Bow's Brainstorm

Bow’s brainstorm · co-op zombie survival · in planning

Build your homestead. Fly out into zombie land. Bring the loot home.

Bow’s Meh Survival is getting rebuilt from scratch. This is where I sketch out the whole game before building it: the world, every zone, homes, weapons, zombies, crafting, money and the order it all gets made.

Zones: 60
Areas: 5
Bosses: 10
Weapons: 25
Players: 1–8

The game in four parts

Survive

The world outside town belongs to zombies. Clear 60 zones across farmland, suburbs, factories, mountains and a toxic island. Every 6th zone has a boss.

Build

Every player gets their own big plot in Home Land, right on the road next to town, with a house already on it. Fill it with rooms, storage and defenses.

Travel

Hop on the flying taxi to any zone you’ve unlocked, or take a plane from the airport to the island. Later islands arrive as DLC.

Trade

Sell what you loot and mine at the Mehville market. Prices move with what everyone sells. Spend it on land, gear and the permit for the next zone.

What you do, over and over

1 · HomeBuild, craft, store your loot

2 · Fly outTaxi to a zone you’ve unlocked

3 · SurviveGather, loot, fight, beat the boss

4 · SellCash in at the market

5 · GrowBigger house, better gear, next zone

↺ repeat

The story it starts normal and gets stranger

It looks like a normal zombie outbreak, but every area you unlock gets a little more sci-fi. MehGen Labs made a pill to calm people down. It worked a bit too well: the calm, lazy “meh” zombies are what’s left of its customers.

1FarmlandJust zombies… right?

A normal outbreak. Odd things: a crashed drone with a MehGen logo, and zombies that seem a bit too calm.

2SuburbsPosters + rumors

Billboards for a MehGen “calm-down” pill. The Mall Cop boss wears a MehGen security badge.

3IndustrialThe experiments

The hospital ran MehGen trials. The Surgeon was their doctor. The power station still feeds a strange, buried rail line.

4MountainsThe hidden outpost

A sci-fi MehGen outpost inside the caves, guarded by soldiers in sci-fi armor. Fix the old station and the sci-fi train wakes up.

5Toxic IslandMehGen Labs

The full sci-fi lab complex where it all started. The Mutant is patient zero. Beat it, then escape on the lab train.

Normal at the start, sci-fi at the end, and more after that: DLC islands carry the story on (see the DLC tab).

Dig into the details

Working notes. What is decided, what is still open, and what comes from the old game.

Open questions

Does each player get their own homestead land, like the original, or one shared base?
Which survival needs: hunger, thirst, cold, or keep it light?
Day and night, with zombies attacking homes at night?
Does it replace the current game on the same Steam page?

Next steps

Make the Assets and NewBowsGame projects
Pick the genre, name and direction
Write the full game plan (all the tabs)
Answer the open questions
Pick which old code to bring over (taxi, airport, market)
First test map: Mehville, Home Land and zone 1

Decided 10 yes

Survival game, named Bow's Meh SurvivalYes
MultiplayerYesSurvive with friends over Steam
ZombiesYesThey own everything outside town
5 areas × 12 zones (60)Yes10–15 per area; new resources at milestones, a mini-boss mid-area, a big boss at the end
Flying taxiYesFast travel home and to unlocked zones
AirportYesFlights to far places, starting with Toxic Island
MarketYesSell loot for money, buy what you need
Crafting + miningYesSee the Crafting tab
Mehville hub townYesSafe, and it grows as you clear zones
More islands as DLCYesEach adds 10–15 zones, flown to from the airport

Ideas to pick from 10

"Meh" zombiesIdeaLazy, funny zombies; some sit scrolling a phone
Day and nightIdeaScavenge by day, defend your home at night
Base defensesIdeaWalls, traps, lights, turrets around your house
Hunger, thirst, coldIdeaFood from farming, hunting or the market
Zombie typesIdeaRunners, wall-breaking tanks, screamers
Rescue survivorsIdeaThey move into Mehville and open shops
Noise mattersIdeaGuns draw the horde, melee stays quiet
Supply dropsIdeaA crate lands; everyone races for it
Blood moonIdeaHuge horde every 7th night
VehiclesIdeaTrucks to haul loot inside a zone

From the old game 4 keep · 2 rework

Flying taxiKeepKiosk, taxi pads, now with a stop in every area
AirportKeepTerminal, tickets, runway
MarketsKeepShops, now buying your loot too
HTML menusKeepMain menu, taxi counter, ATMs as web pages
Homesteads + Home StoreReworkPlots and houses, plus defenses
Zombie modeReworkBecomes the whole world outside town
Save systemUndecided
Steam multiplayerUndecided
Mail + post officeUndecided
House interiorsUndecided

Lesson: the old lag came from about 3,850 things ticking every frame plus full-world scans every 0.25 s. We avoid that from day one.

Mehville and Home Land sit in the middle. Four areas surround them and Toxic Island lies across the sea. The flying taxi reaches every area you've unlocked; the island needs the plane.

World map not to scale · hover a zone for its level lock

Zone, in unlock order Mini-boss Boss LVLevel you need to unlock it Flying taxi Plane

Unlock ladder 60 zones · 5 areas × 12 · brighter tile = new resource · red = boss · Lv tag = level lock

Farmlandzones 1–12

1Wood, stone, fiber

2

3Water, hunting

4

5

6Lv 5Mini-boss

7

8Iron + coal

9

10

11

12Lv 10The Farmer

Suburbszones 13–24

13Lv 12

14Scrap, car parts

15

16Canned food

17

18Lv 15Mini-boss

19

20Copper, electronics

21

22

23

24Lv 20Mall Cop

Industrialzones 25–36

25Lv 22

26

27Medical supplies

28

29

30Lv 25Mini-boss

31

32Sulfur: guns

33

34

35

36Lv 30Surgeon

Mountainszones 37–48

37Lv 32

38

39Gold + gems

40

41

42Lv 35Mini-boss

43

44Crude oil

45

46

47

48Lv 40Cave boss · airport opens

Toxic Islandzones 49–60

49Lv 42

50

51Titanium

52

53

54Lv 45Mini-boss

55

56

57

58

59

60Lv 50Final mutant

12 zones per area to start; any area can go anywhere from 10 to 15. Zones with no new resource still give more of what you have, plus loot, survivors and money for the market.

Level locks some zones need a level, not just money

Most zones only need the permit. Boss zones, mini-boss zones and the first zone of each new area also need a level. That stops anyone rushing in with cash before they’re ready.

Area	Mini-boss zone	Boss zone	Get into the next area
Farmland	Zone 6 · Lv 5	Zone 12 · Lv 10	Zone 13 · Lv 12 + Bridge kit
Suburbs	Zone 18 · Lv 15	Zone 24 · Lv 20	Zone 25 · Lv 22 + Fuse box
Industrial	Zone 30 · Lv 25	Zone 36 · Lv 30	Zone 37 · Lv 32 + Climbing gear
Mountains	Zone 42 · Lv 35	Zone 48 · Lv 40	Zone 49 · Lv 42 + Plane ticket + gas mask
Toxic Island	Zone 54 · Lv 45	Zone 60 · Lv 50	DLC islands: Lv 50+

Who needs the level? The player buying the permit. Lower-level friends can still come along in co-op.
Recommended vs needed. Every zone still shows a recommended level (its zone number). Locks sit about 10 levels lower, so you can push ahead if you’re good.
Locked gates show a yellow “Lv 22” sign. The Town Hall permit button says what level you need.

After zone 60: keep going DLC islands + replay

DLC islandsEach new island at the airport adds 10–15 zones, a new theme, new resources and a new boss. Zone numbers carry on from 61.

Zombies take land backEvery few days a horde retakes a cleared zone. Win it back for a bonus.

Danger levelsReplay any area on Hard or Nightmare for rare loot.

Keep buildingBigger homes, more land, your own shop at the market.

Island ideas: Six islands planned: see the DLC tab
Maybe later: The Wastes: endless random zones as a free update, if players want more

Farmland 1–12

Fields, barns, forest, a quarry. Slow zombies; learn the ropes. Odd find: a crashed MehGen drone.

Boss: The Farmer, at the quarry
Get in: Open from the start

Suburbs 13–24

Streets, junkyard, a big mall. Runners show up, and MehGen posters are everywhere.

Boss: Mall Cop: scooter, whistle calls the horde
Get in: Level 12 + Bridge kit over the river

Industrial 25–36

Factory, power station, hospital. Dark until the power's on. The hospital ran MehGen’s trials.

Boss: Surgeon: throws scalpels, heals zombies
Get in: Level 22 + Fuse box for the gate

Mountains 37–48

Snow, caves, gem mines. Cold matters here. A hidden sci-fi outpost and the old train station sit in the caves.

Boss: A giant cave zombie
Get in: Level 32 + Climbing gear

Toxic Island 49–60

MehGen Labs: a sci-fi lab complex and refinery in green fog. The gas mask runs on a timer.

Boss: The Mutant, patient zero. Then escape on the lab train
Get in: Level 42 + Plane ticket + gas mask

Drawn to scale: 1 square = 250 × 250 m. Each area is a fenced 1,000 × 750 m block of 12 zones. A road snakes through every zone, with a locked gate at each border. Click a zone, building or plot for the full details.

Zone with a new resource Boss zone · red dot = zombie nest Gate (with its permit) · T = taxi pad Building, true size · dashed = outdoor spot Fence between zones

Sizes

Zone: 250 × 250 m: about 40 s to jog across, one World Partition cell, so each zone loads on its own
Area: 4 × 3 zones = 1,000 × 750 m
Mehville: Town 500 × 380 m, airport beside it with a 380 m runway
Home Land: Plots 40 × 40 m; your block of 25 is 230 × 230 m
Whole world: Mainland about 3.2 × 1.6 km: Farmland and Suburbs west, Mehville and Home Land in the middle, Industrial and Mountains east. Toxic Island across the sea

Gates + fences

Zone gate: A barricade across the road. Opens when the zone before is cleared and the permit is paid. Stays open for everyone in that world
Area gate: Needs the area key: broken bridge, powered gate, cliff trail, airstrip
Fences: Farmland: hedgerows + wooden fences. Suburbs: garden walls. Industrial: chain-link + razor wire. Mountains: cliffs + snowbanks. Toxic: fog walls
Zombies: Can't cross a locked gate, so cleared zones stay mostly safe (except raids)

Inside every zone

Road: Through the middle, gate to gate
Buildings: 3 main ones at true size (see Buildings tab), plus small props: sheds, cars, crates
Nest: The red dot. Destroy it to clear the zone and open the next gate
Resources: Trees, rocks and ore veins spread around; regrow every 30 min
Taxi pad: On the first zone, the mini-boss zone and the boss zone

Zombies take zones back while you’re away

If nobody plays for a while, cleared zones slowly fill back up with zombies. Nothing you paid for is ever lost: permits, gates and your homestead stay yours. The world just gets more dangerous, and taking it back pays well.

ClearedNest destroyed, zone safe

Stirring~7 days offline: a few stragglers wander back

Returning~10 days: packs roam, loot spots refill

Nest back~14 days: nest regrown, clear it again

How it works

Only counts time away. The clock runs while no one in the group has played, not while you’re online.
Furthest first. Zones you cleared longest ago, and ones far from Mehville, regrow first.
Capped. At most 3 zones per area can regrow, so a month away isn’t a pile of chores.
Home is safe. Mehville, Home Land, the airport and taxi pads never regrow.
Bosses stay dead. Only normal nests come back. Boss zones stay beaten.
Shown on the map. Zones turn green, yellow, orange or red, so you can see what needs retaking.

Why come back

Thing	Reward
Retake a regrown nest	2× loot and cash for that zone’s clear
Retake every regrown zone in an area	“Reclaimer” bonus crate
Welcome back (7+ days away)	Double loot for your first hour
After zone 60	Regrown zones give endgame players something to keep doing

Still to decide: whether groups can turn it off, and whether the days should be shorter on a harder difficulty.

First draft, all up for change. Tags show the zone where a resource first appears. Anything you can't craft yet, you can buy at the market, at a price.

Crafting stations each one unlocks the next

HandsBasic tools, club, bandage

CampfireCook food, boil water

WorkbenchWeapons, walls, doors, traps

FurnaceSmelt ore into bars (zone 8)

Electric benchLights, generators, turrets (zone 20)

Chem benchGunpowder, ammo, medkits (zone 32)

Gather hands or axe

WoodZ1Chop trees
StoneZ1Rocks on the ground
FiberZ1Grass and bushes; rope
WaterZ3Rivers, rain collector; boil it

Mine needs a pickaxe

Iron ore + coalZ8Quarry veins; smelt into bars
Copper oreZ20Makes wire for electrics
SulfurZ32For gunpowder
Gold + gemsZ39Sell high, or fancy house decor
Crude oilZ44Fuel for generators and trucks
TitaniumZ51Best walls and tools

Scavenge loot the zones

ClothZ1Dressers, laundry, zombie drops
Scrap + car partsZ14Wrecked cars, the junkyard
ElectronicsZ20TVs, computers, zombies' phones
Medical suppliesZ27Hospital and pharmacy

Food

Berries + seedsZ1Snack now, or plant at home
Meat + hideZ3Hunt rabbits and deer
Canned foodZ16Stores and houses; never spoils
Market foodTownAlways there if you have money

Tools + weapons

Stone axeHands
3wood2stone2fiber
Stone pickaxeHands
3wood3stone2fiber
Wooden clubHands
4wood
Bow + 10 arrowsWorkbench
5wood4fiber2stone
Quiet: doesn't draw the horde
Nail batWorkbench
1club4scrap
Iron pickaxeWorkbench
2wood3iron bar
Needed for copper and beyond
Pipe pistolWorkbench
6scrap2car parts1iron bar
10 bulletsChem bench
1gunpowder2scrap

Home + defense

Wood wallWorkbench
6wood
Metal wallWorkbench
4iron bar2scrap
Spike trapWorkbench
5wood2scrap
Storage chestWorkbench
8wood1iron bar
Farm plotWorkbench
4wood3seeds
GeneratorElectric bench
6iron bar4car parts2copper wire
Auto turretElectric bench
6iron bar4electronics1pipe pistol
Gem chandelierWorkbench
3gold2gems
Pure show-off decor

Survival

BandageHands
2cloth
Cooked meatCampfire
1raw meat
Clean waterCampfire
1dirty water
Warm jacketWorkbench
3hide4cloth
Needed in the Mountains
MedkitChem bench
2bandage1medical supplies

Materials + area keys

Iron barFurnace
2iron ore1coal
Copper wireFurnace
2copper ore1coal
GunpowderChem bench
1coal1sulfur
Bridge kitWorkbench
10wood6iron bar4rope
Opens the Suburbs
Fuse boxElectric bench
3copper wire2scrap1electronics
Opens Industrial
Climbing gearWorkbench
6rope4iron bar1warm jacket
Opens the Mountains
Gas maskChem bench
2cloth2scrap1coal
Plus a plane ticket: Toxic Island

What the game needs to look and sound right. “Have it” means I already own it, from the old game or my Fab library (650 packs). Packs live in the separate Assets project, and only what gets used is copied into the game.

Have it: 79
Need: 10
Maybe: 2

Zombies, bosses + people 8 of 11 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
Undead Pack	Basic walkers	Have it
Zombie Movement + Modular Interaction Animations	Zombie walk, crawl, climb, attack, open doors	Have it
Bossy Enemy Animation Pack	Big boss attacks, slams, roars	Have it
Modular Security Guard Character	Mall Cop boss + guard zombies	Have it
Paragon: Rampage, Grux, Sevarog	Cave King + big event bosses	Have it
Survival Character, Survivalist, Adventure Character/Female	Player characters	Have it
Military Character Dark + Silver, Sci-Fi Soldiers	Soldier zombies at the refinery, lab guards	Have it
City Sample Crowds, Posed Humans Pack 1	Mehville townsfolk, survivors, bodies	Have it
Werewolf, Dragon for Boss Monster, Ancient Golem	Special event bosses (Halloween, Boss Raid)	Maybe
More zombie looks	Runner, tank, spitter, mutant skins	Need
“Meh” idle animations	Zombies scrolling phones, yawning, sitting	Need

Animations + sound 4 of 6 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
Animation Starter Pack, MoCap Online Free Pack	Player movement, guns	Have it
Close Combat Animset, Sword + Shield FP Set	Melee swings	Have it
Advanced Locomotion System V4, Mantling System	Smooth movement, climbing over walls	Have it
Human Vocalizations	Grunts, hurt, death sounds	Have it
Zombie sounds, gun sounds, ambience	All areas	Need
Music	Menu, town, combat, boss, Horde Night	Need

Weapons 5 of 6 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
FPS Weapon Bundle, Military Weapons Silver + Dark	Pistols, rifles, shotguns, LMG	Have it
Free Melee Weapon Pack	Bat, pipe, machete and other everyday melee	Have it
Infinity Blade Weapons, Free Fantasy Weapon Pack, Paladin Set, Sword	Event-only weapon skins	Have it
Melee Weapon Aura VFX	Glowing skins for event rewards	Have it
EasyBallistics, BM Weapon System	Bullet + weapon systems to borrow from	Have it
Throwables	Molotov, pipe bomb, bowling-ball bomb	Need

Vehicles + trains 7 of 9 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
Scifi Metro Station + Metro Train Modular Pack	The sci-fi train and its station	Have it
City Subway Train Modular, City Subway Tunnel, Train Carriage	Tunnels, extra cars	Have it
Victorian Train Station + Railroad Set	Old station in Mehville	Have it
City Sample Vehicles, Vehicle Variety Pack 1 + 2, ARCADE Mega Vehicles	Wrecks in streets, parked cars	Have it
Commercial Long-Range Aircraft, CommercialPlane	Plane to Toxic Island	Have it
UH-60 Blackhawk, C-130J, Stryker, HEMTT truck	Crashed military POIs, supply drops	Have it
Construction Vehicles Pack 1, Construction Site Loader	Quarry + Industrial	Have it
Driveable Cyberpunk Vehicles	Could be the flying taxi	Maybe
Tractor	The Farmer boss rides it	Need

Mehville + shops 8 of 8 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
Airport, TaxiStation, Markets (old game)	Mehville buildings	Have it
Bazaar, The Bazaar, Shop Simulator	Market stalls + shop interiors	Have it
Pawnshop System	Sell odd loot at a pawn shop	Have it
Supermarket, Grocery Store Props, Fast Food, Coffee Shop	Shops in town + looting in Suburbs	Have it
CLOTHING AND SHOE STORES	Clothes shop for skins, mall stores	Have it
Bank Building / Interior	Town Hall: permits + bank	Have it
1850s Post Office	Post office / mail	Have it
City Street Props, Freeway Props	Streets, signs, barriers	Have it

Homes + building 7 of 8 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
Modular Container Houses: Survival Base	Starter house kit (the Shack)	Have it
Modular Neighborhood Pack, Old Brick House, Modular Victorian House	Bigger house kits	Have it
Easy Building System V10, Replicated Building System	Build-your-own with multiplayer	Have it
Procedural Spline Walls System	Walls + fences around your plots	Have it
Storages Pack, Free Furniture, MEDA Furniture, Old Living Room	Rooms, storage, furniture	Have it
Backyard Pack 1 + 2	Yards, gardens, BBQs	Have it
Ultimate Farming	Grow crops at home	Have it
Traps + home defense	Spikes, turrets, barricades	Need

Farmland + Suburbs 7 of 8 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
Stylized Harvest Farm, Rural Australia	Farms, barns, fields	Have it
Megascans Quarry, Forest Floors, Forest Undergrowth, Dry Grass	Quarry (Farmer boss), forests	Have it
Watermills, Ready Map Vol 2: Bridge, Modern Bridges	River + the bridge into Suburbs	Have it
Halloween Pumpkins	Pumpkin patch, Halloween event	Have it
Modular Neighborhood Pack, Backyard Packs	Suburb streets	Have it
Junkyard	The Suburbs junkyard	Have it
Downtown West, Downtown Alley, City Sample Buildings	Bigger streets, mall area	Have it
A big mall	Mall Cop boss arena	Need

Industrial + Mountains 7 of 7 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
Factory Environment Collection, Industrial Area Hangar, Warehouse	Factories, warehouses	Have it
Urban Electrical Substation, Rusted Generator, Air Pipe	Power station	Have it
Abandoned Hospital, Medical Clinic + Laboratory	Hospital: Surgeon boss arena	Have it
Construction Site VOL 1 + 2, Roadside Construction, Unfinished Building	Building sites	Have it
Russian Winter Town, Winter Forest, Iceland Vol 1 + 3	Snowy Mountains	Have it
Old Mine, Stylized Crystal Mine, Deep Elder Caves, Cave Ruins	Mines, gem mine, Cave King arena	Have it
Lookout Tower, Polar Facility	Mountain outposts	Have it

Toxic Island + the lab 5 of 6 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
Sci-Fi Bio Laboratory, 4-in-1 Modular Research Facility	The secret lab	Have it
Modular Sci-Fi Treatment Station, Underground Sci-Fi	Refinery + underground levels	Have it
100+ Chemical Class Models, Sci-Fi Crates + Barrels	Lab clutter, toxic barrels	Have it
Deep Water Station, Sci-Fi Shelter	Flooded lab, survivor bunker	Have it
Death Area System [Multiplayer]	Toxic fog zones + gas mask timer	Have it
Refinery towers	Oil refinery buildings	Need

Effects + sky 5 of 6 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
Big Niagara Bundle, FX Variety Pack, Realistic Starter VFX 2	Hits, explosions, sparks	Have it
M5 VFX Fire + Flames, Smoke Builder	Fires, smoke, burning zones	Have it
Weather System, Rain FX, Clouds + Skies, Good SKY	Rain, blizzards, day + night	Have it
Celebrations VFX Bundle	Holiday events	Have it
Basic Pickups VFX, Niagara Footsteps	Loot glow, footsteps	Have it
Blood + gore FX	Hits and kills	Need

Systems to borrow from 10 of 10 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
Inventory System, Survival Craft: Inventory	Inventory + crafting	Have it
Gathering Resources: Advanced System	Chopping, mining, harvesting	Have it
Advanced AI Spawn System, Crowd Simulation Pro	Hordes + nest spawning	Have it
Fast Travel System, Journeyman’s Minimap	Taxi + minimap	Have it
Universal Health System, Interaction System	Health, using doors + items	Have it
Tower Defense Template	Horde Night + home raids	Have it
Prop Hunt Template	Meh Hide & Seek event	Have it
Achievement System, Stats + Achievements Integration	Steam achievements	Have it
Advanced Main Menu, Advanced Photo Mode, DLC in Blueprints	Menus, photo mode, DLC islands	Have it
Discord Bridge	Announce Bow’s events on Discord	Have it

DLC island ideas 6 of 6 owned

Asset	Used for	Status
Post-Apocalyptic Desert, Western Desert Town, Old West Vol 6	Desert island	Have it
Megascans Tropical + tropical plants, Underwater World	Jungle / beach island	Have it
Greek Island, Mediterranean Coast	Sunny coast island	Have it
Stylized winter city, Winter Forest Set	Frozen island	Have it
City Sample	A huge city island	Have it
Shanty Town Slums	Slum town island	Have it

Ideas from my library things I own that could become features

Zombie Prop Hunt

For Meh Hide & Seek, the hiders turn into props (trash cans, chairs) while the zombie hunts them.

uses: Prop Hunt Template

Supply drops

A plane flies over and drops a crate somewhere in a zone. Whoever reaches it first gets the loot. Great for events.

uses: C-130J, Blackhawk

Crashed military sites

A crashed Blackhawk or a lost army convoy in some zones: soldier zombies plus good gun loot.

uses: Military vehicles + soldiers

Homestead farming

Grow food on your plots. It feeds you (if we use hunger) and sells at the market.

uses: Ultimate Farming

Pawn shop

A Mehville pawn shop that buys weird loot and haggles over the price.

uses: Pawnshop System

Horde Night defense

Build walls and traps, then hold off the waves. Works for home raids and Bow’s Horde Night.

uses: Tower Defense Template + Spline Walls

Weather

Blizzards in the Mountains, acid rain on Toxic Island, fog nights when zombies get braver.

uses: Weather System

Toxic fog

Toxic Island fog that drains your gas mask. It could also spread into zones that regrow.

uses: Death Area System

The lab story

The outbreak started in the island lab. Notes and lab rooms tell the story, ending with the train escape.

uses: Sci-Fi lab packs + the sci-fi train

Helper drone

A small drone pet that follows you and picks up loot. Could be an event reward.

uses: Drone Scavenger, Robot Scout

Halloween event

Pumpkin patch in Farmland, a werewolf boss, spooky decorations in Mehville.

uses: Pumpkins, Werewolf, Celebrations VFX

Photo mode

Players take screenshots of their homes and fights: free advertising.

uses: Advanced Photo Mode

Style rule: the library mixes realistic and cartoony packs. Pick realistic as the main look (Megascans, City Sample, the military and lab packs) and only use stylized packs where they can be re-skinned.

The sci-fi train ideas for using it

I have a really cool sci-fi train (the Scifi Metro Station + Metro Train pack, which comes with its own station). Here’s where it could fit.

Built (Oct 30): the first line. A floating front car runs from Home Land through a tunnel to the Mehville Metro and loops back. It only runs when someone buys a ticket: Basic $10, Fast $30 (3× faster), or a free slow ride if you can’t pay. The metro’s north track is free for one of the ideas below.

The Meh Express ★ top pick

A broken-down train sits in Mehville’s old station. Each area boss drops a train part. Every part fixes a car and opens a new stop, until the train runs to every area.

progression · fast travel for the group + bulk loot

Train Defense event

The train crosses zombie land with everyone on board. Hordes jump on and climb the cars, and players fight them off until it reaches the station.

Bow-hosted event · great for big groups

Lab escape (the finale)

After beating The Mutant, the island’s secret lab train is the way out. A last ride with zombies chasing it, then the credits.

ending of zone 60

Mountain tunnel

A train line through the mountain is how you get into the Mountains. Fixing the tunnel is the area’s key instead of climbing gear.

swaps the Mountains key

Home on rails

Late game, buy your own train car and park it at Home Land. It’s a moving base with storage and a workbench.

endgame / DLC idea

Loot run

A supply train passes through a zone now and then. Stop it, clear it and loot the cars before more zombies show up.

random world event

Why it fits: the taxi carries only 4 people and a little loot, so the train is the big, slow, crowd ride. A sci-fi train in a run-down zombie world also hints that something weird is going on at the lab.

More islands after zone 60. Each DLC island is a new place to fly to from the airport, with 10–15 zones, new resources, a new twist and a new boss. Zone numbers keep counting up from 61, and every island carries the MehGen story on.

Dust Islandzones 61–72

desert western

A sun-baked desert with a ghost western town and a crashed MehGen supply plane.

New twist: Heat + water: carry water or slow down. Sandstorms hide zombies.
Boss: The Sheriff: a zombie lawman with twin revolvers
Story: MehGen tested the pill on a whole town out here first.
Assets I own: Post-Apocalyptic Desert, Western Desert Town, Wild West Town, Old West Vol 6, Megascans Sandstone Desert

Frost Islandzones 73–84

frozen north

Ice fields, a frozen Russian-style town and a polar research base.

New twist: Deep cold: warmth bar, campfires, snow vehicles. Frozen zombies shatter.
Boss: Frostbite: a giant frozen mutant that throws ice
Story: The polar base is where MehGen kept the first samples on ice.
Assets I own: Russian Winter Town, Stylized Winter City, Winter Forest Set, Iceland Vol 1 + 3, Polar Facility

Jungle Islandzones 85–96

jungle + ruins

Thick jungle, temple ruins, beaches and a lab under the sea.

New twist: Diving: swim to the underwater lab with an air timer. Vines and swamps slow you down.
Boss: The Tiki King: a giant zombie in temple gold
Story: MehGen hid a lab underwater to keep it secret.
Assets I own: Megascans Tropical, Tropical Vegetation packs, Temples of Cambodia, Underwater World, Deep Water Station

Meh Cityzones 97–108

big city

A huge city of skyscrapers, subway tunnels and MehGen headquarters.

New twist: Going up: rooftops, ziplines, skyscraper climbs. The subway train links districts.
Boss: The CEO: MehGen’s boss in a mech suit
Story: Face the people who started it all.
Assets I own: City Sample, City Sample Buildings + Crowds, Downtown West, City Subway Train + Tunnel

Realm of Mehspecial

fantasy portal

A MehGen portal experiment opens a fantasy world: castles, knights, dragons.

New twist: Magic weapons and armor that only work on this island. Also the island for Bow’s fantasy events.
Boss: The Meh Dragon
Story: The portal lab on Toxic Island had one more secret.
Assets I own: Paragon heroes, Infinity Blade (Fire, Ice, Grass Lands, Castle), Medieval Castle, Dragon Boss, Creating Portal to Another Reality

MehGen Orbitzones 109–120

space station

The final final: MehGen’s station in orbit, reached by rocket.

New twist: Low gravity, airlocks, spacewalks between modules.
Boss: The Founder: the first patient, still alive up there
Story: The story ends where the pill was invented.
Assets I own: Spaceship Interior Set, Modular Sci-Fi Season 1 + 2, Sci-Fi Hallway, Mission to Minerva, Rocket Thruster FX

How DLC works

Paid islands: about $4.99 each, or a season pass for all of them.
Co-op friendly: only the host needs the DLC for friends to play on that island together.
Level cap goes up with each island (Lv 60 → 70 → 80…), plus new perks.
Same home: loot from every island comes back to your one homestead.
Built with DLC in Blueprints, which I already own.

Free updates between DLCs

Holiday events: Halloween in Farmland, Christmas in Mehville.
New zombie types and weapons for the main game.
The Wastes: endless random zones, if players want more.
New house kits and furniture for homesteads.
Release order idea: Dust → Frost → Jungle → Meh City → Orbit, with Realm of Meh as a special or event island any time.

Bow’s live events. Every now and then I host a big event on its own server, open to everyone. Only I can start one. It’s a night where lots of players show up at the same time.

Event types start with Horde Night

Horde Night

Everyone defends Mehville against bigger and bigger waves. A giant boss shows up at the end.

10–30 players · 30–45 min · first to build

Boss Raid

One huge boss with a health bar so big the whole server has to work together to take it down.

10–30 players · 20 min

Zombie Race

A sprint through a zone packed with zombies. The first to reach the taxi pad wins.

8–20 players · 5 min rounds

Meh Hide & Seek

Players hide around town. Bow hunts them as a zombie, and anyone caught joins the zombie side.

8–20 players · 10 min rounds

Build-off

Everyone gets a blank plot and 30 minutes. Bow walks around and picks the winner.

any size · 30 min

Market Madness

Bow crashes or boosts market prices for an hour, and players race to trade.

any size · 1 hour · works in everyone’s own game

How an event night works

1 · AnnounceSteam, Discord, devlog site

2 · CountdownMain menu banner with time left

3 · Join“Join Event” button on the menu

4 · PlayBow runs it live

5 · RewardsTaken home to your own save

Rules

Only Bow can host. The event server only starts for Bow’s Steam account.
Separate event map. Players arrive with their own character and gear, but nothing they lose there comes off their real save.
Fair rewards. Cosmetics, badges, titles and event-only skins only, never power. Missing an event never puts anyone behind.
Bow’s powers. Spawn waves and bosses, change the weather and time, kick or mute players, end the round.
Run it twice. Hold each event at two different times so more time zones can make it.

Event rewards

For	Reward
Just showing up	Event badge on your profile + 1 event token
Surviving Horde Night	“Survived the Horde” title
Boss Raid kill	Boss trophy for your house
Race / Hide & Seek win	Gold skin for a weapon
Build-off winner	Your house shown on the main menu until the next event
Event tokens	Spent at an Event Shop in Mehville on cosmetics

Hosting rented server

A rented server (VPS) runs the event, so lag doesn’t depend on Bow’s home internet.
Size: about 4 CPU cores and 8 GB of RAM for 20–30 players. Roughly $20–40 a month, or less if it’s billed by the hour and only on during events.
Dedicated server build: Unreal needs a source-built engine (from GitHub) to make a dedicated server. The launcher version can’t. Set this up before the first event.
Bow joins as a player with host powers. Everyone else joins through Steam.
First test: 10–16 players, then go bigger once it holds up.

Still to decide

How often: weekly, monthly or for holidays?
Can players bring their own weapons, or does everyone get the same gear?
Can players use event tokens across all game modes?
Holiday events (Halloween horde, Christmas zombies)?
Should streamers be able to ask Bow for a private event?