I'm turning to fellow game designers for advice.
I've been designing a multi-player RPG, and I was wondering what your opinion is on the class system.
Here goes:
You make a new character without specifying your class. This is because you can always change your class later in-game, if you're in a city or place where there is no battle.
Every class has a set amount of stat points per level and 'base' stats (just the little amount of stats you start out with). Strength, Agility, Wisdom, and so on - though I may rename them, since those are really cliche stat names.
You can mix two of six classes with each other, which will result in a primary class, a subclass, and a hybrid. Primary- and sub-classes are always one of the six starting classes, Knight, Warrior, Rogue, Marksman/woman, Mage or Priest.
You'll then end up with a 'hybrid' class.
Each class has its own set of skills that you can take and remove skill points from, which you acquire over levels and quests. It's like Guild Wars, in a way. The hybrids also have a skillset for you to distribute skill points to.
When you mix two classes, the primary class' stat gain/level + 25% of the subclass' stat gain/level is used.
If you level up to level 5 on a Knight/Mage and then switch to a Warrior/Priest, you will not only have those bonus stats when you play Knight/Mage, but rather they will transfer over accordingly when you change classes.
You'll also be able to distribute a custom skillset for each class using all of your skill points acquired over your time playing the game. You don't have to take the skill points out of your other hybrid to use them on a different hybrid. They'll simply save the skillset you had on your previous class so when you go back it's still there, even if you've set a skillset for a different class.
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Sorry if I've bored you with details.
I think the system might get players more involved with their characters, and it would eliminate the standing around in a town waiting for that special Priest to come along, since someone could always switch their class before the quest or dungeon.
I always thought having really inconvenient things in RPGs simply scared players away (think of Guild Wars...EVERYTHING was inconvenient), so maybe this system might help.
But I've been doubting it a bit lately...maybe it would work best for a PvP game centered around AoS gameplay like Defense of the Ancients, League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, etc.
I'd be happy to hear any opinions, but if you don't like it, I'll probably get really mad and flame you.
That was a joke.
As usual, thanks for your time and thanks for reading!
Do you think this class system would fit a multiplayer RPG?
Don't rename your stats just because you think the names are cliché -- they're used all the time because people understand them -- you should take advantage of that built-in knowledge unless you're using stats that are actually different.
Further feedback later, I've gotta run for now.
Further feedback later, I've gotta run for now.
![cool.gif](http://public.gamedev.net/public/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)
- Jason Astle-Adams
Good point. To be honest, they actually may not make much sense as they are, now that I think about it. Maybe Wisdom will, but Agility and Strength are a little out-of-the-blue, since Agility won't be a higher attack speed and the stat that gives more physical damage (Strength) won't actually be making your character physically buff, since there's a kind of work-around to that in the story.
Looking forward to your feedback!
Looking forward to your feedback!
![:)](http://public.gamedev.net/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif)
[twitter]Casey_Hardman[/twitter]
Player's will probably like being able to change classes, but it sounds like it may be inconvenient to do -- does the game somehow automatically re-assign your skill points when you change classes, or at least give the option of doing so? For a higher level player changing classes, they may suddenly be hit with a lot of skill points to assign -- this might also be confusing if the class they've chosen to change to have a lot of options and/or options that are very different from the class they were previously playing.
What's the difference between a Knight and a Warrior? Those are pretty similar descriptions, so you'll probably have to be sure you somehow clearly explain the difference up-front when players are choosing -- although they're able to change and experiment with different classes, it will still be an annoyance if they feel they have wasted their time trying out a class that wasn't what they were expecting or which isn't different enough from a previous class to justify the effort of changing.
What's the difference between a Knight and a Warrior? Those are pretty similar descriptions, so you'll probably have to be sure you somehow clearly explain the difference up-front when players are choosing -- although they're able to change and experiment with different classes, it will still be an annoyance if they feel they have wasted their time trying out a class that wasn't what they were expecting or which isn't different enough from a previous class to justify the effort of changing.
- Jason Astle-Adams
Knights are all-around fighters that have bonuses with shields and one-handed weapons. Warriors have bonuses with two-handed weapons and have higher health, so they're a bit slower but can take more damage. Knights can chain their skills longer and have various support skills in their tree that give them ally-friendliness. Shields will give more defense and lower the damage you take while guarding more than if you were guarding with a two-handed weapon or just a one-handed weapon.
Your skill points save over on each class and hybrid. That way if you change around and come back later your skilltree will stay the same and you won't have to reassign every skill point. If you've earned more skill points since you switched over, those skill points will be unassigned and your skills won't be as efficient as they could be.
And yes, I'll be sure to put a description for each class...in the GDD and to be implemented, if the project gets around to development.
Thanks for your opinion, JBAdams! Always good to hear from you, and feel free to say anything else you have to say.
Your skill points save over on each class and hybrid. That way if you change around and come back later your skilltree will stay the same and you won't have to reassign every skill point. If you've earned more skill points since you switched over, those skill points will be unassigned and your skills won't be as efficient as they could be.
And yes, I'll be sure to put a description for each class...in the GDD and to be implemented, if the project gets around to development.
Thanks for your opinion, JBAdams! Always good to hear from you, and feel free to say anything else you have to say.
[twitter]Casey_Hardman[/twitter]
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