Score: 10
"Just wanted to start by saying... LOVED THE QUIZ!!"
date: May 12, 2008
Now that I got that out of the way, I wanted to bring up some new concepts/thinking. By the way, I read both of Max Brooks books you spoke of above, as well as a few other things. Zombie nerd here, ha-ha. This was just a few of my thoughts (I will spare you of more than hallf of them). Perhaps you will consider some of these in your v2, which, btw, I eagerly anticipate!
Question 21 = The grocery store is not a horrible place to go when an outbreak begins. Though there is a chance of infection and rampages of people, it is easy to navigate a supermarket given the large hallways, so if zombies did find their way in (usually the entrance to a supermarket is on ONE side of the building) you can easily go out the other end of the hallway or use a shopping card (if you took one) to shove them or barricade to jog around them fairly safely. Now you have food for a jouney (I agree, however, that hospital/church are worst and home/military-base are best).
Question 23 = You shoud have a non-gun means of killing the person, so as not to alert more zombies. Given it is a single lone zombie and you have the capacity to dispatch of them anyways, at the risk of emotional trouble, the fact of the matter is you will kill them and feel REALLY MESSED UP for a bit. Given that, the surronding zombies due to gunfire will make you unable to perform up to snuff, while a machete/katana/etc weapon, though being more emotionally distressing, will give you at least a few minutes (hopefully) to mentally/emotionally recoupe.
Question 26 = You should mention in your answers to questions and consider the ramifications that, beside a motercycle being very dangerous (I picked bicycle, btw), motorcycles are also quite loud.
Question 27 = Handgun should be best (not worst), or close to best. Shotguns should be the worst (not 3rd best). I base this answer on the concept of weapon spray. Guns that "spray" will be less accurate, more ammunition wasting, they are generally heavier weapons (and ammunition), and there is a greater risk of flying zombie bits (which, can infect you if they touch a scrape on your body or if you breathe in bloody zombie mist from an up-close shotgun blast).
Question 42 = Doesn't take into account distractions (living person is hot) or the use of ammunition (wasteful and alerts more surrounding zombies). Those answers should be factored in more heavily for those reasons.
Question 44 = This is likely going to be a "agree to disagree" between you and me, as this is all hypothetical obviously. But, Zombies don't use their vocal chords and lungs, in my opinnion.. The "moan" is the escaping of air from their gut, caused by bacteria working on the decaying body (of the zombie) and contents of food in the stomach/intestine (from zombie feeding and pre-zombification meals). The zombies are stupid and open their mouths when they see there prey (even at a distance), allowing this gas to quickly escape their mouth, producing a moan-like sound.
Question 48 = Same as above question, no respiratory function.
Just my two cents, I am curious to hear what you think about these thoughts and eagerly anticipate the 2nd version of ur zombie survival quiz! Your thinking was, in general, very on par with mine, at least that is the sense I got from your answers and grading ways. I took the quiz the first time by giving the answers I thought best (even if it didn't apply to me personally), to see the score. I got nearly all perfect scores accross the board. Then I did it as the "real me", knowing I'd score less, but, hey, Z+ isn't bad, I I got a bunch of B's, with an F for emotions (ha-ha). Keep em coming man!