Stealth Talks is a series of articles, written by the developers of Stargate: Timekeepers, which focuses on various stealth aspects of the game. Every article will cover a specific topic. Let us know what you think about the articles and if there are any other topics about the game you would like us to cover in the future.
Hi! I’m Patryk Nosek, Game Director for Stargate: Timekeepers. Today I wanted to share with you some thoughts about Stargate: Timekeepers stealth.
During the design of Stargate: Timekeepers, our ambition was to create a game that functions like a sophisticated puzzle, where the key to success is not only finding the solution but also the thought process leading to that "Eureka!" moment. We wanted players to derive pleasure from every stage of gameplay, starting from observation and analysis, to applying characters' abilities in practice.
The foundation of this enjoyment from the game is a deep understanding of the mechanics of enemy movement. Just like in Sudoku, where each number must find its place, in our game, precise planning and predicting enemy movements become the cornerstone of success. Players must observe, analyze, and find weak points in enemy formations, which is the first step towards a strategy that allows them to pass unnoticed or eliminate threats in the most effective way.
The direct approach is not always the easiest one. For example in Episode 1 we can skip the whole arena by taking the green arrow path rather than red path.
As players begin to understand how to exploit these weak points, they discover various ways to use their characters' abilities. Each character possesses a unique set of skills, which must be utilized in the right place and time. It is the skillful use of these tools that holds the secret to solving the puzzle they face.
Moreover, our intention was to ensure that there are many different ways to reach the "Eureka! moment. We did not want there to be only one "correct" solution to the puzzle, but rather for players to have the freedom to explore and experiment with various strategies. This openness of gameplay is intended to ensure that every player can experience their unique moment of understanding, deriving pleasure from their own path to success.
My favorite Eureka! moment was in Episode 3 when I realized that this somehow hard arena not necessarily can be completed by taking the ladder (red) but can be solved by chit chatting green circle enemies and using Ata to climb down.
Striving to create a game that balances tactical thinking with the satisfaction of solving a puzzle was not only a design challenge for us but also a way to pay homage to the problem-solving process. We wanted players to feel the same emotions as when solving complex puzzles – starting from the moment of understanding patterns, through planning strategies, to the triumph when the plan finally succeeds. We wanted our game to provide satisfaction not solely from achieving the goal but from the entire journey – from the first glance at the game field, through each thought-out move, to the final, triumphant solution.