Something about zombies.

So here's a thing somebody taught me about zombies. The guy was kinda short, and I think he had a third eye, but that's not important right now - this is what he told me.

There are three reasons that people have a healthy fear of zombies.

1. They represent 'disease'. Massive epidemics that whipe out entire continents if given half a chance. Usually, in zombie franchises, you've only got a handfull of 'immune' characters, who can't be affected by what turns the dead into zombies in the first place - no guarantees for bititng, though. This is a fear that branches nicely from real life - think Ebola, Spanish flu, and (snicker) Mexican flu...oh, who am I kidding, the Mexican flu is jackshit.

2. They (sort of) represent overpopulation. Fun fact: we're all terrified of other people - all those slow, lumbering jackasses who should be thrown into a woodchipper if we had our way, right? No? Just me? Anyway, that's another thing - a lot of folks are scared that there're just entirely too many people...aaaand they're right. We should depopulize.

3. There's the whole 'brutality' thing going on. Zombies act like mindless killing machines. They want your brains, and God damn, they'll make complete assholes out of themselves to get it. They're basically mankind, with what keeps them alive ramped up to eleven - brutalness, bloodthirst, beastial behaviour, and violence. See: the Ragers, the Infected, etc.

Now, pay special attention to that last point folks, because that's where our story of whimsy, fantasm and gore begins!

Let's put a few facts together. First thing up, Zombies Scare The Crap Out Of People, for aforementioned reasons.

Second thing up, Human Savages Scare People. You know what I'm talking about - homeless people that chase you with sharpened bindlesticks, people who do stuff like... say, Columbine, to give a very risky answer, and our all-time favourite, cannibals. Humans are the other red meat.

Third and last, Humans Have A Very Rational, Deepseated Fear, Of The 'Human Savage' With A Working Mind Behind It - e.g Hannibal Lecter, Leatherface, Jigsaw. Intelligent Psychopaths That Want Nothing More Than To Really Ruin Your Shit.

Phew.

So, if it isn't clear by now, my premise is as follows - you take your usual Zombie Virus, and you start the first infection. Probably, at least some 85% of the world will be infected, and the rest would be immune to the probably airborne virus.

But these aren't your average zombies. They're not shambling, brainhungry automatons, nor are they just very fast and jumpy brainhungry motherfuckers. See, this'm particular strain of zombies is a bit more cunning, a bit more clever, if you will.

Sure, your average zombie will know that where there's noise, there's humans, but let's take a look at, for example, the movie I Am Legend (no bitchin' 'bout the mangled ending plz). The Darkstalkers (or whatever-which-thing they were called) actively set traps for Will Smith's character, showing a level of intelligence I've personally not yet encounted in any other zombies. And if you've seen the director's cut, you know the big reveal - they're all kinda intelligent, they just wanted the girl that Will Smith's character vamp-napped back, and then they'll bugger off... after eating him.

So, the premise is, Zombie Apocalypse with the twist du jour: intelligence and malevolence. There's active scheming and brain function going on behind (what remains of) their eyes, but they've just got the single goal of 'murder', and there's no human inhibition left - no morals, no regret, no compassion.

No empathy.

Thoughts?

So the virus turns everyone into Axe-Crazy Blood Knights? Sounds rad.

This, good sir, I would follow. Wholeheartedly.

@Moriatti: Yeah, but rotting ones! :D

@K*SPAM: <3

There is but one problem you will have to dodge with this idea: Depending on the level of refinement present in your zombies, you may run into the "Hillbilly Horror" subgenre, which includes things like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the Hills Have Eyes, etc.

Which, reading your post, fit all the requirements of a "human savage" that frightens the rational, intelligent mind, played out with the extra fun of added urban/rural prejudice thrown into the mix.

So, to avoid this problem, make your zombies either talk normally or not talk at all, which is how I Am Legend managed to make its zombies so different- they were savage, but not once in the movie did I think "hillbilly". In addition, zombie "tech" should not have anything to do with two-by-fours or duct tape.

You can kind of see where I'm going from here. :)

Sound advice. *bows*

Apart from I am Legend, the idea makes me think of the reavers from Firefly; bloodthirsty, sadist lunatics, who apparently still had the wherewithall to operate spaceships.

I would go with the silence approach. It keeps a certain mystery about them. Maybe if there's a need to have them communicate, have it done through a leader or "spokesman" of sorts. If they start talking too much, you start viewing them more like the other characters. You start wondering what they think and feel about this whole thing. If they're still intelligent, why don't any of them overcome their urge to kill? If they're so murderous, how come they don't attack each other? Do they have regret? That sort of thing can change the whole dynamic of the monsters. Which in itself isn't a bad thing, but it doesn't sound like what you're going for. I think silence will be better at maintaining a more ominous, frightening feel, since you really don't know what makes them tick, only that they do tick.

Also, make various types of zombies, depending on what kind of person the zombie was in life (think the Hollows mixed with The Infected).

edited 7th Dec '09 10:45:25 AM by K*SPAM

@Stranger: I was thinking of a compromise. They speak very occasionally - mostly to provide Nightmare Fuel. E.g "This door can't stop all of us.", "I smell you..."

@K*SPAM: I was thinking of that, but I don't want to rip off L 4 D too much.

TD;WR (Too long, but WILL READ!!)

I'll respond to this in time. great idea!

I think that wolf or raptor type pack-hunting, where the commands are silent and hidden, but effective and brutal would be pretty amazing to see, and less common.

@Moriatti: Now that I like.

So you're saying that they're more cool and calculating than your average zombie.

Does that mean they're sentient?

Why yes.

AND THEY! DRINK! YOUR! MILKSHAKE! THEY DRINK IT ALL!

I mean would they do crazy crap For the Evulz like carving your brains out while humming Mrs Robinson?

edited 7th Dec '09 12:52:01 PM by Schitzo

O HELLS YES!

Well, some of them are definitely going to be psychopaths now...

You're getting a highfive! :D

Sounds basically like how evil vampires (like Dracula are usually portrayed. But are you planning to have a whole horde of them, with more zombie-like strengths/weaknesses?

If by 'whole horde' you mean 'roughly 85% of the population of the Earth', and by zombie-like weaknesses you mean 'they die when you shoot them', then, yes.

Thank ye, Mister Always.

A sign of acknowledgement! Yes!

edited 7th Dec '09 2:57:31 PM by Schitzo

One of things I would recommend, would be a gaping hole in the front of the neck or something so that you can't hear them breath or their chests don't move. I'd recommend some sort of high frequency communication. And they have a horrible overpowering stench. That way you can't hear them coming, only smell them or see them. And they like to pace so that everything smells like them, Paranoia Fuel is fun stuff.

They kind of remind me of my own creation: the Reapers. Except the Reapers just want you dead.

@Deboss: Nice.

Some pretty good ideas here.

Will these zombies have their own culture? Some odd sort of Zombiefied Valhalla seeking, if you will?

edited 8th Dec '09 12:09:05 AM by Schitzo