Operation Tempest – Devlog #2
Welcome back to the second devlog for Studio Nugget’s upcoming game, (working title) Operation Tempest!
My name is Jacob and I’m here to give an update that is long overdue. This time I would like to talk about some of the methods we have used in making and designing the game, what we have been focusing on in recent months, and what the future of Operation Tempest looks like.
Billy and Patrick, our programmers and artists, have been hard at work on creating the key features on both the back end and front end of the game. They work on everything from coding the framework of the game to creating art assets and everything in between. As for what they have been working on recently, Billy’s main goal over the past couple of weeks has been been working on the map of Poland and programming the interactions between the different regions. Patrick has been working on implementing the combat scenarios into the game, more on that in a bit.
Craig and I have been working on designing game mechanics, finding reference photos, and testing out different systems and rulesets to find out what works in the game. This involves coming up with a number system to work with the resources that are used in the large scale map mode, deciding how far a unit type can move, and designing missions for the Armia Krajowa (Polish Home Army) to conduct. Designing all of this requires us to create maps and testing our rulesets. Originally, we had gotten together in person to make a “real” board game based in order to test the combat. However, this process has been made much easier through our use of Berserk Games’ Tabletop Simulator. It has been an indispensable tool in the making of Operation Tempest so far. Anyone of us can login and see what levels are being tested. You can even download custom unit models from the Steam Workshop, draw on the board, import your own photos into the game to use as maps, and much more. Considering our team is now spread out all across the globe, it is an incredible resource that allows us all to clearly communicate our ideas. It’s been an indespensible tool for us, and I highly recommend it for design-use.
The process of designing a level goes like this: After we have an idea for a mission (whether it be assassinating an officer, raiding a convoy, etc.) we use Tabletop Simulator to visualize the level and test it out. After making the necessary modifications we translate the level into a text file, which is then loaded and rendered in the game. The system generates the levels based on the text we write. This allows us to design the levels and upload them directly into the game with much less effort than there would have been otherwise. The process has been incredibly streamlined, allowing us to create a fair number of levels in a short period of time.
Getting a prototype of Operation Tempest done before the end of summer is our current goal. In the last devlog I talked about the three modes of the game that are interdependent upon one another. For the prototype we hope to have the basic parts of the combat completed and the skeletal structure of the large scale map mode. The games narrative and art assets will be worked on once we get most of the important mechanical structures of the game out of the way. There is still a lot of work left to be done, but I’m confident in our abilities. Personally, I’ve learned a lot since starting this project. Implementing what I know about game design while learning some new things on the fly has been an interesting challenge. Trying to communicate with people across three continents and finding a schedule that works for everyone has presented its own problems. But most importantly, we have all learned to get better at holding ourselves to a schedule thanks to systems of accountability we’ve implemented as a group. It has been an interesting journey so far and I’m happy to be a part of it. Stay tuned for more (sporadic) updates on Operation Tempest.
Precz z wrogiem!