I’m hoping my attempts to catch up on the devlog while also keeping it relevant don’t obscure the process too much. With that said here is what the current state of level 1 as of 5-3-24:

Not strikingly different. The stock images for NPCs were too difficult to know who was who while testing. I added 2 properties to each NPC: Race and Body. There are a couple of different body options for each clan to help individuate them. There are 4 groups of races with 4 faces each that are assigned while looping through NPCs each new game. I hope this is random enough.

A few NPCs now have particle effects to show when they are “injured” a new mechanic I added recently but thought of around this time. The yellow/orange npc at top-center has a red particle effect. (it’s hard to see)

The pink Npc, top-left has a yellow particle effect showing they are “Wanted”

This would be a good place to jump back into the belated, old devlog.

Day 15: Arrest Logic

I basically did a copy paste of the questioning logic. A “caution” is created. The trigger for this is a little hazy. If you have too many cautions already, you automatically have an arrest caution. If you anger an NPC too much, you can fail a dialog choice and get an arrest caution. Or if the player’s alert level is too high. This is a mechanic I was trying to mimic similar to GTA, but what raises and lowers the level is obtuse and has to be rethought.

I’m playing with the idea of a “heat” level that is calculated based on a number of data points and stats that isn’t explicit, but gives the player an idea of the current “threat” level. I’ll probably rework the “alert_level” to be more concrete like when security is after you for questioning or arrest.

If you’re confronted by security with an arrest caution, ideally you’ll be thrown in jail in the security room. Currently you have a dialog with Security and are sent back to the 1st room.

May No Longer Be Relevant, But it’s How the Sausage is Made

• need to check if any of the cautions is a question. Raise alert status if so.
  • check if turns is up, decrease alert status. (add turn logic)
• added more alert graphics.

\ * I’ve backburnered alerts

Caution Consolations

I wanted there to be consequence for things like theft even if you aren’t confronted about it. Early ideas included a misspelling of consolations:

M.consulations = {
	favor,
	snitch,
	merits,
	quest,
	reckless
}

Snitch was already implemented and the idea for the rest of them is to branch off into different sets of checks and consequences.

Next Time

• I jump back into Quests.