MechaStellar VER11 Design Goal – Finisher Evolution

In making MechaStellar VER11 we had a lot of new and interesting design challenges to improve the game.  Our overall goal to take VER10 and make it faster, more fun and easier to teach.  Finisher is the 2nd most modified Trigger since we started developing VER11, coming in right after Barrage.  Ultimately, Finisher was removed as a Trigger but we thought the development process of ups and downs, repeated dead-ends then eventually repurposing Finisher into an alternate system would be worth the deep dive.  So keep reading below.

At the start of VER11 Finisher had the following ability.

• Finisher
  • When target is below 50% HP, each Trigger deals +1 Hit.  (Can Stack with Critical)

This is probably the simplest and cleanest version of Finisher we ever had looking back on it.  It was also quite potent making it the most commonly used combination trigger, combining with Critical, Bullseye, Siege, etc making every combination deadly.

On the flip side, it was completely inferior to Critical outside of Combination triggers.  That meant we were always looking for different ways to implement Finisher.  Finisher in VER9 and VER10 went through many different revisions providing several different frameworks, some loved, some hated by players.  Finisher in VER11 is major improvement over all previous versions, both from a balancing, thematic, and enjoyment perspective.  But before we get to the [Finisher Phase] let’s go through Finisher’s evolution.

With the VER10 Finisher Rules of make X+ Hits to Trigger a Finishing Blow we tried with

• Finisher
  • Each trigger lowers the number of unblocked hits needed for a Finishing Blow.

This was very similar to VER10 but didn’t help our lethality problems, or all the problems we had in VER10 so it was scrapped.  It also had a number of sequencing problems when it came to attack and defense, when a targets shield could be used, and whether it would be broken (by the finisher).  Here’s a DEV chat on the topic.

How about a system where Finisher trigger immediately activates Finisher phase?

Only way this works is to make defender roll first, then attacker, then finisher phase. 

Yeah, but sequencing gets clearer for Shields / Siege

Ok, but it gets ugly because now you have to commit to Flash / Iron Wall before knowing the attack.  I mean yeah, it might have that Gundam EX Vs feel, but has big potential for feels bad moments; and heavily lets the attacker probe defenses without burning momentum.  Again not a bad thing but probably not a good sequence, even if it gave us fun nostalgia for VER 4-9 with defender rolling vs attack.

At the start of VER11, the number of Saves you rolled was still equal to the number of unblocked hits (capped at 5).  Same as VER10.  We were looking at ways to modify this and make the game less lethal, since high attack beam weapons were still extremely lethal.  One option was Finisher.

• Finisher
  • Each Trigger generates an unblockable Hit.

This way a Finisher weapon was creating Saving Throws regardless of the opponents defense roll.  A novel concept, but ended up being a mess for mental math later.  Around this time we were also developing the saving throw system in parallel which we’ll cover in the next post.  At the start there were only Armor Saves (just like VER10) with some unique ones like Stun versions or Push / Pull versions.  We then added in a “Finisher Save”.  Here’s some DEV notes during this time period

Next version – Finisher triggers generate Finisher saves if there are any unblocked hits.  But that gets weird with armor saves and finisher saves having different generation mechanics, Armor Saves is one per hit, Finisher Saves is per trigger , probably confusing for new players.

Next version – Finishers are just Crit weapons, but a passive bonus in the Finisher phase, they cost more than Crit weapons (maybe too strong and doesn’t help me blow up shields, without going to finisher phase)

Next version – Finisher weapons all have Siege (thus every roster can deal with shields now) and also a bonus during Finisher phase, which is Crit on trigger, they cost more than regular siege weapons

Next version – Finisher does generate finisher saves.  Turn ARM PEN weapons into PEN 8+, now all saves depend on triggers {{this is when we prototyped what became the final Saving Throw system}}.  Save = Triggers lowers lethality on beams, if we kept it as unblocked hits = saves then finisher saves would be super overkill. 

However, it can get kind of weird if you have more saves than hits, do you still cap saves with hits?  What happens if you get 5 Triggers and thus 5 Saves but there only 2 unblocked hits; okay well I guess 2 Hits and 5 Saves.  Alright, but what about squads?  How do I split up 2 hits and 5 saves across 3 units???  {{We eventually solved the Squad issue}}

Next version – Unified trigger and save mechanic.  [E]nergy weapons and Finisher weapons cause armor saves and finisher saves respectively, where # of Saves = # of Unblocked Hits (Max 3).  The trigger for these weapons raises the save cap by 1.  For example, Finisher 8+, roll 2 8s, the cap is now 5, better get 5 unblocked hits through to maximize that

Next version – Finisher = Crit if target HP<50%, or Tac Adv (Blindside, high ground etc.).  Maybe anti grunt if we do Frame 1-2.  Conditional = Bonus in Valor phase.

Next version – That was way too complicated, let’s revert back.   1 Trigger = 1 Save.  If there are 0 unblocked Hits then there are 0 Saves.  Otherwise, Hits and Saves are not dependent on each other.  How about we just get rid of Finisher Saves for now, and Finisher = Each Trigger is DMG+100.

This became our go to Finisher for the longest time.

• Finisher
  • Each Trigger gives DMG+100 to each unblocked Hit

That said, as hinted in some of the DEV Notes earlier, we had also been developing a [Finisher Phase] system simultaneously.  Eventually, we combined that concept with the Valor skill such that using Valor meant entering the [Finisher Phase] on your attack.  Valor was extremely well loved by playtesters.  But more on its development later.

As we developed the Finisher Phase we also realized that we no longer needed to have separate Finisher weapons.  You didn’t need to have “Drill Attack”  and “Giga Drill Breaker” as separate weapons, each costing separate points (and often a lot of points).  Instead you could “Drill Attack”  who’s special ability was “[Finisher Phase] Role change to Breaker”.  Thus your regular weapon with Pierce as its Trigger switches to a combination trigger like Breaker (Pierce + Crit) during the Finisher Phase. 

We could then apply this to various fighters, GaoGaiGar’s Heaven and Hell going to [Finisher Phase] Role Change Overkill, Wing Zero’s Twin Buster Rifle max output would [Finisher Phase] Role Change to Dominate, Sky Gridman having a laser circus would [Finisher Phase] Role Change to Swarm. It created a lot of distinct possibilities with minimal mechanics needed, instead reusing what was existing.

Your super robot could attack normally and when you wanted to fully commit to the attack and use Valor, suddenly you cut loose, do the impossible and make a massive powerful attack.  It meant we no longer had to make Finishing moves dependent on Momentum (now Morale Points), or Power, or single use, etc.  It was just dependent on you using the Valor skill.   Everything was finally coming together.

Now that the [Finisher Phase] system (and the 1 Trigger = 1 Save System) was completed we realized it was time to say goodbye to Finisher as a Trigger.  It was a fun way to start of VER11’s development, but now it’s true power was codified in a distinct game mechanic, satisfying one of our design goals to leverage existing systems rather than create new mechanics.  In this case, leveraging the valor skill (which itself went through a dozen iterations) and weapon abilities to build out the finisher phase creating dramatic and anime accurate moments on the tabletop.