I've been working on a game design of mine and initially you'd create a team of three monsters to battle the opponent's three monsters. To accentuate my game idea, I thought about each player choosing one monster (let's say a dinosaur), and then selecting three out of a dozen or so forms of that monster to create your team (like a robotic dino, a flying dino, and a rock dino). The idea is that in-game you can transform into each of the selected forms to aid your victory.
Here's my problem: other than improving the theme and concept of my game, what does transforming add to my game design that selecting a team of ANY three monsters not allow for? You don't need to know any of the specifics of my design to answer.
I'm wondering what makes the concept of transforming special. I know that it let's players grow fond of certain playstyles and characters designs, but BEYOND that, why is this a concept people latch onto? It may not fit this specific game design, but finding transforming's essence might inspire a new game idea because of how fun of a concept it is.
Any thoughts?
I agree that progression like that works better (and has little place) in traditional board games. However, I think you misunderstood what I meant. I don't mean transformation in the sense of progression, I meant it in the sense that morphing into a different form with different stats, not better stats. You'd transform into forms to allow for different strategies not stronger abilities.
Look at the aptly named Transformers - they have a vehicle form which makes them mobile, and a robot form that makes them combat viable. You wouldn't call one form better than the other. They simply have their own advantages and disadvantages.
My question is: what makes transforming in this way special? For Transformers, it's visually exciting to watch cars morph into robots. Without the intricate animations, what are ways to convey transformation?
In the game I'm designing, player's pick one monster, then select three of its forms to comprise a team. So perhaps the monster has a 'basic' form that gives the same abilities to each form. This would help convey that it's one monster with some abilities that are consistent with each form, but each form has its own abilities too.
My problem is that if I want transforming (or morphing, whatever I end up calling it) in my game, I want to incorporate the concept as much as possible. What makes it special? If there isn't much of a difference between transforming or picking a team of any three monsters, why use it at all?