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Oh I think about hit points a lot and Dee goes into something that I went through that really helped me define how I look at design
Gimme a sec it's a bit unstructured in my brain let's see if I can do a smart design thread https://twitter.com/DeePennyway/status/1344357681868525568
Gimme a sec it's a bit unstructured in my brain let's see if I can do a smart design thread https://twitter.com/DeePennyway/status/1344357681868525568
So about a year ago I wrote a small design concept for a combat system that tried to go into why I disliked hit points.
It was based around a duel, each combatant had 2 "Stats":
-Are you willing to kill them?
-Are you willing to die?
It was based around a duel, each combatant had 2 "Stats":
-Are you willing to kill them?
-Are you willing to die?
The idea is that you do actions, you know have the fight, but instead of rolling you answer these questions.
As the tide of battle shifts, you continue to answer these questions.
And eventually, someone wins, dies, or runs away.
To me, that was what I wanted players to consider
As the tide of battle shifts, you continue to answer these questions.
And eventually, someone wins, dies, or runs away.
To me, that was what I wanted players to consider
To me, I was frustrated about how HP, an abstraction of life into numbers, seemed to mechanize dehumanizing the horror of taking a life or fighting for your own
This came from my experiences with more trad games, as I started to explore the indie space
This came from my experiences with more trad games, as I started to explore the indie space
Now this system is bleak af, and in a greater system I don't think it'd be something I'd want to play (hell, the duel theory is too grim for me, I'd break down), not to mention it'd be tedious and lose its impact without some support, mechanically or not.
Oh important to note was in this theoretical game one player was always a goblin, the other an adventurer. The imbalance was important to me, for obvious reasons lol
So, this got me to really look at HP, a representation of vitality, in a new way!
It helped me learn what I wanted out of my design. I wanted players to be answering these questions, or those like it, but within my mechanical framework. What my "HP" represent should be known!
It helped me learn what I wanted out of my design. I wanted players to be answering these questions, or those like it, but within my mechanical framework. What my "HP" represent should be known!
Nothing groundbreaking, I know!
The concept of Stress is widely known and used bc it's basically the same thing but broader (I do this in Space Between Stars).
But what Dee brings up is a slightly different street, what does it say about where your game goes?
The concept of Stress is widely known and used bc it's basically the same thing but broader (I do this in Space Between Stars).
But what Dee brings up is a slightly different street, what does it say about where your game goes?
When a number goes down, what does that really mean?
Is a number going down the way you want to represent that? Are questions you have to answer the way you want to represent that?
It's fun to explicitly think about these things! Challenge yourself to push it further and further
Is a number going down the way you want to represent that? Are questions you have to answer the way you want to represent that?
It's fun to explicitly think about these things! Challenge yourself to push it further and further
I don't think I agree with Dee's synthesis, but I agree with their thoughts?
Hit points will continue to be an ever shifting puzzle to me, a painting I look occasionally and see something new
Things having HP does make me think "well, they can die" but it goes further?
Hit points will continue to be an ever shifting puzzle to me, a painting I look occasionally and see something new
Things having HP does make me think "well, they can die" but it goes further?
I think this is where my thread trails off lol
The core idea here is hit points, as a cornerstone of design, should be pushed and prodded! Questioned and interrogated!
Make games that don't work, bc you'll learn from them!
Don't let things stand still, have fun!
The core idea here is hit points, as a cornerstone of design, should be pushed and prodded! Questioned and interrogated!
Make games that don't work, bc you'll learn from them!
Don't let things stand still, have fun!
Oh shit I forgot to talk about how you can seperate hit points and violence very easily by changing language and what triggers it, how games, mechanics and play are like infinite playdoh, and like idk any tangible advice?
Make your own game where you cry over killing a goblin
Make your own game where you cry over killing a goblin
