Godzilla Unleashed Designer Diary #6 - Factions
In our sixth and final diary, Simon Strange from Pipeworks Software explains the importance of monster factions in Godzilla Unleashed's story mode.
The release of Godzilla Unleashed is imminent. Although we haven't seen an awful lot of the game for ourselves during its development, we've received plenty of information from the Pipeworks Software development team in the form of designer diaries. In previous diaries, we've heard about the Godzilla Unleashed's story, monster abilities, cutscenes, combat system, and even an all-new monster created specifically for the game. In today's designer diary, which will be the last in the series, lead designer Simon Strange talks about the relevance of monster factions.
Godzilla Unleashed Factions
By Simon Strange
Lead Designer, Pipeworks Software
It's time for the sixth developer diary, and I'm ready to get my hands dirty with some nitty-gritty details. The game is nearly wrapped up on our side, so we can finally be specific and tell people exactly what they will be playing this holiday season. Specifically, we want to talk about our single-player game in this diary. More specifically, we want to talk about faction affinity.
We have mentioned the four monster factions previously, and we've done our best to strongly associate each monster with a particular faction. When you start a new single-player game, you'll select a faction to play before you select a monster. But once you start playing the game, the faction you chose doesn't limit your gameplay in any way. That's because you, as a player, can act in any way you see fit during the game--as opposed to obediently following the goals of the faction your selected monster is in by default. So Anguirus might aid the alien invasion, or Destoroyah might decide to defend the earth. Everyone else will act in strict accordance with their faction role, but as a player, your monster gets to stake out his or her own path.
To keep track of the player's standings with all four of the factions, we developed the idea of faction affinity. Certain actions will increase or decrease your affinity with the factions, as measured on a 100-point scale. Monsters that are part of a faction where you have 70-plus affinity with are considered allies. Monsters in a faction where you have 30 or less affinity with are considered enemies. These numbers move up and down during gameplay based on your actions, so alliances can shift pretty rapidly. Before we go any further, let's review the four factions and what their goals are:
Earth Defenders (ED)
This is Godzilla's faction. The Earth Defenders are Earth-based monsters that act in the best interests of the globe as a whole. The primary goal of the Earth Defenders is to destroy the crystal infestation that threatens the earth. Destroying a set of power surge crystals is the best way to gain favor with that faction.
Destroying a set of power surge crystals: +15 Affinity
Destroying ambient crystals: +3 Affinity
Reaching critical mass: -5 Affinity
Gaining a power surge for yourself: -15 Affinity
Alien Invaders
The Alien Invaders are led by the Vortaak, who see the power surge crystals as a new tool they can use to subjugate the earth. Collecting power surges is their primary goal, though attacking and defeating the Earth's defenses comes in a close second.
Gaining a power surge for yourself: +15 Affinity
Destroying human military vehicles: +3 Affinity
Destroying alien military vehicles: -3 Affinity
Destroying ambient crystals: -3 Affinity
Destroying a set of power surge crystals: -15 Affinity
Global Defense Force (GDF)
The Global Defense Force protects humanity from monster and alien threats. Their primary concern is the health and well-being of humans and human cities. Although they are concerned with the crystals, they tend to see the imminent alien invasion as the larger threat. Monsters that become allies with the GDF will find that human military vehicles no longer attack them.
Finishing an encounter with no destruction: +15 Affinity
Destroying alien military vehicles: +3 Affinity
Destroying buildings in human cities: -3 Affinity
Destroying human military vehicles: -3 Affinity
Mutants
The Mutants are not so much a faction as a loose grouping of those monsters that act from self-interest rather than a specific agenda. Mutants revel in destruction and victory, tending to respect monsters that really let loose. Mutants are especially fond of reaching critical mass--a marked exception to every other faction.
Reaching critical mass: +5 Affinity
Destroying buildings: +3 Affinity
Finishing an encounter with no destruction: -15 Affinity
Global Adjustments
In addition to these faction-specific modifiers, there are some basic modifiers that apply to every encounter:
Defeat a monster: -10 Affinity
Defeat an allied monster: -20 Affinity
Free a monster from a power surge: +15 Affinity
Finish an encounter without fighting: +10 Affinity
Let's take a look at how this all plays out in an actual encounter. We'll take the Earth Defender Day 1 encounter, which for most people will be the first encounter they play. This has you playing Godzilla, Anguirus, or Rodan on Monster Island. There will be two Earth Defenders trapped on the island behind large crystal formations, a small research compound, and a bay that leads out to the ocean.
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