What makes a good enemy design for your game/ project?

 For going over what many designers have to scrap, get on over the points again and again I see this happening to many game developers on youtube for the dev logs that they do. The simple fact of the matter I keep bringing up that you have to keep in mind is. I will go over many genres and point out different genres with how the game challenges you.

Platformers

In platformers like Mario enemies make you jump, horizontal challenges with coming at you from the side, above, etc. they force you to move in x or y direction in order to avoid them hitting you and you hitting their weak spot whether platforming or by looking at them like with the Boos. Heck the thwomps you are challenged with having to move out of the way in time after having the crushing enemy come down. You can even use something as simple as a Goomba with walking a single direction.

Top down RPGs (games like Path of Exile)

There are necromancers that raise the dead before you could and the game even has enemies that eat dead bodies. You have a diverse range of different kinds of threats you encounter and have a wide range of enemies to fight in order to challenge your build. The game outright has it where act 3 is where the true challenge of your build comes into play with the game de-powering you as you go through the acts.

Shooters

These challenge your ability to get out of the way of grenades, enemy gunfire, etc. It's more about the enemies weapons than the enemies themselves. Keep in mind this is talking about raw shooters and not games like Borderlands.

Looter shooters

These kind of games tend to have a diverse range of enemy types with Borderlands having snipers, shotgun dwarves (idk if blogger will bop me for using the other word), invisible shock stinger enemies, etc. Enemies that challenge your ability to effectively deal damage to them with your guns and being a pain to shoot and or get into range to shoot.

Jump and shoot

Okay I know this is platforming again but this logic could honestly apply to bullet hells. Enemies spamming arcing bullets, grenades, stopping you from landing on platforms where even having to deal with shielding enemies. So games like Megaman.

The point is; the question you need to ask yourself is, "what tools did I give the player and how am I 1. depowering them, 2. challenging them or 3. encouraging them to think this through differently?" If the enemy doesn't force the player to change their approach in any way that applies to the intended gameplay loop, get rid of it, don't have it.

If an enemy just seems to not work for your intended design you have to ask, "why?" and not just scrap it, not just focus on the art but in it's most abstract form are you having fun dealing with/ taking on this enemy? Yes there are expectations to the rule but keep in mind you have to know the rules before you can break them.

So did you consider in what manner that enemy in your game is challenging the player? Does it fit the core design of the game? And yes these rules apply in PVP centric games as well.

So let me know what you enemy designs you have intended for your game/ gameplay system and have you noticed enemies that seem out of place with them not really fitting into the core design of said game?

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