In Captain Kaon you battle the forces of the Sigma Collective, a loose coalition of terrorists who are trying to seize control of Ceres. Their rag tag forces are cobbled together from scavenged mining pods and left over equipment, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still dangerous. They will go to any ends to achieve their goals.
In this post I’ll discuss the different types of AI you’ll encounter in Captain Kaon (available now on Early Access).
The Worker Pod
The most basic fighting machine of Sigma’s forces is built from a converted utility pod. The two pincers it uses to carry ore aren’t much use in combat, so it’s been modified to carry a cannon. On its own it doesn’t pose much of a threat, its fire power is limited and its armour is paper thin. But in a swarm it can cause you a few problems. Catch them alone, take them out quickly, when they are in a group it’s time to hide.
The Watcher Pod
These monitor pods were used to keep an eye on the miners and keep the ore processing at optimum levels, now they have been modified to look for signs of intruders. With its large surveillance package it will search out for any signs of your presence. The watcher is relentless in its pursuit and if it finds you, will signal your position to the others.
The Cutter Pod
The Cutter pods that were once used to cut out neat chunks of ore are now being used to cut open your gunships hull. Assigned to the craziest pilots, the Cutter will come straight at you and won’t stop until they see sparks coming off your hull. Keep them at a distance and try to take them out before they get too close. Be careful of trying to hide, if they spot you they could corner you and tear you apart.
The Scout Pod
For years the miners of Ceres have been modifying their utility pods to turn them into speed machines for illegal races through abandoned mining tunnels. Now they’ve converted these racers into Scouts by adding a simple scanning package. These scouts use their speed to scour every crevasse in the search for you. If they find you, they’re going to bring their friends and you won’t have much time to escape.
The Tank
The miners have bolted some armour on to a heavy transport pod to create this beast, but they didn’t stop there. Using some of the explosives they normally use to break open new veins of ore they have fashioned a rapid fire mortar. Bolted on to the chassis to give the Tank teeth, this is a formidable opponent to face. Despite its heavy armour it will shield itself behind other pods to avoid damage and then shell you into oblivion.
The Hunter
The Hunter wants to find you and it has all the tools to do it. Built from a high speed shuttle and modified for stealth with a phase shield, the Hunter can disappear to avoid being discovered. If you don’t keep a sharp eye out it can popup and alert its friends to your position. The Hunter will test your reactions, you need to destroy it quick when it appears.
The Welding Pod
Often, during mine construction, things need to be welded together. Now the miners are using their welding pods to cut you open. When it’s not blasting you with its welding beam it will hide behind a shield. Sneak up behind them to bypass their shield, if you take them from the front you will have to wait for them to open their shield before you fire. They only do that when they are shooting you.
I hope you enjoy fighting against the AI in Captain Kaon and look forward to hearing what you think.
