Zombie Survival

This article is about the custom game mode. For other uses, please see Zombie (Disambiguation).

A Zombie Survival logo, used in ZS maps between 2017 and early 2018.

Zombie Survival is an unofficial game mode for Team Fortress 2 (not to be confused with Zombie Fortress or Zombie Escape). It is also referred to as "Medic VS Engineer". The game mode has no officially recognized SourceMod plugin, requiring server owners to create and balance the game mode to their own liking. There are two opposing teams: the Survivors (RED Engineers) and the Zombies (BLU Medics). BLU's goal is to kill all the Survivors. RED's objective is for at least one Survivor to be alive after (usually) 7 minutes of gameplay. If all Survivors die before the end of the round, the Zombies win; otherwise, the Survivors win. When a Survivor is killed, they are immediately switched to the Zombie team, while killed Zombies simply respawn. It is unknown who created Zombie Survival, but it was popularized by Muselk, a TF2 Youtuber. The game mode was very basic and quite similar to the base game until 2017.

In Zombie Survival, Survivors lack the ability to build Sentry Guns, and Zombies are restricted to melee only; however, both teams have access to global perks to help balance the classes. Zombies gain the most perks, including longer melee attack range, increased jump height or double jump, and increased speed during the last 2 minutes (on some servers). Survivors remain mostly vanilla, unless there are very few alive, upon which these Engineers gain a permanent Buff Banner effect (and sometimes other helpful effects). Random critical hits are disabled in Zombie Survival.

During setup time, the Survivors are given the opportunity to safely build Dispensers and Teleporters as barricades, methods of escape or tools for killing (in the case of Teleporters) in an area they wish to fortify without the presence of the Zombies. The Zombies are frozen within their spawn (within which they are ÜberCharged) until setup time is over. Survivors can continue to build outside of setup time, though the horde of Zombies can make building difficult and dangerous.

Special additions

Bonus rounds

Bonus rounds may happen on the last round of a map. Each bonus can have varying effects on Survivors, Zombies or both. Some common bonus rounds include:

• Gravity is lowered by a significant amount, allowing for very high jumps.
• One Engineer is designated to be a King and is given passive health and metal regeneration, as well as permanent mini-crits. However, if the King dies the Survivors automatically lose.
• Player deaths and building destructions emit various sound clips.
• Survivors are now able to build Sentry Guns, but they cannot fire or be upgraded. Essentially, the Sentry Guns become extra barricades or distractions.
• Survivors are stripped down to their melee weapons, but are given guaranteed critical hits so long as they are not being healed by a Dispenser.
• Survivors can only build Teleporters, but get passive health and metal regeneration as compensation.
• Waists of the Zombies' models are stretched, in order to mimic the visual style of Muselk's later Zombie Survival videos.
• Zombies are unfrozen immediately.
• Zombies can jump four times in a row instead of only twice.

Juggernauts

Juggernauts are an optional feature for Zombie Survival much like bonus rounds. They are Zombies that are tinted green, and only two Medics are selected to have this power. If one disconnects, another will replace them. Juggernauts can't do much on their own, merely having a small speed boost and health regeneration increase. However, while these green Zombies are close to other Medics, non-Juggernauts can inherit the health regeneration increase so long as they are within the Juggernaut's range. This makes Juggernauts the perfect tool for leading Zombie rushes.

ZS maps

A picture of randomised spawning logic exclusive to Zombie Survival Steel.

Maps with the prefix "zs_" are built specifically for use on certain Zombie Survival servers (not to be confused with other similar prefixes). These maps need the help of server game mode logic in order to run properly. ZS maps range from optimisations of existing Valve or community maps (buffing or nerfing of defensible spots, moving of health and ammo packs, etc.) to completely new experiences. Many of these maps are subject to heavy rebalancing to ensure they remain suitable for the game mode.

On the maps that stay close to standard gameplay, a secret area or function is usually placed within them to peak player interest, and in the case of optimisations, unreachable areas may be opened up. Some ZS maps, on the other hand, are radically different from the base game, serving as either a concept testing ground or an isolated experience incompatible with the base game mode.

Strategies

Telefragging and stair-trapping

Telefragging is a method of quickly eliminating Zombies, and is most effective in narrow areas where Medics must step on a Teleporter exit in order to reach a Dispenser barricade. In order for a proper telefrag to be set up, a Teleporter exit is placed directly in front of a Dispenser, and the associated Teleporter entrance is placed within a non-intrusive and close-by area (but not directly behind the Dispenser, this prevents Engineers from using it as cover). In less narrow areas, Medics can easily destroy telefrags by crouching some distance away from the Teleporter exit and attacking it directly. Engineers using the telefrag also open themselves to being killed by the Spinal Tap taunt or suffering a regular death (most prominently for the Engineer that built the Dispenser, since they cannot walk through it).

An example of stair-trapping.

"Stair-trapping" is a usage of Teleporters prominently used in Zombie Survival and can be performed on most sloped surfaces. By placing a teleporter at the bottom or top of a slope, as close to the middle of the slope as allowed, the increment from the floor up to the teleporter may be so great that a jump is required. Stair-trapping is useful for temporarily denying Zombies access to a defense at the top of a slope. A stair-trap can also be part of a telefrag.

Rushing

"Rushing" is a term used to describe the grouping up and simultaneous attacking of Zombies, in order to completely overthrow an otherwise impenetrable Survivor defense. The leader of a rush is usually the person that requests one, unless Engineers get too close to the group and participating Medics are forced to intervene on their own. It is important to have a microphone for voice chat or know how to effectively use team chat in order to command a rush, since players of Zombie Survival often do not listen to calls for Medic.

Amping

"Amping" is an abbreviation for performing the Medicating Melody taunt with the Amputator during a Zombie rush. This increases the health regeneration rate of surrounding Zombies and decreasing an Engineer's chance of survival. Medics using the taunt are referred to as "Amps" by Survivors, and are considered a high priority to kill due to their immense power. In order to avoid being singled out, these Medics often shield themselves behind walls, other obstacles and sometimes their own teammates. Additionally, the Amputator's healing power stacks with other Amputators, so multiple Amputator-wielding Medics can help keep each other alive.

External links

References

• YouTuber Muselk's first Zombie Survival video
• Zombie Survival guide by awesomedog7 (contains some differing information)
• ZS maps on GameBanana