What would be the best example of a turn based combat system you have seen in a game? Are there any original ideas out there ?

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Original post by 00Kevin What would be the best example of a turn based combat system you have seen in a game?

Go.

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Are there any original ideas out there ?

No.

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Original post by Sneftel Quote: Original post by 00Kevin What would be the best example of a turn based combat system you have seen in a game? Go. Quote: Are there any original ideas out there ? No.

well.. that is really simplifying it.

What did you think about the Infinity Engine where the player could pause the game?

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Original post by 00KevinWhat would be the best example of a turn based combat system you have seen in a game?

Laser Squad.

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Are there any original ideas out there ?

Depends on your definition of original. Completely original, like nothing you've seen before? No. Games which make small changes here and there in order to push the genre in a particular direction? Well I like to think I've done that in Star Sentinel Tactics. If you try to throw out a completely new turn-based combat system, you run a huge risk of genre fans hating it, but there are issues with the class turn-based battle systems I think could be improved.

In SST, I set out to eliminate the long wait times for CPU players (which are generally born out of game mechanics, not out of the CPU speed and AI requirements. I have AI triggers, events which the AI can react to. I have levels where stealth is required, something I've never really seen in a TBT game. You can still be original in the small things, I think.

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Original post by 00Kevin What did you think about the Infinity Engine where the player could pause the game?

I quite liked it, but it's not turn-based. Letting me pause the game is not turn-based. I can pause HalfLife 2 but that doesn't make it a turn-based FPS. (This is a dig at Bioware, not at you. I quite accept that Bioware presented the pause-and-give-orders mechanic as being akin to turn-based combat, but it's my contention that they're very wrong.)

Been playing some GURPS with a buddy. Not real firm on the details as yet, but I like the fact that the "turns" are very short, allowing hundreds of quick turns in a situation that approach real-time with their granularity.

Dwarf Fortress is a good computer game that uses a similar system. Although DF is far from a complete piece of software, the "turns" it uses are so often calculated that you never get a feeling like the world's frozen while you hop out of cover, fire a few shots, gather some items and get back in a bunker. Each step is a turn, as is each grip reversal in wrestling or each swing of your axe. It's done fast enough that it doesn't seem terribly cumbersome, unless you're taking time to do very specific actions, like wrenching a guy's elbow to get him to relax his grip, then stealing the weapon and throwing it at the guy behind him.

As for original ideas, there's one I've been looking for for a while, but haven't found yet: I'd like to see a system that allows you to set simple objectives and rules of engagement for your character, and then play out the "turn" using that set of guidelines. Tell your guy to head for the ladder but do it sneakily, and then when the action starts, he'll either tiptoe over to the ladder or he'll see an unforeseen bad guy and drop into the shadows, and your next "planning phase" starts wherever he left off.

http://www.massiveassault.com/demo.php

Valkyria Chronicles has a very unique turn-based combat system. It combines elements of different genres in a way I've never seen before. That's about as close to original as I can imagine. It helps that the gameplay is essentially only possible with modern 3D capabilities, though I can imagine some shortcuts and simplifications.

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As for original ideas, there's one I've been looking for for a while, but haven't found yet: I'd like to see a system that allows you to set simple objectives and rules of engagement for your character, and then play out the "turn" using that set of guidelines.

Laser squad nemesis does it that way

I am quite fond of Battle for Wesnoth (FOSS game, so just Google it) due to its simple prmise and more complex playing style.