or continue scrolling to see the process
PROJECT
The goal of the project was to create an enjoyable kendo duelling experience within a 72-hour time frame. I have documented the process after the game jam.
I wanted to make a game about kendo for a while, and since I have a bit of time to do something I am passionate about, I decided to set up a 72-hour game jam to create a kendo game.
Role: Game Designer, Artist, Programmer, SFX
Methods: Kipling’s Checklist, Primary & Secondary Research, Game Design Document, 2D Assets and Animations, SFX, VFX.
Problem
Kendo is a martial art with plenty of subjective rules, which may not make sense in video game format.
Since I am making a game based on real martial art, it’s important to balance ‘fun’ and ‘realistic.’
Managing time and organising the project well is essential because I am the only developer.
Duration: 72 hours
Tools: Construct 3, Photoshop, Figma, Garageband
Solution
I transformed the core principles from each subjective rule into more concrete and coherent mechanics, ensuring a seamless integration of the game's essential elements while enhancing overall gameplay.
The project aims to cater to Kendo enthusiasts, as there is a significant market gap for games specifically designed for this passionate community. Focusing on Kendo aficionados can provide an engaging and authentic experience that resonates with their interests, setting our game apart from the many titles that don't cater to this niche audience.
I devised a comprehensive to-do list prior to development in order to effectively plan, monitor, and document each step of the process, ensuring a well-organized and efficient workflow.
PROCESS
COLLECT
Kipling’s Checklist
Utilizing Kipling's Checklist (5W1H) is an optimal approach to commence a design process as it encompasses critical components pertaining to fundamental inquiries.
Primary Research
As an individual who personally engages in kendo, I possess the ability to discuss primary research based on my participation in numerous practices. The primary objective of this section is to identify the fundamental elements of the kendo duel experience and explore methods of incorporating them into the game. Here are some key points:
Similar to other forms of martial arts, the underlying philosophy is of utmost importance in kendo. In kendo, we focus on practicing the mind, body, and sword, rather than solely focusing on combat or fighting.
In kendo, the name of the game is "control." The idea is to take charge of the opponent's movements during a match, and guide them towards a certain direction before finally landing your strike. To make it happen, you need to apply some pressure and steer them towards your desired outcome.
This is where the real fun begins! How can I transform these abstract concepts into actual playable mechanics?
Given that kendo is essentially a combat sport, how can we showcase it as something more than just two people fighting each other?
In the context of video games, how can we replicate the concept of "control" in kendo, wherein the objective is to manipulate and influence the opponent's movements before executing a strike?
Secondary Research
To answer the questions above, secondary research must be done.
To start off, I watched a few Kendo videos and wanted to share one of my top two favorites:
This video exemplifies what's known as "young people kendo." It's characterized by speed, agility, and strength, with a heavy emphasis on physical prowess, particularly in terms of speed and power.
Now, let’s take a look at the ‘old people kendo’:
"old people kendo" would likely be quite different from "young people kendo." It would likely focus more on technique and strategy, as opposed to physical strength and agility. Older practitioners may not be able to move as quickly or powerfully as their younger counterparts, but they may have greater experience and knowledge to draw upon. Additionally, "old people kendo" may prioritize the mental aspects of the sport, such as discipline and focus, over raw physical ability.
With regards to the second point, this video provides a detailed explanation of what "putting pressure" looks like in the context of Kendo:
The concept is rather straightforward: maintain your stance until the very last moment and then strike based on your opponent's response. In my opinion, this has the potential to be an excellent playable mechanic.
To summarize, there are two fundamental experiences that I would incorporate into the game: Firstly, technique should take priority over speed, and secondly, players must be able to provoke and outmaneuver their opponents in order to emerge victorious.
COMPREHEND
Game Analysis
Now that I have decided on the essential experiences for the game, it’s time to look at some similar games and how the mechanics work.
Given the time constraints, I won't be able to document all my research. Therefore, I've selected a few key sources that I believe have been instrumental in shaping my game idea.
The Kendo
The Kendo is a very old game which is unsurprisingly a kendo simulator. However, one major drawback of this game is that they don't adequately portray "zanshin," which we discussed earlier as a crucial aspect of kendo. In other words, after the player lands a hit on the target, the game doesn't reflect the follow-up actions that would indicate zanshin. Additionally, the stance depicted in this game may differ from modern kendo, where the tip of the sword should ideally be pointing at the opponent's throat.
Similar to The Kendo, this game portrays an old school version of kendo that differs from modern kendo. One noticeable difference is the characters' movement, which is more limited but they tend to land more hits.
Amiga Kendo Game
Kiai Resonance
Kiai Resonance may not be a traditional "kendo" game, but it is currently the best game that embodies the principles of kendo. Unlike the previous two games, which focused primarily on striking, Kiai Resonance places greater emphasis on distance and timing, which are crucial elements in kendo.
I'm truly inspired by the idea of using 'distance' and 'timing' as gameplay mechanics during the fights, and I'm eager to incorporate them into my game.
To sum up, my kendo game design will prioritize the communication and interaction between the two fighters. The key gameplay mechanics will be based on the concepts of pressure, timing, distancing, and technique, all of which will play a pivotal role in the game.
CONCEPTUALIZE
How Might We…?
I always turn to the 'How Might We' method to gain insights. It's a great approach that helps me tackle problems with a more creative and open-minded outlook, which usually leads to some interesting solutions.
Ideate
I have identified three essential problems and have worked out solutions based on insights gained from the "How Might We" method.
To sum up, I am incorporating the following concepts into the game:
Simple input: Ideally, only one input for striking
Emergent gameplay: Simple input but with a great capacity to utilise timing, distancing and technique
Simple goal: Strike and win, nothing philosophical
Game Design Draft
I like making a draft before jumping straight into creating the GDD. A logical list of elements to include helped me to be organised when designing the game. Here are the bullet points:
Experience: I am creating a kendo game that simulates the duelling experience just like the martial art.
Target: The game is targeted towards both kendo practitioners and those who are new to the martial art, but it is recommended to have a basic understanding of kendo to fully appreciate the game.
Genre: The game is a 2D local multiplayer fighting game, allowing players to compete against friends and family on a single device.
Controls: The game features simple controls, with only four keys: basic left and right movement, a key to strike, and a key to block.
Mechanics: In the game, distance is a key factor in landing successful strikes, with players needing to adjust their distance to effectively hit their opponent. Timing is also a crucial element in the game, with players needing to strike at the right moment to score points. The game allows players to apply pressure to their opponents through movements such as closing the distance or using feint attacks.
Engine: The game will be created using Construct 3, a web-based engine ideal for quickly developing games and well-suited for game jams.
Platform: The game will be published on itch.io as a web-based game.
Game Design Document
I developed this GDD throughout three days of the game jam. Click the link below to view the V.3.0 GDD for Kendo Men-Uchi:
CREATE
Programming
I have created screenshots in Construct 3 to demonstrate how I implemented each game mechanic according to the GDD. I will explain the logic behind each mechanic.
Movement
In Kendo: Men-Uchi, the player character's movements are unique compared to standard video game character movements, as they appear to 'teleport' to specific pixels. This is done to create a sense of small steps taken towards the opponent, as is typical in kendo. The ‘small step’ mechanic also allows players to adjust their distance when approaching their opponent finely.
Combat (Basic): Men-Uchi
Kendo: Men-Uchi takes a unique approach to attack, setting it apart from many other fighter games. In this game, the character intentionally moves forward with each attack (see BulletTimer in the screenshot), allowing them to launch further, much like in real-life kendo. I also added a cooldown function after each attack to prevent players from spamming the attack button.
Combat (Block): Chudan
I added a mechanic in the game that works similar to real-life Kendo. If a player keeps their sword tip in the middle and holds their ground while the opponent attacks, it won't count as a score. To achieve this, I disabled the character's collision for a brief 0.4 seconds, allowing them to "block" at the right moment when their opponent attacks.
Combat (Advance): Debana-Men
To enable a quicker attack with a shorter distance, I created an additional set of animations for the strike, which are almost identical to the standard strike but with two frames less. This enables the player to strike more quickly. Additionally, I removed the 'launch' effect, so that players do not move too far when executing this attack.
Guard: Tsubazeriai
As mentioned in the GDD, the player character is prevented from moving forward when the colliders of both players overlap. To enable forward movement again, both players need to step back and create a distance between them. (In this case, it’s when two colliders are not overlapping)
Zanshin
Zanshin is a technique used in Kendo that quickly close the distance and prevent them from striking back. In Kendo: Men-Uchi, this technique is implemented as an automatic movement of the player character forward by 1.2 seconds after a successful strike.
Assets
Below are some of the assets I created for the game based on GDD.
Background
Player 1 & 2
Door
Animation
Sketch
Finished
Music & SFX
I composed a short musical loop using the Japanese Instrumental set of Taiko(Drums) and Koto in Garageband to enhance the game's audio. In the first round, only Taiko can be heard, but when players reach the second round, an additional Koto layer is added to the music.
For the SFX, I purchased INSPECTOR J’s sound pack and used the Bamboo Swing sound for the sword swinging SFX.
