For the next 3 weeks i'll be on uni holidays and have decided to create a game that i've had in my mind for quite some time. It's a 2D, top down, multiplayer arena shooter game. A lot to take in, but I can't really explain it in just one sentence. I've had the idea actually for this type of game for around 2 years. In January of 2015 I actually even attempted to make it. It worked, kinda. The multiplayer was a bit finiky, but the overall attacking and killing other players worked out fine.
Kings of the Arena, January 2015. Unfinished, and badly made game.
That's what it looked like. You controlled one of 3 different characters and could shoot projectiles to kill enemies. Each character also had a unique ability, like an arrow burst, invisible or shield. It was kind of similar to a MOBA, where there are the unique heroes with their different stats and abilities.
At the time of making it, there was no real goal. There was no game modes, no kills required to win - it was an incomplete project.
For the past 2 weeks though, i've been planning a "remake" which will be similar to the original game, yet more carefully designed and complex. The game will be like this...
Kings of the Arena will be a top down 2D, MOBA style shooting game.
- There will be a range of characters, with each having their own projectile and 2 unique abilities.
- The primary source of attacking other players is by shooting a character specific projectile. These projectiles can be dodged by players.
- All projectiles deal only damage.
- There will be a number of different game modes: Deathmatch, King of the Hill and maybe more.
- The maps will be sized appropriately so that encounters happen regularly.
- Games will last around 5 minutes.
- The game will be fast paced. Players will be constantly moving to attempt to avoid enemy projectiles and engaging in combat.
- Abilities can be projectiles, shields, spawnable followers, auras, for allies, etc. Very similar to those that can be found in DOTA or other MOBAs.
- Abilities have a cooldown after they are used.
Already in the planning stage i've set out 5 different characters. The Archer, Mage, Cleric, Druid and Assassin. Their design, stats and abilities aren't final, but here they are:
Archer is aggressive and will shoot arrows. First ability shoots a poison arrow, second ability puts Archer into a fury mode, temporarily giving extra attack speed.
Mage is defensive and will shot fire balls. First ability shoots an ice shard which stuns target, second ability shields Mage temporarily, blocking 50% of incoming damage.
Cleric is support and will shoot wooden spikes. Cleric is special, since they have a secondary attack that shoots small health balls which can heal allies. First ability is a mass heal which heals all allies for a bit, second ability is a syringe projectile which draws health from target overtime and gives it to the Cleric.
Druid is a support/aggressive and will shoot rocks. First ability spawns a small creature which follows Druid and shoots at enemies, second ability makes Druid temporarily shoot higher damage but slower rocks.
Assassin is aggressive and will shoot daggers. First ability is blink which allows him to teleport a short distance, second ability shoots a high damage dagger.
I've mentioned this game being similar to a DOTA style MOBA, yet really its most comparable game would probably be Overwatch. The different characters have their own playstyles and abilities and there are a range of different game modes for quick play. That is what I want from this game. Quick, in and out play, with games being around 5 minutes long. It should be a game that anyone can pick up and play for as long as they want.
The big question now is... will I even finish it. If you have ever looked at my portfolio, you would see that many of the games I attempted to make in the past have not been finished. That can be due to lack of knowledge, pre-planning, scope and overall goal of the project. For this one though, I have all those things. Doing these blogs regularly would also probably motivate me to keep working on the game and who knows what it will be like 3 weeks from now.
So when is the next blog and how often will I be working on this project? Well, i'm hoping to release a blog around 2 times a week, or maybe even 1 - we'll need to wait and see. I'm also hoping to work on this quite regularly as i'm currently on 3 weeks holiday from uni, so that will give me plenty of time. Also i'm pretty bad at explaining ideas and a lot of this will probably be rambling, so if you still don't really know what sort of game this is going to be, just imagine 2D Overwatch for now. See you soon.