TLDR: Turn Based and Squad Based strategy game aiming for fast sessions (10-15 min)Dungeon of Zaar is a multiplayer turn-based strategy game where two teams of five mercenaries fight each other to death. First player to kill three enemies win the round. Hello TIG !
We are a small team from Paris. We are currently working on our first game, and since we finally have something tangible to show, we realized it was time to ask for your opinion and your help. We launched a Square Enix Collective campaign a while ago and the first feedback were encouraging.
Our game owes a lot to strategy classics: Final Fantasy Tactics, Magic the Gathering and the Warhammer games are our main influences, among many more. As big fans of the genre, our goal, and probably the greatest challenge here, is to provide quick games (10 to 15’ in average is our target) with a strategic depth able to meet our standards.
As if it was not already ambitious enough, we got an another dream: making this game accessible for all, including newcomers in the wonderful, but not so welcoming, world of strategy games. Hence, designing the rules, the mechanics and the interface to be as intuitive as we can is a constant concern. It’s very important for us to build a game easy to pick up which provide excellent legibility to smooth the learning curve and make the game enjoyable for newcomers. With these constraints in mind, we decided to make a turn based tactical game built on few straightforward mechanics which, once combined, allows players to plan a very wide variety of strategies and gameplay.
In short, Dungeon of Zaar is the result of our compromise between quick games, accessibility and strategic depth. Anyway, less talking more showing :D
Lore:On the edge of a magical world awaits the Dungeon of Zaar, home of the eponym great Archmage. A century has passed since his last appearance, and all eyes are now on the Dungeon, eager to claim a share of the spoil. You are an Explorer, leading a team of mercenaries (Knights, sorcerers and monsters of all kind) to plunder whatever is hidden into the depth of the Dungeon. But beware! You are not the only one who had this idea…
Mercenaries:A skeleton crumbling into dust at the first sign of wind, a priestess unable to heal herself, or a champion so damn absorbed in the contemplation of his own pectorals to even think about putting on a true armor… Here are the recruits who will follow you in your foolish dream. But well managed, these companions, knowing nothing but bravery and loyalty (well… at least to your purse), are powerful allies able to make you come back alive and wealthy from the depths of the Dungeon.
At the current stage, 8 different mercenaries are available. You can pick two of the same kind when building your team. We aim to offer at least 15 mercenaries for the release. Each one has 3 characteristics: power, health, movement. They also own between one and three unique abilities, passive or active. Later, the player will have to choose between various spells for each mercenaries before the fight, giving him more room to customize his team.
Objects:Explorers are the bearers of powerful artefacts they can use to help mercenaries at key moments during the fight. The player picks 3 objects before the fight. Choosing the right objects to make up for a weakness of your team, or make sure nothing can counter your plan. This is one of the features we included to add more customization to the players’ strategies.
Maps:Working on the various arenas of the game is very stimulating for us. For now, we focus on adding obstacles messing with the lines of sight of range mercenaries. Maps also include interactive elements: for instance, you can shoot on a pillar, raising a bridge on the other side of the map. Loot bags will also appear on predetermined tiles, giving powerful objects to the team which succeed to plunder it first. This is useful to counter too defensive or too statics compositions, making battles more dynamic.
Later, the goal is to design game arenas portraying typical room and places in a castle: libraries, throne room, catacombs, etc. with each of them its characteristics, its “soul”.
Battle: Each competitor plays all of his team during his turn, then gives the hand to his opponent. The first turn is exclusively used to place your mercenaries in the starting zone. You can move and attack or the other way around. You can use an object only once per turn. The fight is over when one player loses his third mercenary.
Game modes:The issue with a lot of different modes in a multiplayer game, are the waiting time before finding an opponent. Hence, there will “only” be three modes: one without stakes, a competitive one and an alternative “Dungeon” game mode.
In the « Dungeon » mode (the name is temporary, we will gladly welcome any suggestion), you lead an expedition into the depths of the Dungeon of Zaar. The furthest you get, the better your rewards. However, delving into the home of an ancient wizard is a perilous operation. A look at the local tavern will allow you to know the adventurers ready to escort you. Therefore, you will have to choose between 7 or 8 mercenaries to build your team. Once in the Dungeon, every loss counts: fallen mercenaries will not come to life again for the next battle, but you can recruit a new fighter between the two mercenaries you let alive from your previous fight. In the same fashion, used objects will not be available anymore for the next fight, although, some artefacts could be found along the way. A treasure is awaiting you after every win but beware! One defeat and you’re out.
Well, this sum it up. The game includes a local mode to play with a friend on the same computer. We are making the game with a PC and Mac version in mind, but, since we are working with Unity, a tablet version will ask us very little additional work.
Whatever you like the project or not, we thank you all for having read this far :D. Once again, all comments, harsh criticises included, are very welcomed :D.
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