Hackman

Hackman prototype Version 2.3.1: 19/10/22. 

 I hope you enjoy it!

tests with some FX, new lights, and difficulty settings. 

At the moment I only have the Institute map as a playable arena. In the future, if I find enough people who like the game, I'm planning on bringing in two more arenas.

Difficulty levels: 

Now there are four levels of difficulty. Choose one or let the system choose a random option. I will bring new map configurations for each difficulty in the next update. For now, it´s just statistics of creatures, items, and points that will change. 

Statistics: 

Now there is a statistics auto-save mode. Total of points, best score, last run, level, and other things.

Flavor text and Lore: 

Starting to introduce the lore of the game. Just small parts for now, but I will elaborate more in the future.

Better UI: 

I build a new UI. 

Better A.I.: 

This version has a better AI, now with hearing capability. The AI will hear the computer terminals "bip" when you finish the hack. They can listen to your footsteps too now and fast investigate the sounds, so be cautious not to walk too close to the enemies. The peripheral vision was improved too, they can see you at 120 degrees now, and try to stay behind walls, ventilation ducts, or doors to avoid detection. In some situations, even crouching can help avoid detection, especially because your footsteps will be silent.  

The AI is still pretty basic, I intend to make it more complex and efficient in small steps. It's very difficult to build complex AI, but I keep trying.

Ranking and points system:

I was able to implement a point system. Basically, collecting data cubes, hacking computers, saving access codes, and escaping through the elevator will give you points. Points determine your ranking and will convert into XP that the player uses to level up.

Experience and Level up: 

Now the player can play and progress through a level system. The level of the character will be helpful to unlock some new content (still in development). 

Locked doors and access codes: 

Now there are more doors and they start locked. Locked doors have a red light bar to show their status. You will need access codes, which are a fancy name for "keys" in the game. You start the game with 3 access codes and spend them automatically when opening a locked door. Once unlocked, that door will keep like that till the end of the game (you will see a blue light bar on the door to indicate this), so you will not need to spend access codes to open again that specific door. To gain more access codes you need to collect data cubes. A certain number of cubes collected gives you 1 access code. You can save access codes if you follow the creatures, they can open all doors they pass nearby. All the open doors will close automatically after a random amount of time. 

Special data cube: 

After you complete at least 3 terminals, at each minute,  a special data cube (gold color) will spawn somewhere on the map. If you find and collect it you gain much more points than a regular data cube (blue). The cube remains in play for a limited amount of time, so be fast to find and collect. 

Next improvements on my list:

1. Better AI
2. Experience and level system
3. Sound control
4. Bright control
5. Difficulty settings 
6. Resolution and window mode that is actually working 
7. new menu
8. Skill system
9. Custom control keys 
   
10. Gameplay tutorial
    

Instructions:

"better with headphones" 

WASD to move.

click "E" to interact (You do not need to hold the key). You can interact with doors and terminal computers.

click "C" to crouch to enter the ventilation ducts or move silently.  

click "I" or "Q" to see the number of collectibles and score. 

click "ESC" or "P" to pause the game.

1. Find and complete the 4 terminals to unlock the main computer (the big red screen). 

2. Find and complete de main computer and run back to the elevator to escape.

3. There's something with you in the maze. Don't get caught and don't run out of time.

Observation: the enemy creature model and animations are just a placeholder for tests—credits to Mixamo. 

I will model 3 creatures to hunt the player in the future, first I am trying to build and test the gameplay structure. 

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Older versions log:

Hackman prototype Version 2: 22/09/22. Some improvements include better UI, better Info, better optimization, new mechanics, new visuals, and a new map.  

First Version: Early prototype of my "Pacman-like soft horror game" with a little backroom mood. At this moment, it is poorly optimized, sorry for that. 

Hackman prototype Version 2.1: 04/10/22.  Better AI  and Ranking and points system: Now I was able to implement a point system. Basically, collecting data cubes, hacking computers, and escaping through the elevator will give you points. Points determine your ranking and, in the future, will convert into XP that the player uses to level up (This will take a longer time to implement)

Hackman prototype Version 2.2: 07/10/22. XP level system

Hackman prototype Version 2.3: 14/10/22. Statistics. Better UI. Difficulty levels