Barotrauma

The goal of the game, the final point, is to reach the Eye of Europe

Hostile Fauna of Europe

Classification by threat type:

1. Swarmers (crawlers, mud raptors, spiny-tailed raptors)

· They attack in swarms and penetrate through holes
· The main threat is boarding and rapid destruction of the crew
· Dangerous in numbers, not strength

2. Hunters (hammerhead, moloch,)

· Large solitary predators
· Capable of damaging/crushing the hull of a submarine
· Requires team coordination and the use of heavy weapons

3. Abnormal (Singer, Latcher)

· Special abilities: psychological influence, suction to the body
· Indirect threat through crew disorientation
· The most unpredictable and dangerous

4. creatures from the abyss (Doom Worm, Charybdis,)

· End-game threats of gigantic proportions
· Meeting them is an event whose goal is not victory, but survival

The fauna of Europe is a complex ecosystem where every encounter is mortally dangerous.

You can die for absolutely any reason, the main thing is: after death you will have the choice to start over or load from the last save

Additional protocols and useful details

1. Radio silence protocol

Rule: "Don't pollute the airwaves." Long conversations with the station are risky. Pirates and certain creatures can detect radio transmissions.
· Practice: Use short codes. "Status: GREEN" (everything is fine), "Status: YELLOW" (problems, but we are managing), "Status: RED" (SOS, immediate help needed).

2. Biothreat Protocol

Rule: "What floats overboard should not go in." Anyone who has been overboard in open water undergoes quarantine in a disinfected lock.
· Practice: Disinfection showers in airlocks are mandatory. Ignoring them is a sure way to infect the entire station or boat with parasites.

3. Station emergency evacuation protocol

Rule: "Your contract ends with a sinking station." When the general alarm sounds (the "Whaler" siren), all civilians must proceed to the escape pods.
· Practice: Know the way to the nearest escape hatch. Take only what you can carry. Evacuation pods are autonomous, but they head to the nearest safe station.

Visual details that create atmosphere

· Announcements over the loudspeaker: News, orders, personnel search.
· Gossip and chatter: NPCs passing by discuss the latest events ("Heard the Whaler didn't return from the Magma Sector?").
· Childhood: Children can be seen in the safe EC stations, which contrasts with the cruelty of the outside world.

Interactive services and entertainment

Bar: You can buy a drink that temporarily relieves stress but slows your reaction time. You can also listen to valuable information or get into a drunken brawl.
Casinos/Game Halls: Gambling for money or resources. The chance to get rich quickly or lose everything.
· Living quarters: Rent a room for a full rest (relieves stress for the whole team), visit to the bathhouse, canteen.

Random events at stations

Arriving at the station is not always a relaxing experience.

Station emergency: Fire, depressurization, or riot in a compartment. The crew can assist for a reward or remain on the sidelines.
Security raid: EC guards conduct a search for contraband or spies. Bribery or concealment of prohibited goods may be attempted.
· Diplomatic Scandal: Arrival of a ship from a hostile faction. Tension that could escalate into a shootout.
Trade Caravans: Submarines of other independent traders are docked at the docks. You can exchange resources or learn news from distant sectors.

Dynamic NPCs with routine

NPCs do not stand still, but live their own lives, following a schedule.

· Work shifts: Technicians at the docks rotate. Security guards patrol the corridors. The bars are crowded at night, empty during the day.
· Unique characters:
· Bartender-Informant: Knows the latest gossip and can sell information about routes or tasks.
· Artifact Buyer: Buys artifacts found in the depths, but may be an agent of the Cult of the Deep.

Social hierarchy and visual diversity

Stations must reflect status and affiliation.

· "Upper Levels" (Ship Deck): Clean, well-lit areas with EC staff, upscale bars, and offices. This is where deals are made.
· "Middle Belt" (Engineering Decks): Noisy, steam-filled, grease-scented docks, workshops, and overcrowded medical bays. The main life of the crews.
· "Lower Levels" (Sedimentation Pools and "Wild" Quarters): Residents of "wild" stations or the poor at EK stations. Darkness, leaks, makeshift partitions, illegal bars, and contraband markets. Unique services and goods can be found here, but there is no security.

:

┌─
│ [Dynamic image of the speaking character] │
│ │
│ [Character Name] · [Faction] · [Reputation Level] │
├─
│ │
│ [Text of current cues/situations described...] │
│ [May take several lines as the dialogue develops.] │
│ │
│ [Contextual information about current selection] │
│ [Example: "Habit Check: Medicine (45%)"] │
│ │
├─
│ [Countdown Timer] [15 sec] │
├─
│ [1] Variant answer 1 [2] Variant answer 2 │
│ [3] Option answer 3 [4] Option answer 4 │
├─
│ │
│ ┌─� ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ TONE: │ │ FOCUS: │ │ REPUTATION: │ │ SKILLS: │ │
│ │ Diplomacy │ │ Task │ │ EC: +5 │ │ Persuasion │ │
│ │ Aggression │ │ Money │ │ Separy: -3 │ │ Medicine │ │
│ │ Neutral │ │ Safety│ │ Wild: 0 │ │ Mechanics │ │
│ └───────────────┘ �
│ │
│ [Crew Status: Stress ↑↑ Health ↓ Fuel 65%] │
└─

Key elements of static information below:

1. Response parameters (from left to right):
   Tone - available communication styles
   · Focus - possible directions of the answer
   · Reputation - current relationship of major factions
   Habits - key characteristics for testing
2. Status line (at the very bottom):

Sources of reputational changes

Positive:

· Successful completion of assigned fractions (main source).
· Destruction of enemy submarine factions (for example, pomošo patrulyu EK against separatists).
· Rescue faction members (pick up survivors with destroyed stations/boats).
· Contraband of prohibited goods for factions (for example, stolen data for Separatists).
· Noble deeds in dialogues (rejection of rewards, free help).

Negative:

· Failing missions (especially with lost cargo or agent factions).
· Attacking faction ships or stations (the most serious penalty).
· Unauthorized penetration of the closed zone of stations.
· Smuggling of prohibited goods through faction stations (scanner detection).
· Aggressive and selfish choices in dialogues.

A special rule - "The Law of Balance":
Improving relations with one faction automatically worsens relations with its direct opponent.

· Help EC → fall of reputations with Separatists and "Dikimi".
· Help Separatists → serious penalty for reputations with EC.
· Cooperation with Kult Glubin → catastrophic loss of reputation with all other factions.

Tier Reputations (for each faction separately)

· Hostile (-100 - -80): Faction stations open fire on your sub when approaching.
· Hated (-79 - -30): Visiting stations prohibited. Trade unavailable. High risk assault patrol.
· Suspicious (-29 - 0): Visit stations with an armed escort. Connection requests may be rejected. Prices +50%.
· Neutral (0 - 24): Basic pairing and trading at standard prices. Only simple tasks are available.
· Accepted (25 - 49): Access to a wide range of goods. Appearance of tasks with bonuses.
· Other (50 - 79): Discounts -20%. Access to exclusive drawings and improvements for submarines. Stations provide free minor repairs.
· Ally (80 - 100): Discounts -35%. Access to unique tasks, artifacts and special submarines. Faction patrols come to the rescue within a radius of 1 km.

Reputation is not an abstract indicator, but a currency of survival. It affects access to resources, stations and aids in the ocean.

Dynamic dialogs in real time
Concept: Dialogs are integrated into the gameplay and occur in parallel with boat control, do not pause the game. This creates an effect of constant tension and necessary multitasking.

Interface: Pop-ups appear in the corner of the screen, do not overlap the critical interface (sonar, sensors). They can be folded during active actions of the player and unfold automatically.

Mechanics:

1. Triggers: Events (attack, breakdown), radio conversations, internal crew discussions.
2. Variants of answers: The player is offered a “Circle of ideas” with options reflecting the essence of reactions (aggression, tactics, support). Every choice has consequences.
3. Influence: Answers instantly affect the gameplay: they give temporary bonuses (repair speed, shooting accuracy), change the priorities of AI-helpers or waste resources.
4. Long-term effects: Decisions affect the stress level of the crew, reputation with factions and development of relationships with characters.

Dialogues occur in real time. While the captain communicates, the rest of the crew can prepare the boat for departure, but delaying the dialogue increases the risk of random events (for example, a pirate attack on a station or a submarine's equipment breakdown).

Structure of the dialog box:

· Top: Portrait and NPC name.
· Center: Text cues NPCs.
· Bottom: Wheel of Thoughts — several answer options (usually 3-4) arranged around a circle. Player selects one using mouse. Variants are not verbatim lines, but reflect the essence of the answer or the character's intention.

System of response variations and influences:

Each answer option has attributes invisible to the player:

1. Tone: Aggressive, Confident, Diplomatic, Condescending, Inquisitive, Neutral.
2. Focus: Task, Money, Safety, Gossip, Threats.
3. Hidden Check: Some answer options may require a certain skill level (for example, "Persuasion", "Medicine", "Knowledge of mechanics"). If the skill of the captain is not high enough, the result of choosing this option may be negative.

Example dialogue with EC Station Manager:

· NPC (Europa Stations Manager): "Captain. Your reputation...precedes you. I have delicate cargo for Phobos stations. Biomaterial. Officially, it does not exist. Take it away so I don't hear about you anymore. Questions?"
· Answer options for the player (Round of ideas):

1. [Diplomacy / Task] -> "I'm listening. Just give us the coordinates and cargo specs." (Neutral option, transition to receiving assignments).
2. [Aggression / Money] -> "A non-existent cargo must cost three times as much. Or will you find the other fool?" (Risk variant: failure of the "Conviction" checks will cause the anger of the manager and a reduction in pay; success — a significant bonus).
   etc.

Arrival:
· Docking: The submarine carefully approaches the station lock and performs a "cold docking". A crew can go out on station to perform tasks, trade or rest.
· Results: For successfully completing a mission, the crew receives credits and reputation with the faction, which opens access to new, more profitable (and dangerous) tasks, as well as the purchase of improved equipment and even entire submarines

On the way:
· Navigation: The submarine moves along the given route, which is displayed on the main navigation terminal (sonar). The captain or assistant lays out a course, goes around dangerous zones (geothermal vents, anomalies).
Constant vigilance: Crew members are on watch:
· Sonar monitors the environment, warns of the approach of creatures, underwater rocks or debris.
· Engineers react to system emergency signals: extinguishing fires, fixing a hole in the hull, repairing electrics.
· Guards are on combat posts, ready to fend off attacks from creatures that have penetrated inside, or engage in battle with pirates.
· Unplanned events: The route is rarely smooth. They may occur:
· Fauna attacks: From small "Molotov" to attacks of huge creatures capable of crushing a hull.
· Encounters with other boats: It may be pirates asking to board you, or another submarine signaling for help (which may be a trap).
· Anomalies: Gravitational or electrical storms that disable equipment.

Preparation for departure
· Equipment: The crew buys fuel for the reactor, raw materials for the fabricator (metals, components), medicines, solders and ammunition at stations.
· Receiving missions: A captain receives a mission from the faction representative (for example, from the EC officer). It can be "Deliver cargo to the Phobos station", "Destroy the Karaklov nest" or "Evacuate scientists from the research outpost".
· Repair and adjustment: Engineers check the integrity of the hull, mechanics adjust the engine and reactor, a doctor refills first-aid kits. Any malfunction at depth can be fatal.

Transfer between stations on a submarine
This is not just a "quick trip", but a whole journey, full of dangers and requiring the coordinated work of the entire team.

Separatists
· Essence: Movement of resistance against the Coalitions' dictation. They believe that the EC is condemning humanity to a slow death in cramped stations, and they advocate complete independence for the colonies.
· Objectives: Weakening the power of the EC by any means — from sabotage and propaganda to open terrorist acts. They believe that only free communities will be able to find the true path to coexistence with the ocean (or subjugation of it).
· Attitude towards others: They see smugglers and "wild" colonists as potential allies. Для них уобий, кто простоит Coalitions, — another.

European Coalition (EC)
· Summary: Official, quasi-military government, ruling from capital-stations "Europe". They position themselves as the last bastion of law, order and science.
· Objectives: Maintaining control over colonies, expanding influence, studying the ocean for resources and, in the long run, saving humanity. Their methods are often rigid and bureaucratic.
· Attitude towards others: They regard all other factions as traitors, separatists or savages who threaten the fragile order. Crews working for EC receive stable but dangerous tasks (delivery of goods, transportation of VIP-person, "clearing" territory).

In the conditions of total isolation, humanity split into several key groups, whose interests constantly collide in the dark waters of Europe.

it's a mixture of claustrophobia, horror and raw survival. Technology is not a convenience, but a matter of life and death. Every exit outside the stations or the solid hull of the submarine is associated with risk. Oxygen, fuel, medicines and spare parts — the most valuable resources. Trust is a luxury that few people can afford, because in conditions of constant stress and lack of resources, even a roommate can turn out to be a traitor or lose his mind due to the pressure of the depths.

Mir Barotrauma is the icy hell of Europe, one of Jupiter's moons. The surface of the moon is a lifeless wasteland riddled with deadly radiation. All life, and with it, humanity's hope for survival, hidden under many kilometers of thick ice, in a bottomless, dark ocean.

Colonies of people huddle in emergency stations built on rocky ledges of the ocean floor or in caves of the ice crust. These stations are the last strongholds of civilizations, isolated islands of peace and warmth in an aggressive, foreign environment. Between them lie endless expanses of underwater emptiness, where monstrous pressure, freezing cold and creatures that evolved in total darkness reign.