RustDevilGames | 05 Mar 2014 9:49 p.m. PST |
I know, I know, "Another Zombie Kickstarter!?" But hear me out! :D Rust Devil Games was formed by a few friends and I on the way back from Wasteland Weekend 2012, we spent the entire drive there talking about how awesome it'd be if someone made this game or that, then the conversation headed to, "Well, why don't we do it?" And so that's what happened! On the drive home, we decided on the name "Rust Devil Games" since our Wasteland Weekend tribe is the Rust Devils, used our smartphones to register domain names, start jotting down rules notes and ideas, and we were off! That was almost two years ago, and now we're ready with our first game. We wanted to make an awesome campaign-based skirmish game like the ones we loved back in the day, only with a post-apocalyptic zombie setting, coupled with a super affordable price and streamlined rule system that would be fast and fun to play while having the detail to feel realistic and include most anything we'd seen in our favorite zombie movies, shows, and games. We made it purely because it's the game we wanted to play and think others will enjoy it. We may do miniatures one day, but that's not our focus: making an awesome post-apocalyptic zombie game is. But, we're all working stiffs and don't have the cash laying around to start a company and do an initial print run, so that's where our Kickstarter comes in. I like to think we're the quintessential target user for Kickstarter – we're not a huge company taking advantage of it as a platform, but really just a few guys who, without this money, will have an incredibly hard time getting our company off the ground. Anyway, enough about us, on to the game!
ZedorAlive.com for updates! Zed or Alive is a campaign-based miniatures skirmish game using the award-winning Savage Worlds: Showdown! system set in the years following the zombie apocalypse. You control one of several human group types such as Survivors, Tribals, or Military and battle each other and the ever-present zombie menace to gain weapons, supplies, and dominance! Alternately, you may choose to play as a Virus Strain, gaining evolutionary material with every battle and evolving to become increasingly lethal! The goal for our project is to provide players with a fast, furious, and fun miniatures game that allows them to use any zombie or survivor figures to play out campaigns just like your favorite zombie movies and shows!
Game Details:
- Uses the award-winning Savage Worlds: Showdown! System! (Available for free!)
- Use any miniatures you like!
- Three basic human group types!
- Rules for mutating your own Virus Strain!
- Tons of Confrontations that are playable head-to-head, cooperatively, or solo!
- Robust Campaign System! Watch your group grow from battle to battle!
- Massive armory with just about every anti-zombie weapon imaginable!
- Jury-Rigging system for constructing makeshift zombie-killing weapons!
- Rules for mounts, vehicles, even training pet dogs!
- Compatible with the Savage Worlds RPG – use ZoA as a role-playing sourcebook, create characters, use them in skirmish battle games, and vice-versa!
- Tons of setting-specific rules!
- Compatible with conventional 28mm, 20mm, or even 15mm miniatures!
Our project was initially planned as an inexpensive PDF only. That portion is finished, and it's ready to go. Our dream, however, was to also release a printed copy of the book, and that's what the Kickstarter campaign is to fund. We'll have plenty of extras on offer, so please give us a look on the 15th when we launch! We'll be sending out updates and if you're curious, check out our site at ZedorAlive.com. Thanks for reading and feel free to ask any questions. |
Angel Barracks | 06 Mar 2014 3:10 a.m. PST |
Looks very slick and I like the name. Best of luck. |
Crimelord | 06 Mar 2014 5:55 a.m. PST |
Best of luck! Savage worlds is a good solid system. Will be watching this. |
Rebel Minis | 06 Mar 2014 8:55 a.m. PST |
I like the look of this.. I'll keep an eye on it! And I love zombie games.. What kind of pledges will you have? RebelMike Rebelminis.com |
RustDevilGames | 06 Mar 2014 9:33 a.m. PST |
Thanks for the kind words, everyone! We're still nailing down the fine-tuning of the pledge levels (there are a few extras we're trying to cram in!), but for the most part they're done. We'll be releasing specifics within a couple days of the KS launch, but the lowest levels will be for the PDF version of the game, then scaling additions of extra game aids and bonus content, as well as the printed version of course! :) |
Spendlove | 06 Mar 2014 11:46 a.m. PST |
Can this game be played solo? |
RustDevilGames | 06 Mar 2014 7:12 p.m. PST |
Yup, although all of the Confontations (scenarios) have been designed to be played head to head, we have a selection of them that are set up to also be played co-operatively with other groups or solo. Shambler zombies are always governed by the rules (unless a mutated/player controlled zombie has an ability to influence them), so not much changes with them during co-op/solo play. Aberrants (mutant zombies) can also be added to the mix in either of those. Actually, last weekend we played a Confrontation called "Highway of the Damned" co-op in which the players were risking the dangers of searching the twisted, maze-like snarl of rusted hulks left behind when the freeways were abandoned during the collapse, hoping it would be a rich source of loot. Everyone had a lot of fun, and while players aren't allowed to shoot each other in co-op play, the age-old tactic of "search the military truck while the zeds are busy eating someone else" was employed to full effect! :) In the end, the booty was divided evenly, with the prize items being an H&K G3 assault rifle and a repairable Classic Sports Car, not a bad haul! |
Ark3nubis | 06 Mar 2014 10:03 p.m. PST |
This looks immense, well done on posting a great thread to let us know! I can see the amount of work you guys have put in as well. Couple of questions; - You mention 3 types of survivor group, who are they? General survivors, bandits and government security forces? - The jury-rigged weapon making sounds cool as too how does that work? Is that you have set weapon criteria (sharp, pointed, blunt) and can be single or double handed etc etc and you make it from furniture and kitchen knives sort of thing? The rest looks straight forward and the mutate your own virus sounds like a lot of fun too! I'll have a full look at the weekend, thanks again for posting, well done on the immense amount of work you've put in too! A |
RustDevilGames | 06 Mar 2014 11:52 p.m. PST |
Thanks for the interest! I'll do my best to answer your questions without being too verbose: Haha you just about nailed it! The three starting human groups are: Survivors, Tribals, and Military. Survivors make up the bulk of the people making their way post-apocalypse, they're people from all walks of life trying to get by. Tribals are a bit more of an anomaly, they've embraced the end of the world and, mixed in with a bit of psychosis, taken refuge deep in the most dangerous parts of the ruins and reverted to a more primitive, savage society. They still interact with other survivors and can visit the city to trade, but are viewed with distrust. Military are outright pariahs – the government failed the people and retreated to its strongholds and bunkers to save itself, the only troops seen anymore are pursuing their own secret agendas and shoot on sight. They're not tolerated in "mainstream" society and have a completely different way of surviving between battles than the other survivor types. We had more group types in mind, but these are the ones we settled on starting with. Some may be added with setting packs, but we have a couple more that will definitely be added in the first expansion. Jury-rigged weapons and gear are designed to be open-ended so we can continue to introduce more combinations as we go along, but the basic premise is that you can, with a survivor who has the right skills, combine loot items to form new gear. Some are simple (such as using a water bottle as a makeshift suppressor for a limited time) while others are more involved, like fashioning suits of metal scrap armor. Haha and yes, the virus mutation is a blast. Having designed it, my favorite part is when someone comes up with a combination that I would have never considered and it just blows my mind. :) |
hunterpest | 12 Mar 2014 7:07 p.m. PST |
I'm really looking forward to this. Can I ask, where is that female survivor with the crossbow miniature from? |
RustDevilGames | 12 Mar 2014 7:34 p.m. PST |
Thanks! We should have a press release out soon with more KS contribution levels (I'll update this thread when it goes out), and the KS itself starts Saturday! Oh, she's actually a conversion. The lower half is from a Black Scorpion miniature,, the upper half is Ellen Stone from Reaper's Chronoscope line, plus bits and a little green stuff to make the jackets line up :) |
RustDevilGames | 15 Mar 2014 10:39 a.m. PST |
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McWong73 | 15 Mar 2014 6:55 p.m. PST |
How many zombies do we need? 50? 60? Looks really interesting. |
RustDevilGames | 15 Mar 2014 7:02 p.m. PST |
Less than that, unless things get REALLY crazy haha. It does vary from game to game based on how many humans are on the board and how you roll on the Virus Density table, but if two groups of four humans are fighting, it should be anywhere from 4 to 20 zeds to begin with, and then once again depending on how loud the battle ends up being, you may be adding more to the table from there. Since the default table size is 4'x4', our biggest games have had 40-50 but that is *very* rare. |
MKGipson | 16 Mar 2014 7:05 a.m. PST |
Well, this makes the first Kickstarter I joined in on. :) |
RustDevilGames | 16 Mar 2014 1:25 p.m. PST |
That's an awesome compliment MKGipson, thank you for contributing! :) We're busy today working on a battle report to share with everyone! I'll update asap! |
hunterpest | 16 Mar 2014 2:57 p.m. PST |
Thanks for the info regarding the crossbow girl. Kudos to whomever is responsible for the conversion. It's beautiful. Just to let you know I have backed and shared your Kickstarter through my own miniatures company's Facebook page (Project Zeke Miniatures). Hope that nets you a few more backers. All the very best of luck with the project. |
RustDevilGames | 16 Mar 2014 11:38 p.m. PST |
Thanks a ton! We truly appreciate any support, things look like they're going great so far! If it's ok with you, we'll order some of your minis and get 'em painted up for use in our shots. :) And yes, for your info, we DO have rules in the game for teddy-bear backpacks! haha no, I'm not joking :P |
RustDevilGames | 17 Mar 2014 6:45 p.m. PST |
Hey everyone, I just wanted to drop in with a quick update, as of this morning we've hit our $3,000 USD funding goal and are heading straight toward unlocking stretch goal #1! Also, Matt Quiett over at The Nerd's Domain was kind enough to invite us onto their podcast to discuss the game. Check it out below if you're interested! link |
Rebel Minis | 18 Mar 2014 4:05 a.m. PST |
It may have been stated elsewhere but how long does a game usually take? I am not familiar with the Showdown ruleset. RebelMike Rebelminis.com |
RustDevilGames | 18 Mar 2014 11:05 a.m. PST |
Hey Mike, it can vary a bit, but typically a game takes a couple hours. Of course, this depends on how many zeds are on the table and luck – sometimes a game can end on the first turn if someone gets a lucky shot and the other side decides to cut and run! That is pretty rare, however. |
Rebel Minis | 19 Mar 2014 4:10 a.m. PST |
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RustDevilGames | 19 Mar 2014 12:38 p.m. PST |
No problem, thanks for your interest! I'm sure a lot of people have been curious about that but we hadn't gotten too much into that previously. Things are going great with the Kickstarter! Yesterday we hit not one but TWO stretch goals! Players can now look forward to fighting the shambling hordes in the UK, Pacific Southwest, as well as Africa. The next one up is Russia, which will feature plenty of Warsaw Pact-based weapons in the loot table! |
Heinz Good Aryan | 19 Mar 2014 12:40 p.m. PST |
looks like the chick from "sex and the city" fighting off her ex-boyfriends
. |
RustDevilGames | 20 Mar 2014 8:42 a.m. PST |
We just posted our first battle report, Survivors take on Tribals in a Confrontation called "Highway of the Damned," be sure to check out "Carnage Asada!" link |
MKGipson | 20 Mar 2014 9:15 a.m. PST |
Looks like fun! I am looking forward to my Kickstarter results. :) |
RustDevilGames | 20 Mar 2014 12:33 p.m. PST |
Quick update: the Setting Pack for Russia has been unlocked via stretch goals! link |
RustDevilGames | 25 Mar 2014 12:40 p.m. PST |
Hey everyone, We've unlocked the South America Setting Pack! Additionally, due to backer request, we've also added another Stretch Goal, so now if we hit $6,500 USD, backers will have the option of making an additional pledge to purchase a softcover Setting Pack Compilation for below retail! Also, if you haven't had a chance to check out our battle report, please take a look :) link |
RustDevilGames | 04 Apr 2014 11:00 a.m. PST |
Hey everyone! We've hit our $7,000 USD stretch goal and updated the KS with purchasable loot cards :D Please let me know if you have any questions! link |
RustDevilGames | 08 May 2014 10:31 a.m. PST |
Hey everyone, just wanted to pop in since it's been a while! We've been pretty busy, our kickstarter finished up at almost exactly 350% funding! Yesterday we got the PDF rulebook out to our backers, hopefully within the coming weeks we'll have it for sale on our online store. Thanks so much! |
RustDevilGames | 07 Aug 2014 3:13 p.m. PST |
Hey everyone, We've been dodging bullets left and right, but we managed to get these done and are charging forward! Figure Flat Release First up, we've completed the figure flats and they're looking awesome! Bret Rood has done an outstanding job and we're sure you'll find that they look great on the battlefield. They are now available to download for backers! link PDF Rulebook Update The next exciting thing is that we've updated the main rulebook PDF, going over ALL of the errata, corrections, and suggestions that the ZoA community has come up with, and we're extremely grateful for the support and sharp eyes! It is fantastic to have backers not only contributing to the campaign, but also lending directly to the improvement of the game's quality. We are extremely lucky to have such passionate backers. The updated PDF is now available to download for backers! UK Expansion Pack We've already begun development of the first expansion pack – the research has been conducted, and we're in the writing, tuning, and playtesting phase. The development process won't be so lengthy for every setting, some will be more dense than others, but the UK will be including some very cool new Confrontation formats that we're extremely excited about, and can't wait to unveil! Printed Book! With the corrections and errata into the main draft of the book, we've got the final document in-hand and have submitted it to the printers! Once we hear back from them and get the all-clear (barring any formatting tweaks necessary, hopefully none), we will have some solid ETAs to our warehouse in California and can begin nailing down delivery dates. That's pretty much it for this update, there is a lot going on behind the scenes and, as mentioned, life has thrown a hail of curveballs at the RDG crew so please know that we are extremely appreciative of your patience. Between the UK development and dealings with the printers, you should be getting fairly regular updates in the coming weeks! -The RDG Team |
MrHarold | 07 Aug 2014 9:05 p.m. PST |
Good luck and looking forward to picking this up! |
RustDevilGames | 21 Aug 2014 9:32 p.m. PST |
Hey everyone, We've finally opened our web store! ( zedoralive.com/shop ) This is something we were trying to get done before the KS concluded, but were unable to finish in time and keep up with the campaign updates. Now that it is ready, we will be switching the delivery of subsequent electronic rewards (such as upcoming setting packs) through the store via coupon codes. The good news is that now folks who missed out on the Kickstarter can get their hands on the rules! As usual, please let me know if you have any questions! |
MrHarold | 22 Aug 2014 6:08 p.m. PST |
Great, do I need anything beyond the PDF to play? |
RustDevilGames | 23 Aug 2014 4:36 p.m. PST |
Yeah, you'll also need the core ruleset for Savage Worlds: Showdown! The good news is that it's free from the Pinnacle website. link |
RustDevilGames | 04 Sep 2014 2:04 p.m. PST |
Just a quick update: The books are finished printing, and are now on a boat bound for U.S. shores! One step closer to our backers and general release!
For the full update, check out our blog! |