The Z Strain

The Z Strain is a narrative game design document. It includes character descriptions, a story outline, a world overview and history, an expanded story breakout, enemy descriptions and abilities, and scene examples.

TheZStrainNarrativeBible.

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High Concept: A third-person RPG set in the modern-day world, pre-zombie apocalypse. Play as a newly turned, high-functioning zombie as they discover what happened to them and attempt to stop the pending zombie apocalypse.

Story: With the volatile Z Strain loose in the world again, the number of zombies is rising. The outbreak has been quiet, with many of the infected keeping their sudden desire for human brains a secret. Dr. Lorelai Xander, a CDC biochemist, contracts Zombiism while working on recent samples from the Cahokia archeology site.

Lorelai must learn how to survive as a zombie, keep those around her safe, and, if she can, develop a cure for zombiism. As she does, a new threat emerges as zombies mysteriously start getting sick, threatening to expose their existence.

The clues lead to Colorado Military, a private military company whose CEO, Jason Wright, has an unusual fascination with zombies. She’ll meet zombies and humans alike, who can help or hinder her as she uncovers Jason’s plans for zombies. If she allows him to go unchecked, a zombie apocalypse is likely.

Characters:

Setting: The game takes place in modern-day Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. The world is like the real world, as in, similar political structures, countries, cultures, religions, and locations. Fort Collins is a large city in northern Colorado and has been around since the 1800s. Originally founded as a military outpost.

Goal: Learn how to survive as a zombie and ultimately find a cure or allow an outbreak to occur.

Enemies: There are six types of enemies.