Damage Types

Games often times have different damage types; as a game designer it's important for me to understand the kinds of damage types and when to use x or y idea.

Specifics

Specific damage types should relate to real life so players get an understanding of what kind of attack they're doing. Some can get away with not being a specific but rather a support such as Slag from Borderlands 2.

However pulling a Diablo 4 and going too specific such as having damage stats dedicated to, "damage over time" doesn't work.

Dark Souls hits the perfect balance with having thrust type attack dmg, slash attack dmg, pierce attack dmg, the same for the defense types.

You have a specific attack type that is shown how it functions and how it works; when you perform a slashing attack, said attack damage is applied, when performing a thrusting attack, said type is applied.

People like things to be labeled and or set up in a form that is recognizable and or understandable.

Genre Specific

For something like Diablo 4 you can't just have generic damage types or any game for that matter; it needs to fit into the game.

An example; Holy weapons dealing divine damage based on faith and this makes sense in a game with demons; you have it where your holy weapon deals more damage to holy creatures.

In JRPGs having things like Water Type dmg is given a specific thing it does.

Purpose

Each damage type should have a purpose, a reason to damage or a way to damage. The role of the damage type matters.

An example; Borderlands 1 had the clever idea of giving each damage type a unique way of benefiting the shooter by having it where shock damage hurts shields more, acid hurts machines more and fire hurts flesh more.

The damage type and or defense type should have a specific role it fills.

Before I hear it, "but DnD 5e!" expectations to the rule exist, doesn't mean it should be the norm.

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