- Joined
- Oct 5, 2008
- Messages
- 355
Hello there,
Before i start with throwing around a discussion round, i would go forward and talk about the project the ideas will likely be incorporated:
Link: [Defense / Survival] - Invasion on Az'kar, a dodging based hero survival
The game revolves around very fast paced fights in an area, incorporating the need to dodge enemy attacks and striking enemies at the right opportunity. Gameplay-wise the project was compared by testers with orc gladiators and the like. If i would need to pick similar maps i would describe it with "orc gladiators meets impossible bosses".
The main focus is that most enemy attacks are dodgeable by moving the hero. For the simplest example, many enemies use artillery attacks, while others have delayed ones that need to be dodged or damage markers that indicate where missiles will land. Also special enemies that heal or spawn other units. All tied together by scripts that make enemy units move around and harder to find opportunities to attack.
Now, i have a somewhat diverse roster of heroes with many customability options (each one got their own item shop, independant pickable upgrades and a talent system that resembles HoMM 5's skill system). This created a small problem though. Different heroes are differently able to dodge/survive enemy attacks. This is at first glance a good thing.
The problem is now that when we look at scripted boss battles or the ineviteable of taking a big series of hits, this highly limits the amount of design space i have with boss battles (i definetly make my bosses suffer from mobility creep
).
This has lead me to add a small homogenisation of heroes. I want each hero to have at least 1 ability that either:
Here's two example of the roster i have so far:
For this one i have added an example ability:
Petrify (Channeling): While channeling, makes the hero invulnerable to damage and increase the life regeneration drastically. Lasts 2-3 seconds. Cooldown: 20 - 12 seconds (ranged depend on level)
This one makes it able to just disregard hard to dodge attacks and get breathing space- In this time the wolves can actually be microed more precisely, if needed.
For this one i have added an example ability:
Endure (Passive): Every ~90 seconds grants the hero the ability to withstand deadly damage and disable life regeneration while the ability is active. Lasts 2 seconds.
This one gives you a last chance to move out of danger. Without healing you stay at 1 hp until the effect wears off. So this may not help at all if not utilized properly.
Then i got these other heroes in need of defensive abilities with a small description:
Now, i got 2 other heroes, but i got abilities already for them (blink). Each ability in the game got a special upgrade to add a new beneficial function to it. So if you got one in mind i would be gratefull too.
Sorry for the wall of text, i know it is hard to read. But i saw that people wanted proper explanation of the project in question and what i can imagine and need for. As an additional information, all abilities in the map are triggered and utilize custom buff/cooldown/damage engine, so i can almost edit any aspect of a skill. So there is not that much restriction on the triggering part.
I would like to tinker around with abilities and need some fresh discussion and feedback. So i would like to actively take part in a talk about the skills to flesh them out
Tl;dr: I need movement/survival skills that need active management to make the best out of to survive predictable attacks. Hero roster in question is above.
Before i start with throwing around a discussion round, i would go forward and talk about the project the ideas will likely be incorporated:
Link: [Defense / Survival] - Invasion on Az'kar, a dodging based hero survival
The game revolves around very fast paced fights in an area, incorporating the need to dodge enemy attacks and striking enemies at the right opportunity. Gameplay-wise the project was compared by testers with orc gladiators and the like. If i would need to pick similar maps i would describe it with "orc gladiators meets impossible bosses".
The main focus is that most enemy attacks are dodgeable by moving the hero. For the simplest example, many enemies use artillery attacks, while others have delayed ones that need to be dodged or damage markers that indicate where missiles will land. Also special enemies that heal or spawn other units. All tied together by scripts that make enemy units move around and harder to find opportunities to attack.
Now, i have a somewhat diverse roster of heroes with many customability options (each one got their own item shop, independant pickable upgrades and a talent system that resembles HoMM 5's skill system). This created a small problem though. Different heroes are differently able to dodge/survive enemy attacks. This is at first glance a good thing.
The problem is now that when we look at scripted boss battles or the ineviteable of taking a big series of hits, this highly limits the amount of design space i have with boss battles (i definetly make my bosses suffer from mobility creep
).This has lead me to add a small homogenisation of heroes. I want each hero to have at least 1 ability that either:
- Makes them able to dodge a hot situation very quickly (like a blink)
- Makes them able to withstand a series hit without harm (like invulnerability)
Here's two example of the roster i have so far:
Far seer: Supportive hero, which can build into their summons. Most abilities are buffs/debuffs (custom far sight, blood lust, earthquake). Then we have the spirit wolves and a spacial ability that grants the wolfes the ability to generate mana for the hero on hit.
For this one i have added an example ability:
Petrify (Channeling): While channeling, makes the hero invulnerable to damage and increase the life regeneration drastically. Lasts 2-3 seconds. Cooldown: 20 - 12 seconds (ranged depend on level)
This one makes it able to just disregard hard to dodge attacks and get breathing space- In this time the wolves can actually be microed more precisely, if needed.
Footman: Tanking hero. Toggles their "defend" ability to react to received damage. Can bolster allies max hp and taunt enemy units to force them to attack the footman. Can convert the units armor into attack damage with its ultimate ability.
For this one i have added an example ability:
Endure (Passive): Every ~90 seconds grants the hero the ability to withstand deadly damage and disable life regeneration while the ability is active. Lasts 2 seconds.
This one gives you a last chance to move out of danger. Without healing you stay at 1 hp until the effect wears off. So this may not help at all if not utilized properly.
Then i got these other heroes in need of defensive abilities with a small description:
Raider: Melee hero which can pump out good chunks of gold via "pillage". Has a ranged damage ability and can utilize ensnare and roar to slow enemies and buff allies. Has the "rush tactics" ability that drastically increases their offensive capabilities for the first 90-120 seconds of a round. I could think about here just giving a dash-skill.
Elementalist: Ranged hero which relies on their mud golem summon to tank damage and their fire hydra ability to deal damage. Can buff the effectiveness of elementals and has a magic barrier ability that decreases magic damage suffered. Petrify could work on this hero, too. But i would like then a different extra effect rather than life regenration.
Shadow priest: Supportive hero that utilizes a recource called "dark energy" by using their 2 main damage dealing/heal skills to apply devestating debuffs on their enemies. Can call ghosts on enemies to apply a stacking debuff to their stats or link the life of multiple enemies to apply damage dealt to one enemy on all affected enemies (currently disabled because of a bug with reforged...)
Zombie: Tanking hero. Grants high amount of health and healing by utilizing corpses with the "cannibalize" and "meat shield" ability. Most attacks and abilities apply low damage but potent poison damage to wilt down enemies over time. Can toggle the ultimate ability "plague" to disable the life regeneration in favor of a a damaging field over the hero.
Elementalist: Ranged hero which relies on their mud golem summon to tank damage and their fire hydra ability to deal damage. Can buff the effectiveness of elementals and has a magic barrier ability that decreases magic damage suffered. Petrify could work on this hero, too. But i would like then a different extra effect rather than life regenration.
Shadow priest: Supportive hero that utilizes a recource called "dark energy" by using their 2 main damage dealing/heal skills to apply devestating debuffs on their enemies. Can call ghosts on enemies to apply a stacking debuff to their stats or link the life of multiple enemies to apply damage dealt to one enemy on all affected enemies (currently disabled because of a bug with reforged...)
Zombie: Tanking hero. Grants high amount of health and healing by utilizing corpses with the "cannibalize" and "meat shield" ability. Most attacks and abilities apply low damage but potent poison damage to wilt down enemies over time. Can toggle the ultimate ability "plague" to disable the life regeneration in favor of a a damaging field over the hero.
Now, i got 2 other heroes, but i got abilities already for them (blink). Each ability in the game got a special upgrade to add a new beneficial function to it. So if you got one in mind i would be gratefull too.
Sorry for the wall of text, i know it is hard to read. But i saw that people wanted proper explanation of the project in question and what i can imagine and need for. As an additional information, all abilities in the map are triggered and utilize custom buff/cooldown/damage engine, so i can almost edit any aspect of a skill. So there is not that much restriction on the triggering part.
I would like to tinker around with abilities and need some fresh discussion and feedback. So i would like to actively take part in a talk about the skills to flesh them out
Tl;dr: I need movement/survival skills that need active management to make the best out of to survive predictable attacks. Hero roster in question is above.
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