Devlog #4 — Enemies & AI: When the World Notices You

In the last update I wrote about how the world decides when something should appear. This time, it’s about what happens once those things are there: creatures that notice you, react to you, and make the world feel more alive and responsive.

Awareness & Attention

Creatures are aware of their surroundings. They might follow you if you stray too close, or keep their eyes on you if you linger in sight. But their attention isn’t endless — once you break away and put enough distance between you, they let go and return to their original spot. This rise and fall makes encounters feel natural instead of relentless.

To make this clearer during development, I use three debug circles:

• Circle 1 marks the attack range, the distance at which an enemy can strike.
• Circle 2 shows the detection range, where the enemy first notices the player.
• Circle 3 defines the chase range, the maximum distance an enemy is willing to follow before giving up.

Each of these ranges can be adjusted, meaning the same enemy can behave very differently depending on how these values are set. This system makes behavior flexible while keeping it transparent during testing.

Personalities

Not every creature reacts the same way. Each has its own “personality” that shapes how it responds to your presence — some bold, some cautious, some simply curious. In broad strokes you can describe five main types, though there are variations within each.

Aggressive

Some creatures won’t hesitate: as soon as they spot you, they close the distance with clear intent. They embody direct threat.

Defensive

These don’t look for trouble. They react only when you come too close or hurt them — that’s when they decide to fight back.

Skittish

Some are easily startled. They scatter at the first sign of you, adding motion and unpredictability to otherwise quiet spaces.

Ranged / Kiting

These prefer distance. They circle you from afar and work to keep that gap, so they can engage from range while staying out of reach.

Peaceful

And then there are those that simply share the space with you. Neither hostile nor afraid, they provide balance and contrast in the world’s rhythm.

Not Always Alone

Encounters don’t always stay contained. Some creatures can draw in nearby allies, turning a quiet meeting into something more dramatic.

Even in this early stage, these behaviors already shift the atmosphere: the world notices you, reacts, and sometimes gathers around you. Next time I’ll move closer to what happens when these encounters turn into real clashes.