Principles of enemy design
One of the most important principles is ensuring that enemies are challenging but not annoying, meaning that they should present a significant challenge to the player while still being fun to fight against. Additionally, enemies should be diverse and distinctive, allowing players to differentiate between different types of enemies and develop strategies to overcome them. Another important principle is giving enemies weaknesses that can be exploited by the player, encouraging strategic thinking and planning. Lastly, enemies should synergize with each other, creating challenging and dynamic encounters that require players to adapt and respond to changing situations.
Enemy diversity
I follow two main rules for assigning enemy types to environments. Firstly, I ensure that no single enemy type appears in all environments, as this can make gameplay feel repetitive and predictable. Secondly, I assign environment-specific enemy types to each environment, matching the theme of the environment and highlighting the strengths of each enemy type. With each environment featuring different layouts and obstacles, players will need to adapt their tactics and strategies to overcome the challenges presented by each enemy type. By prioritizing diversity, distinctiveness, and strategic gameplay in my enemy design, I hope in creating an engaging and rewarding experience.
Enemy abilities
Each enemy type, based on their level, has a special ability, a trait, or both. These abilities are carefully crafted to challenge the player and their unique playstyle, forcing them to adapt and strategize accordingly. Since enemies typically specialize in one area, it is easier for players to develop effective strategies to counter them, adding an additional layer of depth to gameplay. In designing enemies, I also prioritize synergies between them. Enemy abilities and behavior are designed to work together, making the squad stronger as a whole and creating dynamic and challenging encounters for players.
