Dev-Log #8 - Boss Hunts, Extraction Runs, and the Safehouse

ːsteamhappyː Hey everyone — it’s been a while since the last devlog (November), but behind the scenes Contagion Protocol has had a big stretch of progress. Over the past few months, I’ve been building the core “run loop” that ties everything together:

Survive → hunt a boss → unlock FINAL extraction → extract to secure rewards → return to the Safehouse to upgrade.

Here’s what’s new since November.

The Safehouse Has Become a Real Meta Progression Hub

The Safehouse is no longer just a menu - it’s now the long-term upgrade backbone of the game.

• A full skill tree with connected paths, progress lines, and diamond unlock junctions

• Upgrades save and load properly between runs

• Visual polish improvements so the tree reads cleanly and stays crisp (no blurry/odd connectors)

• The system is set up so upgrades apply when a run begins (so you feel the progression immediately)

This is the foundation that lets runs meaningfully feed into long-term progression.

Contagion Credits: A Full “Earn During Run” Currency Loop

A major pillar added since December is Contagion Credits, the run-driven currency that fuels Safehouse upgrades.

How it works now:

• Credits are earned during gameplay

• They appear on the HUD as a dedicated counter

• When you pick one up, it flies into the HUD bank (so it feels satisfying and readable)

• Credits are run-local and are cleared safely if you die or abandon the run (no weird “late delivery” exploits)

This system is now stable and integrated cleanly with your run flow and menus.

Extraction Zones: The Run Now Has an Actual Objective

Instead of “survive forever,” runs are now building toward extraction.

• Multiple extraction zones exist (with timed activation rules)

• A full extraction HUD communicates what’s going on:

  • when extraction is opening

  • when it’s available

  • when you’re actively extracting

• Extraction zones are visually readable in-world (dashed outlines + progress feedback)

Most importantly: you’re no longer expected to “guess where extraction is.”

New Wayfinding: The Extraction Arrow

Big maps + chaos = getting lost. So, I added a simple but “premium feeling” UX solution:

• A screen-edge arrow appears only when the active extraction is offscreen

• It disappears once you’re near / inside the zone

• It stays subtle so it doesn’t clutter combat

This makes the loop feel intentional instead of confusing.

Boss Arenas + Boss Hunts (and they actually connect to Extraction!)

This has been the biggest push in January-March: building a boss system that doesn’t feel slapped on.

Boss Arenas

• Boss arenas are placed in the world (example: Houses + Junkyard)

• When a boss fight starts:

  • the arena locks down

  • the fight becomes a contained encounter

• When the boss is defeated, the run progresses into FINAL extraction

FINAL Extraction

After beating the boss, one extraction zone is chosen and becomes the FINAL extraction target.

• The extraction system stops doing timed switching

• The HUD clearly announces FINAL extraction and reminds you as you travel

• Extraction is prevented from completing if you’re currently inside an active boss fight (so the run can’t break)

This turns the run into a real sequence: survive → boss → final escape.

Boss Fight Rules: Cleaner Encounters, Less Mess

Boss fights needed to feel like a “moment,” not just more noise.

So boss arenas now enforce cleaner rules:

• Spawning pressure pauses during boss fights

• Existing trash zombies inside the arena are cleaned out at fight start

• After the boss, normal spawning resumes

This makes boss fights readable and prevents the arena from becoming a weird pile-up.

Horde Stability + Big Fixes (Less Jank, More Consistency)

A lot of work went into stability improvements that players will feel as “smoothness”:

• Fixed a nasty issue where zombies could get stuck in a broken “frozen” state after boss fights (causing “walking in place” swarms)

• Improved run consistency around boss transitions and spawner behavior

In short: fewer broken hordes, fewer bugged fights, more reliable runs.

New Special Enemy Progress: The Hulk

Special enemies are being built as proper unique threats instead of just “bigger zombies.”

• Hulk enemy asset + directional animations set up

• Early design direction established (heavy slam threat, more commitment-based attacks)

• Special enemy structure is being set up so these units can have unique behaviors and rewards

More to come here - but the foundation is in.

Boss Arena Barrier Visual Upgrade: The Membrane Wall

One of the most noticeable visual upgrades recently is the boss arena barrier effect. Unity Shader Graphs are no joke, so I've spent a lot more time on this than I wanted to...

Boss arenas now use a ring-based membrane visual:

• A single organic living membrane surface with a center cutout

• The wall is still a real physical barrier for gameplay — the membrane is the visual layer

• Cleanup was done to remove old legacy components and keep the new system clean

This is still being polished, but it’s already a huge step toward boss arenas feeling “contained and alive.”

What’s Next

Now that the loop is solid, the next focus is on making it richer:

• More boss variety (and better boss intro/hype moments)

• More special infected (beyond the Hulk)

• More reward tuning (credits, drops, pacing)

• Continued polish on the boss arena visuals and combat readability

If you’ve wishlisted the game — thank you. The goal of these last few months has been simple: turn Contagion Protocol into a real “run with an arc,” not just survival. And we’re getting there fast.

As always, this is a hobby and passion project of mine. I appreciate every X follow and every wishlist as I continue to work on this. :)