As development of the vehicle system in The Apocalypse continues, we have recently been thinking about a new question: Should vehicles be equipped with weapons?
For example, mounting a machine gun on top of a vehicle to give players greater firepower while exploring the open world.
From a PVE perspective, this could actually be a very interesting feature.
When players drive through dangerous areas and face large numbers of enemies or sudden zombie hordes, vehicles would no longer be just a means of transportation.
A modified vehicle could become a mobile firepower platform.
One player could drive while a teammate operates the roof-mounted weapon.
This kind of multiplayer cooperation could create a completely different gameplay experience, whether exploring, clearing dangerous areas, or taking on large enemies.
At the same time, however, we also see another question: What happens when this system enters PVP?
If vehicle-mounted weapons become too powerful or too automated, battles between players could gradually shift from “player-versus-player combat” into “whoever has the stronger armed vehicle wins.”
If every player starts relying on automatic machine guns, armored vehicles, and mobile firepower platforms, the importance of infantry combat, firearm customization, and individual skill could gradually be reduced.
Eventually, the game could evolve into a completely different kind of experience.
This is also one of the issues we need to keep considering while designing The Apocalypse.
We do not believe that every system must follow exactly the same rules in PVE and PVP.
Some content can be much more unrestricted in PVE, allowing players to use powerful equipment and defensive capabilities.
But in a PVP environment, more limitations and balancing may be necessary.
For example:
Should vehicle-mounted weapons consume ammunition and energy?
Should automatic weapons be limited by attack range or target type?
Should players be required to operate them manually instead of allowing full automation?
Should more powerful vehicle-mounted weapons only be available in specific modes, events, or areas?
Should PVE and PVP use different balance rules?
At the moment, we are leaning toward making single-player and multiplayer co-op PVE the core experience of The Apocalypse.
In this kind of gameplay, we want players to have more freedom.
You can build a base, modify vehicles, upgrade your equipment, or drive a weapon-equipped vehicle with friends while exploring a dangerous world.
PVP will still exist, but we want it to be more of an optional way to play rather than a source of long-term pressure that every player is forced to participate in.
Vehicle-mounted weapons could be a lot of fun.
But how to make them powerful enough without undermining the fun of the game itself is still something we need to continue thinking about.
So, what do you think?
If vehicles in The Apocalypse could be equipped with machine guns, automated defensive systems, or even more types of weapons, what role would you like them to play in the game?
We are also looking forward to hearing your thoughts.