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Poll

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven Poll

  • Fully Support: I love the idea of random events and believe they will significantly enhance the game experience. 3
  • Somewhat Support: I'm open to the idea of random events, but they should be implemented carefully to avoid disrupting the main narrative. 15
  • Neutral/Unsure: I don't have a strong opinion either way. It depends on how these events are integrated into the game. 3
  • Oppose: I prefer a consistent story experience and believe random events might detract from the core narrative. 1
  • 2023-09-19
  • —2023-09-26
  • 22 votes
{'title': 'Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven Poll', 'choices': [{'text': 'Fully Support: I love the idea of random events and believe they will significantly enhance the game experience.', 'votes': 3}, {'text': "Somewhat Support: I'm open to the idea of random events, but they should be implemented carefully to avoid disrupting the main narrative.", 'votes': 15}, {'text': "Neutral/Unsure: I don't have a strong opinion either way. It depends on how these events are integrated into the game.", 'votes': 3}, {'text': 'Oppose: I prefer a consistent story experience and believe random events might detract from the core narrative. ', 'votes': 1}], 'closes_at': datetime.datetime(2023, 9, 26, 18, 10, 20, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc), 'created_at': datetime.datetime(2023, 9, 19, 17, 49, 54, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc), 'description': None, 'allow_multiple': False, 'total_votes': 22}

Content

I've been contemplating the integration of random events in "Safe Haven". By "random events", I'm referring to unforeseen incidents that could surface unpredictably throughout gameplay. These could range from surprise attacks on the junkyard by other groups, unexpected encounters with survivors during journeys, sudden zombie onslaughts, or wild animal confrontations.

Such events could pivotally influence the narrative. Players might stumble upon crucial items, come across new survivors or factions, or even re-engage with familiar groups.

Incorporating random events presents both advantages and challenges:

Pros:

  • Unpredictability: Each playthrough introduces an element of surprise, ensuring that even with a new character, certain events remain unforeseen.
  • Replayability: With the possibility of diverse outcomes, players are encouraged to experience the game multiple times.
  • Dynamic Challenges: The varied nature of these events presents fluctuating challenge levels. Some might be straightforward to navigate, while others could pose significant hurdles.
  • Life-like Authenticity: Life's unpredictability is mirrored in the game, rendering a more genuine and immersive experience.

Cons:

  • Complex Playtesting: Ensuring that each event is properly tested becomes challenging, as not every tester will encounter all the random events in a single playthrough. This necessitates multiple replays to identify every event.
  • Potential for Frustration: Encountering a succession of challenging events might agitate players.
  • Narrative Cohesion: The broader storyline might lose some of its tight-knit feel due to the randomness.
  • Game Balancing: Crafting a balanced gameplay becomes intricate, especially when players' paths diverge significantly due to these random occurrences.
  • Coding Challenges: Detecting bugs can be trickier when integrating random events, especially in Choicescript games.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. How would you feel about the inclusion of random events in "Safe Haven"?

Comments

Barrett

Personally i think that the idea of random events and encounters really add to the replay ability of the game i myself have done at least 50 play throughs since launch and thoroughly enjoy the game. If some are hesitant to play with it if possible you could potentially have an option to toggle them on or off for the play through

jimdattilo

That's a really great suggestion to include a question asking if the player wants to "turn on" random events. I can easily implement that.