The Walking Dead (OOC)

I say that only because I agree, entirely, with KR's concerns. My approach to this thread was also a wait and see.
 
I agree, it should be that the characters are realistic, but it could be that some are a bit more unusual, but not any that can, for say, kill someone by kicking them in the stomach, or can do an awesome roundhouse kick. Then it just gets too unfair and no fun.
 
The only thing worse than that is when people make characters armed with guns right off the bat. It´s the stupidest, most anticlimactic, most infuriating thing about zombie RPs on the Internet.

When people think that their characters are badass because their contribution to the group is killing scores of zombies with supreme ease, those characters should be killed in the quickest, most excruciating manner possible for one simple reason: they take the danger out of what is supposed to be a hellish situation, hog the spotlight like they own it making the other characters absolutely useless (or useful for five minutes only), and ignore how guns are often more than simple tools in zombie media.

They can be symbols of power, survival or leadership, but at the same time they also tend to be signs of fatalism (how many characters in zombie media have shot themselves with one rather than live on in a zombie-infested world? ), danger and the instability of the human mind (there is always one guy or girl going crazy with a gun within arm´s reach, which is an obvious recipe for disaster).

You will find few people willing to go into that because they are too busy jerking off at the image of themselves killing former human beings by the dozen.

Whenever I see someone post a bio where his character has two guns or one really fancy gun (often neglecting to tell how much ammunition he is carrying, too), I know the RP is not worth joining simply because it´s just another one of those action RPs with players trying to one-up each other by making the bodycount rise, and I can get much more fun out of this (and more quickly too) by simply playing the zombie mode in Call of Duty.
 
I don't see that as necessarily true.

Firearms, by their nature in the United States (and Canada) are remarkably accessible. Many people own them. They're everywhere. They sell them in every major sporting good store and there are gun stores, literally, everywhere. I don't see people being armed with firearms, even expensive ones, as all that hard to believe and it doesn't trouble me at all.

For me, though, it's all about the characterization. If we were several weeks after the outbreak I'd be shocked if people weren't armed. They would be. Absolutely.

But if they're mindless killing machines? If they have silencers (much harder to find and/make and not nearly as effective as people are lead to believe in movies)? If they don't have any practical skills or realistic ambitions beyond survival?

Those are more serious flaws in a zombie RP.
 
Firearms, by their nature in the United States (and Canada) are remarkably accessible.

That does not stop zombies from taking over most of the time, but there is always one guy who wants to be all "badass motherfucker" with a gun, and in the process makes the roleplay un-fun by forcing everyone else to lower themselves to his standards if they want a piece of the action.



I don´t have a problem with firearms. I expect them to come into play (preferably later than sooner). I do have a problem with people having no sense of pacing: if you make zombies a joke in page one of the roleplay by abusing the gun, that´s an RP that will die by page three, and a lot of wasted time.
 
That does not stop zombies from taking over most of the time, but there is always one guy who wants to be all "badass motherfucker" with a gun, and in the process makes the roleplay un-fun by forcing everyone else to lower themselves to his standards if they want a piece of the action.



I don´t have a problem with firearms. I expect them to come into play (preferably later than sooner). I do have a problem with people having no sense of pacing: if you make zombies a joke in page one of the roleplay by abusing the gun, that´s an RP that will die by page three, and a lot of wasted time.

That's a different issue than having the characters armed, though. I think it's all in the presentation and characterization. I don't know. I think we may be saying the same thing at this point.
 
Well I'd love to play in this, but I just did a tally of the numbers and you seem to be slightly lopsided in the male direction unless SurrealObsession is happy to play two, and even then you're only breaking even. So good luck with the thread, I look forward to reading it, I love a good bit of oldschool zombie survival.
 
I had planned to start my character out with guns, yes. Since he is coming from the Pentagon, and the fact that he can take guns off dead soldiers, he would have access to a lot. But over time, his ammo will run out and they have to find more. In the beginning of Walking Dead, Rick Grimes went to his Sheriff's Station and they had guns there. So, even he had firearms from the beginning. Well, not when he first got out of the hospital, but you know what I mean.

And yes, you're right Ice, after doing more research, I realize that the only times people under 40 are Colonels are in fiction or times of war. Though, I would like to point out, this RP is fiction, it's about zombies, lol. I would just lower his rank to Major, but I kind of get the idea that me having him with any kind of combat experience whatsoever would be frowned upon, based on the previous posts in this thread. I thought about maybe making him a cop then, but that would still give him some type of combat know-how.

So, I will recreate Julian Shepard as an artist who enjoys drawing and painting beautiful things to take his mind off the horrible world his reality has become. This also provides a little romantic twist for whoever his love interest is, as he can ask to sketch her because he enjoys drawing beautiful things ;).
 
I had planned to start my character out with guns, yes. Since he is coming from the Pentagon, and the fact that he can take guns off dead soldiers, he would have access to a lot. But over time, his ammo will run out and they have to find more. In the beginning of Walking Dead, Rick Grimes went to his Sheriff's Station and they had guns there. So, even he had firearms from the beginning. Well, not when he first got out of the hospital, but you know what I mean.

And yes, you're right Ice, after doing more research, I realize that the only times people under 40 are Colonels are in fiction or times of war. Though, I would like to point out, this RP is fiction, it's about zombies, lol. I would just lower his rank to Major, but I kind of get the idea that me having him with any kind of combat experience whatsoever would be frowned upon, based on the previous posts in this thread. I thought about maybe making him a cop then, but that would still give him some type of combat know-how.

So, I will recreate Julian Shepard as an artist who enjoys drawing and painting beautiful things to take his mind off the horrible world his reality has become. This also provides a little romantic twist for whoever his love interest is, as he can ask to sketch her because he enjoys drawing beautiful things ;).

I, personally, don't think firearms are a big deal. You can't walk down a street in the US and not pass a house, or several, with at least one firearm inside of it. They're that prevalent. If this were to take place in England, though, I can totally see KR's point. The cultures there, especially regarding firearm ownership, are markedly different.
 
Having someone with some experience shooting guns might be usefull.

Though I suspect yelling "stop I want to paint you!" might throw them off :).
 
I don't mind the gun thing. I think we should start the game from the beginning of the outbreak, or maybe slowly before when it is just starting. That way each character can react in their own way and end up with their own struggle before meeting up with the rest of the group. So some might have guns, some might not, some might be better at hiding, some might be better at killing the ones that get to close, some might know what is going on and some might not know the scope, ect.
 
I don't mind the gun thing. I think we should start the game from the beginning of the outbreak, or maybe slowly before when it is just starting. That way each character can react in their own way and end up with their own struggle before meeting up with the rest of the group. So some might have guns, some might not, some might be better at hiding, some might be better at killing the ones that get to close, some might know what is going on and some might not know the scope, ect.

I like this.
 
Well, I guess I'll do a fusion of my ideas then. We'll say Shepard turned 18 right around 9/11, and put off college so he could join the Army. He exceeded expectations in boot camp and special forces training, and was a hot-headed youth. But by age 22, when he was set to reenlist, he had matured beyond his years and grew disgusted with violence and military life.

Shepard did not reenlist, and the horrors he witnessed on the battlefield gave him a greater appreciation for beauty and harmony. After he returns home, he pulls out his old sketchbooks and takes up drawing again, eventually attending college.

Nowadays, he lives alone in a New York City apartment where he creates various illustrations for a number of magazine and publishing companies on a freelance basis.
 
is the issue guns? or video games? a mini gun fires 2000 rpm then 100 or so Z's are dead and so is the unarmed guy fireing because every thing with in 18 city blocks will know where "dinner" is. If you use guns just count your ammo. i live in the mid west and alot of us out here hunt with real guns to help make it through hard times so its on fair to say i wouldnt reach for a gun. at the start of an out break
 
Shepard knows how to use guns from his four years in the Army Special Forces, but at the start of an outbreak, he'd probably go straight to a sporting goods store and get a bow and arrows. Maybe some crossbows and CO2-powered pellet guns. Throwing knives, slingshots, and anything he could find that would propel a projectile with enough force to damage the brain, either directly through the skull or through the eye sockets.
 
as an idea there also midevil reinactment groops around the world that still dress in armor and hit there friends with 1 1/2 in retan. it can have leathal force and is not that loud
 
Name: Esther Carver

Age: 23

Appearance:
Esther is a young, white woman roughly 5´6 feet tall. She looks older than she is, and more mature than she should be. She has a curvaceous body including a heavy set of breasts, noticeable hips, and soft facial features. Due to being somewhat near-sighted, Esther wears glasses with rectangular lenses in a thin, black frame. Her hair is quite long, framing her pale face and green eyes in the front, and falling down to the small of her back in a thick braid.


Personality:
Esther is in the process of mellowing out, so to speak. She is a hard worker, and serious about her responsibilities, but tries not to let them get into her head. Usually, she is relaxed, soft-spoken, perhaps even a bit shy, but given a goal to focus on, she becomes quite determined. Anyone trying to distract her at that time can expect nothing but a murderous glare and rather severe words.


Bio:
Esther used to be fairly vivacious as a child, but upon reaching college, the stress of studying medicine started getting to her. She became nervous and even abrasive, to the point of being quite the shut-in, preferring movies and books to parties and dances. When her parents died in a car crash three years ago, however, she had to leave her studies to take care of both her younger sister Mel and her parents´ business: a classy bar-restaurant her parents called `Sisters´ in their honour. The kind of place where you go if you want dinner more for quantity than fanciness, but still want some soft music and real wood around you while you eat or drink.

As time went by and Esther developed her skills at running the business, her confidence grew, her mind relaxed and her expression softened. Esther loves her work and her sister, and though she´s often pondered going back to college, she is completely against risking going back to where… and what… she was. Not when the restaurant and her sister need her.


Skills/Gear:
Some first aid, basic accountancy, cooking and preparing a few drinks. Nothing special, really. As for equipment, well, Esther owns her family´s Chevrolet Classic. Are cars still useful in a zombie apocalypse?
 
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(Changed him up a bit with a new name)

Logan Edgewick
Age: 31
DOB: August 1st, 1981

Litchar.jpg


Personality:
Once a cocky, hot-headed youth, Logan has matured considerably after witnessing tragedy multiple times in his short life. He has a deep appreciation for beauty and nature, and will avoid killing at all costs. He is slow to anger except when life is at stake, or in the face of cruelty and oppression. Most of the time he has a calm air about him, even when drunk, which has become a frequent escape for him. He has been known to hit up the bars and pick up women, but the sex is always meaningless, shallow, unsatisfying, much like how he feels deep inside, except when he is drawing or painting. That is the only time he truly feels alive.

Bio:
Born and raised in Manhattan, New York, Logan had a happy childhood with many friends. He grew to adore the Big Apple and wanted to live there forever. Both his parents were only children, so he didn't have any uncles, aunts, or cousins, but he did have a twin brother named Kevin.

Both brothers attended New York University, where Logan sought a degree in Creative Writing and Kevin in Mechanical Engineering. But shortly after they started their third year of college, on September 11th, 2001, the World Trade Center towers were attacked. Their father was a financial executive who worked at his company's office in the North Tower, and their mother was there to surprise her husband, who had pulled an all-nighter, with breakfast when the attack occurred.

Devastated by the death of their parents and the attack on their country, both men dropped out of college and joined the US Army Special Forces. They signed up for an extended six year service period, but spent over a year in the various training courses, after which they deployed to Afghanistan. A few months after arriving, Kevin was killed in action, which nearly broke Logan. He gathered the strength to recover and continued on, eventually being transferred to Iraq.

In fall 2007, six years after joining the Army, Logan was set to reenlist. By this time he had become a hardened, cold, emotionless soldier, a notable change compared to his early days in the service when his brother was still alive. He had gained the rank of Sergeant about seven months prior, and was brutally effective at leading four man fire teams, as well as strategy and operations. Before he could reenlist, however, he was approached by a representative of the CIA, who wanted to bring him onto a black ops team that specialized in covert assassinations.

Logan was hesitant at first, to which the CIA rep said, “Look, you're a killer. At your very core, you like to kill. Look at how many lives you have taken in just a few short years. You are strong, willing to kill for your country, take no prisoners. But I am giving you the chance to do more than just slaughter hordes of enemy soldiers. With us, your kills will be more meaningful. Your targets will be terrorist leaders and high-ranking enemies of the state. And did I mention more money as well? Come on, how else can you make a lot of money by legally murdering people?”

The rep's words hit Logan to his very core, and he realized the man was right – he was a murderer. Even if he did it in the name of his country, it was still murder. He had personally ended the lives of hundreds of Afghans and Iraqis, and hadn't shown any remorse. Until now. Disgusted with himself, he shoved past the rep and left the Army, choosing not to reenlist.

When Logan got back to New York, he sold off his parents home and moved into a one bedroom apartment in Manhattan. He spiraled into alcoholism, but still managed to write a book about his experiences in the Army. He also returned to drawing, something he had done when he was a teenager, and at which he was quite good.

The first few months after getting back, Logan did not know how to adapt to civilian life again. He was drunk all the time and got arrested on multiple occasions for starting bar fights. But then he met a beautiful woman named Alanna who gave him a reason to be happy again. He dated her for about two years, but ultimately they decided to break it off and she moved away.

In the two and a half years since Alanna left, Logan has been with other women and tries to be happy, but still struggles with alcoholism. He is rarely the angry drunk he used to be, and spends most of his time in his apartment writing or drawing. He has written a total of three books, the first one military themed and the other two romance stories, inspired by Alanna. He also works for various magazines and publishers on a freelance basis as both a writer and illustrator, maintains his own comedy webcomic called “The Bothersome Brothers,” and creates digital art nature scenes.

Skills/Gear:
Strategy and operations skills learned in the military, basic knowledge of weapons, some mixed martial arts, including karate, judo, and boxing, and various other everyday skills.

Logan refuses to own any guns, but he does own a crossbow with four bolts attached to it and a quiver with another forty bolts. Alanna had taken him to learn archery when they were together, to help him focus and relax.

Any other gear I will list as he gathers it during the outbreak.
 
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Connor Anakin Hunter
Age 18
DOB 4th of May 1994

Personality: Brought up on a farm so not afriad of hard work and very self reliant, with a 'she'll be right attitude' of most kiwis, a little reckless , a little immature ,with an opinion for most circumstances, he's also completely loyal to his friends.

History

Grew up on a farm in the Mackenzie country in Central Otago and home schooled his parents wanted him to go to University he wanted to do his OE (overseas experience) With British passport in hand (thanks to his English father) he headed to England to work for a few years, however he also planned on playing the tourist in America, he's been to LA, Dallas,Miami and finally New York (to name a few cities).

The plan was to met his cousin in New York and then head over to Manchester in England and a job in a bank.

As can be seen his parents are massive Star Wars fans and were delighted to their son was born on the fourth of May, while Connor is a fan of the movies he is eternally grateful to his grandparents who convined his parents not to call him Luke Han Anakin Obiwan Yoda George Lucas Skywalker Organa Ewok Hunter.

Skills /gear Can ride a horse , fairly good shot with a rifle, and good at general farm work can drive a car but only automatic's. better on a motorbike, has a back pack with camping gear , a machete and a tire iron
 

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Sorry guys, but I have to leave this RP. I have a lot on my hands now,many I just can't fit this in. Good luck, I hope this RP works out.
 
I know I said I would do two female characters to balance out all the male interest in this game. So here they are:

Name: Angela Jones
Age: 53
Special Skills: Medical Doctor (Surgeon)
Playby: Cicely Tyson http://www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2008/04/images/tyson.jpg

Bio

Angela Jones was always a stubborn kind of girl. Growing up in Harlem, New York, she was always obsessed with the idea of being better than her peers, and she would never accept anything less.

A perfectionist by nature, an over achiever by necessity and a bitch by choice, she clawed her way from the bottom wrung of an impoverished family headed by an alcoholic single mother and to the top of her profession as a surgeon at Mount Sinai Medical Center.

It was only after three failed marriages and her broken relationship with her two children that she began to question her own heart and choices. Wishing to be kinder and repent for years of selfish ladder climbing, she began volunteering at a free clinic in downtown Brooklyn.

During a night at the clinic that would haunt her for the rest of her life, she watched in horror as hundreds of people flooded the small center. Men, women and children deeply ill with a virus they couldn't identify were dying...and then coming back. Soon they had a full fledged riot on their hands, as those who had come in began ripping through the flesh of other patients.

So began the tragedy that would kill off nearly the entire population of the world. Including her two children and everyone else Angela had ever loved.

*****************************************************************************

Name: Melody "Mel" Good Crow
Age: 29
Special Skills: Growing food, hunting, shooting, basic survival.
Playby: Laura Harring http://www.topnews.in/files/images/Laura-Harring2.jpg

Bio

Mel had a great life. She grew up with a loving family including her parents, grandparents and two brothers on a large strip of land in rural Montana. They stabled horses and lived primarily off of the land, a tradition that had passed on through their traditional Sioux roots. No one in her family had ever been as modernized as the majority of the nearby Native American reservation that they had moved off of generations before.

Despite her love of her land and her family, Mel always wanted more. As soon as she turned 18, she joined the Peace Corp so she could travel. After a couple of tours, she returned to the US and went to school in California where she got her degree environmental science and continued traveling and living all over the world, never settling down for long.

She was in Washington DC visiting an old lover named Robert when the outbreak occurred. Managing to escape the city with Rob, they moved from place to place in the country until he was killed on the interstate when they were overtaken by a hoard. Mel barely managed to escape.

Growing up hunting, fishing, growing food, riding horses and generally fending for herself, she had a number of skills that she never knew she would need in the modern world. It could make her an asset if she ever finds a place to settle down. But for now, she is desperate to get back to Montana and find out if her parents survived on their isolated farm..and what happened to her brothers who had left it like she had.
 
Hello.. Was wondering if it was too late to join this. If not please let me know and I will post a charater up..
 
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