Turn-based Combat Vs. Phased Combat
by Steven Fletcher · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 12/13/2006 (10:23 am) · 2 replies
I'm working on the design for a casual RPG, and I have a design decision to make. I want to use Phased combat, but I would like to get some other people's opinions on this.
Note that real-time combat isn't an option. I don't want to deal with it.
Turn-based Combat:
In turn-based combat, you decide what your character does when it's your character's turn. This is the "normal" way to do things, and it allows you to make decisions based upon everything that's already happened.
Phased Combat:
In phased combat, you decide what all your characters do at the beginning of the turn. This is more realistic in that the characters won't be aware of what has happened in the past few split seconds, so you have to make your decisions without this knowledge.
It also has the advantage of allowing you to reuse your decisions from the last turn, only modifying the ones that need to be modified. The engine will be smart enough to change the targets so that you never attack someone who is dead.
The only recent game I've seen this in is Wizardry 8. It used to be fairly standard. It seems to me that it would at least be something different to include in the game even though it's not entirely unique.
Note that real-time combat isn't an option. I don't want to deal with it.
Turn-based Combat:
In turn-based combat, you decide what your character does when it's your character's turn. This is the "normal" way to do things, and it allows you to make decisions based upon everything that's already happened.
Phased Combat:
In phased combat, you decide what all your characters do at the beginning of the turn. This is more realistic in that the characters won't be aware of what has happened in the past few split seconds, so you have to make your decisions without this knowledge.
It also has the advantage of allowing you to reuse your decisions from the last turn, only modifying the ones that need to be modified. The engine will be smart enough to change the targets so that you never attack someone who is dead.
The only recent game I've seen this in is Wizardry 8. It used to be fairly standard. It seems to me that it would at least be something different to include in the game even though it's not entirely unique.
#2
Keep us posted on which you decide and why.
Good Luck to ya!
Mike
04/04/2007 (3:03 pm)
I always preferred phased combat over turn-based. It gives a sense or realism to the fighting without going all the way. I also liked the time-based phased combat system like FF had where you had a determined amount of time before your next attack. You could always take longer to decide. It meant that you had to make a judgement call based on when you think you would get to attack in relation to the oppenents. I don't think it would be that hard to do in Torque. You could always start with a set amount of time (one not related to any character stats) and work your way up from there. If the choice is limited, though, I think I would go with phased combat to add a little extra challenge to the game while still keeping it casual. Keep us posted on which you decide and why.
Good Luck to ya!
Mike
Torque Owner J Sears