ENEMY - BRUTE
Creature visual appearence modelled by Daymon Mancini
AI programmed by Michael O’Driscol
NARRATIVE & THEMES FEATURES and DESIGN
Brutes are the second stage of the Shambler evolutionary paths of the alien infection that overrun the facility.
They were human beings, staff members that used to work at the facility, which became infected by the virus and who’s genetic makeup had been spliced with the makeup of the original infection.
At this stage, human physiology is berely a vestigical form.
The genetic alteration has completely taken over the organism and the mutation process of the Shambler strain has reached its pinnacled and perfectly merged with the human host.
GAMEPLAY FEATURES and DESIGN
DESIGN INTENT
Brutes have been designed with the intent of delivering a threat for the player with the single purpose to push the player around and put pressure, but to a much higher degree and efficiency than Shamblers.
They achieve this by closing the distance with the player and by placing environmental hazards as they die, or move within the environment.
Brutes are the frontline heavy weight enemy of Project Eden’s threats roster.
They have much higher health than Shamblers, they are faster and hit much harder making them truly difficult to deal with in close quarters.
AI BEHAVIOUR
All traces of human intelligence and consciousness have dissipated, and now the body of the host has become merely a vehicle for the transmission of the infection. As such, Brutes act with the single minded and single focus characteristic of any viral vector, whose only purpose is its own propagation.
Brutes are extremely aggressive and wander aimlessly the facility.
Brutes are compeltely blind, and they use their extremely sharp hearing to hunt.
Contrary than when dealing with Shamblers, Ashleigh cannot only keep distance and not run to not be spotted. In order to avoid the Brute threat, Ashleigh has to walk slowly, while also keeping distance.
They will chase Ashleigh, the player character, as soon as they hear her and they will continue to pursue her for a short period of time even after they have lost sight of her. For as long as Ashleigh is running, not matter where she is, even if hiding, the Brute will be able to locate and pursue her.
AI ABILITIES
Brutes, as they are used and purposed by the infection as viral vectors, carriers and propagators of the infection, are bloat with infectious spores that are released as their bodies are raptured. Once the spores are released from the body, they form a noxious cloud that wraps the shambler.
Furthermore, the evolution of their mutation has turned the Brute into a fertile spore disseminator, and it leaves a trail of spore as it moves around.
Ashleigh cannot breath the spores, and prolongued exposure to the spore can cause her to suffocate.
Spores :
A spore volume forces the player to use the respirator. Once the respirator's filters are clogged, the player will start to loose health for as long as it remains within the spore volume.
Spores Cloud :
Once health reaches 50% health, a cloud of spores 3x3 metres is created around the shambler, that follows it wherever it goes. The volume disappears once the shambler dies.
A spore volume forces the player to use the respirator. Once the respirator's filters are clogged, the player will start to loose health for as long as it remains within the spore volume.
Spore Burst :
When the Shambler dies, it explodes in a cloud of spores large 6x6 metres and lasts 30 seconds.
Spores Trail :
The Brute regularly leaves a cloud of spores floating in the air as it moves within the environment. Each release of spores constitues a spore volum of 2x2 metres and lasts for 30 seconds.
