   Please critique my gameplay system design. Any and all comments welcome.Updated 5/19
  Hey, This is a system for an action rpg that im working on(obviously right now its in the concept phase). This may seem a little disjointed. Before I was just writting down random gameplay ideas I had and this is kind of a first draft compilation. For reference Im using a ps2/ps3 controller.and the characters working name is mizu(sound like a good name?)And the gameplay is meant to be fast paced with strategy(fast like an action game, DMC,GoW stuff like that)I just thought of this so please dont flame.And before anyone accuses me I do play action games(DMC), rpgs(FF) and action rpgs(Kingdom hearts) so they have influenced some of my ideas. -Jump with X-Attack with Circle-Press square to do an evading dash, hold to parry. -Button prompts will happen during special moves and boss battles(QTE).-Press L1 to toggle lock on.-Moves(be it magic,items,special combos etc.) each have their own meters, after one or two uses, it will start refilling. -A multi section meter fills up(I havent thought of how it fills up yet).-Once a section is filled a powered up version of a move can be executed(such as shooting two ice shards)-Using two sections you can charge the move by holding the button down.-If you fill up three parts of the bar a special lock on can be entered.-"special Lock on mode". Hold L1 to have the camera zoom in close to mizu where he can target multiple enemies. Once they are locked on he unleashes a flurry attack. After a few attacks a Button prompt comes up, press it and the attack gets an extra boost.-As you attack in succession another bar fills up. Once it fills up mizu will enter "overdrive mode". There are a few of these modes and they change the players attacks and provide stat boosts depending on the form.-At the start of the HP Bar there is a colored area.  When The players HP gets in this area, the players combat style increases and gets faster and they can preform a super combo.-But after it is done, the colored area gets smaller, Eventually it will disappear. Now I was thinking of what do with the triangle button. I was thinking of having be a heavy or a secondary attack.How is it?[Edited by - tofudude on May 19, 2009 8:43:33 PM]
Quote:Original post by tofududeHow is it?Confusing??    Obviously there is a lot more going on in your head than the viewers of this post could know.The button layout seems pretty typical (which is a good thing) and the name Mizu has a nice sound to it. But who is he fighting, why, and where?  ;  heh if you think thats confusing you shoulda seen my random gameplay ideas document(thats actually the name of the txt document). As for the story thats still in my random story ideas document(hey at least Im consistent) but for who he is fighting its not people, its monsters(sorry I cant explain more, the ideas are so scattered it would sound insane/dumb).Hows the rest of the system?If this was a faced past action game how would it fare(I know I have not given much info)?I want it to have strategy but unobtrusive so that it does not interfere with the face paced action.IDK im just putting these up to talk/bounce ideas off people(maybe I should do this for my story in a bit, when it comes together more)ANyone that wants to talk more or just hear some idea PM me   ;  try filling this out with a short an answer as possible...L1 =L2 =R1 =R2 = D-PadL-Analog =R-Analog =L3 =R3 =Select =Start =X =[] =O =^ =Do that for every menu, minigame, and basic gameplay.It will help communicate your ideas better.   ;  okay i`ll try L1= I have not thought of anything yet, any ideas? Maybe change or activate the overdrive modes?R1 = Lock on. (click to activate it stays on, click to un activate)R2 =  when held down it will change command menu into the move menu. The  menu shows four slots(one for each of the four main face buttons), when a button is pressed a move is done(be it magic, a special combo, a summon, an item etc.)L2 = Same as R2 but for a different move set.D-Pad-I havent thought of this either. Maybe I could move the scrolling through moves to the d-pad? I was thinking og having The Up and down on the d-pad be switch out party members during battle(2 active plus mizu at a time)L-Analog = Move MizuR-Analog = CameraStart =Pause.X = Jump.[] =If you press it mizu will do a dash(of this is done with holding the L-analog he will dash in the direction). If [] is held down Mizu will parry. O = Melee Attack. Continue pressing it to do combos.^ = Secondary melee attacks(not as many but this opens up gameplay strategy)Maybe I could upload some sketches of what I was thinking(im kind of a visual person which is why my descriptions are not so clear). And to try to explain the other things more clearly.Meters:Health meter:When Mizu gets to low HP(about 20 percent) the health bar starts flashing. Then if the player holds down the R2 and L2 buttons mizu will do a special combo. Once the special combo is done the area of health in which mizu needs to be in decrease(Ex: If he has %20 health and uses the special combo he now needs to get to %10 before he can use it again)The EX Bar:This fills up in many sections.When one is filled up mizu can do a powered version of a move.When two are filled up, the player can hold down a move button to charge it up for more power.When three are filled up the player can hold down R1 and the camera zooms in on mizu where he can target and then attack multiple enemies.The overdrive bar:This fills up as mizu attacks in rapid succession.I havent thought of it. I want mizu to be able to be able to transform into a new combat mode(changes his combos an some even change his moves/looks)SO... was that better?   ;  Better, but try to be concise as possible.L1 for exmple, instead of"L1= I have not thought of anything yet, any ideas? Maybe change or activate the overdrive modes?"just writeL1 = NAorL1 =Another thing to consider how a player holds the controller, X and [] should be looked at as somewhat of a group as should O and ^ because more often than not i can hit those two buttons easiest together and the bottom of the two will almost always be the primary. Another is consider that some things will always be pressed a certain way. i don't know of anyone who uses a Dash button like a Jump button. Jump buttons are generally tapped and then held down when there is a long jump, even if it's not necessary...also because of that i would find it easier to have a jump that i need to move my thumb to rather the dash which i would predict that i would want to use in conjunction with an attack rather than having to pick up move... in fact i would find that cumbersome.Another thing is that left hand general coincide with movement and while right hand tends to be actions... If you go against this it will just hurt your design... but this is also helpful because i can then tell you that left hand will almost always be busy moving the character which the L1, L2, and l3, should be buttons that i can click on and off or too switch something every so often. They are generally easy to reach and convenient...interestingly though jump doesn't quite follow this as it can be on either side and be just as accurate controlledIn other words left hand = passive, right hand = active but minimize movement and complexity as much as possible.   ;  okay thanks.About the left hand being passive thing... I was thinking of having down on the d-pad scroll threw moves and another button(maybe triangle) to use them....then I was thinking of moving the scrolling function to L2 and R2But that gets makes a disconnect between the player and the action...if the player has to scroll through a menu it slows down the action and makes it less precise(and frustrating) and the biggest thing for me if the scrolling is oin the d-pad the player cant move while they are selecting a move, Its an action rpg and during a hectic boss battle being stationary while selecting a potion when your low on health would be very frustrating.   ;  Fable 2 uses a charge up where you have several levels of powers, the longer you charge the more powerful the tier you reach, you also have a button that allows you to switch the powers in those tiers.I prefer to use the L1/R1 to scroll through pallets in MMORPGs if there is that option.DCUO is going to have where you set up a pallet with powers and then L2/R2 activates different pallets or something like that.I have never found scrolling through pallets/powers/anything that i would switch a lot good on a d-pad. that's just my opinion though...What I think you should do is pick up a game that allows you to mess with you control setting and attach things that are relatively close to what you want to them and just test and see until you find something that feels good to you and then try to figure out why it does and apply it to your own control scheme for your game.   ;  well, I thought about it, and I think it would be could to try to explain how the game plays in addition to buttons and meters.-I want it to be strategy without compressing the fluidity of the action. Thats why i included the multiple things you can do with the meters and combat system(different moves types, upgrading the combat style on the fly etc). Beginner players can go through and button mash and do okay but the more advanced players will use all their moves. - I also want to include some interesting combat behaviors for the enemies(they are these monster things). For example one enemy, ice might do double damage and fire might heal it. Another might have a shield so the player will have to use the dash move and and attack on the side, an another may attack in groups, and another might just lunge and lash at you.-Gameplay is not too linear and not too open ended. Takes place in realms(they are basically worlds). Areas include some small adventuring and simple puzzles elements (kinda zelda style) and always have combat. I want have about a third of the realm be optional, which is where the more adventure and finding elements come in. I also want to include some extra linear combat heavy dungeons. Sorry if this is vague and/or confusing. Anything else you want to know(or that I should clarify)?   ;  so, how does the general gameplay sound?Anything anyone would suggest?any comments, questions, suggestions...flames?   