"Real time fight" aspect
The last one of the aspects and maybe the most important one, This is what the player does all the time and this is what he should want to do even more. To me it seems like the Real time fight is connected to the other two other ones. I mean because I have an RPG part in my game and because I have a strategy part, the fighting part can be a bit more than just "point, klick, kill".
More than the other aspects, when playing a real time game, you have your moments that are especially cool.
Together with the Strategy
The "Oh SHIT!" moment:
This comes from the strategy aspect. Sometimes your plan was wrong, and the monsters aren't where they are supposed to be or aren't the monsters you thought they were. I want to incorporat the "Oh SHIT" moment in this game, followed by one of the other two moments.
I have to watch out for some things:
- The Oh SHIT moment musn't be overused, or it becomes "not again..." moment.
- If it happens, it has to be extra rewarding or the player just feels screwed.
- It has to have the right amount of difficulty. The change is either a real challenge, or so hard that it is almost impossible and fleeing is the better option. But even when he choses to flee, he shouldn't leave completely empty handed, or it feels like the game just screwed him over and he just lost time.
The "HELL YEAH" moment:.
When all went milhouse. The player should feel accomplished
The "that did end poorly" moment.
When you died. These moments have to exist as well, or it isn't so special beating the "Oh SHIT" event. I HOPE also that it isn't so frustrating for the player, because he knew what he did was risky.
Together with the RPG
"earlier I was good, but now I am a BEAST" moment
The "real" in real time fight
What the title says, the gameplay should be real.
This was it for the design aspects/principles/dudles whatever you wanna call it. Now this is all cool, but implementing it is a different story. "So, this was a waste of time then" you might think, and you are partially correct.
It still holds some value though, while I was writing these entries, I really had to think about what I want to accomplish with this game. I mean of course you KNOW it, but when you write it down you force yourself to think about it and you run over holes you wouldn't have found otherwise.
And the main reason to this: You have a way to judge your mechanics. Using business talk, these are the requirements of the game.
Now that this is done for the moment, I have to take on an other topic of the game, even I haven't decided what it will be yet. I hope I can show you some first engine drafts, and finally some pictures. I am also writing this in advance, maybe in two weeks I have something to show you or maybe not. Only time will tell.
