RPG Battle Systems + A New One

[Revelade]

As we all know, RPGs are getting dull now because they use the same exact formula for fighting. People have tried many things for upgrades in RPGs. The most obvious is manually upgrading at buildings. Another example would be removing your "old" hero, and replacing it with a "new" unit that is better. These are basics in most RPG battle systems. Here's my list of systems that have been used:

1) Classic Battle System

What we have here is the hero, getting kills and then returning to town, healing at the inn, and killing some more. Nothing more nothing less.

2) Advanced Battle System

Now this is certainly interesting. Your hero starts with very low hp compared to your hp max, which might shock you at first. Then you realize as you level up, your hp will start to go little by little to the max. While this sounds good, keep in mind, it works only best on protoss and terran units.

3) FF3 Battle System

This system uses a hybrid of turnbased and real time systems. You hero and the enemy is both invincible at the World Map. If they touch, you get transported to a "room" where you actually duke it out. It can be used with the Classic and Advanced systems, but it's just a flashy way to do it.

4) Burrowed Battle System

The third form, which I have first seen used by my friend Evil_Moogle, requires your hero to be invincible. You will then have a location that follow it and have a burrowed unit directly under you follow it at ALL times. The burrowed unit is to be attacked, while your surfact hero deals the damage. There are 2 problems with this:

A. Your hero is very slow
B. Unless your burrowed unit is a one hit kill unit, it will unburrow. This can be solved by making the burrowed unit come from a neutral computer although. Then again, you will have to get a different zerg unit for each player, and still have to sacrifice a player slow for the neutral computer.

5) FF3 Battle System Plus

This is a bit like the FF3 system, but it has been a bit expanded... The action will take place in real time... BUT the triggers will give your unit and the enemies hp to another computer that has all its armor to like 1000... the only time you can attack is if your unit is given to that computer so you have the 1000 armor... the enemy's attacks wont matter when you have this armor, and when the enemy has the 1000 armor, they won't take damage... The triggers will alternate who's unit is given to the computer with the 1000 armor.

So theoretically, it is like you are taking turns trading damage, except it all takes place in real time... Hope you understand this.

6) FnD Battle System

Similar to the FF3 system, but this uses triggers to actually decide actions like attack etc.

7) Rev's Battle System

I don't know if this has been discussed, but my system is fairly simple, but can be expanded in many directions. Your hero has very low hp. Let's say 25 hp. Your "true" hp will be displayed on the leaderboard with the variable of your choice. Everytime your hero actually dies, the leader board will go down by an amount and your hero will be recreated.

This idea can work better if you put hyper triggers to speed the process up. If you want to make it work even better, you can add randomized switches to add different damage points from enemies. Even better, you can add an inferior unit if your hero dies.

I hope this expands a new frontier in SC RPG mapping. Plainly, most RPGs feel the same to me. This system is very flexible in which you can modify many factors of battle. I have attached a map to demonstrate my system.

[Supa]

I use the Advanced Map Making system usually. I make it flexible by adding a probe to whatever location and then it sees how many are there and thats your health level\how inn knows how much to heal. (That way i can actually put u a level up\down with a simple trigger). You could also use a death counter.

To me the more flexible the overall game the better everything is, and the more things you can add.

For a new combat system hmm...
You go up to an enemy unit, then it will ask if you want to fight him. Then it brings the enemy and u to the "Battling Area". Then for 8 seconds you fight hand to hand then you each can cast a spell\heal mana or health etc. The computer will randomize what it does etc. Then you fight for 8 seconds and it goes like that.

[Revelade]

Sounds like a ff3 system except urs pauses. At least someone cares.

[inc]

Hm, you don't have the FnD system there:
Each hero has his turn and can choose from different options including attacking, use item, use spell, etc. ex: If one chooses to attack then they get to attack the enemy (while invincible) for a small time period, then it's the enemies' turn, etc.

BTW, I saw #4 from MutilatedPuppet maybe 3-4 yrs ago, and it's a stupid system anyways.

Most RPG's feel the same, becuase in essence, StarCraft is just one game, and I doubt Bliz had custom map RPG's in mind when they were making it. Unlike WC3, the better editor for RPG's.

[DigitalElite]

This should be stickied.

[tassadar920]

I like that idea of burrowed units taking the dmg for you. Though I really don't see the point in it... Plus using hyper triggers would speed this system up a lot.

[Bolt Head]

How would hyper trigger speed up #4? They won't speed the unit up.

[tassadar920]

No but they'll speed the trigger thats moving the burrowed unit up.

[Tuxedo Templar]

Actually I just realized another problem with #4: if a unit is constantly being 'moved', other units actually won't be able attack it. The only way to get them to hurt the burrowed unit is with splash damage, which is obviously pretty limiting and unless you have triggers that set only 1 at a time as uninvincable the splash will hurt them all off at the same time as they are in the same spot.

[FakeNameHere]

Unless you have 1 under it at a time, creating another when it dies,

[Wing Zero]

meh me noob Classic

[Revelade]

Originally posted by Tuxedo Templar
Actually I just realized another problem with #4: if a unit is constantly being 'moved', other units actually won't be able attack it. The only way to get them to hurt the burrowed unit is with splash damage, which is obviously pretty limiting and unless you have triggers that set only 1 at a time as uninvincable the splash will hurt them all off at the same time as they are in the same spot.

It can be only moved when it leaves the area that is centered on the unit that is on top of it. I hope you understand that, heh...

Originally posted by tassadar920
I like that idea of burrowed units taking the dmg for you. Though I really don't see the point in it... Plus using hyper triggers would speed this system up a lot.

This system is useful for manipulating hit points like so you can use potions of various degrees and have spells that take certain number of hp from you etc. And it looks great to when you battle!

EDIT: I think I'll add a new system to the list...

[tassadar920]

Yeah I think this burrowed thing has too many bugs to be worth doing.