Praelium
Role(s): Lead Designer (Pre-production)/Co-Lead Designer/Level Designer/Sound Designer
Overview
Praelium is a first-person spell-casting game controlled almost entirely through voice-recognition. It has been in development since late summer 2009, and is entering its Gold Master release within the next few weeks. Powerful magi of warring clans battle for control of the world and the elusive water magic. Up to 16 players on 4 teams can battle via the combination-based spell-casting system, which allows the player to transform a small variety of magic words into over 50 unique spells. Praelium features team/free-for-all Deathmatch as well as a core mechanic-based Node Control mode.
Spell System
Praelium’s core mechanic revolves around a combination-based spell system of four elements: Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Earth. The system functions via the voice recognition component of gameplay, allowing players to cast spells with their voice. Spells are cast by combining spell words from the three categories: Elements, Forms, and Enhancements – in that order. Spells are technically completed when a form is said, however, the player may choose to add an enhancement at the cost of both additional mana and time. For example, a player could cast Incendium Manufolli (Fire Ball), or they could sacrifice a bit more mana to cast Incendium Manufolli Gigantos (Fire Ball Giant). In addition to being able to use a variety of forms and enhancements with each element, the elements themselves add a bit of depth to the game, each applying a different secondary effect on impact. For example, fire applies a light damage-over-time, whereas ice slows the targeted player temporarily. This open-ended system ultimately allows players to create upwards of 50 different spells each with different situational uses.
Gameplay
Praelium is designed as a multiplayer experience, and as mentioned above features team/solo Deathmatch as well as a Node Control mode. The Deathmatch experience is exactly what you’d expect – kill your opponents more than they kill you. However, the Node Control mode relates back to our core mechanic. Nodes are scattered around the map, and will only activate when they are hit by a harmful spell that matches the element symbol displayed over the node. Upon activating, they will grant the controlling team a point value per second, enhanced by controlling more nodes – play continues until one team reaches a pre-determined point value. Praelium features two levels that have their own unique flavor – a open-air volcanic atoll and a frigid, claustrophobic arctic mountain. In addition, players can also utilize a variety of power-ups including Empower (Double Spell Damage) or Absorb (Instantly fills your cast bar with the spell and readies it to be fired) to keep gameplay fresh and exciting.
Conceptual Evolution
As mentioned above, I was t
he Lead Designer until the completion of our prototype phase, at which point our team was granted new members. With the help of my co-lead, we refined the spell system, granting it a bit more depth and fully fleshing out the secondary effects as well as switching around some forms and enhancements. For example, Exploditus used to be an enhancement that added splash damage, but instead we ended up making it a point-blank area-of-effect form. Our core mechanic is not the easiest to pick up, and our old tutorial did not work as effectively as we meant it to – thus it was redesigned, and now aids the player in picking up the main gameplay of the game more effectively.
Dev Team:
Husam Al-Ziab
Jeremy Burau
Michael Fowler
Asa Gillette
Alex Gustafson
Karl Henning
Stephen Leicht
Adam Maier
Doug Miller
Ryan Penk
Brian Taylor