Create an Attack Matrix to Track Your Combat Moves and Reactions
Buttons (steps) :
Power Drain (player) Life Drain (enemy) Type (Projectile/Melee) Range Reload Time Accuracy Rarity
Bow -2 -2 P M-L medium medium abundant
Sword -3 -3 M S fast medium abundant
Shotgun -3 -5 P S slow low scarce
Rifle -2 -5 P L fast high medium
Bazooka -5 -9 P L slow low scarce
An attack matrix is a nifty tool that let’s you chart out the character’s offense, defense, special moves, etc. and see them all at a glance to see if you there is enough variation and balance in the use of force. It’s a good idea to also list the buttons involved in each step so you can look at buttons that may be overused, underused or just not utilized properly. Remember to try and map you button schemes to similar ones in the past. In your attack matrix you may need separate sections for when the character is actually attacking, because sometimes there are several “battle modes” or different combat mechanics at various points in the game. You can make a matrix like this for magic powers, special abilities, different guns, etc. but the general idea is to be able to compare and contrast all of the different weapons in an organized way so that you can make better decisions about how to balance the game. It’s also best to include pictures of each weapon and / or it’s effects.