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This untitled project is a Creature Collector game about exploration and progression, with Real-Time Action Combat where the player switches control between the Trainer and Companion as they wish.
Genre: Creature Collector
Date: May 2025 - Present
Role: Game Designer (Generalist)
Tools: Miro, Notion
Link: WIP
TBD
Tamer & Creature Synergy Ideation
In the game, the Tamer and her creatures fight together to defeat their enemies. The creatures are the source of damage, each with their own archetypes and unique styles. The Tamer's role is purely supportive, helping her companion in various ways. This ideation board explores how the Tamer and creature can interact smoothly by comparing their tools and goals, and by taking inspiration from carry-support dynamics in other games.
NPC Battles Research & Ideation
Like other creature collector games, players in our game can battle NPC Tamers and their creatures. To discover how this system can be implemented best, I began by researching how different NPC battle types function in Pokémon, the most popular and diverse game in the genre. Then I explored how these types could be adapted to fit our game and what adjustments would be needed. Using these as a foundation, I also designed unique battle types tailored to our systems, mechanics, and player experience.
Item Systems Research
Items are a core part of any open-world game. In this context, "item systems" refers to all systems related to in-game belongings that can be bought or sold with currency. Since many systems fall under this category, I conducted in-depth research on the types of items found in other creature collector games, along with the systems tied to those items and how they function. This helped form an initial understanding of what kinds of items we might need. After the research, I documented key takeaways that highlight common trends across the selected games. Finally, I proposed item types suitable for our game and worked with the director to make the final selections.
Item Acquisition Methods Ideation
After defining the types of items we wanted in the game, I explored how players could obtain them. I listed a variety of acquisition methods, outlining the pros and cons of each. We then reviewed these options with the studio director and used an elimination process to decide which ones best aligned with the player motivations we envision for the game.
Combat Items Exploration
For items intended to be used during combat, I collaborated with the combat designer to define their features. Since combat items are used by the Tamer, whose role is to support the creature, they essentially act as the Tamer’s skill kit. The combat designer first outlined the possible support functions the Tamer could have in battle. Based on these, I assigned each function to a specific item type and then developed a classification and grading system to organize how these items would work within the game.
Economy Brainstorm
While the game doesn't feature a complex economy, it was still important to define how money flows in and out, and in what proportions. In this board, I conducted a quick brainstorm to list all potential sources of income and spending. I also considered how these should be balanced against each other to make sense within the game's structure. Additionally, I looked at how other creature collector games handle their economies to inform these decisions.
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