Xenoblade Chronicles : Side Story

A short turn-based RPG Maker game set in the Xenoblade Chronicles universe, which was a Game Design exercise.

The objective was to tell a side story using an existing license, while designing gameplay with synergies between characters.

This exercise was carried out alone.

Genre

Turn-based RPG

Support

PC / RPG Maker MV

Date

March 2021 - April 2021

2 months

Roles

Game Designer, Level Designer, Programmer,
Game Tester

Context

This Game Design exercise required the creation of a 15-minutes long alternative story using RPG Maker and an existing license. Characters also had to have functional synergies.

The aim was to test my adaptation skills on an already existing license.

My evaluator deemed it a success.

Disclaimer: I do not own the graphic assets or the music used in this game. These elements belong to Monolith Soft and Square Enix.

Sections:

Walkthrough

Here is a video walkthrough of the full game below.

Level Design

The game had to contain at least one city map, one outdoor map, and one dungeon map. I chose to stick to a minimum number of maps to match the maximum game duration of 15 minutes.

The critical path is indicated on each map with a red line.

Map 1: Colony 6

The city of the game, serving as an introduction for the player. This is a precarious stage of the colony, with little life left within it as it rebuilds. This is a quiet map with only one scripted combat, no random encounters, and where an NPC can heal the entire team.

Map 2: Satorl Marsh

The outside map, where the player can fight random encounter battles on their journey to the Exile Fortress. This vertical map offers several shortcuts that are riskier than the critical path. On the other hand, in order to save playing time, this map is not open to exploration in order to allow the player to focus on the main objective.

Map 3: The Exile Fortress

The dungeon of the game. It is divided into several rooms placed end to end alike the first Zelda game. Here, random encounters battles are more difficult due to the stronger monsters that inhabit the place. There is also a switch to activate to open the door that leads to the roof of the fortress, the correct location of which is indicated by the shape of the pillars.

Map 4: Exile Fortress roof.

The final boss stage of the game. There is no random encounter, this map is there to stage the final boss exclusively. This is the last map the player will see before the end of the game.

Characters

I carefully chose the characters for this game from the existing characters in the base game, so that the storyline could be coherent within the base context. Each of the 3 playable characters fulfills a specific role, inspired by classic role-playing game roles, and can achieve synergies with the other 2. Juju and Otharon are not playable in the original game, thus I made their skills based on their personality, while Sharla already had the role of Healer.

Juju:

Tank role.

Has high defense.

Protects his allies by taking damage for them.

Skills:

Taunt: Attract enemies' attacks targeting another ally for 3 turns.

Synergies: Defensive Training, Encouragement

High Voltage: Allows an ally to attack 2 times with their next action.

Synergies: Barrage Shot, Charged Shot, Stun Bullet, Healing Bullet, Galvanizing Bullet, Shield Bash, All-Out Strike

Shield Bash: Attack based on Juju's defense.

Synergies: Defensive Formation, High Voltage

All-Out Strike: Attack based on Juju's remaining health points. Synergies: Healing Bullet, High Voltage

Otharon:

DPS role.

Can inflict high damage and boost his allies' attack and defense.

Skills:

Defensive Formation: Increases all allies' defense for 3 turns.

Synergies: Shield Bash, Taunt

Armor Pierce: Increases all allies' attack for 3 turns. Also allows you to attack Mekons.

Synergies: Healing Bullet, Galvanizing Bullet, Shield Bash, All-Out Strike, Barrage Shot, Charged Shot, Stun Bullet

Barrage: Very powerful single target attack, can deal critical damage.

Synergies: Encouragement, High Tension

Charged Shot: Single target triple attack, can deal critical damage.

Synergies: Encouragement, High Tension

Sharla:

Support role.

Can heal allies and help them use their abilities more often.

Skills:

Healing Bullet: Heals an ally, based on Sharla's ATK.

Synergies: Armor Pierce, High Voltage, All-Out Strike

Galvanizing Bullet: Regenerates a portion of an ally's MP, based on Sharla's ATK.

Synergies: Armor Pierce, High Voltage

Encouragement: Increases an ally's TP regeneration for 3 turns, allowing them to use their technical abilities more often.

Synergies: Charged Shot, Barrage Shot, Stun Bullet, Taunt, High Voltage

Stun Bullet: Powerful attack, can paralyze an enemy and prevent them from attacking for 1 turn.

Synergies: Encouragement, Armor Piercing, High Voltage

Illustrations used here belong to Monolith Soft.

Enemies

The enemies in the game each have their own particularities and are designed to be in line with the difficulty of the area in which they are. Thus, as the game progresses, the player encounters increasingly dangerous enemies until the final boss. The behaviors of these enemies do not reflect the original game, and have been adapted for the exercise.