This continues my reposting of the dev diaries of Nocked! True Tales of Robin Hood - where I talk about all things related to my work on the game. Also, there are a number of minor fixes and improvements in the recent build. Thanks, users!

Robin Hood is the best at what he or she does (sort of like the Wolverine of the Middle Ages; see development blog #3). One of the questions that posed from a design standpoint, however, was how best to allow for meaningful choice and consequence when the player cannot fail? We quickly realized that Robin’s goals were grand societal change, rather than personal happiness. To accomplish that change, Robin would need money, manpower, and political clout – this dovetailed nicely with the legends of the Merry Men; thus was Nocked’s resource management system born.

Robin’s ability to delegate missions and projects is represented by four key resources: Gold, wealth and raw resources; renown, being deeds and accomplishments; men, the number of battle-ready followers; and grace, a measure of the extraordinary pull Robin has on the world. How you, the player, spend these resources – do you listen to Little John and build a tavern, or do you send money to the poor and gain additional recruits? – allows for choice and consequence on a regional level. Normal story choices generate Robin’s resources, so it sets up a neat feedback loop wherein Robin’s personal choices translate into his or her ability to influence the larger world.

Nocked! is your story of Robin Hood, but it’s also the story of your Robin Hood’s effect on Sherwood Forest, Nottingham, and potentially all of England. Spend wisely, and build a legend that will last forever.

Note: The title of this post refers to a particular manner of resource trading in the boardgame, Settlers of Catan.