Dev.Log Entry Bronze

While reading chapter 10 of the Game Design Workshop text, I've found myself focusing on how to establish my game before starting to test and taking iterative passes at refinement. I've also gained some insight into how to balance making changes after playtesting. Before doing external playtesting, it will be important to be ready with a prototype that is functional, internally complete, and balanced. I know that there may be changes that come out during the testing process, but I'll need to have something that is playable for my playtesters! I'm planning on using the data charts mentioned instead of more brief sketches or vocal ideas to help plan out the functionality of the game so that when it comes to making changes, things will be a lot more comprehensive. In the past, while making changes to previous projects, I've often seen a list of changes needed or desired then I overhaul everything to match those changes. I've often had to revert to original designs in order to make these changes make sense. I'll be focusing on one change at a time to keep the balance of my game projects.

Exercise 10.3: Spawn Camping Write down three original solutions not mentioned previously to the spawn camping problem. Describe why you feel these solutions are inferior or superior to the ones mentioned.

I did a little brainstorming on options for solutions to spawn camping, to include some pros and cons of how they may work with certain types of players or typical target audiences of games with this issue. Some interesting solutions I've thought about are the player spawning in is invisible for a short period of time, the aggressor (spawn camper) will do damage to themselves equal to damage of a newly spawned player for x amount of seconds, the spawn point is in a graveyard that cannot be entered by other players and the newly spawned player can go in multiple directions while leaving the graveyard.

There are always going to be some pros and cons to any choice, and the best solution will likely be dependant on other variables of a specific game. Using the graveyard, you may still have spawn campers on the edge of the graveyard awaiting the newly spawned players. Would another solution added to this one be to make the exterior of spawn sites injure any player's health that gets too close? In World of Warcraft, during levels in which a player can fly on their mount, you are mostly safe when flying or in the air. Would it be advantageous to be in flight when you spawn, giving the ability to dodge and regain strength before being attacked? Does this serve as a disadvantage to more advanced players who may get an opportunity to take out their enemy who has recently spawned while not actually camping a spawning site?

While coming up with any solution to this specific problem, it must be in relationship to the other variables in a game or level in order to stay in as much balance as possible. One solution that might work for a game such as World of Warcraft might not work for Warframe, Call of Duty, or Mordhau. Trying different and best matching options during loophole iteration passes seems to be a good way to find a solution.