ːsteamhappyː Hey everyone — it’s been a while since the last devlog (November), but behind the scenes Contagion Protocol has had a big stretch of progress. Over the past few months, I’ve been building the core “run loop” that ties everything together:
Survive → hunt a boss → unlock FINAL extraction → extract to secure rewards → return to the Safehouse to upgrade.
Here’s what’s new since November.
The Safehouse Has Become a Real Meta Progression Hub
The Safehouse is no longer just a menu - it’s now the long-term upgrade backbone of the game.
A full skill tree with connected paths, progress lines, and diamond unlock junctions
Upgrades save and load properly between runs
Visual polish improvements so the tree reads cleanly and stays crisp (no blurry/odd connectors)
The system is set up so upgrades apply when a run begins (so you feel the progression immediately)
This is the foundation that lets runs meaningfully feed into long-term progression.
Contagion Credits: A Full “Earn During Run” Currency Loop
A major pillar added since December is Contagion Credits, the run-driven currency that fuels Safehouse upgrades.
How it works now:
Credits are earned during gameplay
They appear on the HUD as a dedicated counter
When you pick one up, it flies into the HUD bank (so it feels satisfying and readable)
Credits are run-local and are cleared safely if you die or abandon the run (no weird “late delivery” exploits)
This system is now stable and integrated cleanly with your run flow and menus.
Extraction Zones: The Run Now Has an Actual Objective
Instead of “survive forever,” runs are now building toward extraction.
Multiple extraction zones exist (with timed activation rules)
A full extraction HUD communicates what’s going on:
when extraction is opening
when it’s available
when you’re actively extracting
Extraction zones are visually readable in-world (dashed outlines + progress feedback)
Most importantly: you’re no longer expected to “guess where extraction is.”
New Wayfinding: The Extraction Arrow
Big maps + chaos = getting lost. So, I added a simple but “premium feeling” UX solution:
A screen-edge arrow appears only when the active extraction is offscreen
It disappears once you’re near / inside the zone
It stays subtle so it doesn’t clutter combat
This makes the loop feel intentional instead of confusing.
Boss Arenas + Boss Hunts (and they actually connect to Extraction!)
This has been the biggest push in January-March: building a boss system that doesn’t feel slapped on.
Boss Arenas
Boss arenas are placed in the world (example: Houses + Junkyard)
When a boss fight starts:
the arena locks down
the fight becomes a contained encounter
When the boss is defeated, the run progresses into FINAL extraction
FINAL Extraction
After beating the boss, one extraction zone is chosen and becomes the FINAL extraction target.
The extraction system stops doing timed switching
The HUD clearly announces FINAL extraction and reminds you as you travel
Extraction is prevented from completing if you’re currently inside an active boss fight (so the run can’t break)
This turns the run into a real sequence: survive → boss → final escape.
Boss Fight Rules: Cleaner Encounters, Less Mess
Boss fights needed to feel like a “moment,” not just more noise.
So boss arenas now enforce cleaner rules:
Spawning pressure pauses during boss fights
Existing trash zombies inside the arena are cleaned out at fight start
After the boss, normal spawning resumes
This makes boss fights readable and prevents the arena from becoming a weird pile-up.
Horde Stability + Big Fixes (Less Jank, More Consistency)
A lot of work went into stability improvements that players will feel as “smoothness”:
Fixed a nasty issue where zombies could get stuck in a broken “frozen” state after boss fights (causing “walking in place” swarms)
Improved run consistency around boss transitions and spawner behavior
In short: fewer broken hordes, fewer bugged fights, more reliable runs.
New Special Enemy Progress: The Hulk
Special enemies are being built as proper unique threats instead of just “bigger zombies.”
Hulk enemy asset + directional animations set up
Early design direction established (heavy slam threat, more commitment-based attacks)
Special enemy structure is being set up so these units can have unique behaviors and rewards
More to come here - but the foundation is in.
Boss Arena Barrier Visual Upgrade: The Membrane Wall
One of the most noticeable visual upgrades recently is the boss arena barrier effect. Unity Shader Graphs are no joke, so I've spent a lot more time on this than I wanted to...
Boss arenas now use a ring-based membrane visual:
A single organic living membrane surface with a center cutout
The wall is still a real physical barrier for gameplay — the membrane is the visual layer
Cleanup was done to remove old legacy components and keep the new system clean
This is still being polished, but it’s already a huge step toward boss arenas feeling “contained and alive.”
What’s Next
Now that the loop is solid, the next focus is on making it richer:
More boss variety (and better boss intro/hype moments)
More special infected (beyond the Hulk)
More reward tuning (credits, drops, pacing)
Continued polish on the boss arena visuals and combat readability
If you’ve wishlisted the game — thank you. The goal of these last few months has been simple: turn Contagion Protocol into a real “run with an arc,” not just survival. And we’re getting there fast.
As always, this is a hobby and passion project of mine. I appreciate every X follow and every wishlist as I continue to work on this. :)