# Children of the cataclysm

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [August 22, 2020, 7:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534 "2020-08-22T19:41:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 18\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![spicyshadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@spicyshadow](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/spicyshadow)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 7:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/1 "2020-08-22T19:41:41Z")

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So should children be implemented (or not for ethical and controversy reasons) as possible NPC’s or for player characters. And if we do:

1. How should this effect gameplay and the capabilities of your characters.

2. What new gameplay opportunities or challenges could we make with such a addition to the game?

3. Could you start as a young child and grow up to be a absolute unit of a survivor taught not by any parent or mentor but by the brutal world itself.

4. Could you start as a parent desperately trying to protect your child(ren) or adopt one of the few orphans left that isn’t adopted by the undead.

(This is supposed to be a discussion on how children as **CHARACTERS** could be implemented into the game. This does **NOT** include “reproduction” so please do not discuss that in this thread.)

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**Author:** ![Litppunk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/litppunk/32/409_2.png) [@Litppunk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Litppunk)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 7:51pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/2 "2020-08-22T19:51:41Z")

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I’ve seen talks of this before, don’t remember the conclusion though. See if you can pull up anything with a search

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**Author:** ![spicyshadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@spicyshadow](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/spicyshadow)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/3 "2020-08-22T20:10:23Z")

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I’ve also looked but all I could find where threads about zombie children or thread that where really about “reproduction” with children only being discussed as a result of that. I didn’t find anything about how children could be implemented into the game. The closest thing i could find was about reducing the age to under 16 for certain scenarios or professions.

If you know of any than please point me to them.

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**Author:** ![Litppunk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/litppunk/32/409_2.png) [@Litppunk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Litppunk)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 8:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/4 "2020-08-22T20:16:47Z")

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hmm ok, Ill see if i can pull anything up I think I remember there being one where having an child-npc to take care of from start came up, I think the only solution at the time was some japanese mods/forks and the like though some mods were thinking about making something.

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**Author:** ![Fris0uman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/fris0uman/32/8607_2.png) [@Fris0uman](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Fris0uman)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 7:59am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/5 "2020-08-23T07:59:14Z")

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Currently you can play as 16 yo character. It doesn’t do much though. So a first step would probably be to expand what the age and size parameter affect in term of game mechanics.

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**Author:** ![Litppunk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/litppunk/32/409_2.png) [@Litppunk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Litppunk)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 8:51am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/6 "2020-08-23T08:51:09Z")

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there were mods made apparently for making starting scenarios/proffesions as kids but I didn’t see anything about… AH found it.

> [@"Caretaker" profession, and bed-ridden NPCs?](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/caretaker-profession-and-bed-ridden-npcs/9329):
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> Between the Project Zomboid tutorial and the winter segment in Last of Us, I’ve been itchy for a bedridden survivor to take care of… Ideally there would be morale boosts for taking care of them, morale damage for failing to take care of them, and a severe morale hit if they died… Not sure if something like this would need to wait for the major NPC overhaul, but it’d be a lot of fun to have now… First, it’d actually force me to settle down in one place instead of grabbing a Hippie Van and drivin…

Relevant but not helpful. Don’t think anything ever came of it. Sorry.

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**Author:** ![Invalid\_Username](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Invalid\_Username](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Invalid_Username)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 12:18pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/8 "2020-08-23T12:18:56Z")

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I mean, he was right. The concept of adolescence is incompatible with the apocalypse. Any mod that wants to make children a thing will have to contend with that reality.

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**Author:** ![spicyshadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@spicyshadow](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/spicyshadow)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 5:01pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/10 "2020-08-23T17:01:25Z")

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Didn’t I explicitly state that reproduction should not be part of this discussion.

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**Author:** ![TheMasterGear](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/themastergear/32/11430_2.png) [@TheMasterGear](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/TheMasterGear)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 5:18pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/11 "2020-08-23T17:18:30Z")

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Some player have tried playing as kids by starting with the tiny mutation and using some other mutations to simulate being a kids. Frankly I’d like the challenge to play a kid, but would it be too hard to implement? Starting as a kid could be a profession that gives more trait point to spend in character creation?

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**Author:** ![Litppunk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/litppunk/32/409_2.png) [@Litppunk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Litppunk)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/12 "2020-08-23T17:19:18Z")

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sadly reproduction was frequently the closest I could find to such scenarios other than starter scenarios with you AS a child. Or held overlap Sorry.

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**Author:** ![spicyshadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@spicyshadow](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/spicyshadow)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 5:27pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/13 "2020-08-23T17:27:19Z")

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I think implementing starting as a little child would make for a great challange for experienced players. Having to run away from everything and being unable to do many things (construction, metal work, driving, fighting) as well as many weapons and armors being unjusable for you on top of severe state penalties would surve as a great challange for experienced players. The ultimate goal being to survive long enough to grow up (reach age 16 or 18) and form there the game becomes much the same as it is now.

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**Author:** ![Litppunk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/litppunk/32/409_2.png) [@Litppunk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Litppunk)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/14 "2020-08-23T18:02:33Z")

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yeah honestly it holds some of the same problems with lower tedium and added challenges. From an enjoyable game-play perspective its a better challenge.

XD should those wanting pregnancy put into the game ever become a problem it could even be held up ‘as a you must be this tall capable’ bar though thats more of a exercise of cathartic argument triumph than actual likely problem.

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**Author:** ![Rot](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/rot/32/454_2.png) [@Rot](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rot)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 10:38pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/15 "2020-08-23T22:38:48Z")

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I dunno, my two cents are more NPC quests centered around helping small kids/teens. More quests in general, I say - I really do like the added flavors that some of the quests available give in the current stage of the game.

It would be pretty badass to do quests for NPC kid/teen survivors surviving in a barricaded school with or without adults, though I wager military/armed civillian adults/older teens barricading and making a school a stronghold is more realistic.

I’m pretty sure we also have a minor NPC character in the refugee center that is around 14-16. Some quests for her might be cool.

But I remember way back when you could play as an elementary school student, though that was more of flavor than anything.

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**Author:** ![TheZoneWizard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/thezonewizard/32/1397_2.png) [@TheZoneWizard](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/TheZoneWizard)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 10:53pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/16 "2020-08-23T22:53:12Z")

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Not sure how it would be implemented unless it were an NPC that you come across and they act like any other NPC; but with a higher chance of them asking you for help or being feral ala Newt from Aliens.

Kind of treat them like a lost puppy. Treat their skills as SUPER slow to gain for game balance(even though kids learn faster before 18). Make them low in stats. Have them follow commands like Follow, Hide. Hiding should be a run to wear enemies are not and crouch behind something or in a vehicle. You can use the Hide command to then bring up a pointer similar to “Looking” and mark a spot for them to run to and crouch until you Yell their name + “Follow”. Also could just walk up to them and talk normal.

If this NPC command system gets implemented. It would also carry over to animals and taming. If you tame an animal like a dog. It can “Learn” commands, having a higher success of them following such commands each use. Children would already understand and follow commands as a default.

Clothing should also have a change up for “Small” assuming this is not already a thing. I really don’t remember. Certain items would not be child size small, but could be Fit for them. Some more adult specific items like Kevlar vest may be tailored for small size or a Horse riding vest may be a found item. Those sometimes have kevlar(but has lower protection than standard or tailored).

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**Author:** ![Rot](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/rot/32/454_2.png) [@Rot](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rot)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 4:43am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/17 "2020-08-28T04:43:09Z")

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Finding kid/teen NPC’s and bringing them to refugee camps, (the ones that are set up near ranches) for quest rewards/role-play value would be cool.

I could imagine recruiting scavengers or wanderers for work on these ranches would be great as well, perhaps to increase production of consumables like foods, bullets or other miscellaneous supplies that can be picked up by the player at some other time?

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**Author:** ![spicyshadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@spicyshadow](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/spicyshadow)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:23am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/18 "2020-08-28T10:23:07Z")

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I just want the challange of surviving the apocalypse as a child against all odds.

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**Author:** ![Profugo\_Barbatus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@Profugo\_Barbatus](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Profugo_Barbatus)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/19 "2020-08-28T14:50:57Z")

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You can already do that with some roleplay, low stats, and either a custom profession or debugging in to get a small size mutation. A childs difficulty in surviving is just as much mental acuity as it is physical, so you’d have to play them as a child to create that experience. The physical part can already be simulated.

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**Author:** ![TheZoneWizard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/thezonewizard/32/1397_2.png) [@TheZoneWizard](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/TheZoneWizard)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/children-of-the-cataclysm/24534/20 "2020-08-28T21:05:23Z")

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This is a really great idea. Setting up a survivor ranch and send people to the camp. Not specifically a player base. It would or could grow on its own. Have percentages of survival and grown/development based upon resources and the skills each NPC that is accepted into the camp. Crap skills and low resources could mean high rate of disease and poor health/living conditions. Higher rate of violence towards other NPCs when things turn ugly. Ala, they turn into a bandit camp if they get real unhappy or lose to many people. Various triggers.