tekton/docs/gauntlet.md

Candy Pump Survival (Gauntlet) — Game Design Document

1. High Concept

Candy Pump Survival is a time-limited survival-collection arena mode where players move across a grid of colored tiles, collect mission-specific tiles for points, and survive as candy pressure spreads under the arena.

A Candy Pump NPC injects candy into the ground. The candy slowly pops up through the floor, turning cells into sticky candy. Sticky cells are dangerous, unpassable, and can trap players.

The candy growth is not fully random. It generally spreads from the outer arena inward. This creates a shrinking-arena feeling where players are slowly pushed toward the center, but the system should not create a perfectly readable circle or square. The candy should grow in broken, organic, semi-predictable patterns.

Players should be able to understand the general danger flow: "The outer arena is becoming dangerous first."

But players should not be able to perfectly predict every cell that will become sticky.

The stage pressure escalates over 3 minutes. The round starts open and playful, then becomes tighter, more tactical, and more desperate as the candy spreads inward.

2. Core Fantasy

Players feel like they are racing through a colorful board-game arena while the floor itself is being infected by candy.

The candy is not just an attack. It is a spreading environmental pressure.

Players need to:

• collect mission tiles,
• read the candy flow,
• avoid sticky cells,
• escape with Cleanser,
• sabotage opponents,
• avoid candy bubbles,
• and survive the arena closing inward.

The ideal emotional curve:

• First minute: playful collection and early outer-rim pressure.
• Second minute: route planning, middle-ring pressure, and bubble disruption.
• Final minute: chaotic survival, Cleanser use, sabotage, and clutch escapes.

3. Game Mode Summary

Property	Value
Mode Name	Candy Pump Survival
Round Duration	3 minutes
Recommended Players	4–8
Arena Type	Cell/grid-based arena
Primary Goal	Score points by collecting mission-required colored tiles
Secondary Goal	Survive until the timer ends
Main Hazard	Candy Pump ground infection that creates sticky unpassable cells
Special Hazard	Candy bubbles that grow from 1×1 and explode into 3×3 sticky areas
Player Interaction	Smack/sabotage other players into danger
Comeback Tool	Cleanser power-up after completing 2 missions

4. Recommended Arena Setup

Metric	Value
Arena Size	24×24 cells
Total Cells	576
Candy Pump NPC footprint	3×3 = 9 blocked cells
Playable Cells	567
Target sticky coverage (3 min)	70%–75% = 397–425 sticky cells
Remaining safe cells	142–170

Why 24×24

The 24×24 arena is recommended because this mode uses several overlapping systems:

• inward sticky growth,
• cellular-automation-style candy spread,
• hidden movement buffers,
• Cleanser route carving,
• player sabotage,
• occasional candy bubbles,
• and 4–8 player movement.

A 24×24 arena gives enough room for:

• readable movement,
• organic candy growth,
• temporary untouched spaces,
• risky escape routes,
• bubble disruption,
• player fighting,
• and final-minute survival tension.

5. Arena Layer Logic

The arena is divided into three pressure layers based on distance from the outer edge. The sticky growth system uses these layers to push players inward over time.

Edge Distance Formula

For each cell:

edgeDistance = min(x, y, width - 1 - x, height - 1 - y)

Where:

• x = cell horizontal coordinate
• y = cell vertical coordinate
• width = arena width (24)
• height = arena height (24)

Layer Definitions

Layer	edgeDistance	Approximate Size
Outer Layer	0–3	320 cells
Middle Layer	4–7	192 cells
Inner Layer	8+	64 cells (55 playable after 3×3 NPC)

Layer	Purpose
Outer Layer	First area to become unsafe. Teaches players that the arena is closing inward.
Middle Layer	Main route-pressure area. Players must move through shrinking paths, fight over space, and avoid being pushed into sticky candy.
Inner Layer	Final survival area. Pressured in the final minute, but should not become completely safe or completely sealed too early.

Important Layer Rule

The layer system should guide candy growth, not create perfect ring filling.

Good behavior:

• Candy mostly grows in the current active layer.
• Some cells in nearby layers can be selected.
• Growth appears as broken patches.
• Some spaces are left untouched temporarily.
• The candy flow feels readable but imperfect.

Bad behavior:

• The full outer ring becomes sticky at once.
• The arena fills as a perfect square.
• Players can simply run to the center and wait.
• Every cell follows a predictable pattern.

6. Arena Layout

• Grid: 24×24 square grid
• Each cell contains a colored tile unless blocked
• Candy Pump NPC occupies the center 3×3 area (permanently blocked)
• Player spawn points placed near outer edges or corners
• Mission tiles distributed across the arena

Recommended Spawn Positions

4 players:

• Top-left outer quadrant
• Top-right outer quadrant
• Bottom-left outer quadrant
• Bottom-right outer quadrant

6–8 players:

• Use side-edge spawns and corner-adjacent spawns
• Avoid placing players directly beside the center
• Avoid placing all players on the same route
• Avoid placing players where the first candy growth immediately cuts them off

7. Cell States

Each arena cell should have one current state:

State	Description
SAFE	Cell can be entered, crossed, and collected.
TELEGRAPHED	Cell is warned as a future sticky cell. Still passable during the telegraph.
STICKY	Cell is covered in sticky candy. Cannot be passed through or collected from. A player entering this cell becomes trapped.
BUBBLE_GROWING	A candy bubble is growing on this cell. Visible and dangerous, but has not exploded yet.
BUBBLE_WARNING_AREA	The 3×3 area around a growing bubble that will become sticky when the bubble explodes.
BLOCKED	Cell is occupied by the Candy Pump NPC or another permanent obstacle.
CLEANSED	Optional temporary state for a cell recently cleaned by Cleanser. May simply return to SAFE, or may receive short protection from immediate re-growth.

8. Candy Pump NPC

NPC Position

The Candy Pump NPC sits in the center of the arena and occupies a 3×3 cell area.

NPC Function

The Candy Pump NPC pumps candy into the ground. The candy pressure spreads beneath the arena and causes sticky candy to pop out of floor cells.

The NPC is the source of the arena hazard, but it does not directly shoot individual targets.

Design Role

The Candy Pump NPC creates:

• slow outside-to-inside arena pressure,
• sticky cell growth,
• irregular candy spread,
• hidden movement buffer behavior,
• candy bubble events,
• and final-minute survival tension.

9. Sticky Cell Rules

A sticky cell:

• Cannot be passed through.
• Cannot be collected from.
• Traps players who step onto it.
• Traps players who are pushed into it.
• Remains sticky until cleansed or until the round ends.

Entering Sticky Cells

If a player steps onto a sticky cell:

• They become trapped.
• They cannot move normally.
• They can only escape using Cleanser.

Pushed Into Sticky Cell

If a player is smacked and pushed into sticky candy:

• They become trapped.
• The pushing player is rewarded indirectly by removing or delaying a competitor.

10. Core Sticky Growth System

The main hazard is normal sticky ground growth. Sticky growth happens in repeated ticks. Each growth tick selects several SAFE cells, telegraphs them, then converts them into STICKY cells after a short delay.

The sticky growth uses a cellular-automation-style system. This means candy should prefer to grow near existing sticky candy, but still use enough randomness to avoid perfect patterns.

The growth should feel:

• organic,
• broken,
• semi-predictable,
• and shaped by the phase of the match.

Players should understand:

• "The candy is generally moving inward."

Players should not know:

• "Exactly which cells will become sticky next."

11. Sticky Growth Timing

Property	Value
Total round duration	180 seconds
Normal sticky growth interval	Every 3 seconds
Normal telegraph duration	1 second
Total growth ticks	180 ÷ 3 = 60 ticks
Ticks per phase	20 ticks each

Recommended Sticky Cells Per Tick

Phase	Cells per Tick
Phase 1	4–6 cells
Phase 2	6–8 cells
Phase 3	8–10 cells

Coverage Estimate

Phase	Calculation	Sticky Attempts
Phase 1	20 ticks × 4–6 cells	80–120
Phase 2	20 ticks × 6–8 cells	120–160
Phase 3	20 ticks × 8–10 cells	160–200
Total		360–480

These are sticky attempts, not guaranteed unique sticky cells. Some attempts may:

• overlap existing sticky cells,
• be rejected by the movement buffer system,
• be rejected by path-safety logic,
• hit blocked areas,
• be cleansed by players,
• or be replaced by another candidate.

12. Candy Bubble System

Candy bubbles are occasional anti-camping hazards. They are not the main sticky growth system. A candy bubble starts as a 1×1 growing bubble. It grows for several seconds, then explodes into a 3×3 sticky area.

Bubble Purpose

Candy bubbles exist to:

• break camping behavior,
• force players out of comfortable positions,
• disperse grouped players,
• create panic moments,
• pressure players who refuse to move,
• and punish overuse of untouched areas.

Candy bubbles should not be used as the main source of arena coverage.

Bubble Timing

Phase	Bubbles
Phase 1	0
Phase 2	2
Phase 3	3
Total	5

Property	Value
Bubble Grow Duration	2.5–3 seconds
Bubble Explosion Size	3×3 area

Bubble Coverage Math

Each bubble explosion affects up to 9 cells.

Phase	Calculation	Sticky Attempts
Phase 2	2 bubbles × 9 cells	18
Phase 3	3 bubbles × 9 cells	27
Total		45

Because bubbles may overlap sticky cells, blocked cells, or previously unsafe areas, the actual unique sticky gain may be lower than 45 cells.

Bubble Spawn Rules

A bubble may spawn on a SAFE cell.

Recommended bubble target priorities:

• near players who stay in the same area too long,
• inside or near large untouched spaces,
• near important mission routes,
• near contested areas,
• near groups of players,
• not directly on top of a player unless strongly telegraphed and avoidable.

Bubble Anti-Unfairness Rules

• Do not spawn a bubble with no readable warning.
• Do not spawn a bubble that instantly traps all nearby players.
• Do not stack multiple bubbles in the same small area.
• Do not spawn a bubble repeatedly in the exact same region.
• Do not use bubbles as the main map-filling tool.

13. Phase Structure

Phase 1 — Outer Pressure (0:00–1:00)

Purpose:

• Introduce candy ground growth.
• Teach players that the outer arena is becoming dangerous.
• Keep the early game playable and understandable.
• Let players collect tiles and explore routes.

Normal Sticky Growth:

• Growth tick every 3 seconds.
• 4–6 cells selected per tick.
• 1 second telegraph before cells become sticky.
• Growth mainly affects the Outer Layer.

Recommended growth distribution:

• 75% Outer Layer
• 10% Middle Layer early warning
• 10% near-player pressure
• 5% random irregular growth

Candy Bubble: No candy bubbles in Phase 1.

Behavior Notes:

• Do not fill the entire outer ring.
• Do not make a perfect square or circle of sticky candy.
• Leave some untouched spaces through hidden movement buffer logic.
• Avoid heavy trapping.
• Let players understand the hazard before it becomes punishing.

Phase 2 — Middle Pressure and Bubble Disruption (1:00–2:00)

Purpose:

• Move the candy pressure inward.
• Make middle routes dangerous.
• Introduce candy bubbles as anti-camping threats.
• Force players to make route and Cleanser decisions.

Normal Sticky Growth:

• Growth tick every 3 seconds.
• 6–8 cells selected per tick.
• 1 second telegraph before cells become sticky.
• Growth mainly affects the Middle Layer.
• The Outer Layer can continue filling.

Recommended growth distribution:

• 50% Middle Layer
• 20% Outer Layer continuation
• 15% near-player pressure
• 10% existing sticky cluster expansion
• 5% random irregular growth

Candy Bubble:

• 2 bubbles total during Phase 2.
• Suggested spawn windows: Bubble 1 at 1:15–1:25, Bubble 2 at 1:40–1:50.
• Bubble starts as 1×1, grows for 2.5–3 seconds, explodes into 3×3 sticky area.
• Should target camping behavior, large untouched spaces, or overly comfortable positions.

Behavior Notes:

• Middle routes should start feeling unsafe.
• Some untouched movement spaces may still exist, but they are not guaranteed safe.
• Players should begin using Cleanser strategically.
• Previously untouched areas from Phase 1 can become valid targets after the phase changes.

Example: At 0:50, a player may be standing inside an untouched space that the algorithm has avoided targeting to prevent movement from breaking too early. At 1:05, after Phase 2 begins, that same space can become a valid target for normal sticky growth. If the player camps there and refuses to move or use Cleanser, the system may target that area.

Phase 3 — Inner Survival Pressure (2:00–3:00)

Purpose:

• Create final survival tension.
• Pressure the inner arena.
• Force Cleanser usage.
• Make sabotage more dangerous.
• Create clutch escape moments.

Normal Sticky Growth:

• Growth tick every 3 seconds.
• 8–10 cells selected per tick.
• 1 second telegraph before cells become sticky.
• Growth can now affect Inner Layer, Middle Layer, and remaining untouched spaces.

Recommended growth distribution:

• 35% Inner Layer
• 25% Middle Layer
• 15% near-player pressure
• 15% existing sticky cluster expansion
• 10% random irregular growth

Candy Bubble:

• 3 bubbles total during Phase 3.
• Suggested spawn windows: Bubble 1 at 2:10–2:20, Bubble 2 at 2:30–2:40, Bubble 3 at 2:45–2:55.
• Bubble starts as 1×1, grows for 2.5–3 seconds, explodes into 3×3 sticky area.
• May target camping or large untouched spaces more aggressively than in Phase 2.

Behavior Notes:

• The arena should feel dangerous but not completely impossible.
• The final 20–30 seconds may be more aggressive.
• Near-traps and forced Cleanser moments are allowed.
• Hidden movement buffer logic becomes weaker.
• Camping players should no longer be protected by untouched spaces.

14. Candidate Cell Selection

Every growth tick, the system must decide which SAFE cells should become TELEGRAPHED. To do this, the system creates a list of candidate cells. A candidate cell is a SAFE cell that is allowed to become sticky.

The system should not choose cells completely randomly. Each candidate cell should receive a score. Higher score means the cell is more likely to be selected for sticky growth. This score is called the Candidate Score.

Candidate Score Purpose

The Candidate Score helps the candy growth feel:

• organic,
• semi-predictable,
• inward-moving,
• influenced by current phase,
• influenced by player behavior,
• not perfectly random,
• not perfectly readable,
• and less likely to break movement unfairly.

Candidate Score Formula

CandidateScore =
    LayerPriority
  + StickyNeighborScore
  + InwardPressureScore
  + PlayerPressureScore
  + ClusterGrowthScore
  + RoutePressureScore
  + CampingPressureScore
  + RandomNoise
  + MovementBufferPenalty
  + PathSafetyPenalty
  + RepetitionPenalty

15. Candidate Score Components

LayerPriority

Checks if the cell is in the layer that should currently be pressured.

Phase	Outer Layer	Middle Layer	Inner Layer
Phase 1	+60	+15	-40
Phase 2	+20	+60	+5
Phase 3	+10	+35	+60

Purpose: Makes candy pressure move from outside to inside over time.

StickyNeighborScore

Candy should prefer to grow near existing sticky candy. Check the 8 neighboring cells around the candidate cell.

• +8 for each neighboring STICKY cell
• Maximum possible: 8 neighbors × 8 = +64

Purpose: Creates organic cellular-automation growth. Sticky candy grows in clusters instead of appearing as isolated random noise.

InwardPressureScore

Cells slightly closer to the center should become more likely as the match progresses.

Phase	Value
Phase 1	+0 to +10
Phase 2	+5 to +20
Phase 3	+10 to +30

Purpose: Helps candy naturally push inward without filling perfectly even rings.

PlayerPressureScore

The system may pressure players, but should not always target directly under them.

• If candidate cell is 2–4 cells away from a player: +20
• If candidate cell is directly under a player before the final 30 seconds: -50
• If candidate cell is directly under a player during the final 30 seconds: +10, but only if telegraph is clear

Purpose: Pressures player movement without feeling like unfair direct targeting.

ClusterGrowthScore

If a candidate cell connects two nearby sticky clusters, it can receive a bonus.

• +15 if selecting this cell expands a sticky cluster
• +25 if it connects two sticky clusters or helps close a weak route during Phase 2 or Phase 3

Purpose: Makes candy growth shape the arena meaningfully.

RoutePressureScore

A cell can receive a bonus if it pressures a commonly used route.

• +10 to +25 if the cell is part of a common path, narrow lane, or high-traffic route

Purpose: Prevents players from relying on the same safe route forever.

CampingPressureScore

This increases the chance that cells near camping players become targetable.

• +20 if a player has stayed inside the same 4×4 area for more than 5 seconds
• +40 if a player has stayed inside the same 4×4 area for more than 8 seconds
• +60 if a player has stayed inside the same 4×4 area for more than 10 seconds and has Cleanser available

Purpose: Allows the system to break camping behavior, especially when the player has a tool to escape but refuses to use it.

RandomNoise

Add randomness so the growth is not too predictable.

• Random number between -20 and +20

Purpose: Keeps the candy pattern imperfect and alive.

MovementBufferPenalty

This lowers the chance that a candidate cell is selected if that cell is part of a temporary hidden movement buffer. Movement buffers are not visible to players. They are not safe zones. They are only used by the algorithm to avoid breaking movement too early.

Phase	Inside Buffer	Adjacent to Buffer
Phase 1	-40	-20
Phase 2	-20	-10
Phase 3	-10	0 during final 30 seconds

Purpose: Keeps some movement space open temporarily without promising safety to the player.

PathSafetyPenalty

If selecting this cell would fully trap a player or delete the only nearby escape route too early, reduce its score heavily.

• -100 before final 30 seconds if the cell would fully trap a player
• -60 if the cell removes the last useful exit from a local safe cluster
• -20 if the cell makes a route too narrow too early

Purpose: Prevents the automatic system from feeling unfair.

RepetitionPenalty

Avoid selecting the same area repeatedly.

• -30 if nearby cells were selected in the last tick
• -15 if the same local region has been targeted repeatedly within the last 10 seconds

Purpose: Avoids spammy, unfair, or visually boring growth.

16. Candidate Selection Process

Every normal sticky growth tick should follow this process:

1. Find all SAFE cells.
2. Remove invalid cells (BLOCKED, STICKY, BUBBLE_GROWING, already TELEGRAPHED, cells inside active bubble warning area unless intended).
3. Calculate Candidate Score for each valid SAFE cell.
4. Sort or weight candidates by score.
5. Select cells using weighted randomness. Higher-scoring cells have better chance, but lower-scoring cells can still occasionally be selected if valid.
6. Apply path safety check. If selected cells would unfairly trap players, replace some with safer candidates.
7. Apply movement buffer check. If selected cells delete too much hidden movement space too early, replace some.
8. Telegraph selected cells for 1 second.
9. Convert telegraphed cells to STICKY.

17. Hidden Movement Buffer System

The sticky growth algorithm should not visually show safe zones or protected areas to players. Some safe areas may be left untouched by the system temporarily, but this is only an underlying code behavior. It is not a player-facing mechanic. These areas are called Movement Buffer Zones.

Important Rules

Movement Buffer Zones are:

• hidden from players,
• not visually marked,
• not guaranteed safe,
• not permanent,
• not a shield,
• not a reward,
• not a camping zone.

Players should not be able to clearly identify them as protected areas. The system may avoid targeting a Movement Buffer Zone for a short time, but it can target that same area later.

Example: At 0:50, a player may be standing in a safe cluster that the algorithm has avoided targeting so movement does not break too early. At 1:05, after the phase changes, that same cluster can become valid for sticky growth. If the player stays there too long and refuses to move or use Cleanser, the system may target that area with normal sticky growth or a candy bubble.

Purpose

Movement Buffer Zones exist to:

• prevent unfair early traps,
• preserve basic movement flow,
• leave temporary gaps in sticky growth,
• avoid full-ring coverage,
• support Cleanser decision-making,
• prevent the arena from becoming broken too early.

They do not exist to protect camping players.

Algorithm Behavior

The system should dynamically detect safe clusters during the round. A safe cluster is a connected group of SAFE cells. The algorithm should temporarily reduce the targeting priority of some safe clusters if removing them would make movement too broken. However, this reduction should decay over time.

Recommended behavior:

Phase	Buffer Strength
Phase 1	Stronger. Avoid deleting too many safe clusters in outer and middle arena.
Phase 2	Weaker. May begin targeting previously untouched areas, especially if used for camping.
Phase 3	Minimal. Can pressure most remaining safe clusters, especially during final 30 seconds.

Camping Override

If a player stays inside or near the same safe cluster for too long, the Movement Buffer should weaken or be removed.

• If a player remains within the same 4×4 area for more than 5–7 seconds: increase the chance that the area becomes targetable.
• If a player remains in the same area for more than 8–10 seconds: allow a candy bubble to spawn near that area.

Movement Buffer Decay

• When a buffer is created, it starts with full penalty value.
• Every 5 seconds, reduce the penalty by 25%.
• When a phase changes, reduce all existing buffer penalties by 50%.
• During the final 30 seconds, remove most buffer penalties.

Implementation Note

Movement Buffer Zones are not placed by level design. They are detected dynamically by the algorithm based on the current shape of the arena. The system should look for clusters of SAFE cells and temporarily reduce their chance to be selected if removing them would damage movement flow too much. The player should only experience this as natural-looking uneven candy growth, not as a visible protection system.

18. Path Safety Rule

The candy growth should pressure players, but automatic growth should avoid unfair instant traps too early. Before applying a group of selected sticky cells, the system should run a path safety check.

Recommended check: For each active player:

1. Temporarily apply the selected sticky cells.
2. Check if the player still has reachable SAFE cells nearby.
3. Check if the player has at least one escape path or local movement option.
4. If the player would become fully trapped before the final 30 seconds, reject or replace some selected cells.

Simple version:

• Before final 30 seconds: Each active player should have at least one reachable safe region within 6–8 cells, unless they are already trapped or made a clear mistake.
• Final 30 seconds: The rule can become softer. Forced Cleanser moments are allowed.

Important: The path safety rule should not make the player immune. It only prevents the automatic candy growth from breaking movement too early.

19. Candy Bubble Candidate Logic

Candy bubbles use a different selection logic from normal sticky growth. Normal sticky growth is mainly about arena pressure. Candy bubbles are mainly about anti-camping and disruption.

Bubble candidates should prefer:

• players who have stayed in the same area too long,
• large untouched spaces,
• high-traffic safe areas,
• mission-heavy areas,
• contested areas with multiple players nearby,
• cells that are not already sticky.

Bubble candidates should avoid:

• spawning directly on top of a player without enough warning,
• spawning inside blocked cells,
• spawning too close to another recent bubble,
• spawning where the 3×3 explosion would hit mostly blocked or sticky cells,
• spawning where it creates unavoidable instant failure.

Bubble Spawn Score

BubbleScore =
    CampingScore
  + UntouchedAreaScore
  + PlayerClusterScore
  + MissionRouteScore
  + RandomNoise
  + DirectHitPenalty
  + RecentBubblePenalty
  + UnfairTrapPenalty

Recommended values:

Component	Value
CampingScore	+40 if player in same 4×4 area >5s, +60 if >8s, +80 if >10s with Cleanser
UntouchedAreaScore	+30 if cell is inside or near large untouched safe cluster
PlayerClusterScore	+20 if 2+ players nearby
MissionRouteScore	+10 to +20 if area is important for scoring
RandomNoise	Random between -20 and +20
DirectHitPenalty	-60 if bubble center is directly under a player
RecentBubblePenalty	-50 if area had a bubble recently
UnfairTrapPenalty	-100 if bubble would create unavoidable trap too early

20. Telegraph System

Normal Sticky Telegraph

Before a normal sticky cell appears, the selected cell becomes TELEGRAPHED. Telegraph duration is 1 second. The warning should be readable but quick.

Suggested visuals:

• candy cracks in the floor,
• syrup glow,
• small ground swelling,
• sticky sparkles,
• soft bubbling sound.

Candy Bubble Telegraph

Candy bubbles have longer warning than normal sticky cells.

Property	Value
Bubble grow duration	2.5–3 seconds

Bubble visual stages:

1. Small 1×1 candy bubble appears.
2. Bubble grows larger and becomes brighter.
3. Bubble shakes or pulses.
4. Bubble explodes into 3×3 sticky area.

The 3×3 explosion area should be visually warned before impact.

Suggested visuals:

• pulsing 3×3 shadow,
• circular candy glow around the bubble,
• syrup splash preview,
• final flash before explosion.

21. Cleanser Power-Up

Property	Value
Unlock	Every 2 completed missions
Effect	Move up to 5 cells through sticky candy
Cleanse	Crossed sticky cells become passable again
Ends	After 5 cells or when stopping on a safe cell
Inventory limit	1
Cannot activate	While stunned
Activation delay	~0.3 seconds

Cleanser Design Purpose

Cleanser makes dangerous areas playable. It allows players to:

• escape sticky traps,
• reopen movement routes,
• cut through sticky areas,
• survive final pressure,
• take risks near sticky zones.

The candy growth algorithm can be slightly more aggressive because skilled players can use Cleanser to recover.

22. Smack / Sabotage Mechanic

Property	Value
Smack energy refill	8 seconds (full bar)
Smack activation	Model turns pink for 3 seconds (charged state)
Trigger	Target enters range during charged state
Cancel	No target within 3s → energy consumed, no effect
Effect on hit	Target pushed 3 cells away, stunned after landing
Sticky landing	Target trapped on first sticky cell touched

Smack Clash Rule

• Two players activate smack simultaneously, both in range → both smacked, both stunned, no push, both bars consumed
• Stun duration for clash: 1.0 second

23. Win Condition

• Highest score at end of 3 minutes wins
• Trapped/eliminated players keep earned score
• Surviving players receive survival bonus
• Survival bonus should be small enough that scoring still matters, large enough that surviving feels valuable

24. Flow Phases

Phase 1 — Open Arena (0:00–1:00)

• Let players understand the mission.
• Let players collect tiles.
• Introduce outer candy pressure slowly.
• Show that the arena is closing inward.

Candy behavior:

• Normal sticky growth every 3 seconds.
• 4–6 cells per tick.
• Mostly Outer Layer.
• 0 bubbles.

Player feeling: "The edge is getting dangerous. I should start moving inward soon."

Phase 2 — Route Pressure (1:00–2:00)

• Candy begins shaping the middle arena.
• Smack becomes more dangerous.
• Players start using Cleanser strategically.
• Candy bubbles disrupt camping.
• Previously untouched spaces can become targetable.

Candy behavior:

• Normal sticky growth every 3 seconds.
• 6–8 cells per tick.
• Mostly Middle Layer.
• 2 total candy bubbles.

Player feeling: "The safe paths are breaking. I need to choose a route, use Cleanser, or move before I get stuck."

Phase 3 — Survival Endgame (2:00–3:00)

• The arena is mostly sticky.
• Safe movement is limited.
• Players either secure final points or focus survival.
• Bubbles and sticky growth force final movement.

Candy behavior:

• Normal sticky growth every 3 seconds.
• 8–10 cells per tick.
• Inner Layer pressure active.
• 3 total candy bubbles.
• Final 20–30 seconds may be more aggressive.

Player feeling: "I need to survive, escape, or make one last scoring play."

25. Balance Recommendations (Starting Values)

System	Value
Arena size	24×24
NPC size	3×3 center
Playable cells	567
Round duration	180 seconds
Normal sticky growth interval	3 seconds
Normal sticky telegraph	1 second
Phase 1 growth	4–6 cells per tick
Phase 2 growth	6–8 cells per tick
Phase 3 growth	8–10 cells per tick
Phase 1 bubbles	0 total
Phase 2 bubbles	2 total
Phase 3 bubbles	3 total
Bubble grow duration	2.5–3 seconds
Bubble explosion size	3×3
Target final sticky coverage	70%–75%
Smack charge window	3 seconds
Smack push distance	3 cells
Smack energy refill	8 seconds
Stun duration	1.0 second
Cleanser unlock	Every 2 completed missions
Cleanser movement limit	5 cells
Cleanser inventory limit	1
Movement Buffer	Hidden algorithmic system only. Not visible to players.

26. Coverage Math

Metric	Value
Arena	24×24 = 576 total cells
Center NPC	3×3 = 9 blocked cells
Playable cells	567

Normal Sticky Growth

Phase	Calculation	Sticky Attempts
Phase 1	20 ticks × 4–6 cells	80–120
Phase 2	20 ticks × 6–8 cells	120–160
Phase 3	20 ticks × 8–10 cells	160–200
Total		360–480

Candy Bubble Growth

Phase	Calculation	Sticky Attempts
Phase 2	2 bubbles × 9 cells	18
Phase 3	3 bubbles × 9 cells	27
Total		45

Combined

Metric	Value
Total sticky attempts	405–525
Estimated real final coverage	397 (70%) to 425 (75%)
Recommended target	70%–75% final sticky coverage

If playtest coverage goes above 78% too often, reduce Phase 3 growth from 8–10 cells to 7–9 cells. If playtest coverage feels too low, increase Phase 1 and Phase 2 growth slightly before increasing Phase 3.

27. Risk Areas & Solutions

Risk	Solution
Arena becomes impossible too early	Reduce Phase 2/3 growth; strengthen MovementBufferPenalty; increase bubble spacing; strengthen path safety checks
Players camp center too easily	Add Inner Layer warning pops in Phase 2; let bubbles target camping; reduce MovementBufferPenalty near center; increase CampingPressureScore
Growth feels too random	Increase StickyNeighborScore; increase LayerPriority; reduce RandomNoise; make candy prefer adjacent sticky cells
Growth feels too predictable	Increase RandomNoise; add random irregular growth; avoid full-ring telegraphs; make movement buffers decay faster
Candy bubbles feel unfair	Use 2.5–3s grow time; penalize direct player spawn; add bubble path safety check; add RecentBubblePenalty
Cleanser feels too weak	Increase movement from 5 to 6 cells; give cleansed cells temporary protection; reduce Phase 3 growth; reduce final coverage target
Movement buffer feels like hidden protection	Increase buffer decay; reduce buffer strength after phase changes; increase CampingPressureScore; allow bubbles to target large untouched spaces; remove most penalties in final 30 seconds

28. Prototype Setup

• Arena: 24×24
• NPC: 3×3 center blocked area
• Players: 4 first, then test 6–8
• Round time: 3 minutes
• Normal sticky growth: Every 3 seconds
• Normal telegraph: 1 second
• Phase 1 (0:00–1:00): 4–6 cells/tick, Mostly Outer Layer, 0 bubbles
• Phase 2 (1:00–2:00): 6–8 cells/tick, Mostly Middle Layer, 2 candy bubbles
• Phase 3 (2:00–3:00): 8–10 cells/tick, Inner Layer pressure, 3 candy bubbles
• Bubble grow duration: 2.5–3 seconds
• Bubble explosion: 3×3 sticky area
• Movement Buffer: Hidden dynamic algorithm only. Not visually shown. Not guaranteed safe. Decays over time. Can be overridden by camping. Mostly removed during final 30 seconds.
• Target final sticky coverage: 70%–75% of playable cells
• Smack refill: 8s / window: 3s / push: 3 cells / stun: 1s
• Cleanser: every 2 missions / 5 cells movement / hold 1

29. Design Notes

The strongest version of this mode is not about memorizing safe zones. It is about reading the candy flow, choosing when to score, when to move inward, when to use Cleanser, when to abandon a route, and when to sabotage other players.

• The candy growth should create pressure, not instant failure.
• The bubble system should create disruption, not become the main source of sticky coverage.
• The movement buffer system should preserve playability, not protect camping.
• The Cleanser should make risky play possible.

The ideal gameplay loop is:

1. Collect while the arena is still open.
2. Notice the outer candy pressure.
3. Move inward through broken routes.
4. Use temporary untouched spaces without trusting them forever.
5. Avoid or escape candy bubbles.
6. Use Cleanser to survive or create a route.
7. Sabotage players into sticky danger.
8. Survive the final inward collapse.