Here at PikPok we love zombie games.
And while it's vitally important to us that our game offers something unique in this space (and we think it does!) it's also important to us that we never lose touch with what makes this genre so enduringly entertaining.
As any gamer worth their salt knows, one of the most important aspects of any good zombie game is stealth.
Something we're hard at work at currently is fine-tuning the intricacies of noise, detection, and enemy pathfinding. How do our enemies detect player movement? What effect do player decisions and playstyles have on that detection? How and when do our enemies react? And what aspects are taken into account: distance? Intensity? The game environment itself?
Below, you can see a visual representation of the noise our player character is making, showing the difference in levels between crouching, jogging and running. (As always, keep in mind that this is all work-in-progress development captures, and doesn't represent the final product.)
We're also considering the effect that objects and the environment have on player noise. Things like jumping, both on the flat and from a height, are key for moving around but always come with a cost. How do these player actions affect detection, and from how far away?
We then create triggers, so that an enemy within range will respond to the noise being made by the player...
And then we begin to layer in paths for our enemies to follow when their noise detection is triggered, so there is no escape...
Getting these things right is fundamental to how enjoyable and satisfying the game is to play, so we're making sure we take the time we need on the finer details. Once we release the game for Early Access next year, we'll also be keen to know your thoughts and incorporate your feedback into our full release.
That's all for now! We hope you have a relaxing weekend.
