Thread: Modern Day Zombie survival Theme - GORE/CoC

I made a few notes for a modern day zombie survival theme at Goblinoidgames.com:
goblinoidgames.com • View topic - GORE Zombie survival theme

Have a look, see what you think (I'm sure some of you can come up with something extra, maybe).
It's really quite adaptable to CoC (maybe the odd minor change).

I'm sure plenty of ideas can be made from various resources (films, etc), like Walking Dead, etc.

The guns and zombies are nice. I think I'd have made the zombies a bit lower in INT - depends on what you are trying to emulate I guess.

What I'd really like to see for a zombie game is some mechanism to apply consequences for player character actions. I was thinking along the lines of an allegiance system from BRP - basically your allegiance to your humanity. In Walking Dead you see characters go from being decent people into murderers as they struggle to survive. I think it would be cool to model that in the game. Murder, theft, vengence and the like would cost you "Humanity points". Love, rest and helping others would cause them to rise. Example: Do you let those people into your compound knowing you won't have enough food to survive the winter? You'll gain back some of your humanity if you do, but you may end up starving if you can't find more grub.

Bear swilling rat? Interesting :-0
I see what you mean by the 'humanity' mechanism. Most interesting.

I've seen similar system(s) before: Star Wars-Knights of the Old Republic had a light side/dark side mechanism, that gave you light/dark points for your good or bad actions towards people, etc.
I like your idea of 'humanity points'.
The GM could give good or bad 'humanity points' to players depending on their actions.
If, for example, the player has more bad than good 'humanity points', then the player has becomes more selfless, not caring about other players/people, always thinking about him/herself for survival.
And also more willing to sacrifice other people for his/her survival.

You are more than welcome to change the stats of the zombies.
Lower the INT if you wish.

Originally Posted by filbanto

The guns and zombies are nice. I think I'd have made the zombies a bit lower in INT - depends on what you are trying to emulate I guess.

What I'd really like to see for a zombie game is some mechanism to apply consequences for player character actions. I was thinking along the lines of an allegiance system from BRP - basically your allegiance to your humanity. In Walking Dead you see characters go from being decent people into murderers as they struggle to survive. I think it would be cool to model that in the game. Murder, theft, vengence and the like would cost you "Humanity points". Love, rest and helping others would cause them to rise. Example: Do you let those people into your compound knowing you won't have enough food to survive the winter? You'll gain back some of your humanity if you do, but you may end up starving if you can't find more grub.

I like that idea if you are trying to emulate zombie movies. Other humans are usually a far bigger threat than the zombies but in a game most players are aware of that and react accordingly. I can't really blame them, don't know how many times I or my wife has turned to the other while watching a movie and said, I'd have put a bullet in that guys head because he is going to get everybody killed, and of course they don't and he does.

Toadmaster: I know what you mean. You see one or more people in movies, and wish someone would 'get rid' of the idiot.
I'm sure, like other GMs, that the NPCs act 'correctly', and NEVER do stupid things.
But, there is always the choice for GMs to make one or two of their NPCs act stupidly, so either the other NPCs or PCs want to get rid of the idiot(s).

Basically, it's up to the GM whether he/she wants to put any 'idiots' in their scenario.
In some ways, it might be interesting/fun.

On another note, the Zombie Survival theme has no prices for items (money has no value).
If people or a person wants a particular weapon, or item (food, water, ammo, etc), then they barter with the person(s) for what they want.

So for example, if my character wanted some food & water, and I knew some of the people I've encountered have them, I'll barter with them, perhaps offering ammunition of some kind, maybe.
Hoping I'll have what they want.
Although a few times, I've had to stop one of my nephews from shooting every person(s) he encounters, just to rob them of their equipment.

Bartering doesn't enter his mind; he just wants to shoots them
Over time, I've got him out of that bad habit.

So basically, when your PCs encounter an 'enclave' or group of non-threatening people, some trade can be done.

I would definitely use some Humanity loss system in a zombie game, but I wouldn't model it using Allegiance, as its not a polarised set of ideals as opposed to the erosion of empathy in order to survive. I think I'd tweak CoC's Sanity rules and re-trap them as 'Humanity Points', that could capture the gritty loss of self.

I suppose Allegiance rules could also coexist separately with Humanity Points, perhaps 'Morality' vs 'Inmorality'

The actual Zombie stats look quite good, I'ld keep INT low though

Mankam: Agreed, low INT it is (3-5 INT maybe?).

Humanity Points could very well be a good idea. Instead of Sanity, 'tweak' it into Humanity Points.
The lower the Humanity Points, the less humane and more self centred they'll become.

Allegiance - maybe; it's not a bad idea. If he/she is treated unfairly by the group in some way, he/she leaves (although where?)

Well, 3-5 INT is as smart as many household pets. Do you really want your zombies to be as clever as Lassie or Rin-Tin-Tin?

"What? You dropped Timmy in the well? Quit mumbling, I can't understand you! Whadda you mean you don't have any lips?"