This week we will take a brief look at some of the process that has gone into making DuolBot’s arena. Early on in development, the team agreed that there would be one main arena with an additional tutorial level. We knew that the main challenge of DuolBots would be mastering the split controls, so we decided to keep the combat area relatively small. This allows players to keep track of their opponent better and ensures that more time is spent battling than looking for opponents. The main arena is composed of an inner area, which is then connected to an outer area by bridges. These bridges can be set up or down to change access to the outer area, effectively creating two maps for the price of one. The smaller map can be used for a more contained, beginner friendly experience, while setting the bridges down can add a bit more complexity for experienced players.
“Junkyard” is one of the main themes we have been using to describe our setting for the majority of the project, so this was the starting point of the arena. The piles of trash and junk lend themselves easily to creating barriers that define the shape of the arena. But in the arena itself, there still weren’t any features to encourage players to move around and engage with the environment. Where else could we find a relatively small, contained, obstacle filled space meant specifically for vehicles? Monster truck arenas.
While the purpose of ramps and obstacles in monster truck arenas is for drivers to execute tricks off of, they are an interesting way to vary the terrain specifically for vehicles. Adding some of these ramps and other structures to the battle arena gives the players some strategic opportunities in the form of cover or high ground without distracting too much from navigating the complex Bot controls.
Early Ideations
-Abby, Art Team
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