We recently got some info from H1Z1's Senior Designer Jimmy Whisenhunt.

Earlier, SOE President John Smedley announced that an H1Z1 livestream will be broadcast this afternoon at 11am PT (2pm ET) on Twitch TV. While you wait for that broadcast, check out the information we got during a recent roundtable with Senior Designer Jimmy Whisenhunt!

What is H1Z1?

• Post-apocolyptic zombie survival MMO
• You need to survive in many ways: scavenging for food (gathering, hunting, etc), shelter, a torch or campfire
• Need to be on the lookout for zombies and other players (as it's PvP)
• You can work with other players... if that's a risk you're willing to take!
• H1Z1 considers itself unique by the large scale of world they can provide, as well as the various ways they have to enhance your play

Crafting/Weapons

• Different types of weapons can be crafted, such as bows and arrows, or rudimentary axes
• Defensive crafting: barricades for doors and windows
• You can craft your own homes or tents—these are destructible and can be attacked (this is not a voxel world like Landmark, so you can't destroy the entire world and certain pre-placed buildings are indestructible)
• Some items can be affected after placed in the world
• Weapon durability will eventually be in the game.. some can be taken care of, but others can't and will eventually break

Artificial Intelligence

• AI can make many decisions on its own; for example, a deer being chased by a zombie
• Pathing: Mobs are smarter than in most games...i.e., a zombie finding an alternate route quickly if you close the door on it
• The AI is a subset of the EverQuest Next system, but more simplistic in comparison

Progression

• No character skills or experience
• Based on the resources you find, and what you decide to turn them into
• A discovery system is being considered; this would be akin to discovering a recipe and having that discovery remain persistent throughout character lives

"Player" Servers

• May be allowed to have different rulesets
• A player-voting system would open the floor for what rulesets would be on which server
• A PvE server will eventually be introduced, but focus is on hardcore first; after player servers are online, they will look into supporting a PvE experience

Monetization

• Only looking at adding cosmetic items or things that don't affect gameplay
• Considering monetizing game modes

Socializing

• Can support small group play; won't be available intially, but can be easily added
• Chatting too loudly could attract zombies...are you REALLY sure that you want to yell that?
• You can become ill and may need help from other players

Miscellaneous

• There will be a weather system and it will affect things in the game
• It doesn't matter how much you turn up that gamma...night time will be dark
• Fire will eventually destroy things, but they're determining how quickly
• The backstory will "be told in a passive way"

Zombies!

• Devs checking out the potential of your body being reanimated as a zombie and having to fight yourself to get your things back
• No animal zombies (...yet?)
• Cannibalism is a debated topic and may be added, but they're stuck at the "should we?" aspect

SOE is looking at another 4-6 weeks before Early Access kicks off. Remember to check out the H1Z1 livestream at 11am PT (2pm ET) today!

Ann "Cyliena" Hosler, Managing Editor