Bus

The Bus is a Utility in the Zombies campaign map TranZit that allowsthe players to travel through the map.

Zombies break the boarded bus windows to get in, and sprint at the bus whenever all players are on it. The bus is upgradeable, one of the additions featuring a barricade on the front. Players can also climb on top of the bus to shoot off the zombies that jumps on top, however you will need one of the ladders that can be found lying around TranZit in order to do so.

Behaviour
The Bus is controlled by a robotic AI figure known as T.E.D.D., and spawns outside of the starting location, the Bus Stop. Until a player opens and boards the bus, it will not move from the starting location. T.E.D.D. will continue to beep the horn however, until the players board it. After this, the horn is still sounded, but once it has reached a location, it is used to sound an imminent departure. The bus departing is not dependant on the end or beginning of a wave, but rather a timer. It can arrive and depart within a single wave. All player do not need to be on the bus either- some or all can be left behind. The Bus Driver will not stop at all safe locations along the route, only at five large locations (the Bus Stop, the Diner, the Farm, the Power Plant and the City). It is important to note that there are valuable pieces of equipment and weapons in between the stops, and a player can jump from the bus as it passes one of these for no damage.



T.E.D.D. will alert the players to an attack, but aside from that will not be concerned of their fate. Zombies can attack and get inside the Bus as if it was any other structure. Zombies are slightly faster than the Bus, but spawn slowly (having to emerge from the ground). Therefore, a horde of zombies is often seen forming behind the bus, which if left alone will eventually run around the bus and start attacking the windows.

The Bus is not very wide, just large enough for two players to pass side by side, but not without issues and is quite long. This presents a multitude of locations for zombies to enter the bus, all the side windows and the front. Additionally, if the ladder upgrade has been installed, then zombies can climb onto the roof and jump inside. If a powerup spawns within the bus, it will stay stationary on the ground but the bus will keep moving, and if it is not grabbed, it will be left behind. Claymores and other equipment can be placed on the floor fine however- though they may slide forwards slightly to begin with. Shooting from the rear of the bus presents issues, as the players cannot jump up onto the rear bump, and if one aims too low to the window frame, the bullets will be wasted and not hit any zombies.

The Bus represents the safest way to navigate from location to location, while avoiding the Denizens and other hazards along the way.

It is not advised that you DO NOT get off the bus past round 5, as zombies that were chasing the bus will swarm you.



Weapons
There is one weapon that can be found inside the Bus- the B23R. Its outline can be seen on the roof, for a thousand points. As this is the only constant weapon between locations, and is available early, it is highly recommended that a player utilize this. Its high rate of fire, regular ammo availability and considerable damage (it retains a one-burst kill until wave 5, and can kill a zombie with a headshot until Wave 10.) make it a desirable weapon. Beyond this weapon, however, the players are confined to whatever weapons they entered the bus with. The Max Ammo powerup can still spawn from zombies killed in the bus, but will not stay within the bus, so it is important to grab it, as it represents the only way to gain ammo for any other weapon while on the bus.



Upgrades
The Bus can be upgraded in three ways- the first is a plow that can be added to the front of the bus to deflect zombies that would otherwise climb in the front windows. This is valuable, as it is one less direction to cover. However, it is not possible to attach this part to the Diner, since there is a pool of lava in front of the bus.

The second attachment is a ladder. It allows for players to climb out of the bus and onto the roof. A player may need to jump and hold the use button to initiate the process. It is important to note that zombies can enter through this hatch, either by ripping of part of the roof, or by jumping down when the ladder is installed. Also, watch out for obstacles on the top of the bus- the tunnel from the Bus Stop is especially hazardous. If a player collides with an object (such as a sign or billboard), they will be dragged off the bus and thrown onto the ground. This will not down the player, but they will be left alone in the gaps between locations, and will have to walk to the next bus stop.

The third is another ladder, attachable onto the external rear left of the bus. It allows access on to the top of the bus like the other ladder, however it is on the outside, so you do not have to be on the inside to use it. It is especially useful at the Power Plant, as access to the bus or the level isn't possible if you get caught on the wrong side of it.