This is a semester project made in GameMaker, and I am now in the process of properly improving it in Godot.
The initial idea was inspired by a small frenzy in the indie game scene, where a bunch of survivor-like games started appearing. I thought this genre would be a perfect fit for a 3-month game development cycle because of its simplicity. However, it is my game with my vision, so my principle is to make it as interesting and unique as possible. This is an alternative game development class, and if you have checked my other page about my gaming background (or at least worked with me for a bit), you’ll know that I am a Gacha game player. There is always debate about whether Gacha games are a form of gambling or if they are ethical. I’m not here to argue about those issues; I just want players to realize that their relationship with Gacha games might not be healthy and to learn about some of the common tricks used in these games.
The concept is to blend Gacha games with a survivor-like game, and another idea that came to mind is that the direct translation of 'Gacha' in Chinese is 'draw card.' What if we used card effects to replace weapons or other items, while also making the Gacha theme more meaningful? Additionally, working with numbers and cards is my area of expertise (you’ll notice that many of the other games I’ve created are related to DBG).
Then you got this game with a DBG meets survivor-like game and with Gacha as theme.
Basically, all of the mechanics you have seen in Gacha games are involved in this game: promise, power creep, changes in chances based on the banner, etc. (Well, except for microtransactions.)
Since it is an alternative game, sarcasm on the narrative side is also necessary. In Gacha games, players are often referred to by terms like Minnow, Dolphin, Whales, etc. So, I created different fish-themed minions, reflecting these terms, to give the sense that the player is actually fighting against other players (even though it may not seem that way). On the surface, it is a story about a chosen one who defeats all the fishes invading the land. But on a deeper level, it is actually a story about the game company selecting you as a player-tester to beat all the "whale" players, encouraging them to spend more money in the game.
After finishing the main design thoughts and the narrative side, let’s talk a bit more about the in-game mechanisms.
The easiest way to make cards function as weapons is to just throw them (just like in some old Hong Kong gambling movies). However, that is not the case here. I prefer fast-paced games that shrink the player’s thinking time or encourage them to trust their instincts (ha, you will, or already have, seen this again). So, I used a method that relates time to the cards. Specifically, when you use a card, it’s not like in other DBG games where you just use them directly. Instead, in this game, you need to select the card by pressing QE, and then it will start charging. Once it is fully charged, the card will be played.
Also, all enemies will turn into Gacha resources when they die. You then have to pick up these resources and convert them into the cards you use by performing Gacha with the space key. Of course, you can also save the card-drawing resources, but they will be converted into another resource at the end of the turn to prevent players from saving everything to pull on a better banner. (Ha, the materials between banners do not convert into each other—another classic feature.)