Introduction
Battle Chess:
“The Art of SunZi”
Background
inspiration
My gaming inspiration stems from my early experiences playing chess with my grandma, who happened to be a teacher. She imparted "The Art of War" tactics, applying them skillfully in our chess matches. Those sessions were intense, and the thrill of strategist against her remains a cherished memory.
As times shifted towards online gaming, traditional chess took a backseat, and finding opponents became a challenge. The absence of those competitive matches against Grandma left a void. However, a light-bulb moment struck. Could I meld my chess background with the strategic wisdom of Sun Tzu to craft a modern and accessible "chess" game that resonates with today's gaming community? This notion sparked the journey toward creating a game that combines classical strategy with contemporary appeal.
Introduction
"Art of Sunzi" seamlessly weaves together timeless Chinese culture with strategic gameplay, drawing inspiration from classics such as "Battle vs. Chess" and Chinese Chess. The game's straightforward style and ink aesthetic find their roots in the influential "The Sword." Taking cues from this source, we aimed to craft a casual and easily enjoyable experience. Having played Empire era and other auto-chess games, I initiated the project by blending elements from auto-chess with RTS games.
I ventured into creating a game that intertwines Sun Tzu's Art of War with Chinese chess strategy. Each move echoes Sun Tzu's teachings, turning the chessboard into a strategic battlefield. The game's visual allure centers on Chinese chess pawn. It's a unique homage to classical strategy and contemporary gaming, merging personal Chinese chess experiences with Sun Tzu's wisdom.
As players immerse themselves in the game's rich tapestry, they are challenged to master the profound principles of Sunzi, strategically maneuvering through historical battlefields set against the backdrop of Ancient China. Prepare for a journey where each move echoes through the corridors of time, as the Art of Sunzi weaves a tale of strategic brilliance and tactical mastery.
Design Process
Game Design
Core mechanic
By using Chinese chess pawn to represent all the units, two chess contact each other to engage
Size of pawn represent both health and attack power, combination so-called morale. the outcome of each fight can be directly predicted through size
Morale dynamically changes according to various battlefield conditions
The picture shows a standard 1-unit flag fighting a 1-unit enemy flag, resulting in 10 mutual attacks in 10 seconds, scaling each other down until they're destroyed.
The picture shows our units receive bonus bonuses and huddle bonuses, morale gains a 0.2+0.3 multiplier, and flag size becomes 1.5x relative to 1 unit.
How does all the value works?
Terrain
Command Tokens
The initial combat system was formed by increasing the impact on morale, chess attack terrain( 4), and command tokens(3)
Enemy’s Units
Player’s Units
The gameplay design initially took shape with a combat system featuring self-selected cards and real-time strategy (RTS)-styled health bar units, tailored for a nuanced Chinese strategy. However, as the design unfolded, I found myself navigating the intricate depths of unit variations and card effects, losing my essence of the game.
In a bid to refine the experience, I'm steering towards a more straightforward approach. The aim is to shed complex modern mechanisms, opting for a design that minimizes players' perception of intricate units. The focus shifts to accentuating the quintessential themes of Chinese chess and Sun Tzu's Art of War.
Sence Sample
Selection:
Click to select/unselect the center piece unit.
Manipulate multiple units: box checking allows you to select multiple units and manipulate them at the same time
Move and Attack:
When the unit is selected, click on an empty space to move
click on an enemy piece to attack and set that enemy as the target of the attack.
To use a battle order: Drag the battle order to the corresponding target, or select it from the highlighted targets after selecting the battle order.
Control Scheme
Basic
use command token
Character Design
In the strategic design of "Art of Sunzi," various elements influence morale of a pawn. For example, players will found a pawn be shrinking while moving, as its stamina reduce and recover. Encirclement occurs when a unit fight with multiple enemies from different direction, triggering a reduced multiplier.
Terrain plays a pivotal role, providing units with morale bonuses in high mountains, while rivers incur rate reductions and movement speed penalties. Woods offer an ambush bonus but increase vulnerability to fire damage.
The strategic significance of grain stores is reflected in the Grain Break, causing a multiplier reduction for enemy units when granaries are destroyed. Lastly, the Capture Chief mechanic adds a strategic layer, awarding a multiplier to all enemy units upon defeating their general, encouraging players to target key figures for tactical advantage.
The picture shows units receive a 0.25 multiplier bonus to morale on high mountains.
The picture shows there is a 1.25 multiplier ambush bonus in the woods, but 1.5 multiplier is added for taking fire damage.
Units gain a 0.25 multiplier reduction in rivers and move 0.5 multiplier slower in rivers.
Global Mechanics
Terrain
Mountains
Rivers
Forests
Units
Command Tokens
Different units have different mobility and terrain impact attributes.
Cavalry can cross river faster and be less affected by labor
Different Command Tokens have different abilities.
“Shoot” Command Token let a unit shoot arrow and attack enemy units in far distance.
Game Elements
Basic morale strategy
Encirclement
arrogant
supervise operations
Stamina
cut grain
Capture Chief
mechanisms in certain levels
Level 1
Level 2
Level DEsign
Part I. Wait at leisure while the enemy labors
Players are given a safe space in which to experiment with maneuvers.
The concept of "waiting for the enemy" is that the player moves to the corner, where the pawns are exhausted (as evidenced by the pieces getting smaller), and rests just as the enemy is coming. The enemy will come over and the pieces will get smaller as they come over.
Part 1: Riverside Confrontation
In Level 2's Riverside Confrontation, the player strategically advances to the water's edge, triggering an engagement with the enemy. Crossing the river, the player exploits the terrain advantage, causing a drop in the enemy's morale. This sets the stage for a decisive confrontation, emphasizing the player's tactical understanding. Successfully navigating this encounter relies on capitalizing on the morale reduction, marking the first strategic challenge of Level 2.
Part 2: Mountain Ascent Strategy
The player faces a new challenge as they navigate their units through the mountainous terrain. The advantage of morale bonuses on high mountains becomes a key element in this phase.
Morale bonuses on high peaks play a pivotal role, requiring the player to exploit this advantage to strategically overpower enemies positioned on elevated landscapes. As units ascend, the inherent morale boost empowers a tactical strike. Success demands adept unit control and positioning, utilizing the terrain advantage to outmaneuver and triumph over strategically placed enemies. This mountain ascent strategy introduces complexity to Level 2, demanding strategic planning and precise execution for success.
Part 2: Defeat the enemy by capturing their chief
The enemy's pieces are obviously stronger than ours, so it's not a good match, and we'll lose in a contact battle.
However, the enemy is patrolling the lines, so we can bypass the enemy and kill the enemy general first, which will weaken the morale. If we fight again, we win.
Art Design
UI Design
3D Model
I used Unity to build the model of mountains.
Environment Design
Final Rendering
