Real Worlds - Research Dossier
Real Worlds - Research Dossier
In this blog, I will do all the research for this project. To start off with, I looked at more general areas of research, as detailed here on my schedule.
To start off with, I began by looking into Deadzone, the IP I will be working with over the course of this project with my client: Mantic Games.
Deadzone
To begin by looking into Deadzone, I started with looking at the Mantic Games website itself for Deadzone products. Scrolling down to the overview section, The Deadzone tabletop game is described as a "cube-based, fast-paced, tactical miniatures game set in the Warpath universe, where players control small squads of elite soldiers or mercenaries in intense, mission-driven combat." This gives me ideas for genres of the game I want to create my characters for. Deadzone is a game that focuses on small scale, tactical battles rather than large armies, which gives many different opportunities compared to other tabletop games that have been adapted to video game form. A good example of this is Warhammer 40,000 (Games Workshop 1987), which focuses heavily on large scale combat against hordes and armies like in games such as Warhammer 40000: Darktide (Fatshark 2022), and Warhammer 40000: Space Marine (Relic Entertainment 2011), which I will look at more in detail in its own section later.
A screenshot from Warhammer 40000: Darktide (Fatshark 2022)
Now that I understand its place in tabletop games overall, it's important to understand the setting the game takes place in. The website describes the game as being "set in a dystopian future where different factions—ranging from human corporations to alien species—fight for control of valuable resources. These battles take place in the “Deadzone,” a war-torn area of space with dangerous environments and deadly adversaries." This once again opens up a lot of avenues for different game genres, since I could select any faction I choose to be the one the player finds themself in, if not giving the player a choice between multiple.
Genre Research
To start off with researching different genres, I began looking at direct competitors in terms of translating tabletop games to video games, which one immediately came to mind.
Games Workshop (1975) is the company behind the popular Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer franchises. Both focus on large scale army-style combat, and whilst both are vastly successful, Warhammer 40,000 is the one that Deadzone will most likely face as a big competitor, due to both having futuristic settings.
To see all the games that had been created in the Warhammer 40,000 (Games Workshop 1987) franchise, I went to the Lexicanum, a fan-made encyclopedia based around Warhammer 40,000. Here I checked video game list, and cross referenced it on different platforms to check the genre of each of these games. (It is important to note I didn't count games from the Cancelled Games section, nor did I include games from the Other Games section).
I added together all games in their respective genres. Together as an IP, it has:
- 13 Turn based strategy
- 6 Turn based tactics
- 11 real time strategy
- 2 third person shooter
- 1 3d arcade shooter
- 5 first person shooter
- 1 side scrolling action role playing game
- 1 tower defence
- 4 card game
- 1chess
- 1 rail shooter
- 4 Role Playing Games
- 1 run and gun
- 1 action adventure
- 1 board game
- 1 multiplayer team shooter
- 1 flight simulator
- 1 VR
- 1 multiplayer strategy
- 1 co op combat
- 1 vehicular combat
Difficulties of creating a Video Game from a tabletop IP
What is important to note is that whilst they have less games than I expected, they cover a LOT of genres, making it very difficult for tabletop games trying to get into the games industry, especially into most popular genres.
Another thing is trying to create game separate from the turn base archetype that the game is already designed in.
Yet another thing is that tabletop games are a completely different type of hobby to video games. Different knowledge is needed for a video game as compared to a tabletop game, and that leads to investment being needed for no guaranteed payoff. To make the chances as good as they could be, I believe it is best to try and create a game in a genre that Games Workshop have not explored yet for the best chances of success and uniqueness.
Chosen Genre
For the genre I have chosen, I want to go with a souls-like. This a personal favourite genre of mine, which I am very familiar with. In terms of what it is, Karthik Balasubramanian (Gameopedia 2023), describes it as featuring "very difficult boss fights, inhospitable environments, unforgiving combat, preset checkpoints and various other elements meant to make the game hard but fair." Creating a hard but fair game would help to capture the tactical high-stakes nature that the tabletop game is known for.
I also think the genre would give both of my chosen factions a way to show off in their own right, my initial ideas being boss fights or characters the player can select, or maybe even armour the player can pick up.
I also believe the setting of the game is perfect for this genre. Deadzone is about different factions fighting over resources in the Deadzone, which is a dangerous and war-torn area of space. This could mean the game could be punishing, and difficult, but fair.
In terms of a benchmark game for inspiration, the obvious ones are the creators of the Soulslike formula, that being the Dark Souls Franchise (Starting in 2009 by FromSofware Inc.), with the original game being Demon's Souls (2009 FromSoftware Inc.) The problem with using these games as the only inspiration is that they are based on a dark medieval fantasy world, which makes weaving guns and futuristic technology into the game very difficult. Because of this, Remnant: From the Ashes (Gunfire Games 2019) is a great reference, which I will use as one of my inspirations for weapon designs and how they would be implemented in game.
In the format that I want to go for, we can also include key mechanics of the tabletop game. It uses custom action dice and tokens for tracking health, abilities, objectives and other key stats. In the Video Game I am designing these characters for, we can have health of the player and enemies displayed, ways of showing abilities and assigning them, and other ways of implementing other key features and stats.
Faction 1: Forge Fathers
I picked the Forge Fathers for my first faction. Going to the official Deadzone page by Mantic Games, I looked at the factions to read more about the Forge Fathers. The below is the introduction for the Forge Fathers, quoted from the website.
This gives vital information about the faction, and the parts I'm most interested in correlate to how the Forge Fathers operate, as well as their place in the setting. Forge Fathers prefer trade to war, but are ready to plunder whatever resources might be at hand. They are also incredibly advanced in terms of technology, and are powerfully built - I will research more as I go on, but for a general base, this gives me plenty of ideas for thumbnails already.
Next I began looking at the specific products for the Forge Fathers, since not only would it help with studying the shape language of the faction, but also because on each page there was a description which would aid in writing the characters backstory when it came to it. First I looked at the Hold Warriors.
The smaller troops on the top are referred to as Steel Warriors, and the bottom, heavily armoured ones are known as Forge Guards. The first thing I see when looking at these from far away are they are all short and wide, which represents their bulky, well built physiques. In terms of their armour, it seems very futuristic and metallic, with the khaki paint being worn on the edges of the armour. On the armour, the sharp, sleek patterns give a very futuristic feeling, and the overall boxy shape to the armour adds to the bulky nature. In terms of the colour, the Hold Warriors seem very militaristic, with the colour scheme being four main colours - orange/brown for the pads and stripes, khaki for the base, unshaded metal looking like steel and neon green for the glowing elements.
In terms of the weapons shown here, they seem bulky, heavy and carry on with the futuristic appearance. I wanted to look at some of the smaller Forge Fathers use melee weapons, for which I looked at Thorgarim.
For the description, it reads "A small number of Dwarf veterans find a taste for close quarters combat, eschewing the heavy ranged weapons of the comrades in favour of the mighty Forge Hammer. These weapons discharge a seismic pulse on impact, ravaging armour and organic matter alike." I think this is a really good direction to take the character I am designing, since the nature of a souls-like game is more attuned for bosses using melee weapons and taking long, telegraphed attacks towards the player. With this initial research, I moved onto the thumbnailing process for the Forge Fathers.
Faction 2: Matsudan
The next faction I picked was the Matsudan. Going to look at the same faction website I did for the Forge Fathers, I couldn't find a page specifically for the Matsudan. Instead I looked for any Matsudan products to see if there was any information I could find. Looking at the description for the Matsudan Team, it reads "One of the few races to regularly treat and form pacts with the Asterians are the Matsudan. This ancient race of large, lizard-like creatures is thought to be almost as old as the Asterians themselves. They have a culture steeped in tradition and honour, so the actions of the profit-hungry corporations of the GCPS regularly come into conflict with the Matsudan’s venerable sense of integrity. To say the Asterians exploit this animosity is perhaps harsh, but they certainly don’t discourage it."
From this we can tell that Matsudan work with the Asterians, another faction within Deadzone. From both their designs and their focus on a culture steeped in tradition and honour, we can tell that they take heavy inspiration from Samurai. The designs I will look more into specifically after I have found a sufficient amount of information surrounding the Matsudan to aid me in my design process.
Next I looked at the Matsudan Inashi. Their description reads "Despite their size, the Matsudan can move with a grace that belies their bulk. The Inashi is armed with a pair of lethal light blades that can cut foes to ribbons." I think this is a really interesting way of juxtaposing the large, bulky character with a speedy, dual wielding archetype. This is a direction I will consider when thumbnailing for the Matsudan.
Rather than risk spreading the curse of the shadowy terrors to their fellow warriors, Ronin will lead from the front in a final display of their bravery, before retiring to a life of solitude where they will eventually succumb to the horrors of the darkness." This highlights the Matsudan's focus on honour and bravery again, but tells us a lot more. The Matsudan often oppose the Nightstalkers, another faction from Deadzone. I think for the genre I have chosen, it would be really fitting for a Matsudan Ronin-type character who has actually lost their mind and opposes the Forge Fathers, for example.
In terms of their designs, I started by looking at the Matsudan Team again. I annotated the image so I can refer to the specific units.
Overall, I would say the design language revolves around a central, round shape (being the body) with the armour and details being sharp, to give them a lethal and dangerous look overall. I really like the design of number 1 the ost, with the helmet and the dual swords. I think I want to give the character I am designing for this faction big, bulky armour like this, since I could explain this in the backstory through them "wearing it out of honour" or something in a similar vein. I really like the firearms from number 3, 4 and 5, since they basically use the same design principles of having a round central shape and the details being sharper. I also like how the armour plates function as a futuristic take on samurai armour that's fitted to this race specifically.
IP Licensing
IP licensing refers to when an intellectual property is allowed to be used by a licensee, after they agree to a IP licence agreement. This intellectual property is only allowed to be used in specific ways that do not break any copyright agreements.
Game companies apply for IP licenses to create games within that IP. some of the games within this research dossier do this, and they will most often do it because the main IP does not supply what that game company wants to create. An IP license is not permanent, and can expire or be appended - this is why some games, despite being incredibly popular and open for a sequel in theory, will never see one, due to the IP license no longer being valid. Also on that same note, just because an IP license can be acquired does not mean all aspects of that IP are available to use - IP holders will often sell licenses due to gaps in the market, sometimes giving strict conditions for their use.
The official UK Gov website states that the benefits of licensing include Revenue generation, Increasing market penetration, reducing costs, saving time, accessing expertise and obtaining competitive advantage. These pros are contrasted by the negatives. As previously mentioned, IP laws are restrictive, and if a company chooses to illegally use an IP, they risk being sued.
References:
Mantic Games. Deadzone Featured Products [online]. Available at: https://www.manticgames.com/deadzone/featured/ [Accessed 18 February 2025]
Fatshark, 2022. Warhammer 40000: Darktide [Video game]. Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, PC. Available at: https://www.playdarktide.com [Accessed 18 February 2025]
Relic Entertainment, 2011. Warhammer 40000: Space Marine [Video game]. Sega. PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC. Available at: https://store.steampowered.com/app/55150/Warhammer_40000_Space_Marine__Anniversary_Edition/ [Accessed 18 February 2025]
Lexicanum. Video Games (List). [Online]. Available at: https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Video_Games_(List) [Accessed 18 February 2025]
Karthik Balasubramanian, 2023. Difficulty, Deception and Death: The Design of a Souls-Like [online]. Gameopedia. Available at: https://www.gameopedia.com/difficulty-deception-and-death-the-design-of-a-souls-like/ [Accessed 18 February 2025]
FromSoftware Inc, 2009. Demon's Souls [Video Game] Atlus, PlayStation 3. Available at: https://atlus.com/atlus-titles/demons-souls/#upcp-user-tab-panel-1 [Accessed 18 February 2025]
Gunfire Games, 2019. Remnant: From the Ashes [Video Game]. Gearbox Publishing, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC. Available at: https://store.steampowered.com/app/617290/Remnant_From_the_Ashes/ [Accessed 18 February 2025]
Mantic Games. Forge Fathers - Deadzone [online]. Available at: https://deadzone.manticgames.com/faction/forge-fathers/ [Accessed 22 February 2025]
Mantic Games. Forge Father Hold Warrior Starter - Deadzone [online]. Available at: https://www.manticgames.com/deadzone/forge-fathers/hold-warriors-starter/ [Accessed 22 February 2025]
Mantic Games. Forge Father Thorgarim - Deadzone [online]. Available at: https://www.manticgames.com/deadzone-firefight/forge-fathers/thorgarim/ [Accessed 22 February 2025]
Mantic Games. Matsudan Team - Deadzone [online]. Available at: https://www.manticgames.com/deadzone-firefight/asterian/matsudan-booster/ [Accessed 09 March 2025]
Mantic Games. Matsudan Inashi - Deadzone [online]. Available at: https://www.manticgames.com/deadzone-firefight/asterian/matsudan-inashi/ [Accessed 09 March 2025]
Mantic Games. Matsudan Ronin - Deadzone [online]. Available at: https://www.manticgames.com/deadzone-firefight/matsudan/ronin/ [Accessed 09 March 2025]
2025. Licensing intellectual property [online]. GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/licensing-intellectual-property [Accessed 20 April 2025]
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