Combat
Game
Documents about Combat
Session: The Rise Of The Non Combat Or 'Cozy' Game Genre - Athena Peters, Rainbow Unicorn Games
The cozy game genre, characterized by non-combat mechanics, relaxation, and low-pressure environments, has experienced significant growth as a response to global stressors and a desire for meditative digital experiences.
- The cozy game genre has seen a 155% increase in search volume over the last year, signaling significant market growth and consumer interest.
- The commercial viability of the genre is underscored by the success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which became the second-best-selling game on the Nintendo Switch.
- Mobile titles centered on decoration, narrative, and customization, such as Gardenscapes and Life Makeover, consistently generate tens of millions of dollars in monthly revenue.
Breaking Barriers: Combat Accessibility in 'God of War Ragnarök'
The development of God of War Ragnarök prioritized the removal of unintentional barriers for players with motor and sensory disabilities, establishing a framework where accessibility features enhance rather than diminish the core combat experience.
- Accessibility features should be implemented by focusing on low-conflict, high-value tasks first, such as expanded control remapping and automating contextual traversal, to build internal confidence and demonstrate player value.
- Designers should avoid building overly specific 'assists' based on assumptions of player intent, opting instead for generic models that allow players to maintain agency, such as sub-target aim flicking that functions regardless of lock-on status.
- Accessibility features can conflict with intended design, such as mini-boss checkpoints that inadvertently trivialize combat; these should be placed in dedicated accessibility menus to ensure they are used by players who truly need them rather than those simply seeking an easier experience.
European Commission Proposal for a Regulation Laying Down Rules to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse
The position presented by Video Games Europe and the European Games Developer Federation seeks to shape the European Commission’s proposed regulation on child sexual abuse online by emphasizing that interactive video-game environments already embody a robust, safety-by-design framework.
- Video Games Europe and the European Games Developer Federation argue that gaming platforms should be exempt from uniform high-risk regulatory models because they already utilize safety-by-design frameworks.
- Data from the 2021 NCMEC Cybertipline indicates that incidents of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and grooming are significantly lower on video game services compared to platforms focused on photo or video sharing.
- A 2020 Ofcom/ICO survey of 4,000 respondents found that only 2% of adults and 3% of children reported experiencing harms via video game play.
Dreamscaper: Killer Combat on an Indie Budget
Developing a high-quality combat system within the constraints of an indie budget requires a disciplined focus on core design pillars and iterative refinement.
- Define core design pillars early—such as 'purposeful action' and 'tough but fair'—to guide development and ensure combat systems remain focused on player strategy rather than RNG.
- Invest in hit reactions and state machines to add depth without increasing player complexity, as these provide critical feedback that makes combat feel responsive and interactive.
- Implement a 'hit stop' system that freezes the attacker and target for approximately 115 milliseconds (7 frames) upon impact to create a visceral, satisfying sense of weight in combat.
Apex Legends Mobile footage from mobilegamer.biz. Captured from the Australian soft launch build.
Apex Legends Mobile successfully translates the core mechanics and high-intensity gameplay of the original battle royale title to mobile platforms.
- Apex Legends Mobile successfully replicates the core battle royale mechanics of the original franchise, including squad-based dynamics, the tactical ping system, and high-intensity combat.
- The mobile build maintains consistency with console and PC versions by utilizing identical loot rarity systems, such as level four sniper magazines and level three body shields.
- Gameplay remains centered on familiar resource management loops, requiring players to navigate shrinking zones while utilizing shield batteries and armor upgrades.
Master of the Katana: Melee Combat in 'Ghost of Tsushima'
The development of Ghost of Tsushima centers on the realization of a precise, skill-based samurai fantasy that prioritizes player discipline and fluid combat.
- Ensure the most effective way to play the game is also the most enjoyable, as players will resent being forced into either ineffective fun or effective drudgery.
- Front-load the best ideas and mechanics in the first 15 to 60 minutes of the game, because if the initial experience is not compelling, players will not reach the end.
- Use 'carrots' instead of 'sticks' to encourage variety; rather than nerfing overused abilities, incentivize the use of underused ones to improve player engagement and satisfaction scores.
Squad Coordination in 'Days Gone'
Combat believability in Days Gone is achieved through a systemic, squad-based artificial intelligence model that replaces traditional scripted encounters with dynamic, role-based coordination.
- Sony Bend Studio implemented a 'frontline' system in Days Gone that defines the spatial relationship between a squad and its enemies, using a sliding window average to stabilize combat movement and ensure squad members maintain clear lines of fire.
- The AI uses a behavior hierarchy where high-priority reactive tasks, such as avoiding grenades, override assigned combat roles, while low-priority behaviors are suppressed when a valid role is active.
- Squad members are assigned to specific lanes along the frontline to minimize movement, prevent collision, and ensure optimal positioning relative to both the enemy and fellow squad members.
I Made Halo Infinite ... but 2D (PIXEL ART & GAMEPLAY)
The process of translating a high-fidelity 3D title like Halo Infinite into a 2D pixel art format relies on specific technical strategies to maintain visual depth and atmospheric consistency.
- Atmospheric depth in 2D environments is achieved by applying a color gradient that transitions from lighter, desaturated hues in the distance to darker, more saturated tones in the foreground.
- Modular asset design allows for complex level creation by using tiling sprites for backgrounds and reusable components for foreground elements like terrain and debris.
- Real-world references for textures and shapes are essential for enhancing the realism of pixel art and maintaining high visual fidelity.
Shooter Games
Shooter games represent the fifth highest-revenue generating genre globally as of 2022.
- Shooter games are the fifth highest-revenue generating genre globally, maintaining a massive footprint across PC, console, and mobile platforms as of 2022.
- Monetization is heavily driven by microtransactions, with 97% of players engaging in titles that feature in-app purchases.
- The player base is predominantly male (63%) and young, with 38% of players falling within the 10 to 20 age demographic.
Stop Fighting! Systems for Non-Combat AI
The primary objective of this analysis is to provide a framework for developing immersive, non-combat artificial intelligence in video games.
- Utility theory is the most effective foundation for non-combat AI, using weighted utility curves to drive decisions based on NPC needs, personality traits, and environmental context.
- Controlled randomness must be integrated into utility-based decision-making to generate emergent, organic behaviors that avoid repetitive, deterministic loops.
- Relationship systems, where NPCs maintain distinct feelings toward other characters and objects, are essential for creating social depth and driving non-combat conflict.
Honoring the Blade: Lethality and Combat Balance in 'Ghost of Tsushima'
The primary objective in the development of Ghost of Tsushima was to reconcile the mechanical requirements of a 30-hour open-world action game with the core samurai fantasy of lethal, high-speed sword combat.
- To maintain the 'samurai fantasy' of lethal blade combat, Sucker Punch limited the number of hits required to kill enemies, keeping the engagement window short even as players progressed through 30 hours of open-world gameplay.
- The team avoided traditional RPG-style level scaling—which often relies on artificial health bars and 'skull' indicators—because it undermined the grounded, realistic nature of the game's combat.
- Developers implemented a stagger meter system to force offensive play, allowing players to break enemy defenses using specific stances rather than relying solely on parrying, which had become a repetitive, dominant strategy.
Evolving Combat in 'God of War' for a New Perspective
The transition of the God of War franchise to an intimate, over-the-shoulder camera perspective necessitated a complete overhaul of combat mechanics to preserve the series' signature offensive power fantasy.
- To maintain an offensive power fantasy with a restricted over-the-shoulder camera, developers implemented a data-driven zone constraint model that forces enemies into a predictable crescent-shaped area in front of the player.
- An aggression token system limits the number of active threats simultaneously engaging the player, preventing them from being overwhelmed by off-screen enemies.
- Combat fluidity is maintained through a hybrid targeting approach that combines analog stick input with motion warping, removing the necessity for traditional lock-on mechanics.
Companies behind it
As the documents state it.