The Brief
This project was created for the module Media Specialist Practice of the master course Game Development (Design). While our class was given multiple example ideas for projects, we were also encouraged to explore any topic that was personally interesting to us - hence the name of the module. I was initially keen to look into alternative methods of game presentation to the classic rectangular screen, which brought me to the topic of AR-technology. Early ideas for projects were projecting a 2D-platformer onto the walls, floor or ceiling of a room and creating an AR sparring simulator that would confront players with simulated opponents who would react to collision with the player.
Eventually, I settled on designing a strategy board game and enhance it with AR-technology, since I had recently remembered my passion for the Heroes of Might and Magic game series, which greatly lends itself to a board game adaption. However, its systems would be much too complex for a board game, which is why a compromise in the combination of slightly reduced complexity, computational enhancement and the physical interactivity that the AR-technology makes possible was found.
The Research
After figuring out the direction that this project would take, it was time to dive into research both regarding suitable AR-SDK’s and board game design principles as well as matters of play-testing, competitors and iterative design. I very quickly selected Vuforia as my SDK of choice, since it allows for the creation of virtual buttons that add to the tactile interactivity I was looking for. Beside this, I learned a lot about design approaches to board games, such as focusing on input randomness, utilizing the motivation of loss aversion, exponential power curves and much more, which all informed my initial feature brainstorm-session.
The First Design
Not only theoretical design principles but also similar games and even other forms of media influenced my first experimental design for a complex strategy board game with AR-capabilities. Of course, since I have never before designed a strategy game, I often consulted Heroes of Might and Magic 3 to estimate the balancing between the units of my two initial factions as well as my item designs. When thinking of solutions for random damage ranges on units, I remembered the anime Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor, where a game of restricted Rock Paper Scissors creates highly strategic situations. Impressed with the emergent complexity of such a simple game, I decided to use this concept in combat situations for Lands Divided, which would give strategically-thinking players an edge on their enemies.
The outcome of all these converging inspirations was a loose set of rules accompanied by the core loop pillars of map exploration, base building and turn- and unit-based combat alongside concepts for benefitting items and the units of two factions. Humans were designed to be the vanilla-type faction that featured stat-strong units that were easy to play due to their lack of special effects, while Goblins were much weaker stat-wise but were given multiple disruptive strategies, strenght-in-numbers mechanics and skills that could result in devastating outcomes for either side.
Stronger and Simpler Human Units
Weaker and more Disruptive Goblin Units
Road to the Second Iteration
After packaging the initial ideas into a formal project proposal, I presented them to my academic supervisor and later on the whole class. They helped me to make various improvements such as creating a third, defensive faction with the Dryads. After implementing these changes, I felt confident to put my design to the test by creating a paper prototype for play testing. This was to ensure that the concept was proven to work well and the balancing was fair before committing to the development of the high-fidelity AR-prototype. This was the first time that I wrote a comprehensive rule set for my play testers. I also created a lot of materials like a game board, a battlefield, numerous sheets to note down player progress and status, item-, unit- and Rock Paper Scissors cards as well as map markers.
Both as I designed these numerous materials as well as during the first play testing session, It was quickly apparent that the complexity of the game, which of course was designed with computational aids in mind, didn’t lend itself well to play testing in the form of a paper prototype, since gameplay was very slow due to the need to constantly calculate battle results and the like. However, my testers were luckily very patient and objective and I was able to note down loads of interesting issues with my initial design. Furthermore, my research about play testing helped me to hold an interview during which I received much more detailed feedback.
From Paper to Unity
After reviewing and implementing the suggested changes, I tested the game two more times (once with other testers and once playing against myself so I wouldn’t have time restrictions) before deeming it balanced enough to begin the development process. Before starting to implement the AR-prototype however, I decided to write a game design document to finally set my achieved concept into stone and also make firm decisions about the format and nature of the AR-prototype. While writing, I decided that fully implementing the whole game would greatly exceed my time limit, which is why I chose to only develop the game’s skeleton in the form of the previously mentioned three pillars while giving players one example unit to fight with. The prototype was intended more as a proof of concept rather than a release-level product. I used the Unity engine in conjunction with Vuforia to implement the prototype. The game design document for Lands Divided can also be found below.
The AR-Prototype
Finally, the development of the prototype could begin. I set myself a time limit of 21 days to complete the implementation of a list of features I had compiled in order to force myself to focus on this project and get it done in time. After experiencing numerous issues like problems with installing sample apps on my phone through Xcode due to bugs in iOS 13.3.1, the inability of my laptop camera to test ground plane detection and very slow internet that greatly lengthened the process downloading necessary software, which set me back in the first three days, I eventually managed to start working on the map exploration pillar. For image targets, I simply drew high contrast images on graph paper in the spirit of rapid prototyping.
When I created the digital map, I initially left it aesthetically bare and continued this practice of focusing on functionality throughout the development process. I was also able to cut time by re-using assets like character sheets that I had created for the paper prototype. Up until the combat system, I tested the features that I had developed throughout the day at the end of my work day to ensure their quality and functionality, noting any bugs to be fixed the next morning. However, the combat system was so complex and took so much time that I decided to test it at the very end of the 21 days. Despite the starting issues and some days on which I was unexpectedly unable to work, I managed to finish the list of features in time with the help of rigorous time management and constant revision of my planning.
Use of Paper Prototype Materials in the AR-Prototype.
Wrapping Up
After completing the AR-prototype, I wrote a detailed report about this project that can be found below and in which I laid out my inspiration, my methodology in completing the project as well as my aims and objectives. I also explain the deliverables in further detail and lastly discuss the project’s importance in the field of game design. Furthermore, I will continue to test the prototype on smart phone and tablet devices in the coming days.