Gametype: Outbreak Hardcore

[Mr. Three]

Players: 15-40.
Light weapons and socks only.
Ten hour maximum duration.
Viral timer game mechanic:

All players are given index cards marked with different times starting from the game start time. That time is the time at which they are "killed" by the airborne virus. They reanimate as Zombies 15 minutes later. The distribution of the death times should represent a bell curve, with two or three players "dead" at game start time +0 hours and two or three players' death clocks set to the desired game endpoint (hour six or seven for most applications). All other death times should fall somewhere in between peaking at hour 4 or 5 depending on maximum duration. Obviously a player tagged by a Zombie no longer has to be concerned with their timer.

Death clock distribution for a game lasting six hours with thirty players:

+ 0h: -2 Humans
+ 1h: -4 Humans
+ 2h: -5 Humans
+ 3h: -6 Humans
+ 4h: -7 Humans
+ 5h: -4 Humans
+ 6h: -2 Humans

Mission rewards add time to the survivors' death clocks. Mission failures may reduce the time on the player death clocks.

I got this gametype idea from the Virus Gauge on Resident Evil: Outbreak, hence the name.

[Markus]

This sounds sorta like a movie I saw a trailer for like three days ago. It's got Justin Timberlake, and it's about people who live for as long as the clocks on their arms tell them to. Here's the link. My one worry is that it kinda makes zombification a less skill related thing, and sorta encourages people to camp if they have enough time.

[Mr. Three]

I didn't know that movie existed... I can't wait to give more of my money to Justin Timberlake.

It does make camping an issue, but the idea is that you'd be running mandatory missions every other hour and players wouldn't be allowed to go inside buildings for anything other than bathroom/food breaks. That's how we do all of our abridged games and Humans don't have much opportunity to hide from Zombies while their numbers are decent. Also players aren't supposed to show their index cards to each other so that keeps the suspense up.

I can see why growing the horde through an automatic process would be controversial, but Zombies would probably like it more than dislike it. Humans might appreciate the steady challenge, but I dunno, I'd have to run this game first to tell you the attitudes about it.

[The Enabler]

Light weapons and socks only.

I've seen this reference before but I don't see it in any of the rule sets. What do you define as a "light weapon"?

Thanks.

[Mr. Three]

10 round capacity or less.
Non-automatic action.

So, stuff like RF20s/Swarmfires/Vulcans/Stampedes are a no-go.

CS-system blasters are fine if only 6 round magazines are used.

We also ban dual wielding Barricades by name as they function as a 20-round semi-auto which is pretty scary in theory for the balance we're going for but we've never really seen it come up as a balance issue (just us preemptively overthinking).

So like, the strongest thing you could reasonably use would be a Tek-10 or Barricade in terms of capacity...

EDIT: after a year of moderating experience I see no reason to limit Human weapons for a gametype that is already stacked against them more than the normal HvZ experience. Derp.

[torukmakto4]

Isn't even a single Barricade technically "automatic", or is it only full autos that are banned?

Faced with that situation, I would make lots of purpose built 10 round mags. 4 more legal rounds is very significant. I would make a point of practicing mag changes and counting rounds in combat. Would definitely need mag pouches of some sort, and possibly dump pouch as well.

I would also run a modded alpha or gripped LS. Most likely the latter, but the former can be slamfired and likely can be pushed to almost-banned ranges there anyway.

Adapt or die... I WILL fight effectively despite your efforts to kill me by limiting my weapons.

[The Enabler]

10 round capacity or less.
Non-automatic action.

So, stuff like RF20s/Swarmfires/Vulcans/Stampedes are a no-go.

CS-system blasters are fine if only 6 round magazines are used.

We also ban dual wielding Barricades by name as they function as a 20-round semi-auto which is pretty scary in theory for the balance we're going for but we've never really seen it come up as a balance issue (just us preemptively overthinking).

So like, the strongest thing you could reasonably use would be a Tek-10 or Barricade in terms of capacity...

Thanks. I had supposed it was something like this but I like your definition.