Archive for November, 2011
13 items.
I have finally done it. It took 2 months of waiting but on Black Friday I got my own copy of Dead Island from via Steam download. They always are having some kind of deal on video games by the way, so if you are hard up for cash like me, check them out. The download for me too 24 + hours. I don’t know why, it should have only been like 3. But I finally got it running on my computer. So here’s what I think of it.
This is kinda how I felt after getting Dead Island
Can I say that it’s everything anyone could want out of a zombie game? This game is not like Left 4 Dead like I thought it would be. It’s an in your face, real time zombie survival game. Not a zombie shoot em up, if you want that go play Call of Duty: Black Ops. No this is a survival game. Let me explain. You can go anywhere, you can hide anywhere, and there is no level to stop you. Think of this as the Grand Theft Auto for zombie games. Sure you have quests to complete, and basic things you must do to progress the story, but once you hit that free range portion of the game, the island is your oyster!
Now I normally don’t like Sandbox games myself. I love games like Left 4 Dead where you have a level, and objective and it clear cut where you need to go and what you need to do. Maybe I’m just bitter that I never beat Super Mario Brothers as a kid so I never grew out of that start to finish type of play. These kinds of games are fun to me until you get to the free range portion. I usually loose interest fast and move on to the next game, never finishing the first one. As I have not progressed far from Sunday (when it finally finished downloading, I can’t tell you about that part. What I can tell you is that at least the first 5% of story mode is really entertaining. You don’t get loaded up with a shot gun and a bunch of ammo. No you start with your bare fists and work your way up from there. You find a paddle, and beat those walkers like their momma never spanked them. When that breaks, use that stick that’s sticking out of the chest of that zombie laying on the ground… make sure he doesn’t get up first though. You’ll find a led pipe that won’t last you nearly as long as you think it should, and finally find yourself a hunting knife. From there I suppose the weapons you will find will get better and better but one thing is clear, use them wisely.
If you don’t you may find your brains the appetizer of a group of undead. This game may start you out with plenty, but that won’t last. At least you can repair your weapons, and upgrade them too. I look forward to making some of the custom weapons. This whole aspect reminds me a lot of playing Fallout 3 where I would relentlessly search for more components to make better weapons. That was half of the fun for me anyway.I will say that combat in the game takes some getting used to. You may think your aiming at a head, but because those suckers jump and move around a lot, it takes some skill getting head shots. When you do however you feel as if you’ve accomplished something and the display it makes is rather satisfying. Once I learned all of the basics and started deploying advanced fighting technique the game got more manageable, so don’t get frustrated if you don’t pick up on it right away.
This defiantly isn’t any FPS you are probably used to. Much of the combat is melee so start getting comfortable fighting up close, otherwise pick a distance fighter and carry lots of extra sticks to throw around. Use your environment to your advantage as well. If you can trap a zombie behind some obstacles, or make them fall off a cliff, it will work to your advantage. I was able to take down the game’s version of a Tank solo by blowing up some nearby gas canisters.
What I really like about this game is that you can solo it, or play with multiple friends. As I have only played solo as of yet I can’t speak about multi player mode. I’ve heard that it’s tougher than solo because the game scales your opponent’s difficulty by your levels, it will be interesting to try out.
Unfortunately with this game there have been a series of complaints about the PC version. The game was extremely glitch ridden in it’s first few months out and the developer has patched it since then to fix some of the errors I myself have been having some trouble with the game even 2 months after release. Entering dark areas has turned my screen black and the only thing visible are lights and the help icons that show you there is something to pick up or open. The funny thing is that if you stand in a lit area, you can see the entire room just fine as if it was all lit perfectly, but once you pass that threshold where the sun no longer shines through, not even the flashlight will bring clarity to the screen check out the video below to see what I mean.
Luckily the same video gave me the answer to my qusetion on how to fix it. I usualy don’t like installing 3rd party software to fix games, but the Dead Island Helper was a very easy way to fix the problem. If you have an NVIDIA card like me, you can just disable the SSAO and turn on simple shadows. Then launch the game and you can see in dark areas again. Go to the actual youtube video to get a free download of Dead Island Helper.
My other glitches I ran into were less disabling but still annoying. everywhere I look, there is a cloud of dust. I’m also seeing smoke and fire in walls. See the picture below.
On the next episode of Ghost Hunters, the TAPS crew will investigate a zombie ridden island complaining of strange lights and dust clouds.
If anyone has a fix for this please let me know by commenting below or emailing me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. I have found no fixes for this through my many searches in many different forums. Best I can hope for at this point is another patch.
All in all, this game is worth playing in my book. It’s challenging, and fun and everything you can hope for in a zombie game. Even with it’s defects and bugs, the game play is excelent and the graphics are great.
Let me know what you thought of the game by agian emailing me in at the address above, or just commenting below. You should also follow Dead Future on Facebook, and me via Twitter and Google +.
-Till Fate brings our Future
Penguin Prince
Comments Off
They’ve finally given me a reason to talk about this. I’ve been avoiding it. I don’t like taking political points of view on this website, and I want to avoid looking like I’m taking a stand one way or another. So when this subject comes up I must state that anything said in this blog no way reflects the views of Raven Warren Studios, Grim Crew, affiliated companies, or any of it’s artist, writers, or personnel. Any views relayed in this blog are the sole owner of the writer (me). So if you don’t like what is said, please email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com and no one else. My boss shouldn’t have to put up with the shit I start. This being said, I’m going to be as objective as possible, but you never know what one person will take the wrong way.
We all have heard of the madness that was Black Friday. People pepper spraying each other, shots being fired in the air, but one thing that was not mentioned, at least on my local news, was the zombie attack in Harrisburg PA last Friday. I had to go all the way to CBS21 Newsto get this story. Don’t go hitting the panic button and grabbing your bug out bags yet, this zombie attack was organized by those wacky people of the Occupy Harrisburg Movement, an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street Movement. According to the news report, 15 protesters from the movement dressed up as zombies (ha, irony) and entered the local mall in a protest against big consumer spending. The point was, according to the protesters, to educate people that big unnecessary spending for the holidays was whack, and instead people should only spend what they can afford, and shop at local stores instead of nationwide chain stores.Now the outrage on some people’s part wasn’t that zombies had interrupted their Black Friday shopping, but that one woman was arrested from the protest for trespassing. According to the reports, the protesters were asked to either remove their zombie make up or leave. According to the malls rules no masks or make up could be worn that may obscure the identity of the wearer. When the woman questioned the policy, citing the fact that other women were wearing makeup, the police were called in and they gave her the holiday gift of a pair of wrist warmers and a morning with Big Bertha.
I for one would have been highly amused and probably cheered the protesters on without knowing what they were protesting. Let’s face it I see zombies in a mall and I go ape shit. It’s just cool. Knowing what they were protesting however I have mixed feelings. I’m all about buying locally. It’s just nice to support your neighbors. And I don’t spend money on the holidays that I don’t have. If I want to go a little overboard, I pick up some extra cash by selling stuff, or doing some yard work for some friends. However if I want to shop at a big retail store, that’s my right. The pottery place down the road doesn’t usually have that gift that my friends 11 year old daughter is going to go gaga over. Know what I mean? So I hit the Hot Topic, or the JC Penny’s. It’s not a crime, and I don’t care if they are part of the 1%, I care that I can get that hoody she wanted for $20, in my price range. And I’m sorry I’m not going to stop buying where I can afford to buy just because someone says that big business is bad for the little people. I’m not going to rant about this. If you want to know what I really feel about this you can follow me on my Google + because I will be saying something there.
Picture found via Google web search, and originally posted by KPTV.com, Related to the Black Friday Zombies?
What I will say about this particular protest is, what do they think they were trying to accomplish? Did they think that because they marched into the mall like zombies that Ms. Black Friday Shopper was going to drop that sweater vest at Old Navy she was getting for 75% off? Did they actually think that people were going have a change of heart and join them to march out of the mall all indignant that people were buying from national chain stores when Sears had their One Day Sale? No they didn’t. And if they did they are more insane than I am. They did it because it was another way to push the envelope as to what is acceptable and tolerated of a legal protest. They did it to make a bold statement and to be seen and to get on TV because they knew that by disrupting other people’s shopping and other people’s jobs they would get seen an heard. They may have done it expecting to disrupt the shopping of other people and be given a podium to which they could spout their call for change. But they can not be shocked by the requests to leave or the subsequent arrest after not following that request directly.
I am in support of dressing like zombies for an organized zombie walk, or for a convention. I encourage people to embrace their love for zombies 3 times a week here on the blog. If you find a place that wants and allows you to dress as a zombie for a good time, please do so. But please for your safety and to keep everyone happy and to not give zombie fans a bad name do not disturb people who do not want to be disturbed by your fandom. It is not ok to hide your face behind makeup as a zombie and go into the local bank or mall when they have policies against it. It is not ok to obscure your identity under the name of zombies, or Anonymous, or any other organization to act like a dick just because you think no one knows who you are. Just like it’s not ok to mace other shoppers to get your XBox game, it is not ok to disturb the peace because you can hide in a crowd of people and deny responsibility for your actions.
If you have anything you want to add, or have any questions please feel free to comment below. But I do have to ask again if you just want to complain about what I have said, please just email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. Again, my boss should not have to answer for the shit storm I’m causing. Also, any points of view expressed in this blog belong to the writer (me), and do not reflect the views or opinions of Raven Warren Studios, or Grim Crew, or affiliated companies nor their artists, writers, or employees. Want to know how I really feel? Join me on my Twitter or on Google +. Just want more zombie goodness? Check out the Dead Future Facebook page.
-Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince.
Comments Off
Have you been doing your part to remain vigilant against zombie attacks? I know zombies don’t really exist…yet. But by the time we find out about their existence, it will be too late. Now I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I do believe that in order to keep peace and prevent panic, our governments won’t allow stories about actual zombies to be reported on tv or newspapers. That is until the problem becomes so large that hiding it would be an impossibility. And don’t start talking to me about the rights of US citizens of having “free speech”. We may be able to say anything we want but if our government doesn’t want something known, they more than likely have a way to prevent it from getting out. Every day we have men and women who deal with issues of national security and that information usually stays behind closed doors. So if some government lab in area 51 were to be experimenting with certain viruses, the government knows how to keep it hush hush.
Won't be this obvious people. Get a brain and learn how to keep it.
So this brings me back to my original point, what have you done recently to stay vigilant? I have talked over and over again on how important it is to have a zombie emergency plan in place for when the time comes, and even the best plans can be foiled if you don’t enact on them at the right time. So what you need to do is be vigilant about news reports that seem out of place, or at least add up to a pattern. You might hear small stories that add up to the big picture. For example, on Chanel 2 news you hear that the chemical company had gotten caught dumpling waste into the local river system and was finned $40 million to help clean it up. Then your grandmother calls and tells you about this guy she saw being arrested that was acting strange and belligerent. Minuets later you see a group of army Humvees drive past your house. Those three stories are enough to make me want to find a different town to stay in that night. But sometimes the clues may not be that obvious. Lets say it’s flue season and the nightly news reports a slight rise in the number of people who visited the hospital in the last few days with flew like symptoms. Nothing unusual right? You should then take into consideration that your new neighbors don’t seem too friendly and you’ve heard strange noises coming from the house at odd hours. Missing person reports are on the rise. When they start issuing the order to stay in your homes, or talking about riots down town, get the flock out.
At this point you've probably waited too long.
So what are some things to look for when putting together news and information? Well keeping track of the science world isn’t a bad start. Look for articles in scientific journals, websites and general news about anything that might seem like it could fit the profile of causing a zombie outbreak. Testing chemicals, radiation, or drug treatments are always good indicators. Keep in mind false stories might get released to keep people off the trail of more dangerous goings on. Keeping an eye on police reports is a good idea too. Have people been going missing? Are there reports of aggravated assault without being able to calm down the attackers? Another tip is not to ignore social media. If a zombie attack is going on, the first place footage is going to show up is YouTube. Hopefully the first attack will be far enough away from you that you will have some time to study the videos of the less fortunate so you can be prepared for what your facing.
As I said before the first clues that something might be going down may be hard to interpret. The Zombie Survival Guide recommends that you keep a journal of news articles so you can go back through recent important events and be able to more easily put the peaces of the puzzle together. The journal would also be a good way to be able to keep track of supplies, where you put things, where your at with your preparation for emergency situations and more. The more organized you are, the better your chances of getting out of your place alive will be.Do you have any other suggestions or have I left anything out on this? Please feel free to leave a comment or email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com You can also follow us on Facebook. And for additional zombie goodness I am also posting to Twitter and Google +.-Till Fate brings our FuturePenguin Prince.
Comments Off
When I saw this all I could say was… “You have to be F*&@ kidding me.”
Look, I want new and interesting zombie movies just as much as the next zombie fan, but there has got to be a better way than this. Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot let this atrocity stand. Ok, I don’t think there’s much we can do about it, so someone just shoot me in the face.
Warm Bodies is a love story between a girl, and a zombie. See that’s what I said. This Twilight knock off has got me so confused I really don’t know what to say. Look I know the Twilight movies are doing supper well. Of course people are going to try to copy their success. But really?
Yes he's supposed to be a zombie. Yes she's bat shit crazy.
The zombie that goes by the name “R” (played by Nicholas Hoult) eats this dude’s brain and obtains his memories (God, do you know how painful it is to write this?), especially of the dude’s girlfriend named Julie (Teresa Palmer). So I’m guessing our grave risen Casanova stalks Julie down and somehow convinces her that eating people is not so bad because they grow to have a relationship. I swear to the Gods that if there’s one line about how she smells in this movie I’m going to throw myself off a cliff.
Ok, I’m giving this movie a lot of flack because it’s made by the same people who made the Twilight movies. If you look at the picture above, it even looks like the Twilight movie. Evidently Summit Entertainment must have a rule that monsters aren’t supposed to look scary. I have a horrible feeling that this movie is just a sparkle in the sunlight away from being so unoriginal, Robert Pattinson will receive royalties from it.
The book however tells of a storyline far away from the Twilight saga. The zombies and the humans aren’t finding a way to co-exist, the zombies eat people, and they eat them without shame. It’s an apocalyptic setting like you would expect. Somehow the zombies can communicate with each other, and as I have not read the book I cannot tell you how, just suffice to know that according to summaries I read online they tell that R has a zombie friend named M who is not as kind as he is toward humans as he eats them and then tries to have zombie sex with other zombies. If that freaks you out a little bit it’s ok, I’m a little freaked out as well. If it turns you on, well stay away from me please. But it seems that the dead tongue can only manage a few syllables, and R may be accomplished because his personal best is 4. Despite not being able to express his thoughts, R has them, and although diminished by the vale of death they are evidently deep.
R ends up eating the brain of Perry Kelvin who has the hots for Julie, and when he does as stated before he ends up having an affinity for Julie as well. R saves Julie from becoming zombie chow and takes her back to his layer where she teaches him and his fellow zombies that there may be more to un-life than snaking on brains.
"Your boyfriend tasted like a suicidal emo. Wait he was a suicidal emo? My bad."
Now I’m not insensitive to love stories. I am actually a sucker for a good love story. But over do it with the sappy, or make it unrealistic and too ideal, I start to gag pretty quickly. I thought it was sweet when Korbin Dallas showed Leeloo there was more to life than war in the Fifth Element. When Jim told Salina “That was longer than a heartbeat,” in 28 Days Later my heart jumped a little. And it was the highlight of my childhood when Simba realized he loved Nala in The Lion King. But if Nicholas Hoult gets to stick his tongue down Teresa Palmer’s throat in this movie I’m starting an Occupy Hollywood movement. No more shitty-ass sudo-horror love movies!
A word to Summit Entertainment: You’ve killed Vampires and Werewolfs for me. Please don’t ruin zombies as well. Next thing we know Cthulhu will be staring in a romance movie. Summit will call it something shitty like “Love Crazy.” You’ll never see the Great Old One in the same light ever again. And henti fans will rejoice. I think I just threw up a little.
Share your thoughts with me! Leave me a comment below or email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. You should also check out more Zombie goodness on the Dead Future Facebook page. You can also follow me on Twitter and Google +!
-Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Comments Off
I had a hunkering for some flesh the other day so I was looking for a burger joint. To my surprise I found one and guess its theme.
The Zombie Burger + Drink Lab is located in Des Moines, Iowa and they cater to the Romero faithful. With burgers with names like these you’ve got to be curious about their culinary delights as well. The Boomstick, The T-Virus, and the Dawn of the Dead, sound delightful. They also carry milkshakes worthy of an apocalyptic pick me up. According to their website their spiked milkshakes are famous. You can see their entire menu here. If you ever franchise, send one of these down to Maryland!
I think I need to visit my brother in Utah, and take a detour to Des Moines when I run through Iowa.
Ok so I wasn’t searching for a burger joint. I’m looking for zombie themed restaurants. I was hoping I could find one in the Maryland/Delaware area to actually eat at and review but unfortunately I’ve hit a dead end with this. But I did find another restaurant in Minnesota.
Well not a restaurant exactly. Donny Dirk’s Zombie Den is the kind of bar I want to hang out at. It’s stylish, it has interesting drinks (like the Wrath of Oprah), and plenty of zombie appeal. What may be this bar’s appeal is that you can tell that the zombie theme is truly embraced, critics be damned. Zombie heads adorn the walls, along with the chainsaws that severed them. Donny Dirk’s does really well with mixing the horror with the comfort you would expect from a classy bar. I’ve never been here but I hope to be some day. Check out some photos I found on their website.
Do you know of any zombie restaurants I can try? Or have you been to one I haven’t mentioned? I want to hear from you! Leave a comment below or email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. Facebook is always a great way to keep tabs on your favorite comic/zombie blog. You can even follow me on Twitter and Google +.
-Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Comments Off
If you’ve been reading my blog from the start, thank you. You might also remember an article I wrote back in June about a zombie proof home. Admittedly, this was amazing, but some of us want more variety in their domain. Not to mention you’re probably going to have a group of people, or a colony hopefully as that would be best suited for long term survival, so one dinky house might not do it for you.
So I came across the 2011 Zombie Safe House Competition. Gods bless the paranoid architects! This thing is really cool. You want to talk about survival plans? Blog, chat, or comment your survival plans all you want, these designers are the ultimate in zombie planning, and they had to be to get past the judges. Names like Max Brooks (Zombie survival guide, World War Z, do I have to even explain at this point?), Ryan Riter (Founder and Artistic Director of ZomBcon International), Simon Clark, (Author of Blood Crazy), as well as various award winning designers and architects, would not make this easy, and thus give the winner ultimate bragging rights.
Of course I can’t comment on each entry as I don’t have enough room for all of that, however I’ll go over my thoughts of the top few designs. Also some enteries have more than one design page. I suggest that you visit the Competition website for more information on the designs. Keep in mind that there is a comments section for every entry site, so if there are concerns mentioned there, I will not be mentioning them here.
Vagabond Mobile Safehouse Device
This may be your only chance to become a ninja turtle.
What more can you say than shear brilliance? The number one problem with most survival plans are getting from point A to point B without becoming Zombie Alpo. So many people desperately want one of these. Hell, I wish it were on the market now. Expensive as hell I would say it would be. Your talking several thousand dollars for the technology being implemented. Screw my new computer; I’m getting one of these. The great thing about this is it’s already close to being out on the market. The creator, Austin Fleming, is using concepts that already exist but just have to find the right investor to put it all together so it’s available to the general public. I do wish judges notes were available on the website, but as they are not I do have some questions slash criticisms.
1st: Photovoltaic cells sound expensive. Not a problem as the competition said cost was not issue. However, what happens if these cells get damaged during travel? Will it supply the same protection? You could live without your cell phone, and the tornado employed looks like that doesn’t need electricity to supply the fresh air, but your heat for cold weather might be a problem without those cells in working order. My suggestion for this is to address it by having the cellular interior shell be lined with thermal insulation. Will keep you warm as it will trap in body heat.
2nd: What about waists? You’re going to need to pee. Where does it go? I realize that this is supposed to be a temporary portable shelter, much like a tent, however there will be situations where prolonged enclosure may be necessary. A simple funnel to the outside would not have provided less protection and would solve this issue. Of course you then want to make sure that you face the funnel side of the enclosure downhill as otherwise the waste may leak back under it.
Oil Silo Home
You too can live in a disco ball!
Yet another brilliant idea. This idea incorporates reusing oil silos by renovating them for the zombie apocalypse. The self sustaining structure is brilliant in that not only will it protect from the zombies, but as oil silos are used all over the world, it is proven that they are already built to protect from natural disaster. Although a project like this would be expensive to renovate and rig up, it would be much cheaper than the safe house posted I posted in June. In the comment section the designer re-posted the words from the graphic in the comments section so that everyone could read it. I do have a few questions/concerns.
1st: Almost perfect design to protect against zombies as they can’t climb, but what about human invasion. Someone looking for a safe place to stay may decide to make this place their home and eject you. So where is your plan to prevent that? That’s not what this competition was about but it’s a very real problem in the apocalyptic world.
2nd: This plan would take lots of time and resources in order to make it viable. It would be something that must be started before the apocalypse. Unlike the above entry which can be marketed as a tent and on sale before the apocalypse, the amount of foresight would be incredible in order to get something like this completed. This doesn’t make it impossible, just very difficult to pull off.
Look Out House
A beautiful view to death and mayhem!
This is my favorite idea so far. To me this plan has everything you need for a safe house. It’s off the ground, it has access to fresh water from both the river and from rain water, and has a fireplace to purify that water, provide comfort and cook food (if necessary). I love the waterway getaway that is provided under the house. The garden is a great way to keep your food supply fresh and again irrigation will not be a problem due to the river it’s by. It’s off the grid, it’s out of the way, and it would have views to take your mind off the horror. Its location will guarantee you won’t see much zombie action as it’s in a set of cliffs. It defiantly deserves to be in the top of the entries. My only criticism for this one would be where is the storage? I see cupboard where you keep the weapons, and I must say that’s a very smart use of space, but what about food? Medical supplies? This house is small enough to be expanded. My recommendation is to add a second story. Much more storage available then and you can add a third bedroom. If you’re going to go through the expense of making something such as this, you might as well go whole hog and build a second story. It actually wouldn’t cost that much more as most as the largest cost of building a house is the roof and the slab, and as adding a second story doesn’t increase the size of either of these two, so your cost will be limited.
Want more ideas for your safe house? Make sure to check out the competition website for more safe house designs. And let me know what you think about the blog. Agree or disagree with my criticisms? Comment below or email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. You can also follow Grim Crew on Facebook! Want more from me? Feel free to follow me on Twitter and Google +!
Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Comments Off
It makes perfect sense to me to use zombies as a marketing tool for weapons. Weapons are a big part of the whole zombie thing. People discuss weaponry all the time, and real gun fans argue for hours on end on which gun is the best. So here’s a point to keep in mind when your marketing your weapons to zombie fans…
DON’T MAKE YOUR WEAPON LOOK LIKE A CHEEP PLASTIC TOY WITH THE WORD ZOMBIE ON IT.
Nothing says I'm taking advantage of you like cheep marketing.
The Sturm, Ruger & Co. is known for making decent guns. Many people like their LCP gun because it is small (5.16 inches), light weight, (9.4 Oz empty), and has great stopping power (see video below). Ruger also evidently has great customer service as I’ve seen nothing but glowing reviews on the internet for this. If you are looking for something small and lightweight, it’s a great gun, just be sure to test it thoroughly before relying on it as I’ve seen a complaint or two about manufacturing problems (which have been resolved by Ruger’s customer service department). My biggest criticism for this advertisement (which can be found here), is that it makes the gun look cheap. Maybe it’s a bad picture, but if that’s how you’re going to represent the product, that’s how people are going to feel. To be fair however this is the only website I have found this on. I’ve taken a look at the Sturm, Ruger & Co. website and they do not offer the Zombie Slayer model, and the pictures taken for their LCP model handguns look 100 times better.
After researching however, I would not buy this gun for my zombie defense purposes even if I got the more refined original. For one thing it is .380 caliber. For those who don’t know much about guns (and keep in mind I’m still learning about guns), .380 caliber bullets are not the most common bullets to be laying around at the gun shop. This is ok now and days because you can order online, however it will make it difficult if you’re scavenging for ammo. More common calibers are .22 cal and 9mm. A suppressor would help with the sound, but as far as the sights are concerned there is much criticism for this. Reviews tell me that the built in sites on this firearm are only reliable for about 15 feet, and has better accuracy if you purchase the model with built in laser sight. But from what I can tell that’s not offered in the “Zombie Slayer” package. And if I’m within 15 feet of a single zombie, I’m going to pull out a melee weapon to do the job. And if I’m within 15 feet of multiple zombies and had to fight, I’m not going to choose a handgun with only a 6 round clip. The LCP seems to be a better weapon for discretionary defense on the subway, or when being attacked by wild coyotes, not zombies. Include the laser sights and sell a model with a larger clip if you want to market it for zombie purposes. The final complaint I’ve read from many users is that it’s not a hand friendly gun. One review said that they were glad that it only did come in a 6 round clip, because their hand couldn’t take much more than that.
Modeled after the Iklwa from southern Africa, this weapon is 4' of FU.
But if you seriously want to go with the zombie rout to advertise your weapons, maybe you should take a page from the Zombie Tools website. Here you have a line of bladed weapons (as in more than one option) being advertised as tools of destruction against the oncoming undead. Bladed weapons are great to use in close combat situations. They are silent, and never need to be reloaded. More importantly from a marketing aspect, the weapons being advertised look amazing! Shiny and pretty makes for good advertising. Craftsmanship and solid construction makes for great sales. Pick your poison for your fighting style and start training, because bladed weapons take precision and skill to be used efficiently. If you want to make a critziem for the close combat requirements for blades compared to the long range efficiency (at lease up to 15 ft) of guns, consider this, around 600,000 people were killed during the Rwandan genocidal war in the 90’s using agricultural grade machetes. This horrifying fact tells you that the blade is still a force to be reckoned with, and against a zed, it will be an effective weapon.
Now this post isn’t about what weapon is better, but the advertising used to sell these weapons. Compare the two websites, and all the pictures offered. For around $360, which would you rather buy? I lay this statement at the feet of advertisers everywhere. Use the zombie as your pack mule if you must, but respect the fans you’re selling to. Don’t offer something that won’t appeal to us and don’t just slap on a name and throw in a book to try to sell the product. Sell something worth its weight and we’ll buy the hell out of it. Some market research would have told Impact Guns that what they were doing was a little senseless. A better design and a gun more suited for the zombie apocalypse may have done better and would have the zombie fans eating it up. For a $360 item I would love to see who actually bought their gun, and then take a Zombie Tool blade to their wallets.
What’s your take on this? Leave your comments below, or email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. Don’t forget to get more zombie goodness at Facebook, and you can follow me on Twitter and Google+.
-Till Fate brings our Future
Penguin Prince
Comments Off
