Practical Applications of Zombies

[nameless_survivor]

Vacuationer over the corpse.

As I understand it, the blood draw kit replaced the Vacutainer due to trademark/copyright infringement issues due to that being a brand name (I saw a cease and desist order they sent on the forum somewhere).

Is the coding still the same to allow that, or was the item reworked entirely?

[nameless_survivor]

Maybe we could stick a string in fat zombies and let them burn like a candle?

You want mobile, flaming corpses? Sounds like a fire hazard. Maybe a better way would be to harvest fat from them regularly, since the blob part is drawing in mass and energy from other dimensions to make it regenerate? Then just use the tainted fat to make oil or candles.

[darktoes]

Nah, tie them down. Or make use of a bear trap. Hell, strap them with dynamite and send them into a horde with a talking doll around their neck. Watch the fireworks.

Fat factory might be a better method, but it’s on the weird side.

[nameless_survivor]

Hell, strap them with dynamite and send them into a horde with a talking doll around their neck. Watch the fireworks.

I actually considered something like that, but how would you convince it to go towards the zombies and not turn around to follow you, or go off in some random direction?

Lets say you hang the talking doll about a foot in front of its face like a carrot on a string, its movement patterns would still be random, and simply reinforced by the doll. If it decides to look right, its going to start moving right. towards the doll that has moved. And if any louder noise catches its attention (gunshots for example), its going to turn towards them.

[darktoes]

Tied arms and a skateboard.

[nameless_survivor]

I’d cut its arms off entirely to begin with rather than tie them up.

As for the skateboard:
1.) How would it move on anything other than pavement, ex: grass.
2.) How would it stay upright on the skateboard?
3.) How to limit the directional control of the zombie? Skateboard could still drift to the left or right, if not outright turning around.

I just came up with a potential solution though: Remote control.

Super glue some earbuds into its ears, and duct tape an MP3 player to its back, with a radio controlled switch wired into each earbud cable. Then just steer it left and right by varying which ear is getting sound with a remote control or a laptop or something. All you would have to do is slap a vest with dynamite or remote C-4 on it, release it, and guide it to the target.

You could do the same thing only with a camera or something duct taped to its head instead, and boom, instant meat-probe for exploring cities from safety.

[Trigon]

Yeah I think so. I haven’t used it since it got renamed, but I can’t imagine the code change was anything more than renaming it.

[darktoes]

If you cut off the arms they will just regenerate (Although I guess zlaves are proof the goo doesn’t regenerate between “deaths” so I dunno what to think about that)

Sounds overly complicated. Hogtie it, set the bastard on fire, roll it down the street in a shopping trolley, watch a horde chase after the jingly glowy fun thing, set off the C4 and start playing your favourite music.

[nameless_survivor]

Well why bother with a zombie? just stuff a shopping cart full of C4 and cut out the middle man.

Besides, with the guidance method, you could stick a camera on them and use them basically like zombie cruise missiles or reconnaissance drones. You could hit places you can’t see, guide them around corners, into buildings, etc.

[darktoes]

It’s more fun if you start with an initial killcount of 1 AND it’s a zombie candle, and that’s great.

Guidance method is cool, but at that point just find a drone, stick a pheromone ball on it. Why do you need a zombie involved?

[nameless_survivor]

Are there drones in game? I haven’t found one or seen a recipe for one.

This would be a way of making a “drone” from easily found materials. Designing/building an actual drone, like a quadcopter or something from scratch isn’t easy AT ALL. This would be a (relatively) low tech and expendable alternative to a valuable high tech device.

[darktoes]

Ehhh I suppose. Drones are common enough IRL that I’d think finding one would be pretty easy, if they were added to the game. Personally I’d prefer to just find one, but I guess if you have all the parts for a drone and would prefer it was stinking, rotting and tried to bite you, be my guest.

[nameless_survivor]

Oh believe me, if I could find drones all over the place, my preference would be to use them rather than a zombie. But if you can’t find any, or don’t want to sacrifice your drone as a cruise missile, this would be the way to go.

[darktoes]

Seems like putting all the parts from a drone except props and a few less electric motors, but I guess that’s still something.

[nameless_survivor]

I was thinking (50) battery (1) MP3 player, (1) superglue, and (4) scrap electronics (2x relay switches, 2x reciever circuits) for the basic camera-less version. Relay switches can be wired to the MP3 player’s battery.

[darktoes]

Well yeah, but that’s only vaguely controllable, and you can only control it so far as you can see it. Without a camera or anything you might as well just throw the explosive.

[nameless_survivor]

I’d use the dot on the map to guide it to targets that are offscreen, but still in sight and out of throwing range. Like say a horde attracted to a distraction device, but that you are out of detection range of.

[darktoes]

Dot on the map? Huh? Not sure what you’re referring to.

If you got the distraction device there, why didn’t you set up a bomb as well?

[nameless_survivor]

Dot on the map? Huh? Not sure what you’re referring to.

The local map. Its on the right side of the screen. All entities in sight show up as dots on it. Dangerous ones are red or something, neutral ones are grey. Just watch the grey dot.

If you got the distraction device there, why didn’t you set up a bomb as well?

Because I forgot to plant it? That’s a reasonable point. Camera would probably be important.

[darktoes]

The local map. Its on the right side of the screen. All entities in sight show up as dots on it. Dangerous ones are red or something, neutral ones are grey. Just watch the grey dot.

Oh, I kind of forgot we were still talking in game terms. Yes, I suppose you could use that, but realistically speaking you would have no idea where it was once out of sight.

Because I forgot to plant it? That’s a reasonable point. Camera would probably be important.

You managed to set up and plant a distraction device without the bomb for which it was planted AND happened to have a “disarmed” zombie and a set of equipment for turning it into a drone just lying around in your back pocket?
I don’t disagree that it would be a neat toy to mess around with. But practically speaking I don’t know if it’s that effective.