This system helps us describe any part in the game with a consistent set of terms and make sure we’re designing parts that are unique from each other. Whenever you are developing an idea for a part, reference these guidelines to determine where your idea might fit.

Each part & playstyle in the game can be placed along a few core axes:

• Burst vs Continuous — Burst parts activate in short spurts, then are inactive for periods, while Continuous parts can be active at all times.
• Heavy vs Light — Heavy parts are bigger, higher weight, and draw more power. Light parts are the opposite.
• Cheap vs Expensive — Cost will be our balancing factor. This means that we won’t decide it when designing parts (this is why it’s absent from the charts below), but will assign it later to keep all parts viable and fair relative to one another.

Different systems also have additional axes to consider:

Weapons

• Long-Range vs Short-Range — The effective range of the weapon

• Kinetic vs Thermal vs EM — Kinetic weapons cause physical forces on an object they hit, Thermal weapons add heat, and EM disables energy systems (stuns/slows)

  

Here is an example of how to place some of the weapons we’ve brainstormed along these axes. For example, a Flamethrower (bottom left) would be a Short-Range, Continuous Thermal weapon, on the Heavy end of things.

Of these weapons, we’re currently prioritizing six:

• Phase Cannon: Mid-Range, Burst, Kinetic+Thermal, Light
  • Note that the Phase Cannon breaks conventions because it is the first weapon we will add into the game. As such, it needs to be able to work at both short + long range, and deal both Kinetic + Thermal damage.
• Basic Laser: Long-Range, Continuous, Thermal, Light
• Explosive Warhead: Short-Range, Burst, Kinetic, Heavy?
• EM Warhead: Short-Range, Burst, EM, Heavy
• Point-Defense Cannon: Short-Range, Continuous, Kinetic, Light
• Railgun: Long-Range, Burst, Kinetic, Heavy