When it comes to gameplay, the magic is often in the subtle details which work together in harmony to create a desired affect. For Wreckout, we have been playtesting and fine-tuning from the outset to ensure that matches feel dramatic, silky-smooth and perfectly balanced.
To use just one example, the "bounce" value for the ball has been carefully balanced according to the surface it hits. If you miss your opponents brick and hit the back wall, the ball is likely to bounce back at you fast enough to destroy your own bricks. On the other hand if you hit your opponents bricks, the ball will bounce back just that little bit more slowly, so it is likely to end just short of your own bricks, giving your the chance to grab it again and take another shot.
This creates a risk-factor for missing shots which becomes more acute as you pull into the lead, since you have less remaining bricks to aim for and are therefore more likely to hit the back wall, as well as a sense of reward when you hit a brick which gives you an opportunity to build up a rally of shots against your opponents.
It may seem like a simple idea, but we had to get the values for these two types of bounces just right to hit the sweet spot where games feel competitive and beautifully balanced.