The use of Action Points as a limit on character actions is similar to the systems of several other free MMORPGs such as Kingdom of Loathing.Īs players damage their opponents or perform certain other actions, their experience points increase. Players must make sure that their survivor characters are in a safe place before logging out, encouraging quick raids from fortified safe houses. Should a survivor run out of action points whilst in an unsecured area, they are at great risk of attack by zombies during sleep.

When a character's action points drop to zero or lower, that character is unable to perform any action until they gain further points, survivors fall asleep and zombies' brains cease to function. One action point is gained every half-hour of realtime, up to a maximum of fifty points. Players receive action points as time passes, which are used up any time they move, fight, or undertake any other sort of activity. It is possible to switch sides in the conflict: a survivor character that is killed will rise up as a zombie, and zombie characters may be brought back to life by a survivor who has the relevant skills and items. Higher level zombies can communicate with each other via a crude form of zombie speech, as well as through various groaning noises and hand gestures. However, they can self-revive with full hit points when killed, whereas a survivor needs another player to revive them after death if they do not wish to play as a zombie. Zombies, often referred to as 'zeds', are limited to using claws, teeth, and blunt melee weapons. They can also barricade building entrances, keeping zombies at bay. Survivor characters can communicate with each other in-game via speech, radio broadcasting, graffiti and text messaging. Survivors move twice as fast as low-level zombies and are able to employ various weapons and tools. Each side in the struggle has its own advantages and disadvantages. New players begin the game as one of the three survivor classes Military, Scientist or Civilian or as a Zombie. Survivor characters can loot supplies from abandoned buildings indefinitely, but cannot trade, sell, or give them to other players. Internal fighting between survivors and zombies is a frequent occurrence. Cooperation between players is not strictly enforced. Safe houses tend to be located in or near buildings where useful items can be found, such as shopping malls, police stations, hospitals, and the laboratories of the zombie-related NecroTech corporation. Gameplay involves zombies breaking into safe houses and attacking the inhabitants, and survivors trying to defend the buildings by barricading them and killing any zombies present. A screenshot of a survivor standing outside a fire station.

Urban dead games