Dojo Jamie Smith BA Computer Games Design Teesside University.

Dojo

Jamie SmithBA Computer Games DesignTeesside University

What is Dojo?• Modern 2.5D fighting game with retro style

• Focus on fighting and various styles as opposed to fantasy violence

•Re Imagining of the 1980s Fighting Genre

Jamie Smith – Vis Awards 2010

Who Would Play It?


• Male gamers mainly

• Gamers of a mature age – 13+

• Older gamers who owned an Atari 2600 or Commodore 64.

• Those who take an interest in martial arts

• Man vs Man• Focus on the fights• No distractions or outside influences


Criticisms & Enhancements

• Taken everything people love about fighting games, out of the game:- Special Moves- Health Bars- General Exaggerations

• Body Part Specific damage system isn’t enough game play

• Taking jumping out of the game may be too extreme and limit the player too much

• Game doesn’t reward players equally for defensive/attacking tactics


Game play Tweaks

• Fighter styles compliment and contrast with each other, based on abilities

•Flip game play. Allows tide to be turned when player is under pressure

• Special buttons allow for game to be changed further

• A timer is set at the start of each round for both players, hitting the opponent adds more time. The timer starts at 10 seconds for both players, similar to chess.


Every character is divided into three hit zones based on their fight style and stature.Head, Body, Legs.


• What happens when ‘x’ fights ‘y’?

• Fights should be intimidating to the player

• Height, Reach, Strength, Chin, Speed – All important Factors

• Helps influence changes in tactics

Key

Low Damage

Mid Damage

High Damage


Damage System

Characters


ATTStrength

DEFStrength

ATTWeakness

DEFWeakness

Speed Power Chin Health Tactics Head Defence

Boxer Body Legs Legs HeadBody

3 4 4 4 Player must counter

attack and aim to

damage unblocked

head

Puts arms up to guard head

Sumo Body Body None Head 1 5 5 4 Player must avoid arm strikes and

plug away at getting

numerous body hits

Uses arms to push opponent away if they

get too close

Martial Artist

Legs None Body HeadLegs

5 3 2 5 Player aims to damage legs whilst

also trying to avoid leg counters

Nullifies opponent attack by grabbing

limb

Due to the head being high priority for all characters, each character will have a move that actively blocks the head. The head would only be able to be used to be attacked, not to attack.

Speed – Affects speed of attacks, blocks and movementPower - Affects the amount of damage inflictedChin - Affects the amount of damage takenHealth – Determines amount of starting health

See-Saw Levels

• Levels based on solitary arena’s:-Skyscraper-Cliff-Bridge-Dojo

• Each level has a peril that influences the player to avoid complete defensive game play

• ‘Flip’ allows players to switch the situation in their favour, if they are backed towards a the edge

• Stages are fairly confined to keep battles quick and on edge

• Levels are designed to have no bias, but can feel like they favour one player if they are in a better position

Control Scheme

Focus on not using every button

FightersRight handed stance by default Punch and Kick are mapped to two buttonsCombos, crouching and jumping attacks also

• BlockDefends against attacksCounter if timed correctlyCounter does double damage and hits opponents initial attempt

Control Scheme• SpecialOnly one per matchHits opponents head within range

• RageOnly one per matchDouble Damage at expense of half health bar

•FlipCounter’s a bad situationOnly way to get on opponents sideCan be countered, but not blocked

• Three blocks in a row gives an extra piece of health

• Three hits in a row gives an extra flip

Game Modes

Realism

3 points for head, 2 points for body, 1 point for legsCounter, Flip and Special are removedOnce player is hit, game is reset and the round starts again.First to 10 wins the match

Similar to CoD hardcore mode or Fight Night Round 3/UFC default

Classic

No health bars on screenIndication is given when Rage is activatedFirst to two rounds, wins

Arcade

Health Bar’s PresentAll Important Icon’s PresentFully viewable version of the game without restrictionsFirst to two rounds, wins

1 4

Timer Explanation


Player A hits Player B, Player A gains 2

seconds

Both Player’s start with 10 seconds

Player A hits Player B, Player B blocks. Player B gains 2

seconds

PLAYER A: 10 secs

PLAYER B: 10 secs

PLAYER A: 12 secs

PLAYER B: 10 secs

PLAYER A: 10 secs

PLAYER B: 12 secs

+2 Secs

+2 Secs

Also taking into account fighter abilities....

Continued


START END

BOXER: 10 secsHealth: 10

SUMO: 10 secsHealth: 10




PLAYER B: 10 secsHealth: 9

Sumo hits

Boxer

Boxer hits

Sumo

Full Battle




Sumo hits

BoxerBOXER: 8 secsHealth: 8


Boxer hits

SumoBOXER: 10 secsHealth: 8


Boxer hits

Sumo



Boxer hits

Sumo BOXER: 14 secsHealth: 8


Boxer hits

Sumo BOXER: 14 secsHealth: 8


Sumo hits

Boxer



Sumo hits

Boxer



Sumo hits

Boxer



Sumo hits

Boxer

SUMO WINS


FLIP RAGE

Other Factors

SPECIALARENA EDGE

+1 FLIP+1

HEALTHBLOCK

Game play Rewards

• Players are rewarded for tactical game play, waiting for the opponent to strike first and

successfully countering

• Players are rewarded for attacking game play, extra time is given. Both health and time

advantage

• Defensive game play is rewarded handsomely, but can also be heavily punished

•Players are rewarded for attempting to hit areas that damage the opponent more

Winning Conditions

• Player empties opponents health bar

• Player knocks opponent off ledge

• Either player’s timer runs out

To discourage cheating

• Each hit to the same area, does less and less damage

• Pressing of buttons can only be done amount of times per match, limitations added to more ‘popular’ buttons

• Each stage has a peril/limit, to discourage complete defensive game play – players constantly backing off

• Player’s each have one flip to start with, so skilful player’s will get out of a tight situation if they use theirs and the opponent counters

• AI could determine player style and attempt new tactics, if players repeat actions


Level Design


Fight 1 Fight 2 Fight 3 Fight 4Fight 5Mirror

Final Fight

• Linear progression through single player

• Changing of tactics between fights keeps player’s on toes

• Several difficulty settings

• Facts/Images/Advice given on screens before battles

• Player is informed of tactics upon failing a fight

Rewards


3 Characters to begin with

Beat Character

‘A’

Unlock Character

‘A’

Beat Character B

Unlock Character

‘B’

Complete Classic Mode

Unlock Arcade Mode

Complete Arcade Mode

Unlock Realism Mode

Complete Realism Mode

Unlock Alternate

Mode Versions

Beat any mode with

Character A

Unlock ‘Fight Style’

video of Character A

Beat any mode with

Character B

Unlock ‘Fight Style’

video of Character B

Modes

Character Unlocks

Video Unlocks

Considerations• Changes to the hit-based system. E.g. A Sumo can take alot of punches to the stomach.

• Design tailored to fit that of a turn based fighter

• ‘Rewinds’ in training – player can re-play a move that hit them to learn how to react or deal with the situation

• Limbs are mapped to each of the four controller buttons, changes game play strategy

• Timer in matches, champion loses by default if they don’t win a match. Could be exploited.

• Levels could deteriorate over time, if neither player seems to be finishing off the battle.

• Timer’s could be linked with the distances between opponents, a player may be hit and the opponent backs off to win by time. Timer could freeze at ‘y’ distance to deter this.


Jamie [email protected]

Q&A


Dojo Jamie Smith BA Computer Games Design Teesside University.

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