Genre: Horror

Expert blueprint for horror games balancing tension, atmosphere, and player agency.

NEVER Do (Expert Anti-Patterns)

NEVER maintain 100% tension at all times; strictly use a Sawtooth Pacing model (buildup → peak/scare → dedicated relief period) to prevent player "numbing" and exhaustion.
NEVER rely on jump-scares as the primary source of horror; focus on atmosphere, spatial audio cues, and the anticipation of a threat to build genuine dread.
NEVER make environments pitch black to the point of frustrating navigation; darkness should obscure threats (details), not the floor. Use rim lighting or a limited-battery flashlight.
NEVER grant the player unlimited resources; survival horror relies on Scarcity. Limited battery, rare ammo, and slow animations are mandatory to force stressful decision-making.

NEVER allow AI to detect the player instantly; implement a Suspicion Meter or a 1-3s reaction window before the AI enters full aggression to avoid "unfair cheating" feel.
NEVER use predictable AI paths; an enemy on a perfect loop is a puzzle, not a predator. Use the Director to periodically "hint" a new destination near the player.
NEVER use Area3D overlap signals for instant, frame-perfect Line-of-Sight (LoS) checks; use nodeless raycasting via PhysicsDirectSpaceState3D.intersect_ray() for fixed-physics sync.
NEVER calculate complex AI vision or pathfinding for monsters far outside the camera's frustum; use VisibleOnScreenNotifier3D to disable processing logic.
NEVER leave navigation avoidance layers unconfigured on chasing monsters; explicitly assign avoidance masks to prevent visual "stacking" in tight corridors.