The first enemy: zombie hands

I have a long list of systems Buildom still needs. Proper inventory, crafting, save games, all the boring but important stuff. And I know I should probably work through that list top to bottom.

I did not. I was simply tired of walking through a sad, empty world. Every test run looked the same: dirt, darkness, and my lonely character digging around with nothing happening. So instead of being disciplined, I started with enemies.

Zombie hands

I went with zombie hands. They spawn in the caves below the surface, which makes those dark underground areas feel dangerous for the first time. Going down is no longer just a mining trip. Now it is a risk.

The result was better than expected

For a first shot at game mechanics and collision detection, the result genuinely surprised me. The hands follow me through the caves, they react to my movement, and attacks land exactly where they should. No sprites stuck in walls, no weird teleporting, no hitboxes triggering two tiles too early.

I expected to spend the evening fixing physics bugs. Instead, I spent it dodging zombie hands and grinning at the screen.

That is not to say everything is perfect. The movement is basic, there is no real pathfinding yet, and the hands can probably be tricked in a dozen ways I have not discovered. But the foundation works, and that is what matters at this stage.

Next up: giving these hands some variety and making sure the deeper you dig, the worse it gets. After that, I want to try pets. If you want to see how far Buildom gets, follow along.