Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance

3D Asset Models

Turning some concepts into 3D models

You should be in Church!

Chilly outside, not in here though.

For long people.

Open, airy, domey.

The All Natural

Environment Concepts

Building Worlds all around the Virtual

Alea Iacta Est

The Next Step

Focus of the Project, What we learned

The Iteration Process:
What we learned from the manual paper and dice version of our game is that interrupting the game to do calculations sucks. And that doesn't meld well with the fact that the game requires multiple layers of complexity to have any sort of interactivity factor. We did try a 3rd iteration that was extremely simple, but it was just bland and without personality, you would have been better off with Chess.

We didn't manage to take any pictures of the 3rd iteration. Briefly it was about having 2 players, each with the same set of units as follows:

General:         Range 1        5attack/10health  Move 3

Archer:           Range 2-3    1attack/2health    Move 4

Wizard:           Range 1-2    2attack/2health     Move 4

Swordsman:   Range 1       2attack/3health     Move 5

Knight:            Range 1       3attack/4health    Move 3

Spearman:      Range 1       2attack/3health    Move 5

Axeman:         Range 1       2attack/3health     Move 5

Spy:                Range 1       1attack/1health     Move 7

Priest:             Range 1       1heal/1health        Move 4

And the match would start with both players even in all respects. 1 general each, that if it died you lose. 1 tank, 2 swordsman, 1 spy, etc...And there would be a default starting formation on a square grid.

Programification:
I (Lucas) will be focusing on actually starting to program and develop the game. I started off by looking around the internet for a good starting point for where to begin on a Turn Based Strategy game. And HERE is what I found. This site teaches you how to make this type of game for iOS using Cocos2d and Tiled software. So yeah, I will be starting this weekend.

The Art:
Sam will be making the art assets for the game. Since the game will be a simple first time game, it will be 2D with sprites for the Alpha. And then as we develop the ability to program the game we will implement better art down the line. Sam will also keep producing more concept art for world building.

Build it Up, Tear it Down.

Play Testing 2.0

Playing at Work

 

So after play testing our second iteration; we found things we liked, and found things we hated. The approach we took for our second iteration was to just add every idea we had onto the first iteration. Kind of like how in brainstorming it is said that you should write down literally every idea and thought. We put every idea and thought that we had time to implement into the physical game.

A lot of the things we liked, we liked because they added some interactivity to the physical game. Like Hit and Evasion rating added dice rolling. Using skills added some tactics and stat changes on the fly. On the other hand, some of the things didn't work in the physical game because it got way too complicated. Things like initiative, critical chance, Defensive skills, Damage Type and Attack Ranges. While these work good in theory, they take too much simultaneous attention and math to think about, and make actually playing the game less fun.

So in the end we really figured out that to maintain fun with a board you have to take complexity down a notch. Though in the video game the complex calculations are mostly handled by the computer, so we can keep a lot of the things that slowed down the physical game in the video game. Maybe we can even add more there. Skills, especially Defensive skills, kind of blew.

Cards in real space

It's hip to be square

Gem things make good counters

A few notes I took:

5 units is better than 10 units.

Map was a little large.

Square spaces were good.

Rethink skills, too complicated.

Take out Crits.

Passive abilities Good.

Rules Not Meant To Be Broken

How-To-Play 2.0

Rules and additional Information

Setting Up The Game
-Lay out the map
-Next, each player chooses their pieces. (5,10,15, etc...) The amount is up to the players discretion, size is normally proportional to map size.
   *Each player must have an equal size team.
   *Note: each character game piece has an accompanying character card that represents the pieces stats on the board.
-Each player chooses a color for their game pieces bases.
-Now each player rolls a dice to see who places the first character piece. Then players take turns placing their character pieces one at a time.
   *The first piece must be placed within 2 spaces from the maps border.
   *Each following piece must be placed adjacent to another of your pieces.
   *Minimum distance between enemy set-ups is up to the players, and may influence length of game time.
-Lastly, each player rolls to determine whose turn it is first.
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Taking Turns
   *The player whose turn it is is the "Attacker", everyone else are "Defender(s)"

-Player Starts their turn with all their alive cards laid before them stat-side up.
-Each turn you may move any number of your pieces. From none to all.
-When you decide to move a piece it becomes active and you may use an activated-skill to attack an enemy. Attacking will exhaust the card. Therefore, you cannot attack and then move.
   *Only one piece may be active at a time.
   *When a piece becomes exhausted, put a red gem on its card.
-Exhausted: When a card becomes exhausted it has a red gem placed on it, a card with a red gem on it may not take anymore actions this turn.
-When a piece dies flip its card over and remove the piece from the board.
-Dead: When a card is flipped over into illustration up position, it is dead an can take no more actions from the rest of the game.
   *A piece dies when its health is reduced to 0.
-Your turn ends when all your cards are either exhausted or dead. Or if you declare your turn done before the previous condition is met.
-When it becomes your turn again, remove all red gems from your cards.
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Game Variants
Elimination: In this variant, the goal is to eliminate all Enemy pieces and be the last player standing. Do this and you win.
   *When all your pieces are dead, you are eliminated.
Kill Count: In this variant players set a kill goal for all players (5,10,20,etc...). When one of you pieces kills an enemy piece you get +1 to your kill count.
   *When your kill count reaches the kill goal, you win.
Assassination: In this variant each player declares one of their pieces as their "King" before the games starts. When your "King" dies you're eliminated from the game.
   *The last player with their "King" alive wins.
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Declaring an Attack.
-Once per turn each piece may use an activated-skill to attack. After the attack resolves, the card becomes exhausted.
-Only one piece may be active at a time. You can only declare an attack with the active piece.

-You cannot attack an enemy who is out of line of sight. (LOS)
   *Spaces like Mountain break line of sight. 

Initiative (Who hits first)
-When attacking it gives both the Attacker and Defender a chance to hit each other for damage.
-When you declare an attack, the Attacker has initiative by default.
-If the attacking piece doesn't kill the defending piece then the defending piece gets to attack the initiating piece back.

Hit and Evasion
- Any time a piece attacks, both players roll a d20.
- The attacking piece's player adds their rolled number to the characters HIT number.
- The defending piece's player adds their rolled number to the characters EVA number.
- If the sum for the HIT is higher, the attack connects dealing damage.
- If the sum for the EVA is higher, the defending piece dodges avoiding all damage.

Crit Chance
- Before you calculate damage on a successful HIT, the attacking piece rolls a d20 again. 
- This time add the rolled number to the cards CRIT.
- If the sum is 21 or higher, the attack hits for double the damage.
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2 Types of Damage
- The weapon type is indicated by the icon next to the skill.
- Addition numbers "+3" in skill text are added to the Base stat STR or MAG. STR for Physical skills. MAG for Magical skills.
Physical: Damage dealt by melee and ranged weapon skills (swords, bows, daggers, axes, etc...)
   Ex: (axe picture) "Helm Splitter +3"
Magical: Damage dealt by magical weapon skills (staffs, orbs, tomes, wands, etc...)
   Ex: (book picture) "Lightning Strike +2"
   *Sometimes a skill will be labeled with the type of damage it deals if it's not standard. 
     Example: "Flaming Strike +2" with a sword weapon may deal magic damage even though a sword is normally a Physical Weapon. The skill will read (MagDmg) somewhere in the text.

2 Types of Resistance 
- The Resistance type is indicated by the icon next to the skill
- Addition numbers for these skills go to either DEF or RES.
Defense: Resists damage to Physical attacks (Picture of a shield)
   Ex: (shield picture) "Tower Guard +2"
Resilience: Resists damage to Magical attacks (Picture of a cloak)
   Ex: (cloak picture) "Arcane Ward +3" 

Weapon Skill Range
- The weapon type is indicated by the icon next to the skill.
Melee Weapons: 1 space (adjacent) range. (Swords, Daggers, Axes, etc...)
Range Weapons: 2 space range. (Bows)
Magic Weapons: 1 or 2 space range. (Staffs, Wands, Tomes, etc...)
   *Sometimes a skill will be labeled with its range. If the range of the weapon is not standard.
     Example: "Axe Throw" with an Axe weapon may say (ranged) somewhere in the text if it attacks at a range of 2 spaces. aka Range Weapons range.
OR
     Example: "Voodoo Stab" with a Dagger weapon may say (Mrange) somewhere in the text if it attacks at a range of 1 or 2 spaces. aka Magic Weapons range.

Calculating Damage
- When Physical damage is being dealt:
The attacking pieces total STR minus the defending pieces DEF = Damage dealt to the defending piece.
- When Magical damage is being dealt:
The attacking pieces total MAG minus defending piece RES = Damage dealt to the defending piece.  

Example: 12Str - 8Def = 4 damage dealt. 

Keeping track
Using a piece of paper to write down damage.
ex:
Karl Drogo: 18hp>13hp>10hp>5hp>Dead
Kal-El: 14hp>10hp>12hp 

OR

You can also use 20 sided dice placed on top of the card to indicate how much health it has left. 

OR

Your own creative way.  

Show Me Some I.D.

Character Cards

 A visual guide

The character cards to the Code of Arms board game are a double sided representation of the accompanying Character Board Piece. The front side shows the illustration for the card and the pieces name and class. The back side has all the information necessary for calculating the interactions and movements of the board game pieces.

*Character art in this post is a copy-sketch based off pieces from Pathfinder.

  The Front-side illustration and the Back-side stats

Diagram labeling what's what.

Character Portrait - Cropped image of the front illustration.

Character Name - The name of the Character.

Character Class - Fighting style of the character.

Flavor Text - Text that gives some background, random information, or a quote.

Health Points - The amount of damage the piece can take before dying.

Movement - The number of spaces the piece can move in a turn.

Skills - The pieces attacks, the text takes authority.

Strength - Basic Physical attack damage

Magic - Basic Magic attack damage

Defense - Amount of damage mitigated from Physical attacks.

Resilience - Amount of damage mitigated from Magic attacks.

Hit Rating - # added to your roll of a d20 when attacking. A sum higher than enemy evasion-roll hits.

Evasion - # added to your roll of a d20 when attacked. A sum higher than enemy hit-roll dodges.

Crit Chance - # added to d20 after you successfully hit. A sum of 21 or higher causes you to deal double the damage.

A visual representation of what a players team may look like.

How Does This Shit Work?

How-To-Play

Rules and additional Information

Setting Up The Game
-Players create a map using any combination of tile terrain pieces.
-Next, each player chooses their pieces. (5,10,15, etc...) The amount is up to the players discretion, size is normally proportional to map size.
   *Each player must have an equal size team.
   *Note: each character game piece has an accompanying character card that represents the pieces stats on the board.
-Each player chooses a color for their game pieces bases.
-Now each player rolls a dice to see who places the first character piece. Then players take turns placing their character pieces one at a time.
   *The first piece must be placed within 2 spaces from the maps border.
   *Each following piece must be placed adjacent to another of your pieces.
   *Minimum distance between enemy set-ups is up to the players, and may influence length of game time.
-Lastly, each player rolls to determine whose turn it is first.
------------------------------------------------------------
Taking Turns
   *The player whose turn it is is the "Attacker", everyone else are "Defender(s)"

-Player starts their turn with all their alive characters cards in Hand.
-Each turn you may move any number of your pieces. From none to all.
-When you decide to move a piece it becomes active and any attacks or activated abilities will exhaust the card. Therefore, you cannot attack and then move.
   *When a piece becomes active, put its card into the active zone.
   *When a piece becomes exhausted, put its card into the inactive zone.
-Active Zone: When a card is in the active zone, it indicates which piece on the board is currently being moved, or is attacking, or is using an active ability.
-Inactive Zone: When a card becomes exhausted, it is moved into this zone where it can take no more actions for the rest of the turn.
-When a piece dies, move it off the board and put its character card into the Dead Zone.
-Dead Zone: Cards in the dead zone remain their for the rest of the game. No exceptions.
   *A piece dies when its health is reduced to 0.
-Your turn ends when all your cards are in either the inactive zone or the dead zone.
-When it becomes your turn again, grab all your cards out of the inactive zone and they become your Hand.
------------------------------------------------------------
Game Variants
Elimination: In this variant, the goal is to eliminate all Enemy pieces and be the last player standing. Do this and you win.
   *When all your pieces are put into the dead zone, you are eliminated.
Kill Count: In this variant players set a kill goal for all players (5,10,20,etc...). When one of you pieces kills an enemy piece you get +1 to your kill count.
   *When your kill count reaches the kill goal, you win.
Assassination: In this variant each player declares one of their pieces as their "King" before the games starts. When you "King" dies you're eliminated from the game.
   *The last player with their "King" alive wins.
------------------------------------------------------------
 Calculating Damage
Physical Attack - Physical Defense = Damage  ex: (9Att-6Def=3Dmg)
Magic Attack - Magic Defense = Damage
Range Attack - Physical Defense = Damage

Keeping track
Using a piece of paper to write down damage.
ex:
Karl Drogo: 18hp>13hp>10hp>5hp>Dead
Kal-El: 14hp>10hp>12hp
------------------------------------------------------------
Declaring an Attack or Activating an Ability
-Once per turn a piece may use an activated ability OR declare an attack. After the ability or the attack resolves, the pieces card is placed into the inactive zone.
-Only a piece whose card is in the active zone may declare an attack or use an activated ability.

-A melee attacker may only attack units in adjacent spaces. (1space)
-A ranged attacker may only attack units 2 spaces away.
-A magic attacker may attack units 1 or 2 spaces away.

-You cannot attack an enemy who is out of line of sight. (LOS)
   *Tiles like Mountain break line of sight.

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Shots From the 1st Go Round

Rawrg!

B-Team

Playin' Games

Games in Analogue

And Now My Game Begins

Project Code of Arms

A Strategy Rpg

The Hook

Code of Arms is a strategy rpg in a fantasy setting, driven by multi-character parallel stories.

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The Pitch

 In Code of Arms players are put in control of battles that take place in the world. Players choose their units from a pool of companions and fellow soldiers to take down the enemy in a turn-based chess style battle. The story is told from multiple characters point-of-views taking place in different parts of the world.

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Project Description

The game is broken up into 3 distinct parts; Combat, Story, and the Interim. 

The Combat portion of the game is the meat of the gameplay. In this stage, the player starts by choosing their units from a pool of characters. Then they make a formation on the grid-based map. After the setup, they are given objectives (related to the story) to completing the stage. These objectives can range from things like killing the enemy leader, seizing all enemy battlements, killing key lords, freeing a hostage unit, etc.. Sidenote: when a minor character dies, he's gone forever from your unit pool "permadeath".

In the Story stage the player views narrative story beats in the form of character dialogues, and sometimes an animation or comic page or storyboard for more active moments. The narrative is told in the form of chapters, each chapter being one of the main characters point-of-view.

The Interim stage is where the player gets to make preparations for the upcoming Combat stage. In the Interim players does actions like interacting with other characters for extra dialogue, buying equipment for units, upgrading units, plan battle formations, equip units with gear and perks.

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Products of Project

For the project we will be creating 2 main products. The first is a video game and most specifically the art for it. The second product is a board game version of the games Combat, because it can work, and because its a quick way to play test battle mechanics. The Board game will be made from interlocking grid pieces to create a board shape and size of your choosing. It will have a mix of terrain pieces, character figures, structural figures, and cards associated with the figures for stats.

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Visual Research

Game Combat

Story dialogue

Board game Figures

Hexagon Pieces

Card Example

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Research

We will being doing research by checking out other products: like card games, board games, video games. And hopefully not get sucked into just playing them and not producing our own product. Other research will include reading about other cultures and stories/epics/poems/fables/proverbs to help inspire the narrative.

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Timeline

Monday, April 22: Warp time and start a week ago
Wednesday, May 1: Finished World Map, and Rules and some Research.
Monday, May 13: Finish physical game, World Lore.
Wednesday, May 22: Start Working on the Production.
Monday, June 10: TBA