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Project Zomboid

MetallikatMetallikat Registered User regular
edited April 2014 in Games and Technology
So, Project Zomboid...

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Basically, it's a zombie survival game. The game makes no hesitation in stating that you're going to die, it's just a matter of how long you can survive. It's currently in Alpha Tech-Demo release, with only a relatively small playing area currently available. Because of issues Google Checkout has using the words donation and such, you don't buy the game directly. You instead buy one of several of their fine other games, and as pure happenstance get lifetime access to Project Zomboid. Currently, it's an in-browser game that uses Java, though the devs plan on releasing a stand-alone client version soon.

Zombies in small numbers can't do much to a door, but as their number grow larger than can easily bash them down. With nails, hammer and some wood you can construct a barricade over doors to keep them out longer, and boarding up windows to keep them from seeing you as they stagger by.

You must scavenge for food and supplies to stay alive, and must sleep when you get tired to keep from blacking out at inopportune moments. Start piling too much into your inventory, and you get exhausted more easily, allowing the zombies to catch up and swarm you. You can craft bandages and use belts to stop the bleeding, and take pain pills to keep going (pain reduces your accuracy and awareness).

In combat, you have to decide whether or not that shotgun is worth using. While effective and keeps them out of arms reach, it is also loud and will attract a great deal of unwanted attention. Melee weapons allow for more conspicuous zombie dispatching, but put you at risk of getting scratched or worse, bitten. Being bitten is pretty much going to lead to a terminal case of the zombies.

Combat Tip:

Even though the game is isometric and your character can only face 8 different angles, you can aim wherever you want with the mouse cursor, even if your sprite doesn't show it. When clicking to attack, aim your cursor towards their lower bodies and feet, to make sure you hit the proper area they're standing in.

Useful Keys:

P - Pauses/unpauses the game
Enter - Holding enter down speeds up the game, for when you're not tired enough to sleep
Space - Pressing space will open the inventory menu. Holding it down will keep it open, as not using the inventory after a few seconds will cause it to close automatically
Ctrl + Shift + 1-9 will allow you to bind your currently equipped items to that number key, allowing you to quickly switch between your hammer and boards to your axe or your shotgun for instance


Useful links:

Project Zomboid Homepage

Project Zomboid Wiki

Rock, Paper, Shotgun article on the game

Forum post containing a number of YouTube play through links

Sterica on
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    BloodySlothBloodySloth Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    That one screenshot pretty much sold me on this game.

    BloodySloth on
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    MulletudeMulletude Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    That one screenshot pretty much sold me on this game.

    Oh fuck yes

    Mulletude on
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    MetallikatMetallikat Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Also, for amusement, a forum post containing a list of all the terrible crap that's happened to the dev team during the making of and attempting to release the game

    Indie stone madness counter

    Metallikat on
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    sevenpainssevenpains Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Kinda reminds me of X-Com for some reason but more awesome with zombies and shotguns

    sevenpains on
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    MetallikatMetallikat Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Should also be noted that the zombies look the way they do right now because they're just templates. They will eventually be more individualized, with hair and such.

    Metallikat on
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    MulletudeMulletude Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    The crafting...The building defenses...

    This looks like my perfect game. :D

    Mulletude on
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    MetallikatMetallikat Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    They also seem to be very serious about their patching.

    Patch notes from first patch released yesterday I think:

    Build 0.1.2a

    1) Added 'speed up time' button (return) that will (PC power dependent) speed time up by a factor of ten. Useful for skipping cut-scenes, waiting out a night when not tired, or doing Benny Hill impressions.
    2) Tweaked zombie numbers to make it less immediately punishing. Days are now safer for longer, without sacrificing the danger of nights.
    3) Added arrow keys / right shift / control keys as alternates to WASD
    4) Lowered zombie path-finding range
    5) Made zombies have a chance of getting 'bored' banging doors and investigate other zombie sounds, thus making it feasible to wait out zombies at the door if they don't break it down in time and you make no further sounds.
    6) Added tutorial skip option that we're somewhat ashamed of thinking of and will probably become infamous. You'll see.
    7) Fixed Kate's dragged / dead frames which weren't working .
    8) Fixed infinite ammo bug.
    9) Player's footsteps now make sound audible to zombies. to compensate for this zombies have less peripheral vision.
    10) Double click to add to inventory.
    11) Fixed missing moodles for bleeding, injury, pain etc.
    12) ESC skips dialogue for current conversation entirely.
    13) *potential* fix to lag issues. Not definite or even probable but possible.
    14) Space will now open inventory and holding it will stop it from closing.
    15) RTS style control groups for equipped items. Shift+Ctrl+ 1-9 will store the current equipped items for that hotkey. Pressing 1-9 after will recall them if they are in your inventory. (shift + control is because you use control in battle so using ctrl alone would lead to accidental overwrites)
    16) Ctrl click will drop an entire stack into a container straight away instead of one by one.
    17) If you walk away from a container while holding one of its items on your mouse pointer, when it shuts the container it will add the item to your inventory and keep it on your pointer, instead of removing the item from your pointer.
    18) Some balancing of item weights. (Still more required)
    19) Improved moodle effects.
    20) Added 'encumbered' moodle.
    21) Bandages now stop health loss completely for that body part (until proper medical attention is in via NPCs/Skills)
    22) Pain threshold reduced to better warn of scratches etc.
    23) Increased wall transparency range.
    24) Line of sight now works when zombified.

    The devs are very active on their forums, and seem to be taking suggestions seriously.

    Metallikat on
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    GaslightGaslight Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Color me intrigued.

    Gaslight on
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    Dongs GaloreDongs Galore Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I've never bought a game so hard in my life.

    Dongs Galore on
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    MulletudeMulletude Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    They say a public demo will be up soon...I'm more pumped for this than I have been for any game in recent memory.

    And i'm just wrapping up my fourth reading of World War Z.

    Mulletude on
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    MetallikatMetallikat Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Mulletude wrote: »
    They say a public demo will be up soon...I'm more pumped for this than I have been for any game in recent memory.

    And i'm just wrapping up my fourth reading of World War Z.

    Yeah, they kinda got screwed into releasing the tech-demo early because one of their testers released a copy on 4chan. They bit the bullet and put what they had out there.

    Metallikat on
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    SheepSheep Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2011
    Definitely interested. Zombie games are reaching saturation so hopefully that means the more we get, the more quality ones we get. This has been on the radar. Will try to DL the demo.

    Sheep on
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    BiopticBioptic Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    As usual, Rock Paper Shotgun have a pretty good write-up on the initial experience of playing the game. Note that the playable Alpha is very light on content - they're releasing playable stuff way ahead of schedule in order to drum up sales after the massive setbacks they've had (Google Checkout taking their money, Paypal taking their money, bombs going off near the office etc etc).

    Oh - and the 'tutorial skip' option they reference in those patch notes? Smothering your wife to death with a pillow.

    Bioptic on
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    Toxic PickleToxic Pickle Thash grape! Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    That is simultaneously the best and worst tutorial skip in any game ever.

    The linked article doesn't reference the rather gruesome 'tutorial skip' mentioned in the patch notes, I think because it was written before this particular patch. I saw it mentioned in the comments though, and after reading that article I came here to see if there was a thread about it. Unfortunately not much going on in here yet. :(

    Not really sure if this is the sort've game I'd be interested in playing, but I can imagine that I'll very much enjoy watching videos and reading commentaries of the many ways people have gotten themselves killed in it.

    Toxic Pickle on
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    DunxcoDunxco Should get a suit Never skips breakfastRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    That's... Really dark. D:

    But this looks right up my alley. I'll be keeping my eyes out for this official demo.

    Dunxco on
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    AsheAshe Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Want. D:

    Ashe on
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    HeirHeir Ausitn, TXRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Color me interested. I'll have to give it a shot tonight.

    What's this about the tutorial skip?

    Heir on
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    Jean Claude Van CalmJean Claude Van Calm 'sup? Awesome Possum.Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Oh man, so awesome. I got flustered from a horde following me and opened the front door instead of barricading... the horror... THE HORROR!!!

    Jean Claude Van Calm on
    PSN: Grimmsy- Xbox Live: Grimmsy
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    SmallCaveGamesSmallCaveGames Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Yes looks like someone finally has a legitimate grasp of what makes the genre tick - I like.

    SmallCaveGames on
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    CojonesCojones Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I just tried this game and am very happy with it. Question about the encounter near the start:
    Some dude showed up at my place and wanted to kill my wife, I tried working him over with a hammer but he keeps on nailing me with his shotgun. Can't find a way around this, any help?

    Cojones on
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    DunxcoDunxco Should get a suit Never skips breakfastRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Cojones wrote: »
    I just tried this game and am very happy with it. Question about the encounter near the start:
    Some dude showed up at my place and wanted to kill my wife, I tried working him over with a hammer but he keeps on nailing me with his shotgun. Can't find a way around this, any help?

    If you watch some Youtube videos it appears you can:
    Hide in another room before he comes in, he'll go straight upstairs to your wife, and then start yacking at her. Then you can sneak in and nail him in the back of the head with the hammer. From what I've seen, I think his appearance is timed based on getting the food made and the radio message.

    Dunxco on
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    JihadJesusJihadJesus Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I love the idea of this game so much. Won't get in on it this early but it sounds awesome.

    JihadJesus on
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    Rhan9Rhan9 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I really, really dislike the idea of no possible survival. There should be a glimmer of hope, or at the least of taking as many sons of bitches with you as possible(not applicable to zombies, as they don't value their lives). Otherwise seems pretty sweet.

    Rhan9 on
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    Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Gonna buy this after I eat breakfast.

    Lord Yod on
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    GaslightGaslight Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Rhan9 wrote: »
    I really, really dislike the idea of no possible survival. There should be a glimmer of hope, or at the least of taking as many sons of bitches with you as possible(not applicable to zombies, as they don't value their lives). Otherwise seems pretty sweet.

    Well, I would surmise that what we have here is a Dwarf Fortress-style "Losing is fun!" type of philosophy. Sooner or later you are going to get brainmunched, but devising increasingly clever and desperate strategies for holding out as long as possible and becoming more and more invested in beating lasting longer than your previous tries is a large part of the appeal.

    Or so I would guess. I'm probably going to wait until a "completed" public demo comes out to give this a try.

    Gaslight on
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    DunxcoDunxco Should get a suit Never skips breakfastRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I'm going to end up being the kind of person who makes multiple safe-houses and an ever-lasting chain of contingencies. Then the wife will need to be carried and she's too heavy so I die.

    Dunxco on
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    JihadJesusJihadJesus Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Gaslight wrote: »
    Rhan9 wrote: »
    I really, really dislike the idea of no possible survival. There should be a glimmer of hope, or at the least of taking as many sons of bitches with you as possible(not applicable to zombies, as they don't value their lives). Otherwise seems pretty sweet.

    Well, I would surmise that what we have here is a Dwarf Fortress-style "Losing is fun!" type of philosophy. Sooner or later you are going to get brainmunched, but devising increasingly clever and desperate strategies for holding out as long as possible and becoming more and more invested in beating lasting longer than your previous tries is a large part of the appeal.

    Or so I would guess. I'm probably going to wait until a "completed" public demo comes out to give this a try.
    Is the world procedurally generated? I could see this getting old if not and you know what to expect each time.

    JihadJesus on
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    LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    The current tech demo build is a lot of fun and shows a lot of potential.

    I'll be keeping my eye on this. Seems they are developing it pretty rapidly too.

    LewieP on
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    Rhan9Rhan9 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Gaslight wrote: »
    Rhan9 wrote: »
    I really, really dislike the idea of no possible survival. There should be a glimmer of hope, or at the least of taking as many sons of bitches with you as possible(not applicable to zombies, as they don't value their lives). Otherwise seems pretty sweet.

    Well, I would surmise that what we have here is a Dwarf Fortress-style "Losing is fun!" type of philosophy. Sooner or later you are going to get brainmunched, but devising increasingly clever and desperate strategies for holding out as long as possible and becoming more and more invested in beating lasting longer than your previous tries is a large part of the appeal.

    Or so I would guess. I'm probably going to wait until a "completed" public demo comes out to give this a try.

    Not comparable, since Dwarf Fortress has the potential for creating a fortress that won't implode unless something incredible disastrous happens, if planned properly. Also, the "Losing is fun!" comes from hilarious random catastrophes, and not from a "survival" scenario alone, where you can't actually survive. Another reason why I avoid Survival modes in games like L4D etc. If there's no chance of survival, why bother in the first place? Even the slightest possibility would be enough. Trying to beat your previous time or some such bullshit holds no appeal to me, which is unfortunate, as I like the idea of zombie survival otherwise. Hopefully Dead State has some hint of that at least.

    Of course, survival with no hope can work if there is some possibility of me working myself into a mental state of vindictive payback, but zombies don't offer that option.

    I'll still probably check this out :P

    Rhan9 on
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    MetallikatMetallikat Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    JihadJesus wrote: »
    Gaslight wrote: »
    Rhan9 wrote: »
    I really, really dislike the idea of no possible survival. There should be a glimmer of hope, or at the least of taking as many sons of bitches with you as possible(not applicable to zombies, as they don't value their lives). Otherwise seems pretty sweet.

    Well, I would surmise that what we have here is a Dwarf Fortress-style "Losing is fun!" type of philosophy. Sooner or later you are going to get brainmunched, but devising increasingly clever and desperate strategies for holding out as long as possible and becoming more and more invested in beating lasting longer than your previous tries is a large part of the appeal.

    Or so I would guess. I'm probably going to wait until a "completed" public demo comes out to give this a try.
    Is the world procedurally generated? I could see this getting old if not and you know what to expect each time.

    While the area's themselves are not procedurally generated, the contents of containers are random. I believe they are going to expand the current Alpha area, and have said they plan on creating different locales that can be traveled to as well. I do believe they've said the possibility of procedurally generated area does exist, but it's a far in the future kind of thing.

    Metallikat on
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    MulletudeMulletude Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Which of the rather lame looking games you have to buy to get lifetime access to this is the best?

    Mulletude on
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    MetallikatMetallikat Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Mulletude wrote: »
    Which of the rather lame looking games you have to buy to get lifetime access to this is the best?

    Honestly, I never even bothered with the game I bought to get Zomboid. I just bought the most expensive one to give them the biggest donation.

    Metallikat on
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    MulletudeMulletude Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Damnit. Got my use/pass but now the page to play the game is unresponsive. I want to board up windows and doors and pretend like i'm in Night of the Living Dead!

    Mulletude on
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    MetallikatMetallikat Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Hrmm... seems to be working okay for me. Your using http://cloud.projectzomboid.com/ right?

    Metallikat on
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    MulletudeMulletude Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Doh...the use/pass window popped up behind my browser. Loading now. :)

    Mulletude on
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    MetallikatMetallikat Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    LewieP wrote: »
    The current tech demo build is a lot of fun and shows a lot of potential.

    I'll be keeping my eye on this. Seems they are developing it pretty rapidly too.

    Right now, they're being slowed down because they have to process all the orders manually. They've said that they have someone setting up an automated process to take the burden off them.

    Metallikat on
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    MulletudeMulletude Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I am already working on a friend to pay for this. He says "It looks like the sims". :x

    Mulletude on
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    JRoseyJRosey Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    How the heck do you sleep?

    edit: must have been a bug; clicking a bed didn't do anything until I refreshed.

    JRosey on
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    B:LB:L I've done worse. Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Kotaku (bleh) had a good write-up of this as well:

    http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/06/in-the-zombie-apocalypse-i-died-of-cooking-soup/


    It reminds me of a more in-depth version of Survival Crisis Z

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    Which is a good thing.

    B:L on
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    Dongs GaloreDongs Galore Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Oh God, I accidentally used the pillow instead of the bandages


    D:
    There is no dee-colon large enough D:
    What have I done

    Dongs Galore on
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