(another one!) In the Magic Alternatives post there was an interesting topic raised. What to do about the abstract way in which we handle physical status in games? It''s safe to say that certain games will always present a numerical abstraction of a certain unit''s performance. Strategy games, and many other games rely on the ability to use this information to judge your position. But other games, such as RPGs, could potentially improve from some interface revisions. It was written in a GDNet article somewhere (about Genres, I think) that RPGs are part storybook, part strategy, part exploration and part management. Only strategy and management are dependant on physical status. I like to envision that status will in future work more as a function of "role-playing" than as number crunching. A character may visibly limb to display damage, and in addition might complain to the leader of the group. A particularly stioc character might bear great pain not to be a nuscance, and a whiner might bitch and moan over a paper cut. Short of systems so graphically advanced as that, I think the first step is getting rid of the hard numbers. Even replacing the number with adjectives that describe a spread between a range of numbers is far preferable to me. Numbers are the enemy of playerside experience. Due to the digital nature of the medium, I know numbers are here to stay, but the more we convincingly cover them up, the better (IMHO). Theories, anyone?

I do! =)

I know exactly what you mean, sometimes they make me want to cringe. However, I want to point out that Linear plots are never a bad thing as long as they are DONE WELL, which they NEVER ARE.

OK, back to damage...

I was thinking about implementing a system in an RPG I'm currently working on where you can choose which part of the body to aim for. I know this has been done before (Fallout comes to mind), but one problem I have is that the game I am working on is real-time, so it cannot get too detailed as there's not much time to choose a bunch of different options to attack. I think I can overcome that problem eventually though.

Also, I was thinking it would be interesting if the player got hit in his sword-arm, and then had trouble swinging effectively. Then perhaps the player could have an option to switch his sword into his other hand or something.

Well...Just some thoughts....

Edited by - Nazrix on June 4, 2000 1:55:48 PM

The realtime thing could be a benefit. I mean, you can create bosses with weak points (like panzer Dragoon Saga) that the player just doesn''t have time to locate... just don''t get chincy with it.

Ah...very interesting idea...
And I could make it so that if the person is wearing armor on their chest but not their arm, then their arm would be more vulnerable.

Also, as far as representing wounds...I was thinking of representing it by something like
Your arm is slightly wounded or Your leg is bleeding very badly ... there could be a number system underneath it though.

Edited by - Nazrix on June 4, 2000 6:54:45 PM

The way I''m representing damage in the new game nicba helped me with the plot for is a spinning globe on the interface bar. The faster it spins, the healthier the hero. Though there are numbers beneath the hood, they are very fuzzy and the player could very well die even if his hitpoints were slightly greater than 0.

I like food.

nicba,
I would agree that a system where the player's abilities are crippled by damage would not work for all games, but this sort of goes back to the infamous Goblin posts. If it's a game where it's less combat-orientated, the player would soon realize he/she can't just go around beating on everything for fear that he/she may be crippled and could die.

Furthermore, the enemies would have the same sorts of "crippling" effects.

Also, there could be a skill for dodging and/or parry to block attacks. Also, there could be a healing skill where the player could use bandages and water (for cleaning the wound) to help the wound heal more quickly.


Edited by - Nazrix on June 5, 2000 1:02:23 AM