Survival

Characteristics

Live!

Scavenge for limited resources and survive dangerous situations.

EXPLORATION

MANAGE RESOURCES

DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT

Keys of Success

  • Challenging - Based on decisions and tactical fights against monster or players

  • Immersive - Revolves around generating tension from the constant search for good resources

  • Play for long - Endless replayability through varied playthroughs with resources

NEED TO HAVE

  • Immersive sound, light, VFX, scenery

  • Hazardous areas to explore and scavenge (weather, enemies, etc)

  • Weapons, health consumables, etc

NICE TO HAVE

  • Branching narrative

  • Risk and reward for optional quests

Game Loops

Below is a general game loop diagram for this genre. Your game's loops may vary.

Survival

Learn to Create It

GAME MAKER TEMPLATES

LOGIC TO EXPLORE

  • Random items/events

  • Swim/oxygen, fall damage

  • Equipment options

  • Resource management & health

TEMPLATE NOTES Disaster Survival - Disaster VFX and logic Survival - Resource management and health sustainability logic The Walking Dead - Narrative survival (linear)

Make it More Interesting

Consider ways to add to or change the core structure of this game type to challenge and motivate players differently.

MAIN OBJECTIVE

⌛ Disaster countdown

☠️ Survive poison, etc

RAMP OF DIFFICULTY

🔧 Adaptive difficulty (easier or harder when player dies)

CORE DECISIONS

🎲 Random dynamic weather impacts options

🌊 Intensity ramps up risk

PRACTICE: Modify the Disaster Survival, Survival, or The Walking Dead templates to increase the fun:

  • Use true/false variables for non-linear play events

  • Add a system for adaptive difficulty

  • Add random environmental influences on play

Useful Logic

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