This is The Mechanic, where Alex Wiltshire invites developers to discuss the difficult journeys they ve taken to make their games. This time, Warhammer: Vermintide 2 [official site].
In designing Vermintide II s melee combat, Mats Andersson ran through the same preset level 50 times a day for two years. This hodgepodge of the game s most distinctive areas, enemies and swarms makes no sense and it looks terrible, but playing it about 100,000 times was what it took to ensure face-to-face brawling would be rich in heft and detail.
Andersson knew how fast he could clear that level, how much damage he should take, how many kills he should be getting; yardsticks by which he could measure each run, and it s how clicking to swing your hammer feels like it s caving a skull in, and why your sword feels like it can split a rat s stringy carcass in two. It s very much home to me, he says. (more…)