The battle-system is still in a very early state and you can't do anything, but the technical background is at a point where the concept can't be smacked from the chair.

Today, I nearly finished the interface of the status-windows. This wasn't that easy because the positions of them are centered, the number of members in the party can vary, the composition of the party as well and the whole technical aspect is automated. So, yeah, makes it difficult, but very easy in long sight (easy changes, easy additions). The "mana-bars" aren't finished yet.

Here is how the battle-system (and part of the game) will work:

Change Party

In the end you will have a group of three protagonists (what a surprise). But they are very different from each other and can't be in every battle or the party needs to split up for an efficient plan. This means you can and must change the party during your adventure. So sometimes you have different compositions of teams. Isn't a big deal, but I wanted to mention that.

Guest-Characters

Because the team needs to split up sometimes, there is the possibility to add a "fourth" guest-member. There will be a greater number of them. Which one will be in your party depents from your chosen side-quest or part of the main-quest. The "fourth" member isn't just an addition for battle, but rather a helping hand on the "overworld". Sometimes you even need to protect them in battle, because they can't fight.

I set "fourth" in quotes because you can have guest-characters before you even encounter the second protagonist.

Speed-Based Attacks

There is no attribute for agility/speed. Well, there is, but you can't level it up. The fat pirate will always be a fat pirate, that's why he can't be fast like a hurricane. The speed-attribute is fix for every person (you can change this with alchemy, of course. I don't want to be an asshole).

However, the basic-speed is just an attribute for the beginning of a battle (who attacks first). The most speed in battle comes from the attack you choose. Every character will have more than one basic-physical-attack, excluding "magic" or "technics" because they can carry more than one weapon or use another combat-style. There are fast but weak attacks, slower but stronger attacks. The choice of attack can also be very effective against some types of enemies or are the only way to attack them (for example flying enemies).

Protecting, Criticals, Rows and Columns

If you're being attacked, you can prevent damage by pressing the counter/block-button in the right time. This works like an ordinary block and the timing varies for each type of enemy.

The battle is a sideview-system which uses rows and columns. You can change your position during the fight. Characters in front of other characters can protect them in the same way like mentioned before. This can even inflight damage on the enemy.

Wenn you attack, you can land a "critical" hit in the same way. Well, not exactly. This isn't really a critical hit, more like the standard-damage you want to inflict. Without this you deal not very much damage. With this system I want to prevent enter-smashing and reward attention.

Some attacks have a different "range" and can't be used very well in certain columns. Also the position of your character influences the general order of attacks. So you want to find out the best positioning and strategy that works for you.

"Hearts" Instead of Numbers

Another reason why you want to pay attention and block attacks, is the healthpoint-system. A block prevents every damage due to ordinary physical attacks (and not just reduces it) because you haven't much health. I also think this system makes it easier for the general view over the battlefield and your tactics (like healing).

Some kind of "Magic": Elementiades

Well, this isn't "magic". There is no magic in the entire game. You use a special kind of natural stones, which adapted themself to the elements around them. The technology of this world makes it possible to use their "charges". These stones recharge themself slowly, but in the right environment the speed is increased.

You can mine (or let mine) these stones and can get a great variety of different qualities: Serveral elements, pure, unpure, different sizes. This has an effect on the power of your stone. You can even purify the stones to make them better. Or you pulverize them to get "dust" which recharges the stones in an instant. Or just sell them. You can also combine these stones with some types of expensive weapons and armor.

Right now there are just five "elements": Fire, Earth, Water, Air and Light. But there might be more or even some rare mixed stones. I can't make them up spontaneously (can't say "Yeah, there is a shadow-stone") because there are "rules" for the creation of these stones. Yes, wordbuilding - cool thing, bro. So, the five types are the only possibilities for now.

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I think this sums it up. Right now, I don't really know how the LevelUp-system will look like, but this isn't a barrier I am concerned about now.