Maniac Sting

Project Overview

"Maniac Sting" is an immersive third-person stealth game where players take on the role of a corrupt army veteran attempting to steal a rare diamond from a well-guarded bank. The game lets players choose between two distinct styles — action-oriented or stealth-based — each presenting unique challenges and enemies.

The level design was meticulously planned, allowing players to employ stealth tactics like seeing through walls and creating distractions to avoid detection. As the main objective was to infiltrate a bank vault, specific mechanics — including vault access and interactions with the world — were implemented.

Throughout development, the project was a valuable opportunity to refine my understanding of game design principles. The difficulty was carefully balanced, giving players the chance to learn and master the mechanics while facing medium-difficulty challenges.

Game Design Focus

Level Design

• Multiple entry points into the bank
• Diverse gameplay experiences
• Carefully balanced difficulty
• Opportunities for various stealth tactics
• Strategic placement of obstacles and challenges

Core Mechanics

1. Player abilities — walking and sprinting, crouching, aiming and weapon handling, reloading, wall vision for stealth, distraction creation
2. AI systems — security AI with patrol behaviours, SWAT AI with advanced combat tactics, and multiple AI states (patrolling, shooting, hunting, scanning, alert sensing)

Development Process

1. White-boxing — designed multiple entry points, established the basic layout and flow, tested gameplay paths
2. Character implementation — integrated Mixamo animations and models, implemented core movement, added stealth and combat
3. AI development — created distinct AI types with unique behaviours, patrol systems, and alert/combat responses
4. Environment design — bank vault mechanics, interactive world elements, strategic cover placement