Holding the Lock
Keep the reticle on the target, and only then does the lock complete.
- Prototype complexity
- Who plays
- Solo decisions
- Design focus
- Precision · Time · Risk
No.203Deep Rock Galactic01The core loop
Action → feedback → next choice- 01Put target in the frame
- 02Track it continuously
- 03Lock progress builds
- 04Fire once locked
↻Feedback changes the situation — the next round starts from there.
Walk through one round
A simplified design example. Situations and numbers illustrate the mechanic, not exact rules from a reference game.
- T1
Turn 1 · The situation
Your launcher needs a 1.5 s lock; an enemy mech strafes sideways and a soldier is behind you.
- T2
Turn 2 · The player chooses
You keep tracking the mech; at 1 s a tree briefly blocks the line.
- T3
Turn 3 · The feedback
Progress drops back to 0.5 s and the soldier hits you twice; you lock at 2.2 s and land the shot.
- T4
Turn 4 · The next decision
Low on health, you'll deal with the soldier before the next lock.
How it plays
A target must stay inside the lock zone for a while as a meter or tone builds. Leaving the zone drains or resets progress. Once locked, the shot usually homes in with high accuracy.
What the player weighs
- Holding a lock limits movement and dodging
- Locking multiple targets pays more but takes longer
02Start small
Scope is an editorial estimate for the minimum prototype, not the reference game or a production schedule.
03One mechanic, different implementations
Deep Rock Galactic
The Engineer's LOK-1 Smart Rifle builds locks as you sweep the reticle over enemies, then fires homing rounds.
Titanfall 2
The Smart Pistol auto-locks enemies near the reticle, needing multiple locks on pilots; anti-titan weapons like the Archer also require holding a lock (details hedged).
The difference worth noticing
Deep Rock uses locks against swarms; Titanfall 2 demands holding locks while staying mobile in fast PvP.
Case notes are Yoroll editorial summaries; rules may change between versions.
04What could you combine?
Hack security cameras to tag targets, and anything in a camera's view can be locked remotely, linking stealth and shooting.
Prototype this combo in Yoroll→Follow the next idea
Charge and Release
Hold longer for more power, but enemies won't wait for you to finish.
- Prototype complexity
- Who plays
- Solo decisions
- 01Hold to charge
- 02Read the charge cue
- 03Release on timing
- 04Resolve by charge level
Graze for Resources
The closer the bullet, the bigger the payout—just don't get hit.
- Prototype complexity
- Who plays
- Solo decisions
- 01Hug the bullet stream
- 02Brush past the hitbox
- 03Gain resources
- 04Spend it to strike back
Pause to Tighten Spread
Hold the trigger and shots scatter; ease off and they tighten again.
- Prototype complexity
- Who plays
- Solo decisions
- 01Open fire
- 02Spread widens
- 03Release briefly
- 04Recover, then fire