Introducing the evil eye, a device to de-clutter the game interface during combat. Replacing stats with a simple feedback and interaction device.

Posted by tomassala on Sep 2nd, 2013

More bloodshed and combat

(scroll down for the video)

Basically the game is build on 4 basic stats for units, (health, stamina, defense and attack, each related to a resource and unit alchemy ingredient, blood, essence, bone and steel)

in the first combat iteration, I had a full unit stats interface. Which was both confusing and cluttering up the valuable mobile screenspace. After some prodding I revisited the idea and wiped away the Idea to expose the stats to a user. So I went looking for a combat feedback interface that would give enough information and control to retain a strategic approach but also was immediate and clear.

As you can see even without the unit alchemy, resource management and special abilities the interface is starting to clutter, and already confusing.

So Introducing the evil eye

These dudes look pretty confident going in. Or sneaky , who can tell yet.

Basically the evil eye pops up on an Unit if its engaging an enemy, or being engaged. It won't tell you any stats or detail, but it will tell you if your unit is scared or confident about the looming confrontation.

On top of that the Evil Eye is a button that will retreat the unit from the engagement, and cause him to flee and abandon his squad (to fight another day).

In the future the Evil eye will also allow the player to assign special abilities to the evil eye, not just fleeing, but for instance giving the unit a beserk mode, buffing him but also draining his stamina.

The Evil eye now serves multiple functions in the game design.

1. it gives the player enough info at a glance, does this unit stand a chance or not!

2. Allow the player to control individual units only when needed, flee being the default control (regular controls are squad based)

3. gives urgency to the combat interactions and creates a bit of twich and respons during and preceding combat.

4. removes the need to forward more detailed info to the player , especially when he doesn't need it. De-cluttering at least a sizable portion of the interface.

Its a very very simple gameplay device, but I feel it works quite well for a mobile oriented RTS.

Enough yappin, here's a video:

Got a quite a heavy squad roaming the map killing units.. At the end you'll see them running out of steam, and at the very end i retreat my remaining units.

Well.... onto unit Alchemy for the next iteration. (oooh, and yes unit death anims will be replaced by a cool effect later, not just sinking into the ground, emm working without textures here;)

Tomas