# Designing Scenarios with Runtime Spawner

Runtime Spawner isn’t just a technical tool - it’s a **framework for shaping gameplay pacing, pressure, and surprise**.

In 2.0, scenario design is built by combining:

* **Core spawning systems**
* **Director-driven pacing**
* **Optional addon behaviors**
* **Optional special encounter rules**

This lets you create scenarios that start calm, escalate naturally, and deliver memorable spikes of tension.

### 1. The Big Picture

At runtime, four layers work together:

#### Runtime Spawner Core

The execution engine that handles:

* active spawn tracking
* population limits
* cooldowns and retries
* placement and validation
* object factory execution

#### Spawn Director

Part of core, the Spawn Director controls the **intensity ladder** for your scenario:

* scaling pressure over time or progression steps
* adjusting pacing and spawn limits
* defining the overall flow of challenge

#### Addons

Optional behavior packages that define **how scenarios are structured**:

* Global Spawner
* Local Area Spawner
* Waves
* Spawnpoints

#### Special Encounters Addon

An optional addon package for **conditional dramatic spawns**:

* flankers
* mini-bosses
* reactive enemies
* surprise pressure spikes

### 2. Baseline Spawning (The Foundation)

Your baseline scenario flow usually comes from a combination of the **core spawner** plus one or more **addons**.

Common patterns:

#### Global Spawner

Maintains a persistent world population.

Use for:

* ambient enemies
* roaming threats
* open-world population

#### Local Area Spawner

Activates based on player presence in a region.

Use for:

* encounter zones
* proximity-driven combat spaces
* room or arena activation

#### Waves

Provides structured bursts of enemies over time.

Use for:

* survival encounters
* defense missions
* escalating combat beats

#### Spawnpoints

Provides explicit authored spawn locations.

Use for:

* ambushes
* controlled entrances
* precise enemy placement

Think of this layer as:

> “What is the default structure of the encounter?”

### 3. Spawn Director (The Intensity Ladder)

The **Spawn Director** remains part of the core system and controls the larger pacing arc.

It manages scenario intensity through steps or phases, such as:

* low pressure exploration
* rising combat intensity
* sustained survival pressure
* final peak or climax

A Director step can influence things like:

* alive caps
* spawn pacing
* wave cadence
* overall scenario pressure

Example progression:

* **Step 0** - light ambient danger, scattered enemies
* **Step 1–2** - more regular pressure, modest groups
* **Step 3–4** - frequent conflict, higher sustained presence
* **Step 5+** - near-constant pressure, survival feel

Use the Director for:

* long-form pacing
* escalation curves
* recovery windows between peaks

### 4. Special Encounters (The Spice)

The **Special Encounters system** is now a separate addon package.

This system is used for **conditional, dramatic, or reactive spawns** that sit on top of your baseline flow.

Examples:

* a flanking group that appears when pressure is high
* a sniper unit triggered when player health is low
* a mini-boss introduced after players survive long enough
* reinforcement enemies that appear only during late intensity steps

Each special encounter can define:

* what to spawn
* when it is valid
* placement rules
* caps and cooldowns
* optional telemetry or step gating

Think of Specials as:

> “The moments that break the rhythm and make the scenario memorable.”

### 5. Putting It Together

A typical 2.0 scenario might look like this:

#### Early Calm

* Global Spawner provides light ambient enemies
* Director is on a low-intensity step

#### Rising Action

* Player enters a Local Area
* Waves begin spawning in controlled bursts
* Director advances to a higher step

#### Surprise Spike

* Special Encounter addon triggers a flanking group or elite enemy
* Spawnpoints are used for authored placement

#### Sustained Pressure

* Wave pacing increases
* Alive caps rise
* More specials become valid

#### Climax

* Peak Director step
* Fast wave cadence
* one or more special encounter rules active

#### Release

* Director steps back down, or the scenario ends
* Local Area deactivates, or waves stop

### 6. Design Guidelines

#### Use Core + Director for Macro Pacing

* Core handles execution
* Director shapes long-term intensity

#### Use Addons for Scenario Structure

* Global for persistent population
* Local Area for space-based activation
* Waves for timed pressure
* Spawnpoints for authored placement

#### Use Specials for Drama

* Save them for spikes, twists, and memorable beats
* Avoid overusing them or they stop feeling special

#### Mix Procedural and Authored Placement

* Procedural keeps encounters fresh
* Authored placement keeps them intentional

#### Keep Caps Conservative

* Strong pacing usually feels better than raw quantity

### Key Mental Model

**Core**

* Executes and tracks spawns

**Director**

* Controls the pacing ladder

**Addons**

* Define the scenario structure

**Special Encounters**

* Add dramatic exceptions and surprises