SLASH'S PROFILE

author=Feldschlacht IV

author=slash
I haven't had any really wild stat systems - I like to minimize redundant stats as much as possible, so usually I get rid of things like Attack & Magic Attack and replace them with "Power" that covers both

Hmm I'm not sure; how do you differentiate spellcasters and physical fighters without stats to make them distinct?

I HAVE STRONG THOUGHTS ON THIS ACTUALLY

IMO, if you really want "Magic" to feel different than "Physical", I think you gotta design your combat around it a bit. Separating the stats into ATK and MATK doesn't make them operate differently in an interesting way. Plus, with some clever design, you can create some interesting choices mechanically and use those mechanics to support your game's Magic vs. Physical attributes thematically:

• Phantasy Star 4 did this by separating abilities into Skills & Techniques. Techniques used TP (basically MP) that came from a shared pool, but Skills had individual pools of uses (ala FF1 or "Vancian" magic). In addition, robotic characters couldn't use Techniques and couldn't be healed by Techniques, but had their own skills for self-healing.
  
• You could add elements to all magical spells, meaning that their effectiveness is always varying based on the enemy/ally. You'd have to decide which magic to use on which enemy, and alter your strategy if an enemy is immune. Meanwhile, physical skills would be 100% reliable - never especially effective or ineffective.
  
• You could add a charging-up time to all Magic skills that requires several turns (varying based on the spell's power) while Physical skills would simply execute instantly but would harm or debuff your character afterwards (to represent the physical toll on the body).
  

IMO, adding a noticeable difference to the mechanical aspects of Physical vs. Magical attacks - one that players have to carefully consider and work around - really makes the story side of the separation feel more meaningful.

Somehow the tusks make them even more adorable...

I prefer huge numbers that come less frequently. If a player gets a level up or a huge new sword, I want them to feel the difference in a very obvious way. Either they deal some enormous amount of damage - 50% more! 100% more! - or they see the effects of their gain in another way - the sword explodes! turns enemies to ice! Minor incremental powerups make sense because frequent small rewards feel good (and add to the addictive nature of grinding-based games) but personally, I want rewards to feel amazing.

I don't remember much about getting new weapons or armor in FF7 (ultimates aside), but I remember every new Materia I found, because they expanded my abilities or had some huge effect on stats. I love WoW's new talent trees compared to their old ones - you only get a choice every 10 or 15 levels now, but many add huge changes to your playstyle, and not just 1% extra damage like it used to be.

Keep in mind that you'd almost certainly have to design your game around this! Managing big upgrades over the course of a long game would be super difficult, and keeping players tuned in between each power up would require some trickery.

This is the sort of thing I'd be totally down for, but my schedule is so erratic right now that there's no way I could squeeze it in there... Good luck! This is definitely a really great way to practice and just learn a ton!

To me, the McBacon Jam was just to make new friends by working on a goofy project together. I didn't get a chance to join the second one, but the first one was great for that! Unity and I are super game mak buds now and I got to chat to Gourd, who I'd never really talked to before, so all in all it was a total success! If people got the same out of the second one, then I think that's pretty good, y'know?

Usually the point of a jam isn't to make some crazy amazing game, but to experiment and learn something about the process, even if it's just learning who you like to work with. If somebody came out of MBJ2 a little smarter, I'd call it a success!