gameloft: recommandations for starfront collision and nova 2

Quang Khai Nguyen Master of International Business

Xbox gamer tag: Lhaula GP:11689

•  iPhone 4G

•  iOS version: 4.3

•  Free space: 10.2Go

Configuration

I. Starfront Collision

1.  Personal overview 2.  Scenario 3.  Gameplay 4.  Unit information accessibility 5.  Starfront vs. Starcraft 6.  Warcraft III in space


1. Personal Overview

Pros Gameplay and control

 Logical and Intuitive

Graphics  3D  Color Full Map/landscape  Unit Readability

Audio (music & sound FX)

Cons Scenario understandings

  Lack of audio during dialogues

  A bit confusing Some gameplay flaws

  Reforming a group is tricky   No unit formation pattern   Unit can block themselves   Mission design: no win situation   Clunky attack/move command


2. Scenario A confusing scenario

  Reading dialogues is boring…   …and makes it harder to understand   War between faction is not clearly introduce during mission   Lacks of fun

To improve understanding: capture player’s attention

  Use of audio dialogues in parallel   Use of fun facts: Easter eggs and cut scenes…   Player needs to smile/laugh when playing Starfront …   …this is exactly what Starcraft2 is all about :


3. Gameplay Starfront needs an automatic formation pattern

  For better unit readability   Looks cleaner as well   Spreading units allows easier selection   Allows better army management… … and thus improves gameplay

Implementation of SC2’s magic Box for:

  Ground   Air Unit

Melee

Range

Too Random Organized


3. Gameplay Clunky Attack/move command

  Holding the screen location feels frustrating during intense battle   Add the attack/move command to the action dashboard

Mission: “Calm before the storm”

  Army limit size reached 40/40   Can’t produce anymore worker   Can’t attack my own unit   Can’t repair the radar

By adding the attack command and friendly fire:   Would resolve both problem above   Allows more flexibility

Attack command


3. Gameplay Miscellaneous

Building rally point and shortcut   Taping a building then terrain should set a rally point (shortcut)   Taping a building then unit should select unit   To rally point a building to a unit, use the old fashion rally command in the

building action menu

Uneven mission difficulty   Last consortium mission is hard  No way to skip mission after chaining losses


4. Unit information accessibility Right now, only available in-game while playing the race

  Hard to familiarize with game mechanics and units

  Need a dedicated Webpage for Starfront unit explanation or

  In game unit characteristic page

Starcraft 2 unit website example


4. Unit Information accessibility

Other examples:

What people like about SC2… •  200-unit cap big army insane battle •  Strategy Depth

  Workers Harassment   Bio Ball, drops, multi attacks

•  Macro and micro


5. Starfront vs. Starcraft

…Can’t be reproduced in Starfront •  Due to technical limitations •  Gameplay limitations


2. Starfront vs. Starcraft vs. Warcraft III 5. Starfront vs. Starcraft

However, Starfront could be a Warcraft III in space by

  Focusing on the micro aspect (Click and retreat)   Increase unit size and life pool for player reaction   Implementing hero mechanism


6. Warcraft III in space Unit cap comparison with Warcraft III •  Starfront: 40 effective army (without workers) •  Warcraft III: 90

-5 x2from gold workers + expansion -12 from wood workers Total: 68 effective army (Varies according to races)

Roughly same proportion for army size

6. Warcraft III in space


Keep Starfront macro concept minimum   No farm building   No worker management   No “wall in”

Deepen Starfront micro concept by

  Implementing a hero's (leveling capacity, 1 active abilities, 1 passive ability)   Slightly increasing unit size and life pool (to allow easier selection and player reaction)   Each lost unit should impact the battle severely ( like Warcraft III)

Since there is less unit than SC2, each unit should feel worthy  implementing tax upkeep  Create Meat Shield Units

6. Warcraft III in space Heroes examples:

Warden: The prophet

  Caster   Passive skill: Healing Aura   Active skill: Mind Control   Ultimate: Mass Teleportation

Myriad: The Reaper   Melee unit   Passive skill: Swipe (add splash damage to attack)   Active skill: Charge (charge and stun unit)   Ultimate: Berserk (increase movement/attack speed)

Consortium: The Black Ops   Ranged unit (enhanced version of snipers)   Passive: Cloak   Active skill: Recon (scout ability)   Ultimate: Tactical nuke

Because of the mobile limitation, Starfront can’t reproduce SC2 gameplay   No big battles, less strategy…   Mobile controls are less effective than mouse and keyboard.

However it may reproduce some of Warcraft 3 mechanism

  Implementing Heroes (active and passive abilities, leveling and one ultimate)   Focusing on micro (Click and retreat)

Heroes are cool and charismatic   Player would be more attach to Starfront universe   Every Warcraft III player has a favorite heroes (Demon hunter for me)

Conclusion


II. N.O.V.A 2

1.  Personal overview 2.  Kal Wardin 3.  Gameplay 4.  Multiplayer

1. Personal Overview

Pros Gameplay

 Easy to handle and fun to play  Gyroscope control helps a lot  Each weapon feels unique  Varied gameplay (hack, vehicle FPS)…

Graphics and audio  Nice and detailed graphics  Soundtrack is very good  Weapon sound is great

Cons Very few Difficulty is uneven:

  Some turret session   Bike session   Last boss

Room for improvements:

  Build up Kal’s reputation   Accessory management   Create more accessories

II. N.O.V.A 2

II. N.O.V.A

Kal Wardin, shaping a up legend Build up more reputation around Kal Wardin

  Not much is been told about Kal in N.O.V.A 2   People must talk about Kal Wardin through the campaign

Visual identity   Kal’s armor/HUD looks awesome…   However the helmet visor looks mediocre   Looks to fly-ish

Audio identity

  Kal’s needs a stronger audio identity…   …with a recurrent theme music

Looks alright

Gameplay

II. N.O.V.A

Implementation of quick time events   With cool interactive cut scenes (like resident evil 4) …   …would enhance Kal’s awesomeness   Gameplay would be more varied

Accessory button configuration   Accessory button is too close to the attack button   Mistapping often happens   Prevent mistapping by putting more space between the 2

Gameplay Mission difficulty (played on normal)

  Last boss is ridiculously hard and frustrating…

  … which led to some complaints

  No way to reduce difficulty during campaign

  Difficulty is uneven during certain parts : (Big red dog, some turrets and vehicles session)

II. N.O.V.A

Gameplay

II. N.O.V.A

Kal’s Arsenal Weapons comments and suggestion

 Homing weapons (besides Rocket launcher) would have been a nice addition

  The laser gun ( or rail gun) feels weak .

  Laser gun should shoot through environment (combined with a X-ray accessory)

 Grenades needs a wider area of effect and why not a stun effect

  Sniper rifle should have more bullets in the charger to allow a better synergy with slow time accessory

Gameplay

II. N.O.V.A

Kal’s arsenal Accessories in general

 Accessories sounds boring, rename it suit upgrades   The synergy between shield energy and accessories feels frustrating…  …Accessories must have its own pool of energy  Disc accessory feels useless compared to shotgun (rather waste one bullet than energy)

Accessories suggestions   Shield Overdrive: reduces damage taken by 50%  X-ray vision: for cloak detection + laser gun combination (which can shoot through walls )  Damage boost, speed boost, decoy, cloak…  Homing AI: Allows energy guns to have homing bullets

Implementation of an E.S.D management system (Energy, damage, Shield) Gameplay

II. N.O.V.A

Energy, speed bonus 1.  Speed increased 2.  Faster energy regeneration

Shield bonus 1.  Regeneration improved 2.  Damage reduced

Damage 1.  Reload time reduced 2.  Damage increased

Gameplay

II. N.O.V.A

How can a player use E.S.D Energy, speed bonus: This perk would have been so helpful for the last boss. It would allow running between rockets and bullets.

Shield bonus: During turret session, players has no cover and hence is vulnerable. Shield bonus would improve player’s durability.

Damage bonus: Some enemies take a while to kill such as bosses or mechanical unit. Damage boost would be welcome.

E

E

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S

S

S

D

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Pop-up display for EDS

Gameplay

II. N.O.V.A

Implementation of voice over Chain kills must be awarded with a voice over like Unreal/Halo:

  « Boom, Headshot »

 Double kill

  Triple kill

 Godlike!

 Holy ****!!!

Kills streak should be awarded Would bring more fun factor to the game

Multiplayer

II. N.O.V.A

II. N.O.V.A

Conclusion Polished game in almost every way

  Sharp graphics   Good soundtracks that change during action   Sounds effect (especially during weapon reloading) are great   Very easy to handle (thanks to the gyroscope option)

Room for improvement and suggestion   Kal Wardin is cool so far. But he has the potential to outclass “Master Chief”   By Implementing a recurrent theme music to Kal   By building up his reputation through de game (people must talk about him)   ESD system would allow more flexibility and gameplay during certain delicate mission

gameloft: recommandations for starfront collision and nova 2

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