AuthorTopic: [Game Design][Off-Topic] Battle mechanic discussion  (Read 2202 times)

Offline mzn528

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 37
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

[Game Design][Off-Topic] Battle mechanic discussion

on: February 24, 2015, 08:13:12 pm
Hello all!

So I am currently trying to develop my dream game (overused term...but yeah). Essentially it is a beat em up layout, so there will be two directional combat. As the player progresses, he or she will able to choose different vocations for different play styles. I am aiming to have a responsive combat system, meaning something like:

short sword - fast, short range, no knockback effect (below gif)



Katana (yes, a mf katana) - fast, long range, no knockback, less stamina consumption
greatsword - slow af, long range, slight knockback
greathammer - slow, medium range, big knockback, etc.

There will also be stamina bar, simple defend and dodge system, active skills. I really don't want to use this term, but essentially "soul-like".
I am also thinking about implementing a collectible sub weapon system (2D era castlevania - SOTN, etc.)

So guys, I need your opinion, specifically, I am curious about.

1. What makes a combat system interesting? What kept you engaged throughout your playthrough?
2. What makes it boring?
3. From my description, what seems it will work on a 2D side scroller and what seems will not work?
4. Any suggestion on what will make this interesting?

Thank you so much and I look forward reading your thought!!!!
Noob Game Dev and Pixel Artist - Twitter @mzn528

Current Game: Soul Appeaser, an ARPG inspired by Dark Souls and Berserk (the manga yes)
DevLog here

Offline Ryumaru

  • Moderator
  • 0100
  • *
  • Posts: 1683
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • to be animated soonly
    • ChrisPariano
    • View Profile

Re: [Game Design][Off-Topic] Battle mechanic discussion

Reply #1 on: February 24, 2015, 08:25:33 pm
There's no reason to be shy about the soulslike title :] in fact I would love if it became a thing as big as roguelike ( although it never will).
Souls games do a good job of keeping you engaged because any enemy can kill you at any point in time. Doesn't matter what level or armor. Sometimes the earlier enemies can actually be harder than the later ones as they unpredictably flail around and hit you multiple times to break your poise, where as the legendary knights are calculated and easy to learn ( but if you slip up you're of course dead).

So what would make it boring of course would be to lose that threat. Feeling overpowered can be good for a little bit ( and souls does that by turning what was once a difficult boss due to surrounding enemies, setting, and your equipment level, into a minor enemy later on) but for it to stay successful it has to once again humble you and bring you back down so you can enjoy the rush of building yourself back up.

What you write so far sounds like it can work. With stuff like this however, the execution is actually more important than the concepts. It's possible to have really wacky ideas, but if you think they can work, and execute them perfectly, it can be a better experience than tried and true ideas executed poorly.

Offline mzn528

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 37
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: [Game Design][Off-Topic] Battle mechanic discussion

Reply #2 on: February 24, 2015, 09:41:05 pm
There's no reason to be shy about the soulslike title :] in fact I would love if it became a thing as big as roguelike ( although it never will).
Souls games do a good job of keeping you engaged because any enemy can kill you at any point in time. Doesn't matter what level or armor. Sometimes the earlier enemies can actually be harder than the later ones as they unpredictably flail around and hit you multiple times to break your poise, where as the legendary knights are calculated and easy to learn ( but if you slip up you're of course dead).

So what would make it boring of course would be to lose that threat. Feeling overpowered can be good for a little bit ( and souls does that by turning what was once a difficult boss due to surrounding enemies, setting, and your equipment level, into a minor enemy later on) but for it to stay successful it has to once again humble you and bring you back down so you can enjoy the rush of building yourself back up.

What you write so far sounds like it can work. With stuff like this however, the execution is actually more important than the concepts. It's possible to have really wacky ideas, but if you think they can work, and execute them perfectly, it can be a better experience than tried and true ideas executed poorly.

Thanks for the reply Ryumaru! Personally I am a big fan of souls, Castlevania SOTN, Monster Hunter series (I see similarity between them) but I didn't want to use the term since it's been abused heavily lately, but I really hope it becomes a thing as well lol.

The game I am making is intended to be dark themed and at no point of the game will the player feel overpowered. I am aiming to build a responsive control but I do question how responsive it can be with a 2 directional platform. I did see it being done accurate in games like Hyper Light drifter (8 directional), Eitr (isometric)  however I am still not sure how I can execute this to make it work on the "beat em up like" platform. If there's a crossover between souls and Dragon's crown, do you think it will be successful?

I digressed, but thanks for the reply and I sincerely hope that I will have enough patience to finish spriting animations for all 20+ characters and enemies and bosses
Noob Game Dev and Pixel Artist - Twitter @mzn528

Current Game: Soul Appeaser, an ARPG inspired by Dark Souls and Berserk (the manga yes)
DevLog here