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Monday Dev Update #11

Greetings,


To secure and speed up the release pace, and minimize the occurrence of delays, you can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/winterfallgame


Last week, we skipped the Monday Update because we were still embroiled in the same tasks described the week before and did not get to make considerable progress. There was little point to going over the same stuff again just for a couple dev items.

Thankfully, the latest week was not as plodding and we managed to take care of a number of features to keep improving the system. Should there be no accident this week, we'll come out of it with the Survey/Incidents system fully functional in its core form.


The system now features the following types of Incidents according to the following logic:

  • Animal Spawn

    • Animal Spawn occurs at the lowest Notice level (0-1)

    • An unaware animal or critter wanders by into the player's environment

    • It offers the player an opportunity to ambush the animal

    • Pending: Some animals may alert their environment if they detect the player before he does

  • Tracks Spawn

    • Tracks spawn occurs at the next Notice Level (2-3)

    • The player can hold F near a Track to Inspect it

    • The next Track will spawn, the player can seek it out and repeat the process

    • Tracks spawn in a curve, to avoid criss-crossing and backtracking

    • Pending: At the end of the trail, a Tracking Outcome event plays out

  • Patrol

    • Patrol is the mid-level Notice incident (4-5)

    • An NPC Patrol spawns in the distance

    • Patrol NPCs/Bots flock together

    • Patrol NPCs/Bots walk to the nearest Hostile Camp

    • The Patrol has a Detection Radius

    • If caught in the Detection radius, the Player has a limited amount of time to escape Detection

    • The way the Player behaves (crawl, crouch, crouchwalk, stand idle, walk, jog, run...) impacts Detection

    • The Escape Detection Countdown is shown

    • If Detected, the Player can fight off the Patrol

    • Pending: Alt Goal: If Detected, the Player must Escape to a Hiding spot

  • Ambush

    • Ambush is the higher-level Notice incident (6-8)

    • An NPC/Bot Ambush spawns upon the Player

    • The Player can fight off the Ambush

    • Pending: Alt-Goal: the Player must Escape the Ambush

  • Deadly Ambush

    • Deadly Ambush is the highest-level Notice incident (9-10)

    • A very dangerous (boss-level) NPC/Bot Ambush spawns upon the Player

    • The Player can fight off the Ambush

    • Pending: Alt-Goal: the Player must Escape the Ambush

Except for the PENDING object, the above mechanics are implemented and functional. Patrol allowed us to bring back some semblance of Stealth mechanics, where the way you move (or don't) impacts your detectability and will therefore reward sneakiness.

Here are the next immediate steps for the system:

  • All Mechanics

    • Implement Incident Notifications

  • Patrol Mechanics

    • Double Detection Area Radius Size

    • Obstacles should create dead zones in Detection Areas

    • Auto-Refill of Escape Detection Countdown by 1/second after 3 seconds out

    • Implement Escape Mechanics

  • Ambush

    • Implement Escape Mechanics

Currently, all Incidents are the same, but this system will ultimately evolve towards generating specific Incidents/Incident Scenarios based on external parameters.


In the next string of updates, I would like to see some final improvements brought to Gauntlet Mode so to be able to publish a playable build. I would also like to go return to some fundamental RPG gameplay: stats, inventory and so on. But first things first, finishing Incidents!


Still Pending Fixes (low priority items at the moment)

  • Gauntlet Mode: After Boss Bot spawn, all bot spawns in subsequent waves are Boss Bots

  • Gauntlet Mode: Add and configure Interaction Goal, Defeat All goal and Protect Goal

  • Finish fixing timing Issues on the remaining Combat Attacks (inputs 3 4 9 and 10)

  • Fix Sprint's Stamina Cost & Passage of Time & add Cooldown

  • Camera Tweaks & Small UI Fixes

  • Implement basic "Monsters" for Cloudedness Hazard


And as usual, you can:

Thank you very much!

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