Goddess’s Blessing Keeper ver.0.8.8 Release Notes

About the Game's Features

As mentioned in the previous entry, we’ve made significant changes this time:

• Increased movement opportunities for faster pacing.
• Simplified opponent attacks to target the nearest character instead of weaker ones like mages.
• Retained the threat of fast-moving enemies towards weaker characters.
• Expanded areas to allow strategic positioning in response to enemy movements.

These adjustments enhance game speed and create a balance between strategic positioning and inevitable conflicts, introducing dilemmas for player decisions despite the system’s simplicity.

I like games that present dilemmas of "which option to choose?" I believe this balance has been achieved successfully in the game.

Things I Gave Up

One element I had to give up was allowing counterattacks to shorten battles, which I personally enjoy. However, to prioritize the dice placement system and maintain the unique "no failure" aspect of the game mechanics, I decided against it. The goal was not to create a game for my preferences but to design a "simple yet deep" game suitable for all ages, including children.

Simplifying and Enhancing Scenarios

I made significant adjustments to the scenario mechanics. Now, three interconnected scenarios center around the "Goddess's Blessing," providing a continuous narrative. I also introduced new landscape variations with three types of dungeon origami—dungeons, forests, and springs (water)—to add visual and strategic diversity to the gameplay.

The game's unique shared life system positively influenced the scenario mechanics. The rule that the party shares a collective pool of life points, where 100 "Blessing Points" allow for immediate resurrection, and failure to revive results in game over, enhances the cooperative nature of the game.

Life Point Sharing Model

Originally, I had designed the game so weaker characters would be more frequently targeted by enemies. However, through testing, I realized that players found it frustrating to spend excessive time anticipating enemy actions. Thus, I simplified the targeting system so enemies focus primarily on the nearest target, while weaker characters are only prioritized during ranged attacks or specific moves. This change has successfully maintained the game's tension without overwhelming players.

Difficulty Adjustments

Finally, difficulty adjustments were crucial. Allowing diagonal movement enabled enemies to quickly close in on weaker allies when there are only 3–4 party members. Playtesting revealed that aggressive tactics led to failure. To balance this, I incorporated mechanics from the "Action Dice System" that enable players to weaken enemies by reducing their dice rolls rather than dealing direct damage. This strategic layer prevents enemies from gaining an automatic victory and adds depth to the gameplay.

This system of reducing actions rather than dealing damage was a concept that naturally emerged from the "Action Dice System," making the gameplay more engaging.

Thanks to the feedback from test players, Goddess’s Blessing Keeper is in a satisfying state. No major changes are planned moving forward. The final steps involve reviewing the rulebook, scenario book, and adventure logs as we move toward completion.