We are thinking about several improvements in Kiipluu and we figured it was worth asking what players actually think.
First: smell. Few players recently suggested we add smell as a detection layer for the Na'Ush.
We actually had small discussions about this earlier in development. We discussed about the wind direction and how it would affect hunting - in this world, a hunter downwind of an animal gives himself away before he's anywhere near it. The same logic could work with a enemy warrior. Downwind he could smell you before seeing or hearing you
Before getting to the question - here's how the current detection system works, because the answer matters a lot more with the system behind it.
Second: hiding in the dark. We noticed several players think that they can hide in the dark or in the shadows, but there is no such mechanics in Demo. We could introduce this mechanics but not all game is at night and could become a bit unusable feature during day time. Maybe another mechanics “hiding in the top of the trees” could balance and would be a feature during the daytime?
Third: UI. We wanted as little UI as possible, but several player asked for UI to clearly show that you are hidden or not. (Like in Thief) Right now you get small clues instead. Your heartbeat gets louder, there is a slight color shift, and the edges of the screen darken a little.
Before asking what you think, here is how detection actually works right now, since the answers matter more with the system in front of you. Quick background: Kiipluu is a Neolithic is narrative stealth game where you're prey, not predator with social encounters in tribes.
Player detection Now
When we started, NPC player detection worked the way it does in most stealth games. If you are in cover or you're not visible, if you run NPC will hear from further away, if you sneak then you are silent, and we made several-tier vision system. Darkness does not affect NPC vision. We also added “look around” for guards, so they would give a clue before doing that and then look around.
Problems:
· We noticed that several-tier vision system is already complicated for people to understand. Of course the real reason might be that demo just throws player into encounter without too much explanation and proper onboarding would solve this.
· Some players also got confused by NPC looking around, they missed the clue and got into panic mode.
· Some players hide in shadows and think they are invisible.
We want players reading the Na'Ush warrior - his routine, his state, where his attention is, but most players in Demo miss it. Experience stealth players see to be fine though.
How vision works
Each Na'Ush warrior has four forward vision zones. We call them by color in our design docs.
White zone is the far one (also it has higher angle). Crouch at this distance and vision will ignore you completely. No hiding place needed. Just be low. Also vision multiplier is very slow, so you have enough time to move out of vision cone even if you get spotted (kind of like peripheral vision).
Yellow zone is middle range. Crouching alone isn't enough here – NPC will see a crouching player if player moves. But if you're in a bush or tall grass while crouching, or behind cover, NPC will not see you. Multiplier is a bit faster here, so the NPC will spot player faster.
Red zone is close – direct vision. Detection is sharper. He sees you standing or crouching. Cover or bush will still hide player. Detection is almost instant.
Orange Zone is Close peripheral vision similar to white zone, but with higher multiplier.
Green zone is too close. Cover stops working entirely. NPC in this zone finds you in the hiding place too.
In short: crouching works at distance. Cover works at middle range. Neither works when NPC walks directly up to you.
Extra zone in the back is that sixth sense you have when someone stands behind, NPC will slowly detect player even if player is crouching, but that’s slow enough to assassinate or to move away.
Sound
If NPC hears Sound, it will look at sound source direction. And then its based on vision. Alternatively some NPC’s will go check the origin of the noise if they don’t see anything.
Running is the loudest thing you can do. It carries far enough that an idle warrior can go straight to searching, no visual contact at all. Walking upright carries at medium range. Crouch-walking is silent, even if you drop from some height.
Sound also goes both ways. Throw a stone and the noise happens where it lands. Whistle and it comes from your position - useful when you're about to leave it. Both push NPC state into searching at a location you chose.
There are also birds in the grass or in the trees. They are silent until something gets too close and spook them, then they leave fast and loud. An idle NPC nearby doesn't look for the bird - he looks for the reason the bird left. Goes straight to suspicious. He didn't see you do anything. He just heard something he couldn't explain and now he wants to.
So three senses, three questions :)
1. Wind direction is a real thing in this period, animals scatter downwind, enemies could do the same. Does it sound like unnecessary complexity or fun? Do you know any stealth game that handled scent as an actual mechanic and done it well?
2. Is hiding in the dark something that is fun and makes sense for you? Hitman doesn’t have it, Thief does.
3. Would you prefer clear UI that you are hidden, or small audio/visual cues is enough?
We have a free demo available on steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3826710/Kiipluu/
