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Drie - Party Skill Sets
Racheal- 09/30/2013 05:46 AM
- 2306 views
First up, as a follow-up to the previous blog, here is the battle screen as it currently sits (names/descriptions are still not final):
I think I'm actually finally happy with it. Skills and items will both be visible at the same time. You select the skill on the left and then you select the item (if applicable) on the right. Neither half scrolls as nine is the max number of skills and items.
But on to the new topic! Just today we discussed and potentially finalized the skills for the entire party. I also ensured that all of the effects work. We've had most of these determined for the last couple weeks, but we filled in the last couple holes tonight and tossed out a few that were a little iffy.
So with that said, I thought I'd share the lists and see if anyone has any comments, critiques, or questions.
Things of note:
Gerda - Healer
Kai - Nuker/"Blue Mage"
Hansel - Tank/Damage
Hansel does not require items for any skill. As a result, his TP costs will be higher.
Gretal - Buffer/Damage
In addition to the above, each party member will have a "pass"-type skill and a Use Item command. The pass-type skill will vary by character and can be improved with accessories. Restoring HP, TP, or increasing defence are all options. The strength of these effects is based on the amount of AP used.
If you made it through that wall of text, then good job. Here's the recently completed bust portraits for the party's parents to help sandwich this text with pictures.
I think I'm actually finally happy with it. Skills and items will both be visible at the same time. You select the skill on the left and then you select the item (if applicable) on the right. Neither half scrolls as nine is the max number of skills and items.
But on to the new topic! Just today we discussed and potentially finalized the skills for the entire party. I also ensured that all of the effects work. We've had most of these determined for the last couple weeks, but we filled in the last couple holes tonight and tossed out a few that were a little iffy.
So with that said, I thought I'd share the lists and see if anyone has any comments, critiques, or questions.
Things of note:
- You can use as many skills in a turn as you have the AP for
- AP will range from 2 to 6, with the max requiring equipment sacrifices
- Under normal circumstances, no skill will miss
- Some skill effects can be improved with accessories
- All skills are single target unless otherwise stated
- Skill names not final. Any numbers mentioned are also not final
- The classes I list are just to give you a general idea of the character's purpose
Gerda - Healer
- Gather - Gather resources based on the current map. Adds the resources to your current battle inventory, allowing you to use them right away.
- Nurse - Restores a small percentage (10?) of HP. Does not require any items.
- Cure - Removes all harmful status effects. Requires an item. The improved version of this will also grant immunity to some status effects for a few turns.
- Revive - An expensive skill that revives and restores HP to the entire party. Requires a late-game item that must be crafted.
- Boost Potion - Improves the effects of any healing potion.
- Restore AP - Sacrifices own AP to restore the AP of a friend. Target will gain Gerda's current AP before using this skill, up to a maximum of 3. AP cannot exceed max.
- Poison - Deals damage and inflicts a poison state. This is Gerda's only means of attack. Requires a flower-type item which can change the effectiveness of the attack and/or poison.
Kai - Nuker/"Blue Mage"
- Bash - Hits the enemy with your staff. Does not require an item
- Experiment - Requires a monster-type item. Deals damage and possibly an effect based on the chosen item.
- Large Experiment - Same as Experiment but with an Area of Effect and improved damage.
- Icy Glare - Freezes the enemy and deals small damage. Does not require an item.
- Reflect - Reflects all skills, both good and bad. Items still work. Does not require an item.
- Toss Potion - Tosses a potion made of enemy parts that creates an effect related to said enemy. Basically blue magic with items.
- Swipe Parts - Deals damage and rips a part off of the enemy.
Hansel - Tank/Damage
Hansel does not require items for any skill. As a result, his TP costs will be higher.
- Axe Swing - Basic melee attack.
- Big Attack - Melee attack with an area of effect.
- Mend - A small healing ability.
- Lullaby - Puts the enemy to sleep.
- Cover - Takes hits for allies.
- Provoke - Provokes a single enemy into attacking him.
- Counter - Gains the ability to counter attacks.
Gretal - Buffer/Damage
- Punch - Basic melee attack.
- Launch Arrow - All of Gretal's bow and arrow-based skills require an arrow to use. The arrow you choose will have an effect on the attack. This one is the most basic of the three.
- Eye Shot - Same as Launch Arrow, but with increased damage(?) and the ability to blind.
- Arrow Barrage - Area of Effect arrow attack.
- Lock On - Removes the enemy's ability to dodge.
- Swift - Gives self the ability to dodge.
- Pump Up - Attack and defence buff.
In addition to the above, each party member will have a "pass"-type skill and a Use Item command. The pass-type skill will vary by character and can be improved with accessories. Restoring HP, TP, or increasing defence are all options. The strength of these effects is based on the amount of AP used.
If you made it through that wall of text, then good job. Here's the recently completed bust portraits for the party's parents to help sandwich this text with pictures.
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CloseFirst of all, kudos on the menu design! =) ...Just one question. Do you need to select 'use item' to browse the items on the right?
Anyway, as for the skills... Well, I don't know much about balancing a game, nor I'm sure if I fully understand your mechanics, but here are some thoughts: Maybe regular rpgs have spoiled me on the subject of battles, because for some reason, the lack of AoE skills worries me (specially early on the game). And it's not just that having such options can make battles easier, but also faster.
For example, let's say that I want to get over a regular battle quickly? What's the average number of turns you think that would take me early on the game? Would skills like 'Big attack' make a difference? (I'm guessing this is the first AoE skill you learn) ...Or what if I'm really in a pickle in the middle of battle and I need to heal all my team ASAP? Could 'Cure' or 'Mend' alone save the day? Btw, 10% doesn't sound like much, even if it can be used many times per turn. I'd make it at least 20% so you could fully heal one character in one turn.
Anyway, as for the skills... Well, I don't know much about balancing a game, nor I'm sure if I fully understand your mechanics, but here are some thoughts: Maybe regular rpgs have spoiled me on the subject of battles, because for some reason, the lack of AoE skills worries me (specially early on the game). And it's not just that having such options can make battles easier, but also faster.
For example, let's say that I want to get over a regular battle quickly? What's the average number of turns you think that would take me early on the game? Would skills like 'Big attack' make a difference? (I'm guessing this is the first AoE skill you learn) ...Or what if I'm really in a pickle in the middle of battle and I need to heal all my team ASAP? Could 'Cure' or 'Mend' alone save the day? Btw, 10% doesn't sound like much, even if it can be used many times per turn. I'd make it at least 20% so you could fully heal one character in one turn.
Racheal
7238
Thanks for your continued commenting~ I really appreciate it.
Yes, you have to pick Use Item (or any other item-requiring skill) before you can select an item. There's no menu before the skill menu though.
I'm still pretty much a rookie at balancing an RPG myself. I largely go with trial and error and massive amounts of testing.
Boost Potion, Experiment (a starting skill), Large Experiment, and Toss Potion (also a starting skill) all have their effects determined by the item chosen. This includes if they're single- or multi-target. I suppose mentioning that would have been smart. I also realise now that my description of Large Experiment doesn't make sense... I guess I need to rethink that skill. (Curse you Kai's skill set.)
Because of the way AP works, if you go with low-cost AP moves, with a full party, you have at least eight moves per turn and up to twenty four by end game (unlikely as six AP is difficult to reach. You also don't have a full party very often). You don't really need much in the way of AoE when you have that many different actions in a single turn.
Oh, and the order the skills are listed here is not the order you learn them. I just have like skills grouped.
I agree that 10% is probably a bit low, but I'm going to wait for balancing to see where it ends up. Nurse and Mend are not meant to be your go-to healing skills. They just have the advantage of not requiring items in a pinch. They're more of a cheap, light top up if you are running a little low.
I should also mention that while you are limited in the number of items you can carry into an individual battle, you'll going to be picking up items like crazy on the field. It's rather like the Atelier series in that regard. A trip through the basic forest could net you 20-30 flowers in a short period of time. These flowers can then be used to make healing potions.
All of this is subject to extensive testing though. They've already been largely changed from the original draft.
Yes, you have to pick Use Item (or any other item-requiring skill) before you can select an item. There's no menu before the skill menu though.
I'm still pretty much a rookie at balancing an RPG myself. I largely go with trial and error and massive amounts of testing.
Boost Potion, Experiment (a starting skill), Large Experiment, and Toss Potion (also a starting skill) all have their effects determined by the item chosen. This includes if they're single- or multi-target. I suppose mentioning that would have been smart. I also realise now that my description of Large Experiment doesn't make sense... I guess I need to rethink that skill. (Curse you Kai's skill set.)
Because of the way AP works, if you go with low-cost AP moves, with a full party, you have at least eight moves per turn and up to twenty four by end game (unlikely as six AP is difficult to reach. You also don't have a full party very often). You don't really need much in the way of AoE when you have that many different actions in a single turn.
Oh, and the order the skills are listed here is not the order you learn them. I just have like skills grouped.
I agree that 10% is probably a bit low, but I'm going to wait for balancing to see where it ends up. Nurse and Mend are not meant to be your go-to healing skills. They just have the advantage of not requiring items in a pinch. They're more of a cheap, light top up if you are running a little low.
I should also mention that while you are limited in the number of items you can carry into an individual battle, you'll going to be picking up items like crazy on the field. It's rather like the Atelier series in that regard. A trip through the basic forest could net you 20-30 flowers in a short period of time. These flowers can then be used to make healing potions.
All of this is subject to extensive testing though. They've already been largely changed from the original draft.
Yeah, I figured as much. But one of my concerns is that it may be too time consuming to cast so many skills, every turn, every battle. Besides there's a tiny layer of tedium added to that by the fact that you'll see the same four characters and the same seven skills per character through the entire game... BUT I trust that none of this will be an issue at the end of the day. In any case, I'd love to see a video of a battle as soon as you're comfortable with the skills and such, to get a better grasp of what you're aiming for. ^^;
...Btw, is the game going to be free? With all the effort you put into your games, I think you could go 'commercial' if you wanted to. =P
...Btw, is the game going to be free? With all the effort you put into your games, I think you could go 'commercial' if you wanted to. =P
Racheal
7238
That is a concern I have as well, but I'm hoping the short nature of the game will mean it never gets to the point of tedium. There's only seven areas, two of which do not have combat. You only have the entire party for the entirety of one of those areas, though you have a full party for four of the six bosses.
A video in the future is certainly a possibility since Maki's computer can handle running the game and recording at the same time unlike my POS. There's a lot of enemy development to do first though.
A video in the future is certainly a possibility since Maki's computer can handle running the game and recording at the same time unlike my POS. There's a lot of enemy development to do first though.
That's cool. Like Romancing SaGa, where each item was tied to its own individual set of skills. The layout looks good, too.
Does Hansel look disaffected because his HP is low, or is he always like that?
Does Hansel look disaffected because his HP is low, or is he always like that?
Racheal
7238
I can't say how similar or dissimilar it is to Romancing SaGa because I've never played it.
The faces do change based on certain conditions. They flinch when hit, look hurt when in critical health, and are unconscious when HP is zero. They might also change for certain status effects like sleep. The previous blog had an image where Hansel was at full health. He's just easy to pick on for screenshot purposes because of cover and provoke.
The faces do change based on certain conditions. They flinch when hit, look hurt when in critical health, and are unconscious when HP is zero. They might also change for certain status effects like sleep. The previous blog had an image where Hansel was at full health. He's just easy to pick on for screenshot purposes because of cover and provoke.
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