How does a boss fight actually come about? The developers behind Albion Online are revealing their cards.
The three phases of boss development
Albion Online recently received the big Cador update, which particularly polished the Heretics faction. Game designer Michael Prietzel reveals how the development of a boss fight proceeds and which three phases are involved.
Phase 1: Concept ideas
The first phase may sound trivial, but the developers first consider: What is actually needed? What type of boss should it be, and what requirements must it meet? In the example of Gibson and Stooge, this could be clarified quite quickly. The boss should be achievable for solo players and therefore offer only a moderate challenge that won’t lead to long failures.
Phase 2: Creation and abilities
Once the rough concept was established, development could begin. Here, backstory and concept ideas come together, as Gibson is a leader of the Heretics and will not fight alone. The creation of an “add”, in this case Stooge, who supports his boss with protective shields, was therefore obvious. After a brief test run, it turned out that the boss was too easy, so new mechanics had to be developed to add some spice to the fight without overwhelming the players.
Falling debris creates the necessity to constantly stay in motion. Anyone attempting to sneak past Gibson to take out Stooge must then expect a stronger boss – dead subordinates do indeed invoke the wrath of any compassionate leader.
Phase 3: Refinement and tuning
Finally, all the “small stuff” comes, which also includes the actual character models of the bosses as well as the animations of the abilities. Small graphical details are integrated into the environment, after which it comes to fine-tuning, which means in plain language: Testing, testing, and testing again, until one is satisfied with the boss fight and its difficulty.
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