Production Plans
Platform
Web
Web of Lives is primarily targeted for web using HTML5 and JavaScript. Deploying the game in the browser will allow players to play from most computers with minimal downtime, meshing well with the game's heavy reliance on the cloud. Making the game quick to pick up an play, may draw in players who are unfamiliar with the rogue-like genre. Expectations of browser games may also be more inline with the games intentions and modern browsers should be powerful enough to support this game's demands. Graphics may be stylized, but will certainly be simple enough to be rendered in a webpage. Depending on complexity, the procedural generation of labyrinths may push the limits of browsers, but should be scalable enough to be possible. Only one floor needs to be generated at a time so complexity should not grow too quickly.
Mobile
The ability to play anywhere may be appealing to many players, so mobile platforms will be targeted after the production of the web version, if possible. Mobile will introduce new technical limitations, but our initial development for browser should prevent the game from becoming far too complicated for mobile. Mobile should lend itself to our reliance on the cloud and work well with our simple controls. iOS will be the primary mobile target, followed by Android. Once development for the other mobile platforms is far enough along, the logistics of developing for Windows based mobile devices will be considered.
Similar Games
Diablo 3
- Who: Activision Blizzard
- What: Action RPG
- When: May 2012
- Web of Lives takes inspiration for a number of mechanics from Diablo 3. The game has a fairly complex item composition system as well as procedurally generated levels. Diablo takes the roguelike genre and puts it in real time, making it more accessible to a wider audience.
Dungeons of Dredmor
- Who: Gaslamp Games
- What: Roguelike
- When: July 2011
Dungeons of Dredmor is a great example of a roguelike with non-ASCII graphics. It has more mechanics found in modern RPGs, such as classes, abilities and various skills. While more complex than Web of Lives, it still portrays a similar graphical style.
FTL: Faster Than Light
- Who: Subset Games
- What: Real time strategy
- When: September 2012
- FTL is a game where you guide a ship through space back to their allies, while trying to avoid hostile forces. Each area is procedurally generated, and the different interactions that take place between you and other NPCs could have consequences that are revealed later in the game.
Production Timeline (For Future Edits)
At the moment, members of the team cannot develop an accurate production timeline, as there are still a number of mechanics that need to be designed, and possibly more to be added in.
We anticipate that development will take somewhere between 1 - 2 years, depending on number of developers working on the game.
Development Costs (For Future Edits)
No one on our team is experienced with the business aspect of the development cycle. Since there is not much data available on development costs for other roguelikes, we feel like we would need to hire someone who has more experience in the business aspects of game development.
Target Audience
Web of Lies is intended to interest anyone who is interested in Roguelikes. Secondly, it could appeal to a number of players who enjoy really high-difficulty Role Playing Games, such as Dark Souls. Game-play would be much simpler since it only deals with 2D graphics, but the strategic elements would be just as deep.
Player Personas
Here is a few examples of players that we think would play our game, Web of Lives.
Balanced Ben
This type of player will like to be prepared for any event and all possible monster encounters. Ben will use whichever weapon the particular situation calls for and switch his current weapon for another weapon in his inventory if the situation changes. Because of Ben's focus on carrying many different types of weapons, he will most likely seek out weapons and items that give him a modifier to nearly any attribute. Weapons and items that would really help Ben's play style would be items that give a bonus to both STR and DEX. Ben also might be the only player that would likely use the Whip. Because Ben always carries a varied assortment of weapons in his inventory, he should rarely be in a situation for which he is not prepared. If Ben ever gets in a situation in which he is not prepared for, then he might get frustrated because he built his character with the notion that he would be prepared for anything.
Cautious Carl
The opposite of Speedy Steve. This type of player will like to take their time and play through the game very slowly. He will often creep around corners and will only engage monsters that he thinks he can defeat with 100% certainty. Carl will not have a preference for a particular weapon type. Because of Carl's focus on being cautious, he will most likely seek out weapons and items that give him significant modifiers to nearly any attribute. Carl will mostly search out armor to boost his CON so that it is harder for him to die. Carl also might be inclined use weapons that do not restrict his use of a shield. Because Carl tends to be very cautious about engaging monsters, he might be in a situation where he is under equipped for the current level of the labyrinth because he didn't kill enough monsters on the previous floor. If Carl ever gets in a situation in which he is not prepared for because of this, then he might get frustrated because he is under equipped and therefore likely to die.
Calculating Christina
Christina is a f#*&ing nerd. She'll be calculating and min / maxing every possible stat, item, and weapon combo possible. She puts John's excel sheets to shame.
But in all seriousness, this type of player does exist. She will spend a lot of time crunching numbers to run the most effective character build. Our game might not be as challenging for her because she will break down the most efficient mathematical equation to play the game. Christina might get frustrated if our game doesn't boil down to a mathematical equation from which she can calculate most effective play strategies.
Exploring Edward
This type of player will like to explore every nook and cranny of the labyrinth. Because Edward will be exploring the entire level before moving on to the next labyrinth he will most likely encounter all monsters, items, and NPCs. Therefore Edward will have more of and better quality items and more experience compared to other players who don't. If Edward ever gets in a situation in which he discovers that there was something that he missed, for example a secret room, then he might get frustrated because he was trying to explore everything and search 100% of the labyrinth.
Hardcore Harry
This type of player is a veteran of the genre. He has played everything from Rogue to Diablo III. He loves the tension of death around every corner and the hardcore aspect. He will bring all of his out of game meta knowledge to his play of our game. Harry will probably use strategies that have worked well for him in other similar games. He will engage monsters that he thinks he can kill and avoid those which he believes he can't handle. He'll know when to explore more and when to move on to the next labyrinth. Our game will rarely catch Harry off guard. We will half to work hard to impress this type of player.
Kiting Kevin
This type of player will like to stay away and out of range from all the monsters. Kevin will try to use ranged weapons whenever possible. Because of Kevin's focus on ranged, he will most likely seek out weapons and items that give him a modifier to DEX and CON. Weapons and items that would really help Kevin's play style would be items that give a bonus to both of these attributes. Enemies that use a melee attack might give Kevin a problem if they ever swarm and surround him, but if Kevin can keep them at a fair distance, then they shouldn't be a problem for him. If Kevin ever gets in a situation in which he must get up close and use a melee weapon, then he might get frustrated because he is forced into a situation that his character is not built to play.
Looting Lauren
Lauren is similar to the Exploring Edward player persona. This type of player will pick up every weapon and item they find. Because Lauren will be collecting every item she comes across her inventory will nearly always be full. Because she'll have a full inventory she'll probably always have an item for the task at hand. She'll also always be comparing new items she picks up to older items in her inventory in order to see which items she wants to carry because inventory space is limited. Because she is picking up everything, Lauren will more likely have better items than not. Therefore Lauren will have more of and better quality items compared to other players who don't. If Lauren is ever in a situation in which she can't carry any more items because her inventory is full and has to pick between two mega awesome super items, then she might get frustrated.
Melee Mike
This type of player will like to get up close and personal with all of the monsters. Mike will try to use melee weapons whenever possible. Because of Mike's focus on melee, he will most likely seek out weapons and items that give him a modifier to STR and CON. Weapons and items that would really help Mike's play style would be items that give a bonus to both of these attributes. Enemies that use a ranged attack might give Mike a problem at first, but once Mike gets close to them, then they shouldn't be a problem for him. If Mike ever gets in a situation in which he is unable to reach an enemy because they are kiting him or of some sort of physical barrier, then he might get frustrated because he can not make an impact on the situation.
Speedy Steve
The opposite of Cautious Carl. This type of player will like to run and get through each labyrinth as fast as possible. Weapons and items aren't really important to Steve unless they are a necessary component of some speed run strategy that he is implementing on this current play through. Because of the very nature of how he plays, Steve might speed run through a few labyrinths and end up having to fight monsters that are much more powerful than him. If Steve ever gets in a situation in which this happens, then he might get frustrated because he can not fight these monsters and might die.