Start working on the Devotion Meter

Hello everyone! I appreciate your interest in this blog. Thank you for reading my updates.

We have been busy in the last month. Despite a few developers leaving the project the team is moving forward with the software development. We were sorry to see the departure of a very nice software developer and an animator. They are a real loss to the project. On the other hand, others who left, it has shown their absence makes the operation a lot stronger.

I would like to share some details about the Devotion Meter, which has been my primary focus in the last couple of weeks. If that is OK I will involve all of you in the design and development process of the Devotion Meter. First sharing ideas, debate the design nuances, and then ask your feedback by allowing to test some exclusive builds. I assume there will be several iterations until we get this right, but I have no doubt – together we will get this done :-)))

The reason I am talking about this so much is because we feel the Devotion Meter could make the difference between an OK and an enjoyable game. We hear the comments from our users about the monotony of space & grid combat missions. The aim is to at least partly address that issue with the Devotion Meter. Additionally, the high level objectives of the Devotion Meter are:

Create a more rewarding gaming experience
Present and visualize the player’s Devotion Points in a simpler, more sensible way
Unlock Pandora scenes without forced combat requirements
Allow players to embrace their preferred playstyle & Waifu
Implement a progress boosting method in the form of a Tiered Gifting System (TGS)
Simplify information presentation
Provide interface to the MiniGame Framework and to minigames

The Devotion Meter will be Waifu specific. We envision a linear progression that is segmented into 40 levels. Most likely, all levels require the same number of Devotion Points to complete. Each completed level rewards the player with one, in some occasions two to three rewards. It becomes increasingly harder for a Waifu’s meter to progress as the Devotion Level increases.

I share the first high level mock-up of the Devotion Meter. Please note this is a Proof of Concept process at this moment in time. It is highly likely the final design will be different once we take into account your suggestions and recommendations, which we very much appreciate in advance.

I will provide more implementation details in the next week or so to pick your brain, get feedback, opinion and suggestions from you.

Thanks again for your support, and the meantime take care and look after yourself!

Tibor

subversedev

October 31, 2022

Uncategorized

Subverse, Subverse Progress, Subverse Software Development, Tibor at Subverse

6 responses to “Start working on the Devotion Meter”

Vilmos the Rhino

October 31, 2022 at 3:13 pm

Greetings from a Hungarian rhino!
Loving even the concept of the devotion meter so far, it looks ass kicking!
“I will provide more implementation details in the next week or so to pick your brain, get feedback, opinion and suggestions from you.” – where can we expect to read about this? In a coming DD, or in your blog independently?

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Ribonizer Zoog

October 31, 2022 at 4:06 pm

Always appreciate how you don’t hesitate to tell it like it is.

I agree the devotion system can use more love. I’ve seen talk of the space combat kit of waifu and honestly that’s probably one of the most important thing is that the waifu you bring in space combat needs to mean more than just your side weapon. They have so much personality in grid combat with passive abilities, two attacks, two ultimates. Then you look at space combat and all they boil down two is what side weapon you want.

I wanna really feel like the Huntress is actually giving me an edge when she’ll be with me in the cockpit.

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Spanky

November 1, 2022 at 1:50 am

I’ve liked the look of the new leveling/devotion since it was first shown.

I’m just throwing some questions out there not only for answers, but to allow you to check the foundation!

I suppose my first question would be: what about pooter points?
Since there are 40 devotion level and 40 scene slots for every waifu in PANDORA, does that mean it’s a point per level and the other rewards are extra?

I’m also not quite sure what you mean about “Unlock Pandora scenes without forced combat requirements.”
Can you elaborate on that? Meaning you can do the dating system to level if you don’t want to do all the extra planets? If so, will there also be enough combat to level all the waifus in case you’re not interested in the dating system?

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exoXO

November 1, 2022 at 2:48 am

I like the overall design of the devotion meter and the icons are (mostly) clear, but I can’t help but feel the greyed out ones aren’t particularly nice to look at. They don’t feel like rewards to get excited for when they look like that.

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Billy B

November 1, 2022 at 2:57 pm

So the devotion meter is a battle pass grind for each waifu? Oof.
Also what do you mean by “all levels require the same amount of points” and “It becomes increasingly harder for a Waifu’s meter to progress as the Devotion Level increases”, aren’t those two things opposite?

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xxedgelordxx

November 2, 2022 at 5:11 pm

Thanks for really focusing on this Tibor, the Devotion System is definitely due for a much needed overhaul.
For feedback;
“It becomes increasingly harder for a Waifu’s meter to progress as the Devotion Level increases.”
I don’t think this needs to necessarily be the case, having a standard threshold for Devotion level up, lets say, 1000, for every level, would mean that players can anticipate when they will get the next level and what activities they can do to get there. This allows players to search for something they might want on the reward path, and map out how to get there(I can do X amount of space combat missions and +5 gifts to reach this Devotion Threshold).
With increasingly higher meter thresholds, player’s are left more in the dark when it comes to how long it will take to grind a Devotion level, doing 2-3 space/ground combat missions and not getting a level makes the grind feel hard to reach in a bad way, it works against player expectation.

I know it seems like a mobile gamification tactic, but players generally do respond better to getting a more instant gratification reward after doing some ingame activity that requires skill and commitment.
That said, powerleveling many Devotion Levels at once, like gaining 5+ levels on a low level character after completing a single mission, also has the effect of cheapening the leveling experience in favor of catch up mechanics.
The best way to handle catch up mechanics would probably be through the dating/gift giving minigames.

Outside that, I’ve been saying for awhile that Pandora Scene acquisition should be handled mostly through Devotion Levels, like all the girl x captain scenes, and that all other scenes should be acquired through some other method, like side quests and events while exploring planets.
I also believe the scene you get should be played immediately after acquisition, as it’s an easy way to immediately reward the player for their hard work devotion level grinding/unlockable hunting, reminding them that the scene can be seen again in your captain’s quarters.

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