Hello, Esteemed Khans! As we draw closer to the end of 2023, I've decided to change things up a bit. I'll be sharing my design log for our game this week—a practice I usually do outside of Steam. It's a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of our development process. If you're curious about how things are unfolding or if you have any feedback to offer on our journey, feel free to join the conversation! [h2]Decisions were Made[/h2] When we kicked off this game, there wasn't even a league concept on the table. But, as we entered the wargame realm, we stumbled upon some pitfalls we wanted to avoid. [list] [*] The first obstacle is killing the opponent. Now, with killing, you need to generate troops. They can get wiped out easily and you have to build the army again. But what happens to the population? Isn't it a little unfair to these troops? Our starting point was to think that these troops also wanted to stay alive (which is why we turned the war into a sportive activity). [*] The second obstacle (for us) is about conquering places. We've got Khans, essentially the kings of the tribes. The initial goal was to catch that grand "Hakan" title, the king of kings. Starting out, we thought, "Hey, this title should be up for grabs by anyone, not just the player." But here's the deal- to become Hakan, you've got to conquer everything. And that's pretty much game over for the player if the AI snatches it up instead. [/list] [h2]League Format that Suits[/h2] Here's where it clicked for us - football (or similar sports) shares some striking similarities with battles. The whole tactical dance, outsmarting each other, and the pursuit of victory - it's a common thread. So, why not borrow a page from the sports playbook? The idea of battles in a league season system seemed like a natural fit. Battles need to happen, and they need to keep happening. The league system offers just that constant flow. Here's the twist - we've structured it in a way that the champion clan can catch that dreamed Hakan title, making it up for grabs by anyone. With this idea, we've also turned our commanders (leaders in our game) into something akin to football players, and the whole thing revolves around having the right leaders in your squad. Admittedly, I'm not entirely sure if this can be pulled off smoothly in terms of development, but hey, we're giving it a shot. [h2]League Design[/h2] I'm all about keeping it simple with the design choices. No need to reinvent the wheel, right? So, I took a cue from football leagues. Each season consists of two battles - one at home and one away. With 10 clans in the mix, that sums up to 18 battles in total. We throw in a break after 9 battles, marking the first half of the season. Once the season wraps up, we crown a champion and dish out rewards based on the league table rankings. Given that we're rookies in this league system business, it's smarter to tackle the most straightforward task first - creating a proper league season. [h2]Little Changes that Matter[/h2] As I got in sync with the team, a few tweaks felt right, considering the nature of our game. [list] [*] Firstly, our first league is set in a nomad Turkic universe, so battling in spring made more sense than winter. I like to imagine that during the league breaks, leaders are busy with tribal responsibilities. [*] Secondly, let's rebrand it as a War League since that's where the name came from. Lastly, let's shake things up by granting the Hakan title to the tactician of the champion clan. [/list] Currently, the battle rules aren't exactly like football matches, but a win still bags you 3 points, and a draw earns 1 point. It's these little shifts that add flavor to our league. Your insights and thoughts are always valued as we continue to shape the world of "Hakan's War Manager." Best regards, Oba Games