automatic vs. manual combat
Which is better in turn based combat? With automatic combat, battles will resolve much faster. Players will need to select the best armor, best weapon, best charm, best attribute and skill point distributions in order to be victorious. Scripting may even be enabled. PvNPC matches resolve quickly, and PvP matches can be done without an opponent online. The downfall, of course, is the lack of control. Players may also get easily confused as to why they won or loss a match. With manual combat, battles have far more depth and require additional strategic decisions. However, they take longer, and can present a problem in PvP matches. What if you want to enter a PvP match, but the player you wish to challenge isn't on at the same time? Or, what if your opponent disconnects?
okay..... the idea of automatic combat sucks in general. That is, atleast my opinion. If you don't have to actually do the combat, it's like... meaningless. I can sort of see the use for it if someone just want to go through the game for story but that's not really a game. If you really wanted to do that, you can just make it so all the scenes are playable.
There is an instance where it seems like it would work. Hoshigami, you have to fight but for training battles, it can be automated, but you can stop it mid battle iirc and then turn it back on if you are done with the small manual intermission. But I personally got kind of caught up in the training automatically done and then got bored and quit.
There is an instance where it seems like it would work. Hoshigami, you have to fight but for training battles, it can be automated, but you can stop it mid battle iirc and then turn it back on if you are done with the small manual intermission. But I personally got kind of caught up in the training automatically done and then got bored and quit.
Automatic combat is good when it's just a chore. For example, going through dungeons too low-level for your character. For example, the RUSH function is useful and appreciated in the Shin Megami Tensei games because it reduces a lot of potential time wasted dealing with easy enemies. Of course, it can be activated and deactivated any time in battle - it doesn't dominate the whole battle system of the games.
It's also good when there's too much multitasking in a real-time game . See FFXII.
Otherwise I don't like it. :)
It's also good when there's too much multitasking in a real-time game . See FFXII.
Otherwise I don't like it. :)
I've played a few bbs automatic-combat style games that have been rather fun. Examples include:
Dominion - You send xxx fighters to attack a land. Depending on the building types, #defenders, etc, you will either win or lose.
Mage Wars - You build an army, and send it to attack. Combat is 100% automated. You either win big or lose big.
Everwars - Basic buy weapons, armor, and upgrade your stats. Combat is resolved automatically and is 100% pvp. A little boring, but addictive. The fun runs out when you've maxed out your stats and weapons/armor choices.
The key to these games isn't so much in fighter as it is acquiring and knowing when to attack.
Dominion - You send xxx fighters to attack a land. Depending on the building types, #defenders, etc, you will either win or lose.
Mage Wars - You build an army, and send it to attack. Combat is 100% automated. You either win big or lose big.
Everwars - Basic buy weapons, armor, and upgrade your stats. Combat is resolved automatically and is 100% pvp. A little boring, but addictive. The fun runs out when you've maxed out your stats and weapons/armor choices.
The key to these games isn't so much in fighter as it is acquiring and knowing when to attack.
If combat is automatic, then the real game is not the combat itself, but the preparation, in the form of building a character and strategic choices in equipment and stuff, perhaps including squad composition. If you can make that part fun, good luck to you. [smile]
I've kicked around the idea of a squad-based real-time-tactics game where it's possible to interfere with your soldiers in real time, but the real goal is to program them with instructions and parameters or even an out-and-out script to react on their own. It would probably be a weird niche game for programmer-types, but I don't think I'm the only one who would enjoy playing it.
I've kicked around the idea of a squad-based real-time-tactics game where it's possible to interfere with your soldiers in real time, but the real goal is to program them with instructions and parameters or even an out-and-out script to react on their own. It would probably be a weird niche game for programmer-types, but I don't think I'm the only one who would enjoy playing it.
Quote:
Original post by pothb
okay..... the idea of automatic combat sucks in general. That is, atleast my opinion. If you don't have to actually do the combat, it's like... meaningless. I can sort of see the use for it if someone just want to go through the game for story but that's not really a game. If you really wanted to do that, you can just make it so all the scenes are playable.
Automatic combat is applicable in certain places. Like the OP said, if it is PvP and both players can't be assured of being online at the same time, hen it is impossible to do use standard type of combat.
In this case, the decisions the player makes are not the turn by turn of the combat, but the strategy and tactics their characters use and the equipment/skills/powers load-out they have.
One of the games I still play (Stars!) has automatic combat, but the game is not focussed on the turn by turn blows of space ship combat, but the designs of your ships, what ships you are able to bring to the battle and how many ships you can bring to the battle.
Yes, you loose the turn by turn control over your units/characters, but that is only one aspect of a game, not the be all and end all of it. All the things you would do in an automatic combat can still be found in the turn by turn combat, it is just that you don't have direct control over each sword swing.
Quote:
Original post by pothb
There is an instance where it seems like it would work. Hoshigami, you have to fight but for training battles, it can be automated, but you can stop it mid battle iirc and then turn it back on if you are done with the small manual intermission. But I personally got kind of caught up in the training automatically done and then got bored and quit.
This could be a good idea. If you had training battles where you can train your characters, then the game could look at the choices you make, and then when in a real battle it tries to emulate these choices and perform them themselves. This would be difficult, but if you could do it, it could make for interesting gameplay.
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