While the term Zombie is used loosely to describe the infected, in the Outbreak world official organizations and news media (before the collapse) would refrain from such a term. Instead, they are just referred to as, “the Infected.” The following is an  overview of the infection and the characteristics of the Infected to assist your RP should you find yourself infected or playing a “zombie” character in Outbreak.

OOC Rules Regarding Playing A Zombie (Or With A Zombie):

• Only those who have become infected and "died" or are part of Fost Larix's approved attacks may play zombies. IM him to be vetted. You must have either a tag or your HUD must identify you as an infected to others. 
• Attacking zombies may not be NPCed
• At this time the HUD should not be used while RPing a player to player Zombie attack
• Just play fair. The more complaints we get, the less likely we will allow players to play zombie. Don't shoot every zombie in the head and expect it to die. Don't complain every time you are shot in the head as a Zombie.
• Don't try to force infection on any player. it is absolutely their choice.

The Contagion:

The Contagion is confirmed to be a mutated strand of the Bundibugyo Ebolavirus (BEBOV). This strand of Ebola was discovered in 2007 and believed to be a failed attempt at weaponized warfare for ethnic cleansing in Africa. The strand has since been mutated is now infecting humans at an exponential rate. It was airborne at its inception which led to the outbreak, but the rapid mutation of the virus has since removed its airborne toxicity, but made it near impossible to develop antivirals for. What treatment that has been developed is not guaranteed to work and only slows the process in hope that one day a real cure can be found. As of now, death and reanimation can be delayed, but is inevitable.

Why is there no cure? Because, while  there is a reasonable right to life in the roleplay community, a lack of cure helps create the fear when it comes to survival RP. Some people may wish to play “infected” for a while before dying, which can be great fun! Quarantines, experimentation at the labs, spreading infection - have at it! Should you choose to become infected you are choosing to eventually die. Your HUD will help you determine how infected you might be, give you choices in your stages, but will eventually indicate you have a choice to die and reset your character or come back as a zombie.

4 Stages of Infection:

Point of infection: OOCly this is where you choose to become infected or not. This is the most treatable “stage” where amputation or bloodletting within the first 24 hours may keep the virus from spreading and full infection. You can choose from your HUD to be infected or not. If amputation is not a possibility only AES or Deimos Labs are equipped to perform bloodletting and your character will most certainly be indebted to them after for using such precious resources.

Stage 1: The viral infection is fully introduced into the body, most commonly through contact with contaminated specimens and open wounds (bites, scratches, blood). In as little as 15 minutes or as much as a 24 hours, the symptoms can be felt. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, light headedness, irritability, sharp pains, fever, sweats, hallucinations, and blackouts. You are not yet infectious, but likely be quarantined if found exhibiting these symptoms. It has an incubation period of 24-72 hours.Treatment can be used to delay patients from progressing to later stages for up 10 days.

Stage 2: Due to increasing fevers and the onset of violent muscle spasms, the virus begins to take its toll on its victims motor functions. Victims exhibit incoherent speech, loss of motor control in fingers and hands, inability to walk and run, and tremors. They also begin to exhibit violent behaviors and are prone to bite those trying to aid them. Victims in Stage 2 are considered infectious and undergoing treatment to delay progression can be very painful. Painkillers have no impact. Most patient’s immune systems do not last past 5 days before progressing to Stage 3.

Stage 3: Victims begin nearing the final hours when they enter Stage 3. Nearly brain dead at this point, those who make it to Stage 3 will be nearly comatose, while the brain nearly boils inside the body due to fever. When not comatose, victims have extremely violent tendencies and are considered cannibalistic. In most cases, a stage 3 infected will have no recognition of people, or the mental capacity to use tools, operate machinery, or do anything they were once able to do as “human”. Treatment in stage 3 is difficult, rare and individuals would never have the same cognitive abilities again should a cure be found. Stage 3 patients can not survive longer than 24 hours without treatment and even with treatment they rarely last more than 3 days. 

Stage 4: Man you're dead! Once you reach Stage 4 expect death within hours. The seizures get so violent and most victims clench their teeth so hard they crack and break apart. The pupils turn a dark red. At this point, the victim has been written off, last rights are given, and the body properly disposed of - with a bullet to the brain if the cleaning crew has their wits about them. Reanimation is imminent.

Note: you may go as quickly through these stages as you want!

The Infected: 

• The infected are considered re-animated corpses. There is no mutation or special abilities bestowed upon them.
• Due to their decomposing physical forms, infected do not run, they walk or shamble forward. When close to a target they will traditional lunge at them in a final attempt to attack its prey.
• The only way to kill an infected is with a direct blow that destroys the frontal lobe of the brain. It is important to remember, the skull is one of the thickest bones in the body and is designed to protect the brain. It is also important to remember, precision accuracy with a firearm to hit such target is not commonplace and wielding a melee weapon strong enough to decimate a skull would be tiring on the defender. Zombie’s are not overly hard to kill, but they aren’t easy to kill either.
• The infected are most attracted by sound and secondly by movement. Covering yourself in zombie blood and guts may mask you as long as you are not in close quarters, but you are putting yourself at risk with infected blood.
• The infected have no memories or recollection of their prior lives. They lack all reasoning abilities. They are in fact DEAD.
• The infected can not open doors and do not know how to work ladders. They simply try to go through things. They do have the natural instinct to crawl/climb, so it is possible they fall atop each other and slowly climb walls - but it would take numerous infected, as they can not pull themselves up.

• This topic was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by  esperanza-hernandoz.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by  esperanza-hernandoz.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by  esperanza-hernandoz.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by  esperanza-hernandoz.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by  Nadir Taov.