Here’s another essay of mine for The Escapist, out this week. It questions why so many games use death as the main consequence for failure. In keeping with the week’s theme of indie games, I’ve pointed out a few examples (Passage, Karoshi and Urban Dead) that use character death for completely different means, instead of the usual die-and-respawn model.

Overall I’m pretty happy with the article, though it was a real challenge to avoid turning it into an essay on video game violence, lest my original intent be tainted. You can see in the forums, however, that there’s a consequence to leaving that stone unturned — people still think of video games in terms of shooting everything that moves and slaying villains before they kill you, and in this context the die-and-retry model still makes a lot of sense, so people have mixed feelings on whether death-as-failure works.

But ultimately, violence is another convention that needs to change. Indeed, my appreciation for Karoshi and Passage deserve praise for punking that mode of play as well.

Newman, Indies, Urban Dead, Violence | No Comments »

The siege on Caiger Mall began right in the middle of my vacation.

Not that it mattered, I was already dead. A human killed me for no apparent reason. From a cruise ship Internet station, I shambled to the nearest revive point and waited until I reached port. In the interim someone brought me back to life, in the midst of what seems like my personal zombie apocalypse.

Over 150 zombies have crowded the nearest Necrotech building, where survivors can find needles to revive their comrades. Hundreds more wait outside the mall itself. The radio is buzzing with chatter, from strategic to humorous to delirious. Back at the mall, someone spraypainted “ABANDON SHIP!” on one of the walls.

At the moment, the doors to the mall are heavily barricaded, but the number of survivors inside doesn’t instill confidence. I’m waiting until later tonight, when it’s said the zeds are making their big push. I’ll be barricading and dumping bodies, because I have no ammunition and not enough health kits to be an effective medic. Vacation truly caught me off guard.

Urban Dead | 7 Comments »

I checked in this morning and read radio transmissions regarding a zombie clan called Life, the Universe and Everything. Malls around the city of Malton are falling, and a lot of folks think Caiger is next.

This time, I will not run. Caiger has been good to me, and I’ve become quite powerful since I last posted here. Many zombies have known re-death after staring down the barrel of my pistol. I had buyer’s remorse after taking the “headshot” skill recently, but not anymore. I’ll need it to keep the zeds from standing up so fast. LUE, bring it on.

Urban Dead | 2 Comments »

In the span of 30 hours, I died, lurked as a zombie, and became human again.

It started with a poorly planned attack run out of Caiger Mall. Though I left myself enough Action Points to return safely to the mall, I didn’t check the entry point to make sure it wasn’t too heavily barricaded to get back in, nor did I leave enough points to find an alternate course of action. I ran out of points and fell asleep just outside the mall, and for the next few hours, real life took precident. Over that time, I was mauled.

For a few minutes, I just stared blankly at the screen. I was so determined not to die that when it finally happened it seemed like the game was over. But there are ways to become human again. Scientists trained in revivification can bring lost souls back to life. All it takes is some research and some patience.

After death, the game tries to lure you down the dark path with the promise of new evil powers, but I wanted none of it. Over the night, I sat idly, regenerating action points and plotting a course to the nearest revive point. When I got there, I uttered the obligatory “Mrh?” — universal zombiespeak for wanting a revive — and waited. I also used a Revivification Request Tool in hopes of speeding the process.

Just a few minutes ago, I was relieved to see someone had brought me back to life. I stood up, ran back to Caiger Mall, and cashed in my experience points for some firearm skills. I’ve got a few pistol clips that are waiting to be used. Fuck healing other survivors; I am out for zombie blood until further notice.

Urban Dead | No Comments »

Did I do the right thing?

As warnings of a massive zombie horde invading Dakerstown became more urgent, I decided to run — north, east and finally south to Chudleyton, near where I originally began this adventure. Now I learn the area is in dire straits. The one contact I had from the Crimson Clan has become a zombie.

My decision, I think, is justified because of my limited attack skills and nonexistant barricade abilities. The most I could have done would be to stand in the way and provide an occasional health pack. Chances are I would probably end up dead anyway, and I can’t let that happen.

Along the way to Chudleyton, I used most of my first aid stockpile on lone survivors, some of whom had pretty low health before I came along. This is what I had intended to do in my current status, and I intend to keep doing it until I’m experienced enough to fight the horde effectively.

Problem: As I typed this, a survivor entered the building I was in and killed one of the humans inside. He is gone now, but I don’t know if or when he’ll be back. I need to plan an escape, but my action points are extremely limited. Send help to factory 15,20 if possible. I don’t feel safe here, so I’m planning to make a dash toward Caiger Mall. I have exactly the number of action points I need to get there, +1 in case anything goes wrong. Of course, if there’s any danger when I get there, I’m screwed. Perhaps karma is coming ’round…

UPDATE: Made it to Caiger Mall. Nothing but survivors around. Seems safe, for now.

Urban Dead | 1 Comment »

This just came over the radio:

# 28.01 MHz: “Any one there?” (14 hours and 18 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “We are in the cinema and need help!” (14 hours and 17 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “anyone, please, the cooksley cinema, i don’t know wher it is” (14 hours and 17 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “Just help u- AAAAAHHH!!! ITS GO- AAAAH!!!!” (14 hours and 16 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “It is the Will of the Dark God that you surrender your life” (14 hours and 16 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “and be Reborn in a new and Holy form! Accept the” (14 hours and 15 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “What!?!?! don’t say that!!!” (14 hours and 15 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “Will of the Dark God! Accept the Will of the Storm!” (14 hours and 15 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “never demon!!!” (14 hours and 15 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “I’ll kill you!!!” (14 hours and 15 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “Allleluja! Alleluja! Alleluja!” (14 hours and 15 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “GRAAAAAHHH!!!! *static*” (14 hours and 14 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “Another Miracle, children. How blessed are we to have heard” (14 hours and 14 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “it this night. Meditate on the Will of the Dark God,” (14 hours and 14 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “Amen.” (14 hours and 13 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “Attention, Malton: the Red Shotgunner will claim the life” (14 hours and 13 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “of a survivor within the next three days.” (14 hours and 13 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “–{Transmission: Begins}–” (13 hours and 58 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “In accordance with section 943a, this is a statement…” (13 hours and 57 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “from the Tactial Area Rescue’s Council on Martial Law.” (13 hours and 57 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “Recent activity of multiple persons violating the TAR…” (13 hours and 57 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “Martial Law Proclamation, and repeated violations of the” (13 hours and 56 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “established Curfe for Wyke Hills have not gone unnoticed.” (13 hours and 56 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “Anyone found in violation of said curfew shall be terminated” (13 hours and 55 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “…” *static* “… you, dumb asshole, you …” *static* “…ers killed me. I just rev’d” (13 hours and 55 minutes ago)
# 28.01 MHz: “Those in violation shall be terminated. Transmission End.” (13 hours and 54 minutes ago)

Urban Dead | No Comments »

Free run has been acquired, and I used my new skills to access an extremely heavily barricaded police station, where I’m now chilling with the Crimson Clan. I also found a radio. This appears to be a pretty safe shelter, with a hospital nearby, so I’m going to hide out in this area for a while and build up supplies.

I haven’t figured out what I’m going to do from there, but I may wander as a rogue and help other n00bs in need.

DoctorRevive, if you’re reading this I’m going to try to migrate over to Northeastern Malton in the near future, but not until I’m fully loaded with first aid kits.

Urban Dead | 2 Comments »

Sirs never showed up. In over 24 hours the only contact I had was a few flare guns set off many blocks away. I’ve since decided to build my skills on my own by attacking zombies when I can, then retreating to a Very Strong Barricade. This worked for a short while at the warehouse, but I noticed zombies were getting close, so I struck out to another shelter several blocks north.

I made it a fire station that seemed like a good spot to continue the strategy, but before long most of the blocks around me were filled with the undead. I didn’t have enough energy to hide elsewhere. The only thing I could do was sit in the fire station, which luckily had seven other survivors there. I rested and hoped for the best.

This morning I woke to a zombie attack. They had destroyed the barricade and entered the building, and naturally they bit me. A lot. I wasn’t there for the bloodbath, but somehow I survived. Whatever ghouls got in there must have fallen asleep or been killed by the other survivors. Not everyone else was as lucky. Unfortunately for me, one of the zombie bites was infected, so I had to use my only first aid kit on myself to keep from draining health. There was still one zombie in the building, and several looming outside. I was forced to use my alloted action points to get the hell out of there.

Now, I’m slightly north and pretty far west of my last location. I’m in a VSB museum with two other survivors, and the surrounding areas aren’t nearly as infested as the firehouse. I’ve got 39 experience points — only 36 away from gaining Free Run. I’m going to rest here until I’m ready to fight again, but I feel naked without a health pack.

Urban Dead | 1 Comment »

Thanks to an article in last week’s Escapist, I’ve started playing Urban Dead, a browser based MMORPG where you are a survivor in a city full of zombies. If you die, you become one of the zombies. My story thus far:

I decided to be a medic. On my first day, I didn’t want to do much, because if I made too many moves I would run out of “Action Points.” That causes the player to fall asleep, totally susceptible to any passing ghoul. So I clicked my way to a few nearby buildings, looked around a little, and ducked into what seemed like a safe shelter. Another player was there, and someone had spraypainted “JOIN A GROUP OR DIE” on the wall. Apparently, players can join factions with other players, either as survivors or as zombies. I was a little afraid that the other guy would kill me, but I took my chances and logged out for the night. One action point regenerates every half hour, so I’d have to wait a while to play again.

Next day, I was happy to still be alive, and decided to roam a little more. About 20 action points into my stash of 50, I found another Very Strong Barricade — the vets call it a VSB, and zombies have a tough time getting in. But I wasn’t satisfied with such a short round, so I ventured out further. Unfortunately, almost everything I came across was heavily barricaded, and I was unable to find shelter. I did some research online and found that the part of town I was in is filled with those kinds of structures, as well as a lot of zombies. I had to get out, fast.

With just ten action points left, I found a hospital called St. Elisabeth’s with a note on the door. Apparently, a faction operates there, but it’s heavily barricaded. For more information, the note said to check the St. Eliz’s Wiki. After some Googling, I found the wiki and learned that a warehouse just north of the hospital is only strongly barricaded, and is a good place for n00bs who don’t have Free Run (where you can walk skip from building to building without losing action points). I ducked into the shelter, posted a note asking for help and went to bed. Someone had spayed on the wall, “Noobie Clinic, keep at VSB.”

Today, there was a note inside the warehouse from someone named Sirs. He said he was from the hospital, and would help anyone who pledged their allegiance. I’m pretty desperate at this point, so I said I was in and relaxed with a few rounds of Halo. I also stepped outside and swung my fists at a zombie that happened to be lurking outside the hospital. It didn’t fight back so I think it was asleep, and though I wasn’t able to kill it, I got some experience points for my efforts.

Shortly thereafter, Sirs posted another note. Medic is a tough class to start with, he said, but since this part of town is getting boring, he’s going to set up an escort to another hospital where I can be of use. He said to check back in for instructions tomorrow. We’ll see.

Storylines, Urban Dead | 2 Comments »