3D Action game about overcoming 7 levels of pattern learning
Hi, I didn't play any game for at least 50 days and my rested mind decided to harass me with design choices of a game I would like to play. I have respect for souls games and other difficult games made with style and ambition so my thoughts went into direction of a game I would want to beat but might not be able to (even though there's almost no game I didn't beat in recent memory). Next thing I've understood is that I like games that teach me something like solving difficult puzzles, better methodology, my limits or simply speed of learning new things. There's not many things in gaming that I haven't seen (I tried playing different games in my life) and I think that best ideas were already designed somewhere so there's no "new ideas" in my game. Instead I've concentrated on me as a player, simplicity and searching for solutions that would immerse me.
One weapon per big level. We start each map with a basic weapon like sword, spear, axe, dagger etc.. No upgrading eq, no stats, no crafting, no healing mid fight, nothing on the HUD. What will be important in exploration is discovering map pieces and learning new save points.
On every map there will be plenty of "moves" to learn. Each move can be a simple traversal option like jumping between walls, dodging down or doing frontflip. It can be also a move with your weapon like slashing left to right, piercing after jump, flip with downslash etc.. Every such move will be available as a default keybinding in saving points. Player will prepare in such resting points for next obstacles with choosing new moves for quick usage or design attack combos after multiclick. Being hit during a combo obviously stops the sequence but there will be an option to include defense moves in each combo. Traversing map will require some platforming, thinking and discovering new moves. No killing in this game, beaten enemies will kneel or move sideways and show respect!
Every level will have different weapon, only melee, different moves to learn compared to other levels, one speed upgrade after most difficult side path (speed of movement/some moves) and many puzzles/mazes requiring more thinking than reflexes. Player will have 10 hitpoints visible as injuries on body and might regain 1 hitpoint per some time depending on difficulty level or map (later in the game higher difficulty and enemy speed). Enemies will have different hp sizes (from 1 - 10+) but in their case only torso/head counts as a hit. No invincibility frames during dodging, very precise hitboxes, winning fights impossible without good moveset. Every next map will be prepared against previous map moveset so lots of thinking at the start of each level. At the end of every level there will be a boss fight, winning once means unlocking next level, winning second fight with higher difficulty unlocks this level moveset for whole playthrough (also sword attacks change to next weapon attacks as an example). Weapons will differ in attack speed and animations/hitboxes between same attacks.
Last boss fight at lvl 7 should be "just beyond possible" in terms of speed even knowing patterns. After first win player will see a cutscene with boss leaving it's throne to player and healing player, also awarding last achievement in the game (out of seven). Afterwards boss moves towards the front of player sitting in the throne, changes into some enraged mode and invites player with it's hand/other friendly behaviour to a fight. Player will have a choice to accept and fight the only deathmatch in the game or decline and game over. Bosses should emit different sounds during attacks, moving, jumping, combos etc.. No music during boss fights, only very precise sound design. No cheese ways to beat any boss, one hitpoint of every boss should mean at least three perfectly timed moves in good direction - meaning boss will react to every our move and outcome will depend on speed. No qte minigames to hit.
No equipment, no collectibles, no achievements for finding trash. The only language will be body language and some icons, similar to Ancient Egypt hieroglyphs, describing some pathways. Each level should be big "enough" to hide in not obvious, difficult to reach, hidden places at least 20 different moves, some map fragments and resting/saving points. Each level should be different in terms of colors, brightness, interactive objects design and shape - meaning I don't see it as a medieval/ancient/alien/wild west setting. I want every level to really test player in every dimension, even in full darkness or in blinding sun. Some dense forest with plants so thick that player has to watch every step. Places available only under some conditions etc..
No menus, no instructions beside first encounter, I would like to see in such a game some user friendly camera options and movement chains. Meaning, camera should move intelligently towards next danger or turn slightly in direction of next attack - not to disable players vision of anything but to enable faster reaction or even playing without camera management. Moreover, there will be lots of different movement sequences on different terrain in different angles, some will be impossible without a wall, some will be possible after we move backwards a step or two - I want movement chains to work intelligently, help player. It's a very broad area to design but my target would be to enable even more difficult obstacles in the game.
Last but not least, aiming should be also user friendly. I mean some dots on target looks stupid, so targeting any enemy should work just on the rule of "possibility". If you can hit torso of an enemy from this position at this moment then you will try it obviously. Enemy can dodge or counter but player's instruction "attack" means targeting vital points, right? This way players will be able to hit anything anywhere if it's possible and fights could become a spectacle. Everything will go down to understanding situation and choosing solution, if learned, as quickly as possible. But not attack forward enemy behind player.
To sum it up, clean and simple game with increasing difficulty depending on speed and different environments. Friendly camera and movement that reward well timed and well chosen inputs. Managing and learning new moves will be the core of gameplay enabling for players more immersion and overcoming greater threats. Advanced body languages, iconography and precise sound design to further enlarge pattern learning opportunities. I don't know if I'll answer, wrote it just to clean my mind. Gl&hf