Thought Process When Making Roles

[oliy]

Share your thought process on making roles here!
Do not post however if it's "the general idea popped into my head and I balanced it for ToS."

Here's my method:
Whenever an idea doesn't pop into my head, I think of a sub-alignment that needs roles.
Example: Neutral Chaos
I then think about existing roles and what they do.
Example: Vampires - Converts people to take over the town
I then think of similarities and multiple sides of the same coin, so they have the same guidelines.
Example: "Bring them to us" vs "We'll go to them" where "We'll lay low as long as possible" is constant
I then break down the idea into as many as I can.
Example: I'll bring them to us, We'll bring them to us, I'll go to them, We'll go to them
I then make role ideas off of these basic methods.
Example (in order:) Banshee, Vampire, Bomber, Cultist
Now with your splits, you have lots of role ideas where the same basic guidelines exist.

Another example:
Witch takes abilities from living, Gravedigger takes abilities from dead, Lobbyist takes votes from living (dead would have about the same impact)

[RetralMega]

... This isn't a Role Idea.

My thought process is: If it's conversion, OP, UP, or basically a role we already have; it's shit.

[oliy]

... This isn't a Role Idea.

My thought process is: If it's conversion, OP, UP, or basically a role we already have; it's shit.

That's not a thought process for making roles :\
It's also for Role Ideas and should go here :\
Also, NICE POST FARM CAPTAIN OBVIOUS

[JazzMusicStops]

Step 1. Concept: I think of a concept for a role mechanic
Step 2. Alignment: I think which alignment the concept belongs in
Step 3. Mechanics: Using the alignment and concept, I create a prototype of the role, this will generally have some aspects missing
Step 4. Balance: I change the role to make it work in ToS
Step 5. Polish: I improve the role with additional information
Step 6. Publication: I post the role
Step 7. Improvement: Using feedback from users, I make the role better

[BPsycho2]

Scratch out Lobbyist.

Write Politician.

[oliy]

Scratch out Lobbyist.

Write Politician.

You even said you never said the role and argues it is different. Now please tell me your legitimate process.

[dagreenrabbit]

first of all, i think about what will make the game better, or make the opposite role better
second, think about the abilities and attributes
then, where he should go (the alignment)
after that, i tell the mechanic and strats
last one is the balancing, including feedback ofc

[SpellChecker]

Basically, the advantages of the role should be more than the disadvantages, it would be quite prominent to mention everything about the role.

Classification of the role should be notable, no one would like a antiquated role which was already suggested.

Creativity and new ideas should be important in most roles this would prompt people to like the role.

[orangeandblack5]

Step 1: Don't
Step 2: If you made it this far you're wrong. Go home.

[Technetium]

Step 1: Don't
Step 2: If you made it this far you're wrong. Go home.

This applies for BMG employees as well.
*cough*Vampires*cough*VH*cough*Disguiser*cough*Framer*cough*Survivor*cough*

[Raetah]

Step 1: Don't
Step 2: If you made it this far you're wrong. Go home.

This applies for BMG employees as well.
*cough*Vampires*cough*VH*cough*Disguiser*cough*Framer*cough*Survivor*cough*

Survivor is fine, stop being salty.

[Technetium]

Surv is boring, it's not as bad as the others, but it could use something to make it more interesting.

[Raetah]

Surv is boring, it's not as bad as the others, but it could use something to make it more interesting.

Survivor is not boring, maybe your playstyle with Survivor, but definitively not mine in wich I make Neutral Killing win.

[Wzombie]

This is my thought process:

"Okay, go to the urban dictonary,
Let's see. Random word.... Purple! I like that word. Let's make a role that does that.
Okay... Name, man gotta be creative. Okay, let's grab another word from the dictonary.
Blister! Perfect!

Name: Blister
Alignment: Neutral(Chaos)
Abilities: Every night you can purple.
Attributes: When you Purple you can smell the color nine.
Wins with: Himself, Survivor, Witch
Backstory: Purple"

[Raetah]

This is my thought process:

"Okay, go to the urban dictonary,
Let's see. Random word.... Purple! I like that word. Let's make a role that does that.
Okay... Name, man gotta be creative. Okay, let's grab another word from the dictonary.
Blister! Perfect!

Name: Blister
Alignment: Neutral(Chaos)
Abilities: Every night you can purple.
Attributes: When you Purple you can smell the color nine.
Wins with: Himself, Survivor, Witch
Backstory: Purple"

That role is better than the average. good job.

[Wzombie]

This is my thought process:

"Okay, go to the urban dictonary,
Let's see. Random word.... Purple! I like that word. Let's make a role that does that.
Okay... Name, man gotta be creative. Okay, let's grab another word from the dictonary.
Blister! Perfect!

Name: Blister
Alignment: Neutral(Chaos)
Abilities: Every night you can purple.
Attributes: When you Purple you can smell the color nine.
Wins with: Himself, Survivor, Witch
Backstory: Purple"

That role is better than the average. good job.

xD

[simabean]

When I make roles, I

1. Think of a sub-alignment that needs more roles
2. I come up with a power to achieve the goal
3. I consider game impact and its balance
4. Make improvements
5. Publish
6. Make edits as people make suggestions

[BPsycho2]

1. Read every single role card

2. Is zomething missing?

3. Make role.

4. Test in TG.

5. Refine role.

6. Repeat 4 and 5.

7. Perfect.

[Mroz4k]

I'm writing a guide about this and major procrastinating. fun stuff

I had a concept for this written somewhere on my PC, I just gave up with it being pointless anyways, since noone will read and follow those instructions in the end anyways.

As for the topic:
I dont usually design new roles myself, mostly and if I do, its usually inspired by someone else´s previous design, which is then modified more or less to make it more balanced out. I usually refrain from designing new roles because I have no idea what is and is not possible to be programmed. And the limits of the game and GUI etc make it pretty difficult to make reasonable new role concepts.

I usually just stick to suggesting buffs and nerfs for already existing roles.

Step 1: find a role with certain problem.
Step 2: analyze all the other existing roles. Try to think of a way to integrate already existing mechanic to fix the issue of the problematic role.
Step 3: Think.
Step 4: Think some more.
Step 5: Still thinking it through.
Step 6: By now, you should have throught it through, tried to play particular game situations in your head and consider all the possible outcomes. With this, you should be able to tell whether the suggested buff is OP, UP or balanced. Adjust the idea to make it more balanced if neccesary.
Step 7: Think of situations where this can create a hard-counter role. Put some additional balancing issues to prevent this..
Step 8: Make a thread about it, collect community opinions, and answer the feedback back and forth as much as possible. Get as much feedback as possible.
Step 8.5: Make a fair poll that is about A) Community support of this idea, or B) if your idea has several different ways, which of them is the most popular with community"

In general, the same applies to Role Idea concepts, to be honest. Only difference is that you are also accounting for "new mechanics" (which you can do for buffs and nerfs as well, but in my experience is best to try and make things as simpliest as possible), new artistic name, interactions with all the roles, etc.

Basically, to make a solid role idea, you should spend 8 times as much time on Step 3-6 as you would on buff/nerf idea. Othervise the odds your idea will be garbage are really high. Which is why 99% of this subforum is shit.