What should be the concept of the game?

Matt Powers, the current executive producer at Capcom Game Studio Vancouver, who previously had a hand in creating Spore, Godfather and the Battlefield series at EA, sketched the concept of a mobile game specifically for Gamasutra.

However, as Matt himself admitted, this is his first concept of a mobile game. In other words, the text below does not claim to be a "template". This is how it looks to a person who has worked on console games for more than 20 years.

And before you get to the text, let's remind you. Last Thursday, we held a small vote under the heading "reading for the night." According to its results, it was this text that won. That's why we transferred him. Expect the next "Bedtime Reading" tomorrow, April 29th. 

GAME CONCEPT

This is a cursory concept of the mobile free-to-play PowerBall game!

A quick overview

• The player has X-number of balls;
• The task is to drive the ball into the hole / goal;
• Each level is something like a pool table;
• The player has a "cannon" (it is fixed on the table in one place) that shoots balls at the same speed, the player controls only the angle of the shot;
• The player needs to shoot the balls at a certain angle to hit the hole/holes;
• As the levels progress, obstacles appear on the table that prevent the balls from hitting the target (they can be walls, areas of the field that slow down the balls, black holes into which the balls fall, and so on);
• The player gets his own set of tools that he can place on the playing field. These objects can be used to drive balls into holes (accelerators, springs, and so on can be used as auxiliary tools);
• In fact, the pinball machine game is the opposite;
• The game can be very bright and noisy (like any pinball);
• Points are given for completing various goals on the game table (using certain tools and so on);
• There should be many ways to successfully complete tasks (the player can use the tools in different ways);
• When the player finishes with missions on the same table, he is given access to a new table with new tasks (and the player gets new tools to solve new tasks).

Similar games:

• Incredible Machine;
• Bill Budge’s Pinball Construction Set;
• Peggle;
• Angry Birds;
• Star Trux.

Example: the sequence of actions in the game

1. We aimed the turret at the right angle, fired a shot into the hole.

2. An obstacle appeared on the playing field in the way of the ball into the hole.

3. The player must use a set of tools (possibly a spring) to change the playing field so that the ball reaches the target.

4. The turret was pointed at the required angle, the ball, having reached the spring, jumped, overcame an obstacle and fell into the hole.

5. The player received a different type of ball — a LARGE ball. It is larger, its inertia decays faster, but it can destroy some types of obstacles.

6. In order for the BIG ball to reach the target, it is necessary to put accelerators in its path, otherwise the ball will lose inertia and will not reach the hole.

7. A LARGE ball was fired, it reached the accelerator, reached the spring, hit the hole.

8. The target is surrounded by barriers (brick walls).

9. The player puts two boosters.

10. A LARGE ball was fired, it reached the first accelerator, then reached the second accelerator, broke the wall, hit the hole.

11. An ordinary ball was fired, it reached the spring, hit the hole through a hole in the wall.

12. And so on.

A playing field and a set of tools

• The playing field is the area where the game takes place. It includes a hole where the balls and obstacles should hit.
• A set of tools – various items that the player has at his disposal to change the playing field. The player uses items from the toolbox to achieve the goal.

Example of tools:

Bonuses on the playing field

There are two ways to add new tools to the toolbox. One of them is the use of Power Points (in fact, hard currency, hereinafter referred to as PP) to purchase items (if they were open and available). The second way is to collect them from the playing field. On some levels, these items are used as bonuses. Bonuses can also be: extra balls, the ability to replay a level, extra points, etc. 

Themes

Themes are how the playing field, game obstacles and items from the toolbox look, what unites them, any common color scheme and manner. The topics can be completely different:

• Robotic
• Candy
• In the style of rainbows and unicorns
• Fantasy
• Etc.

At a certain point, new themes open up in the game. The first theme is given to the player for free. The player can purchase other themes for PP.

Trading system

• To complete all tasks on the playing field, the player must drive a certain number of balls (the number of balls depends on the specification of the field) into the holes;
• The player increases the number of points earned on the field: using items from the toolbox; driving balls into holes; pushing various targets on the field; collecting bonuses; and holding the ball for a long time in the game;
• After fulfilling all the requirements for a specific level, the player is given a total score of his passing. This estimate is then converted to PP; 
• PP is used to buy various items: balls, tools, themes, and so on; 
• The player can try to pass the playing field for a certain number of PP (but he can do this with the bonus only once, then the corresponding bonus will disappear and he will need to be dug for PP);
• The player can spend real money on PP;
• Every day the player receives a random number of PP (perhaps some other things), this will encourage him to return to the game every day;
• As the game gets more and more difficult as you progress, the player will have to find ways to use all the tools to get all the balls into the hole(s). If he does not get the maximum number of points after completing the N-number of levels, he will run out of balls/PP and he will be forced to return and go through the levels already passed (or use real money to buy PP);
• If the player plays well or is ready to beat the levels, he can continue playing without spending real money. But for faster discovery of a set of tools and new levels, he can spend money on purchasing PP, which can then be used to open in-game content. 

More details

• When a player creates his own "pinball machine" (places objects on the playing field so that the ball still hits the hole), he can do everything more difficult than required;
• The more items used, the more points he gets (which means more powerpoints);
• Players can save their "cars" and share them with friends;
• Players can use themed art to personalize their "cars".

Level Editor

• Players can spend PP to open access to the level editor;
• With the level editor, players will be able to create their own playing fields;
• They can share these fields with each other.

Other details

• The player can earn a Practice Ball. This ball will be automatically returned to the player after the launch. He does not collect points and his hit in the hole cannot be counted, his task is to test the solution proposed by the player without using valuable game balls (The training Ball disappears if it falls into a black hole. You can buy Training Balls for PP).
• Players can customize their own set of tools. Since the number of available tools will become large over time, the player can choose those items that he likes more or that are better suited for completing a particular level. Players at the same level can use completely different sets of items;
• Some game levels cannot be completed "at maximum" if the wrong tools are selected. In other words, certain "all-star" levels will require specific types of balls and objects. This, in theory, motivates players to return to this level with other items;
• Players can share their walkthroughs with other players;
• Preferably, no restrictions for game levels. The idea is for players to try and use their tools to earn maximum points on a level. A timer would limit players to interesting, creative solutions.

GAME CONCEPT – THE END