Game Design - Item System
Unlike other MOBAs, namely LoL and Dota 2, players do not buy items during a match. Instead all items are equipped by the player prior to starting the game. So how do you balance items if one player enters a match with Sword of Awesomeness and another with Wooden Sword of Lameness?
Well ideally, players will be matched up with of similarly geared players. Moreover there isn't going to be a long process of itemization to obtain all the best gear in game. What matters more is how you itemize your character.
What do you mean "how you itemize your character"?
Items will be specifically designed to cater to different roles found in a MOBA. Most items will follow the formula:
Value = Base + HeroKillMod*(HeroKills) + CreepKillMod*(CreepKills) and a ValueCap that Value can not exceed
So two identical weapons may have a different attack later on in the match due to player performance. Additionally, this formula opens up different styles of play. Some items will have high Base, but low Hero/Creep modifier, a good choice for a support role who won't get lots of kills. Some items will have a higher Creep/Hero mod but lower ValueCap, a good choice for a early game lane pusher or ganker. Not to forget end game carries will want to go with items that have higher ValueCap even if that means they will need to get babysat by support and early game gankers/pusher.
This item system offers a new twist to an old idea. Team will need to coordinate who will be geared with what, and who will be doing what role during the game. Combining this with the previously discussed barracks system, teams will need to devise a meta-game that takes into account item composition, role composition, as well as a strategy for where on the map to attack/push and how to counter their opponent's composition and strategy.
Coding Updates
Build 0.0.2:
(June 27th, 2014)- Added Character Name, Gender, and Species fields to character creation screen.
- Fixed a bug in the client updater.
Build 0.0.3:
(June 29th, 2014)- Character Creation is functional. A player can create his/her character send it to the server which will in turn properly store it in the database.
- No visual update for this build, since most code was done server-side which is literally just a console box.
- Next build will be much more exciting, working on the lobby and chat system
Build 0.0.3b:
(July 1, 2014)- Migrated Server to a Ubuntu VPS. Wiped local test database, and created a new DB on the VPS. Client now connects via the internet to a development VPS. This way come alpha testing, I'll be able to send out copies of the client to alpha testers.
- Tweaked Server-side Login Extension, and some database settings.
- Login, Registration, and Character Creation now work via remote connection.
Build 0.0.4:
(July 2, 2014)- Programmed server-side extension to connect user to the game lobby
- Implemented server-side extension handler to properly update a basic chat system
- Quickly threw together a client-side chat system to send a user's chat to the server and receive and display chat updates from the server.
