Hello all, it's Cassel, developer of <Ratopia>.
This September was a month where many discussions took place regarding the direction of development, resulting in somewhat slower progress in actual development. Among these, the enemy defeat reward system has been in preparation since July but is still under review due to various issues that require careful consideration and decision-making. In this development diary, we would like to share some of the thoughts and concerns we’ve had regarding enemy defeat rewards.
The First Enemy Defeat Reward System
In the initial design of <Ratopia>, the concept of enemy defeat rewards was not included. This was because the core content of the game was not combat or defense against invasions, but city building and citizen management. Although we developed the enemy and invasion system to add an extra layer of fun by incorporating a combat system into the city-building genre, we wanted to avoid forcing players into combat, as it could have a negative impact on those who wish to manage their city peacefully. With this in mind, we have continually added features such as the “Peaceful” difficulty level and mechanics that make it easy to fend off enemy invasions, allowing players to enjoy most of the game’s content without focusing on combat.
Under this philosophy, enemy defeat rewards had been postponed for a long time. It was clear that such rewards would influence city management, and there was concern that players might end up relying on combat to progress in the game. However, as feedback continued to point out that the combat lacked excitement, the idea of introducing enemy defeat rewards gained traction. As a first trial, we decided to implement a system where enemies drop Pia (money) upon death.
The welcome Infected that kindly brought 99 Pia each.
However, this approach significantly disrupted the game's economic system. It caused the Savings to naturally increase even without trade or minting, which led to the game progressing without needing to manage the economy. As a result, this system was quickly scrapped. We then attempted to modify the system by having enemies drop other resources instead of Pia.
At first, having enemies drop Bone and Leather seemed to fit better with Ratopia. While the end result of selling resources to increase the Savings was the same, there remained a need to manage the economy until the resources were sold through trade. Additionally, it became convenient to expand secondary production facilities that used the resources dropped by enemies.
However, this was short-lived. As enemies continuously supplied Bone and Leather, the production buildings that relied on these resources were eventually dismantled. Moreover, as the game progressed into later stages, the battlefield became chaotic as citizens ran around collecting the vast amount of resources dropped by enemies.
To earn money, I must transport those resources..!
After facing many issues, the enemy defeat reward system reverted to a state where no rewards were provided, and it seemed like the decision to not add it in the future was final.
The Second Enemy Defeat Reward System
Time passed, and eight months had gone by since the start of Early Access. While reviewing player feedback to improve the game's quality, we once again came across opinions regarding enemy defeat rewards. Since these suggestions kept surfacing, we decided to take another in-depth look. As it’s rare for feedback to include reasons, we felt it necessary to infer why players wanted rewards.
- To repair damage to the city.
- To accelerate the city's development.
- To bring similarities to the previous game, <Ratropolis>.
- To provide a sense of accomplishment.
- For familiar experiences from defense games.
- To motivate the destruction of enemy bases.
- Because it feels natural?
Based on the inferred reasons, we started organizing how to provide rewards in a new form. To avoid repeating the trial and error of the first enemy defeat reward system, there were a few important points to consider.
- Avoid having resources drop on the map when enemies are defeated.
- Design the rewards so that the gap in difficulty levels at the start is not too wide.
- Use reward effects similar to <Ratropolis> and other defense games.
- Provide additional rewards when enemy bases are destroyed.
While thinking along these lines, we came up with a point-based reward system called Sharp tooth. It’s a type of point automatically acquired when enemies are defeated, and can be exchanged at the trading post for other resources or bonuses. This system had the advantage of not dropping resources on the map, thus avoiding interference with citizen AI, and it made it easier to adjust the amount of rewards based on difficulty level.
A tooth farm that pulls out all the invaders' teeth.
The Sharp tooth points, which were initially designed to be exchanged for other resources at the Trading Post, lacked novelty, according to some feedback. There were discussions about diversifying its use. One idea was to introduce unique content that could only be accessed through Sharp tooth. However, this posed the risk of making combat-related reward content dominate the entire game.
The existing system of exchanging Sharp tooth for resources already greatly accelerated the city's growth. Adding further reward mechanisms on top of this could create a negative experience for players uninterested in combat. As a compromise, we decided to limit Sharp tooth rewards to combat-related features.
Unique foods and necessities that could only be purchased using Sharp tooth were given effects that enhanced combat abilities. Additionally, special buildings that consumed Sharp tooth were designed to boost the combat abilities of citizens within their range or detect and attack enemies. We also considered incorporating effects related to Sharp tooth into the milestone system to make it more effective.
Efforts to provide special rewards.
Other uses for Sharp tooth were also proposed, but unfortunately, they were all rejected. For example, effects like earning research points, increasing the leader's experience, or enhancing city efficiency were suggested. However, these functions were deemed inappropriate as they encouraged more focus on combat. We believed that focusing on combat-related functions rather than accelerating city development through combat rewards was a more consistent direction.
As a result, since the enemy defeat rewards were limited to combat-related content, we were left with the disappointment of not offering rewards that could accelerate city development, which we believed players might have wanted. It seemed that if we reworked the enemy defeat reward system into something where bonuses are granted when any entity dies, we could relax the restrictions, allowing players to enjoy the content even in environments like the "Peaceful" or "Easy" difficulty levels where few enemies appear.
In the previous game, <Ratropolis>, players earned “Soul” points whenever a character died. These points could be used strategically, such as by sacrificing allies or summoning enemies. In Ratopia, if we provided ways to earn points even without enemy deaths, we could connect the rewards from enemy defeats to city development functions and new content. Thus, the Sharp tooth system seemed to be on the verge of changing into a system called "Soul," with additional ways to earn points.
The Third Enemy Defeat Reward System
These ideas were connected to a Shaman theme, which led to various discussions. However, some expressed concerns that the abstract concept of "soul" might not harmonize well with the economy-centered focus of Ratopia, and there was also the burden of introducing a new system when the existing Sharp tooth system was already under development.
Therefore, even if it meant simplifying the existing reward system for enemy defeat, there was a desire to separate it from the Shaman theme. But with the various uses and unique rewards of Sharp tooth already being tied to the Shaman theme, we began to question whether it was worth maintaining the point system if it didn’t offer diverse uses. Considering the incomplete state of other content, leaving the Sharp tooth system in place to expand its uses later would have been burdensome.
Thus, the discussion shifted towards removing the point system and instead adopting a loot box approach. The loot box system would generate a reward-filled chest upon defeating the last enemy of an invasion, a method commonly seen in games like Ratropolis and other defense games. This solution seemed more intuitive and straightforward than the Sharp tooth system and could also be used to offer additional rewards when enemy bases were destroyed.
What if we could send resources to the desired storage through loot boxes?
The existing Sharp tooth system required players to research and build a structure to exchange Sharp tooth for rewards, and then visit that building. Additionally, it seemed cumbersome to find space in the UI to display the Sharp tooth points without conflicting with other elements. If the point system and exchange system were removed, it would likely become more intuitive and reduce player concerns.
However, the loot box system also had its issues. Sometimes enemies would die in a trapped location, which could result in loot boxes being generated in odd places. Additionally, the process of manually going to the location of each loot box to collect rewards could be inconvenient. As cities grew larger and invasion defenses were automated in the later stages, players might end up abandoning the task of collecting loot boxes altogether.
To resolve these issues, we came up with the idea of a Loot Storage structure that, when activated, automatically collects the contents of generated loot boxes and stores them. This way, in the later stages, players wouldn’t need to search for loot boxes, and managing the loot would be more convenient.
Although the possibility of transitioning the Sharp tooth system to a loot box system was raised, the team expressed concerns that the loot box system might inherit some of the problems seen in the Phase 1 reward system. Additionally, several advantages of the Sharp tooth system still remained, leaving us unable to make a final decision. While it's not easy to summarize all the details, here is an outline of the pros and cons of the Sharp tooth and loot box systems.
Sharp tooth System
Pros
- Points can be earned automatically upon defeating enemies, without additional actions.
- Convenient adjustment of reward amounts based on difficulty.
- Players can choose and use only the resources they need at the required time.
Cons
- Additional HUD and statistics UI are required to manage the acquisition and storage of Sharp tooth points.
- The system cannot be used before constructing the Sharp tooth Trading Post, limiting early-game utility.
- It is relatively difficult to initially convey the existence of rewards to players.
Loot Box System
Pros
- Provides immediate rewards upon defending against an enemy invasion or destroying an enemy base.
- The type of rewards can be adjusted based on the composition of invading enemies, and loot collection can be automated through the Loot Storage.
Cons
- Players can only receive the resources provided by loot boxes in stages, regardless of their immediate resource needs.
- Until the Loot Storage is constructed, loot boxes must be collected manually, which is inconvenient.
- Players cannot stockpile and use resources later until the Loot Storage is built.
The enemy defeat reward system was one that we spent a lot of time contemplating, given the relatively small weight of the content it offered. Depending on player preferences, the pros and cons of each system could have different impacts, leading to a variety of ideas and opinions on everything from the amount of rewards to the process of delivering them.
Since delaying the decision any longer could hinder the development of future content, we plan to finalize the decision soon. In the next development diary, we’ll introduce the Shaman and religious systems!
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2244130/Ratopia/
Discord: https://discord.gg/rprfSp6ct2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CasselGames/
X(Twitter): https://twitter.com/CasselGames
Hello all, it's Cassel, developer of <Ratopia>.
This September was a month where many discussions took place regarding the direction of development, resulting in somewhat slower progress in actual development. Among these, the enemy defeat reward system has been in preparation since July but is still under review due to various issues that require careful consideration and decision-making. In this development diary, we would like to share some of the thoughts and concerns we’ve had regarding enemy defeat rewards.
The First Enemy Defeat Reward System
In the initial design of <Ratopia>, the concept of enemy defeat rewards was not included. This was because the core content of the game was not combat or defense against invasions, but city building and citizen management. Although we developed the enemy and invasion system to add an extra layer of fun by incorporating a combat system into the city-building genre, we wanted to avoid forcing players into combat, as it could have a negative impact on those who wish to manage their city peacefully. With this in mind, we have continually added features such as the “Peaceful” difficulty level and mechanics that make it easy to fend off enemy invasions, allowing players to enjoy most of the game’s content without focusing on combat.
Under this philosophy, enemy defeat rewards had been postponed for a long time. It was clear that such rewards would influence city management, and there was concern that players might end up relying on combat to progress in the game. However, as feedback continued to point out that the combat lacked excitement, the idea of introducing enemy defeat rewards gained traction. As a first trial, we decided to implement a system where enemies drop Pia (money) upon death.
The welcome Infected that kindly brought 99 Pia each.
However, this approach significantly disrupted the game's economic system. It caused the Savings to naturally increase even without trade or minting, which led to the game progressing without needing to manage the economy. As a result, this system was quickly scrapped. We then attempted to modify the system by having enemies drop other resources instead of Pia.
At first, having enemies drop Bone and Leather seemed to fit better with Ratopia. While the end result of selling resources to increase the Savings was the same, there remained a need to manage the economy until the resources were sold through trade. Additionally, it became convenient to expand secondary production facilities that used the resources dropped by enemies.
However, this was short-lived. As enemies continuously supplied Bone and Leather, the production buildings that relied on these resources were eventually dismantled. Moreover, as the game progressed into later stages, the battlefield became chaotic as citizens ran around collecting the vast amount of resources dropped by enemies.
To earn money, I must transport those resources..!
After facing many issues, the enemy defeat reward system reverted to a state where no rewards were provided, and it seemed like the decision to not add it in the future was final.
The Second Enemy Defeat Reward System
Time passed, and eight months had gone by since the start of Early Access. While reviewing player feedback to improve the game's quality, we once again came across opinions regarding enemy defeat rewards. Since these suggestions kept surfacing, we decided to take another in-depth look. As it’s rare for feedback to include reasons, we felt it necessary to infer why players wanted rewards.
- To repair damage to the city.
- To accelerate the city's development.
- To bring similarities to the previous game, <Ratropolis>.
- To provide a sense of accomplishment.
- For familiar experiences from defense games.
- To motivate the destruction of enemy bases.
- Because it feels natural?
Based on the inferred reasons, we started organizing how to provide rewards in a new form. To avoid repeating the trial and error of the first enemy defeat reward system, there were a few important points to consider.
- Avoid having resources drop on the map when enemies are defeated.
- Design the rewards so that the gap in difficulty levels at the start is not too wide.
- Use reward effects similar to <Ratropolis> and other defense games.
- Provide additional rewards when enemy bases are destroyed.
While thinking along these lines, we came up with a point-based reward system called Sharp tooth. It’s a type of point automatically acquired when enemies are defeated, and can be exchanged at the trading post for other resources or bonuses. This system had the advantage of not dropping resources on the map, thus avoiding interference with citizen AI, and it made it easier to adjust the amount of rewards based on difficulty level.
A tooth farm that pulls out all the invaders' teeth.
The Sharp tooth points, which were initially designed to be exchanged for other resources at the Trading Post, lacked novelty, according to some feedback. There were discussions about diversifying its use. One idea was to introduce unique content that could only be accessed through Sharp tooth. However, this posed the risk of making combat-related reward content dominate the entire game.
The existing system of exchanging Sharp tooth for resources already greatly accelerated the city's growth. Adding further reward mechanisms on top of this could create a negative experience for players uninterested in combat. As a compromise, we decided to limit Sharp tooth rewards to combat-related features.
Unique foods and necessities that could only be purchased using Sharp tooth were given effects that enhanced combat abilities. Additionally, special buildings that consumed Sharp tooth were designed to boost the combat abilities of citizens within their range or detect and attack enemies. We also considered incorporating effects related to Sharp tooth into the milestone system to make it more effective.
Efforts to provide special rewards.
Other uses for Sharp tooth were also proposed, but unfortunately, they were all rejected. For example, effects like earning research points, increasing the leader's experience, or enhancing city efficiency were suggested. However, these functions were deemed inappropriate as they encouraged more focus on combat. We believed that focusing on combat-related functions rather than accelerating city development through combat rewards was a more consistent direction.
As a result, since the enemy defeat rewards were limited to combat-related content, we were left with the disappointment of not offering rewards that could accelerate city development, which we believed players might have wanted. It seemed that if we reworked the enemy defeat reward system into something where bonuses are granted when any entity dies, we could relax the restrictions, allowing players to enjoy the content even in environments like the "Peaceful" or "Easy" difficulty levels where few enemies appear.
In the previous game, <Ratropolis>, players earned “Soul” points whenever a character died. These points could be used strategically, such as by sacrificing allies or summoning enemies. In Ratopia, if we provided ways to earn points even without enemy deaths, we could connect the rewards from enemy defeats to city development functions and new content. Thus, the Sharp tooth system seemed to be on the verge of changing into a system called "Soul," with additional ways to earn points.
The Third Enemy Defeat Reward System
These ideas were connected to a Shaman theme, which led to various discussions. However, some expressed concerns that the abstract concept of "soul" might not harmonize well with the economy-centered focus of Ratopia, and there was also the burden of introducing a new system when the existing Sharp tooth system was already under development.
Therefore, even if it meant simplifying the existing reward system for enemy defeat, there was a desire to separate it from the Shaman theme. But with the various uses and unique rewards of Sharp tooth already being tied to the Shaman theme, we began to question whether it was worth maintaining the point system if it didn’t offer diverse uses. Considering the incomplete state of other content, leaving the Sharp tooth system in place to expand its uses later would have been burdensome.
Thus, the discussion shifted towards removing the point system and instead adopting a loot box approach. The loot box system would generate a reward-filled chest upon defeating the last enemy of an invasion, a method commonly seen in games like Ratropolis and other defense games. This solution seemed more intuitive and straightforward than the Sharp tooth system and could also be used to offer additional rewards when enemy bases were destroyed.
What if we could send resources to the desired storage through loot boxes?
The existing Sharp tooth system required players to research and build a structure to exchange Sharp tooth for rewards, and then visit that building. Additionally, it seemed cumbersome to find space in the UI to display the Sharp tooth points without conflicting with other elements. If the point system and exchange system were removed, it would likely become more intuitive and reduce player concerns.
However, the loot box system also had its issues. Sometimes enemies would die in a trapped location, which could result in loot boxes being generated in odd places. Additionally, the process of manually going to the location of each loot box to collect rewards could be inconvenient. As cities grew larger and invasion defenses were automated in the later stages, players might end up abandoning the task of collecting loot boxes altogether.
To resolve these issues, we came up with the idea of a Loot Storage structure that, when activated, automatically collects the contents of generated loot boxes and stores them. This way, in the later stages, players wouldn’t need to search for loot boxes, and managing the loot would be more convenient.
Although the possibility of transitioning the Sharp tooth system to a loot box system was raised, the team expressed concerns that the loot box system might inherit some of the problems seen in the Phase 1 reward system. Additionally, several advantages of the Sharp tooth system still remained, leaving us unable to make a final decision. While it's not easy to summarize all the details, here is an outline of the pros and cons of the Sharp tooth and loot box systems.
Sharp tooth System
Pros
- Points can be earned automatically upon defeating enemies, without additional actions.
- Convenient adjustment of reward amounts based on difficulty.
- Players can choose and use only the resources they need at the required time.
Cons
- Additional HUD and statistics UI are required to manage the acquisition and storage of Sharp tooth points.
- The system cannot be used before constructing the Sharp tooth Trading Post, limiting early-game utility.
- It is relatively difficult to initially convey the existence of rewards to players.
Loot Box System
Pros
- Provides immediate rewards upon defending against an enemy invasion or destroying an enemy base.
- The type of rewards can be adjusted based on the composition of invading enemies, and loot collection can be automated through the Loot Storage.
Cons
- Players can only receive the resources provided by loot boxes in stages, regardless of their immediate resource needs.
- Until the Loot Storage is constructed, loot boxes must be collected manually, which is inconvenient.
- Players cannot stockpile and use resources later until the Loot Storage is built.
The enemy defeat reward system was one that we spent a lot of time contemplating, given the relatively small weight of the content it offered. Depending on player preferences, the pros and cons of each system could have different impacts, leading to a variety of ideas and opinions on everything from the amount of rewards to the process of delivering them.
Since delaying the decision any longer could hinder the development of future content, we plan to finalize the decision soon. In the next development diary, we’ll introduce the Shaman and religious systems!
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2244130/Ratopia/
Discord: https://discord.gg/rprfSp6ct2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CasselGames/
X(Twitter): https://twitter.com/CasselGames