Designing Monster #1 (Patreon)

I am realizing this gets into full-on spoiler territory. The monster design is the meat and potatoes of this game, which means it would be the most fun to talk about but may spoil the experience.

So I won't be describing what this enemy actually tries to do. I will just describe the personality I am trying to capture and show what it looks like.

[ MEDIUM SPOILERS AHEAD! ]

I considered starting with something easier, but I couldn't resist going with the enemy concept that inspired Lethal Company in the first place. So I want this enemy to appear "standoffish" or shy. (Though I specifically want to avoid it becoming another weeping angel enemy type which just freezes when it's in your sight.)

I want to make it visually stand out as much as possible, which may seem counterintuitive if it's a sneaky one. But after you spot it, I want its absence to feel that much more obvious. I also want it to make a unique, signature sound.

Programming this enemy is a unique challenge I've been waiting for, because I've never made an enemy AI that has to take 4 players into account. I'm most concerned about avoiding the scenarios you see in other multiplayer horror games in which the monster runs past you, since it's already targeting another player. I don't know what's more awkward than that.

I have already programmed this guy's navigation, and even as he slides over the ground without animations, his unique personality is immediately clear.