Hi everyone!
Felix here with the weekly blog. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve delved into our game design pillars and how we define and develop features. Today, I want to tackle another crucial subject that influences the entire design of our game: USPs – or unique selling points. Let's explore how these USPs translate into the game's design.
Before diving in, I have some exciting news! Today, we welcomed 8 interns to help us with the game and the press demo for Gamescom. My cofounder Jens has been leading the game art teaching department at the School 4 Games in Berlin for many years. This partnership allows us to work with his best and brightest students during their obligatory internships each year. It’s a win-win: they get hands-on experience working on an actual game with a mentor they already know, and we get a significant development boost.
As part of their introduction today, we had a passion transfer meeting where we showed them all the driving forces behind the game, including the USPs and how we integrate them into the game. Now, I'm excited to pass this on to you, fresh from our meeting!
(That’s me, the bearded guy with the Star Wars shirt on the bottom right.)
So, in order in which we presented the today, our unique selling points are:
Historical
One of our core USPs is historical accuracy. This should be pretty obvious, but it’s important to mention that we strive to incorporate this element into all our games. That's why we collaborate closely with Humboldt University to ensure we remain as accurate as possible.
So, what does this mean for Lost Legions specifically? It means the game's premise is based on historical events – the Battle of Teutoburger Forest actually happened. We meticulously represent every piece of equipment, especially the well-documented kits of Roman Legionaries. Additionally, we use noninvasive means to convey historical knowledge, similar to item descriptions in Dark Souls games, but grounded in real history.
Now, some of you might have noticed mystical elements in the trailer and wondered how they fit into our historically accurate world. Without spoiling too much, I can assure you that any mystical elements are rooted in the mythology and beliefs of the time. In that era, gods and spirits were believed to be very active. However, there was a clear distinction between the feats of gods, spirits, and monsters and the capabilities of mortals, even the best Legionaries. So, no worries about fireball-throwing centurions in our game!
Optional
This USP is a bit less straightforward but ties in beautifully with our game design pillars. Survival games cater to a diverse range of player types. Whether you love exploring, building a practical fort, or fighting the biggest creatures, there's something for everyone. But what about the tasks you don't enjoy?
Personally, I love exploring but find building bases and collecting resources tedious. I play with a friend who will build a city overnight but isn't keen on combat. It's great when playing with friends who have diverse interests, but what if you're not?
Enter the idea of optionality. Our vision is to allow players to delegate major game tasks to NPC Legionaries. They can gather resources, craft items, build structures, and even explore or fight on your behalf. Examples of how this concept permeates the game can be found everywhere: We're also exploring the idea of including minigames for crafting. So according with the principle, these should be optional and not penalize players who choose not to engage with them.
I'm excited to see how far we can take this concept, but it’s already proving valuable in our design process.
Narrative
Last, but definitely not least, is the narrative. We want to tell an epic story that you can enjoy alone or with friends. This means borrowing a bit from role-playing games to set the scene and tell engaging stories. It creates challenges, especially with the "with friends" component, but it’s one of the aspects I'm most excited about. I love deep, engaging stories in games, and I can’t wait to create one for you. 😊
With that said, I hear the pixel mines calling…
See you next time!
Felix