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Izzan Bacharrudin Soedarsono

User Experience and Games
Designer / Researcher


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Izzan Bacharrudin  Soedarsono

Product, Experience, & Games Designer

Game Analysis: Frostpunk Resource Analysis


Games Design


Type
Game Analysis Course

Time
2018, 2 Months Research
Design Brief
Resource management analysis in Frostpunk Game by 11bit studio.
Role
Researcher

Resource Management Analysis: Corelation between Heat and Coal usage in Frostpunk

The reason I choose Frostpunk as my game analysis topic because I want to discover moreover of the formula that determines the resource management game mechanics. This insight can beneficially for me to learn about how to design the resource mechanic in the game that will build the game to be balanced. Balancing game with judging how resources can be achieved. 






Findings
New Challenge for City Simulation Games.

Based on my analysis on resources mechanic in Frostpunk, I think that Frostpunk has an unique mechanic. The survival elements make the resource management really crucial. The formula behind the resource consumption and production is already balance and challenging. Different with another city simulation games, where the player possible to have unlimited resource and feel overpower. The twist event such as temperature drop, broken facility, and some unexpected event that can drop workforce efficiency (coup d'etat, protest, food ration being robbed, etc.) makes the game more challenging. For now, Frostpunk developer don’t have any significant update that change the way of play. They only update some scenario that can provide an unique experience for player.




Development Suggestion

Based on analysis of how the resource being managed in this game, I have three suggestion that able to improve the gameplay experience to be more engageful for players.

  • Adding some additional resource that can trigger a twist. For example, a rare resource that will create a chaos in your city because lot of people looking for it.

  • For me, Steam Hub coal consumption seems overpowered if compared with steam. Looking forward to increasing the coal consumption for Steam Hub.

  • In my opinion, Frostpunk can be develop into a multiplayer games with an unique gameplay. The idea is by creating Last Man Standing game. The concept is creating a fast forward gameplay (around 15 / 20 min per games by calibrating the resource formula) , and both player “fights” for retrieving available resource that place on the same place. The winning player is the one who stand the cold temperature.

Results

I write the analysis of this game into a published pdf. Please check this link or read the issuu version below.






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