Hello, this is the Stack Up development team.

This is our second developer note.

Following the previous note, we would like to talk a little more about our development process.

When we first came up with the idea for the game, the concept was about determining superiority between special forces units.
In other words, among the many special forces units around the world, which one is the strongest?

However, there is already an excellent game based on that concept, and from a practical standpoint, it was difficult to create a truly different gameplay experience between each special forces unit.

Of course, we could have added unique traits to each unit and created differences between them, just like existing games do.
But even setting aside the issue of not being sufficiently different from those games, we had a more important question: would that approach really allow us to express the believable special operations fantasy we were aiming for?

We were worried that, in the end, it might simply become a hero shooter wearing the skin of special forces.

After several days of discussion, we eventually decided on the structure of special forces versus terrorists.
In one sense, it evokes the nostalgia of classic games, while at the same time it may feel somewhat obvious or familiar.
But a classic cliché is also something that has been loved for a long time. We like it too.

However, that was not what we were truly concerned about.

If the CT side carries the fantasy of special forces, what kind of experience should the other side provide?
We were also concerned that, if handled poorly, it might appear as if we were endorsing terrorism.

At first, we considered allowing the defending terrorist side to place various objects around the map.
Of course, that kind of system is possible.
However, it would increase the number of mechanics players have to learn, and we wanted to minimize anything that could interfere with gunfighting.

We felt that the only things that should be able to kill a player are bullets and grenades. :)

We wanted to make a game where more playtime is spent on the fight itself, rather than on preparing for combat or building up defenses beforehand.

To solve this problem, we first began examining the various characteristics and advantages that special forces possess.
As a result, excluding their high level of skill and teamwork, we identified the following elements.

The first characteristic is equipment superiority.
Special forces generally have an advantage over terrorists in terms of equipment, such as night vision devices and body armor.

The second is rules of engagement.
As soldiers who must follow ROE, there are many restrictions on how they can carry out an operation.

The third is the number of personnel depending on the operation.
Real battlefields do not begin with both sides having equal numbers like in a game.
Sometimes one side is at a disadvantage, and sometimes it is at an advantage.

The fourth is their attitude toward civilians.
If civilians are present in the operation area, there will inevitably be limits on the use of firepower and the way the operation is conducted.

Once we organized these ideas, we naturally thought that by designing the opposite side around contrasting concepts, we could provide a different kind of experience.

In other words, we would place equipment restrictions on the terrorists while giving them a numerical advantage, depending on the mode, and apply a strong penalty to the special forces side for killing civilians.
We felt this could create enough differentiation while still maintaining a reasonable balance.

In the actual score distribution, we also made the score penalty heavier when a special forces player is killed, so that even the same single death carries a different weight.
Of course, since equipment differences such as body armor have not yet been fully implemented, this aspect is not strongly reflected at the moment.

For the terrorist side, we allowed them to capture civilians and use them as shields, or move them to desired positions.
The maps are also designed so that the terrorist side, which occupies and defends the area first, has a slight advantage.

In other words, the special forces side is intended to play carefully through teamwork, while the terrorist side is intended to allow freer play based on individual skill, whether through rushing or camping.

Since camping can be an effective strategy for the terrorist side in particular, we thought that players who prefer camping might naturally choose the terrorist side more often.
Players would naturally select a faction based on their preferred playstyle.

In addition, the presence or absence of night vision would be one of the biggest differences in the experience between the two teams.
In actual special operations, special forces often prefer night raids in order to make use of their equipment advantage. There are other reasons as well, of course.

This was also a feature that is not often seen in other PvP games.

One thing we regret is that we were not able to implement ROE.
Ready or Not does an excellent job of integrating this aspect into the game.
However, since our game is mainly focused on PvP, it was not easy for us to make use of that feature.

Through this process, one of the biggest features of our game, the concept of asymmetric PvP, was formed.

Since games like Dead by Daylight, as well as zombie modes in various FPS games, already offer asymmetric multiplayer experiences, we believe this concept will not feel too unfamiliar to players.

There are still many elements that have not yet been implemented, and a lot of work remains before we can refine the game into the experience we are aiming for.
However, your valuable feedback has been a great help in moving us closer to that goal.

Once again, thank you very much.

We will see you in the next note.
Thank you.

The Platypus
Stack Up Development Team