Games by JimD Newsletter -- More Part 2-2 details, Part 3 info, Q&A

Patrons get to read this 1-week ahead of time. Enjoy!

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By far, I get more questions on future content than anything else.  So in this newsletter, I will provide details on Part 2-2. I will also answer some questions from readers which I am sure relates to things many of you are wondering.

This newsletter contains some Part 2 spoilers, so if you haven’t read it yet, do not continue with this newsletter.

Part 2-2

One point must be made clear about Part 2—any new content cannot go past the current end of the game. In other words, I cannot show you what happens after your group meets Eli. However, I can add content on the hill to provide more things to do, places to explore, and opportunities to interact with other characters.

I am well aware of the main criticism of Part 2—that it is too short. People who say this are looking at it as a linear form of fiction in which you read 30,000 words in one sitting and never pick up the book again. This is clearly not the game for those people. However, I do recognize that the game can be repetitive and stagnant if you only exist in the camp on the hill. Therefore, I will be adding three new missions, which will extend the overall word count and playtime.

One concern I have heard voiced relates to the amount of time on the hill. Currently, you have a very fixed amount of time on the hill in chapter 6 for open-ended content. You can go with the twins to the lake, scavenge with Rachel, reinforce camp, go scouting, etc. Adding new content could force the player to miss out on doing everything they want to do.

Here's the good news...I will be extending that time and reducing the time it costs for several actions. Therefore, the new content will not reduce the opportunity to do all of the activities you are already able to experience.

As you may recall, three new missions are being added to Part 2-2: scavenging a farm house, visiting a gas station, and investigating a research facility. Each of these locations will have provide a few key opportunities:

• Use underused Skills like Driving, Science, and Stealth.
• More opportunities to be impacted by Challenges, especially Kleptomania, Claustrophobia, and Delusions.
• You will be able to travel solo or bring others. Some group members will be mandatory to bring on specific missions, while others will be optional. For example, on one mission, Brody and Madison will go with you. In addition, Gina will ask to go (if she is alive and in your group). You can choose to take Gina or not.
• You will be able to scavenge for new weapons, gear, and food, including some unique new items. For example, you will be able to find a porn mag to give to certain characters who would appreciate it.
• Both the player and other characters may die in the new content. Your nephew and pet may also die in the new content.

In addition, you will be able to:

• Work on your research of the Zeta virus.
• Place at least one SurvNet server in a new location.
• Contact Colonel Goodman and the New Army.

Overall, the content will provide more length to the game and generally be more difficult than other areas of Part 2.

Q&A

This month, I am answering questions from my Patreon patrons.

What's your favourite zombie film?

There are so many, but my favorite is 28 Days Later. While some may not consider it a true zombie film, the setting and theme are close enough to include in the genre for me. The story showed the desperation and will for people to survive and how quickly morality changes when civilization falls. As a movie, the acting and writing were also superb.

Runner ups go to World War Z, Night of the Living Dead, and Train to Busan.

Are you going to write anything else this year alongside ZE SH?

I am currently coding a game for Heart’s Choice. In May, I am starting on a new Hosted Games title set in the Zombie Exodus Universe in a boarding school. This will use the same mechanics as ZESH: Skills, Challenges, Inventory, and Relationships. Mia, who wrote sections of ZESH Part 2, will be co-writing this game.

I will also be coding a Hosted Games project for two writers that is set in a horror-inspired world, not related to zombies.

Finally, I pitched a new title to Choice of Games, and we are in the outlining stage.

Basically, I am a busy writer.

In part 3 is the number of your relationship with others survivors important? For example one of my profiles I'm romancing Bailey and my relationship with her is somewhere in the low 90's. Is that number gonna have any significance or no?

Higher relationship values, as with all Stats, will be modified at times and I do check thresholds if you want to convince NPCs to do something. For example, if you want to convince Bailey to run into a burning building to save your cat, it may take a 90% relationship score. Also, if you are in a relationship with her, it may take a high value for her to accept a marriage proposal.

When writing these NPC side story [for Patreon stories], what is the general policy towards the MC’s influence? So far at least Rachel and Sifer haven’t met the MC, but what happens after they had potentially interacted with the MC? Sifer for example don’t show up on the highway with Gina if we didn’t met.

I have thought about several ideas but one I would like to do is build an MC through patron feedback to use in these stories. For example, I would set up polls for us to pick gender, background, skills, and challenges. This crowdsourced MC would be used for all Patreon stories.

I doubt I will write stories that recap what happens in the game. The purpose of the stories is to extend the content outside of the game, enhance character development, and explore other parts of the ZE Universe. So, I will not write a story about the MC meeting Sifer in the boarded-up house, but would write a story on what happens to Sifer after she is bitten in the Battle on the Hill after she leaves the MC.

Would you ever write a short epilogue about how the characters would react/cope should our MC die?

I have considered adding a short scene to handle player death. I am likely adding this to Part 2-2. I would not want to add anything after player death, since it would shift the POV of the main character. However, things like being bitten, injured, or captured may provide opportunities to explore the impact of the MC’s death on the group and specifically an RO, Jaime, and the nephew.