Detection Feedback Overlay

1. Summary

A dynamic world-space feedback system that communicates the player's detection state through color-coded enemy vision cones and overhead status icons. The overlay transitions from green (safe) through yellow (buildup) to red (detected), giving players tactical warning before full alarm activation.

Overview

The Detection Feedback Overlay is a world-space visual feedback system that communicates stealth risk directly on top of the isometric battlefield. It uses enemy vision cones, colored outlines, and overhead status icons so the player can read whether a character is safe, suspicious, or about to trigger a broader alarm without opening a separate menu.

Gameplay Evidence

The green cone is projected from the enemy’s facing direction onto the ground plane. It functions as the main readable footprint for visual detection: the player can plan movement around the cone while keeping the rest of the HUD in peripheral view.

Suspicion Feedback

When suspicion is triggered, the overlay adds a yellow question mark icon above the relevant world-space actor. This icon is small but high-contrast, using bright yellow against the environment to indicate that the situation has escalated from normal patrol reading to active suspicion.

Core Visual Language

• Green cone: normal readable enemy sight area; used for planning safe routes and timing.
• Yellow question mark / warning state: suspicion or investigation feedback; tells the player the AI has noticed something and may escalate.
• Red alert state: confirmed detection/alarm feedback; the cone and enemy status indicator communicate that stealth has failed and alarm behavior has begun.

Integration With Gameplay

The overlay is not a separate screen. It sits in the world layer above terrain, characters, and patrol routes while coexisting with the bottom action bar, character portraits, save timer, and minimap. This keeps detection feedback spatial: the player reads the risk at the exact enemy and ground area that creates it.

The Detection Feedback Overlay is tightly coupled with Enemy Vision Cones (ui_11), because the cone is the primary carrier of visual detection information. It also depends on the stealth detection logic, character stance and movement, enemy facing direction, and alarm response behavior.

Job Story

When my character is approaching an enemy patrol, I want to see exactly when I am entering their vision cone and how close I am to being detected, so that I can retreat, crouch, or break line of sight before the alarm is raised.

Classification

• diegesis: Spatial
• functional_type: Feedback notification

Wireframe

[World Space - Isometric View]

     Enemy NPC
         |
    [?!]  <-- Overhead status icon (?, !, or none)
         |
    \\   /
     \\ /     <-- Vision cone projected on ground
      \/
   [GREEN]  = Safe/undetected zone
   [YELLOW] = Detection buildup zone (inner cone)
   [RED]    = Confirmed detection zone

Character stance affects which zone activates:
- Standing in outer cone → may trigger yellow
- Crouching in outer cone → stays green
- Running through any cone → faster yellow→red transition

Components

• Vision cone overlay: Triangular area projected on the ground from each enemy's facing direction, color-coded to detection state
• Green safe zone: Outer portion of vision cone where the player is undetected; visible by default when enemy is selected or vision mode is active
• Yellow buildup zone: Inner portion of vision cone that fills when player enters detection range; indicates time remaining before full detection
• Red detection zone: Appears when player is fully detected; vision cone turns red and enemy enters alert state
• Suspicion icon (?): Yellow question mark appearing above enemy head during detection buildup/suspicion state
• Alert icon (!): Red exclamation mark appearing above enemy head when detection is confirmed and alarm triggers
• Noise radius indicator: Blue circular overlay showing sound propagation range from player actions (abilities, footsteps, combat)
• Enemy type modifiers: Straw hat guards show extended vision cones; samurai have disguise-penetrating detection

Parameters & Audio

Navigation

• To: Detection feedback appears automatically when the player moves characters near enemy patrols; no explicit navigation required
• From: Detection feedback disappears when all enemies are eliminated, when the player breaks line of sight and the enemy investigation cooldown completes, or when the mission is reloaded
• Related UI: Enemy Vision Cones (ui11) — the vision cone overlay is the primary visual carrier of detection feedback; Ability Command Bar (ui9) — abilities like distraction stones can redirect enemy vision cones; Bottom Gameplay HUD Bar (ui_7) — stance controls (crouch/stand) affect detection speed

Dependencies & Logic

• Enemy position and facing direction: Vision cones are aligned to enemy NPC transform and update with patrol rotations
• Player character position and stance: Detection buildup rate depends on whether character is standing, crouching, or running
• Environmental lighting: Darkness reduces vision cone size; torchlight extends vision range in dark areas
• Concealment state: Entering bushes, buildings, or other concealment spots pauses or resets detection even within geometric vision cone overlap
• Enemy type: Normal guards, straw hat guards, and samurai each apply different detection modifiers
• Mission alarm state: Once alarm is triggered, detection feedback persists in red until mission reload or completion
• Character ability usage: Noise-producing abilities (stones, combat, abilities) generate blue sound radius indicators that trigger separate auditory detection
• Snow footprint visibility: Footprints in snow extend detection risk beyond current position as enemies can follow trails

BDD Scenarios

Edge Cases

• Overlapping vision cones from multiple enemies: Detection buildup may stack or accelerate when a character stands in the intersection of multiple enemy vision cones
• Carrying a body increases detection risk: A player character carrying a body may be spotted at greater distance or through partial cover, with vision cones showing yellow buildup earlier than normal
• Noise investigation chains: One guard moving toward a noise source may enter another guard's vision cone, creating unintended detection cascades
• Concealment spot within vision cone: Entering a bush or building interior pauses detection buildup even if the character remains geometrically inside the vision cone
• Samurai disguise penetration: Samurai enemies bypass normal yellow buildup and attack immediately when spotting a disguised character, with no warning transition
• Darkness and torchlight interaction: A character standing in a torch's bright zone is visible at full detection range even if the surrounding area grants reduced visibility
• Snow footprint trail detection: Enemies may follow footprint trails to the player's last known position, extending detection risk beyond current vision cone overlap
• Civilian panic without alarm: Civilian NPCs who detect the player show yellow/red feedback but trigger panic/flee instead of mission alarm
• Alarm persistence: Once alarm is triggered, vision cones remain red for all enemies until mission reload or completion, even if the player eliminates all enemies
• Straw Hat projectile spotting: Straw Hat Guards can spot thrown projectiles in flight and raise alarm immediately, bypassing normal detection buildup

QA Notes

Mechanic Links

• Stealth Detection System - The Stealth Detection System produces the enemy sight, suspicion buildup, and alert states that this overlay visualizes through cone color and overhead icons.
• Alarm Response System - The Alarm Response System is triggered by confirmed detection and is represented by the overlay escalating from warning feedback to alert feedback.
• Character Movement System - Character stance and movement speed affect whether the player remains safe in a cone or causes suspicion buildup, making movement state a direct input to the overlay.
• Normal Guards - Detection Feedback Overlay displays the Normal Guard's green/yellow/red detection state and suspicion or alert icons when the guard notices the player or suspicious evidence.
• Straw Hat Guards - Detection feedback communicates suspicion, alert, and alarm risk when a player mistimes a bypass or elimination against a Straw Hat Guard.
• Samurai - The Detection Feedback Overlay communicates Samurai detection, suspicion, and alert states, including the special case where disguise can be bypassed immediately.
• Ranged Elimination Abilities - Detection feedback communicates the consequences of noisy shots, observed bodies, and alert escalation after ranged eliminations.
• Disguise and Social Infiltration System - The Detection Feedback Overlay shows suspicion, alert, and Samurai exposure feedback when disguise protection fails or is bypassed.
• Deployable Pressure Trap Mechanic - Detection and alarm feedback communicates failures caused by noisy setup, visible death states, or discovered evidence.

References

1. 1.

   Nakasendo Road Mission 2 - Shadow Tactics-Blades of The Shogun (Hardcore) (24:52-24:54) Gameplay evidence for the green enemy vision cone overlay in the Detection Feedback Overlay.

2. 2.

   Nakasendo Road Mission 2 - Shadow Tactics-Blades of The Shogun (Hardcore) (16:09-16:11) Gameplay evidence for the yellow question mark suspicion icon used by the Detection Feedback Overlay.