I personally am a big fan of turn based combat but only when a party system is in play. But how would you handle turn based combat when multiplayer is added? The idea is to make the game more of a rpg than a click fest. Approaches?

I suppose the best way would be to allocate so many seconds for each person''s turn.


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What a plight we who try to make a story-based game have...writers of conventional media have words, we have but binary numbers

Have the players be able to move around during combat like hide behind trees and stuff, but still have the attacks and defenses turn-based. Emphasize strategy so that experience and skills win the match, not whoever has the most HP. Also make the combat interface easy to use, so more attention cn be given to the battle itself rather than menu navigation.

i''m confused. ur title asks about turn-based or RT. if u want RT multiplayer, make each player physically control their character (i.e. with the arrow keys) as opposed to clicking. when they r attacking/getting attacked still use the stats 2 determine hits/damage etc. make them have 2 go up and hit the enemy, not just click.


--I don''t judge, I just observe
Stuck in the Bush''s, Florida

I want a part of player A''s to attack the party of player B''s. Turn based will be a drag on the over all scheme of things expecially when more thn player A and player B are on the server but it also means that if player A is a twitchie boy and player B hopes his arthritis doesn''t act up, the match will based on their character''s abilities and each player''s tactical skill. However if you make the attack RT, player B might as well roll up a new party, but at least player C and D can still get around.

quote: Original post by Whirlwind

I want a part of player A''s to attack the party of player B''s. Turn based will be a drag on the over all scheme of things expecially when more thn player A and player B are on the server but it also means that if player A is a twitchie boy and player B hopes his arthritis doesn''t act up, the match will based on their character''s abilities and each player''s tactical skill. However if you make the attack RT, player B might as well roll up a new party, but at least player C and D can still get around.

forgive me, i''m kinda slow. i''m still not sure what u r asking. do u want 2 know HOW or IF you should use turn-based or RT? i think u r asking how. do u want the players to control their guys directly or by mouse-click. what i think u r saying is turn-based uses only tactics and stats where RT uses player coordination also. in RT every char should have a stat like quickness or something, then just update each char in order of quik stat. kinda like what Naz was saying. the server should check 4 movements in order of quik(does this help?)


--I don''t judge, I just observe
Stuck in the Bush''s, Florida

When all else fails combine:

how bout this: have the players enter commands for their party members simultaneously, (like "go there and attack that"), and then act out the battles, according to initiative and skills. a character with high initiative might be able to change his actions according to a situation (character, not player).

example:
ranger gets commands to go 10 steps forward and beat the little goblin.
Big orc jumps out of the bushes and attacks ranger in mid-turn

possible events (determined by rangers stats):

1) ranger is dim and slow: he continues on course, not even seeing the orc, he gets clobbered down.

2) ranger is perceptive and fast, but a coward: he jumps out of the way, retreating a few steps back

3) -"- and a hothead: ranger turns to attack the orc

4) perceptive and slow: he sees the danger and gets into a defensive position, blocking the orcs first attack

....


could be fun i think (a bit like battle isle 1), just as long as the player doesnt have too much control

Hmmm..

Hase:

That would make the game too far on the strategy side and remove the ''role'' from the RPG . If the alogarithms to allow for forward pereferal view (ie you only see what is in front of the player) and sound clues to be given when the monster is nearby and making sounds (grunting, moaning, or footsteps based on various types of surfaces), then we can get warm and fuzzies over allowing the ''role'' to be drop and allowing the PC to react on his own.

Two approaches can be given (possibly more, but I can only think of two) to handling party systems - the player controls everyone or the player tells the party members (with one PC designated as being directly under the player''s control) and the party acts out on his best interest. The second on will work with your approach nicely. The problem with dealing with other parties in the game not involved in combat remains - they still need to deal with things in real time. Perhaps a BG scripting method would work but with a simple and advanced GUI to define behavior patterns and formations. The action would take place real time, and the AI would react according to how the player defines the PC''s behavior.

Dynamite:

Using a ''quickness'' ability is a given, but sadly, if there is a lot of point and clicking to select a PC, then the fast guy still will win as split second reation will still be a factor. The quick guy would easily be able to set the other guy up.