GCR Zombie Regions

[[violet]]

I would like to preserve the "event" nature of Z-Day, but am interested in adding some new layer that would allow it to run longer, like maybe even a Z-Week. At the moment a lot of people miss out because they aren't around during the critical hours.

[Lockdownn]

I would like to preserve the "event" nature of Z-Day, but am interested in adding some new layer that would allow it to run longer, like maybe even a Z-Week. At the moment a lot of people miss out because they aren't around during the critical hours.

If that were the case, I'd like an option to opt out after the 36 hours the event runs for.

[Trotterdam]

If the event is extended, it would have to be slowed down. Most regions have either obviously got the situation under control or obviously fallen to the zombies by the end of 24 hours, so anything after that is mostly cleanup.

That in itself isn't a bad thing, since, as you say, it would let more players participate, and be less penalizing to people in the wrong time zone to log in within the first hour of the apocalypse. However, I foresee three problems:

First is attention span. If superweapons take in the order of several minutes to recharge, then that's long enough that people will get bored waiting for them, but short enough that you'll miss a lot of shots if you don't keep paying attention. This would likely lead to less optimal superweapon use overall. I guess it wouldn't be too bad if we're just extending to a week, though. Changing firing rates proportionally would mean one every 1 or 2 minutes, which I don't think is so long that people will inevitably wander off. Though relatedly, people are less likely to remain invested for a full week rather than one day. Short version: expect a smaller percentage of the total number of allowed superweapon shots to actually get used.

Second is that many regions lock down their borders for Z-Day. That's not too much of an inconvenience for a day or two, but having regions go into week-long or month-long paranoia would be discouraging to newbies who just happen to join the game in that period.

The third problem is that Z-Day border controls are also abusable by normal raiders. It's limited how much damage they can do in one day, but total everything-proof lockdown for a full week is enough to close embassies without defenders being able to lift a finger, and amass a fair amount of influence.

[United German Regions]

I would like to preserve the "event" nature of Z-Day, but am interested in adding some new layer that would allow it to run longer, like maybe even a Z-Week. At the moment a lot of people miss out because they aren't around during the critical hours.

If you do this I think you need to weaken the zombies a little bit since some regions fell really quick.

[Nullarni]

I would like to preserve the "event" nature of Z-Day, but am interested in adding some new layer that would allow it to run longer, like maybe even a Z-Week. At the moment a lot of people miss out because they aren't around during the critical hours.

The biggest problem that I have seen is the fact that our region's Australians do a good job of cleaning things up before everyone gets a chance to help. We Americans do the initial organizing, then hand things off the the Aussies, and when we wake up we find everything has been taken care of. Don't get me wrong, we appreciate their hard work and all, but after the first shift is over there isn't much to do besides watch the clock run out. Perhaps you could throw in a curveball or two so that the curing game is extended a bit more in regions that close their borders. Ideally we would like to see something that moves the workload or the excitement from the beginning of the event more towards the end.

My thought is add in a modifier based on the embassies each region has. If the regions they have an embassy with are overrun, there is some spill-over from it. (And perhaps the same for regions that are doing well.) This would encourage closed regions to venture out and help allies a little more. Or maybe you could throw in infection resurgences where the virus mutates and becomes resistant to the researched cures, resetting the cure status. (Something that would make curing nations panic and switch to kill the zombies.)

[Trotterdam]

A problem with a "late resurgance" is that it could kick you off the "most survivors with no infected" list without warning, possibly too late for you to get back into gear and do something about it.

Having Z-Day depend on embassies would similarly create a huge difference between regions with many embassies and ones with few embassies, something that is a largely cosmetic choice the remaining 99% of the time. And closing embassies takes too long to work during the apocalypse, when you suddenly realize you're being attacked through them. Something that you can't respond to isn't very fun.

Otherwise, I'm all for making the zombies harder. People in my RMB were complaining that they were boringly easy this year, we had the zombies on the run almost immediately despite a lot of big nations in the region not being active.

[Nullarni]

I understand what you are saying, but I think we agree that Z-Day success should be based on performance during the entire event, not just the first 12 hours. Right? Besides, I doubt they would set a resurgence just an hour or two before the clock runs out, but that kind of thing would turn the most survivors with no zombies list into an elite group. Not necessarily a bad thing...

Also, you make a good point about embassies, but Z-Day isn't about being balanced or fair, is it? I mean, regions with higher numbers of nations, (particularly inactive ones,) were greatly disadvantaged even if they were well organized. Same with those lacking an active executiveduring the first crucial hours. Embassy collectors should expect some disadvantage at least. Anyway, I am sure that it can be set up to be more of a trending than a major shift. Something that encourages you to help the regions you have embassies with, but not big enough to cause you to close all you embassies a week before.

What those in my region would like to see is us having done everything right, but still be sweating it as we watch the clock count down to zero.

[TestIsland]

You could add some amount of regional play into the mix, so it sustains itself after the initial period reaches a level of in-game stagnation?

A region that has >90% zombies would be allowed to horde other regions. (by executive action from Founder, Delegate or Regional Officer)
Similarly, one that has >90% healthy people would be able to cure-nuke and TZES other regions.

That would give a region a reason to be united in their effort to horde/kill/cure, because they would need for almost everyone to be in the same state (living or undead) to use the megaweapons.

[Bears Armed]

but Z-Day isn't about being balanced or fair, is it? I mean, regions with higher numbers of nations, (particularly inactive ones,) were greatly disadvantaged even if they were well organized. Same with those lacking an active executiveduring the first crucial hours.

And, because of the epidemic's starting time, regions with active Antipdoean members have an advantage on getting to grips with the problem compared to regions whose members are all in Europe or the eastern USA ...

[Trotterdam]

Hmm?

The last epidemic started at 20:00 GMT. Or maybe 19:00 GMT, it was around the edge of Daylight Saving Time. (Stupid Daylight Saving Time. Abolish it already.)

In most of North America, that translates to 12:00 to 15:00, which sounds like when an average person is likely to be at work or school, but not in bed.

In Australia, that translates to 4:00 to 6:00 AM. Only people with very weird sleep schedules are going to be awake then.

Assuming that most people are most likely to play computer games in the evening after coming home from work, this starting time seems like it's approximately ideal to be convenient on both sides of the Atlantic, compromising between the eastern US and western Europe. (Too bad there's not many people accessing NationStates from in the Atlantic, though...)

Am I calculating something wrong or am I just even more out of touch with what humanity-at-large considers "normal" than I thought?

[United German Regions]

Hmm?

The last epidemic started at 20:00 GMT. Or maybe 19:00 GMT, it was around the edge of Daylight Saving Time. (Stupid Daylight Saving Time. Abolish it already.)

In most of North America, that translates to 12:00 to 15:00, which sounds like when an average person is likely to be at work or school, but not in bed.

In Australia, that translates to 4:00 to 6:00 AM. Only people with very weird sleep schedules are going to be awake then.

Assuming that most people are most likely to play computer games in the evening after coming home from work, this starting time seems like it's approximately ideal to be convenient on both sides of the Atlantic, compromising between the eastern US and western Europe. (Too bad there's not many people accessing NationStates from in the Atlantic, though...)

Am I calculating something wrong or am I just even more out of touch with what humanity-at-large considers "normal" than I thought?

On the East Coast, USA it started at 4pm, a time when most people are at work, after that its a little bit of time to fight zombies (only like an hour or two) then eat and sleep.