Searching for a new island survival game in 2024?
You’re in the right place.
Here, you will learn about Zombie Survival Game Online (ZSGO).
Right now, you’re just a Bambi on the coast of the island. By the end of this, you will know the road ZSGO has taken to get where it is today.
Already pretty familiar with the game? If so, check out other ZSGO updates.
Still not in the community? Click below to join the Discord!
Forming This Island Survival Game
In the beginning, there was just an idea. A drought of fun island survival games meant that something had to be done.
There was no choice but to start the ZSGO journey and get the wheels turning on the passion project.
This article will explain the several different challenges that were overcome and the goals that were met.
Creation Process for the Island Survival Game, ZSGO
Bringing the Island Map to Reality
With a mountain of tasks on the to-do list, there was a clear choice of what needed to come first.
The map itself, ZSGO’s Main Level.
The Islands Construction Begins
With a simple, free map generator, the first concept of the island was generated.
Using this digital napkin drawing, the formation of ZSGO’s map was then brought to life in Unreal Engine 5.
original-zsgo-map-planning
concept-to-reality-island-map
finished-zsgo-map
Game Design Map POI’s
Terrain Heightmap
Survival Games Completed Island
Thousands of hours later, and continuous learning, the dream had now become a reality.
- 50,000+ hand-placed assets
- Massive foliage generation
- Hundreds of loot points
- Precisely carved landscapes
- And of course, a sprinkle of easter eggs
The island now felt alive, ready for the players to experience the world of ZSGO.
However, there was much more on the to-do list to make this game match up with what the team dreamt of.
Furnishing the Island with Loot
When spawning into the world of ZSGO with nothing more than a knife and a map of the island; you must survive in a hostile environment filled with wild animals and zombies. Using your wits and survival instinct, you’ll need to lay down a path for yourself to help you survive this terrifying new reality you face.
The first step is to loot. Setting up these loot systems was far more intricate than expected.
Just one misstep could cause the engine to crash. Forcing you to load a previous save and lose the day’s progress. (Don’t ask how we know this)
Future Loot Challenges
Like other island survival games with loot points spread across the land, it is hard to tell from these early stages how the loot will feel when there are many survivors running around causing havoc.
Some of these issues include:
- Spawn rates too high on powerful items
- Strange collision boxes that prevent you from being able to pick up the loot
- Performance hits for areas with far too many loot spawns
The good thing is, we know this will be a work in progress going into the future. Tweaking little variables in order to accommodate what the ZSGO community would like to see.
Who knows, smart survivors may find a room that we forgot about absolutely loaded with too many loot points. Be careful who you let in on your secret!
Essentials for Surviving on the Island
With the map set up and the loot placed. It was time to get the essentials for surviving together!
- Crafting
- Cooking
- Shooting
- Building
This is what would bring the game together! Giving the survivors everything they need to take on the world of ZSGO.
Variety of Weapons
Of course, the first thing any Bambi needs is a weapon.
Luckily, ZSGO has a great selection of weapons in the game so far. With of course more to come!
From an axe used for chopping down zombies to sniper rifles for long-range problem-solving, getting your hands on anything will prove to be lifesaving.
Watch out though, there may be others on the island interested in what you have!
Crafting and Cooking
There are big plans for crafting and cooking on the island since one of the developers has a history of making farm games!
If you’ve played the free demo, you have only gotten a small taste of the full experience. Once you reach the full games island, you’ll notice there are quite a few more options for what you can craft with the workbench. I don’t want to spoil anything, but there may be other options for different workbenches.
Don’t tell anyone I told you.
No, you’re not getting a picture. Go craft one yourself. 😉
It’s a SUPRISE!
Don’t forget about cooking!
This is a parallel addition to crafting.
It may not always be food that you’re cooking. 😮
I can give you a picture of the food though.
Both crafting and cooking will be essential to know when trying to survive on ZSGO’s island. Be sure to get your hands dirty!
Custom Base Building
Pitching a tent to sleep, lighting a fire to cook, and finding a workbench to craft can prove to be difficult as the days pass.
Of course, we made sure that there was a solution!
Chop down a tree, grab your building plan, and get to work!
Once your shelter is up; you can add storage boxes, cook up some food, and get a good night’s rest before you’re back out the next day foraging for loot!
There’s always a catch though, some other survivors may want what you have! Don’t stray too far from your base. There may be consequences.
PVP Combat and Raiding
Surely, you don’t have to be the one getting your loot taken! In this island survival game, it is futile to just sit in your comfy home, reaping the benefits of your hard work.
You must expand and conquer.
PVP Combat
The first order of business is getting out there with your new weapons and taking enemies down!
Just remember, if they take you out, it’s likely all your valuable stuff will be taken. Sticking with a friend could change everything!
Raiding
And then there’s the pinnacle.
The end-game.
What every survivor will dream of.
The ability to raid another survivor‘s base.
Shaking the core of the island using explosives.
It’s no easy task getting everything you need in order to raid a base on the island. This is reserved for the best of the best. In fact, getting the resources together and everything crafted may even be the easiest part!
However, pulling up to an enemy base and successfully taking everything they own?
Good luck.
Support this Island Survival Game
We can’t wait to see you out there in the world of ZSGO. As said before this island survival game is our passion project.
If you are hyped about what we are creating, there are plenty of different ways to support the game’s development!
