Terrarum/work_files/GameDesign/GAME_DESIGN_PRINCIPLE.md

(Warning — this article refers Extra Credits bit too much...)

CHALLENGING, NOT PUNISHING

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea6UuRTjkKs

1. CONSISTENT RULES

   • No arbitrary unstoppable death

2. Player's skill involved

   • Can play around, not restart

3. Usability of in-game tools

   • Players should be able to 'regret' their strategy and adjust.

4. Comfortable control

5. Make players overcome the challenge, not defeating them

6. Let players have "aha" moment when they failed.

   • Make them hungry to retry with new strategies.
   • Some small things they've could done differently
     • e.g. "One-big-hit didn't worked, may I should've picked up high DPS one"

MORE DEPTH, LESS COMPLEXITY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVL4st0blGU

1. Memorise less!

   • Less burden to, even starting the game
   • Start with gentle learning curve, getting slowly steep
   • Intuitive UX (UI, control, ...)
   • Good tutorial = lessens complexity

2. Intuitive!

3. Calculations per second

   • reduce!

4. Players have to know everything to even begin the play ### FAIL (irreducible complexity)

   • Make them get familiar with rules of the game
   • Dwarf Fortress failed this!

Lots of things players can play with (aka don't make them bored)

• Combat, battle, building, mechanics, adventure, dungeon explore, spelunking
• Not scaled; easy combat, tough combat, tedious combat, etc.

Achieving perfect imbalance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e31OSVZF77w

• Make sure no matter how you skilled, your playable character cannot be good at everything
• Give players wide pool of options to solve problem (kill the boss, defend their adobe, fast transportation, etc.)

What feeling do you want to convey?

Always think WHY you want to add something on the game

• e.g. Why are you adding RPG leveling system? What it would do to the players? How would they play with?

See also: HEARTS, CLUBS, DIAMONDS, SPADES: PLAYERS WHO SUIT MUDS