Harmonix making next-gen combat game

It looks as though Harmonix, creators Rock Band, Guitar Hero and Dance Central, seem to be setting up to try their hand at a little combat.

Why? Because if there’s anything the videogame industry needs, it’s more games featuring combat!

The evidence comes in the form of a job posting from the developer which advertises the role of combat designer, whose duties will be to “to create real-time, single-player combat experiences for a brand new IP on next-generation hardware.” That ad goes on to say that the project “is unlike anything Harmonix has ever done before.”

In more detail, the combat designer’s job will involve:

• Work with developers across disciplines to develop the core loop of our single-player combat gameplay.
• Set a high quality bar for combat components: including physics, AI, camera, interface, and audio-visual effects.
• Design and tune combat skills and abilities; overseeing creation of robust combat AI systems for minor and major combat encounters.
• Implement key combat abilities, mechanics, AI and encounters at the script level, from development prototypes through to shipping content.
• Maintain vision for combat at both micro level (single encounter) and macro level (skill and enemy progression, evolving variety and depth, rewards for mastery).
• Work with lead designer, project lead and production team to set combat team priorities, manage product backlog, and ensure that feature ships complete and within scope.
• Advocate for a fun, deep and accessible combat experience, working closely with the user experience team.
• Assist with systems design and scripting tasks as needed.