Early Prototype: Post-Apocalyptic Survival Game

I want to see a hands-on slice of gameplay before anything else, so the job is to build a self-contained, small area that already feels dangerous and rewarding to explore. Picture a ruined, toxic Earth-like zone dotted with crumbling structures, thick dust clouds, and roaming, zombie-style mutants. Within this 500 × 500 m (approx.) space players must:

• Keep food, water, health, and sunlight exposure under control.
• Monitor a depleting oxygen meter that forces them to scavenge or craft fresh filters.
• Out-maneuver or fight a few basic undead enemies with simple pursue-and-attack behaviour.

I need the core loop working end-to-end: gather a ration pack or water bottle, swap in a new air filter, avoid overexposure to harsh daylight, and survive long enough to feel the tension. A minimalist HUD is fine—just clear icons/bars for each vital stat and on-screen warnings when they dip.

Deliverables
1. Playable PC build of the prototype area.
2. Editable project file (Unity or Unreal—your choice, as long as blueprints/scripts are tidy and commented).
3. Short setup guide plus a one-page doc outlining all variables so I can tweak depletion rates, enemy speed, item spawn frequency, etc.

Acceptance criteria
• All four survival meters drain and refill as expected.
• At least three zombies spawn, detect, and damage the player.
• The player can find or craft at least two item types that directly affect survival stats.
• No game-breaking errors during a 10-minute test session.

With this proof-of-concept in hand we’ll be able to discuss expanding the world, crafting tree, story beats, and advanced AI, but for now the goal is a tight, polished vertical slice that immediately shows the fun.