Spiral Knights - Questions for the development team

Questions for the development team

16 replies [Last post]

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 16:24

Baronvonmoneybags

I've been wondering about a few of the development choices for game play and mechanics that exist in spiral knights. I saw I missed my chance to ask in the official post for this and I couldn't find most of the previous interviews so I'm a tad worry I may be asking questions which have already been answered. However these questions/topics are just things I've been wondering about since I've started playing. I'd just like to know the developers side of the story.

1- What was the reasoning for making the game based on an energy system?

2- Why make healing random?

3- Having four elements while armor only protects against two of them.

4- Was this in any way influenced by Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles?

5- Making dungeon only vials and health expansions.

Thanks for your time and I look forward to any answers I get.

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 17:09

Toksyuryel

What does "Having four

What does "Having four elements while armor only protects against two of them." mean? Every damage type and status effect has at least one armor set that protects against it.

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 17:19

Shamanalah

Not a dev but... my answer

1 - Make the player dependent of something that he must buy (with real cash) some stuff to keep playing. Make total sense when you are studying marketing

2 - Healing are random? You mean vitapod, potions or simply healing? Because all of those are not random...

3 - Toksyuryel already asked

4 - Yes, every game after FF was influenced by it. Like this game was influenced by Diablo II. But how much? Only the dev team can answer

and it's not like FF made a huge influence on gaming industry....

/sarcasm

edit: wait FF crystal chronicles? I own the game and can barely find anything alike... Other than the way you transport keys

5 - don't understand the question

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 18:24

Baronvonmoneybags

Explanation.

1. I know that's part of it, but still there are other ways to monetize a free to play game. I was just wondering why they choose that one. If there are a reason for choosing an energy system vs doing something else.

2. Yea they are. I've gone levels without seeing a single heart, healing vial, or vitapods. I've also had other levels were I found 6 of the same vitapod. That seems to indicate that it's completely random. I also never seen any pattern or any indication at all that heart drops, healing vials, and vitapods dropping are done purely randomly. With larger ones able to drop in higher tiers yea but how often they drop seems totally randomly to me.

3. Yea I didn't word that well at all. Sorry about that. I meant that armors only defend against two damage types at a time. Like normal and elemental, while providing no armor to shadow and piercing. In most levels you really only need one def type so I was just wondering if there was a reason for doing this.

4. I haven't played it in a really long time so my memory of how the game played may be completely wrong. I really only remember same style camera view, three hit combo, party of four, charge attacks, spells had to be charged fully like bombs do, and recipes for crafting. Granted that's not really saying much for core gameplay and style and everything so it might just be that my memory is being wonky.

5. Vials and vitapods you find in dungeons only exist for that dungeon. So if you find three fire vials and then return to haven those fire vials disappear into nothing. I guess they are the equivalent of a power up system used in other games. But it's the only game I know of that has something like vitapods. There might be others but it's just an interesting system.

Does that help clear up where I'm coming from? I'm not the best at talking. Or spelling.

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 19:07

Aplauses

1. It is better to choose the energy system. Ugh, if you play another MMORPG then you will know.

2. Because it was random. Of course higher tier will drop larger heart since the monster deal more damage in higher tier.

3. Idk about this.

4. Idk about this.

5. Idk about this.

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 19:39

Traevelliath

For the health and vials thing, I know Nick said something about it in the "10 things you didn't know about Spiral Knights"

Link: http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/20773
Quote: "6. The pickup bar at the top of the screen and the vitapods are in the game as a result of my affection for Shiren the Wanderer and other rougelikes. I like the experience of 'leveling up' with every dungeon run and finding an assortment of tools."

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 19:47

Oatmonster

Lick Number 58425

1. To allow people who want to play for free to play for free (buying CE from other players), while being able to still make money (all the CE in the game was bought with real money).

2. Randomness is what makes the game a game.

3. There should never be a "one set protects all" armor. The biggest use of CE is crafting, so there need to be many sets to craft. Mix your armor sets (Dragon+Snarby, Divine+Skolver) instead of getting one with all four.

4.
"same style camera"
Zelda. Almost every top down game.

"three hit combo"
Almost every game with swords.

"party of four"
Every xbox game with four person split screen/coop.

"charge attacks"
Every other game with attacks, ever.

"crafting"
Most games/MMOs with player inventories.

"spells that require charging"
Almost any game with spells.

5. Heart pendants. Vials aren't meant to be used as your main weapons. They are just little bonuses. If you'rereally that desperate for vials/vitas, buy them in party lobbies.

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 19:55

Baronvonmoneybags

@Traevelliath

Oh cool. I never really played rougelike games so that might be why I find the idea so new and a tad strange. Thanks for sharing that.

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 20:47

Broxaim

Answers

If it's about the design decision I can try and give you my observations

1. The energy (fatigue) system is the one they chose, many free to play games have this system. and as people have said before it is one method to monetize this game. I'm sure they have spent time researching which method of monetization to use, and they chose this one because it probably would help them make the most money. (remember that if you gouge your customers, they probably won't be coming back for seconds, lowering potential profits)
if you have time you can watch these 2 videos.
this
and this

2. the chance that hearts / healing items drop is random, and as such you're lucky sometimes and not lucky other times
they do give you the chance to buy vitapods at the start of a mission if that's any consolation

3. Just a mechanical design choice, I don't see anything inherently wrong with it.
It gives the players choice, in which armor to take into battle.
gives a sense of end game progressions / longevity (they can collect 5* gear)
Yes there are other ways to do these 2 things, but this is one of the tools the developers chose to implement.

4. I'm sure lots of things influenced this game, I'm sure you've heard this is like Zelda 4 swords. this even reminded me a little of smash tv.
but like all things, influences come from a lot of places, and I'm sure one of them was final fantasy series.

5. I can't explain the design decision for them being in the dungeon only, I would have made them items you can choose to carry into the stages.
But as you have put it, probably along the lines of consumable powerups.
I can imagine other 'pills' that gave you a 50% damage boost, or a 50% defence boost, or even movespeed for 10 seconds?
those would be cool.

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 19:56

Aget

ulterior motives ftw

Its all about the money money money. Right OOO? :)

think about it, and you will see....

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 20:03

#10

Megatech

Hmm shadow+ piercing

Actually, if you check the angelic line, you will find it :D

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 20:06

#11

Luguiru

Oh hi Mark

I am going to keep this as brief as possible so I can sit on these misbehaving kites. They keep wanting to flop around like freshly caught fish.

Energy significantly helps contain inflation. Imagine this game without elevator fees. It still costs energy to craft, but who cares when you can play forever and generate derpbillion crowns without spending coughing up a single mist?

Imagine if health and batteries dropped at a consistent rate. Oh, I lost all my health, but five hearts are going to drop anyway. Who needs to get into the game, worrying about keeping yourself alive, when you could derp around and hang yourself for a few laughs? Suicide is not a joke. Neither is tapeworm suicide. Which is why I started the Foundation for Assisting Regretted Tapeworm Suicide. Donate today and get a button with our initials.

How often does an enemy deal more than two damage types at a time? Excluding normal. Most floors have two or three kinds of families in the same place, right? Six families, three specialized damage types. Four if you count normal. Normal is so normal, bursting in our house uninvited with melee attacks. Who invited you to our dinner party? Was it pierce? That punk. We ought to crucify them both and make their children dance for our amusement.

Never played it. No plan to. Not wearing pants. Pants are for sissies.

That would involve creative situations, like making a vial for water bubbles to carry with you instead of having to hold it over your noggin while running around defenseless. Even though the only times water is involved has some kind of Vanaduke or that one bonus treasure place in the expansion where some idiot in the party usually wastes one or both of the only available bubbles because water is fun and should be thrown into the sky so it lands on your face and goes up your nostrils. Snort snort.

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 20:21

#12

Megatech

Waiit

Eer, Just silvermail ( armor from the drake scale line ) gives protection from shadow and piercing, hmm...

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 20:13

#13

Baronvonmoneybags

@Oatmonster

1. Yes I know, I was just wondering if those reasons are actually the reasons they have and if there were any other. Like say putting a limit to the amount of time a person could play in one sitting. A lot of MMOS do that style of thing.

2. I...don't think you understand in any way what I was saying. I was asking why they choose to make healing randomized rather then using set amount of healing per level or having some form of regeneration that exists in most other games. I'm honestly have no idea what you mean by "Randomness is what makes the game a game." If randomness makes a game then flipping a coin is a game...? And if randomness is required in a game then chess isn't a game?

3. I'm not asking for a super armor set or complaining about it I'm just asking about why while they were developing the game did they make that choice. I feel like just trying to force more people to buy CE for crafting armor isn't the only reason they did it.

4. Like I said those were just things I remembered from that game. That's really it. I think you kinda missed my point here.

5. I don't even know how you thought I was saying vials were to be used as main weapons.

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 20:40

#14

Baronvonmoneybags

You're tearing me apart!

Excellent...someone else who has seen the room. Excellent.

@megatech: Raident silver mail I think. That was just an example though. I think there exist every combo of damage types for defense. It was more about why from a developmental stand point would they chose to make armors defend against half of the damage types in the game. Seems like there might be an interesting reason that's not obvious to players.

@Broxaim: Your links don't work for me :(

And like I have theories as to why they choose to do all these things but I'd be interested in knowing their reasons for doing all these things. Like learning that the health vitas and vials came from rougelike game was really cool and interesting to me. I would have personally never guessed that.

Edit

@Luguiru: Uhm...so you're saying that every game that has regenerating health or health packs is inherently easy? Also there are some set health regeneration in the game. Basil, between levels in an arena, and right before boss battles all fully restore your health. But would you say that boss battles or arena fights are easy because at the end of the battle you fully heal?

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 20:46

#15

Broxaim

so sorry.. i just updated the

so sorry.. i just updated the links
you can try again

also your I'm not too sure what you are looking for?
sometimes your asking for the design/mechanic choice and sometimes you ask about creative choice

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 20:51

#16

Baronvonmoneybags

Now they work! Magic!

Kinda both really. I actually seen both those before, one of the reasons I've started asking about design/mechanic choices and creative choices about games I play.

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Questions for the development team