A little about how this game has come about.
I have loved FPS games since the original Wolfenstein3D back in the early 90's. I have always felt, however, there was something inherently wrong with these types of games over the years. Many games now just hold your hand through the whole process and they pretty much play themselves. Most modern games have no sense of immersion and are created as cinematic experiences akin to watching a movie more than playing a game.
Anyone who knows me, knows I hate a HUD in my games. They are sometimes a necessary evil, but they don't have to distract from the immersion of the game and they should ALWAYS be able to be toggled on/off. As I started to learn Unity, I said to myself "I could make a game I want to play", something a little more hardcore and engaging. It doesn't have to be a AAA production to look convincing and be fun to play. This game was my project in order to learn the Unity software and basic game design. You can be the judge if was successful or not :)
This game will never be multiplayer so please don't ask. I wanted to create a true player vs environment game that's not a mind numbing constant scavenge for loot. It's also not a persistent game. It's a throwback to when games were simple and fun. Basically I wanted something you could just sit down and play without being overly invested in the future of a character. It's just, can you do this and survive? That's all there is to it. The game is being released without support and completely free.
The game scenario is basically a stag hunt. You will leave the safety and warmth of your make-shift shelter in order to secure weeks of food by taking down one, fully grown, stag buck. I contemplated a ground tracking system, but I'm afraid it would be too easy in the snow. So at random intervals the stag will bellow a massive grunt which the player can hear through positional and distance based audio. (headphones will be an absolute must for this game). The player will be required to take down the stag with his rifle, butcher it in the field with his hatchet, then transport the meat safely back to his shelter to win the challenge.
But there are, of course, environmental hazards. Hungry grey wolves infest this land and will attack on sight, you can't outrun them so don't even try. Your ammunition has been dwindling for months so a trusty hatchet will have to do in situations where your ammo is too critical to waste. The bitter freezing cold is also a major obstacle and with a perpetually overcast sky your trusty compass is all you have to figure out how to get home. There are a series of old hunting shacks in the area to use as places to light fires, which you'll need to fight off the bitter cold and they might even hold some old stashes of goodies.
The hunting area encompasses about 1 square kilometer or roughly 250 acres. It doesn't sound like much, but with limited visibility, wolves roaming around and no map, it can be daunting at times. It has 5 hunting shacks and a few other landmarks to aid with navigation. I want navigation to be a big part of this experience. You have only a limited amount of time wandering before the cold begins to take hold, so using your compass and knowing where home is (or a nearby hunting shack) will be important.
I want there to be a sense of accomplishment in winning a challenge and that means there needs to be some difficulty to succeeding. After a successful hunt you will be scored on your performance at the end.
There is more information on scoring and other aspects of the game in the game manual.pdf located in the game download.
