[Archive] Experimentation and Retries

※ Spoiler Alert! This is a continuation of a previous Dev Note.

We previously talked about our paper prototype being based on Zombicide, the first non-grid turn based version of the game, and the grid semi-turn-based system where all allies acted autonomously.

The goal of the third version was to increase tactical depth by directly controlling all allies while maintaining the grid-based system. However, we were concerned that if we added infiltration mechanics such as "line of sight/sound" on top of the grid turn-based system, the game would become overly complex.

Also, in order to emphasize the thematic feeling of exploring various abandoned buildings and searching for supplies, the battlefield size was quite large at this point. Feedback was given that moving each character one by one could potentially make the flow of the game monotonous given this map size.

Drawing inspiration from games such as Mutant Year Zero and Divinity: Original Sin, which have exploration phases in real-time and combat phases in turn-based mode, we experimented with a version that provides an experience similar to real-time infiltration games during regular movement, and only allows direct commands to be given to all characters during combat.





This version got close to the desired experience generally. During the exploration phase, we were able to maintain tension by avoiding the attention of randomly moving creatures and searching for supplies. In combat, we were able to focus on tactical gameplay based on striking enemies from out of sight.

However, there was doubt as to whether we could achieve the desired level of quality going in this direction.

Making both "real-time exploration" and "turn-based combat” really enjoyable differed in terms of artwork, game rules, balancing, and other aspects. We felt that if we tried to capture both aspects, there was a high possibility of ending up with mediocre results on both sides.



Based on the results of the experiments, we decided to make "integrating all intended gameplay, including movement/exploration, into a turn-based system" the design foundation, even if there were some drawbacks. In a way, if we had just adopted the grid method by itself in the first version, we would have arrived at our current direction earlier, but we took the scenic route instead!

After deciding on this foundation, we fixed the overarching genre characteristics while shifting the focus of prototyping to answering the question, "How can we incorporate elements such as line of sight/sound into a Tactics RPG?" We talked about this in the Dev Note about line of sight and sound.

In addition to this, before reaching our current state, there have been other various iterations in regard to changes in character professions, meta-game and storytelling methods, and more. If we have the chance, we may introduce these at a later date.

Next time, we will briefly summarize how we plan to incorporate many of the suggestions you provided at Steam Next Fest 2023 going forward. See you again next week!

Thank you