ZED is DEAD: Desperate Quest for Haven in the Depths

Welcome to our experimental tech demo, a zombie action survival horror game that can be played on the web. Its purpose is to test and prototype ideas for future development, in this instance we joined the BWJ 11 game jam. As developers, we are excited to bring a fresh take on the zombie genre, looking forward to using the latest technology to create a thrilling and immersive experience that challenges players to test their survival skills. Our goal is to pave the way for future improvements in our core concepts and game mechanics, finding the sweetspot between arcade action and the thrill of survival. We can't wait to see what you think of our project.

In this story, the players follow the journey of an old lady who is seeking a new hideout after her late shelter in the sewers was flooded, in a world overrun by ravenous beasts and demonic forces, use your wits and survival skills to navigate through a treacherous barren town, avoiding danger at every turn, with limited resources and no one to rely on, she must face her fears and overcome the challenges that stand in her way. From dodging packs of ravenous beasts to unraveling the secrets at the depths of unknown pits, she must use her fierce determination to find a new home. But the challenges she will face will not be easy. Can she survive the zombie apocalypse and reach a place where she may finally find peace and rest?

Controls:

• Core:
  • <W> <A> <S> <D> or  Arrows: move
  • Mouse Left: attack, pick, interact
  • <1> <2> <3> or Numpad <1> <2> <3>: switch weapon
  • <F> or <Enter>: turn lamp on/off
• Support:
  • Mouse Wheel | <PgUp>/<PgDown>: zoom map, see closer or farther
  • Spacebar: pause, mute and show the last message
  • <-> <=> or Numpad <-> <+>: volume change
• Extra:
  • <F5> or Ctrl-<R>: restart the game
  • <F11> or Alt-<Enter>: toggle fullscreen
  • Ctrl-<+> and Ctrl-<0>: zoom pixels, can improve the performance

Issues:

• There are no items to pick up, but the items and health are consumed.
• The enemy evolution was not implemented, but you can see the messages describing it until the last one, and the game end.
• The game was not balanced, don't know if it is challenging or frustrating.
• We focused on testing different techs for the infrastructure and tooling, and will probably try other things before committing to a complete game.

Credits:

• Carlo "zED" Caputo: programming, level, sfx, text (with Chat GPT)
• Rebeca Traldi: sprite animation
• music
  • https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blear_Moon/tundra-orchestra
  • Meditation Impromptu 02 Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com/)
• sfx
  • https://freesound.org/people/worthahep88/sounds/319224/
  • https://freesound.org/people/speedygonzo/sounds/257659/
  • https://freesound.org/people/Genevieve_Lupke/sounds/366475/
  • https://freesound.org/people/berglindsi/sounds/402977/
• icon
  • https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/clenched
  • https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/water
  • https://www.flaticon.com/free-icon/bullets_3548759
  • https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/heart
  • https://www.flaticon.com/free-icon/oil-change_4870927
  • https://icons8.com/icon/21817/bag
  • https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/broom
  • https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/shotgun