Master of the Katana - Melee Combat in 'Ghost of Tsushima'

Explore the intricacies of melee combat design in 'Ghost of Tsushima' through this 50-minute GDC 2021 session. Delve into Sucker Punch's Chris Zimmerman's insights on unexpected design challenges, technological hurdles, and human capability discoveries encountered while developing the game's combat system. Learn about the centrality of melee combat, the samurai fantasy, player skill development, and the delicate balance of complexity and reaction. Examine case studies on exploits, varied abilities, and progression systems. Gain valuable knowledge on prototyping, iterating, and playtesting techniques, as well as the importance of first impressions in game design. Uncover the five rules of game design and their application in creating a compelling melee combat experience.

Intro
GAME OVERVIEW
CENTRALITY OF MELEE COMBAT
THE SAMURAI FANTASY
PLAYER SKILL
DANCING ALONG THE EDGE
CASE STUDY: SQUARE SPAM EXPLOIT
CASE STUDY: BLOCK FLUTTERING EXPLOIT
VARIED ABILITIES
CASE STUDY: HEAVY ATTACKS
CASE STUDY: GHOST TOOLS
COMPLEXITY AND REACTION
CASE STUDY: ARCHERS
PROGRESSION
FIRST IMPRESSIONS MATTER
CASE STUDY:STANCES
PROTOTYPE AND ITERATE
PROTOTYPE AND TEST
STAGES OF PLAYTEST INCOMPREHENSION
HOW DO YOU AVOID THIS TRAP
CASE STUDY:STANDOFFS
CASE STUDY: CHAIN ASSASSINATION
FIVE RULES OF GAME DESIGN