I have a bit of a confession to make this week. I may or may not have worked on the game’s code for a total of one hour, due to a variety of reasons. So, in this devlog, I decided to talk a bit more about the game’s design elements. And more specifically, I will talk about the offensive spells I have planned for the game.
Now, keep in mind that these are already implemented in their most basic form. However, they will probably go through a few iterations when it comes to values and naming. Furthermore, some of them may prove to be imbalanced, compared to the rest of the game, so it is not impossible for some to go through major changes or be scrapped completely when the game gets to an actually playable state.
And now, without further ado, let’s dig into this week’s devlog, shall we?
Nudge (No Element)
The most basic of offensive spells is the Nudge. It is a simple spell cast using the Offensive Spell Body only and not infusing it with a Spell Element. It does a tiny amount of damage to the first enemy it hits and has no knockback effect of any sort.
This section is a bit short, but there isn’t much to say about this spell, really. It is the simplest form of magical offence the game has to offer. Also, it has the worse name, so naming suggestions are more than welcome.
Fireball (Fire… obviously)
Ah, the classic Fireball. A projectile of blazing flames burning the first enemy it hits. This spell does a moderate amount of damage and has no knockback. However, it does have the option of setting the enemy it hits on fire for further damage over time.
Now, the design here is not exactly finalized. I do know that I want the burning effect, however, I am unsure about a couple of things. First and foremost, should the spell have this effect by default, or should it be an optional upgrade to encourage more exploration? Also, should the effect be transferable to other enemies that touch the burning one?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to answer any of the questions just yet, as they rely heavily on the enemy design and how the overall world will turn out in the end. Therefore, they shall remain a mystery for the time being.
Voidball (Void)
The Voidball is very similar to the Fireball. However, it has a 100% chance of causing moderate knockback on hitting the enemy. It still does moderate damage as well.
Now, there are also a few design decisions I have yet to make here. One of them is the knockback strength and whether I should base it on physics and have bigger enemies be less affected by it, or should all enemies be knocked back the same distance. This will be a matter of playtesting.
Ball of Thorns (Earth/Plant)
The Ball of Thorns does some damage, but it has a very important utility purpose. It roots enemies in place for a given time period.
This can be used in a variety of ways. For example, you could root an enemy in the striking zone of an environmental trap. Dealing with enemies in such manner will allow you to save some much-needed mana. Also, it will be a viable option for crowd controls, as one rooted melee enemy is one less threat to deal with in the next few seconds.
Of course, it can also be used as a regular offensive spell. But considering there are other spells that will deal more damage, its primary role is actually utility.
Ice Shards (Frost)
The ice shards are nothing more than a damage-dealing spell. However, while other spells shoot just one projectile, the Ice Shards spell shoots five. Or at least, they are five right now. As I said, everything is subject to change. These projectiles fly off in five different directions, starting from the player’s position – back, forward, up, and at the two 45 degrees angles between the other three.
Now, I did consider having the projectiles apply a slowdown effect and I am still toying with this idea. It will most likely make it to the first playable build, but with the Ball of Thorns being a thing, I believe that the slowdown caused by Ice Shards might be unnecessary.
Magic Arrow (Summon)
This spell is meant to be pure damage. It creates a projectile that travels forward and can pierce through multiple enemies (currently three). When it hits the final enemy, a tile of the environment, or a physics prop, it disappears.
That’s about it, really. It has no utility, but it could prove to be a valuable crowd control tool for groups of minor enemies with tiny health pools. Also, it is the only offensive spell that can hit multiple enemies in front of the player. Therefore, it can prove very useful for tight corridors and mana preservation.
Closing Thoughts
I know that these spells don’t look like much. But keep in mind that they are just text in a blog post right now. I assure you, they are far more impressive when toying around with them in the dev level I have set up for testing mechanics.
Now, I do hope to have some more exciting news for Sunday’s devlog. However, I still have some bugs and kinks to iron out, so I cannot promise anything. In the meantime, if you have any questions (or better naming suggestions for the Nudge spell), feel free to reach out on Twitter (@dsm_dastmo) or via the contact form on my homepage.
