Designing for cohesion

[alice-i-cecile]

Name

Designing for Cohesion: Mechanical Identity in Classes and Characters

Content

• when set to placeholder art, characters of the same class should be recognizably related
• resource systems, recurring motifs, synergies, rhythms, mechanical hooks, universal constraints
• cohesion commonly seen in MOBAs: Zyra, Brand
• contrast WoW classes within themselves. Strongest with druids, extremely weak with Survival Hunter
• but possible in build-your-own settings, or with large numbers of abilities
• if you can freely replace abilities and passives between your classes, the identity is too weak
• why bother: player attachment, clear contrasts, easier design, forces you into interesting constraints and hooks, replay value

[alice-i-cecile]

• WoW has two axes: role and class. Does a good job with the former, but not the latter.
• Scarcity of core mechanics: classes need to be able to carve out their own design niches. Must be able to introduce complexity somewhere