I think the most important thing you didn't mention is telegraphing. Every great boss clearly telegraphs which attack he's about to do before he does it. Cuphead is a great example
Good point! Learning boss telegraphs and quickly reacting to them is often what makes boss fights most fun for me. I've already been working on adding this my boss fight, like with the red columns of light that appear before some attacks.
You can do away with telegraphing in some games or even with some attacks, but it's a balancing act: on one hand it can keep things more frantic and reactive, on the other the fight could feel unfair or even luck based (even when it isn't). A certain level of (easily observable, no casual player should be counting frames or memorizing a seven node graph) consistency helps there, and certainly NOT for things that require very specific actions to dodge.
I'm currently about to delve into the once terrifying task of creating a boss fight. Ur explanation really helped with breaking it down and demystifying it thanks!
It looks really good! The boss has a lot of attacks which may be hard to master especially if the boss is semi difficult to find during a run. I usually feel like 3-4 attacks are a sweet spot especially when you have an enraged phase that makes him harder near death.
Yeah, it only takes a few good attack patterns to make a really engaging boss. And if there are only a few, the player can memorize them more easily and focus on the execution of dodging them.
Definitely looking forward to trying this boss! I'm curious what the process was like to decide how much damage each attack should do, because that always feels like the difference maker between a move/boss feeling cheap or too hard/easy.
Yeah that's definitely another important factor to consider. So far most attacks deal one heart or half a heart's worth of damage, and the difficulty feels pretty balanced. But I've also mostly been fighting him without any upgrades (and on a keyboard lol). I've been basing it off of what I think the player is likely to get hit by the most. So an energy blast is less punishing than his lunge attack, which is easier to dodge and has more of a tell.
It would be fun to make a ridiculously easy boss, just to make it seem like it was badly made then crush the hopes of the player by making a super hard boss at the end of the game
Very insightful video , I designed my first boss last month, but didnt take state machine into consideration, just using timers for now for different moves. It seems like the answer to a make something much more streamlined and robust, will have to redesign using it. Thank you for sharing :D
Games looking awesome so far, one suggestion I have after watching though the devlogs is making the forest dungeon, feel more foresty, maybe add some big roots in the background or something, just to help it stand out!
Sir i recently came accross your video while trying to find how to make a good boss in unreal engine. Would you please make a tutorial on how to the boss in your video for 2D game in unreal. I am new to unreal so having a bit of a curve to find these tutorials. So would help out a lot. Thank you.
Old video but I was recommended this. I'm currently working on writing some bosses that I want in a game that I'd want to be making (I lack the coding experience, but I have spent almost 2 years making music, writing lore, game mechanics, etc), and I was wondering what is a good number of moves for a boss, and how do you know if a boss has enough variety to feel unique and/or engaging? (Not that this should mean anything, but I'm making a fast-paced 2D platformer, so I'm taking inspiration from fast-paced 2D games) I know this is subjective, but I'd still like to have a good idea on what's considered a boss having variety in their moveset. I don't want to make a boss that has a lot of moves but lacks variety or vice versa; a boss with a lot of variety not enough moves. I don't want to give my bosses a million moves; I think 2-5 moves might be what I like. Like, what counts as a boss having variety? Say I made a boss that uses a sword and had 3 main attacks. If all the attacks consisted of just melee attacks, would that be considered a lack of variety due to the boss only using melee attacks, or would it work if each of the melee attacks were distinct from each other? (Tbh, I understand stuff very well if I can actually see it in action, so if you could, some video examples of good and bad bosses in terms of variety would be nice as it'd help me get a much better explanation than words alone. I'm a "show, don't tell" and "I'll believe it when I see it" person)
I think the fact that you're putting so much thought into this is a good sign! There are no hard fast rules but I think around 3-5 is a good sweet spot. Two sounds like too few. I think it's fine to have all attacks be melee based. Probably the best way to go is to start with simple prototypes and alternate between playtesting and adjusting until it feels right. It's almost impossible to plan everything out and then code it and have it be perfect without lots of revising :) I'd also recommend just picking some boss fights you enjoy and trying to understand what you like about them. For me it was hollow knight and MegaMan X bosses but it will depend on your taste and the inspirations for your game. Best of luck!
@@KevynTheJar Definitely did not think you'd respond, but thanks! I've actually been taking some inspiration and "notes" from bosses from the Mega Man games too (Especially MMX), but yeah these are good tips.
Planning on making a game myself and I'm also drawing some inspiration from Hollow Knight, So this is interesting to watch. you've got yourself a sub from me
Hello, I’m currently working on an indie game myself, it’s still very early in development and I just would like to ask for some good ideas on making bosses for a game. My game is like a Donkey Kong/Hollow Knight hybrid game, (where it has different worlds and levels and at the end of the worlds are bosses)
I agree that umu is one of the worst hollow knight boss fights but they did kind of fix the waiting part in the pantheon version (though I hate that fight even more)
Sometimes it is worth it to buy art assets for your game. In fact dare I say around 2 hours with pixelart and shading tutorials should have helped tremendously. I would not release a game with this art and depend on the audience to declare it a "minimal" art style. Your game would gather 3 x the audience with a simple 20 dollars spent on art, fact.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
I think the most important thing you didn't mention is telegraphing. Every great boss clearly telegraphs which attack he's about to do before he does it. Cuphead is a great example
Good point! Learning boss telegraphs and quickly reacting to them is often what makes boss fights most fun for me. I've already been working on adding this my boss fight, like with the red columns of light that appear before some attacks.
You can do away with telegraphing in some games or even with some attacks, but it's a balancing act: on one hand it can keep things more frantic and reactive, on the other the fight could feel unfair or even luck based (even when it isn't). A certain level of (easily observable, no casual player should be counting frames or memorizing a seven node graph) consistency helps there, and certainly NOT for things that require very specific actions to dodge.
I'm currently about to delve into the once terrifying task of creating a boss fight. Ur explanation really helped with breaking it down and demystifying it thanks!
The artwork looks cool. Well done.
It looks really good! The boss has a lot of attacks which may be hard to master especially if the boss is semi difficult to find during a run. I usually feel like 3-4 attacks are a sweet spot especially when you have an enraged phase that makes him harder near death.
Yeah, it only takes a few good attack patterns to make a really engaging boss. And if there are only a few, the player can memorize them more easily and focus on the execution of dodging them.
Definitely looking forward to trying this boss! I'm curious what the process was like to decide how much damage each attack should do, because that always feels like the difference maker between a move/boss feeling cheap or too hard/easy.
Yeah that's definitely another important factor to consider. So far most attacks deal one heart or half a heart's worth of damage, and the difficulty feels pretty balanced. But I've also mostly been fighting him without any upgrades (and on a keyboard lol). I've been basing it off of what I think the player is likely to get hit by the most. So an energy blast is less punishing than his lunge attack, which is easier to dodge and has more of a tell.
It would be fun to make a ridiculously easy boss, just to make it seem like it was badly made then crush the hopes of the player by making a super hard boss at the end of the game
@@zachariusd6473maybe I'll make it 😅
Just discovered your channel, and just wanna say you're art and gameplay look really nice! 💜
It's one of the best game design videos I've ever watched
your boss design is amazing, I love it, keep up the amazing work!!!
Very insightful video , I designed my first boss last month, but didnt take state machine into consideration, just using timers for now for different moves. It seems like the answer to a make something much more streamlined and robust, will have to redesign using it. Thank you for sharing :D
Games looking awesome so far, one suggestion I have after watching though the devlogs is making the forest dungeon, feel more foresty, maybe add some big roots in the background or something, just to help it stand out!
Good idea! The dungeon does look a little too clean- may take some inspiration from OoT's forest temple
Great video always looking to find more content on developing boss videos
Cara, que jogo incrível, parabéns pelo trabalho!!!
"Wishlist now or I will add NFTs into this game" that is FAR more terrifying and yet simultaneously comforting than you can imagine. Have a wish-list.
I wishlisted the game. I love the idea for this game!
Great insight my dude! Thank you for the amazing content!
I had the same problem: many years of making games and no bosses at all. After your video I'm going to change it. Thanks)
added to wishlist, gonna keep an eye on the project :)
this boos fight looks solid rock!!! NEAT... i will check more content for you, and not guarantee but maybe i put the game on my wise list
Nice work!
that door at the bottom of the level causes distractions
Fair point, I'll be dimming the exit door during the boss fight in the next version!
Looking great! :D
I had a similar lesson with mega man, but you did give me a new perspective on attacks
Is there a good tutorial script for the boss teleporting I suck with bosses😭
amazing !
This game gives me Nostalgia cuz of the zelda theme looking forward to play it.
awesome rundown ^^
Cool boss, i like it 👌
Sir i recently came accross your video while trying to find how to make a good boss in unreal engine. Would you please make a tutorial on how to the boss in your video for 2D game in unreal. I am new to unreal so having a bit of a curve to find these tutorials. So would help out a lot. Thank you.
I love bomberman music, fits well
fire video
I really like the artstyle in this game 1:22 and i would live to know the name
Grapple Dog
clean!
Old video but I was recommended this. I'm currently working on writing some bosses that I want in a game that I'd want to be making (I lack the coding experience, but I have spent almost 2 years making music, writing lore, game mechanics, etc), and I was wondering what is a good number of moves for a boss, and how do you know if a boss has enough variety to feel unique and/or engaging? (Not that this should mean anything, but I'm making a fast-paced 2D platformer, so I'm taking inspiration from fast-paced 2D games)
I know this is subjective, but I'd still like to have a good idea on what's considered a boss having variety in their moveset. I don't want to make a boss that has a lot of moves but lacks variety or vice versa; a boss with a lot of variety not enough moves. I don't want to give my bosses a million moves; I think 2-5 moves might be what I like.
Like, what counts as a boss having variety? Say I made a boss that uses a sword and had 3 main attacks. If all the attacks consisted of just melee attacks, would that be considered a lack of variety due to the boss only using melee attacks, or would it work if each of the melee attacks were distinct from each other?
(Tbh, I understand stuff very well if I can actually see it in action, so if you could, some video examples of good and bad bosses in terms of variety would be nice as it'd help me get a much better explanation than words alone. I'm a "show, don't tell" and "I'll believe it when I see it" person)
I think the fact that you're putting so much thought into this is a good sign! There are no hard fast rules but I think around 3-5 is a good sweet spot. Two sounds like too few. I think it's fine to have all attacks be melee based. Probably the best way to go is to start with simple prototypes and alternate between playtesting and adjusting until it feels right. It's almost impossible to plan everything out and then code it and have it be perfect without lots of revising :)
I'd also recommend just picking some boss fights you enjoy and trying to understand what you like about them. For me it was hollow knight and MegaMan X bosses but it will depend on your taste and the inspirations for your game. Best of luck!
@@KevynTheJar Definitely did not think you'd respond, but thanks!
I've actually been taking some inspiration and "notes" from bosses from the Mega Man games too (Especially MMX), but yeah these are good tips.
Im using gdevelop and i wanna ask if its good
Whats that game on 1:23
Grapple Dog!
Planning on making a game myself and I'm also drawing some inspiration from Hollow Knight, So this is interesting to watch. you've got yourself a sub from me
Maybe change the color of the Homing projectile! So the player knows to expect something other than the non-homing projectile 😃
Good point!
what tool you use for make game??
Game Maker Studio 2!
Yes finally
Hello, I’m currently working on an indie game myself, it’s still very early in development and I just would like to ask for some good ideas on making bosses for a game. My game is like a Donkey Kong/Hollow Knight hybrid game, (where it has different worlds and levels and at the end of the worlds are bosses)
0:27 wishlisted itmeadiataly
no game dezerves that fate
subbed after you threatened to put nfts in. please don't
I'll wishlist, I'll wishlist, just please! Don't add NFTs!
My face before he mentions NFTs: :|
My face after: :0 >:(
oh god no not nfts what do you want me to do just for you to not add nfts
NFT fan here
Not wishlisting
I agree that umu is one of the worst hollow knight boss fights but they did kind of fix the waiting part in the pantheon version (though I hate that fight even more)
Sometimes it is worth it to buy art assets for your game. In fact dare I say around 2 hours with pixelart and shading tutorials should have helped tremendously. I would not release a game with this art and depend on the audience to declare it a "minimal" art style. Your game would gather 3 x the audience with a simple 20 dollars spent on art, fact.
i agree visuals are very important
Hi
I don't think steamis the right choice yet. Don't get me wrong, you should, but later. I don't think you are big enough to have a successful game.
OMG PLEASE NEVER DO SUCH LONG INTRO AGAIN. Great video though.