Dweller AI - WIP 1

Hello everyone! I am going to be taking time today to show you a new breakthrough I've had in regards to the dweller AI within HI-09.

One of the most well known scares within Shipwrecked 64 was the "Border Scares". Olivia and Blot both can peer through the sidebars.  This was one of my most creative ideas and it worked great for Shipwrecked, so I'm sure I can just fit that into HI-09!

 ...I'm noticing a slight issue here....

So! Borders are out of the question, so, how do I made this work?

Well, a mechanic that is a work in progress right now is using something called "Redirect Puzzles".

HI-09 has a feature where you can scan a logo on the wall. When taking a photo, the game will either open up a Youtube Tab or sub-site in the HI-09 domain. With the Redirect Puzzles, you would basically solve a puzzle in a different tab, close it, and then return to the game.

Like - suppose there is a locked gate. You scan the logo, solve a puzzle, and when you return to the game, the gate is open. That is the main way these work. And these would function based on a save data asset that is cached to the browser. So.. I had a thought.

If I can transfer data across tabs... why not the monsters?

Here's the rundown. Every enemy follows these phases:

1. Approach

The enemy will slowly creep up on you from outside. While they cannot be seen in the 3D environment, you can see how close they are to the inside of the building by checking the Silvertech Window tab. Looking at the window does not make any difference at how fast she is approaching. No matter where you are, she is headed to you. Even refreshing the page does not change how close she is to entering.

2. Wander

When an enemy enters the building, they will begin to wander. This is probably the simplest phase. They will walk a random path, and upon seeing you, they will chase. They will remain in the map for 10 minute intervals, however, this timer pauses if you were to be chased. You can also Cam-Stun enemies in this phase.

3. Infestation

Sometimes, you'll be taking too long on a puzzle. And dwellers aren't a big fan of those who choose to loiter. The longer you stay in a puzzle tab, the more you will feel the influence of a dweller. This could be seeing their shadow, or hearing breathing. If it gets severe to a point where you simply CANNOT complete the puzzle in time before they spawn, you have to close the tab immediately. If they fully infest the tab, it goes dark. A quick scare shows up and demands you to close the tab. Upon re-entering gameplay, the dweller will be spawned behind you and will be aggro'd into a chase. You have to run away IMMEDIATELY. If you close the tab, the enemy resets to Wander.

So, that's the plan right now, and honestly? The data syncing across the tabs has worked great so far!

I've included a video to document my process. Scroll back up to the top to give it a watch!!

1. All of the currently created stingers for when you've been in a tab too long.

2. A WIP of Silvertech Window. Notice the fact I refreshed the page. Olivia was still there.

3. Some WIP sound effects for Giovanni. His lines consist entirely of lines from previous BSB works (which are cited at the bottom.)

I hope you guys are still excited! I have my entire next week free of school so this is my TOP priority for now. I'll keep you guys posted, toodles!!