Prototype Combo - Technical Devlog #1

A few years ago I set out to create a no-gacha game. A game that does not employ nefarious tactics to hook players into spending weeks, months and years of their time and money grinding for pitiful rewards. An antithesis to gacha paradigm and disruptor to that industry. This is my journey so far....

Who am I

• I've played video games for almost 25yrs and it still remains my main past time.
  
• I majored in physics and applied mathematics and I've been a data scientist for ~10yrs.
  
• I am a Nigerian living in diaspora and I've always kept close ties with home.
• I started learning the principles of game design and Unity about 5yrs ago because I really wanted to make a game that was an improvement on what I was playing at the time and it was baffling, why no one else had tried. Until I figured out why!

Problem

• Gacha are notorious for creating frustration among their base. The tactics they use for extract money from gamers is at the root of that frustration.
• They are typically very boring games as they have little content.
• Gachas are so successful at getting players hooked on spending money, they have no incentive to innovate and push the boundary of game design
• If you take a closer look at Gachas they will have 2 games.

  
  

  • A visible/primary core loop: which is typically, rpg, turn-based etc . These mechanics are usually easy to understand at least compare to traditional games. If you make a mistake here you can practise until you get better.
  • A hidden/secondary core loop which how you collect and spend resources. This is where most traps are. It is hidden because most information on the mechanics of this loop is hard to come by
• You can easily make a mistake here and waste premium in-game currency and you can't get that back unless you pay real-money
• Your best best is to watch influencers online who are "helping you avoid the mistakes they have made"

Proposed Solution

• In a sense their success has created an gap in the games market
  
• Gachas have potentially created an opportunity to provide a novel gameplay experience to a sizeable audience open to trying something new.
• By making the hidden loop into a normal gameplay system one should be able to create new type of game experience.
• All the mechanisms you need to beat gacha traps, is a game.

Plan

• Q2 2021 - Invent, build and test a new type of primary core mechanic (DONE - see links here)
• Q3 2022 - Design and build the secondary gameplay loop to accompany the core mechanics. (IN-PROGRESS)
• Q1 2024 - Prototype artistic content for the game design using novel African art

References