During early development of Summoners Fate, we reached out to players to discuss what makes turn-based tactics gameplay so compelling. In contrast to card battlers, a tactical grid provides the dimensions of terrain and position. Obstacles must overcome, hazards avoided, cover from enemy fire taken. There is an innate satisfaction in the realism and creative solutions that the battlefield environment can bring to gameplay. A compelling turn-based tactics game has meaningful environment.
Terrain in Summoners Fate is destructible and persistent. In this example, a fireball destroys a patch of the earth, flings goblins across the map, and detonates spore pods, poisoning the Orc chief.
Meaningful Environment
To make a meaningful environment, three key pieces are needed:
- Tactical Significance
- Interactivity
- Persistence
Tactical Significance
Terrain in Summoners Fate has tactical significance. Large rocks, trees and other structures block movement and line of sight. Hazardous terrain such as lava and spikes cause damage. Furniture such as weapon racks, armor stands and spell tombs can be looted for cards.
Trees block Goblin's line of sight to Barbarian
While the Skeleton Captain's shield protects it from frontal damage, the Barbarian's knockback attack pushes it into the spike traps to a poof-filled demise.
Tactical significance is what drives compelling decision making: Do I take cover in these trees to avoid enemy fire? Do I go for the weapons rack or spell tomb to acquire an advantage?
Interactivity
With spells, you can interact with the environment to turn the tide of battle in your favor. Create walls of fire to stop the enemy advance. Open chasms and watch enemies plummet to their doom. Transform the environment into living creatures such as Treants and elementals.
Environment can be destroyed or transformed into powerful allies.
Persistence
Decisions are more meaningful when they have permanent consequences. The battlefield in Summoners Fate changes, for better or for worse, in response to player decisions. Fire spells can burn down the forest, exposing covered enemies - but likewise, potential cover you may taken advantage of later is now gone. Scorch marks from your incursions will also linger in the world, providing a lasting marker of the destruction left in your wake.
Pyromancer casts Conflagration to burn down the forest. The burnt trees still block movement, but no longer block line of sight, leaving the insectoids exposed to enemy fire.
By creating meaningful environment, each battlefield in Summoners Fate offers unique challenges and possibilities for players to win in creative and satisfying ways.
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