About

As the second-to-last boss fight, this encounter presents a steep difficulty curve with each consecutive stage, seamlessly integrating and intertwining platforming, boss attacks, environmental hazards, and complex combat encounters.

As preparation for the challenges in the following chapter, and as the main twist of the mechanics introduced in the levels leading up to this fight, the encounter includes significant "air-control" attacks, which limit the player's ability to jump out of the way at any time, instead encouraging strategic timing, pattern learning, and strong spatia publication within the constantly shifting arena.

As with most boss fights, War-O’s attack patterns, behavior, and required components are detailed in its design document, which serves as a reference for core implementation as well as for the art, VFX, and audio teams.

A flowchart is also included to outline the step-by-step progression of the encounter, directly referencing the processes and behaviours described in the design document.

Above: Diagrams describing the metrics, behavior, and movement patterns for the "Laser Spin" attack.

Below: Final rendition of the "Laser Spin" attack in the released version of the game

Above: Design document for the "War-O" boss fight.

Through the use of diagrams and charts, the design document details mechanical specifications such as the color coding of attacks for improved spatial awareness, initial metrics, movement patterns, and overall timings, all of which are implemented and tested as originally designed on paper, and later tweaked and polished based on play testing results.

This particular boss fight received significant changes after its core implementation due to play testing reports showing an unusually high difficulty being perceived, ultimately resulting in the removal of mechanics, and a decrease in the duration of each stage, which can be easily noted when comparing the design document and flowcharts with the playthrough of the final-release version.

Below: Flowchart detailing the step-by-step progression of the "War-O" boss fight.

Above: Diagram detailing metrics and behavior for "wave" attacks to the left, and the final rendition of the mechanic in the released version of the fight to the right.

Above: Diagram describing the "Charge Trail" attack, which was ultimately removed from the fight to decrease its difficulty rating, and average length.

The design of this boss, especially that of its helmet, was based on concept designs I did for an elite-type enemy while fulfilling the role of concept artist for an earlier version of the game.

In that version, this "humanoid" enemy would stalk the player character from elevated positions, using a weapon to shoot barrages of projectiles in bullet-hell patterns.

Above: "Humanoid enemy" weapons and helmet final concept iterations, which would ultimately result in the design of the "War-O" boss enemy.

Playthrough

Gallery