Champions Online
Champions Online is a classic superhero MMORPG. Players have unprecedented freedom in character creation, with a wide power selection that allows them to mix and match abilities from wildly different sources and with radically different effects. That system, coupled with a truly massive visual customization "tailor", gives players the capacity to play whatever hero they desire. Emulate your favourite character from any IP or make an original creation and watch them grow in power and visual spectacle, as you complete the leveling journey and unlock further cosmetic options to mix and match with the generous pieces that are available to everyone and whose numbers keep growing month by month.
During my tenure as Champions Online's game designer I had a lot of responsibilities, such as updating events and creating new content. One of the largest changes I was able to implement was a new system called CAMS (Crystallized Ambient Magic Shards). Born from the lore of the original Champions TTRPG supplements, these items are a form of post endgame progressions. Players collect the CAMS currency (Magical Residue) by participating in events and doing daily missions. They can then exchange it at Thorncryst, the system vendor, for shards that give them more customization points. From conception to implementation, ownership of this system was a complex endeavour that touched many areas, such as narrative and monetization.
In order to prepare to work on this game, I studied all manner of MMORPGs, from classic ones like Guild Wars 2 to more modern versions of the genre like Genshin Impact. This allowed me to distill Champions to its base components and to know how to expand the game with a more modern sensitivity. I focused on mechanically unique things that reinforced the "Superhero" fantasy. Speed serums, attacks with massive knockback effects, giant growth devices and more. Cosmetically, surveys and talks on the Discord server informed me that players truly wanted as many new costumes pieces as we could produce, with disparate looks. In this image we can see some of the pieces that were voted by players for the anniversary update. Quipao Dress, Tiki Mask, Shield Arm and Tentacle Wings.
My journey on Champions was long and storied. Soon after taking over operations, I was asked to become the manager and lead of one of the Junior Game Designers of the project. A few months after that, I got 2 new reports. I had to leverage this small team while coordinating with all other areas of the studio to support the game while also designing and implementing new content of my own. The effort bore fruits, and we managed to stabilize the game and increase the revenue.
But, as the health of an MMO depends on the player base, I knew we had to take things further still. We re-implemented weekly streams and monthly Costume Contest, trying to stay close to the community while making QoL changes that had long been requested. Speaking with people who have sometimes decades of experience with the game you are working on is a humbling experience, and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to listen and learn from them.
But, as the health of an MMO depends on the player base, I knew we had to take things further still. We re-implemented weekly streams and monthly Costume Contest, trying to stay close to the community while making QoL changes that had long been requested. Speaking with people who have sometimes decades of experience with the game you are working on is a humbling experience, and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to listen and learn from them.