Features - Arcanorum/rogueworld GitHub Wiki

This page is about core game features & systems. Not to be confused with character features/feats.

Problem

As part of the design process, when adding/modifying/removing a feature, there is a problem of the human-error aspect of design where a designer needs to keep a working memory of all existing features and a mental model of how they all interact (or don't) with each other, due to the complex nature of games and the myriad of often unintuitive and unpredictable ways that various systems and mechanics can interact with each other.

This is easily fallible and introduces delivery risks when unforeseen side-effects of decisions appear out of nowhere, and lacks consistency in the approach to design taken by different people, and potentially turns individuals into knowledge silos or "gurus".

Ideally every designer should have a system of methodically going through and pre-empting the possible interactions and side-effects of proposed changes.

Feature interaction matrix

To work around this, Rogueworld's main feature list is organised as a "feature interaction matrix", where each feature is ideally a distinct, self-contained part of the game that can potentially interact with any other feature.

Using this, we can chart these features against each other to create a system where interactions can be easily identified, and new additions can be checked against existing features to reduce the chance of forgetting about something.

Major features/systems will still likely have their own page on this wiki with details about their purpose and how they are intended work.

The feature interaction matrix is not intended to serve as authoritative documentation on all aspects of the game, but more as a design tool to help prevent silly mistakes, and to assist in the creation and maintenance of each wiki page.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EA5FYPszOUZ4BeJnwwSdCBoW07LfOq2uroentpBYOVE

TODO pages

  • Biomes
  • Inventory
    • Limited or unlimited capacity?
    • What happens to stuff after people leave?
  • Crafting
    • Recipes
  • Accounts
    • Skins
    • What happens to your character when you leave the game? Character stays there vulnerable? What happens to your items? Do they become available to other players to use?
  • Combat
    • Small to mid sized number ranges for hitpoints and damage (double to triple digit ranges); more tactical focused and comprehendable, able to do quick calculations in your head and the values are easy to identify and have high readability, not quite to the point of being a turn based RPG or card game with single to double digit values where potentially every hitpoint matters, but not to the extent of many faster paced real-time games with hitpoints and damage values in the thousands or even millions as that emphasise getting players to not focus on the specific values and just focus on the moment-to-moment gameplay and immediate experience without worrying about doing math.
    • In a tabletop RPG, it is easy to see that taking 3 damage when you have 12 HP is about a quarter of your HP, and so you can assess whether you want to engage certain encounters based on this knowledge, the player's thought process is more tactical, and their actions deliberate. Whereas for a lot of games like MMOs or something like Warframe, HP and damage values are regularly in the thousands or even millions, with damage coming in and going out several times per second, at which point those numbers become meaningless and impossible to do on-the-fly calculations for in the players' heads, so they just turn into noise and get zoned out by the player and the focus becomes more on just enjoying firing a machine gun at something or hacking away at it with a sword, and demonstrating more reflex based skill.
  • Status effects
  • Stats
    • Hitpoints
    • Movement speed
  • Creatures
  • Bosses