Trick of the Light: A Game Engine for Exploring Novel Fog of War Mechanics

• Main Author: Mason, Zackery
• Other Authors: Brian J. Moriarty, Advisor
• Format: Others
• Published: Digital WPI 2018
• Subjects: Unshared vision; Fog of war
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.wpi.edu/etd-theses/519; https://digitalcommons.wpi.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1518&context=etd-theses

Trick of the Light is an experiment in strategic game design based on imperfect information in a unique fog of war setting. A hybrid of real-time-strategy, role-playing-game and roguelike genres, the game challenges players to maintain an expansive base system without being able to see anything beyond their own limited vision radius. All units, allied or enemy, maintain private memories about what they have seen, and must directly exchange information to keep up to date. The player acts as commander, making decisions and giving orders while dealing with adversaries, sabotage and misinformation. Testing was done to see if the new concepts could be understood in-game and garner any interest for further development, which proved to be positive in both cases despite complaints related to having less direct control over allies.