Mechanics designed to put on the pressure
When I switched gears for Pressure I knew that I had to think more about how the game would play out and what gameplay would be like. Originally this new Pressure was going to use Unreal Engine 5, but I thought that using a more realistic style would be too difficult for me, so I instead opted to go a for early 2000s adjacent style. Many indie-games nowadays use retro graphics but mainly focus on PlayStation 1 era graphics, which I am avoiding and instead going for the next step up with PlayStation 2 styled graphics and models. Modelling weapons in this style was a really fun and interesting process.
The pp-19 Bizon is the first gun I modelled for Pressure, intending it to be the weapon wielded by the Igor units. The Bizon is a Russian submachine-gun designed for use by police and anti-terrorism units in the mid 90’s. It’s unique design is exactly what I wanted for Pressure, being a futuristic looking variant of the ever-iconic AK-74 rifle. The heliacal mag gives it a large ammo capacity while the folding stock makes it easy to use in close quarters, making it the perfect weapon for the Igor units. In game the gun shoots a specialised version of a 9mm bullet designed for use by crew. The bullet splatters on anything hard, making it safer to use in tight spaces where penetration matters. The only drawbacks is that it lacks any real penetration and that fast flying metal splinters are still just as deadly as the full bullet.
The Bizon took a couple tries to get right being the first weapon I made, but after enough work I managed to nail the design and textures.
The Desert Eagle is perhaps the most iconic pistol ever designed, and it is nearly the sole reason why it made it into the game. The other reason is the fact that I needed a high-calibre pistol for defeating heavy armour. The main use for the Deagle is to break down the armoured plating of the Igor as well as the future human enemies. Being acquired by the protagonist from her fallen mentor, the gun has very limited ammo and bullets are to be treated as rare as gold.
The gameplay mechanics for Pressure have been something I’ve thought about long and hard. Weapons in game each serve a distinct purpose, the start pistol you acquire eventually gets upgraded with a flashlight and suppressor, turning it into a deadly stealth weapon. I want the game to feel realistic in the ways it puts stress on the player, and the guns should be the same. Since the game is set aboard a submarine, shooting weapons will cause the hot gases, loud noise and blast pressure to bounce right back at the player. That means shooting a lot causes intense disorientation to the player which can be detrimental since the game is primarily a stealth game. Health is in a similar boat where you don’t have a lot of it and recovering it is a hassle, encouraging the player to avoid combat if unnecessary whilst still keeping the option open for more fun and engaging encounters.
Enemy behaviour is another tool I’ve though long and hard on. The robot enemies act as the blood of the Philosopher, and any act against one of them doesn’t go unnoticed. If enough attention is racked up by the player through actions such as shooting, attacking or even just being seen too much, an Igor will be deployed. Ivan’s are only made of plastic, so all weapons can damage them. Igor’s on the other hand are entirely bulletproof metal, so if one is summoned the player either has to run and hide or waste their precious ammo on trying to defeat one.
