Disease

Definition and Common Uses

Disease is a severe illness, often contagious and sometimes fatal. The characteristics of a disease vary and can be caused by many sources. Commonly in video games, a disease is a condition of a player, enemy, or of many enemies which alter or hinder their ability in some way.  In an Role-Playing Game, disease is usually a similar condition to poison, but with more severe effects and/or duration.  Rather than taking away HP from a character, disease may be distinguished from poison in a specific game by hindering other stats such as defense, attack, or resistance. Disease may be present in an First-Person Shooter as a condition, when caught from another source such as an enemy, will slowly take health away for a set amount of time, limit vision, or slow speed.

Disease in Zombies

Disease is a very important part of games with zombies. Although is it debatable whether a mutation, disease, or infection are the source of some zombie outbreaks depending on the game, many monsters have the symptoms of disease.  Zombification is generally caused by close contact or death and reanimation of a corpse. These types of zombies are most likely spread by infection.

Although a zombie may be created by an infection, often times they may be concurrently infected and diseased. The disease portion of a zombie's organic compounds has a negative effect on the creature. Although the infection and/or mutation could make the zombie immune to it's own disease, thus effectively giving the zombie another weapon. Other zombies may just be an injured creature, which is dying from a disease and has attempting to solely pass on it's disease or infection to the uninfected.

Widespread Disease

Disease may also be a widespread condition of an area or population.  In a simulation, for example, a city may not grow and potentially decrease in size or productivity when affected by disease. Some areas of a map or world may be unavailable for habitation or commute when affected. If left unattended, it is assumed that disease will spread to wider area and become more severe.

Healing Diseases (short-term disease)

A short time-based disease, like in an RPG or FPS can usually just be "walked off" or healed with a medical kit or healing magic. Some diseases last until the end of a battle, while diseases in other games will stay on the character until healed.  Often times pure HP healing, poison curing, and disease curing are all separate spells or need special items in an RPG.

Containment and Eradication Procedures (permanent disease)

The first priority of getting rid of permanent disease if to limit the spread.  A disease could become widespread in a very short amount of time, depending mostly on awareness and population density. Containment of a disease is often accomplished by the barricading of an area large enough around the source of disease so that all biological being affected with be trapped. Once trapped, the disease may be cured by a scientist or, and especially if the disease is lethal, it may be destroyed by killing all creatures and/or burning the entire area.  Again, the characteristics of a disease will determine the act needed.