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Random Map Events (not just battles)
It could depend on what the map looks like. If the map is slightly more abstract then random events could easily be random and not visible.
If it is a slightly less abstract map but still pretty abstract you could have the events represented by question marks. Since not all events are hostile it would be up to the player whether he wants to take the chance of an event or not. (similar to drawing a random event card).
But if this is an in-town map with NPCs and other stuff it does become harder. You could have it trigger on certain squares. Say if the player moves through a certain corridor you could have a %-chance of an event triggering. You could also divide the map into areas and define the random event when the player enters the area. Then as long as the player is in the area the event runs. (so if there's a special merchant then he's in the map or if there's a city guard he won't let you leave without seeing the city pass)
If it is a slightly less abstract map but still pretty abstract you could have the events represented by question marks. Since not all events are hostile it would be up to the player whether he wants to take the chance of an event or not. (similar to drawing a random event card).
But if this is an in-town map with NPCs and other stuff it does become harder. You could have it trigger on certain squares. Say if the player moves through a certain corridor you could have a %-chance of an event triggering. You could also divide the map into areas and define the random event when the player enters the area. Then as long as the player is in the area the event runs. (so if there's a special merchant then he's in the map or if there's a city guard he won't let you leave without seeing the city pass)
Action Resolution System - Thoughts
I have to admit I don't quite get all this "must have something else or else it'll be crap". This is essentially an adventure game mechanic. "Use X on Y" "Push Y" "Talk Y". Sure adventure games MIGHT be a bit boring occasionally (and for certain people they certainly are) but dismissing a game just because it doesn't have... uh... action?
The way I see this is that a system like this turns a game into a strategy game of sorts. You look at your spreadsheet and decide what action to take. It turns the game choices around a bit "WIll I kill this man?" rather than "Can I kill this man?"
Example: In your average RPG you meet a guy. You get some dialogue choices which essentially boil down to "talk and be happy" "talk and be neutral" "attack". In the first two you tend to get some result but in the third you're usually forced to go through some kind of different game mechanic. (usually a pssht sound and drawing of weapons (see Fallout, Mass Effect))
I'm thinking a system like this would work very well with a game not so focused on fighting. And where if you killed every kill would matter (if a person is dead he's dead and ain't coming back). I mean nine times out of ten the diplomatic dialogue choice options in RPGs are way more fun than the combat ones anyway.
Personally I've also found that automatic skill checks are so much more fun than those damn minigames (see Bioshock, Mass Effect for lockpicking (and similar) minigames that are fun the first 38 times but the last 900 times are really fucking boring)
The way I see this is that a system like this turns a game into a strategy game of sorts. You look at your spreadsheet and decide what action to take. It turns the game choices around a bit "WIll I kill this man?" rather than "Can I kill this man?"
Example: In your average RPG you meet a guy. You get some dialogue choices which essentially boil down to "talk and be happy" "talk and be neutral" "attack". In the first two you tend to get some result but in the third you're usually forced to go through some kind of different game mechanic. (usually a pssht sound and drawing of weapons (see Fallout, Mass Effect))
I'm thinking a system like this would work very well with a game not so focused on fighting. And where if you killed every kill would matter (if a person is dead he's dead and ain't coming back). I mean nine times out of ten the diplomatic dialogue choice options in RPGs are way more fun than the combat ones anyway.
Personally I've also found that automatic skill checks are so much more fun than those damn minigames (see Bioshock, Mass Effect for lockpicking (and similar) minigames that are fun the first 38 times but the last 900 times are really fucking boring)
Real life rpg
post=146305
They always show battles and stuff in LARP videos, but most of it is just being in character and talking to other people being in character, near as I can tell. Like, 80/20 just RPing to battling.
Depends on the LARP really. There's boffer-larps (like the Sotahuuto I linked to) which is all battles all the time. Then there's the other kind.
I guess though that the in-character talking probably doesn't lend itself to great videos since most likely people generally are as bad actors as they are fighters. (and since LARPing isn't really a spectator sport most of the time the only things being filmed is goofing around with the weapons in the "off" area)
And what is this? A new page without new videos?
These costumes are all fucking insane...
Action Resolution System - Thoughts
post=146249
As a further example, I'd use the game VtM: Bloodlines; there are a lot of dialogue choices and the like in that game that are purely %-based (as your game sounds like it will be), but they are backed up by a fairly amazing combat system, solid exploration-based puzzles and a good storyline.
Actually VtM Bloodlines is a perfect example of a game with a treshold mechanic where certain things are unavailable until you reach a certain level (instead of rolling randomly depending on skill). Basically if you have Lockpicking 5 then you can automatically lockpick all locks with 5 or less but not harder locks. Whereas a %-chance based system would be you have lockpicking 5 and the difficulty of the lock is 5 you have a 50% chance of picking the lock. (a challenge roll where both are equals)
Action Resolution System - Thoughts
On the other hand if it's a more adventure game style game then I think that replacing an arbitary combat system with something like this is a great idea. I've toyed around with similar ideas myself but often find myself with UI issues. I mean if every time you touch something a menu pops up it sort of breaks the flow.
I guess there are ways to work around these things. Depending on how many buttons you have I suppose you could have those context-sensitive things (so if you had A, B, X, Y, there'd pop up a short message telling what each of the buttons would do to a certain object)
Also would the skills be automatic successes or would there be a skill check? Basically are the skills traits that you pick ("level up. Pick a skill") or can they gain levels. There's different things to consider in both. (you'll want to show the chance of success if there's a skill roll. And then there's the consequences of failing) Automatic successes are simpler but require you to have loads of them (or have limited availability). Since once you have it you'll have it. And you'll probably want to shut some paths off depending on character builds.
Also don't listen to what Feldschlacht's saying. Getting rid of battle systems can only benefit an RPG)
I guess there are ways to work around these things. Depending on how many buttons you have I suppose you could have those context-sensitive things (so if you had A, B, X, Y, there'd pop up a short message telling what each of the buttons would do to a certain object)
Also would the skills be automatic successes or would there be a skill check? Basically are the skills traits that you pick ("level up. Pick a skill") or can they gain levels. There's different things to consider in both. (you'll want to show the chance of success if there's a skill roll. And then there's the consequences of failing) Automatic successes are simpler but require you to have loads of them (or have limited availability). Since once you have it you'll have it. And you'll probably want to shut some paths off depending on character builds.
Also don't listen to what Feldschlacht's saying. Getting rid of battle systems can only benefit an RPG)
Character Development.
One thing about PC development though is that if it's an RPG where the player is making the decisions (through dialogue trees and similar) there might not be as much development as a designer would like. Of course oftentimes you just shove all the development onto the NPCs. But I have to admit that I wouldn't mind a kind of semi-forced character development even in dialogue tree games.
Of course it might take a lot more work. Basically some kind of system where previous decisions affect what decisions you are allowed to make in the future. If you act like a douchebag for a lot of the game you can't suddenly pick the "nice" options because it would be against the character you've created. Instead you may have to slowly build up to becoming nice after being that douchebag bugger.
The biggest problem in this is how to determine what options are unavailable and what kind of "karma" system you use. Maybe the player would like to play a character who is a douchebag to certain kinds of people (like niggers) but nice to others. How would the game be able to determine that stuff without a lot of extra work.
So I guess the simplest thing is just to let the player handle PC character development. (and possibly influence the development of party members)
Of course it might take a lot more work. Basically some kind of system where previous decisions affect what decisions you are allowed to make in the future. If you act like a douchebag for a lot of the game you can't suddenly pick the "nice" options because it would be against the character you've created. Instead you may have to slowly build up to becoming nice after being that douchebag bugger.
The biggest problem in this is how to determine what options are unavailable and what kind of "karma" system you use. Maybe the player would like to play a character who is a douchebag to certain kinds of people (like niggers) but nice to others. How would the game be able to determine that stuff without a lot of extra work.
So I guess the simplest thing is just to let the player handle PC character development. (and possibly influence the development of party members)
Real life rpg
Today I saw my stepbrother on his way to a LARP. And I thought of this thread. He was going to a larp called Sotahuuto. Which is apparently a yearly boffer larp or something ilke that.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Sotahuuto2010
They even have some cute trailers.
Don't tell me this doesn't look like an insane amount of fun.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Sotahuuto2010
They even have some cute trailers.
Don't tell me this doesn't look like an insane amount of fun.
Deus Ex HumΔn Revolution
post=145119
One thing I'm really interested in is seeing how they'll handle the 'you can do anything you want' thing with the fact that this game is a prequel and it'll have to fit in with established events.
Well the original had quite a bit of that but the game itself had a fairly linear progression anyway. Basically no matter what you did the "big picture" stayed the same. (and the big picture is really all that matters from a "fitting in" perspective)
I mean you couldn't exactly side with the bad guys in the original (I know because I stayed loyal to unatco for as long as possible and was about to kill my own brother for betrayal at one point but the game wouldn't allow me to :)
The "do what you want" is how you approach the levels themselves. Deus Ex is/was a game that basically provided you with a map, a goal, and a myriad of different ways to accomplish said goal. (though the goal always had to be accomplished)
And now I reveal... MY FINAL FORM! HAHAHA!
I like it if there's a break between forms. So that you fight the badass and kick his ass and he goes "MUAHAHAH YOU FUCKERS" and flies away to the top of a mountain. Then the player goes through a room with a save point and takes a ski-lift up to the mountain to face Baron von Badass for the last time. Though this time he's using his mountaintop airship. In a massive battle of cannons and badassery. (whereas the last battle was just guns and badassery)
Basically if the final boss changes form I don't mind a chance to save inbetween. Especially if the first encounter was long and hard, you might need a quick break (that's what she said).
Basically if the final boss changes form I don't mind a chance to save inbetween. Especially if the first encounter was long and hard, you might need a quick break (that's what she said).
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