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In-Game Economy What I am needing is a working economy within my story for a game. There are a total of ten questions that need to be answered pertaining to the economy in the story to keep it balanced. An Excel spreadsheet needs to be included showing the inventory system and an explanation of the inventory and how it relates to the economy. An example of everything needed is attached, as well. I will provide the story, once an agreement is made. Thank you.
Sheet1
| Economy for The Project | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scout /Recon Skills | Level | Function | Assault/Melee Skills | Fire Support Skills | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stealthy Passage | 3 | Reduces chance of being detected by 10% | Scattershot | Increases the area of the spread of | Assault Rifle | Steady Hand | Reduces lock-on time by 10% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Combat Skills | Fighting Retreat | 8 | After being detected, chance of hitting target increases by 10% & chance of being hit is reduced to 10% | Pistol Whip | Allows pilot to use a depleated rifle as a Melee weapon | Sure Shot | Reduces lock-on time by 25% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sure Footing | 20 | Chance of falling on rugged terrain is reduced by 40% | Knockout | Increases the chance of a critical hit by 20% for Melee weapons | Head Shot | Increases chance of critical hit by 20% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keen Eye | 45 | Range at which an enemy can be detected increases by 15% | Penetrating Shot | Increases the chance of a critical hit by 30% with Assault Rifle | Tight Grouping | Increases the number of actual hits from a volley of missiles by 25% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bob ‘n Weave | 70 | After being detected, chance of hitting target increase by 30% & chance of being hit is reduced to 5% | Sucker Punch | Increases the chance of a critical hit by 50% with Melee weapon | Assassination | Increases the chance of a one-hit-kill by 30% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scout/Recon Tech | Cost | Assault/Melee Tech | Fire Support Tech | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contact EMP | 1600 | A weapon that shuts down enemy robot on contact. Duration: 7 seconds | Club | 1500 | Hand-held melee weapon that inflicts great damage | Wire Guided Missiles | 6000 | A missile with a high damage yield. Fired individually. Pilot steers the missile to the target | |||||||||||||||||||||
| EMP Upgrade | 2500 | Allows EMP to shut down enemy robot from 50 yards away. Duration: 10 seconds | Mace | 3200 | Upgrade to the Club that inflicts even greater damage | Surface-to-Surface Missiles | 2800 | A fire-and-forget missile with a moderate damage yield, but fired in volleys of 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Scout Class Shotgun | 1700 | Lightweight firearm that inflicts damage over a greater area of an ememy’s unit | Armored Fist | 1000 | A melee weapon worn on a Guardian’s fist that inflicts moderate damage | Heat Seeking Missiles | 4200 | A fire-and-forget missile with a high damage yield, fired singly. High accuracy | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Armory points | Scout Class Machine Gun | 1800 | Lightweight firearm that inflicts concentrated damage on parts of an enemy | Spiked Fist | 2000 | An upgrade to the Armored Fist that inflicts significant damage | Sniper Rifle | 2300 | The standard long-range, scoped rifle carried by Fire Support Guardians. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Infrared Targeting | 3000 | A target system upgrade that allows ability to detect enemies on the infrared scale | 2200 | Standard hand-held firearm for Assault Class Guardians | Sniper Upgrade 1 | 4000 | An upgrade to the standard Sniper Rifle. Increased range and accuracy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| X-Ray Targeting | A target system upgrade that allows the ability to detect enemies using X-Rays | Rifle Upgrade | 3600 | Upgrade to the standard Assault Class Rifle that inflicts greater damage and has higher accuracy | Telescopic Upgrade | 7000 | A sniper module upgrade that dramatically increases range and accuracy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rockets | A short to medium range, unguided rocket launcher. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Guided Rockets | An upgrade to Rockets incorporating a laser guidance system for higher accuracy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grenade Launcher | A medium range weapon that projects grenades into enemy ranks. Inflicts damage to multiple targets | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Multi-Grenade Launcher | An upgrade to the standard Grenade Launcher. Launches several grenades at once | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Side-quests | Type | Performed | Goal of Quest | Sidequest bonus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Side-quest 1 | Discover Technology | on foot | Find location of Alien Technology to reverse engineer. (Plasma Weapons) | Special emblem displayed on shoulder of Guardian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Side-quest 2 | Find location of Alien Technology to reverse engineer. (Laser Weapons) | Special ribbon displayed on chest of Guardian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Side-quest 3 | Find location of Alien Technology to reverse engineer. (Magnetic Weapons) | Custom Decals allowed on Guardian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Side-quest 4 | Steal Technology | in Guardian | Infiltrate location and acquire technology discovered in Side-quest 1 | Bonus Armory points | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Side-quest 5 | Infiltrate location and acquire technology discovered in Side-quest 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Side-quest 6 | Infiltrate location and acquire technology discovered in Side-quest 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Side-quest 7 | Test Technology | To test in live combat reverse engineered technology recovered in Side-quest 4 | Attain combat skill: Plasma Weapon Specialist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Side-quest 8 | To test in live combat reverse engineered technology recovered in Side-quest 5 | Attain combat skill: Laser Weapon Specialist | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Side-quest 9 | To test in live combat reverse engineered technology recovered in Side-quest 6 | Attain combat skill: Rail Gun Specialist |
Final Project – Part 2 – Week 3
Designing and playing a game should be fun and entertaining. This means that while designing a game you need to think about what would be fun and entertaining to the person playing it. In the real world the subject of economics can be determined by theories, but in the game design world the most important thing to focus on is fun.
Economics is based largely on behaviors. When designing a game you must try to determine how you think the player will behave in the game when faced with certain choices. You have to account for where they might go if they choose a. vs. if they choose b.
Think outside the box and design an economy that will make your game function and be fun. Remember that there is an economy in every game even if it is not a typical economy. “Money” can be anything that a player obtains during a quest, fighting another character, or solving a puzzle. In the process of designing an economy you should keep the following questions in mind and make sure to follow the balance tips.
So, first decide what will be your “money” and then go from there.
There are two questions that must ultimately be answered:
1. How will the player make money?
2. How will the player spend said money?
In order to keep the game balanced and have a working economy you will want to answer the following questions. (This was adapted from The Art of Game Design by Jesse Schell. You will be seeing this book in your next class.)
· Fairness: Do any players get an unfair advantage when they buy certain items or is there an unfair way to earn things?
· Challenge: Can a player buy an item that will then make the game too easy for them? Is the challenge to earn money too easy or too hard?
· Choices: How many ways can a player earn money? How can they spend it? How many options should be available?
· Cooperation: Can players combine their funds? Can they steal? Would doing either of these help or hurt the game economy?
· Time: How long does it take to earn money? Is this too time consuming or not consuming enough to the game itself?
· Rewards: Is there some reward to earning or spending money?
· Punishment: Is there some type of punishment that would hinder a player’s ability to earn or spend money?
· Freedom: Are the players able to earn and spend what they want, how they want, and when they want?
Format:
Week 3 – Submit the outline of your economy in response to the 10 questions above. Incorporate your story with the balancing questions and be very detailed. This can be done in essay or numbered format. If you feel your idea is not going to be conveyed through words only you may provide pictures for this part in addition to the outline. You MUST also include a spreadsheet of the inventory system in your game. It must be accompanied by an explanation of the inventory and how it relates to the economy and the story. This is what you would be providing to your design team after giving them the story.
Grading Criteria:
Worth 5% of grade
Explanation of economic system:
Answering all 10 questions in detail and the accompanying Excel
Spreadsheet. Including but not limited to monetary
basis and all balancing items 90
Format/Grammar/Spelling 10
Within The Project, the human response to an unwelcome alien race, there are three ways to make “money”, or rather; there are three ways to procure economic gains. As a military robot pilot there is little need for cash, yet opportunities to obtain skills and upgrade equipment are available. The economic system has these features:
Combat skill points– Combat skill points are earned when a pilot engages in combat with enemy units. Points are earned from every successful weapon hit on an enemy, for instance, if three out of five missiles fired strike the target, the pilot will get points for the three missiles that hit. A player will earn more points for a “kill”, but combat skill points will also be issued for “kill assists”.
As these combat skill points are earned, they are “spent” for the player. First, when a player reaches a specific, predetermined point, the player’s pilot will “level up”. Secondly, at predetermined levels the player will receive a skill specifically aimed for his chosen combat role. An example of this would be: if a player chooses Scout/Recon for his combat role, the specialized skill of Stealthy Passage will be acquired when they have earned enough points to reach level 3. Later, when they’ve earned enough points to achieve level 8, they will attain the skill Fighting Retreat. In this way, points earned by a player will be spent for them.
Armory Points – Topurchaseweapons, weapon upgrades, system upgrades, armor, and cosmetic upgrades, players will go to the Armory and spend Armory Points. Armory Points are earned by each player directly relating to time invested in combat. These points are issued at regular intervals, (800/hr, or 200/ every 15 minutes) and can be spent by the player in any way they see fit, limited only by availability and any pre-requisites an upgrade may have.
Side-quest Bonuses – The final way a player can receive economic gain is by completing side-quests. At different intervals throughout the game, quests will be presented to the player. By completing these quests, players will be rewarded in a variety of ways. (Details for all three systems can be found in the attached spreadsheet.)
To answer the questions of balance, I will address them point-by-point.
-Fairness: Players do gain advantages when purchasing upgrades from the Armory, but by no means is it an unfair advantage. Depending on their combat role, Guardians can be tailored in a variety of ways but one Guardian will not be substantially different than another. The only questionable instance would be a Sniper with the Telescopic Upgrade combined with the Combat Skill Assassination, but still, they would not be impervious to death and destruction. There is no unfair way to earn bonuses. The Side-Quests that do provide bonuses become available to everyone at the same levels.
– Challenge: The techno-alien race has unknown weapons and systems technologies, (the Side-Quests are set up to discover some of these mysteries).
They are dangerous and difficult to defeat, but upgrades allow an easier time of dealing with these enemies, not too easy though. The challenge to earn Combat Skill Points, Armory Points, and bonuses from Side-Quests remain constant for everyone. Combat Points get increasingly more difficult to accumulate, and Armory Points are dependent only on the amount of time in combat.
– Choices: There are three ways for a player to earn economic gains, (detailed in the first paragraphs). Players can freely spend earned Armory Points, and Combat Skill Points are spent for them. Quest Bonuses are earned through achievement. There are many options available for pilots in each chosen combat role, (detailed in attached spreadsheet).
– Cooperation: Players cannot combine their Combat Skill or Armory Points. Combat Skills are learned at specified levels, and Armory Points can only be spent on upgrades and cosmetics applied to their individual Guardian robot. The opportunity to steal advanced alien technology is presented to the player in Side-Quests. This is the only opportunity to steal and is, in fact, the very purpose of three of the quests. By accomplishing the quests, they are not helping or hurting, but fulfilling the game’s economy and enhancing their personal economic gain.
– Time: The time it takes to earn Combat Skill Points will level up players fairly quickly in the beginning and become more difficult at higher levels. The actual Combat Skills given at specific levels are designed to interest the player early enough in the game, but make them work longer and harder to keep themselves invested. Armory Points are given at the same regular intervals throughout the game. The items available for purchase with these points though, are priced to allow a player to spend on good items early, but to obtain the great items they will have to dedicate more time. Quests open one by one so that quests will be available throughout the game.
– Rewards: The rewards to earning Combat Skill Points are actual combat skills. These skills will enhance the ability of a player to perform his specific combat role. For example, when a scout/recon pilot earns the skill of Keen Eye, it will increase their chances of spotting enemy targets at a greater range, allowing them to perform their function as a scout more dutifully. Rewards for spending Armory Points are in customizing their Guardian’s abilities and appearance to have a completely unique Guardian. Finally, rewards for accomplishing quests are gaining unique cosmetic badges, and reverse engineered alien-tech weapons.
– Punishment: There is no punishment that would keep a player from earning Combat Skill Points or spending Armory Points. The only thing that would keep a player from engaging in a Side-Quest is not accomplishing the necessary previous quest to unlock the following one.
– Freedom: Players will earn Combat Skill Points and unlock Combat Skills directly related to the combat role they have chosen. Meaning that, as a Fire Support specialist, they will not be rewarded with Scout/Recon skills. Players are absolutely free to spend their Armory Points on anything they wish. The only constraint, and a temporary one at that, would be if a player needed any pre-requisites to utilize the item or upgrade. The bonuses received from accomplishing quests are set; no choice is involved. Yet, a player would be free to pick or not pick a particular quest. Some are necessary to unlock others and some are not.
Accompanying this Word document is an Excel spreadsheet that details the levels and skills of the Combat Skill Points, the weapons and upgrades available for purchase with Armory Points, and a layout of the Side-Quests, and the bonuses gained for accomplishing them.
