Quick and easy logo generated utilizing logojoy

Introduction

In 2016 I released my first game on Steam, Shiny Gauntlet, under the pseudonym Spritewrench. The game received lack luster reviews and had a lot of technical & design related issues. Looking back, I can better understand its shortcomings and realize that, though I learnt a lot during the process, I still have a lot more to learn.

Therefore, for 2018, I decided to fine tune my process further and release six (6) small games with tightly constrained specifications and realistic financial expectations (while maintaining full-time employment).

The first of which, “Questlike”, was released on March 29th, 2018.

You can buy it on Steam here.

Pre-Planning

Questlike started out, conceptually, as an attempt to combine visual novel with rogue-like elements. As I deliberated on how to best incorporate combat into the regular visual novel story-telling formula, I eventually settled on a turn-based combat system. Not satisfied with linear mechanics, I opted to experimented with a stamina-based combat system. Eventually, this system was given priority over the narrative components, and its visual novel roots were forgotten.

Controls

Inputs often shape design decisions and have an immediate impact on the length of development. I had wanted to minimize time spent on creating lengthy tutorials, so decided to use a simple click-based controls. Eventually, the left click — regular attack & right click — special ability paradigm was solidified.

Game Play

Managing how monsters would decide to interact with players was tricky. A “Threat” mechanic was developed which dovetailed nicely into ways in which the characters would be able mitigate or manipulate “Threat”. This was the prime motive behind the character classes: Offensive, Defensive and Support.

Offensive

Where characters would exemplify the ways the player could deal damage to monsters, either directly via STR (Amount of damage done on each attack) or indirectly via DEX (Reduction in the range of damage jitter on each attack) or SPD (How often each character is able to attack).

Defensive

Where characters would exemplify the ways the player could manipulate monster’s attention, controlling the way damage is distributed across the party by boosting “Threat” and mitigating incoming damage either directly via DEF (Reduction) and HP (Healing) or via EVA (Dodging damage all together)

Support

Where characters would exemplify the ways the player would be able to mitigate damage being received by different patterns of healing, either group, targeted or self-directed.

Documentation

Once the ideas were cemented, I made time estimates and deliberated over which features to cut and how much time could be allotted to each. In all, the project was projected to require 68 hours in total.