SOE Live -- Design With the Devs

Hey Everyone!
This year at SOE Live we had a panel called Design with the Devs! In this panel we talked about how we go about planning and building our DLCs. We had a quick slide show presentation where we talked about the process. Mostly it was all about how much work, thought, and planning goes into a DLC before we even begin to build it.

At the end of the presentation we split the room into three groups. Each group would create a high-level DLC document. We provided them with three different topics, and set some constraints. These topics do not represent any current plans for future DLCs. This was just a high-level exercise to give players a hands-on experience of what the Design Team does.

In the end, we ended up with some really good stuff. I had promised to post this when I got back to Austin, but I ended up getting swamped with DLC8, DLC9, and PS4 tasks. To those of you who were there, I am sorry it took so long.

Before we see what your fellow players came up with, I need to give you some background on what they saw in the presentation. Don’t worry, I will give you the compressed version. J

1. We begin with the Creative Director (Spytle/Jens) having an “Ah-ha” moment.
2. He then discusses it with various leads and directors.
3. He then creates a high-level “one-sheet” that is used as a guideline for everyone else.
4. The Design team then creates their own “one-sheets” for the various pieces of the DLC. (Raids, Powers, etc.)
5. When “one-sheets” are approved, full design documentation begins. This is a large document detailing encounters, VO, boss fight shtick, powers, etc. This can be quite large sometimes.
6. All documents go through a review period with all leads in all departments.
7. Implementation begins.

For our panel, we took the “Ah-ha” moment and created some high-level “one-sheets” for the content and powers associated with it.

Our three topics were:

• Enter Shazam!
  • Finish the storyline with Black Adam, Isis, and Felix Faust.
• Supersize Me!
  • New storyline revolving around Ray Palmer and the Palmerverse.
• Monkey Business!
  • Finish the Gorilla Grodd storyline.

After we split into groups, we assigned some devs to each group to help give pointers or answer questions.

• Loche à Enter Shazam!
• Spytle à Supersize Me!
• Tunso/Spord à Monkey Business!

After nearly two hours of discussing it among the individual groups, each group presented their DLC to the rest of the room. After hearing all groups' ideas, we then voted on which we thought was the best.

It was pretty close, but one team pulled ahead. I won’t tell you which just yet, although the players who were there should feel free to do so.

My note taker cough…Captain_Liberty…cough… didn't take down all notes pertaining to the powers for each DLC, only a high-level blurb. Again, I will have to rely on the players there to expand on it, as I don’t want to put words in their mouths.

I didn’t take everyone’s name down, so I won’t call out the names of people who participated (you can do that yourself). Next year I will take down names.

And without further ado:

Enter Shazam!
Overview
It includes the following features:

• 1 Raid (World War III - Bialia)
• 2 Alerts (Oolong and Rock of Eternity)
• 1 Iconic Alert (Path to Eternity)
• 4 Gear Sets
  • 4 Horsemen
• 3 Legends
  • Mary Marvel (Black Mary Marvel)
  • Klarion
  • Tawny
• New Vault for Bases

Premise:
Black Adam is rampaging, trying to kill Faust - seeking revenge for the death of Isis. Faust goes to the Rock of Eternity to steal the powers of Shazam. This unleashes the sins into the world, triggers World War III, and the arrival of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Player Package Addition:

• Might and Magic
  • Tank
  • Might Tree
  • Magic Tree

Supersize Me!
Overview
It includes the following features:

• 1 Raid
  • Kryptonian Biospace
• 2 Alerts
  • FOS Infiltration
  • Sunstone AI Matrix
• 1 Arena
  • Superman's brain
• 2 Gear Sets
  • Atomized Battle Suit
  • Sivanna Suit
• 2 Legends
  • Krypto
  • Sivanna

Premise:
The Fate of the Earth's greatest hero will be decided as heroes and villains infect or cure Superman. Dr. Sivana and Lex Luthor have teamed up to create a dastardly concoction that has been achieved by shrinking to infect Superman. The Man of Steel's life now hangs in the balance as heroes now join Ray Palmer inside the biospace of Superman to save him from death.

Player Package Addition:

• Contagion
  • Healer
  • Remedy Tree
  • Malady Tree

Monkey Business!
Overview
It includes the following features:

• 2 Alerts
  • Central City
  • Oolong
• 2 Iconic Solo Challenges
  • Flash
  • Grodd
• X Gear Sets
• 2 Legends
  • Jay Garrick
  • Professor Zoom

Premise:
Gorilla Grodd has escaped Stryker's and is ready to exact revenge on Flash. He assaults Central City before taking over the abandoned facilities on Oolong. Will you help or hinder Grodd from using his giant volcano powered laser to spread his gorilla rage worldwide?

Player Package Addition:

• Magnamorphic powers:
  • Controller
  • Morphic Tree
  • Magnetic Tree

That's a bummer. I would like to see the "Supersize Me" idea be put into a possible DLC for DCUO. Not sure about the healing power, but I like the ideas, though they are very minimal.

I would really love to see the "Enter Shazam". Sounds like it would be a fun DLC.

How do you post this, but don't post the "Aha Moment" picture?

The Shazam one is cool. The Monkey one is 2nd coolest.

The Shazam one sounds good but I'm not a fan of the 4 horsemen armor ( thats what the t4 set looks like to me)set idea or the iconic alert idea (the iconic solo was bad enough).

ENTER SHAZAM that one sounds cool and a new tank power is needed

4 horseman would be death, famine, etc... that would look nothing like a bull, ram, lion, and stag.

Oh man. I wish I could have joined this one.

These would be awesome.

I can remember Myself & Trexlight along with others were working on Monkey Business. That was super fun and I believe the session went an extra hour?
Been looking forward to rehashing this with you guys.

I am still Imagining the Gorilla forces smashing Central City and destroying the Flash Museum.
While General Grodd is attempting to use the volcano powered laser to take over the world with his mental projections.

Yep i was part of the Monkey Business team alongside Daddio, Breakforce, Cursebringer and another one from Most Wanted, never could spell Mal's name lol

Man I hope we actually get a shazam person for legends

He was mad enough at me for that picture being shown at SOE Live.

Yep, you guys got to "crunch" with us on that one. We really appreciate you all sticking it out and getting a late lunch.

Very fun indeed. If I'd been able to make it to SOE Live, this is the one panel I would have made sure to attend. Hopefully next year.

I'd love to know the thought process that ended up producing Contagion for the Palmerverse Powerset. I'd think that shrinking/growing would be a more logical choice ... perhaps one of the devs implied that it wasn't possible? (If so, this makes me sad.) Or perhaps they already have it in the pipeline? (If so, this makes me happy.)

I think all of these storylines deserve a little attention in the future ... after War of the Light, Halls of Power and Amazon Fury, naturally. (Or they could be inserted as one-ofs between big story arc DLCs.) Black Adam especially should have his story told - it's one of the few villain-as-protagonist storylines in the game.

With all the new heroes and villians you all help creating im surprised non of which have introduced themselves in a story line yet hint* hint*

The wrath of the Revengencers knows no bounds

At first we thought it was a horn for the forthcoming Unicorn Powerset.