Combat Design Process
At each step of my process, I seek feedback from peers to validate the combat and gameplay systems I design. My process is an iterative one where insights gained from peer review and testing help to shape each step.
Managing scope, proper documentation, and a constant focus on the end-user’s enjoyment and overall experience are essential components at each stage of development.
Inspiration
When designing a new system or mechanic, I look to games, history, and media with mechanics and design concepts that I have enjoyed or found compelling. I then take these disparate sources of inspiration and distill them down to a more fundamental concept. I use these fundamental concepts to begin building up something unique.
Paper Design
Once I have the foundational concept, I begin sketching out a paper design. This serves as a first layer of documentation. This is done either with an actual pen and paper or digitally. The paper design allows me to get the concept I have brainstormed out of my head. This serves as a first test of the concept’s validity.
Prototyping
Next, I build a prototype using the basic concepts I worked out in the paper design. The prototype is a first draft of the system or mechanic and serves to test the feasibility and efficacy of the concept. I make sure that the prototyping serves the wider goals of the project and fits within its scope.
Documentation
In tandem with the prototype I work to create out a new design document for a new game or adding to an existing design document for an existing project. At this stage, I carefully define the scope for the system or mechanic. I continue to iterate on the prototype based on the design document and modify the design document with insights gained from the prototype.
Creating Flow
I create flow for a combat system or mechanic by minimizing system friction so that the player can perform the actions they want without the system getting in the way. Animations, combat timing, and a robust enemy AI if the system calls for one.
System Polish
Impact and player feedback are critical for adding polish to any game system. The amount varies based upon the needs of the game, but I use hit stop, particle effects, robust sound design, UI animation, camera shake, and camera effects to add polish and punch to combat.
Yiorgos Bereveskos 