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What Makes A Fun RPG Battlefield?
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RPG battles are often about characters. Protagonists and antagonists. But what about the battle arena itself? Where RPG fights take place can bring a ton of fun to the party. Game designers have a lot of options to put in extra mechanics, theming, and even characterization tools to make a battle screen feel like more than just an empty void. Let’s talk about how you can elevate RPG combat with a great location.
Featuring:
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (remake)
Pokemon, most gens
Chrono Cross
Unicorn Overlord
Baldur’s Gate 3
Mega Man Battle Network
Steamworld Heist
Valkyria Chronicles
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Переглядів: 65 029

Відео

What's Up With These Sketchy Tutorials?What's Up With These Sketchy Tutorials?
What's Up With These Sketchy Tutorials?
Переглядів 114 тис.Місяць тому
Secure your privacy with Surfshark! Enter coupon code DOC for 4 months EXTRA at surfshark.deals/DOC Games have one chance to make a first impression, but not all games put their best foot forward. Even great games can have sketchy tutorials. I've got 3 recent games that all have something just a little bit off in their opening sections. One has leaks, one mistimes when it delivers its finer det...
Why Do Bosses Have Multiple Forms?Why Do Bosses Have Multiple Forms?
Why Do Bosses Have Multiple Forms?
Переглядів 153 тис.2 місяці тому
Click this link sponsr.is/DesignDoc and use my code DESIGNDOC to get 25% off your first payment for boot.dev. That’s 25% your first month or your first year, depending on the subscription you choose. Multi-phase bosses are all over JRPGs, but they've made a home in every genre by now. For game designers, breaking up a single boss fight into a bunch of forms can create more flexibility, more pay...
How Do Games Design Around No Damage?How Do Games Design Around No Damage?
How Do Games Design Around No Damage?
Переглядів 187 тис.2 місяці тому
Download War Thunder for FREE and get your bonus! - wtplay.link/designdoc Invincibility shows up in tons of games, but it can be TOO powerful. Many game designs are built on balancing risk and reward, and invincibility mechanics can easily wreck that balance. Get it right, though, and it can be a power fantasy, a run-saver, a tension builder, or even a great story theme. Let’s talk about how to...
What Makes A Great Sleep Mechanic?What Makes A Great Sleep Mechanic?
What Makes A Great Sleep Mechanic?
Переглядів 118 тис.3 місяці тому
Click this link sponsr.is/DesignDoc and use my code DESIGNDOC to get 25% off your first payment for boot.dev. That’s 25% your first month or your first year, depending on the subscription you choose. Sleep: The Most Relatable Status Effect. Sleep has a ton of range in games. It can fit in almost anywhere - a minor annoyance, a theme, a limiter, a skeuomorphic convenience, a refresher, a dose of...
What Makes A Great In-Game Shop?What Makes A Great In-Game Shop?
What Makes A Great In-Game Shop?
Переглядів 242 тис.4 місяці тому
Click this link sponsr.is/DesignDoc and use my code DESIGNDOC to get 25% off your first payment for boot.dev. That’s 25% your first month or your first year, depending on the subscription you choose. Game shops don't get enough love. Sure, you can design a game shop as a simple exchange of money for stuff, but they can be so much more. A center for bartering and negotiating. A place to meet new...
How Can You Spice Up A Healing System?How Can You Spice Up A Healing System?
How Can You Spice Up A Healing System?
Переглядів 492 тис.5 місяців тому
Click this link sponsr.is/DesignDoc and use my code DESIGNDOC to get 25% off your first payment for boot.dev. That’s 25% your first month or your first year, depending on the subscription you choose. Basic healing systems in games can get a little dull. But they don’t have to just add a number to a health bar and call it a day. Healing in a game can be risky, strategic, and opportunistic. It ca...
How Do Games Play With Poison?How Do Games Play With Poison?
How Do Games Play With Poison?
Переглядів 186 тис.6 місяців тому
The first 500 people to use my link will receive a one month free trial of Skillshare skl.sh/designdoc12231 If your game only has room for one status effect, it’s probably going to be poison. It’s very versatile. Poison can fit into so many different places in a game’s combat design, character design, or even just the aesthetics of a game’s locations. Let’s talk about how games play with poison...
What Makes A Good Rival Boss?What Makes A Good Rival Boss?
What Makes A Good Rival Boss?
Переглядів 167 тис.7 місяців тому
🕹 Get a browser that’s literally better at everything: operagx.gg/DesignDoc Sponsored by Opera GX! Not all game bosses are equally great. Any game can have an anonymous robot to fight and call that a boss. Rival bosses can be way more impactful. They're a slow burn, though. Designing a rivalry takes time and planning to get the payoff you're looking for. Let's talk about what goes into building...
What Makes A Good Super Move?What Makes A Good Super Move?
What Makes A Good Super Move?
Переглядів 194 тис.8 місяців тому
Sign up to Milanote for free, and get entered in a giveaway drawing for Design Doc viewers: milanote.com/designdoc1023 Super moves have a paradox baked in. They're almost by definition the best moves that a game will give you, but they can't be TOO good. Balancing a super move to be fun without being overpowering can be tricky, but there are a lot of options that you can use to customize the fe...
How Can You Make Backtracking Fun?How Can You Make Backtracking Fun?
How Can You Make Backtracking Fun?
Переглядів 232 тис.9 місяців тому
Use code DESIGNDOC50 to get 50% off your first Factor box at bit.ly/3PXo9Yz! It takes forever to make a location in most video games. It sure would be nice if we could reuse it. Maybe even a few more times… Careful! You might be falling into a backtracking trap. Excessive backtracking is so easy for a game to add in, but it can be so painful for players. Turning backtracking from a chore to som...
What Makes A Good Game Companion?What Makes A Good Game Companion?
What Makes A Good Game Companion?
Переглядів 119 тис.10 місяців тому
For 50% off with HelloFresh PLUS free shipping, use code 50DESIGNDOC at bit.ly/3K73j5c! Game sidekicks all live on a spectrum, from a well-realized three-dimensional character, to a cardboard cutout. Sidekicks can be designed in games to fill all kinds of functions, mechanical and narrative, but they all need to be designed carefully to stay out of the contempt zone. More Midna, less Kersti. Le...
What Makes A Good Boss Rush?What Makes A Good Boss Rush?
What Makes A Good Boss Rush?
Переглядів 331 тис.11 місяців тому
The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1-month free trial of Skillshare skl.sh/designdoc05231 Boss rushes are prone to feeling like filler content in a video game. It’s very easy to slap in some bosses back to back, call it a day, and get an underwhelming segment of a game. Not that that never works, but designing a great boss rush requires a delicate touch to avoid feeling like a ga...
Mario Kart Items: How Have They Evolved?Mario Kart Items: How Have They Evolved?
Mario Kart Items: How Have They Evolved?
Переглядів 264 тис.Рік тому
Sign up to Milanote for free with no time limit: milanote.com/designdoc0723 Mario Kart is one of the most beloved game series around. It pioneered a whole subgenre thanks to its item design. The series has had 30 years of little tweaks to its item system that have added up to big changes. Let's take a tour of the 8 mainline Mario Kart games, look at their item design, and see how Nintendo has m...
What Can You Do With A Fire Level?What Can You Do With A Fire Level?
What Can You Do With A Fire Level?
Переглядів 144 тис.Рік тому
Go to brilliant.org/DesignDoc to get a 30-day free trial the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual subscription! Fire is a force of nature, and the best fire levels in games are made to reflect that. But fire can be so many things - a destructive element, a tool, a source of light and warmth, or something more abstract and poetic. Game designers get to pick and choose the aspects of fi...

КОМЕНТАРІ

  • @Bellumbeck271
    @Bellumbeck271 2 години тому

    One of my favorite element systems is the one in Cassette Beasts, because its not "Hit X with Y to do BEEG DAMAGE™", but because they inflict buffs, debuffs or straight up change the target type. If you hit a Metal type with a Poison attack, the defender would gain the "Tipped" buff, which would cause anyone using melee attacks against them take extra Poison damage. If you hit a Electric type with a Plastic (Yes there is Plastic element, just roll with it) attack, the defender would gain the "Insulated" debuff, which would cause all of their target-all attacks hit only one target. And if you hit an Ice type with a Fire attack, they would outright change to Water type for a couple of turns.

  • @Rafix
    @Rafix 3 години тому

    really awesome video!

  • @lancemckenzie1074
    @lancemckenzie1074 6 годин тому

    Vib Ribbon! The terrain is the game!

  • @DoltonsEdwardNicholasPabiaran
    @DoltonsEdwardNicholasPabiaran 8 годин тому

    I should check Ali abdaal on skill share

  • @Dplayz32Games
    @Dplayz32Games 10 годин тому

    literally every 3d zelda game:

  • @Dplayz32Games
    @Dplayz32Games 10 годин тому

    As a Not an RPG Guy, i can confirm these are based

  • @ThatFanBoyGuy
    @ThatFanBoyGuy 12 годин тому

    One Legend of Zelda game you failed to mention is Spirit Tracks. I thought it was very creative to make Zelda's spirit/soul your companion. To that date (and in some regards, to date), that was the most interaction we got of Link and Zelda working together to save Hyrule.

  • @ThatFanBoyGuy
    @ThatFanBoyGuy 13 годин тому

    For me, if a boss rush is mandatory, it is padding, but if a boss rush is optional, it's an extra challenge for super fans of the game, who would like an extra challenge because the rest of the game has gotten boring. But yes, I think my favorite example of a good boss rush is Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. On one side, the game rewards the gamer for finding and conquering the legendary beasts by giving Calamity Ganon less phases. On the other side, the game does not cheat the players who went right to Calamity Ganon out of gameplay content by requiring them to take on Ganon at the different legendary beasts as a different phase of Calamity Ganon. By doing so, it technically makes a boss rush optional, yet it keeps the boss rush part of the main game.

  • @alix4256
    @alix4256 17 годин тому

    For TOTK I didnt get the shrine sensor/puriah pad’s advancements until over 120 hours into the game 💀 my fault for ignoring the quest but I had no clue it would be useful/important

  • @VenereJames
    @VenereJames 18 годин тому

    BRUTAL LEGEND MENTIONED

  • @allentothemax1223
    @allentothemax1223 22 години тому

    there is this game called outpost infinity siege, the tutorial has one of these types of bosses. But not really a boss more like a SA-X (stealh) but actually impossible YOU WILL DIE. (It's apart of the LORRRE!)

  • @craftihlow69
    @craftihlow69 22 години тому

    I love the gauntlets in Sekiro because you get a harder version of the bosses at the end and if you beat them in the gauntlet you get some really cool stuff.

  • @socraticgambler
    @socraticgambler День тому

    What's the game being shown at 2:27 ?

  • @Bakemonwithahat
    @Bakemonwithahat День тому

    Thank you for supporting my RPG 🙏

  • @Bellumbeck271
    @Bellumbeck271 День тому

    The Koraidon/Miraidon bit would be true if not for the fact that you can BLJ out of 80% of the game's cliffs so long as they have the tiniest slope on them.

  • @fomrehkuda
    @fomrehkuda День тому

    0:52 🤨

  • @IanFraser420
    @IanFraser420 День тому

    Having watched my little brother play Twilight Princess recently, I’ve noticed that as great a companion as Midna is, her advice is a bit lacking. She’ll either give you some basic environmental information, or vaguely direct you towards a puzzle. My brother’s autistic, and doesn’t pick up on a lot of the unspoken cues that we normally take for granted, so environmental puzzles can be tricky for him. He actually benefits from a handholding companion, like Fi or Navi. It’d be nice if you got an option for how much assistance you got from your companion. As much as we like to crap on companions who tell you EXACTLY what to do, there’s a reason they were designed that way. It’s so everyone can enjoy a game equally, regardless of how they see and understand the world.

  • @dinostorion
    @dinostorion День тому

    Another small thing about the Totk tutorials is the mechanics are mostly the same from botw, so veteran players are sitting through another long level of the same knowledge.

  • @Ultrox007
    @Ultrox007 День тому

    I'm a big fan of installs (transformations), a game I'd suggest for doing them right is Bloody Roar. You get the power-up state with a new set of attacks, but the duration of it slowly drains over time. However, you're only knocked out of the powerup state if you get knocked down while your meter is empty. Further, you can end it early at any time to attempt a super attack. Finally, in Bloody Roar Primal Fury, you can enter a hyper mode, akin to Marvel's X-Factor this has a more rapidly depleting meter, gives the character a bonus buff unique to their character, and allows unlimited super attacks for the duration. But once it runs out, you can no longer turn into a beast for the rest of the match. Not just the round, the whole match.

  • @collinmcclure6811
    @collinmcclure6811 День тому

    There this indy game called ship of foils and all its bosses are big compared to your ship so when you defeat them it makes you feel great

  • @IBH94
    @IBH94 2 дні тому

    into the breach

  • @jak199527
    @jak199527 2 дні тому

    I thought the "SA is SAX" thing was a wild joke until you clarified. Gave me some whiplash.

  • @Cosmic_cosmention
    @Cosmic_cosmention 2 дні тому

    I want to see an impossible boss that can only be beaten at max level but it can only be fought once during the tutorial area with only the lowest level enemy as the one farming area you are in

  • @combopybrosharkfrenforhire6420

    no way to avoid blue shells in mkds? erm acktually 🤓

  • @benjaminlee985
    @benjaminlee985 2 дні тому

    Tales of the Abyss had the "Field of Fonons" mechanic - casting multiple spells of the same element creates a glowing circle colored with that element, and then if a character stands in the field and uses a special move, the special move gets upgraded into a stronger elemental attack. And since it's a Tales game and characters are free to run around the battlefield, setting up that positioning actually takes some work and makes for interesting tactics.

  • @Archiv1st
    @Archiv1st 2 дні тому

    *starts watching video* *zones out for a bit* “Identity theft cost Americans 56 billion dollars in 2020” What

  • @RottenInSleep
    @RottenInSleep 2 дні тому

    I feel like you can have more fun when you can get creative with building such as if your enemies have a camp or bandits why can’t you have that too why can’t you become the character you want to be? And also progress into the games story that is linear. And like you said between the levels you can do more with that level than just progressing into the next one with nothing new but an unlocked moveset or attire but not an action that will get you into the next journey.

  • @hussamcm4631
    @hussamcm4631 2 дні тому

    yoola - laylee makes the player thinks out the box sometimes that is not make it a bad design 😒😒😒😒

  • @androsh9039
    @androsh9039 2 дні тому

    Woot!

  • @SpenserLi
    @SpenserLi 2 дні тому

    If you have difficulty casting summons in chrono cross, you’re managing your actions wrong.

  • @yahiryellow1
    @yahiryellow1 2 дні тому

    3:30 EARTHBOUND! That's WHAT WE BEEN WAITING FOR Edit: here to 11:28 also mother 3 in the video

  • @Lightning_Toad
    @Lightning_Toad 2 дні тому

    Anyone know the game at 2:23? It looks right up my alley

  • @caramelflann
    @caramelflann 2 дні тому

    Yo is that Megaman exe in the thumbnail

  • @crazyrocket2900
    @crazyrocket2900 2 дні тому

    Jokes on you intro, I don't even use that stuff on the final boss for some reason! It's like I'm a challenge runner constantly playing every game with a no consumables challenge but I suck at games so it's not nearly as successful as UA-camrs would make it seem

  • @brdishwasher
    @brdishwasher 2 дні тому

    A good example of a narratively driven impossible boss is Darth Vader in Jedi: Fallen Order. No health bar, barely entertains the "battle" and then forces you to use force abilities and movement options to evade him.

  • @OdinPeterson
    @OdinPeterson 3 дні тому

    Splatoon 3 Mr. Grizz is my favorite colossal boss. 3D Parkour + shooting weak points from distance on otherwise impenetrable body.

  • @andyblargextra
    @andyblargextra 3 дні тому

    Honestly the way Paper Mario TTYD's stage works makes the game so much more interesting and it's a shame it never showed up again (not counting paying toads for help in Origami King)

  • @sonjahernandez8465
    @sonjahernandez8465 3 дні тому

    in botw i have 40 diamonds

  • @chemistral4943
    @chemistral4943 3 дні тому

    A major part of why the courses felt so bad in the reboot is because the core game was designed to be survival focused and a major selling point in early marketing for the game was the real world topography courtesy of NASA so players could traverse and survive the world's toughest challenges. When Deadly Descents was retooled the maps weren't thrown out. So we have fans (myself included) who wanted the old SSX arcade experience vs this new 'realistic' approach from the game's first announcement before it got retooled. Had they ditched the survival mechanics entirely (except the wingsuit, that was a fun addition~) and made brand new arcade like courses akin to Tricky and SSX3 the series might still be alive today sadly... TL:DR Having a death grip on an old mechanic that doesn't fit with the game's new direction will kill the very thing you wanted to keep alive.

  • @paul.1337
    @paul.1337 3 дні тому

    Unlimi---huaglgrlgeah. I threw up in my mouth when I heard that name spoken aloud.

  • @blumiu2426
    @blumiu2426 3 дні тому

    A correction on the BG3 rulebook statement: Every rule in 5E, which is drastically simplified compared to former editions. Comparing it to Solasta, which pulls from 3E, you can see 5E was made for casual audiences.

  • @oasif2227
    @oasif2227 3 дні тому

    warframe has got to be the worst tutorial of a game i have every played

  • @mrtuna4133
    @mrtuna4133 3 дні тому

    There are the twins from terraria

  • @zjzr08
    @zjzr08 3 дні тому

    I thought you're also gonna critique how SM and moreso SwSh has very bland battle background including the infamous white dome that doesn't match the environment you were in hehe - Gen 6 was fleshed out to match the overworld, and XY actually has a feature where you can get items by affecting the battle environment. I agree that Weather & Terrain adds great dimension to Pokemon battles and arguably more impactful than the "gimmicks". But in the mobile game Pokemon Masters they introduced Zones, effects that cover the other types and boosts them. They also introduced Ice and Rock Zones as Sandstorm and Hail don't inherently boosts moves unless a skill says so. If the mainline adds them it would be great I feel even if they plainly just boost both side's damage based on the type.

  • @JackitK
    @JackitK 3 дні тому

    Not a game per say. But all this talk about terrian makes me ponder how people would feel about Paper Mario Dark star. TLTR it's a hard mode mod of Paper Mario 64. One of the things they added to make things harder was battle conditions that would pop up in certain areas of the game. They seem interesting in concept, and a couple were fun. But a lot of times, they came off more annoying than interesting. I struggle to put into words why, but I think part of it has to do with the fact that the majority of them actively hurt you with no means to make them work in your favor. I wished I liked the concept more because it was a unquie way to add more depth to Paper Mario but I'll be honest. The moment I found a badge they added that negate this "weather" effect, it became a perament part of my arsnal of badges I always equip.

  • @thatnerdygaywerewolf9559
    @thatnerdygaywerewolf9559 3 дні тому

    I don’t think the way summons and field effects interact in Chrono Cross are that bad, as you can use timing and character switching to nearly guarantee that you can summon uninterrupted. But it still is a lot of work and the field element is often more of a detriment than anything.

  • @ragcat3732
    @ragcat3732 3 дні тому

    An interesting one for me is yokai watch 3’s 3x3 grid based combat. Its a real time grid based combat system (similar to mega man battle network) where you can chain different yokai, have yokai in front to protect the weaker ones, there are different abilities that effect terrain and linked yokai, and when there are terrain hazards you have to be careful with the path you take when moving around your yokai. I’d really recommend it! It’s one of my favorite 3ds games.

  • @Magikarpador
    @Magikarpador 3 дні тому

    Pokémon Reborn, Rejuvination, and Desolation are worth mentioning for their field effects having around 40 or so environments or so based on where you're battling. So like if youre fighting in a cave sound based moves will get a huge power boost from echoing and if you use earthquake a couple times there might be a cave in damaging both sides. Or like you can fight underwater and like fire type moves wont work at all and non water types take damage every turn, but then you can use dive to go back to the waters surface field but then like you can use sludge wave a couple times and turn it to mukwater where now poison moves are stronger and grounded pokemon are taking damage and then use blizzard to freeze over the water and now ice type noves are stronger and like all priority moves raise your speed as your gaining momentum from skating on the ice. Like, this is such a good system and adds so much depth and variety to pokemon. theres even some overworld puzzles that require you to change the terrain in battle to progress. Like, it's really really neat and interesting

  • @Magikarpador
    @Magikarpador 3 дні тому

    you can't just put megaman.exe on the thumbnail and have me not immediately click

  • @davidn90
    @davidn90 3 дні тому

    Think you sold me on that unicorn one.

    • @DesignDoc
      @DesignDoc 3 дні тому

      That game has sold well and it still deserves to sell more.