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How to handle an infected teammate in a co-op game?

4 replies [Last post]
Wed, 07/27/2011 - 10:41
JonnyRotten
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Joined: 05/04/2009

I'm working on a co-op zombie survival game. Focusing less on fighting, and more on survival. But I have a mechanic in place where the players may become infected, and when dieing, have the choice whether to pick a new character, or join the zombie team.
But, I would like to introduce the "mercy killing" an infected friend scenerio from many zombie stories. Or to prevent a potential traitor =-)

What is a good way to handle it?
Allow a player to attack another player they feel is infected?
Make the player make the decision themselves to "eliminate" the infection?
Put the infected player in an infirmary (public knowledge) and allow any other player to visit that action space and "help him on his way"

Right now the combat Vs the zombies is a very simple X + weapons > Z value. Where X = combination of die rolls according to the # of survivors the player commits.

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Wed, 07/27/2011 - 11:25
#1
Yamahako
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Joined: 12/01/2010
JonnyRotten wrote:I'm working

JonnyRotten wrote:
I'm working on a co-op zombie survival game. Focusing less on fighting, and more on survival. But I have a mechanic in place where the players may become infected, and when dieing, have the choice whether to pick a new character, or join the zombie team.
But, I would like to introduce the "mercy killing" an infected friend scenerio from many zombie stories. Or to prevent a potential traitor =-)

What is a good way to handle it?
Allow a player to attack another player they feel is infected?
Make the player make the decision themselves to "eliminate" the infection?
Put the infected player in an infirmary (public knowledge) and allow any other player to visit that action space and "help him on his way"

Right now the combat Vs the zombies is a very simple X + weapons > Z value. Where X = combination of die rolls according to the # of survivors the player commits.

I think you have all the parts of a really good idea.

You can announce that you've been bitten. If you do you do to the infirmary (or enter an infirmary status). Once there or in that state you have reduced effectiveness and at a certain point will immediately join the Zombie team if not "helped on your way." You come back as a new character if helped on your way.
If you don't announce that you've been bitten, then you can becomes a Zombie on your own.
A player may shoot another player, at which point its revealed if they are a Zombie or not. If they are - then yay you killed a Zombie. If they are not - there should be some penalty for the team - and/or perhaps the dead member in that case can NOT come back as a new character.

This would let someone be sneaky or not at their own comfort level, as well as give the team a way to fight back against a traitor - but a substantial penalty for misjudging a traitor.

Just basically arranging your thoughts.

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Wed, 07/27/2011 - 14:15
#2
OATS
OATS's picture
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Joined: 11/23/2010
I like the sound of your game

Do individuals who have been bitten have a countdown to turning into a zombie? Or do they turn when they die? Perhaps they should loose a life token every round and if they can keep themselves alive or other players keep them alive by means of healing (not necessarily a cure) then they should keep there humaninty.....for a little bit longer.

If you have equipment, interrupt, or event cards you should introduce the mercy killing card that "plays on table" (remains active) that allows players who don't want to risk the infected individual to completetly turn. This way players know have the option to remove an infected individual instead of helping them. They can also be doing it for greedy reasons like taking that infected individuals equipment or money.

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Wed, 07/27/2011 - 14:41
#3
ofercohn
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Joined: 07/25/2011
Nice idea!

i think it shouldn't be 100 percent clear if you're infected or not- that adds to the intensity and paranoi (but i saw how he bit no! no it was only a flesh wound..) and for interesting player interaction. you should find an interesting mechanic that alows players to assume who's infected but not be totally sure. you can graft yamahako's idea on to this of course for interesting results.

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Wed, 07/27/2011 - 17:41
#4
JonnyRotten
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Joined: 05/04/2009
Re

I agree it shouldn't be entirely clear. And up to the player. The shamed "I got bit" look from a good zombie movie. Or the "No! I cut myself on something!" argument.
There will be an event, trigger by the players drawing cards (kind of like Epidemics in Pandemic) which will trigger several in game things, including the zombie kickover. So the players won't be able to say "Ok, we have three turns until he turns, lets use it to our advantage!".

I think I have a good idea for a "punishment" for players killing a suspected infected player.

Excellent comments so far, I'll post some more details soon.

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