Naughty Dog has explained the dynamic stealth system utilized by The Last of Us.
Game director for the PlayStation 3 exclusive, Bruce Straley, discussed the game’s so-called “dynamic stealth system” with GamesIndustry:
The AI know about each other. They’re searching rooms and they split up but then they’re going to reform and one of them doesn’t show up, he’s going to start asking: ‘Where’d he go?’ They’re going to start looking for their buddy and they’re going to start getting panicked. Suddenly there’s a risk even to taking out somebody stealthily and you still have to move around. That’s part of our dynamic AI system here, our dynamic stealth.
Adding to the game delivering tension to players, The Last of Us doesn’t pause when one is accessing their inventory and crafting items:
Our inventory system is living, meaning the game is still running. You’re not paused when you’re going into your inventory. So it’s just like you’ve pulled the backpack off of your back and you’re in there creating something live while the enemies are moving around the environment and coming to get you if you’ve engaged with them. So what we want to try to do is make you feel that there is a consequence to it.
The Last of Us is scheduled for a launch sometime during 2013.
