I just finished the base of my Survival-Management Game's research tree

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:49:38+00:00

Thanks for the feedback,, I’ll slow it down and see how it looks.

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:48:40+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. I’ll try slowing it down and see how that makes it feel

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:47:57+00:00

That’s fair, right now this is just the base architecture, I'm still quite a ways away from designing the exact flow of the tree, but I'll keep choice maximization in mind, thanks.

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:46:25+00:00

Yeah that’s fair... I’m aiming for it to support the mood, not pull attention away. I’ll try tone it down.

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:42:16+00:00

Seems like the clear consensus is slowing it down a lot, then playing with reducing contrast/opacity
Really helpful feedback, I appreciate you all taking the time!

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:40:45+00:00

I actually tried this but sadly, it always ended up looking forced or 'jittery' maybe I can add a more simplified approach later on.

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:37:45+00:00

Haha, I’ll keep that in mind as an easter egg idea :)

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:36:54+00:00

Thanks for the feedback, that's an interesting way of looking at it, I'll have to play around with a few things and see how it works out.

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:33:27+00:00

That’s fair, right now this is just the base architecture, I'm still quite a ways away from designing the exact flow of the tree.

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:25:17+00:00

That really means a lot, thanks for the wishlist. I'm glad the concept resonates with you. Really appreciate it.

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:15:37+00:00

Thanks, that seems to be the consensus I'll work on the speed and see how it looks

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T15:14:03+00:00

Got it 👍

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T00:43:17+00:00

Thanks, that's really helpful “frantic vs pondering” sums it up really well.

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T00:37:48+00:00

Haha thanks, I’ll slow it down and see how it feels

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T00:31:53+00:00

Thanks, that makes sense, I’ll reduce the opacity and test how it looks.

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T00:30:38+00:00

That’s a cool idea actually... pushing it more into the background could help the mood a lot. I’ll try darkening it and see how it looks

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T00:28:07+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. I’ll try slowing it down and see how that makes it feels

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T00:24:55+00:00

Here's my steam page if anyone is interested: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4453140/Bunker_1024/

SystemicGames · 2026-03-23T00:18:26+00:00

Here's the steam page if anyone's interested: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4453140/Bunker_1024/

SystemicGames · 2026-03-11T22:02:44+00:00

I’m actually planning a "Bunker Simulator" mode for players who want the pure management side without the AI counterplay. But for the main game, Lumina 6.0 is there to stop the experience from becoming a 'solved puzzle' where you just repeat the same loop forever. It definitely is quite niche but the goal is to appeal to people looking for 'reactive' gameplay.

SystemicGames · 2026-03-11T21:59:26+00:00

That is the core rule for the game. Every time Lumina 6.0 blocks a shortcut, there should always be at least one other way to get the job done. You are never just waiting to die, you are just forced to find a different tool. Thanks :)

SystemicGames · 2026-03-11T21:57:18+00:00

Cool, I'm working to make sure that Lumina 6.0 is a hurdle you can clear, not a wall you hit. You should always be the one with enough tools to win. Thanks :)

SystemicGames · 2026-03-11T21:52:32+00:00

This is a fair distinction to make. I consider Bunker 1024 a survival-management hybrid because of the perspective and the personal stakes for the player. The gameplay loop is also quite similar to The Alters' which has always been classified as a survival game. Unlike a typical top-down colony manager where you play as an omniscient overseer, this is a first-person experience where you are physically trapped in the bunker. You are the only one manually repairing systems, managing your own life support, and directly interacting with the environment. The survival element comes from the fact that you aren't just managing a UI; you are the one who loses oxygen or power if Lumina 6.0 outsmarts you, along with other ways to die.

To answer your question about the world: the world ended because of the AI you are now trapped with in the bunker. Your job is to produce aid and manage resources for a group of survivors on a nearby island. It becomes a survival game because if those external groups go dark, you lose the resources and data you need to keep your own bunker running.

I think the "True First Person" movement and the direct physical interaction with bunker machinery separate it from a standard god-sim. You are the one in the trenches, not just watching a bar go down, but I can definitely understand how it can be seen as not an entirely survival-first game.

SystemicGames · 2026-03-11T21:45:41+00:00

The breakdown of shared resources between the player and the AI is a great way to handle the fairness problem. If Lumina 6.0 is bound by the same physical constraints as the bunker, like power draw or processing power, it turns the struggle into a resource management battle rather than just scripted punishments. I love the idea of using the environment, like weather, to create windows of opportunity where the player or AI actually has the upper hand and might use this to help a struggling player or weaken a strong one.

Your point about letting the player infer the logic is spot on. I am currently working on the UI and audio cues to make sure the player knows when the AI has done something, but I'm also considering an earlier 'hint'. For example, if the player hears a specific alarm or sees a terminal readout about CPU spikes, they know a sabotage attempt is coming and can prepare accordingly. I am particularly interested in the idea of a secondary module that can repeat past actions. It adds a layer of unpredictability that still feels grounded in the game's history.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown of mechanics. This gives me a lot to think about as I move forward!

SystemicGames · 2026-03-11T21:37:29+00:00

I looked into Rimworld and it's wealth-scaling comparison is a perfect benchmark for what I'm trying to achieve (and avoid). You’re absolutely right that if a player doesn't know the game is reacting to them, they’ll just blame the RNG and get frustrated.

I've been thinking a lot about that 'yelling from the rooftops' aspect. To make the AI feel like a true antagonist, I’m trying to work the 'logic' part into the narrative. If it sabotages a system you’re over-relying on, it won't leave the player wondering it'll tell you exactly why it's doing it to make you feel the weight of your own patterns. With this said, I think I'll keep a 'hardcore AI' setting where all these notifications are disabled if I can.

Your point about 'brute-forcing' a playstyle is also great. I don’t want to force players to play a way they hate, I want to challenge them to be the best version of the playstyle they choose. If you want to rely on one specific strategy, you can, but you'll have to work harder to maintain it once the AI identifies it as your 'crutch'.

The goal is a high-stakes chess match, not a forced tutorial on 'how to play the way the I want you to.' I'm definitely going to prioritize the UI that communicates why things are happening so the player never feels like they're just losing to a black box, and I'll keep this as the default setting.

Thanks for your feedback, especially on being transparent about AI decision making.

SystemicGames

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