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We've been covering State of Decay 2 all month long as part of IGN First, and to close things out at the end of the month we offered you a chance to ask the developers at Undead Labs your burning questions about the zombie-apocalypse-survival sequel. And now they have answered!

GIGGITY_G00 asks: Can other players kill you?

Ahmed Chandab asks: Is 4 player coop going to make to scale the games difficulty?

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Uneeda_Slap asks: How many vehicles are in the game? And will they be customizable with weapons and extra storage?

GurtX asks: Shared storage space between bases is a must and also I think traps and fence building would be a great addition. Are those in the game?

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y2g2003 asks: What happens when you complete the story mode of this game? Does the game end and credits roll or can players keep progressing through the game?

MonPrince asks: Can we not play Story mode right from the beginning? I don't wanna play it right away...I need some practice before jumping into campaign mode...is it possible? Like start in any of the 3 maps!!??

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55223Dylan asks: Will State of Decay 2 have anything to do with the story of the first game, and if so, will it take place before, after, or during the first game?

Blackiechan123 asks: Does this game require internet all the time, or can I play offline on my travels?

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Deviljho434 asks: Will there be an Assault shotgun in the game, and, if so, will there be special ammo types for it (slug, explosive, spread)?

JusDeKiwi asks: Since Undead Labs has previously stated that State of Decay 2 will ship with three maps (each roughly the size of the first game's map), will these maps each be environmentally different or will they be similar environments to what we've seen thus far in IGN's State of Decay 2 coverage?

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benjaminrw asks: Will there eventually be mod support and what are your thoughts on a custom map creator tool?

Fruzy asks: Can human enemies come to your base and raid it?

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SODfanboy123 asks: Can you change your survivors clothes or are they permanently how you got them like in the first game?

SebastianGreene asks: In developing State of Decay 2, what was one aspect or creative choice that the team found most difficult to agree on?

Other players might be able to create a situation that gets your survivor killed (accidentally or intentionally) but State of Decay 2 is focused on cooperative survival and there is intentionally no friendly fire and no deliberate PVP. The theme for State of Decay 2’s co-op is surviving together, and you need allies for that!The game’s difficulty doesn’t scale dynamically with the number of players. Zombies still take a single headshot. The intent is that pulling other players into your game gives you the feeling of strength in numbers and that it might be easier to survive together. That said, more players typically means that you’re making more noise, which in turn attracts more zombies for you to deal with. In general, it’s usually advantageous to have a good fighter (and friend) watching your back.The game includes over 40 different vehicles (not including color variations). The game also includes vehicle upgrade kits which transform your car or truck into a specialized apocalypse-ready vehicle of mass destruction. You might occasionally find one of these upgrade kits available from a wandering trader, but more often you’ll craft them at home (assuming your community has the right mix of skills and facilities).Each player has their own base, with its own storage locker. You have access to everything in your storage locker from your base, as well as from any outpost you’ve claimed. Whenever you relocate your community to a new base, everything in your storage locker moves with you. In multiplayer, when you open a storage locker in any base or outpost, you’ll see your own community’s inventory. Players can’t access each other's community storage directly, but can withdraw their own items and give them to others if they choose. Many “traps” can be crafted and placed in the world, from flashy distractions to explosive mines to other remote-activated goodies. Bases have varying levels of predetermined fencing and overall defensibility. Choosing a more-defensible base over a less-defensible base is part of the decision every player faces when selecting their home (along with the site’s overall size, special built-in facilities, and other aspects).State of Decay 2 doesn’t have a typical “story mode”, but each Community has its own story that is composed from a dynamic narrative system. Every player’s experience is unique to their decisions and the consequences of the choices that they’ve made. We’re not quite ready to reveal the specifics of what happens when you choose to end your Community’s story, but you definitely have control of when that happens, and if you want a specific Community to continue indefinitely, you can do that.State of Decay 2’s story is heavily simulation-driven and, for the most part, it’s your choice to engage with it at whatever pace you please. You can select any of the game’s three maps at the end of the game’s tutorial.State of Decay 2 takes place roughly a year and a half after the events of the first game, and it assumes that the general events of the original storyline (including Lifeline) took place.The game does not require internet access to play single-player. Even if you don’t want to play co-op, you will likely have a better experience if you are connected and can download all the latest content as we continue to support the game after its launch.We have a few assault shotguns in the game, though they’re rare. They use the same basic shotgun ammo as other shotguns (no slugs or other fancy ammo types out of the gate), but they are able to fire in semiautomatic and fully automatic modes. An assault shotgun is also one of the items that comes with the State of Decay 2 Ultimate Edition. All of our shotguns fire multiple pellets within the spread of the reticle. You can find or craft “chokes” (a kind of muzzle attachment) that reduce the spread of any compatible shotgun.Each of the maps has a distinct theme and visual identity that represent the local (pre-apocalypse) culture and climate. The overall setting of State of Decay 2 retains the original game’s “small-town Americana” theme, with each map putting its own spin on the concept. The three maps you’ll encounter are the Cascade Hills, nestled at the base of the mountains; Drucker County, which is situated next to a huge gorge; and Meagher Valley, featuring pastoral farmland.We don’t plan to actively prevent mods, but we don’t plan to support them, either.State of Decay 2 includes many situations where human NPCs may act against your community’s interests, either directly or indirectly.You cannot, currently, change any survivor’s outfit.There was a lot of serious discussion on different aspects of the game. The structure of the dynamic narrative systems that drive the game and whether or not we should do something more linear. Whether or not PvP was appropriate for the game. How multiplayer looting systems should work. The amount of agency that other players could have over your base. How dark the nighttime lighting should be. State of Decay is a massive game with a ton of interlocking systems and changing one of them can have significant repercussions on several others. All game development is a collaborative art project with folks that can be incredibly passionate about their vision for what is best for the game. As a team, we always try to do our best to be receptive to each other’s perspective and feedback while pushing for the decisions that align with our overall goals and vision for State of Decay 2.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews and Xbox Guru-in-Chief. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan , catch him on Unlocked , and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.