I’m working on a co-op immersive sim concept and wanted to get this community's take on some design decisions.
The experience combines stealth extraction with systemic elements (e.g. power grid, surveillance network, etc.) in a co-op multiplayer environment. The players are split into two cooperative teams, Infiltrators and Operators.
- Infiltrators: The boots on the ground. They are deployed into the ship to execute the heist, but they operate under heavy information asymmetry. They have no minimaps, no objective markers, and limited sensory data. They must rely on their own eyes, ears, and direct communication with their support.
- Operators: Remote tactical support. They remain in a secure location, interacting with the ship’s systemic layers (power grids, surveillance networks, environmental controls) to create windows of opportunity. Their role isn't just "hacking" a door; it's rerouting power to kill lights in a corridor, pointing a camera away from that door or tracking guard patrol routes via sensor feeds.
The roles create an asymmetric experience where Infiltrators have the ability to get the job done but might lack the information necessary. For example, they might lack access to the guard patrol routines, surveillance footage or objective location(s). They must rely on their own senses and the intel and assistance provided by their Operator(s). The roles are dynamic and chosen by the players before each deployment; the game does not have a built-in distinction between them.
The idea behind the split is that having too many players aboard will create a very crowded space for a stealth experience (imagine 8 players running around Citadel Station). Operators who stay behind have no direct physical risk but their actions directly affect their Infiltrator teammates. An Operator's failure to properly manage a system doesn't just result in a "failed hack" popup screen; it results in them losing that specific access point into the system and an alarm that compromises and physically endangers their Infiltrator teammates.
The game runs in a persistent, continuously simulated world. There are no world resets (for a given playthrough), no NPCs spawning out of thin air and no items disappearing into the void. The simulation runs until all players are eliminated or the extraction is complete.
I'd love to get this community's perspective on a few design intersections:
- Does the reliance on an external Operator enhance the 'professional crew' feel, or does it strip the Infiltrator of agency (making them a pawn rather than a partner)
- Does the reliance on verbal coordination move this away from being an Immersive Sim and toward a 'Tactical Communication Sim' (like Ready or Not), or does the systemic environment keep it firmly in the ImSim camp?
- Would you prefer verbal communication (VoIP, radios) or text (PDAs, like the one in STALKER Anomaly)? Having both is an option but we need to know which one to prioritize.
- For the "Hacker" fans: Is physical threat essential to the ImSim "itch"? Does playing as a remote Operator satisfy the genre's requirements if the systems you are manipulating are deep and reactive?
- Furthermore, for the Operator role, which feels more immersive to you: a diegetic CLI/terminal that simulates a real operating system or simplified visual/logic puzzles (System Shock style)?
- How much independence should each role have before the co-op fantasy breaks down?