Boss Battles

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9976&Itemid=2

serious, I just stumbled onto this article and it gave me alot of ideas about Bosses.

When I was doing UberMan warcraft map, my design inspiration comes from megaman's design directly. Go through a stage, clear the stage challenges, defeat the boss, get the weapon of a boss weakness.

The 3 bosses of UberMan were all very unique. I did not aim to just make a high health giant unit. I made the Fireboss an imolation shield who would walk around and spewing fire attacks at you. (The walking around was a totally accident because the enemy boss just wouldn't attack due to a bug). I spent ALOT of time tweaking the iceboss. It was supposed to be a parody of Airman. But from tornadoe attacks became a hunt of the real boss among the clones. The ForestBoss summoned trees to attack you and hid itself regularly. Again, it was very intensively tweaked for different experience and balance. I'm still finding ideas for the fourth Machineboss and the Final boss.

Seriously what is a boss purpose? When I play plane shooting games, I always look forward to the boss, as they always give unique and challenging attacks. Yet I were to simply line up each boss battle after another, I bet the game will get boring. Somehow, the useless cannon fodder served a purpose.

I realised after reading this article that cannon fodder is just to give a feeling of proceeding a stage. We don't really care much challenges given by the cannon fodder. The times I die accidentally is during the cannon fodder stage, when I get hit by a stray bullet, but the moment the boss comes, every single bullets get watched by my eyes.

And the article mentioned how each boss shouldn't be too difficult. It should provide something unique. A personality too. A test of your abilities. Really a nice read.