Design Challenge
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The main challenge here was to design and balance the game in a way that:
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Both sides offered distinct classes that encouraged different playstyles (i.e. a Human class that focused on stealth​​ vs one better equipped to fend off Klowns)
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Make the game fair for both sides, keeping in mind the asymmetrical nature of the game
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Human players consistently experienced tension and survival-driven decision-making aligned with the horror theme.
Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game
Game Designer
Killer Klowns From Outer Space is an asymmetrical multiplayer survival horror game based on the original 1980s film.
During pre-release production, I contributed to gameplay systems and feature development, supporting the delivery of a polished multiplayer experience at launch.
My primary focus was on combat and player systems, where I designed and tuned player classes (stats, abilities, perks) alongside weapon and item balance. This work shaped the moment-to-moment gameplay dynamics and helped balance asymmetrical interactions between Klowns and Humans.
Through iterative balancing, I refined values and behaviors to improve fairness and readability, ensuring both sides maintained distinct identities while remaining competitively viable.
Design Approach
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To address these challenges, I focused on systemic balancing across player stats, abilities, perks, and weapons, treating combat and survival as interconnected systems rather than isolated elements.
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Defined class roles and stat distributions to create clear strengths, weaknesses, and trade-offs.
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Tuned weapons and items to reinforce intended interactions between Humans and Klowns.
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Make humans too strong and they will bully Klowns, dismissing the survival horror aspect of the game
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Make them too weak and they will rage quit in frustration.​
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Established readability guidelines to ensure players could understand threats, opportunities, and outcomes during encounters.
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Ensured abilities and mechanics communicated effectively, including clear danger zones, status effects, and interaction feedback (e.g., cotton candy cocoons).
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Ensured players had clear, actionable goals throughout the match to support decision-making and pacing.
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Iterated using playtesting and player feedback, adjusting values and behaviors to improve clarity, fairness, and consistency.
Key Decisions
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Balanced asymmetry through role clarity, ensuring each team and class had a defined purpose rather than equal power
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Prioritized readability over complexity, reducing frustration and improving player understanding of combat outcomes
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Early iterations of Human classes included multiple stats, passives and abilities (e.g., faster computer hacking), which increased cognitive load and made it harder for players to understand their role in high-pressure situations
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I simplified class structures by removing select perks, reducing the number of visible stats, and clarifying stat differences, making class identities immediately understandable at class selection and reinforced through gameplay
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Tuned systems to support both avoidance and confrontation, allowing multiple viable strategies for Human players & Klowns.
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Adjusted stat and item balance to maintain pressure from Klowns without removing player agency.
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A key example was tuning randomized loot distribution. Excessive resource availability reduced tension by encouraging constant confrontation, while scarcity limited viable player responses and increased frustration.
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I calibrated loot distribution to maintain pressure while preserving player choice, enabling both evasion and confrontation as viable strategies.
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Outcome
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Established clear and distinct class playstyles across both factions.
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Improved perceived fairness within an asymmetrical system, reducing frustration in player interactions.
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Strengthened moment-to-moment tension, reinforcing the intended horror and survival experience.
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Delivered a balanced combat ecosystem supporting multiple viable strategies and playstyles.
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