Welcome to our third devlog. I’m Jack McKenna, lead Programmer for Sunken Shadows. In this update in our dev log we will be covering our Pre-Vertical Slice as well our Combat & Weapon systems and how they function.  

Pre-Vertical Slice 

So far, the team have been working on individual areas of work within separate scenes of the project. However now that we made some significant progress in the last few weeks, we are able to combine our work into one scene. The Pre-Vertical slice is the first iteration of all our work combined together and it shows how our basic gameplay will unfold. Currently we have implemented our player movement, our combat & weapon systems and some basic abilities/tools such as our grapple, dash and jetpack. Also, our Cinemachine cameras have been set for the scene as well as our game map. The Pre-Vertical Slice  is our first test scene where we can get a feel for how our gameplay is going to turn out. So far, the scene acts as a very simple playground that the player can move around and get a feel for the controls, but in the future we'll be adding more areas for combat and exploration for our Vertical Slice. 

Combat  

The player's mech is equipped with an arsenal of weaponry in order to deal with the deadly enemies dwelling within Point Nemo. The player will be able to use both ranged and melee combat in dispatching the enemies of the game. The key points of our combat system are Evasion, Air System and Firepower and focus on the players choice whether to initiate combat, avoid it or move into a  more preferable position to deal with enemies.  

Evasion 

Since the player is alone and heavily outnumbered, they will need to rely on their movement to help them survive against several attacking enemies. The player’s mech is equipped with several useful tools and ability that allow them to both explore the map with ease and help them evade enemies' attacks. The grapple, jump, dash and jetpack,  while being critical for the exploration aspect of our game are also imperative for seamless movement in combat situations.

Air System

With being outnumbered the player will need to rely on stealth in order to avoid or help them in dealing with enemies. As the player takes damage, they don’t lose health, instead their air supply loss increases. Their heath is tied to their air supply and so too much damage to the mech will eventually lead to the players death, if steps are not taken to repair it. This means that the player must be careful when engaging  in combat situations because even if they succeed, the damage they take might eventually kill them if they cannot find sufficient repairs, as their air supply will quickly run. 

Firepower 

When all else fails, the player will have to rely on their weapons and tools to survive the hordes of enemies. The player is equipped with an arsenal of weapons to choose from, all geared towards filling a unique role for the player. Currently the player will only to have two weapons in their loadout at one time, so players will need to weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of each weapon before deciding what to equip.

Weapons/Tools 

Main Weapon  

In Sunken Shadows players will come up against numerous enemies, all with their own strengths and weaknesses. In order to survive the player will have to rely on their main weapon. Throughout their journey of survival, the player will come across weapon modules and weapon upgrade modules that will drastically change how their weapon functions as well enhance its combat effectiveness. Each weapon module will have its own strengths and weaknesses when used against the enemies of Sunken Shadows. To progress through the game the player will need to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each module and when best to use them. 

Melee Attack 

 The melee attack acts as the player's last line of defence against the inhabitants of Point Nemo. Initially the melee is a simple swing attack that deals high damage to enemies while costing a high amount of air. After upgrading, the player will be able to launch a devastating slam attack which deals a lot of damage to numerous enemies while costing the player an even higher amount of their air supply. This attack will allow the player to damage and knock away multiple enemies. Therefore it will  become quite critical when dealing with groups of enemies at close quarters.  

Grapple Hook 

Initially designed to help the player traverse the precarious environment of Point Nemo, when upgraded the grapple hook can allow the player to attack the enemies using the very environment itself as a weapon. Players will be able to grapple large loose objects scattered throughout the map and launch them at their enemies. This attack is extremely useful as not only does it allow the player to save the ammunition from their main weapon, but the attack also delivers a medium amount of damage to an enemy as well as stunning them for a moment. 

Weapon System 

Ammo 

Each Weapon Module will have its own ammo type. The need for different ammo types arises due to the problem of the player gravitating towards their favourite weapon module. This action will unintentionally hurt the players playthrough as favouring one weapon module will lead to a player's ineffectiveness when dealing with other enemy types . Different ammo types force the player to continuously switch between weapons more regularly as they run out of ammo for each weapon module. To replenish ammo, players must seek out ammo drops scattered throughout the world. 

Weapon Modules 

Standard Shot Module 

The starting weapon module, the Standard Shot Module acts a basic one-shot weapon like a pistol. The weakest of all the weapons module, the standard shot modules  weakness is offset by its large supply of ammo. While it is the  primary method for the player to defend themselves at the beginning of the game, by the end the Standard shot Module will take a backseat as the players backup weapon when ammo has become scarce.  

Fragment Shot Module 

The Fragment Shot Module acts as a shotgun type weapon allowing the player to deal with enemies at short range with devastating effect. While extremely important in dealing with up-close enemies quickly, the modules range makes its only useful when surrounded by enemies. 

Express Shot Module 

The Express Shot Module allows the player to fire their energy rounds at a very high rate of fire. Crucial when dealing with opponents at mid-range. The modules high rate of fire allows players to deal damage quickly to enemies, however, its low max ammo make it weapon that player cannot rely on for too long and the player will be forced to search for more ammo. 

Split Shot Module 

The Split shot module allows the player to divide their energy shot into three separate beams. The split shot allows the player the ability to hit multiple enemies with a single shot with each beam of the weapon or use all three on a single enemy. This module is extremely versatile as it be can simultaneously used to deal with several weaker enemies or against one strong enemy, making it a weapon that can fill two important roles. 

Grenade Shot Module 

The Grenade Shot Module is an energy grenade launcher. The module fires an energy-based grenade round in an arc. As it hits the ground the grenade will explode dealing massive damage to enemies. This module is useful against large groups of enemies as the weapon deals splash damage to multiple enemies. 

Spike Shot Module 

The Spike Module is an energy rifle that requires charging before it can fire. The module fires a concentrated beam of energy that can pass through multiple enemies and deals a huge amount of damage. This module is one of the most powerful in the game, able to kill even the most powerful enemies in one shot, however its two distinct disadvantages are its small max ammo size and the time that is required to charge the weapon before it can fire.   

Weapon Upgrades Modules 

The weapon upgrades are items that player can equip to boost any stat of all its weapons. 

Damage Upgrade Module: Increase Weapon Damage  

Recoil Upgrade Module: Decreases Weapon Recoil.  

Fire Rate Upgrade Module: Increases Fire Rate.  

Magazine Upgrade Module: Increase Magazine Size  

Ammo Upgrade Module: Increase Weapon Max Ammo  

Weapon Spread Upgrade Module: Decreases Weapon Spread.  

This has been your sneak Peek into the gameplay of Sunken Shadows, thank you for reading and we’ll be back with our next devlog with our lead artist Kayne and his input on our player character model.