zombie apocalypse, has anybody ever tried to do that?

  • 7 Replies
  • 5147 Views
zombie apocalypse, has anybody ever tried to do that?
« on: December 20, 2012, 07:38:28 AM »
hi,
with my gaming group we'd like to play something with zombies and pc's as survivors, but I feel that we need to change a few things of the basic Aw.

I'd like to know your experience about that.
For now I decided to remove the playbook, and focus on the Pc's -normal people in a special situation- how they relate to other survivors, scarcity and how the world change them.
and then come the zombies.
that's the main problem, I don't know how to handle a "fight" with the undead.

Some ideas come up, but none of them really satisfying, since all I want to do is to play that kind of setting I'd aprreciate some adivice.
Sorry for my broken english ;)

*

lumpley

  • 1293
Re: zombie apocalypse, has anybody ever tried to do that?
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2012, 12:19:45 PM »
I happen to know a guy who's this close to publishing a gutpunching zombies vs. survivors Apocalypse World hack, so look for it soon.

Meanwhile, for fighting with zombies you'd probably just want a custom move or two.

When somebody tries to fight a zombie, what are the possible outcomes, as you see it?

-Vincent

Re: zombie apocalypse, has anybody ever tried to do that?
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2012, 12:30:47 PM »
Hi,

For a fight with zombies, I think you need some custom moves.
Some ideas :

"When you open violence at zombies coming at you, roll+(combat stat). On a success or partial success, you inflict your weapon damage (see damage on a Gang -adjust gang size to the zombie horde size- to know the consequences). On 10+, both, on 7-9 choose 1 :
- You inflict terrible damage.
- You block the horde advance."

"When the zombie horde reaches you, roll+(combat stat). On a success, both, on a 7-9 choose 1 :
- You are not harmed.
- You make your way out."

That's only ideas and probably need more work... Maybe it's possible to merge the two moves into one, but I made two different moves to represent the fact that when the hordes has reached you, the problem has switched from "killing them" to "staying alive".

Re: zombie apocalypse, has anybody ever tried to do that?
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2012, 02:17:02 PM »
thank you both for the quick reply!
Anyway, yes I was thinking that I just need a couple of custom moves (maybe one for melee and one for long range shots?), but I always find myself stuck on the specific of the move.
Initially I thought of modifying going aggro and SBF to fit what I have in mind, but then I tought that probably it will be easyer to make a move from scratch.

and now a little brainstorming:

zombies are slow, not very smart, but implacable and hungry (for now I don't want to state a difference between a "fresh" zombie and a completely rotten one, I think that part stays in the fiction of the game.
One it's easy to handle, a group or...a hoard, it's a real pain.
I don't think they inflict harm, (maybe scratch with nails? but, hum..no) the trouble is if they bite you.

if you fight a zombie in melee:
10+ you may headshot them (on a10+)
on a 7-9 choose some option, like:
° you impede them
° you don't get cornered
° you take advantage

or maybe on 7-9 mc's choice:
° you miss something
° you broke/loose your weapon

if you fight with range weapon:
10+ headshot
7-9 headshot but you choose: use more ammo or expose yourself.

the two above are just gut examples (maybe even silly), but I'd like to have a move with the right "feel". Right now it all seems so messy, usually I dont have any trouble making custom moves for Aw, but that about fighting zombie, wow it always left me unsatisfied, like a food with no taste.

Quote
When somebody tries to fight a zombie, what are the possible outcomes, as you see it?
that sounds a lot like "turn their move back on them", ehehe.

Re: zombie apocalypse, has anybody ever tried to do that?
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2012, 03:04:50 PM »
You might want to read the Dead Weight hack here in the forum. Its unfinished and abandoned (as far as I know) but I found it very inspiring. Its a bit more specific setting though ...

Re: zombie apocalypse, has anybody ever tried to do that?
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2012, 03:14:41 PM »
Quote
You might want to read the Dead Weight hack here in the forum. Its unfinished and abandoned (as far as I know) but I found it very inspiring. Its a bit more specific setting though ...

thank you, I'll check it out!

Re: zombie apocalypse, has anybody ever tried to do that?
« Reply #6 on: December 26, 2012, 05:31:48 PM »
so far I made that stuff

https://docs.google.com/open?id=1PqiW5MFfVBpGhDfe2oxg4yT5eT82uSAY_GjlsGFVhYJ7SekuLrP42VjSEz3BtlezR28-MaLkNbN2o6IK
there are many things to refine, but I think I've found what I'm looking for.

@jimmeu: thank you, your insight was very useful!

Re: zombie apocalypse, has anybody ever tried to do that?
« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2012, 06:23:59 AM »
I madr another topic sith
My custom zombie apoc moves and shit:
http://apocalypse-world.com/forums/index.php?topic=5990.0