Author Topic: when the end comes !  (Read 259759 times)

Thaurismunths

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Reply #125 on: April 17, 2007, 01:16:20 PM
Because the bigger the island, the harder it is to keep secure and the higher the chance of getting an infection somewhere.
Also "Large" is a relative term. Technically North and South America make up an island, so does Europe/Asia/Africa. The idea is to take as large an island as you feel you can keep safe.

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Heradel

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Reply #126 on: April 17, 2007, 05:04:54 PM
Oh. I'm assuming only a few million will survive the first month, with a hundred thousand to maybe three million surviving for the year. Less will head to the ocean, being too far inland and, due to the concentration of humans along the coasts, there being a stronger zombie presence on the beaches. Remember, Zombie infestation will probably be a pretty exponential curve.

Retreat to small islands, then band together to invade larger ones.

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lowky

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Reply #127 on: April 17, 2007, 05:24:24 PM
Ahh say the hell with it, join the winning side, and seek out a zombie to bite you.


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Reply #128 on: April 18, 2007, 04:18:46 AM
Guns seems to top everyone's list of survival gear.  But what about those of us who don't live in the US and Canada?  Here in Japan, I could probably get a pistol from a police station, but I don't know if they even have shotguns. 



Heradel

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Reply #129 on: April 18, 2007, 05:25:34 AM
Guns seems to top everyone's list of survival gear.  But what about those of us who don't live in the US and Canada?  Here in Japan, I could probably get a pistol from a police station, but I don't know if they even have shotguns. 

You mean the streets aren't paved with Katanas? Damn, there goes my Japanese fantasy.

Well, remember Zombies are slow, and eminently whack-able. I'd use whatever you can, because there are only so many bullets, and not all zombies will be as vulnerable to them as they will something that could cause decapitation. If you do happen to be near an old weapons cache, I would grab anything that's long and has the sharp shiny bit far away from you so the zombies will only get about that far.

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Thaurismunths

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Reply #130 on: April 18, 2007, 11:08:10 AM
Guns seems to top everyone's list of survival gear.  But what about those of us who don't live in the US and Canada?  Here in Japan, I could probably get a pistol from a police station, but I don't know if they even have shotguns. 

Hmmmm... good point.
I guess I've always figured I'd have a (pile of) gun(s), with some sharp weapons as back up. In fact, that seems to be the idealized survival plan.
But how will you survive if you don't have guns?

More to your question thought, I would suggest you research zombie outbreaks in your geographic area. There seem to be some rather significant differences in the types of zombies you get. For instance, in china zombies hop around with arms outstretched.

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slic

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Reply #131 on: April 18, 2007, 04:39:57 PM
Overall guns are quite impractical - as mentioned above, you need something with decapitation potential - which means most pistols, small arms, etc are right out.  Shotguns are about all I can think of.  Then you have all the problems with ammunition - getting it, carrying it around, reloading the weapon, weapon jams etc.

My first stop would be the local pawn shop as they always seems to have long sharp shiny things lying around.  Though, I suppose most of those are cheap imitatoin knockoffs.  Where would one go to get a good sword or machete?
If you are in an industrial part of town, a good grinding wheel and some steel might suffice.




RichGarner

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Reply #132 on: April 18, 2007, 05:27:16 PM
For good decapitation capabilities, we will need a modified turkey arrow.

Like this:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xgVKCfrKwWw
WARNING: Graphic content!
« Last Edit: April 18, 2007, 05:31:28 PM by RichGarner »

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Reply #133 on: April 18, 2007, 05:56:52 PM
In any case, decapitation may not be enough. For humans? Yes, that would be enough if you're being attacked by your own. But for zombies, that may not be enough.

Maybe, if given enough time, you could [if the zombies are virus-based] find an anti-biotic against them. Maybe one that's slow acting. Capture a zombie, inject it, and let it go again into the zombie populace.



Heradel

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Reply #134 on: April 18, 2007, 06:12:09 PM
In any case, decapitation may not be enough. For humans? Yes, that would be enough if you're being attacked by your own. But for zombies, that may not be enough.

Maybe, if given enough time, you could [if the zombies are virus-based] find an anti-biotic against them. Maybe one that's slow acting. Capture a zombie, inject it, and let it go again into the zombie populace.

Slight semantics problem: anti-biotics work only on bacteria, not viruses. The only 'cure' for a viral infection is preventative, a vaccine.

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Thaurismunths

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Reply #135 on: April 18, 2007, 06:40:09 PM
In any case, decapitation may not be enough. For humans? Yes, that would be enough if you're being attacked by your own. But for zombies, that may not be enough.

Maybe, if given enough time, you could [if the zombies are virus-based] find an anti-biotic against them. Maybe one that's slow acting. Capture a zombie, inject it, and let it go again into the zombie populace.

Hey Wiki, I don't mean to nit-pick, but how familiar are you with zombie movies?

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wakela

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Reply #136 on: April 18, 2007, 11:50:30 PM
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For good decapitation capabilities, we will need a modified turkey arrow.
Man, Rich.  Someone is having one helluva Thanksgiving.

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In any case, decapitation may not be enough. For humans? Yes, that would be enough if you're being attacked by your own. But for zombies, that may not be enough.
True, that there is a lot we don't know about zombies, but we are just going to have to make some assumptions.  I think it's a safe bet that you can kill them by removing or damaging the brain.  Personally, I think a bullet to the brain would be sufficient rather than smashing the whole thing. 

I agree that guns are a poor long-term solution.  I would just like to have one to get as far as the marina.  The good news about Japan is that you're never too far from the water, but the lack of weapons (it's illegal to own swords, too) is going to be a problem.  Though now that I think of it, we do have a few castles, which would be quite impenetrable to zombies, and no picnic for armed gangs.  I'll have to mull that one over a bit and get back to you...

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More to your question thought, I would suggest you research zombie outbreaks in your geographic area. There seem to be some rather significant differences in the types of zombies you get. For instance, in china zombies hop around with arms outstretched.
That's a good point.  I don't think I've seen any Japanese zombie footage.  Ghosts, yes.  So I do my best to keep my wife happy, so that if she dies suddenly, odds are that she won't die angry with me.  From what I've seen, if you have a Japanese ghost pissed at you, you're boned.  She got her hair cut short recently, which I think is a good sign.

Of course we get a giant radioactive monster about once a month.  But the mutant high-school girl brigade usually makes short work of them.

What am I thinking?!  American military base!  I have a passport!
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Heradel

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Reply #137 on: April 19, 2007, 12:05:34 AM
Hey Wiki, I don't mean to nit-pick, but how familiar are you with zombie movies?
I've only really seen three or four (two of which are Shaun of the Dead and Planet Terror, so I'm not really sure how much they count), so hopefully that doesn't disqualify me or anyone else from this thought experiment.

No offense to the good zombie flicks, but a lot of them are somewhat formulaic by conceit (normal day -> Zombies! -> Running for our lives! -> NPC's Die! Horribly! ->Protagonist, maybe his girl, escape! (Or not!) ), which is hard to get around with the main concept, which is pretty much always that zombies come, take over most of the world, small segment of humanity survives. I'm screwing around with a friend on a zombie film script, so maybe it's just me but I'm running into all these problems and trying to figure out good, non-formulaic ways around them. Which isn't easy.
« Last Edit: April 19, 2007, 12:08:12 AM by Heradel »

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Thaurismunths

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Reply #138 on: April 19, 2007, 11:44:24 AM
I've only really seen three or four (two of which are Shaun of the Dead and Planet Terror, so I'm not really sure how much they count), so hopefully that doesn't disqualify me or anyone else from this thought experiment.
Not at all!
There's really no being disqualified from a 'how to survive zombies' thread. It really was an honest question because there are a few concepts that are considered pretty universal when it comes to zombies:
-They're dead or back from the dead (which is not the same as alive).
-Destruction or removal of the head kills them.
Now, that's not the be-all and end-all of zombies. There's plenty of grey area (and matter) left to explore.

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No offense to the good zombie flicks, but a lot of them are somewhat formulaic by conceit (normal day -> Zombies! -> Running for our lives! -> NPC's Die! Horribly! ->Protagonist, maybe his girl, escape! (Or not!) ), which is hard to get around with the main concept, which is pretty much always that zombies come, take over most of the world, small segment of humanity survives. I'm screwing around with a friend on a zombie film script, so maybe it's just me but I'm running into all these problems and trying to figure out good, non-formulaic ways around them. Which isn't easy.
That's not an offense, that's just the truth. And it's a hard one to get away from.
If you're looking for something different you could consider is to just start with zombies. Don't make the audience wait for them to jump out from behind a tree, and don't start with a foreshadowing event. Opening scene: day time, city, horde of zombies shambling around on the street, survivors penned up in an office building. Let character development happen as the story progresses. Let conflict arise between factions of survivors, not zombies and survivors. etc.

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Startrekwiki

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Reply #139 on: April 19, 2007, 02:28:34 PM
Thentions
Opening scene: day time, city, horde of zombies shambling around on the street, survivors penned up in an office building. Let character development happen as the story progresses. Let conflict arise between factions of survivors, not zombies and survivors. etc.

And maybe, eventually, factions of survivors all split, then are nearly destroyed, then join because of a really tragic event that makes everyone think a little harder about survival against the enemy, and not against themselves.

I'm surprised that there has never been a zombie film (to my knowledge) that ends with zombies destroying humanity.



Michael

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Reply #140 on: April 20, 2007, 07:55:22 AM
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I'm surprised that there has never been a zombie film (to my knowledge) that ends with zombies destroying humanity. 

The Richard Matheson based movie with Vincent Price was the closest I have seen, but Matheson was a genius, and they were vampires anyway.  Unless you make the zombies somewhat sympathetic, who would go see a movie about them winning?



Thaurismunths

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Reply #141 on: April 20, 2007, 11:06:04 AM
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I'm surprised that there has never been a zombie film (to my knowledge) that ends with zombies destroying humanity. 

The Richard Matheson based movie with Vincent Price was the closest I have seen, but Matheson was a genius, and they were vampires anyway.  Unless you make the zombies somewhat sympathetic, who would go see a movie about them winning?



*raises hand*

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ClintMemo

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Reply #142 on: April 20, 2007, 11:53:45 AM
Unless you make the zombies somewhat sympathetic, who would go see a movie about them winning?



The perfect sequel to "Shaun of the Dead".
« Last Edit: April 20, 2007, 11:55:19 AM by ClintMemo »

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Reply #143 on: April 20, 2007, 12:00:09 PM
"Return of the Dead"?



Thaurismunths

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Reply #144 on: April 20, 2007, 12:40:49 PM
Speaking of movies,
How a bout a list of worth-while zombie flicks...er, documentaries?

-Night of the Living Dead
-Dawn of the Dead
-Day of the Dead
-Army of Darkness
-Evil Dead/Evil Dead II (same movie)
-Children of the Living Dead
-I Walked With A Zombie
-Re-Animator
-Return of the Living Dead: I, II, & III
-White Zombie

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ClintMemo

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Reply #145 on: April 20, 2007, 02:03:53 PM
Shaun of the Dead.

Life is a multiple choice test. Unfortunately, the answers are not provided.  You have to go and find them before picking the best one.


RichGarner

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Reply #146 on: April 20, 2007, 03:45:33 PM
28 Days Later

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Thaurismunths

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Reply #147 on: April 20, 2007, 04:54:19 PM
28 Days Later
Is that a zombie flick?
I thought they were infected with "Rage?"

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RichGarner

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Reply #148 on: April 20, 2007, 06:43:39 PM
For me, it's close enough. Kinda like Resident Evil (if you will forgive the bad acting, writing and directing) in that the "zombies" are created by chemical means before they are even dead. It gives the illusion of zombification even though they are simply infected with a behavior altering plague.

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lowky

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Reply #149 on: April 20, 2007, 11:55:23 PM
Not your typical zombie movie, but based on a true story...
The Serpent and the Rainbow

Just don't forget to close your eyes during the scene that caused a collective grown and leg crossing by every male in the theater when I saw it.