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Traits
Using my research into the different predispositions individuals can have - I decided to turn these into a tangible game mechanic to bolster play and increase variety within gameplay. All traits are documented more concisely here on the enter_universim megasheet under the 'traits' page.
Aggression
Aggression is an easily translatable predisposition to include within enter_universim. Aggression is simply an individuals tendency to react with violence when met with stimuli. For this purpose, I think capturing the extreme end of the spectrum for aggression is fitting. Aggression can cloud ones judgment, make us reckless, and potentially put us in more danger than we would have otherwise been.
When we combine recklessness and violence together, an easy tradeoff emerges: increased damage output for increased damage taken.
Fear
Fear is another easily translatable predisposition, but requires a bit more creativity than aggression. When applying fear, I have to be considerate of the two ends I can explore - whether or not I am increasing or decreasing the fear response of the user or opponent, and how each could translate into the game.
When I think of a fear response, my instinctive reaction is to think of the 'deer caught in the headlights scenario' in which people can become paralysed with fear if the stimulus is threatening enough.
Because of this connotation, I'm inclined to utilise this as a means of slowing opponents down. When the trait is used, opponents also become paralysed with fear within the game, preventing them from moving.
Resilience
Another easily translatable predisposition by virtue of definition alone. To be resilient means to be able to sponge up a lot of negativity around us and to remain calm and focussed on what's important despite it. This connotes defensive qualities, and should be developed as such to be as understandable as possible.
The simple solution here is to utilise resilience as a means of passively reducing incoming damage on your characters, albeit by a small amount. The small values in the short term will stack up, serving as a true reflection of what it means to be resilient.
Empathy
This is where I have to start getting a bit more creative - empathy is effective the capacity an individual has to understand and share the feelings of another. Empathy, by definition, connotes more collaborative qualities rather than confrontational qualities, so how do I implement such a supportive and collaborative predisposition into a competitive and confrontational game?
I eventually thought up the idea that players could redirect damage, and from there that idea bloomed into the concept of damage dilution - splitting damage across multiple targets. With the empathy trait, the characters on your side NOT taking damage could assume the empathetic role, and sponge some of the damage of an attack on their shoulders instead of the target.
Apathy
Apathy is a lack of interest, enthusiasm or concern for the world around an individual. Apathetic individuals typically experience no interest in doing things, have low motivation and have low energy. Translating this was a difficult concept until I drew the connection between the concept of apathy, and an ability called 'unaware' from Pokemon. Pokemon with the unaware ability ignore the stat changes of opposing Pokemon, completely nullifying the power of set-up sweepers. Even though enter_universim does not have the same kind of abilities, the same concept could be applied here.
Users of the apathy trait simply don't care about additional effects of attacks. This could be positive or negative. Damage boosts could be ignored, but opposing recoil could also be ignored, allowing high drawback moves to suddenly lose the drawbacks holding them back in any given scenario.
Conditioning
Even though I was looking into predispositions and our genetic qualities - conditioning is equally as important here. Pretty much any aspect of human psychology can be conditioned to some extent, and it would be wrong of me not to include this concept in the game somehow, especially given the theme of survival.
The idea of being conditioned effectively means that one has built up a specific reaction to something that repeatedly occurs to them - a call and response. The best idea I currently have is the idea of implementing some sort of drawback for attackers using their trait cards on the user of the conditioning trait - perhaps a free heal for the users team when an opponent activates a trait card against them?
Pattern Recognition
Another fairly easy one to translate - pattern recognition is incredibly self-explanatory and is literally just our ability to see patterns in things.
I like the idea of the user of this trait being unable to take repeated attacks, as though they've read and understood the attack pattern of the opposition.
Imitation
This one is pretty easy to translate too. In a large amount of species, offspring typically develops behaviours similar to that of the parents. Whilst the context of enter_universim does not mirror that, it could still be a fun concept to implement.
For imitation users, opposing trait card effects could be copied and applied to the users benefit.
Courage
Courage is very similar to resilience in the sense that an individual can find it in themselves to be unaffected by negativity, but I want to implement a different defensive trait that emphasises the 'getting back up' aspect of taking hits.
Courage could potentially be overpowered, but currently it possesses the ability to revive a character back to full HP.
Memory
Memory is the concept of storing, retaining and recalling information stored in the brain as neurological connections. Continuous reactivation of neurological pathways strengthens it, increasing the clarity and accuracy of a memory.
I want to emphasise the repetition aspect, and to experiment with a trait that allows people to be rewarded for spamming attacks in certain circumstances.
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