Willow Magnusson
Game Designer
Overthrown
Overthrown is a fast-paced player versus player game where two teams of robots fight over control of an energy core. It was intended for casual play with short, intense matches that were easy to get into. The game aims to keep a high tempo for players and to encourage a dynamic playstyle.
When developing Overthrown's main gameplay loop I wanted to blend the standard PvP modes of "capture the flag" and "objective control" to create our own hybrid game mode. In this mode, players want to have control of an object (the energy core) to gain points, which they can do by carrying it. However, players can gain more points by planting the core on the ground, making it immobile and creating a zone around it which awards points to any players within it. This means that a team can gain more points by planting the core, but they risk losing control of it if they cannot defend against the enemy team, which can just as easily gain points from the zone or pick up the core to carry it away.
To work in conjunction with the hybrid game mode I devised, a dynamic points system was created to help put pressure on players without implementing a plain time limit. In Overthrown, both teams receive points over time, but players carrying the core or standing within the area of a planted core will increase the amount of points awarded to their team. The intention behind this was to provide a maximum duration for matches while also disincentivizing players from playing too defensively in order to wait out a timer.
A main focus of ours when deciding the mechanics of the game was in making sure that the core gameplay loop of player-vs-player combat was fun and engaging. Our approach for this was to put a heavy focus on quick environmental kills and fast respawn times. Our level designer created two open levels with few walls and guardrails; we then gave players a rechargeable default weapon with a knockback effect. Playtesters loved knocking enemy players off the map, and would often favour this weapon even as ranged weapons were added to the game later in development.
