Telegraphed Tiles

This is a puzzle turn-based raid-like combat game prototype, heavily influenced by Final Fantasy XIV Online's raids. This level is not meant to be the first/introductory level to the game, but a way to show case the gameplay possibilities.

In each level, the player must figure out how to get the most damage out of the heroes abilities, while positioning them in a way that they survive the boss's attacks, solving each mechanic.

The evil Archmage may enchant the heroes with a fire spell that will explode after a few rounds, dealing damage all around them. They can survive their own explosion, but will die if they also take the blow from another hero... At the same time, the Cleric needs to get up-close and personal with the boss to cast Banish and recharge resources so they can heal the group later. The rogue needs to keep constant movement and flank the boss with the help of his allies to inflict maximum damage. The Paladin maybe slow with his heavy armor, but when his friends are hurt, he can call the fury of the gods upon his enemies. The Mage needs to keep still to charge a big spell and will lose concentration if he moves even an inch.

- GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS -

Click on a hero to select them, then click on the tile you want them to move to. You can change the heroes positions as many times as you want before pressing the "End Movement" button. Two heroes cannot occupy the same tile.

When selected, the hero's abilities will show on the left. The active ability is automatically determined by the hero's position, amount of Resource Points (RP) and some other special conditions for each hero's class.

After you end movement phase, the hero's abilities will resolve, as well as any attacks/spells prepared by the boss.

The game will end if all 4 heroes are defeated, and the boss will cast an invincible Ultimate Ability at the end of 10 rounds. If the heroes take the boss HP to zero before that, they win.

- PROTOTYPE UI DESCRIPTION -

- End Movement button: the player can press it when they are satisfied with the positions and active abilities of the heroes. This will also show some turn phase indications.

- Restart Game button: resets this phase to initial conditions.

- Party list: it shows each hero's active ability, with its damage amount in parentheses; their health, indicated by the number of hearts (HP); their resource points, indicated by the number of diamonds (RP); and whether they fulfill the conditions to receive RP the next round, indicated by the presence of the plus sign.

- Ability list: when a hero is selected, their ability list is shown with the description of each, and a filled triangle indicator for the active ability, if any (Banish, in the example shown).

- Movement and Ability indicators: when a hero is selected, their initial position is shown indicated by the blue marker; the target position is indicated by the black marker; the selected hero is indicated by the blue triangle on top of them; the movement range is indicated by the blue squares; the enemies in range of current ability if the hero moves to target position is shown by the red square.

- Enemy information: the name of the enemy is shown, as well as the name of the attack being cast this round. Below the enemy's health is shown (HP).

- Status indicator: this storm cloud indicates the damage over time effect cast by the Mage's "Call Lightning" ability.

- Status indicator: some boss' spells are shown by symbols on top of heroes. To find out the meaning of these is part of the puzzle.

- Enemy attack indicator: some other attacks are indicated by symbols on the arena. To find out the meaning of these is part of the puzzle.

- Area of Effect (AOE) indicator: orange tiles indicate that any hero standing in that position will take damage. More than one indicator may overlap, so a hero can take multiple instances of AOE damage.

- HERO CLASSES DESCRIPTION -

Rogue

Gameplay description: they gain RP by moving at least one tile per round. If they are in melee range to the boss and there is another hero also in melee range in a tile directly opposite (e. g. Rogue to the right of the boss and Paladin to the left of the boss), they can deal 2 damage with Flank ability; otherwise they deal 1 damage with the weaker Quick Daggers ability. Both abilities spend 1 RP to use.

Design choices: the idea is to restrict possible tiles to solve mechanics by stimulating changing the Rogue's position every round, while also restricting the movement of a second hero to flank the boss. This makes solutions to each round more dynamic, avoiding all heroes standing still in the same formation all the time.

Paladin

Gameplay description: they gain 3 RP when any of their allies has taken damage in the previous round, activating the powerful Vengeful Smite ability that deals 3 damage. They also start the raid with 3 RP. When Vengeful Smite is not active, they will use Holy Blade, dealing 1 damage in melee range, spending 1 RP.

Design choices: Paladin is designed as a more auxiliary hero, compensating damage taken with bursts of damage to the boss, while also hindering mechanic solutions with mostly melee ability range and lower movement range.

Cleric

Gameplay description: they get 1 RP when using Banish, which requires them to be in melee range to the boss, dealing 2 damage. If they are not in melee range, they cast Sun Ray, spending no RP. If they have at least 1 RP and any heroes in 1 tile range have HP lower than their maximum HP, they will cast Heal, spending that RP

Design choices: Cleric will either deal damage or heal in each round, and they need to deal damage in melee range to farm resources to be able to heal when needed, creating a balance between these two functions. The mechanics resolutions can be made difficult by the necessity of having all heroes in 1 tile range of the Cleric for heals in some cases; also the RP regenerating ability requires them to be in melee range, restricting movement.

Mage

Gameplay description: they get 1 RP if they didn't move in the previous round. Their active ability will be determined by the amount of RP they have available, dealing more damage the more RP they have. If they move any amount of tiles, they lose all RP in the next round. The abilities are: 1 RP, Call Lightning (1 damage, also inflicting the enemy with damage over time); 2 RP, Arcane Ray (2 damage); 3 RP, Obliteration (3 damage). All abilities spend no RP to cast and have 3 tiles range.

Design choices: the intention is for the Mage to be a powerhouse of damage, while restricting the solution of mechanics by having them sit still and other heroes having to adapt their position to accommodate them. It also creates choices between Mage taking damage for not moving, or having to build RP all over again because they moved to avoid taking damage.

- MORE LEVELS IN DEVELOPMENT -

The intention of this is 1-level prototype was to build the gameplay foundation I had in mind. My current plan is to build more levels with different mechanics/requirements to validade the classes abilities and the gameplay feel.