Hello everyone,
I know it has been a long time since I shared a new update for Escape: Zombie Maze. Many of you have been wondering about the future of the game and waiting for news for quite some time. There are several important reasons for this, and today I want to explain them openly.
Technically, I could have completed the game in its current form. However, over time I realized something important: the current system does not fully bring the game I have in mind to life. I did not want to continue just for the sake of finishing it. I felt it would be the wrong decision to complete the project without first building a stronger, more advanced, and more satisfying foundation. That is why the game has not been completed yet.
But I do have some good news.
The tests for the new system I have been working on are going very well. In fact, you will also see the completed parts of this new structure in the upcoming game. In other words, the mechanics I am building are not just for one project, but also a foundation for my future games.
Here are some of the systems that have already been completed:
Full Body FPS system
8-direction animation system
Idle / Walk / Run / Sprint
Crouch
Prone
Jump
Melee combat system
Sword attack system
I have made especially strong progress on character movement and melee combat. Compared to the old structure, the new system provides a much stronger foundation.
However, there are still parts I am working on. In particular, I am trying to bring the crouch and prone animations to the level I want for weapon types such as pistols, rifles, and shotguns.
Also, while the crawling system will exist as a character feature, it may not be actively available in the new game. In other words, it will exist in the character’s framework, but it may remain disabled in gameplay.
One of the areas I struggled with the most was NPC mechanics. I could not get the NPC side of the new system to the quality level I wanted, and I ran into several issues during the process. Because of that, although the level design for the new game’s demo is largely ready, the NPC system and the level system are not ready yet.
As for Escape: Zombie Maze, I am planning some major changes.
The game’s corridor maps will be completely redesigned, and I am currently working on a new corridor map. Theoretically, the mazes and corridor maps are completed. The sections that are still unfinished are maps such as the hospital and the sewer.
The game will also have a new level system. It will now be limited to 19 mazes, but these mazes will be much larger. At the same time, the direction / navigation system will be made easier so players can find their way more comfortably.
With this change, the old maps known as:
Two Maze
Three Maze
Four Maze
Five Maze
will be removed.
The new standard map size will increase significantly. The first maze will be around the size of a small facility or warehouse, roughly half a football field in scale. But as the game progresses, the scale will grow dramatically.
The final maze, Maze 19, will feel as large as a small neighborhood, a huge campus, or even a small town. You have actually seen a part of this maze before in 1899: Secrets of the Maze. However, that version was shortened, and you were only able to play a very small portion of it. In Escape: Zombie Maze, you will have the chance to experience the entire structure.
I am also planning to add short cutscenes to make the scale of these areas and the transitions between sections feel even more impressive.
Even though the mazes will be much larger, there will also be various quality-of-life features to make exploration easier for players.
Once the new system is completed, I may also prepare a new demo for Escape: Zombie Maze.
For those who still want to play the old version during this process, the current version will remain available on Steam under the title “Old Version.”
Also, once the new game is released, a new update for Escape: Zombie Maze will follow very soon.
In short, progress may seem slow, but the reason is that I do not want to finish the project with an incomplete system. I want to build a better foundation and make both this game and my future games much stronger.
Thank you sincerely to everyone who has supported me, stayed patient, and continued to wait for the game. I will keep sharing more updates as development continues.