Re: Stealth Mechanics in Audio Games
An interesting subject... Stealth in sighted games usually revolves around Line Of Sight and visibility, with games like Thief: The Dark Project using a combination of shadows, light management with torches, and surface/action sounds to emulate stealth very well, do check the series out. Other games like Alien Vs Predator or Planetside use more of a optical cloaking system, where the more you move the more visible you become, but otherwise blend in while stationary, at least from a visual perspective. Other approaches could also be hiding in things like tall grass, barrels, or other available hiding spots that can be communicated that they obscure visibility, like breathing in a confined space, or the rustle of the grass, etc. so you can get an indication that, visually at least, your obscured given your current position.
Other more recent games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Alien: Isolation, or Dead By Daylight use a stealth mechanic where you can hide in closets or lockers and such, and hold your breath so as not to make any noise, but hold too long and you can end up gasping for air loudly, same as if you were running, which can all be tied into a stamina system. Do you run and make noise? Or stay very, very quiet and hope they leave before you need air? Another possible variation of this would be Prop Hunt, popularized on Gary's Mod, where in you literally disguise yourself as inanimate objects and try to "blend in", feng shui style. Another method is the Hitman style of hiding in plain sight by, uh, "appropriating" peoples clothes and identities to pass unnoticed in crowds or restricted areas, so rather than avoiding your attackers, you "join" them, and the goal is to behave in a way thats consistent with their behavior so as not to raise their suspicions.
As for movement, I've found the movement mechanics of Reciever to be pretty nice, walking forward with WASD controls, but running requires you to rapidly tap the forward button. It could be fairly easily concievable that if you tap in an uneven way you could end up stumbling, for example. Dishonored is actually another one to check out, being a spiritual successor to Thief, it uses both lighting and elevation, or vent work to get around in interesting stealthy ways, with added Outsider powers.
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