False Alarm News

[p]Signups for the False Alarm public playtest are now open on Steam.[/p]

[p]You cannot play the build just yet, but you can request access now so you are ready when the playtest begins.[/p]

[p]This playtest will be an important step in development. It will help me test the game with a wider group of players, find issues, and gather feedback on everything from stealth mechanics to level flow and overall clarity.[/p]

[p]If you want to try False Alarm early and help shape the game, now is the time to sign up.[/p]

[p]Request access on the Steam store page[/p]

[p]Hi everyone,[/p][p]Today I’m breaking down the other half of stealth: the enemies themselves. The goal is for each enemy type to be readable at a glance and to force different decisions, without turning encounters into trial-and-error.[/p][p]
[/p][hr][/hr][p]
[/p][h2]The Core Idea[/h2][p]Each enemy answers two questions:[/p]

• [p]How do they detect you?[/p]
• [p]What do they do once they do?[/p]

[p]Most enemies follow the same baseline rules, then each variant adds one clear constraint that changes how you approach them.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p]
[/p][h2]The Four Enemy Types (so far)[/h2][p]
[/p][p]1) Standard Guards[/p][p]These are the baseline patrol enemies.[/p]

• [p]They patrol routes or hold positions.[/p]
• [p]They carry flashlights, so light and shadow matter.[/p]
• [p]They react to distractions and investigate points of interest.[/p]
• [p]If they spot you with line of sight, they will chase you.[/p]

[p]They’re designed to be consistent and learnable. If you understand how to manipulate a standard guard, you understand the foundation of the game.[/p][p]
[/p][p]2) Helmet Guards[/p][p]Helmet guards exist to shut down a very common tactic: throwing items directly at enemies.[/p]

• [p]They behave like standard guards in patrol and detection.[/p]
• [p]Thrown objects won’t stun them because of the helmet.[/p]
• [p]Items bounce off, so you lose that instant “free opening.”[/p]

[p]This pushes you toward indirect play: lure them away, throw past them, or use distractions that move them instead of disabling them.[/p][p]
[/p][p]3) Trained Guards[/p][p]These guards are dangerous up close.[/p]

• [p]They behave like standard guards in patrol and detection.[/p]
• [p]You cannot choke them from behind.[/p]

[p]They’re meant to break the habit of solving every problem with a silent takedown. If you want to get past a trained guard, you need timing, positioning, and tools rather than close-range grabs.[/p][p]
[/p][p]4) Scientists / Civilians[/p][p]These aren’t fighters.[/p]

• [p]They don’t behave like normal guards.[/p]
• [p]If they see you, they panic.[/p]
• [p]Instead of chasing, they try to trigger an alarm.[/p]

[p]They create a different kind of urgency. With guards, you can sometimes recover by breaking line of sight. With civilians, the danger is how fast they can escalate the situation for everyone else.[/p][p]
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[/p][h2]How to Read Them Quickly[/h2][p]The intention is that you can identify the threat instantly and adjust your plan:[/p]

• [p]Standard guard = baseline rules: patrol, flashlight, distractions, chase on sight.[/p]
• [p]Helmet = don’t waste throws on their head.[/p]
• [p]Trained = don’t rely on choking from behind.[/p]
• [p]Scientist/civilian = sighting becomes an alarm risk.[/p]

[p]
[/p][hr][/hr][p]
[/p][h2]Player Strategy Examples[/h2][p]Here are some intended use cases:[/p]

• [p]Standard guard: create a gap in a patrol cycle and slip through.[/p]
• [p]Helmet guard: lure them away from a doorway instead of trying to stun them.[/p]
• [p]Trained guard: treat them like a moving camera and route around them rather than going for a choke.[/p]
• [p]Scientist/civilian: prioritize line-of-sight control and cut off their path to an alarm.[/p]

[p]Hi everyone,[/p][p]Today I’m breaking down one of the core stealth tools in the game: distracting enemies. The goal is to give you consistent, readable ways to manipulate patrols without the AI feeling random.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]The Core Idea[/h2][p]Distractions create a point of interest that can:[/p]

• [p]pull an enemy off a patrol route,[/p]
• [p]split a pair of guards,[/p]
• [p]open a timing window to cross a hallway,[/p]
• [p]or lure someone into a safer spot for you.[/p]

[p]A distraction is designed to be predictable. You should be able to plan around it.[/p][p][/p][h2]What Counts as a Distraction?[/h2][p]There are a few types of distraction sources:[/p]

• [p]One-off noise that an enemy will investigate e.g. throwing a coin / knocking on a door[/p]
• [p]Interactable devices that stay on until someone turns them off e.g. a water cooler spilling water on the floor[/p]
• [p]Environmental actions that redirect enemy behaviour e.g. brewing delicious coffee might make an enemy stay in a different room[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]How Enemies React[/h2][p]When an enemy detects a distraction, they move through a simple chain of behavior:[/p]

1. [p]Notice
   They register a sound/trigger within range.[/p]
2. [p]Investigate
   They path toward the source to confirm what happened.[/p]
3. [p]Search
   If they don’t find anything, they’ll do a quick look around. If they find something that they can turn off, they will do that.[/p]
4. [p]Return
   They resume their normal route/guard position.[/p]

[p]This structure keeps their reactions consistent, so you can learn the rules and use them deliberately.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Important Rules[/h2][p]A few guardrails keep distractions from becoming too powerful:[/p]

• [p]Distance. Being too far away will stop the effect.[/p]
• [p]Obstruction. If there is a wall between the enemy and the distraction they won't notice it. If there is a door they will, even if the door is closed. If the distraction is a light that has been turned off, they need line-of-sight before they notice something is wrong.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Player Strategy Examples[/h2][p]Here are some intended use cases:[/p]

• [p]Create a gap in a patrol cycle to slip through.[/p]
• [p]Pull a guard to the far side of a room to reach an objective.[/p]
• [p]Break line-of-sight by moving the guard’s attention away from your approach.[/p]
• [p]Stack distractions (small sound → reposition → bigger sound) to create a longer window.[/p]