So how does this game play?

[azazel1024]

Most of us modify it so that it is easier to kill the zombies, removing the penalties to strike the head, removing the AR or similar.

Next off, few people venture in to populated (or formly populated) areas. The moan is only an issue if you can't take out the zombie very quickly.

You are only highly visible to zombies in the dark. In daylight the ability to see your living 'aura' is so dimished you can hide using some decent camoflague and concealment.

In rural areas, you might only run in to a single zombie, or a small group, even with the moan. Also most zombies aren't super fast, so even if the moan is struck up, you can eliminate the zombie(s) if it is a small number and get out of dodge before anymore show up (hard to do in a formally populated area, easy to do in the wilderness, low population density areas).
-Matt

[Damian Magecraft]

If I actually run a DR game (I usually use it as a source book for other settings) It is usually as a one off game.
as a contest of sorts.
he who kills the most zombies before dieing wins a "special" for the next setting we play.
Or alternatively the more spectacular the kill the more points you score. The points can be spent on upgrades to any character in any game (the next DR, Rifts, PF, etc...) I run next.

[Grell]

My group uses the Penetration Values from the Compendium to reduce zombie AR on a point for point basis dependent on the firearm. We also use the brain shot effects from the compendium for high penetrators (x4 dmg direct to HP). We also replace the mandatory 17-20 strike rule (unmodified) with a standard -5 for headshots against the living OR the dead.

[MaxxSterling]

I'm glad to see most people feel the same way I do about this game... It's a shame.

[azazel1024]

It is not PPE vision. It is life force vision is how it is explained.

The way I work it is only if there is exposed skin or body. Anything transparent will show the shine. In your example the artic explorer with the goggles will still shine out through the goggles. Anything thin will not contain the 'light'. I equate it to the equivelent of you being a 500 watt light bulb. So you'll shine through thin fabrics, gaps in fabrics (even if overlaping some, etc). You don't actively illuminate things around you, but you are super bright. Almost the equivelent of being covered in white cotton fabric and being in a room with a super bright darklight. That is almost how you appear to a zombie.

So yes being behind a cardboard box would screen you from a zombie. Being behind thin curtains would not as they aren't completely opaque. A Japanese Shoji screen also wouldn't obscure you completely.

The other way I work it is if only a tiny bit of you is showing, for example your arctic explorer outfit with a balaclava and googles on, the zombie would only see a tiny bit of shine. They'd be interested and come over to see what it was, but it would be unlikely to incite a moan until they figure out it is a person mostly covered up (which wouldn't take all that long, but it would either take closer examination or realizing the little bit of life light is moving around like it is a person's eyes running around). Then moan central.

So covering up in something like a ghille suit with a face mask is going to obscure you quite a bit from a zombie, but at night they are likely to still figure it out unless you are completely hiding your face from them as well.
-Matt