Gideon, The radical inquisitor
Gideon is a character I designed for an existing action RPG, dungeon crawler framework, he features a full set of unique abilities that can be altered using a Diablo 3 style modification system. Along with Gideon the project also consisted of an AI solution for a companion character and a new enemy, the new enemy also needed to be able to use the abilities created for the player character. Gideon is a demon hunting inquisitor who has begun to use demonic powers to augment his existing skills, this narrative design is reflected in his skill set with the player being able to choose between 5 inquisitorial abilities and 5 necromancy abilities. Each of abilities can be augmented using the modification system, which was a completely new system I built and integrated into the framework. Each active ability has 3 potential modifications that can be swapped to on the fly, each modification is designed to give the ability additional functionality without altering it too much. For example, the Bomb ability can be turned into a cluster bomb, a fire bomb that does damage over time or a bomb that slows the enemies caught in the blast. I am particularly happy with how some of the abilities synergise with one another, for example a few of the necromancy abilities can be modified to sacrifice summoned minions to deal more damage. Other examples include buff circles being able to buff your minions, the drain ability restoring health to your summoned minions and certain abilities dealing more damage to de-buffed enemies. The AI companion is another example of how I based the mechanics off narrative design, as the player levels up they can choose to purchase talents that unshackle the bound demon following Gideon. As the bindings are stripped from the demon it gains more power, this includes the ability to directly attack enemies, buff the player and restore health to the players summoned minions. The AI enemy is a necromancer who has the full set of player necromancy abilities at its disposal, the behaviour tree ensures the enemy will prioritise its abilities correctly and flee if the player gets too close to maintain an optimal engagement distance. |
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For - Staffordshire University
Roles - Design, Programming, Art |
Tools used - Blueprint, Unreal Engine 4, 3dsmax, Photoshop
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