Hello everyone! In today’s blog, I’m excited to share insights into the development of the in-game economy for “To Be The Hero”. Designing a balanced, engaging economic system is crucial for maintaining player interest and ensuring a rewarding game experience. Here’s how we approached this complex aspect of game development.

Foundations of Our Economy

The core of our in-game economy is built around two primary currencies: Sovereignsilly Shillings (SSS) and Wizard’s Tokens (WT). These currencies serve different purposes and acquisition methods, creating a layered economic environment. SSS is earned through gameplay achievements and progressing through levels, whereas WT is a premium currency purchased with real money.

Earning and Spending Sovereignsilly Shillings

Players earn SSS by completing levels, overcoming challenges, and achieving specific tasks within the game. This currency is used to purchase character upgrades, special items, and access to new levels, which are essential for advancing in the game. The design challenge was to balance earning rates with spending needs to keep the economy engaging and prevent inflation or deflation.

Wizard’s Tokens: Premium Purchases

WT is designed for players who wish to enhance their gameplay experience by acquiring unique items, skins, or special abilities that are not available through SSS. This premium currency helps fund ongoing game development and server costs, ensuring we can continuously improve and expand the game. Integrating WT was a delicate process, as we wanted to enhance the game experience without leading to a ‘pay-to-win’ scenario.

Dynamic Market System

We introduced a dynamic market system where the prices of items and upgrades can fluctuate based on in-game demand and special events. This system adds a layer of strategy as players must decide the best time to buy or sell items. Additionally, special event-driven economies during holidays or special occasions keep the market vibrant and engaging.

Balancing and Adjustments

Balancing an in-game economy required extensive testing and iteration. We conducted multiple playtest sessions, gathering data on how players earn and spend currencies, adjusting generation rates, and costs to ensure a satisfying progression system. Feedback from these sessions was invaluable in fine-tuning the economy to be fair and fun.

Future Plans

Looking forward, we plan to introduce more items, events, and ways to use both SSS and WT, keeping the economy fresh and exciting. We are also considering player suggestions for new items and features to add to our marketplace.

Conclusion

Designing the in-game economy was a challenging yet rewarding process. It required a deep understanding of game mechanics, player psychology, and economic principles. The result is a robust system that supports both casual and dedicated players, providing multiple pathways to success and satisfaction within the game world of “To Be The Hero”.

Thank you for diving into this aspect of our game development with me. Stay tuned for the next post, where I’ll discuss the integration of community feedback into game updates and improvements.

Tony El Antoury