NanoSharkGames
Member
Hello, GameMaker Community.
I am currently working on a Game Design Document for a turn-based tactics game, which I'll use to eventually make a working prototype with GameMaker Studio 2.
I have a really neat idea that involves heroes using the power to manipulate time to gain the upper hand against their foes. I feel this idea is unique and would make it stand out from other tactics games.
==THE COMBAT SYSTEM==
The game is centered on the turn-based tactical combat system, which takes place on a grid. Each battle has a specific objective for clearing it: such as killing all or a certain amount of enemies, reaching a goal area, reaching a round count, retrieving a relic to bring to home base, and others. There are 3 or 4 heroes that the player can use in combat. Once the battle starts, the player starts its turn. Much like XCOM, the game allows the user to cycle between heroes and actions in any order. Each hero begins with Energy, which is used toward movement and weapon attacks. Each Movement and Weapon action has a certain Energy cost. However, heroes can also use Time abilities, which is powered by Clock Fragments. Players can pick up Clock Fragments on the map via movement or collect them by killing enemies. Each Time ability has a cost in Clock Fragments. The enemies eventually acquire Time abilities as well.
==TIME MANIPULATION METHODS==
The different methods in which a character can manipulate time is through four categories:
Round Warping: Some characters can manipulate the round counter by warping to a particular round number. This is an external way to control time as objectives measure length by the round counter. Characters could use this way of time manipulation because some maps have an objective of reaching a certain round count or objectives that involve avoiding going over a certain round count. Also, time-based terrain and objects are reliant on the Round Counter as they explode, activate or deactivate after a certain number of round increments. Reversing the Round Counter does not reverse the timers on time-based terrain. Round warping does not boost or reverse a character’s age as natural round increments affect age.
Event Warping: Some heroes and enemies can also defy the natural course of combat. For instance, a character of this class can undo the most recent change of an ally or enemy’s stat as well as its own stat. This is great for age-reversal techniques. Heroes and enemies can undo the opponent’s turn as it naturally occurred and warp to a future event by concealing itself for a turn or turns and reappearing at the time it warped to. Heroes and enemies can also freeze time when its HP reaches zero. In this scenario, the two characters’ health are restored and they face off against a rematch. and the winner of the rematch unfreezes time and maintains health on the battlefield.
Individual Speed: Each character has its own speed of time in the game. There are two types of individual speeds: dexterity and aging speed. Not only can an ally or opponent change a character’s dexterity or aging speed, but the character can change its own too. When a character’s dexterity is 0%, the character is immobilized. When a character’s aging speed is 0%, the character does not age. A character can even inverse its dexterity or aging speed, or reset it back to 100%. A character can also decrease or increase any character’s age directly.
Team Speed: In addition to individual characters having their own dexterity and aging speed stats, the hero and enemy teams can be globally affected in the same way by multiplying the team speed by its own individual speed. A team’s dexterity and aging speed is 100% at the start of any battle but can be altered by any individual ally or opponent by increasing or decreasing it by a certain percentage.
==CLASSES==
Each character has a class, which determines what Time abilities it can use. Classes also determine the effectiveness of a character's attacks against other classes. The five classes are:
Booster: these characters can use round forwarding or time boosting. The skills that Boosters have are Round Up (increasing the Round Counter), Energy Blast (increasing the dexterity of itself or an ally), Team Spirit (increasing the dexterity of its team), and Timer Plus (double the rounds left on timers of time-based terrain).
Backtracker: these characters can use round reversal or time slowing. The skills that Backtrackers have are Round Down (decreasing the Round Counter), Energy Drain (decreasing the dexterity of an opponent), Slowing Chant (decreasing the dexterity of the opposing team), (double the rounds left on timers of time-based terrain), Half-Timer (reduce the rounds left on timers of time-based terrain in half).
Ageshaper: these characters can alter the ages and aging speeds of both individuals and teams. The skills that Ageshapers have are Time Savory (decreasing the aging speed of itself or an ally), Prolong (decreasing the aging speed of its team), Age Down (decrease the age of itself or an ally), Time Rush (increasing the aging speed of an opponent), Shorten (increasing the aging speed of the opposing team), and Age Up (increase the age of an enemy).
Showstopper: these characters can freeze time. The skills that Showstoppers have are Round Infinity Life (freezing the aging speed of itself or an ally), Infinity Team (freezing the aging speed of its team), Immobilize (freeze the dexterity of an opponent), Team Stopper (freezing the opposing team’s dexterity).
Gamechanger: these characters can defy the natural course of combat. The skills that Gamechangers have are Undo Stat (undo the most recent change of a stat toward any character) and Turn Warp (warping to the next round by hiding and respawning the next turn).
I was hoping to get some input from developers and game designers on here as to what I can do to improve gameplay. What do you guys think? What would make gameplay more interesting or compelling to play, based on the info I provided?
Thanks a bunch!
I am currently working on a Game Design Document for a turn-based tactics game, which I'll use to eventually make a working prototype with GameMaker Studio 2.
I have a really neat idea that involves heroes using the power to manipulate time to gain the upper hand against their foes. I feel this idea is unique and would make it stand out from other tactics games.
==THE COMBAT SYSTEM==
The game is centered on the turn-based tactical combat system, which takes place on a grid. Each battle has a specific objective for clearing it: such as killing all or a certain amount of enemies, reaching a goal area, reaching a round count, retrieving a relic to bring to home base, and others. There are 3 or 4 heroes that the player can use in combat. Once the battle starts, the player starts its turn. Much like XCOM, the game allows the user to cycle between heroes and actions in any order. Each hero begins with Energy, which is used toward movement and weapon attacks. Each Movement and Weapon action has a certain Energy cost. However, heroes can also use Time abilities, which is powered by Clock Fragments. Players can pick up Clock Fragments on the map via movement or collect them by killing enemies. Each Time ability has a cost in Clock Fragments. The enemies eventually acquire Time abilities as well.
==TIME MANIPULATION METHODS==
The different methods in which a character can manipulate time is through four categories:
Round Warping: Some characters can manipulate the round counter by warping to a particular round number. This is an external way to control time as objectives measure length by the round counter. Characters could use this way of time manipulation because some maps have an objective of reaching a certain round count or objectives that involve avoiding going over a certain round count. Also, time-based terrain and objects are reliant on the Round Counter as they explode, activate or deactivate after a certain number of round increments. Reversing the Round Counter does not reverse the timers on time-based terrain. Round warping does not boost or reverse a character’s age as natural round increments affect age.
Event Warping: Some heroes and enemies can also defy the natural course of combat. For instance, a character of this class can undo the most recent change of an ally or enemy’s stat as well as its own stat. This is great for age-reversal techniques. Heroes and enemies can undo the opponent’s turn as it naturally occurred and warp to a future event by concealing itself for a turn or turns and reappearing at the time it warped to. Heroes and enemies can also freeze time when its HP reaches zero. In this scenario, the two characters’ health are restored and they face off against a rematch. and the winner of the rematch unfreezes time and maintains health on the battlefield.
Individual Speed: Each character has its own speed of time in the game. There are two types of individual speeds: dexterity and aging speed. Not only can an ally or opponent change a character’s dexterity or aging speed, but the character can change its own too. When a character’s dexterity is 0%, the character is immobilized. When a character’s aging speed is 0%, the character does not age. A character can even inverse its dexterity or aging speed, or reset it back to 100%. A character can also decrease or increase any character’s age directly.
Team Speed: In addition to individual characters having their own dexterity and aging speed stats, the hero and enemy teams can be globally affected in the same way by multiplying the team speed by its own individual speed. A team’s dexterity and aging speed is 100% at the start of any battle but can be altered by any individual ally or opponent by increasing or decreasing it by a certain percentage.
==CLASSES==
Each character has a class, which determines what Time abilities it can use. Classes also determine the effectiveness of a character's attacks against other classes. The five classes are:
Booster: these characters can use round forwarding or time boosting. The skills that Boosters have are Round Up (increasing the Round Counter), Energy Blast (increasing the dexterity of itself or an ally), Team Spirit (increasing the dexterity of its team), and Timer Plus (double the rounds left on timers of time-based terrain).
Backtracker: these characters can use round reversal or time slowing. The skills that Backtrackers have are Round Down (decreasing the Round Counter), Energy Drain (decreasing the dexterity of an opponent), Slowing Chant (decreasing the dexterity of the opposing team), (double the rounds left on timers of time-based terrain), Half-Timer (reduce the rounds left on timers of time-based terrain in half).
Ageshaper: these characters can alter the ages and aging speeds of both individuals and teams. The skills that Ageshapers have are Time Savory (decreasing the aging speed of itself or an ally), Prolong (decreasing the aging speed of its team), Age Down (decrease the age of itself or an ally), Time Rush (increasing the aging speed of an opponent), Shorten (increasing the aging speed of the opposing team), and Age Up (increase the age of an enemy).
Showstopper: these characters can freeze time. The skills that Showstoppers have are Round Infinity Life (freezing the aging speed of itself or an ally), Infinity Team (freezing the aging speed of its team), Immobilize (freeze the dexterity of an opponent), Team Stopper (freezing the opposing team’s dexterity).
Gamechanger: these characters can defy the natural course of combat. The skills that Gamechangers have are Undo Stat (undo the most recent change of a stat toward any character) and Turn Warp (warping to the next round by hiding and respawning the next turn).
I was hoping to get some input from developers and game designers on here as to what I can do to improve gameplay. What do you guys think? What would make gameplay more interesting or compelling to play, based on the info I provided?
Thanks a bunch!