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Original post by JasRonq best advice I have to think about the rest of the game too, not just the battle system and how fights unfold. its a big deal, yes, and obviously your focus, but what will take it to the top if you did that part right is everything else. if its an amazing battle system and the rest is mediocre, its still a mediocre game. Things to think about: Environment Make the environment outstanding. The only thing better than fighting with style is fighting with style in a stylish place. Think about what the world should look like, how it should feel to just walk through it. Then figure out how it might interact with the player and enemies. Small areas, large areas, uneven terrain, forests, moving in an out of buildings, etc. How does the world shape the fight? Progression Think about the players progression through the game too. One fight after another, no matter how cool a battle each is, will feel boring after a time if the player doesnt feel the game moving around him. Is there avatar growth? Do you gain new skills? Theme of the game You mentioned different situations through time. What if the player had to get that new weapon every time he traveled through time and start his weapon progression over killing and gaining better weapons. When he moved through time again, he has nothing all over again and has to get new equipment and explore and fight out of where ever he has been dumped. You can make each of these 'ages' distinct and interesting. Use a whole new set of graphics, level designs, enemy designs, weapon and equipment progressions, everything. Change the whole world and everything it it every time he moves through time. Then... Integrate the story ...Break that rule. Find the commonalities you want between the ages, the common enemy you are fighting and integrate it into each age. Develop the story and make it a nest in each area of the game. Doing all that and you can go from a boring fight game where the only thing going for it is a remake and hopefully innovation on someone else's battle system, to a epic game of fighting through different ages, hunting down an illusive enemy.

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I like the way this guy thinks as well. (speaking about Jas)

Following an enemy through time is an awesome idea for a game. If you're reading the latest issues of Cable-- something exactly like this is going on. (Cable versus Bishop.)

Three words: Scissors, Paper, Rock.

If you have an intransitive relationship (like in the scissors, paper, rock game) then you can force the player to change their tactics.

FOr example:
There are 3 attacks,
Punch, Trip and Kick.

Punch will beat the Kick as it is faster. Kick will beat the Trip as you have a longer reach and Trip can beat Punch as it makes the player character duck (so the ounch misses).

Ok, it simple, but it is only for an example ;D

Now, if the player keeps using the Punch, then any enemies seeing him us the pynch will start to favour the Trip. As Trip beats Punch, the player will either have to change, or they will be defeated.

Also, have a read of this article at Gamasutra about Rock/Paper/Scissors and signalling: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1733/rock_paper_scissors__a_method_for_.php

all of these answers are awsome and a great help.

perhaps the rock/paper/scissors effect can be present in weapons?

example:

blades/blunt/distance

blades beat blunt because it causes more damage
blunt beats distance because it can act as a shield
and distance beats blade because of longer reach


pretty good idea there!

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perhaps the rock/paper/scissors effect can be present in weapons?

I have always prefered these weapon for an S/P/R mechanic:
Pike -> Sword + Sheild -> Bow

Pikes have a long reach (some over 10 feet long), so you can attack someone who has a sword before they can attack you, and they can't attack you back. However, a pike is only really effective if the user is stationary, so they can't chace down an Archer with a bow.

Bows can attack at range, so they can attack Pikers before the Pikers can attack them. However a large shield can be used to block arrows which means that the Sword + Shield can advance on the Archers and attack them.

The Sword + Shield offers protection from the Archers, but because of the reach of a Pike, they can't attack the Pikes before they are attacked by them.

Of course there is some synergy between weapons. Lots of Pikes together are far more dangerous than a lone Piker. Also, Pikes in narrow passages can be also as deadly (as the opponent does not have as much room to manouvre.

A lone Piker in an open field would likely be easy pickings for any other weapon as a Sword + Shield could move quickly around the Piker and out flank them (due to the long reach, Pikes are hard to swing around).

Pikes can act as a barrier which increases the effectivness of Archers, as the Archers can stand behind the Pikes and the Pikes can intercept any Swordsmen.

Swordsmen can be used to punch through gaps and split any group up. For example, if a hole is made in a group of Pikers by an Archer, then a fast Swordsman could quickly get in through that gap and so avoid the Pikes, then being in close they would have an advantage against the Pikes (as the pikers can only hit at that long range and the Swordsman can hit up close).

So this weapon set (Pike, Sword, Bow) ends up creating a Scissors / Paper /Rock relationship, but it also can create a situational variety that encourages novel useages of the weapons, both by themselves and in concert.