Page Overview
This design page outlines the specific design details on how an enemy encounter is played from engaging the encounter to completing it.
Encounter Flow
Engaging an Enemy Encounter
An enemy encounter can be started by:
Selecting the enemy and initiating the battle. Only possible if they’re visible.
Moving into the detection radius of an enemy within the room. Both visible and invisible enemies.
Triggering an alarm trap. (Alarm traps call / spawn one enemy.)
Encounter Intro
When an enemy is engaged a short intro plays that transitions from the design floor view to the battle screen view.
Turn Based Battles
Battles are turn based.
Each turn is a single action.
Defending is taken on the enemies turn and doesn’t count as a battle action.
Player Battle Actions
The player has a number of actions they can take when battling an enemy.
The player starts by selecting whether they want to do a Puzzle Attack, Power Attack or use an inventory item (If available)
Then they select a valid body part on the enemy to attack.
Puzzle Attacks
A puzzle attack is the main attack the player can do.
It costs a small amount of stamina to do.
It contextualizes the attack into completing a small puzzle.
There’s three results of each puzzle:
Failed: The attack fails and the stamina cost is spent.
Successful: The attack succeeds and the enemy takes a hit to their stamina. The stamina cost is spent.
Perfect: If the puzzle was completed perfectly then the attack succeeds and the stamina cost to the player is refunded.
An animation plays upon the successful attack where the enemy is bound or teased in some way relating to the body part..
Power Attacks
A power attack is a direct attack, bypassing the need for doing a puzzle.
However it also costs much more stamina then the puzzle attack.
Guarantees stamina hits to the enemy.
Use Inventory
This only appears if there’s a relevant item to use.
The item could do many things, but mostly based around offering an alternative to attacks that drain stamina from the player.
More info available in items document.
Defending
Defending is an action taken in response to an enemy attack and it’s done on the enemy’s turn.
It involves completing a time sensitive puzzle.
If completed successfully: The amount of stamina drained is reduced, possible even to taking no reduction to stamina.
If failed: The full amount of stamina the enemy would deduct is applied.
Ending an Enemy Encounter
An enemy encounter only ends when:
The enemy is defeated by their stamina being reduced to Zero.
The player is defeated by their stamina being reduced to Zero.
Concept Art
Enemy Encounter Design 1: The Magi-Binder
Enemy type: Basic / Beginner
What it does: Magi-Binder’s are humanoid cultists that try to bind up the player character using machine.
Attacks: Bind - Tries to bind the player character for 1-3 stamina damage.
Hit Spots:
Eyes - Successfully blindfolding the eyes allows the player to take two turns in a row. But does a low amount of stamina stamina
Torso - Successfully binding the arms to the torso reduces the amount of stamina the enemy takes.