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Game Design Rules

1. Introduction & Vision​

This document outlines the core design guidelines, features, progression systems, rewards structure, and monetization strategy for [Project Name], a Free-to-Play (F2P) mobile game. While specific examples draw from its Top-Down 3D perspective featuring Battle Royale and Dungeon-Style Crawling game modes, the principles herein are designed to be adaptable for various game projects.

Our vision is to create a highly engaging, accessible, and fair F2P experience that respects player time and investment, fostering a vibrant community and long-term retention.

2. Core Design Philosophy​

These principles guide all development decisions:

  • Gradual Introduction of Complexity: Introduce mechanics, features, and systems progressively. Early gameplay should be intuitive, with depth unfolding as players master basics. Tutorials should be contextual, integrated, and skippable where appropriate.
  • Balancing Fun and Difficulty: Strive for a satisfying "flow state" balancing enjoyable experiences with meaningful challenges. Difficulty should scale with player progression and skill. The "fun factor" is paramount. Regular playtesting, data analysis, and community feedback are key.
  • Immersive Yet Unobtrusive Audio:
    • Music: Optional, high-quality background music that enhances atmosphere without distraction, adapting dynamically to game states (menu, combat, exploration, victory, defeat).
    • Sound Effects (SFX): Clear, impactful, and non-grating SFX that provide essential feedback for player actions, UI interactions, and game events. Avoid overwhelming or overly repetitive sounds.
    • Provide separate, granular volume controls for music, SFX, and potentially voice chat.
  • Player Well-being (Visuals & Cognitive Load):
    • Visual Clarity: Ensure the game is "easy on the eyes" with appropriate color palettes, contrast, and legible font choices. Key information must be distinguishable even in visually busy scenarios.
    • Visual Comfort and Safety: Reduce excessive visual effects (VFX), screen shake, or flashing lights that could cause headaches, motion sickness, or issues for photosensitive individuals. Offer options to reduce VFX intensity and screen shake.
    • Managed Cognitive Load: Avoid overwhelming players with too much information or too many simultaneous tasks, especially in early stages. Information should be presented hierarchically and contextually.

3. Target Audience & Platform​

  • Primary Platform: Mobile (iOS & Android)
  • Target Audience: Casual to Mid-core players seeking engaging action and progression.
  • Age Group: 13+ (consider regional ratings like PEGI, ESRB)
  • Design Considerations:
    • Interface and controls optimized for touch screens.
    • Session lengths catering to mobile play patterns (e.g., shorter, interruptible sessions of 5-15 minutes for core loops, with options for longer engagement in modes like dungeons or events).
    • Offline capabilities (e.g., managing inventory, viewing stats) considered where feasible, though core gameplay may require connectivity.

4. Player Experience & Accessibility​

  • User Interface (UI) Design:
    • Clarity & Cleanliness: UI must be uncluttered and logically organized, minimizing visual noise.
    • Focus & Hierarchy: Important information and interactive elements must be prominent and easily identifiable.
    • Intuition: Aim for UI comprehension with minimal text, using universal iconography, consistent patterns, and clear visual feedback.
    • Responsiveness: UI must provide immediate and clear feedback to touch inputs.
    • Accessibility:
      • Text scaling options.
      • Color-blind friendly modes/palettes.
      • Customizable control layouts (if feasible).
      • Clear distinction between interactive and non-interactive elements.
      • Option to disable or reduce motion/animations.
  • User Experience (UX) Flow:
    • Onboarding: Smooth and engaging tutorial integrated into early gameplay.
    • Navigation: Easy and intuitive navigation between game modes, menus, and features.
    • Feedback: Consistent visual, audio, and haptic (if applicable) feedback for player actions and game events.

5. Key Features​

5.1. Core Gameplay Loops​

  • Battle Royale Mode (PvPvE):
    • Description: Players compete (solo or in teams) in a shrinking play area, scavenging for resources, fighting AI enemies (optional, for loot/challenge) and engaging in PvP combat until one player/team remains.
    • Key Elements: Map exploration, looting (weapons, gadgets, consumables), dynamic combat encounters, strategic positioning, shrinking safe zone, environmental hazards/opportunities.
  • Dungeon-Style Crawling Mode (PvE):
    • Description: Players navigate instanced levels (solo or co-op), defeating AI-controlled enemies, overcoming environmental challenges, solving light puzzles, and fighting bosses to earn rewards.
    • Key Elements: Handcrafted and/or procedurally generated levels, diverse enemy types with unique behaviors, traps, light puzzles, mini-bosses and main bosses with distinct mechanics, varied loot drops.
  • Other Potential Game Modes:
    • Limited-Time Modes (LTMs): Introduce novel rulesets or objectives for short periods.
    • Objective-Based Team Modes: (e.g., Capture the Flag, Payload escort).
    • Challenge Scenarios: Specific, difficult encounters with unique rewards.

5.2. Meta-Game Features​

  • Events: Time-limited activities (seasonal, holiday, special boss appearances, community milestones) offering unique challenges, narrative snippets, and exclusive rewards to drive engagement and repeat play.
  • Tournaments: Structured competitive play (solo or team-based) for specific game modes, potentially with entry requirements (in-game currency or tickets) and high-value rewards for top performers. Leaderboards are key.
  • Clubs (Guilds/Alliances):
    • Purpose: Foster social interaction, teamwork, shared progression, and long-term engagement.
    • Functionality: Member rosters, private chat channels, shared club bank/resources (optional), club-specific objectives, internal leaderboards.
    • Primary Competitive Aspect: Club Wars/Leagues - Clubs compete based on accumulated scores from member activities (e.g., performance in specific game modes, event participation, completing club-specific objectives, resource contribution). Regular seasons with ranked rewards.
  • News & Announcements: In-game system for updates, event announcements, patch notes, developer messages, and community spotlights.
  • Mailbox/Messages: In-game system for system rewards, notifications, friend/club communication (if direct chat isn't primary), and customer support interactions.
  • Rankings & Leaderboards: Comprehensive system to track player performance across various modes (Battle Royale wins/kills, Dungeon speedruns/scores, Event scores, Club rankings). Filters for global, regional, and friends-list views. Seasonal resets with historical archives.

6. Player Progression & Upgrades​

Progression systems provide tangible growth, customization, and long-term goals.

Directly impact gameplay effectiveness. Balance carefully to avoid pay-to-win.

  • Character Base Upgrades:
    • Description: Fundamental improvements to the player's chosen character/avatar attributes.
    • Examples for [Project Name]: Increasing Health, Attack Damage/Power, Movement Speed, Armor/Resistance.
    • General Examples: Could also include critical hit chance, energy regeneration, ability cooldown reduction, ammo capacity, etc., depending on specific game mechanics.
    • Acquisition: Earned through player account level (XP from gameplay), completing quests, using specific upgrade materials (e.g., "Stat Shards," "Essence").
  • Gadgets/Weapons Acquisition, Selection & Upgrades:
    • Description: Equippable items providing active abilities, passive bonuses, or modifying combat capabilities.
    • Acquisition: Loot drops (Battle Royale, Dungeons), quest rewards, crafting, event rewards, specific vendors.
    • Selection: Players form loadouts by selecting a limited number of gadgets/weapons pre-match or find them in-match, enabling strategic choice.
    • Upgrades: Improve core stats (damage, range), reduce cooldowns, add secondary effects, unlock new tiers/perks. Requires resources (e.g., Coins, specific components, duplicates, blueprints).
  • Skills/Powers Acquisition, Selection & Upgrades:
    • Description: Special abilities (active) or passive traits that define playstyles or character roles.
    • Acquisition: Character leveling, story progression, quest rewards, special loot, skill trees.
    • Selection: Players choose a set of active/passive skills from a larger pool, allowing for build diversity.
    • Upgrades: Enhance potency (damage, duration), reduce costs (energy, cooldown), add new functionalities or modifiers. Requires resources (e.g., Coins, "Skill Tomes," "Ability Points").

For personalization and prestige, with no direct gameplay advantage.

  • Player Card Customization:
    • Description: Purely cosmetic customizations for the player's profile card, visible in their profile, pre-match lobbies, and leaderboards.
    • Examples: Backgrounds, borders, titles, emblems/icons, animated elements, stat trackers.
    • Acquisition: Achievements, events, Season Pass, Store, loyalty rewards.
  • Character Cosmetics:
    • Description: Visual alterations to characters/avatars.
    • Examples: Skins/outfits, headgear, weapon skins (if separate from weapon stats), VFX for abilities (purely visual flair), emotes, victory poses, lobby animations.
    • Acquisition: Achievements, events, Season Pass, Store.
  • Exclusive Space Cosmetics (e.g., "Castle" Upgrades):
    • Description: Visual customization for purchasable exclusive player spaces (see Section 7.3 & 8.2.2).
    • Examples: Themes, furniture, decorations, trophies, interactive cosmetic items for the player's "Castle" or similar private/social hub.
    • Acquisition: Primarily through purchase of the space itself, with further cosmetic unlocks via gameplay progression, specific achievements, or additional store purchases.

7. Rewards & Engagement Systems​

Motivate diverse play patterns, reward player time and effort, and drive retention.

7.1. Rewards For All Players (Free Tier)​

  • Login Rewards:
    • Free Daily Login Reward: Small reward (Coins, minor consumable, basic crafting materials) for daily login.
    • Free Daily Login Streak Reward (Calendar): Progressively better rewards for consecutive daily logins (e.g., 7/14/30-day calendars), with milestone rewards (Gems, cosmetics, unique resources).
  • Gameplay Rewards:
    • Match Completion Rewards: Base rewards (XP, small Coins) for completing any match.
    • Performance-Based Rewards: Bonus rewards for performance within a match (kills, objectives, placement).
    • First Win of the Day (per mode): Bonus reward for the first victory in each major game mode daily.
    • Playing X Matches/Time Daily/Weekly: Reward bundle (Coins, materials, loot box/chest) for completing a set number of matches/sessions or playtime.
  • Quests & Missions:
    • Free Daily Quests: Simple, achievable tasks (e.g., "Play 2 Battle Royale matches," "Kill 50 enemies in Dungeons," "Use X gadget Y times"). Rewards: Coins, XP, basic resources, Season Pass XP.
    • Free Weekly Quests: More involved tasks (e.g., "Win 5 Battle Royale matches," "Complete 3 different Dungeons on Hard," "Craft X items"). Rewards: More Coins, some Gems, rarer materials, Season Pass XP.
    • Achievement System (Long-term Quests): Milestones for significant accomplishments (e.g., "Reach Player Level 50," "Defeat 1000 players," "Collect 50 unique cosmetics"). Rewards: Large currency bundles, unique cosmetics, titles, Player Card items.
  • Season Pass (Free Track):
    • Description: A free progression track with multiple tiers. Earn Season XP (from gameplay, quests, events) to unlock tier rewards.
    • Rewards: Coins, upgrade materials, some cosmetics, a few Gems, loot boxes.

7.2. Premium Rewards (Season Pass Holders)​

Players with an active purchased Season Pass.

  • Season Pass Exclusive Benefits:
    • Premium Quest Modifiers: Existing Daily/Weekly/Achievement quests may grant bonus Season XP or additional rewards for Pass holders.
    • Exclusive Season Pass Quests: Additional quests available only to Pass holders for faster progression or unique rewards.
    • Premium Track Rewards: Parallel track to the Free Track with significantly more and higher-value rewards (abundant Gems, exclusive high-tier cosmetics, unique items, large resource bundles, XP boosters). Pass holders unlock rewards from both Free and Premium tracks simultaneously.
    • Potential Perks: Small global XP/Coin boost, early access to certain content (e.g., new character for a week).

7.3. Elite Content & Exclusive Space Rewards​

  • Elite Gameplay Areas (e.g., Exclusive Dungeons, High-Stakes PvP Arenas, Challenge Gauntlets):
    • Access: Requires purchased keys, tickets, or access passes (see Store), or rarely earned through high-level gameplay.
    • Gameplay: Offer unique, high-difficulty challenges (PvE or PvP), special game modes, or modifiers not available otherwise.
    • Rewards:
      • Completion/Participation Rewards: High-tier upgrade materials, rare resources, specific currencies for that area's unique vendor, higher chances at exclusive gear/cosmetics.
      • Milestone/Leaderboard Rewards: One-time or repeatable rewards for significant achievements within these areas (e.g., first clear, top leaderboard placement for a season).
  • Exclusive Player Spaces (e.g., "The Castle," "Personal Hideout"):
    • Access: Purchased directly (see Store).
    • Gameplay/Utility: Primarily a cosmetic and social hub. May offer minor, unique, non-combat activities, personal storage, or interactions for "extra fun" and prestige.
    • Primary Benefits:
      • Enhanced Daily Login Bonus: Owning the space might grant an enhanced version of the standard daily login reward or an additional, separate daily reward (e.g., a small amount of premium currency, a unique crafting material).
      • Visual prestige, advanced personalization options, and a private space to invite friends.
    • Note: Does not provide direct in-match gameplay advantages. Any reward increase should be modest to avoid feeling mandatory for progression.

8. Monetization Strategy​

Fair, transparent, and value-driven, focusing on optional purchases that enhance experience without creating pay-to-win scenarios. Designed for a mobile F2P audience.

8.1. Guiding Principles​

  • Player-First: Prioritize a positive player experience over aggressive monetization. The core game must be fully enjoyable and competitive without spending.
  • Value & Choice: Offer good value for money. Players should feel their purchases are worthwhile. Provide a variety of offerings at different price points.
  • Transparency: Clearly communicate what is being sold, its price, and its effects (or lack thereof on gameplay for cosmetics). Disclose odds for any randomized elements (gacha).
  • Avoid Pay-to-Win (P2W): Performance advantages should primarily come from gameplay skill, strategy, and time investment. Monetization focus: cosmetics, convenience, access to optional side-content, and accelerated progression (within limits).
  • Regular Offers & Events: Implement time-limited bundles, sales, first-purchase bonuses, and loyalty rewards to incentivize spending and provide ongoing value.

8.2. Store Offerings​

8.2.1. Season Pass​

  • Description: Time-limited pass (e.g., 2-3 months) granting access to the premium reward track and other bonuses for the duration of a game "Season."
  • Pricing Strategy:
    • Standard Price: e.g., $5.90 USD (or local equivalent).
    • Introductory/First-Time Price: e.g., $3.90 USD for a player's first ever Season Pass purchase.
    • Re-Engagement Incentive: Price may revert to introductory level (e.g., $3.90 USD) if an account hasn't purchased a Season Pass for a set period (e.g., 4 continuous months / 2 seasons).
  • Consider Tiered Pass: Optional "Premium Pass Plus" that includes the Premium Pass and instantly unlocks a certain number of tiers (e.g., +25 tiers) for a higher price.

8.2.2. Exclusive Content & Space Access​

  • Access Keys/Passes for Elite Gameplay Areas:
    • Description: Grants access to specific high-challenge/high-reward areas (e.g., "Key to the Obsidian Depths"). Can be permanent access per key or consumable tickets for limited entries. Permanent access is generally better perceived value.
    • Pricing Example (Permanent Access):
      • Exclusive Area #1 Access: $9.00 USD
      • Exclusive Area #2 Access: $9.00 USD
      • Exclusive Area #3 Access: $9.00 USD
    • Consider bundled offers for multiple areas at a discount.
  • Exclusive Player Spaces (e.g., "The Castle"):
    • Description: One-time purchase of a personal cosmetic space that may also provide a small, ongoing non-combat reward benefit (e.g., enhanced daily login reward, unique cosmetic resource generation).
    • Pricing Example: $9.00 - $15.00 USD depending on the space's features, cosmetic appeal, and passive benefits.

8.2.3. Premium Cosmetics​

  • Description: Purely cosmetic items with no gameplay advantage. Includes character skins, weapon skins, player card items, emotes, etc.
  • Pricing Strategy (Tiered by rarity, animation, effects, exclusivity):
    • Exclusive Season-Only Character Skins: $3.00 - $15.00 USD (higher end for legendary/transformative skins)
    • Exclusive Season-Only Player Card Items: $2.90 - $5.90 USD
    • Exclusive Season-Only Player Badges/Emblems: $1.90 - $4.90 USD
  • Shop Implementation:
    • Direct Purchase: Majority of items available for direct purchase.
    • Rotating Shop: Daily/weekly rotation of select items.
    • Bundles: Themed cosmetic bundles at a discounted price.
    • Gacha/Loot Boxes (Use with extreme caution): If implemented, reserve for cosmetics only, clearly disclose odds, provide non-duplication mechanics or pity timers, and ensure a path to earn similar items via gameplay. Direct purchase is generally preferred for player trust.

8.2.4. Currency & Convenience Items​

8.2.4.1. Premium Currency (Gems)​
  • Use: Purchase Season Passes, Access Keys/Spaces, exclusive cosmetics, convert to Coins, convenience items (timers skips, energy refills, temporary boosters).
  • Acquisition: Primarily via real-money purchases. Small amounts earnable via gameplay (e.g., high-tier Season Pass rewards, special achievements, login calendars).
  • Denominations & Bonuses: M represents a "Base Gem Multiplier Unit," an internal balancing value determining how many Gems $1.00 buys. The actual number of Gems per M is defined by game economy balancing.
    • $1.00 USD : M x1 Gems (Base Pack)
    • $2.90 USD : M x3 Gems + 10% Bonus Gems (Total Gems = (M 3) 1.10)
    • $5.90 USD : M x7 Gems + 15% Bonus Gems (Total Gems = (M 7) 1.15)
    • $9.90 USD : M x12 Gems + 20% Bonus Gems (Total Gems = (M 12) 1.20)
    • $13.90 USD: M x17 Gems + 25% Bonus Gems (Total Gems = (M 17) 1.25)
    • $38.90 USD: M x48 Gems + 30% Bonus Gems (Total Gems = (M 48) 1.30)
  • Example: If M x1 = 100 Gems for $1.00, then for $2.90, players get (100 3) 1.10 = 330 Gems.
8.2.4.2. Soft Currency (Coins) via Gem Conversion​
  • Use: Standard upgrades, crafting, non-exclusive shop items, skill resets (if applicable).
  • Acquisition: Primarily earned through gameplay. Can also be purchased with Gems.
  • Conversion from Gems: C represents a "Base Coin Multiplier Unit," an internal balancing value. The system is designed to offer increasingly better value per Gem for larger conversion amounts. The formula (GemsToConvert * C * BaseExchangeRateModifier) * BonusMultiplier can be used where BaseExchangeRateModifier and BonusMultiplier improve at higher tiers. Your example structure:
    • 30 Gems -> (30 C 10) Coins
    • 80 Gems -> (80 C 11) * 1.10 Coins (i.e., base exchange rate per C unit improves from 10 to 11, then a 10% bonus is applied)
    • 190 Gems -> (190 C 12) * 1.15 Coins
    • 390 Gems -> (390 C 13) * 1.20 Coins
  • Example: If C = 1 (meaning C is a direct multiplier on the rate):
    • 30 Gems -> (30 1 10) = 300 Coins. (Rate: 10 Coins/Gem)
    • 80 Gems -> (80 1 11) 1.10 = 880 1.10 = 968 Coins. (Effective Rate: 12.1 Coins/Gem) This structure provides progressively better value. Ensure this is balanced against gameplay earn rates.
8.2.4.3. Convenience Items​
  • Boosters: Timed items that increase XP gain, soft currency gain, or resource drop rates (e.g., 2x Coins for 1 hour).
  • Energy Refills / Cooldown Skips: If systems like energy or long cooldowns on crafting/upgrades exist.
  • Revives (Limited Context): Potential for PvE modes, use sparingly to avoid trivializing content.

9. Game Design Elements & Systems Checklist​

This list covers various features, mechanics, and systems to consider during game design and development. Use it as a brainstorming tool or a checklist to ensure comprehensive feature planning.

I. Core Gameplay & Player Agency​

[ ] Player Character(s): Core avatar(s) the player controls. [ ] Skills, Abilities & Powers: Active and passive capabilities (e.g., Spells, Gadgets, Runes, Talents). [ ] Combat Systems: Mechanics for conflict (if applicable). [ ] Movement & Traversal: How players navigate the game world. [ ] Puzzles & Problem-Solving: Mental challenges, interactive puzzles. [ ] Stealth & Evasion Mechanics: (If applicable) [ ] Crafting & Gathering Systems: [ ] Core Game Loop(s): The primary cycle of activities players engage in.

II. Content & World Building​

[ ] Non-Player Characters (NPCs): Quest givers, vendors, allies, enemies. [ ] Story, Lore & Narrative Elements: Main plot, side stories, world history, lore fragments. [ ] Game World & Environments: Maps, zones, levels, dungeons. [ ] Secret Areas & Discoverables: Hidden rooms, secret items, Easter eggs. [ ] Player Housing & Bases: Customizable spaces (e.g., Houses, Castles, Land). [ ] Vehicles & Mounts: For travel or combat. [ ] Companions & Allies: Pets, followers, tamed creatures ("Riders," "Raiders" if allied).

III. Player Progression & Rewards​

[ ] Experience Points (XP) & Levels: Core progression metric. [ ] Ranks & Tiers: Additional progression or status layers (e.g., "Skulls" as a rank indicator). [ ] Skill Trees & Advancement Paths: How players unlock/improve abilities. [ ] Missions, Quests & Objectives: Structured tasks with defined rewards. [ ] Achievements, Badges & Titles: Recognition for accomplishments. [ ] Loot & Itemization: [ ] Gear, Equipment, Weapons [ ] Consumables [ ] Item Rarity Tiers: (e.g., Common, Rare, Epic, Mythic, Legendary – for "Boxes" or drops) [ ] Currencies & Resources: (e.g., Gold, Gems, Orbs, Fabrics, Crafting Materials). [ ] Reward Systems: [ ] Login Streaks & Bonuses [ ] Winning Streak Bonuses [ ] Jackpots & Fortune Wheels (Games of Chance) [ ] Event-Specific Rewards

IV. Game Modes & Activities​

[ ] Player vs. Environment (PvE): [ ] Campaign/Story Mode [ ] Dungeons / "Crawlers" [ ] Raids / Large Group Content [ ] Horde / Survivor Modes [ ] Boss Battles [ ] Player vs. Player (PvP): Arenas, battlegrounds, open-world PvP. [ ] Mini-Games: Smaller, distinct gameplay experiences. [ ] Training Rooms & Friendly Battles: Practice and non-consequential combat. [ ] Bonus Rooms & Special Stages: Unique reward or challenge areas. [ ] Time-Based Challenges: Speed Runs, Timed Missions. [ ] Hardcore / Challenge Modes: Increased difficulty, special rules (e.g., permadeath). [ ] Puzzles & Contemplative Activities: (e.g., "Meditation" as a mini-game or mechanic).

V. Social & Community Features​

[ ] Guilds & Clans: Player organizations. [ ] Friends Lists & Invites: Managing social connections. [ ] Chat System: Global, party, guild, direct messages. [ ] Player Interaction Elements: Emojis, Sprays, Taunts. [ ] Leaderboards: Ranking players by various metrics. [ ] Guild Events & Co-operative Challenges: [ ] Trading & Gifting Systems: (If applicable)

VI. Monetization & Economy (Consider Philosophy Here)​

[ ] Overall Model: (e.g., Premium, Free-to-Play (F2P), Subscription) [ ] Ethical Considerations: (e.g., "No Pay-to-Win (P2W)," "No Intrusive Ads") [ ] Season Passes & Battle Passes: Timed progression tracks with rewards. [ ] Paid Reward Tracks: Optional premium versions of progression systems. [ ] Cosmetic Items: Skins, outfits, visual effects. [ ] Exclusive Content: Access to special areas, items, or features (paid or earned). [ ] Loot Boxes / Gacha Mechanics: (e.g., "Boxes" - Common, Rare, etc.) – Consider ethical implications carefully. [ ] Convenience Items: (e.g., XP Boosts, Time Savers) [ ] Direct Purchases: Specific items for real money.

VII. Player Experience & Onboarding​

[ ] Tutorials & Prologue Levels: Introducing game mechanics. [ ] Gradual Feature Introduction: Pacing the reveal of complex systems. [ ] User Interface (UI) & User Experience (UX): Clarity, ease of use. [ ] Game Pacing & Flow: [ ] Session Length Management (e.g., "Daily Energy") [ ] Resource Management (e.g., "Max Daily Farming" limits) [ ] In-Game News & Updates: Keeping players informed. [ ] Accessibility Features: Options for players with disabilities.

10. Key Points To Consider In Game Design​

I. Core Gameplay & Mechanics​

  • Core Loop & Primary Player Actions
  • Player Character Design (Abilities, Skills, Powers, Runes, Gadgets)
  • Non-Player Characters (NPCs): Roles, Interactions, AI
  • Combat Systems (if applicable)
  • Puzzle Design & Minigames
  • Progression Systems (XP, Levels, Ranks, e.g., "Skulls" as a specific metric)
  • Difficulty Scaling & Challenge (e.g., Hard Core Challenges)
  • Controls & User Interface (UI)
  • User Experience (UX) & Game Feel

II. Content & Worldbuilding​

  • Narrative, Story, Lore & World Maps (including Lore Fragments)
  • Level Design, Missions, Quests & Associated Rewards
  • Environments: Secret Rooms, Secret Items, Bonus Rooms
  • Exploration & Discovery Elements
  • Puzzles & Unique Activities (e.g., Meditation as a themed activity)

III. Player Assets & Customization​

  • Player-Owned Assets (Houses, Castles, Lands, Vehicles)
  • Companions (Pets, Mounts/Riders)
  • Cosmetics & Customization Options
  • Itemization: Gear, Consumables, Collectibles
  • Loot Systems (e.g., "Boxes" with rarities: Common, Rare, Epic, Mythic, Legendary)

IV. Social & Community Features​

  • Guilds/Clans & Guild Events
  • Friends Lists, Invites, Party Systems
  • Communication Tools (Chat, Sprays, Emojis)
  • Leaderboards & Competitive Ranking
  • Player-vs-Player (PvP) Modes
  • Cooperative Gameplay
  • Friendly Battles & Training Rooms

V. Game Modes & Activities​

  • Main Campaign/Story Mode
  • Repeatable Content (e.g., "Crawler" / Dungeon Runs, Daily/Weekly Challenges)
  • Special Game Modes (e.g., Speed Runs, Timers, Survivor Modes)
  • Mini-Games (if distinct from core puzzles/activities)
  • Tournaments & Competitive Events

VI. Economy & Monetization (if applicable)​

  • Currencies (e.g., Gold, Gems, Orbs, specific resources like "Fabrics")
  • Business Model (F2P, Premium, Subscription)
  • Monetization Strategy (e.g., "No P2W," "No Ads," Season Passes, Extra Paid Reward Tracks, Cosmetics)
  • Resource Management (e.g., Daily Energy, Max Daily Farming Limits)
  • Randomized Rewards (e.g., Jackpots, Fortune Wheels, Loot Boxes)

VII. Player Engagement & Retention​

  • Onboarding: Prologue, Tutorial Levels, Gradual Feature Introduction
  • Achievements, Badges, Titles
  • Daily Login Rewards & Streaks (Login Streaks, Winning Streaks)
  • In-Game News, Updates, "TV"/Broadcasts
  • Seasonal Content & Events (e.g., Season Passes tied to this)

VIII. Key Design Philosophies/Approaches​

  • Target Audience Definition
  • Accessibility Considerations
  • Pacing of Content and Feature Unlocks
  • Balancing (Economy, Difficulty, PvP, etc.)
  • Ethical Considerations (especially regarding monetization and engagement mechanics)

11. Glossary of Terms​

  • C (Base Coin Multiplier Unit): An internal balancing variable used in the formula for Gem-to-Coin conversions to scale the output of Coins.
  • Coins: Soft currency, earned primarily through gameplay. Used for most standard upgrades and purchases.
  • Elite Area: Special gameplay zone (PvE or PvP) offering unique challenges and rewards, typically requiring purchased or earned access.
  • Exclusive Space (e.g., Castle): Purchasable personal cosmetic area, may offer minor non-combat perks like enhanced daily rewards or unique cosmetic resource generation.
  • F2P: Free To Play.
  • Gems: Premium currency, primarily acquired via real-money purchases but also available in small quantities through high-level gameplay. Used for high-value items and convenience.
  • LTM: Limited-Time Mode.
  • M (Base Gem Multiplier Unit): An internal balancing variable representing the base number of Gems provided per $1.00 USD (or equivalent) before volume bonuses.
  • P2W: Pay To Win.
  • Player Card: Customizable cosmetic profile element visible to other players.
  • Season Pass: Purchasable item granting access to a premium reward track and other benefits for a limited-time game "Season."
  • SFX: Sound Effects.
  • UI: User Interface.
  • UX: User Experience.
  • VFX: Visual Effects.