Unturned 4.x / II Horde mode feature concepts
excuse my shitty drawing buttt…
Since I read that horde mode would be making a return of sorts I’ve begun working on some concepts for horde mode maps and there are a couple of things I think would be useful for me and others trying to make horde mode maps.
These ideas are listed below:
Story Telling
First of all, I think that having “characters” would be useful. What I mean by this is when someone loads the map it picks a random “character” from those that the mapmaker chooses and changes their outfit and maybe their customization options based on that. I was thinking this would be useful for narrative-based maps where the mapmaker is trying to tell a story with characters in it (like I am trying to do).
Another thing that could be useful for narrative maps would be to support for voice lines. It would be like in Call Of Duty: Zombies where the characters say quotes random picked from a list or based on what you’re doing as a player. This could allow for some more narrative to be put into a map project. Even if quotes might not fit into the game, maybe a holotape like system would work, it would be like the notes from 3.0 but with audio.
All I’m suggesting here, in the end, is some potential to tell a story with characters through this horde mode. Maybe if 4.0 allows it we could even have cutscenes for the main quests?? 
The Important bits
Okay let’s get this out of the way, We all know horde mode is inspired by cod zombies.
So let me suggest some things here that are directly from there.
-
Perk machines
A machine you can activate with currency or power to receive an item or powerup enabling some sort of new gameplay opportunity (you run faster or shoot harder) -
Mystery Box or random weapon machine
A machine you can activate with currency or power to receive a weapon from a random pool -
Pack a Punch or weapon upgrade station
this could be as simple as adding attachments to your gun by using it to as complex as giving the weapon a new model and texture with cool sound effects and shit. Personally, I think being able to do the latter would be neat. -
Easter eggs
We are probably already gonna have support for horde mode main quests since those are kinda already in 3.0 so I don’t really feel the need to explain this one farther. But for the uninformed its just a series of hidden steps to reach an end goal, Usually a boss fight or cool weapon. -
Traps
Little on map deadly machines, you can activate for points to kill some zombies for you!
Zombies n' Companions
So two of the things I very much believe should be included or at least possible in horde mode is Boss Zombies and AI partners (ex: Panzers and Civil protectors)
Boss zombies would just be allowing us to make a special zombies type spawn when certain requirements are met, For example, how a mega zombie spawns at the end of a horde beacon. That suggestion is simple but I really wanted to delve into the Companions first.
I have been playing around with some ideas for AI companions for my maps and I really badly want to share!
here are some of those:
-
An entire fort
Okay let me explain: So say our current map is a large open field with a house in the middle, and this house is filled with survivors and sentrys. We can maybe bargan with the people inside to use their guns and sentry to attack zombies! Now we have a giant turret like object helping us out on the map! -
Robot dude
What if we can find parts around the map to repair a robot that when setup will patrol the area (or follow the players) and kill zombies and clear out nests? Wouldnt that be cool! -
“Tamed” Zombies
You know that lady from the walking dead who has zombies on chains? Yeah that! maybe we could capture some zombies and make them turn on the other zombies? -
Flying drone
Instead of being a passive follower or roamer like the robot, Maybe we could build a combat drone that we can throw out and it will defend us for a short period.
Those are just a couple of cool concepts I thought up!
But now on to the zombies!
Now boss and special zombies have been suggested all over the place so I have 2 tottttalllly original ideas for some boss zombies.
-
Mech zombie
It’s like a mega-zombie but in a mech suit equipped with some neat tools, Maybe the weapon it has can randomize so you have to fight it a different way every time? Like maybe sometimes it has a flamethrower and other times it has a minigun? -
The bosses from the 3.0 easter eggs
Now this is technically multiple ideas but hear me out.
What if we could get the lava zombie or the Kaiser zombies on some rounds? That would be fucking wild, You’re just minding your own business and BOOM lava zombie starts throwing shit at you and you just gotta fucking run.
Maps and transportation
Now one thing I feel would be important to making an engaging horde mode map would be dynamic maps that feel alive! One thing I feel does that is static transportation and in map “beings”.
-
Transportation
If you have ever played a cod: zombies map like origins or shadows of evil, They have transportation methods to bring you to places quicker than normal or before you should be able to. On Origins, there is a tank you can activate for some points and it will begin driving in a track around the whole map until it loops back allowing you to somewhat safely get from point A to point B. On shadows of evil, they have a monorail that for some points you can activate to get across the whole map quickly without having to deal with zombies, giving a nice gameplay break while you travel. Support for something like this (transportation not controlled by the player) would be nice if you have a big map that might take a little too long to traverse! -
Alive Maps
One thing that really makes a map for me is if it feels alive, One way most people make maps feel alive is active skyboxes and actual beings in the map! The Call of Duty map Origins is a great example of this with its giant robots stepping all over the map and the active gunfire wailing in the distance! Just take a look for yourself
Support for active skyboxes and something like the giant robots where there is an actively moving obstacle throughout the map that isn’t a zombie would be really cool!
If you couldn’t tell the previous “builders bible” post really inspired me to talk about horde mode. If you couldn’t tell I am a huge Call of Duty: Zombies fan and I have been since black ops 1. I have many ideas for maps, characters, stories, weapons, quotes, and all that garbo that I just really wanted to express some of that! I kept all the location and character ideas to myself because I will most likely be using them in some maps when horde mode actually releases for 4.0! I plan on updating this post or making another when more stuff about horde mode comes out.
I tried to make this post as appealing and original as possible to appease the great forum gods so please forgive me if some of this was already suggested! (I know for a fact the stuff in “the important bits” was already suggested, I just put it there for consistency!)
Thanks for reading! I would love to hear your thoughts below!
ps please ignore spelling mistakes I profread this like 50 times I dont wanna do it again