Oh boy, where should I start...
Considering the last post about Infectious was over two years ago, it is evident that a lot of things have changed.
So this post is not so much about showing the world how the game is now, but rather a reminder and a checklist of how we are going to further design Infectious, now that we have completed the development of our first game, Wanderlust, we can finally dust off other games in the line.
In this post, I will focus on the things that have remained the same, and in the next one, I will concentrate on the numerous changes that have taken place.
Theme
Infectious is a 1 to 4 player virus-themed game, medium/heavy weight, with light-hearted and quirky art.
In the game, you will play as one of the viruses, and each virus plays completely differently, fighting against other viruses for precious cells in order to mutate while also trying to survive attacks from the body's immune system.
For example, Chippie the couch potato will focus on staying still and growing massively to take over organs, while Celly the cellphone addict will concentrate on placing radiation tokens throughout the body and attacking organs without leaving a trace. Goof the Aloof will create portals to avoid other viruses and create holes in organs. Lastly, there's Flipper, the most challenging to play, as it has two different kinds of virus cells to balance.
I will create separate posts for each of the viruses in the future, once we have balanced and fine-tuned each of them.
I still very much like the theme and the way I have created each virus, so that will not change.
Main Mechanics
I guess I never really settled on one mechanic, and Infectious will not have just one mechanic, that's for sure.
However, area majority and pattern building (the way the virus eats cells and unlocks new abilities) will be the ones that make up the main game.
In addition to these two, it will also include tech tree building for virus mutation, engine building, and hand management.
Art style
As I mentioned earlier, I would like Infectious to have a quirky appearance, which requires a lot of concept art to portray the viruses' play style and personality. Here are some sketches that were in my mind:
I am still working on how 2 faces would look like...
But you get it.
Immune System
In the game, you will not only compete against other viruses but also try to survive the attacks of the immune system. This is implemented through an automatic system where the immune system targets the most damaged organ, strongest virus, or becomes stronger as the virus grows stronger.
Currently, the system is quite punishing, making players ponder whether to trigger mutations and introduce more immune cells onto the board or wait for someone else to do so.
I believe this adds a good amount of struggle and strategy to the game. However, we need to balance it to a point where it offers a challenging experience without being demotivating to play. This still requires extensive playtesting.
So I guess that is it, for sure I have missed some points here and there but we will eventually catch up.