Pivot Strategy

If the game turns out to be not fun, the project will pivot to the following strategies. This can also be plans for future update content that can be added after the launch of the final game.

Gameplay

Add Weapons

Add medieval weapons like bow and arrows, swords, spears, etc. to the game and instead of focus on catching the other players and only that.

Implementing this can increase the depth of the game and makes the whole experience much more exciting for the players. Effectively creating the game into a medieval PUBG or Fortnite.

However, this means that the game will require additional balancing, additional development time for implementing all the different weapon behaviors, more assets, more animations, etc. This will increase the development time to a huge amount.

Add Magic and Skills

Similar to adding weapons, this strategy will add magics and skills that can be used in the game. There can be the typical offensive magics like fire magic, ice magic, etc., but this will also add passive magics like invisibility, see-through vision, and fast speed. Players can also level up their magic and gain bonus skills that can improve that magic. Because player levels are tracked, the project will require a login screen.

This feature can allow players to feel a sense of progression and give a reason for players to continue playing. Additionally, all magics will use the same player action sprite but with different particle effects blasting, making it less heavy in the asset department.

But this feature will require additional balancing work and a better matchmaking system as well.

Add NPC/AI characters

This is about adding NPCs with the same player model to areas that are supposed to be populated (like the marketplace area, villages or campsites). NPCs won't attack another player, instead, they will go around the area and just mind their own business. If a player kills an NPC, they will be punished by reducing one kill point. The purpose of adding these NPC is to make them act as an object that the player can hide amongst. This adds another game element that is a cross between Prophunt and Assassin's Creed Multiplayer mode. We can also add a map that is dedicated to having a bunch of NPCs moving around with different hiding areas, and players can try to determine if an NPC is actually a player and kill them while they're not looking.