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Tutorial Mode

Tutorial mode teaches Crimsonland’s core mechanics through 5 guided missions. Each mission introduces specific concepts with on-screen instructions and limited enemy threats.

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Mode ID

Game Mode: 8 (GameMode.TUTORIAL) From src/crimson/game_modes.py:14

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Mission Structure

The tutorial consists of 5 sequential missions that must be completed in order.

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Tutorial 1: Movement and Shooting

Objective: Kill 10 zombies Teaches:
  • WASD/Arrow keys for movement
  • Mouse aim
  • Left-click to fire
  • Basic enemy behavior
Environment: Small arena, slow enemies, no bonuses Weapon: Pistol (fixed)

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Tutorial 2: Weapon Bonuses

Objective: Kill 15 enemies, collect weapon bonuses Teaches:
  • Weapon bonus pickups
  • Different weapon types (Shotgun, Assault Rifle)
  • Weapon switching via bonuses
  • Clip management
Environment: Medium arena, mixed enemy types Starting Weapon: Pistol Bonus Weapons: Guaranteed Shotgun and Assault Rifle drops

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Tutorial 3: Power-up Bonuses

Objective: Survive 90 seconds, use power-ups Teaches:
  • Power-up bonus types (Shield, Nuke, Freeze)
  • Bonus pickup mechanics
  • Tactical bonus usage
  • Survival tactics
Environment: Large arena, continuous spawns Starting Weapon: Assault Rifle Bonuses: Guaranteed Shield, Nuke, and Freeze drops at specific times

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Tutorial 4: Perks and Leveling

Objective: Reach level 3, select perks Teaches:
  • Experience system
  • Level-up mechanics
  • Perk selection screen
  • Perk effects (limited pool)
Environment: Medium arena, moderate enemy count Starting Weapon: Submachine Gun Available Perks: Fastshot, Fastloader, Bloody Mess, Sharpshooter, Radioactive (safe tutorial perks only)

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Tutorial 5: Putting It All Together

Objective: Survive 3 minutes with all mechanics active Teaches:
  • Combining weapons, perks, and bonuses
  • Advanced tactics
  • Resource management
  • Survival strategy
Environment: Large arena, escalating difficulty Starting Weapon: Player choice from unlocked weapons All Systems Active: Full bonus drops, perk leveling, weapon variety

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Tutorial-Specific Mechanics

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On-Screen Instructions

Tutorials display text prompts explaining current objectives and controls: 
"Move with WASD or Arrow Keys"
"Aim with the mouse"
"Click to shoot"
"Collect the weapon bonus!"
Instructions pause or slow gameplay until acknowledged or completed.

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Reduced Difficulty

Tutorial enemies are weaker than standard game enemies: Damage Reduction: Tutorial enemies deal 50% damage HP Reduction: Tutorial enemies have 70% HP Spawn Rate: Controlled, non-escalating spawn timing

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Forced Bonus Drops

Unlike normal play, tutorials guarantee specific bonuses at scripted moments to teach mechanics reliably. Example (Tutorial 3): 
# At 30 seconds: Spawn Shield bonus
# At 60 seconds: Spawn Nuke bonus
# At 80 seconds: Spawn Freeze bonus

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Limited Perk Pool

Tutorial 4 restricts perk selection to safe, educational perks. Dangerous perks (Death Clock, Grim Deal, Fatal Lottery) are excluded. Tutorial Perk Filter:
  • Must be easy to understand
  • No death-risk perks
  • No complex interactions
  • Clear mechanical benefit

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Unlocking Full Game

Completing all 5 tutorials unlocks Survival mode with no restrictions. Quest mode requires separate progression. Tutorials can be replayed at any time but don’t affect progression after initial completion.

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Tutorial-Specific Tips

Take Your Time: Tutorials have no time pressure. Experiment with mechanics before completing objectives.
Test Weapons: Tutorial 2 is ideal for learning Shotgun spread vs. Assault Rifle accuracy.
Practice Perk Selection: Tutorial 4’s perk choices are representative of real decisions. Think about trade-offs.
Skipping tutorials is not recommended for new players. They efficiently teach mechanics that trial-and-error would take much longer to discover.

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Post-Tutorial Progression

After completing tutorials: Unlocked:
  • Survival mode (full access)
  • Basic weapons (Pistol, Assault Rifle, Shotgun, Submachine Gun)
  • Rush mode
Locked:
  • Quest mode (requires separate progression)
  • Advanced weapons (unlocked through quests)
  • Secret weapons (special conditions)

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Tutorial Mode vs. Quest Mode

Tutorials and quests both feature structured missions, but differ significantly:
FeatureTutorialQuest
PurposeTeach mechanicsChallenge mastery
DifficultyVery lowLow to extreme
Enemy StatsReducedStandard or buffed
InstructionsExplicit promptsNone
Forced DropsYesNo
Mission Count560
ProgressionLinearGated chapters

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Common Tutorial Mistakes

Standing Still: Even in tutorials, movement is critical. Practice circle-strafing early.
Ignoring Bonuses: Tutorials teach bonus usage—don’t skip them. Learn when each bonus is optimal.
Panic Reloading: Reloading while surrounded is dangerous. Learn safe reload timing in low-pressure tutorials.

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Speedrunning Tutorials

Experienced players can complete all 5 tutorials in under 10 minutes: Tutorial 1: 30 seconds (10 kills) Tutorial 2: 45 seconds (15 kills, 2 bonuses) Tutorial 3: 90 seconds (forced timer) Tutorial 4: 2 minutes (level to 3) Tutorial 5: 3 minutes (survival timer) Total Minimum: ~7 minutes

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Source Code References

  • src/crimson/modes/tutorial_mode.py - Tutorial implementation
  • src/crimson/tutorial/ - Tutorial-specific scripts
  • src/crimson/game_modes.py:14 - Mode ID definition

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