Working on a campagin idea

[Snake-Eyes]

I've been throwing around an idea for a CoC campagin. Basicly it's Walking Dead. All the players stat their characters as themselves. For example I got one player that does HVAC, so it would make sense if his mechanical repair was higher than the base. If they acutally own a gun they can start with one. Basicly whatever knowledge or items you have in the real world, your character gets. I would use real world weather conditions for whatever area they're in. You can only carry so much on you. You'll need to worry about food, water, ammo, etc. Not fully sure how to start it off, I don't want them to just wake up and everything is already fucked up, like in Walking Dead. So, anyone got any thoughts of what to add, a good starting point, maybe a better system to use instead of CoC? I'm open to any suggestions.

[Moondog]

I've played in a game just like that. It used D20 Modern instead of CoC, but it went pretty well.

A good start off point would probably be a 'prologue'. Instead of 'you wake up, everything's gone to hell', why not give each character a brief chance to introduce themselves in a short scenario (like a 'flashback, ala Fear Itself/Esoterrorists)?

For example, the HVAC guy could have been called out to do some repairs, maybe do a bit of BS with a buddy or the client for some characterization work, and overhear, via TV or radio, some hints that not everything is going as well as it should be. A news report on a 'possible new outbreak of flu virus?' might work.

As far as systems, I think it really all depends on how you want the zombies to feel, power-wise.

If you go with D20 Modern, they'll be the traditional shambling slow zombies that are only a threat in huge numbers. The PCs will be able to tank a 'hit' (which would really be more like 'it almost bites you, but you get your plank of wood/gun in the way just in time than 'you get bit but don't give a shit 'cuz you got so many hitpoints) or two, so aside from being swarmed, the bigger danger will be from other humans.  This would feel appropriate for The Walking Dead.

If you go with Call of Cthulhu, characters will be a bit less capable in combat, and more fragile. It would, however, allow their individual skills to shine a bit better, as the CoC rules are more versatile for that kind of thing.

GUMSHOE/Fear Itself/The Esoterrorists wouldn't be a bad choice either. The Esoterrorist rules would give you a kind of middle between D20 Modern and CoC. The characters are still capable, but they're not going to be cleaving through a horde of zombies with a sledgehammer, and with the 'spend a point to do something awesome with your skills' mechanic, it'd also allow the individual skills of the players to shine.

[clockworkjoe]

I did that with AFMBE - be careful about stats and skills though. I had a player that was a theology major give himself the maximum possible skill in firearms - the equivalent to being an Olympic level shooter. 

[Tadanori Oyama]

CoC will serve you well. Luck Rolls for everyone all the time!

I'm with Moondog on the character preludes. Bascially just take four or five minutes with each person and have then to a quick roleplay of their last normal day before everything broke. It helps set up what how they where before the end and helps to determine what equipment/items they might have on hand going into the game.

Also, I recommend giving everybody a firearm or ranged weapon of some kind, especially if they aren't trained in it. Guns make people feel confident and safe, especially player characters. Having them at the beginning will make them miss them all the more when you take them away.

It also enforces the law of any zombie game: people are the real threat. A zombie isn't going to shot you in the back because you've been humming pop songs quietly for the last three days. Giving PCs guns makes them a threat and a resource to the other PCs.

[Shallazar]

CoC works great for zombie games, I usually just apply the zombie traits (firearms do 1 damage[unless they do a called shot to the head]) to animals. It's easy to conjure up zombies fast or slow.

And since its CoC I include ghouls, either as the cause or somehow related to the outbreak, the next evolution (like Lickers from RE). If they die do they have to p[lay themselves again?

Putting a hard limit on skills or doing using the alternate rules (one skill at 75%, two at 65% and so on [it's in the corebook somewhere]) works to limit players and avoids the dumps of remaining points. You can also increase health and outlaw dodge as a skill to put pints into. I'm with Tad on the crazy luck rolls.

Another thing you could do is give them sort of motivations or have them come up with them, that pertain to the apocalypse. If you want to fill in the survivor/horror stereotypes let them know that's what you're doing.

[Moondog]

So much CoC love up in hurr. I feel aloooone.

foreveralone

[Mckma]

I would have to second Ross's suggestion.  All Flesh Must Be Eaten would feel more appropriate for this I think (since in many ways it was designed for this sort of things)...

[Shallazar]

So much CoC love up in hurr. I feel aloooone.

foreveralone

I can think of more systems but was trying to suggest for what Snake-Eyes had mentioned already.
I guess World of Darkness would work as well. Dirty World, would be a more "Dramatic" zombie game. There are more but I don't want to be silly.

@Moondog, don't worry you aren't alone. Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean. No man is and island! We are here for you Moondog. Semper fi

[Setherick]

I did that with AFMBE - be careful about stats and skills though. I had a player that was a theology major give himself the maximum possible skill in firearms - the equivalent to being an Olympic level shooter.

Come on, it's not that Jordan was statted higher than the pregenerator zombie special forces teams in the back of the book...

I'm in perfect agreement with Ross on this one. If you use CoC rules, make sure you have your players start with low percentages in a number of skills rather than allowing themselves to have a few skills be high and a number of skills have zeroes. I would consider capping a player's main skills at 40% -- yes, 40%. But you'll have the guy/girl that goes, "But I'm a compsci major so I should have higher than a 40% in computers...blah blah blah." Look at that person and ask them if they've written any major security software (find appropriate analogs for other players).

For firearms, don't let a player have more than 25% in any skill and I would even consider lowering it beyond that except for maybe shotguns (if any of your friends hunt). There are reasons that Marines spend hour after hour and round after countless round learning how to fire their personal gun. And most Marines still barely rate 70% in the CoC rules system.

If you're going to be grimdark, be grimdark.

[Snake-Eyes]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I thought about using AFMBE but I don't know the system very well yet and most of my players have never done anything expect D&D and CoC. Moondog I like your idea for the mini prologues. Also I know my players would try to pad their stats so i'm ready to veto their stats. My only issue with using CoC is that for the stats like STR and INT for example, how to do you gauge that when the book doesn't give you much to go on.

[Moondog]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I thought about using AFMBE but I don't know the system very well yet and most of my players have never done anything expect D&D and CoC. Moondog I like your idea for the mini prologues. Also I know my players would try to pad their stats so i'm ready to veto their stats. My only issue with using CoC is that for the stats like STR and INT for example, how to do you gauge that when the book doesn't give you much to go on.

If they know D&D 3.0 or 3.5, they'll know D20 Modern. 

[Mckma]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I thought about using AFMBE but I don't know the system very well yet and most of my players have never done anything expect D&D and CoC. Moondog I like your idea for the mini prologues. Also I know my players would try to pad their stats so i'm ready to veto their stats. My only issue with using CoC is that for the stats like STR and INT for example, how to do you gauge that when the book doesn't give you much to go on.

If they know D&D 3.0 or 3.5, they'll know D20 Modern. 

Very true.  I know a friend played essentially this same idea in d20 Modern and it worked well he said.  I think the main reason this is fun is the character exploration, not so much the rules.  As long as you feel comfortable enough GMing to really be able to improvise in your local area, I think any system you choose will work...

[Moondog]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I thought about using AFMBE but I don't know the system very well yet and most of my players have never done anything expect D&D and CoC. Moondog I like your idea for the mini prologues. Also I know my players would try to pad their stats so i'm ready to veto their stats. My only issue with using CoC is that for the stats like STR and INT for example, how to do you gauge that when the book doesn't give you much to go on.

If they know D&D 3.0 or 3.5, they'll know D20 Modern. 

Very true.  I know a friend played essentially this same idea in d20 Modern and it worked well he said.  I think the main reason this is fun is the character exploration, not so much the rules.  As long as you feel comfortable enough GMing to really be able to improvise in your local area, I think any system you choose will work...

This is very accurate.

[Flawless P]

My group of friends did something similar to this, but instead we all statted our characters by commitee. Ex: I think I have high POW because i'm patient and level headed. Then the group would all discuss. Came to a bit of everyone voting themselves with low APP which means we all apparently have low self image.

[Snake-Eyes]

My group of friends did something similar to this, but instead we all statted our characters by commitee. Ex: I think I have high POW because i'm patient and level headed. Then the group would all discuss. Came to a bit of everyone voting themselves with low APP which means we all apparently have low self image.

Yeah, I have a plan to do something like that. We normally do character generation together anyways, because they want to bounce ideas off me anyways.