Design:
Slim and dark like a mechanical Slenderman and as tall as a hunter. Mostly dark colours with a single light on it’s head which changes colour depending on the class, that scans footprints and objects like a Runner or Hunter
Traits and Behavior:
Stalks and follows the player from a distance. Roams forests and wooded areas searching for survivors. The Stalker was not made as a heavy combat machine, but as a scouting and long range weapon.
Gameplay:
The Stalker can see where the player has recently been and will follow their trail until they are near. When they are following or have found a players trail, they will make a creepy and haunting noise occasionally similar to a distant Hunter or Seeker. If a player is spotted by a Stalker, it will continue to observe the player from a distance, making quiet, static noises.
Combat:
The Stalker has a powerful and suppressed long range gun that it uses against players when it is spotted. If a fight begins with between other machines and the player, the Stalker will not fight, but it will make a loud air raid sounding noise to inform other robots nearby.
Counters:
Stalkers, unlike most machines will run away from flares, fireworks, and other loud noises. And they do not follow players into open areas, meaning players can escape them by running into fields and far away. Stalkers will stop following a trail if they haven’t found the player within 3 in-game days/nights.
Semi-decent idea but there are quite a bit flaws in it.
So, Stalker’s purpose is to scare the player? Add more to the horror?
Here i’m interested in how the Stalker is ever going to get the clear shot? Woodlands are one of the worst places where to use long ranged weapons for the simple fact of trees getting in the way.
Basically a silenced version of Concussion Rifle? If so, that means insta-kill for the player, especially on higher difficulties and without ever knowing where that shot came from.
Also, Concussion Rifle has a lot of recoil and based on the description of Stalker, it’s build isn’t sturdy enough to cope with the recoil, making it tumble over with each shot.
This is the biggest flaw in design.
I can spot machines up to the 400m from me since that is the machine draw-in distance in game. If Stalker shoots at me as soon as it appears in my FoV, even when 400m away, it makes it way OP, especially since it’s silenced Concussion Rifle is one shot kill for the player.
Also, how does Stalker know that i’ve spotted it while it hasn’t spotted me?
Is a non-silenced gunshot considered a loud noise? To me, it is. And by current design, it takes only one shot from my weapon to scare it away. Making Stalker a very poor scout.
you bring up some really good points and flaws in the concept. I’m more than happy for you to help me re-design the whole machine if you feel it has potential.
Maybe we change the long range weapon to a short range attack where it grabs you and starts to carry you away. And maybe it makes a certain sound when it has spotted the player?
Well, everything can have potential if it’s well designed to fill it’s purpose.
When designing any machine, 1st thing you need to establish is the purpose of the machine. Is it fast and nimble (e.g runner), slow and strong (e.g tank), small and terrifying (e.g tick)? Etc.
Once you have the purpose, then you can design the machine to best fill that purpose.