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[POLL] A POLL AND DISCUSSION ABOUT RANDOM BATTLE ENCOUNTERS: HOW THEY MAY BE IMPLEMENTED.
Poll
To you, which of the following is the best way to add random encounters to a game? Please read each option carefully. - Results
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Old-school: Random battles are on. This means managing potions and mana as you explore dungeons.
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15
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39%
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Encounter ring: The player has a ring or item that is worn or otherwise toggled on/off that can shut off random battles. Players warned beforehand that they may be inexperienced for a boss if used too frequently.
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11
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28%
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Boss-kill disable: Random battles in a dungeon or area are disabled upon the player killing the boss. However, the player cannot level up further in that area after doing so.
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7
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18%
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Level-cap disable: Random battles in a dungeon or area are disabled upon reaching a pre-determined level cap for that area. Prevents grinding for xp and gold.
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5
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13%
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Posts
Punkitt
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CloseYeah, sure, thanks for the suggestions! I intend to give them a shot.
Back on topic, I guess random encounters all depend on how your game mechanics work. Pokémon (sorta) and Undertale got it right, but only because of the rate of encounters and the actual way battles play. In a game like MOTHER/Earthbound Beginnings, the battle system is very simplistic and enemies are tough, so it annoys a lot of people and seems offputting in comparison to the other games in the series, which do overworld enemy encounters instead to negate the issue the first one had (somewhat.)
Back on topic, I guess random encounters all depend on how your game mechanics work. Pokémon (sorta) and Undertale got it right, but only because of the rate of encounters and the actual way battles play. In a game like MOTHER/Earthbound Beginnings, the battle system is very simplistic and enemies are tough, so it annoys a lot of people and seems offputting in comparison to the other games in the series, which do overworld enemy encounters instead to negate the issue the first one had (somewhat.)
Sooz
They told me I was mad when I said I was going to create a spidertable. Who’s laughing now!!!
5354
author=Punkitt
Back on topic, I guess random encounters all depend on how your game mechanics work. Pokémon (sorta) and Undertale got it right, but only because of the rate of encounters and the actual way battles play.
This reads like "They got it right, but only because they did it well."
That's true. But I hope everyone knows what I mean! The core mechanics of the game and the presentation itself meant nobody minded the random encounters.
Housekeeping
3531
I don't think random encounters are an outdated design decision, to chime in on a debate that was probably finished days ago. To me, random encounters make a lot of sense if a big portion of your game is about long-term stat progression, which is the case for a lot of JRPGs. If it's about stat progression, then the player needs to be fighting battles regularly and gaining that feeling of growth. The problem with on-screen encounters is that the game becomes avoiding encounters instead of participating in them, which is fine if your focus is more on exploration or if some of those encounters are forced (e.g. Chrono Trigger). I do like some way to limit random encounters once you're overleveled for the area, though. Random encounters become banal to me once I've stopped really growing from them.
The thing that sucks, though, is that people THINK it's an outdated design decision, and those preconceived notions can sink your game before anyone plays it. This is also something we're already overcoming with menu-based combat, though, so we're already not winning any popularity contests--do what's best for the game.
The thing that sucks, though, is that people THINK it's an outdated design decision, and those preconceived notions can sink your game before anyone plays it. This is also something we're already overcoming with menu-based combat, though, so we're already not winning any popularity contests--do what's best for the game.
author=Housekeeping
I don't think random encounters are an outdated design decision, to chime in on a debate that was probably finished days ago. To me, random encounters make a lot of sense if a big portion of your game is about long-term stat progression, which is the case for a lot of JRPGs. If it's about stat progression, then the player needs to be fighting battles regularly and gaining that feeling of growth. The problem with on-screen encounters is that the game becomes avoiding encounters instead of participating in them, which is fine if your focus is more on exploration or if some of those encounters are forced (e.g. Chrono Trigger). I do like some way to limit random encounters once you're overleveled for the area, though. Random encounters become banal to me once I've stopped really growing from them.
The thing that sucks, though, is that people THINK it's an outdated design decision, and those preconceived notions can sink your game before anyone plays it. This is also something we're already overcoming with menu-based combat, though, so we're already not winning any popularity contests--do what's best for the game.
Well said ^_^
Sooz
They told me I was mad when I said I was going to create a spidertable. Who’s laughing now!!!
5354
author=Punkitt
That's true. But I hope everyone knows what I mean! The core mechanics of the game and the presentation itself meant nobody minded the random encounters.
That could literally be said about any mechanic ever. It's not a useful contribution to a discussion on how to do things well, is all I am saying.
Crystalgate
694
author=Sooz
That could literally be said about any mechanic ever. It's not a useful contribution to a discussion on how to do things well, is all I am saying.
I wish I could agree, Punkit's comment looks very captain obvious after all. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be obvious at all. The idea that the rate of encounters and the battles themselves have a huge impact on the fun is very often overlooked. A lot of the "use something else than random encounters" proposals comes as a solution to random encounters that are boring and to numerous.
I'll always prefer random encounters over scripted/touch encounters because I enjoy the unpredictability that accompanies them, and you're always forced to be prepared and/or expect the worst since you just never know what you're going to run into next or when it will be.
With that said, I chose the second option. After some complaints about the encounter rate in Blackmoon Prophecy II, I added a equippable accessory that the player acquires right at the start of the game which disables random battles. This allows the player to fight/grind on their own terms. It lets the player explore a bit if they choose to do so before finding out what monsters lurk in the area. I haven't yet added a warning that overuse of the item will result in an underleveled party that will struggle (because Blackmoon Prophecy II gets pretty rough in some places).
It's also great for days when you're just feeling a bit shitty and want to escape. Random encounters, at the worst of times, can make your already lousy mood even worse if the RNG gods decide to screw with you. Being able to avoid battles during times like that can very much be a good thing.
With that said, I chose the second option. After some complaints about the encounter rate in Blackmoon Prophecy II, I added a equippable accessory that the player acquires right at the start of the game which disables random battles. This allows the player to fight/grind on their own terms. It lets the player explore a bit if they choose to do so before finding out what monsters lurk in the area. I haven't yet added a warning that overuse of the item will result in an underleveled party that will struggle (because Blackmoon Prophecy II gets pretty rough in some places).
It's also great for days when you're just feeling a bit shitty and want to escape. Random encounters, at the worst of times, can make your already lousy mood even worse if the RNG gods decide to screw with you. Being able to avoid battles during times like that can very much be a good thing.
