ShellBound

Core Features

• Stealth-survival gameplay driven by environmental positioning
• Shared alert meter that escalates enemy behavior over time
• Shade-based safe zones that reduce detection and tension
• Multiple alert tiers introducing new enemy behaviors
• Ground and aerial predators with simple state systems
• Level design that teaches stealth through spacing and timing

How to Play

• Use WASD to move the hermit crab
• Stay within shaded areas to reduce alert and remain safe
• Move between shade zones to progress across the beach
• Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight, which increases alert
• Reach the sandcastle to complete the level

Design Notes

This 48 hour prototype was developed to explore how stealth tension can emerge from environmental systems rather than complex AI or visibility mechanics. Instead of traditional stealth tools like vision cones, the game uses sun exposure and shade as the primary drivers of risk and safety.

The core system is a shared alert meter that escalates predator behavior in tiers, introducing new threats as exposure increases. This creates a dynamic relationship between space, timing, and player movement, where positioning becomes the primary decision-making tool.

A key focus was maintaining scope through simple systems such as radius-based detection and state-driven enemy behavior, while still producing meaningful tension. Iteration centered on balancing alert thresholds and ensuring that the relationship between shade, safety, and escalation was clearly communicated to the player.