Preview Dead State Preview at PC Gamer

[villain of the story]

His criticism of how zombie genre has been handled seems to me to be kind of off the mark, though. Apart from the L4D games and the recent revival of zombie genre in mainstream, there hasn't been a commonplace and strong enough influence in the way he suggests. There have been plenty (and I mean PLENTY!) of indie zombie movies in the last 10+ years that deal with group survival mechanics and stupid mistakes (as well as some XXXTREME LULZ! movies like "Come Get Some") and very few games involving zombies at all. The only games I can think of with zombies in mind is Resident Evil series and those were ok to decent action-adventure games without gunporn elements the way he suggests. So he comes off as somewhat "what the hell are you going on about?" to me.

Oh btw, I'm also very worried about AI controlled party members. Why do devs insist on having this even though it's been proven to fail several times is beyond me. I attribute it to the allure of creating a narrative by gameplay (ie. game experience revolving around the one character so gameplay must be self-centered).

 

[SharkClub]

If you could control your whole party yourself (ala Infinity Engine games), I feel it would really detach itself from how the game works. Since it's based around survival, and there's a trust system and what have you, I think it's better this way, as long as the AI is good.

 

[curry]

If you could control your whole party yourself (ala Infinity Engine games), I feel it would really detach itself from how the game works. Since it's based around survival, and there's a trust system and what have you, I think it's better this way, as long as the AI is good.

This. From what I've understood, big part of the game is all about managing the survivors.

 

[villain of the story]

Managing survivors = hoping they won't do the stupid. Great idea.

 

[Davaris]

Managing survivors = hoping they won't do the stupid. Great idea.

I'm sure you know X-Com had similar, where if morale slipped, your soldiers would panic and become uncontrollable and the weak minded could be taken over by the enemy. I think this what they have in mind. Was X-Com really so bad?

 

[Ion Flux]

Managing survivors = hoping they won't do the stupid. Great idea.

But again, that's kind of how it would be in reality right? Bobby Ray just dropped a bucket down a well, here comes every Orc in Moria. We are boned.

I think you have a good point though, especially if you spend all of your time and energy in the game managing stupid, panicky AI. Doesn't sound too fun. However, it *can* be done right so that it's a challenging and rewarding aspect of the gameplay, it just seems like it would be tough. The X-com example is not really a good one, because you control your teammates up until the point where they panic/get psychically controlled. If I understand the way this is being designed, AI controls itself at all times with you influencing them with your leadership. I guess Fallout is a better example, but there was no AI companion stealth component there. Also, Ian used to love to shoot me in the back.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Managing survivors = hoping they won't do the stupid. Great idea.

Probably because it's kinda hard to feel an atmosphere of dread when your group acts like a hivemind. Did you ever feel scared fighting against undead in a D&D-like videogame?

 

[Davaris]

Managing survivors = hoping they won't do the stupid. Great idea.

Probably because it's kinda hard to feel an atmosphere of dread when your group acts like a hivemind.

Not just that, in the few Zombie movies I've seen, its not about "The Zombies", its about group dynamics.

 

[villain of the story]

Well, yes, I've really felt the tension and anxiety in Fallout over what manner of stupidity my companions will commit next and get all of us killed. It was surely very immersive.

Ideally, I'm all for the idea. So much that I don't even want party NPCs to contribute to your line of sight / fog of war unless everyone is keeping close. I want it so that you can choose to leave a troublesome NPC behind in action so that he will become zombie food while giving you a shot at escaping and then you can tell everyone how he died so the the group could escape, instead of admitting your deed in cold blood and making them think who will be next. But the simple reality = games where party was controlled by AI sucked at that.

I'm hoping they will pull of something between the Fallout and X-Com models.

Managing survivors = hoping they won't do the stupid. Great idea.

I'm sure you know X-Com had similar, where if morale slipped, your soldiers would panic and become uncontrollable and the weak minded could be taken over by the enemy. I think this what they have in mind. Was X-Com really so bad?

I know and that's partly what I'm hoping for.

 

[Elhoim]

Updated the website with the latest screenshots, with correct colors plus version without the dialogues (and an extra weapon shot).

http://www.deadstate.doublebearproductions.com/media/

 

[villain of the story]

Tell me about the zombie models. Is there any randomisation in use? Will we see the same 20-50 zombie models the entire game or are the zombies made up of base pieces that are randomized, eg. you get a torse with legs (I'm ruling out crawling zombies with a single leg or foot or without legs or feet; I don't think Brian would find such "additions" to be central to zombie genre), then whether it gets complete arms, half arm(s) or none, a complete head or one that's missing a jaw or an ear etc. are added and appropriate textures applied on the spot, or just basic randomised skins?

 

[MapMan]

Obligatory

 

[Mastermind]

Managing survivors = hoping they won't do the stupid. Great idea.

Probably because it's kinda hard to feel an atmosphere of dread when your group acts like a hivemind. Did you ever feel scared fighting against undead in a D&D-like videogame?

The vampires in BG2 did a good job giving me the creeps.

 

[Roguey]

Updated the website with the latest screenshots, with correct colors plus version without the dialogues (and an extra weapon shot).

http://www.deadstate.doublebearproductions.com/media/

That's much better, no complaints now. So PC Gamer seriously added a bunch of bloom to those shots? That's low. And sickening. And other unpleasant adjectives.

 

[villain of the story]

Yeah, when that piece of concept art first came out, I was so sure that it was just intended to be somewhat parodic. Then lots of cocksuckers at ITS ran to its defence, praising its artistic expressionist merits.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Apart from the T-Rex arms, that concept art seems alright to me. There's someone in panic, two guys wasting time arguing with each other, and one person who doesn't feel like becoming lunch to the incoming horde. Sets the mood pretty well, I think (and that's what concept art is supposed to be for, whether it looks awesome or not is another matter)

 

[Excidium]

I still think that concept art is one of Prosper's finest works.

 

[SharkClub]

Nigga lacks trigger discipline.

 

[Radisshu]

Apart from the T-Rex arms, that concept art seems alright to me. There's someone in panic, two guys wasting time arguing with each other, and one person who doesn't feel like becoming lunch to the incoming horde. Sets the mood pretty well, I think (and that's what concept art is supposed to be for, whether it looks awesome or not is another matter)

It's still incredibly shitty. I hope the person that drew it didn't get paid, it's not professional on any level.

But anyway, I'm really looking forward to this game, sounds like it'll be a blast.