Good afternoon, everyone!
We decided to talk to the team and share our experience in the genre of turn-based strategies with you. We asked the developers of the Rummy Games team:
1) What is their personal experience regarding turn-based games?
2) What elements from these games would each of them like to see in the current or next project of the team?
Nikita Proskurin, Project Manager
1) Regarding the first question, my experience with this is quite lengthy. I got acquainted with this genre in my childhood, at the age of twelve, when discovered Heroes of Might & Magic II. It was difficult and sometimes incomprehensible for me, but I really liked to build cities and hire warriors. I did it in quite a poor way and with no system, loosing in the game all the time, and I didn’t really like the concept of the "turn-based" battle. Therefore, the game did not hold me back at that young age. I liked more "realtime" products that time.
But this experience did not make me turn my back on from the genre. Then, as me and my brain grew older, I discovered the following parts of the Heroes - that is 3d, 4th and 5th parts. I played Disciples, Robin Hood, Banner Saga and, of course, all the parts of XCOM, with all possible variations, as well as a replica from 1C - the UFO (all the 3 parts). Of the modern ones, this is the new X-COM; Civilization; Mutant Year Zero; Phoenix Point, which I, frankly speaking, hate; Attack of the Earthlings; both parts of the Thea and some others. There were many more, but now I don’t remember all my TBS.
2) Speaking about the elements that I especially liked. Firstly, this is the combination of turn-based and real-time mode in the MYZ. This was a pure revelation for me from the category of “wow... such can happen ?!". Although I am familiar with such a project as “Paradise Cracked”, the MYZ has become the benchmark for me in this regard! I would really like to see this mechanics in our game now, since in my opinion it can serve a narrative very well, with its help exploration of the map turns into a walk, and not into small runs with a step-by-step managed system.
And also, someday I would like to create a game with such animations as in the modern XCOM or in the Gears Tactics. Their quality and attention to the details in animation in the turn-based strategy make the game not just a tactic, but a spectacular action game with explosions and dynamics. It is precisely this dynamics that I often miss in turn-based strategies. I want an action movie.
Alexey Skolotin, Developer
1) The experience of turn-based games is limited. Sega MD2: Shining Force, 1st and 2nd parts, PC: Mutant Year Zero, Stoneshard, Darkest Dungeon. For the most part, these elements already exist: various “equips” (objects), formation of the squad and separation of roles, “stealth”.
2) As an option, it is possible to make the locked basement location like in the game Pillars of Eternity. On the floors - different kinds of tasks, enemies and bosses. Among the rewards - weapons, "equips", upgrade, maybe, class "perks", and "achievements".
Vlad Malkov, Founder, Developer
1) I have quite a lot of experience in turn-based games. Even in childhood with my brother I played games such as the UFO, Alpha: Antiterror, Civilization, etc.
Already at a conscious age I continued to play Civilization and XCOM, tried to play Mutant Year Zero, Corruption and Gears Tactics and Age of Age of Wonders 3. Those which I like include XCOM 2, Gears Tactics, Civilization and Age of Wonders 3.
2) I would like our current project and future projects to be different from other games and provide the players with the new experience and copy other games as little as possible.
Ivan Malykh, Music Designer
1) Unfortunately, I did not play turn-based games so much. From what I can recall is Mutant Year Zero, Heroes of Might and Magic, Disciples 2 and, oddly enough, the chess. The latter I like the most, because the chess contains minimal mechanics of tactical combat, which can be superimposed by other mechanics, including the mechanics of heroes, stealth and the narrative filing.
2) I won’t single out any separate mechanics, except that I would concentrate the player’s attention on the key one. In my opinion, this should be an understanding of the enemy’s behavior pattern, actually AI. It is possible to realize the behavior of enemies using one of the optimization methods, for example, the ant colony optimization algorithm.
Alexander Folomkin, Developer
1) Among computer games I like to play Fallout 1 and 2.
Also I love Backgammon, Preferans, Poker if choosing among the tactical table games.
2) The Universe. The Plot. It is hard to say. All together.
Maria Kravtsova, Project Manager
1) I like the tactical game on Nintendo Switch, which is Mario + Rabbits Kingdom Battle
2) It would be cool to introduce the movement mechanics, smooth and understandable. Animations and the movement of the camera automatically adjusted to the player.
Egor Ershov, Marketing Lead
1) I would say I have profound experience in turn-based games: chess, checkers, XCOM’s, Civilization, Heroes of Might and Magic, Alpha Antiterror, Space Hulk, Into the Breach and many other widely known franchises.
This genre allows me to spend time in a relaxed atmosphere.
2) A cunning / clever AI that every turn makes a puzzle for the player.
Julia Korn, Game Designer, Localizer
1) I played XCOM, Mutant Year Zero, Spaceland. Among these games, I like XCOM 2 the most.
2) We learned a lot of good things from these games. Most of all that would be good to see in our game the interactions with objects at the level, and much more interactivity (star maps, computers, etc).
Maxim Aitiev, 3D-artist
1) As for my experience in turn-based games... the first game of this kind was South Park: The Stick of Truth, laughed at the game in a good way, only in this game I could see a giant human germ with swastika on the shoulder and the voice of the Fuhrer. Also, the MYZ storyline was completed; the game made me intrigued primarily by its trailer. Although the trailer did not show the gameplay, that was enough to launch the game and immerse in it from head to toe.
2) An interesting system of "formation" of the characters, with their visual (art) and numeric display of stats. And of course, the good level design which would immerse us into the game world.
Dmitry Kondrakov, Game Designer, Narrative Designer
1) The first and unforgettable game for me is Gorky 17. The cool story and atmosphere, and the mechanics for those years were very much suitable. Well and, of course, XCOM 2. But I mainly play RPG. Here I can say about Fallout 2, there is also a turn-based battle in it.
2) From XCOM I would borrow the battle dynamics and its causativity. There generally do not need to think much. From Gorky and Fallout it is possible to borrow the narrative components; locations, objects, characters.
- Probably, one could also take advantage of the experience:
- The mechanics of using various objects that have a dual purpose. It can be both a tool and a weapon.
- Manually assembled levels with tricks and easter eggs. To make it interesting to go through them several times, finding new options.
- Dialogues and communication between the squad members.
Ilya Alenchikov, Level Designer
1) Played Gears Tactics, XCOM, Mutant Year Zero, Divinity Original Sin. I like all of the above, but I would especially focus on Gears Tactics, I will further explain why.
2) Most likely this is such a basic element that fundamentally changes the dynamics of the game, so this is not even what I would like to see, but would fantasize a little bit. I mean Gears Tactics and how the distribution of points for performing an action is arranged. That is, they did it for a greater variety of what one hero can do, one, two or several actions at the same time (we do not take movement as an example). This adds to the greater variability of actions and freedom for the player. I can’t say for sure that this mechanics can be safely used on our project, since I am quite new in the team, I still don’t know much, but definitely dreaming is no harm, huh. Gears Tactics, indeed, in my personal opinion, compared to old turn-based games, has a lot of great innovations. So, I think something can be borrowed from it. The same tricks, for example, with the locust nests, from where the monsters appear until you close it with a grenade.
Ivan Klochkov, Leading 3D-modeler
Recently, I don't have time for games, I am very passionate about modeling characters in the project. I don’t play turn-based games at all.
But I watched the Mutant Year Zero, XCOM and Phoenix Point let's plays.
Alexander Griboedov, Developer
- Divinity Original Sin 1&2
- King's Bounty (from The Legend series)
- Heroes Of Might and Magic 3&5
- Invisible Inc.
- Fallout 2
- Darkest Dungeon
- GhostControl Inc.
- Swords & Crossbones
- Dungeons of Dredmor
- Sproggiwood
- Dragon Fin Soup
I like all of the above. I would also mention another game Transistor. Besides it's not turn-based but it has tactics mechanics which are well implemented.
First 4 titles in the list are full featured strategies I'd say (Worms as well too).
What I would add to the current project is:
- Action Points and Initiative Factor from Divinity caught my eye. It makes you think how to match up your equipment.
- Alternatively, an ability to attack first as in Darkest Dungeon and South Park the Stick of Truth allows you to catch enemy napping. Different states of characters while in battle in Divinity attracted me either.
- I find it interesting when one of your characters is not involved in battle so he/she acts from stealth and can't be attacked while not being spotted. Commonly, you are able to win using the environment in various ways.
As for future projects we will begin with main story-line and key art-style that would give us an opportunity to add new features and modify its game-play. If that is in space again then we will create a bigger world (like in Mass Effect may be) and, for example, play as bad guys with global and ridiculous ambitions.