies heal faster,” says Mitsoda. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>How you respond to the apocalypse is up to you, Mitsoda emphasizes. “You might find out while playing that you’re kind of a ruthless person. When there are problems at the shelter, you simply have to make tough decisions. You may like an ally, but realize that if you had to give out the last of the antibiotics (which keeps infected allies from becoming undead) you might give it to the [expletive] because he’s a great shot. This is a life-or-death situation we’re portraying. There’s definitely room for players to be the biggest threat to the game world. We’re OK with that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mitsoda also wants combat to drive players’ decision-making. You’ll only have direct control of your main character when fighting—if your prized companion (say, a lady commando) is paralyzed with panic during a zombie ambush, she might flee or try to heal herself constantly. Panicking allies won’t accept your orders—how (or if) you’ll save them is up to you. Noise is also a concern during combat, forcing you to weigh the silent-but-dangerous risks of close-combat with the powerful—but attention-attracting—benefits of a pistol.</p>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>You can <a href="http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/05/03/dead-state-preview/">read the full article here</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Thanks Elhoim!</em></p>
<p> </p>
