The King's Game - Boss Friggin' Where?

[Winterbraid]

About presently the most discussed mission of Dungeon Defenders, but slightly differently.

Having talked to my friends, I know I'm not the only one who strongly anticipated a boss fight on my first contact with the King's Game, which was minutes after it had gone live. Between the structural complexity of the map and the presence of ample air space coupled with paradoxically simplistic defenses, to me it had a 'bossy' vibe about it like none of the other bonus DLC maps. So, to put it mildly, I was somewhat disappointed when the 'Final Wave' message was not followed by the ever-ominous 'Boss Wave' warning.

I think that's loads of wasted potential right there. I am now aware that many aspects of the map are by its original design as an 'easier' alternative to Shards, but I still can't be blind to how perfect an arena it would have made for a boss encounter that would have been perhaps somewhat of a hybrid between Ancient Dragon and Genie King, but even more frantic as you were forced to chase a trickster boss far beyond your lines of defenses and into the swarming enemy ranks.

Even the randomized effect tiles, with which of course I wasn't familiar at the time, would have made a beautiful part of the picture. Pre-patch I found them an interesting touch but found little practical use for them, and post-patch I have come to appreciate them much, much more - however, one can't even start to imagine the ways in which they could turn the tides of an already intense boss fight. Besides the trivial heal or mana just at the right moment, a lucky jump height boost while the boss was hovering out of reach or a slow-mo while its weak spot was exposed would have made for boss runs to be remembered long after.

Honestly, everything about the King's Game screams boss so loudly that I can't shake off the sinful thought it was originally supposed to include one, that was eventually cut out due to technical or time constraints. I suppose having a boss fight might not have played along with the whole idea of the King's Game being not another Shards map; but at the same time, a boss that required quick wits and fingers while not demanding dozens of millions of DPS could have fitted into the scheme quite perfectly.

Either way, I guess you could say any discussion is moot because the King's Game obviously doesn't have a boss and as far as I know, Trendy has never made such a drastic change to a map as to include one where there wasn't. But what are your thoughts on the topic, if any? Did you expect a boss on your first King's Game run, or did it perhaps come to you afterwards, while farming for another time or playing survival, that it would be much cooler if it ended with a boss fight? And if yes, what kind of a boss would you expect to see on that map?

[Alhanalem]

I don't really think it's a big deal, myself. Not everybody actually likes the boss fights, so just like with every other topic in this subject area, some people will love the idea and some people will hate it.

I can't even fathom what the boss would be if there was one. How about King Man from Mega Man Battle Network 3?

[イナルナ]

I can't even fathom what the boss would be if there was one.

King and Queen chess pieces, or a white and black King or queen duo. I think it would be interesting, but it isn't really necessary.

[Nexus]

Boss fight for the kings game = fighting off a queen chess piece, as the player(s) only able to move on a chess board like the king does.

Could be done with blocking volumes that change(squares over squares) every "turn" which could be represented by/with a wave. Which could play sort of like the Aquanos puzzle, indicating which squares to move across.

The queen could do a crushing AoE slam down on certain tiles, becoming temporarily vulnerable. If players move in time they can get a Bishop or a knight piece to aide them...

Or something like that.


But that just gave me an idea for an actual chess gameplay. Two players (or one AI and one player) play an actual game of chess, defense units are represented with the actual pieces, which ever player loses all of their defense units first loses. Or vise versa... every chess piece that is killed raises the used DU of either team.

[cats]

There could have been potential, but there are already plenty of other bosses and for newer players and more casual players who do not like bosses they will love it even more.

Though it could have turned into a puzzle game instead of a pure stat based game.

[Winterbraid]

There could have been potential, but there are already plenty of other bosses and for newer players and more casual players who do not like bosses they will love it even more.

Though it could have turned into a puzzle game instead of a pure stat based game.

That was exactly my thought if you would read my post till the end, a boss that requires thinking rather than a barb with steamsaws/monk with a seahorse. Although keep in mind that most of the bosses already aren't purely 'stat based;' even 200m dps won't help you if you can't fire ballistas at the Dragon (unless you are ranged and can catch it in one of the spots where it's vulnerable to ranged damage), or can't find the Genie King's lamps, or can't jump onto the Battlecruiser or - in Hardcore mode - jump off without dying.

So I was thinking something like that, but with the 'puzzle' element taken even further and the impact of hero DPS reduced or even removed completely. So that theoretically, even a newer or casual player would have an equal chance at it to a seasoned one. I like the idea of a chess-based fight, but things shouldn't be taken to the other extreme - something like that could easily get fairly repetitive and tedious and this is an action game after all.

My initial thought, maybe not very original I admit, was Cheshire Cat - disappearing and reappearing in various locations on the map while only being visible as a smile at other times, and occasionally switching to a more direct aerial combat pattern like the Mega Cupid/Kraken. Perhaps with added random tile effects tailored specifically for the fight, like forcing the boss into appearing, dealing some damage (only once per match so it can't be killed using only the tiles) or teleporting it in front of your defenses.

[Cascadeoflies]

Hmm, when I first saw the map and heard its name "The King's Game" I thought they'd be a boss for sure. The map looks setup like it would have one and the title of the map suggests that there is a King that this game belongs to who might be a bit mad at us messing around in it.

Then they said there would not be a boss, I still thought there might be one in there on the sly. There wasn't.

I have to say though, I'm really quite fine either way. I like the idea of it having a boss but don't like the idea of having to actually fight it ^^

[SirLatency]

I have to say though, I'm really quite fine either way. I like the idea of it having a boss but don't like the idea of having to actually fight it ^^

Amen. I've soloed the Spider Queen and Kraken and thought I was going to have an aneurysm.

[ManeFlame]

My thoughts? Never expected a boss. Karathiki, City in the Cliffs and Talay didn't have one, so no reason King's Game should have.
Not that I wouldn't -want- them all to have a new boss, mind.

[Grim indeed]

definitely 'screams boss'
... thinking about it... a giant snake of some sort wouldve been nice... slithering around the map, in and out the hols and curling round the corners, with specific weakpoints (like... a puppet~ish snake... and you attack loose stiches as they slide through holes)
... would probably cause all sorts of problems with builds and mobs though (as it would be sliding over them/in the way of mobs... although having a gang of angry ogres building up behind a scaly (or... fabric) wall mightve been interesting (pre patch... now it would be slaughter.)