Tools & Software used for this project:
Unity
miro
JIRA
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Project Type : High Fidelity Game Prototype
Project Duration : 4 weeks
Team Size : 13
Role(s) : Game Designer, System Designer, Gameplay Designer
Project Description
"Protect the King" is a single-player, 2D, isometric tower-defense game featuring chess-inspired towers guarding the base, known as "The King." Unlike traditional tower-defense games, "Protect the King" adds a unique twist by allowing the base (The King) to move along the enemy's path, introducing a risk-reward dynamic.
I participated in this project as a student in the Game & UX Design Program at FutureGames, working within a student group that comprised of both programmers and designers.
Overview
Over the span of four weeks, I actively contributed to several crucial design aspects of the project. My responsibilities encompassed co-designing and overseeing essential systems within the game. This included the balancing of defense towers and enemies, establishing the foundation for the in-game economy system, structuring the core gameplay loop, and devising a comprehensive wave system for enemy encounters.
To ensure clarity and reference for the team, I documented these design elements in the GDD. Moreover, I maintained open lines of communication with both programmers and fellow designers, using the GDD as a primary means of conveying ideas and coordinating our efforts. This collaborative approach helped streamline the development process and ensure that our game design vision was effectively realized.
Combat system
The initial concept for our game centered on a movable base on a grid board. As one of the co-designers responsible for the combat system, our primary goal was to ensure balance and an enjoyable gaming experience for players. We designed unique defensive towers, each with its attack patterns, reminiscent of chess pieces, offering a fresh take on tower defense.
Our tower attacks followed traditional chess patterns. Each tower targeted all tiles within its specific attack pattern. For example, the Bishop covered diagonal lines across the board, and the Knight utilized its distinctive "L"-shaped moves, akin to chess.
After selecting tower types, I balanced their attack power and cost values to complement combat and the in-game economy system. We assigned core properties to each tower, such as HP, Attack Power, Attack Rate, and Cost, to aid player decisions. These values aligned with each tower's characteristics; for instance, the Rook tower had high attack power but a slow rate.
In achieving balanced combat, we assessed key properties like tower health, attack power, attack rate, time to kill an enemy unit, enemy walking speed, enemy HP, enemy attack power, and enemy attack rate. I also considered the game's economic aspect, ensuring values harmonized with the overall economic framework.
Wave Structure
In balancing the game, I had to factor in combat while keeping an eye on the game's tempo dictated by enemy waves. The game's pacing and difficulty hinged on how we introduced waves in the levels. Even with basic enemy types, quick spawns required players to strategize and position themselves effectively for base protection.
When designing the wave structure, I considered various elements like enemy types, their numbers, time to defeat a wave, resource gains, and player actions. The wave system was the cornerstone where I integrated combat and economy elements, marking the phase of achieving balance.
Additional Work
In addition to my primary role in balancing core mechanics, I contributed to other aspects of the project. I created sprites for the animations of defense towers, implemented the loading screen transition and created the tutorial section. Additionally, I made smaller contributions in areas such as UI/UX and game art.
Takeaways
This project presented a significant challenge because we had to pivot midway. Originally, we planned for a 3D game, but technical difficulties with the grid system led us to switch to a 2D game. This change meant we had to narrow down our concept, and personally, I had to redesign the core systems to make them workable within a two-week timeframe. This involved maintaining regular communication with team members to prevent misunderstandings. In the end, this experience allowed me to improve my scheduling and communication skills in a team setting.