I want to see what people would think is a good system to handle a multiplayer roguelike. Specifically the aspects of movement and battle. Here are a few options I came up with

1 – Allow player movement on the map as fast as they can mash the key to move (at least as fast as the server recognizes). The mobs on the map will move every update of 1 second (configurable). The mobs on the map will be like in Ultima 3 for the NES. If you and a mob occupy the same tile, then it will start an instanced battle that is completely turn-based like a normal roguelike. You will be put onto a battle map and will fight the mob/other player there. That way back on the normal map, other players can keep moving and the map mobs will keep moving/updating at its one second interval. Other players will see you on the map, but with some type of icon denoting the fact you are in an instanced battle.

2 – Allow player movement on the map as fast as they can mash the key to move. The mobs on the map will move every update of 1 second (configurable). However, battles are NOT instanced. If you agro a mob (or other player) or in some way become hostile (engage in combat) with a mob or other player, then you then step into an update pattern of say 1 updated every 2 seconds (configurable). Where you and the hostile mobs (players) select an action that will be performed on every update tick. If you didn’t select an action in time, then you don’t do anything that tick (or maybe an auto action such as auto-attack). Other players/mobs who are not involved in the battle (aggroed or hostile to you), then they keep moving as though nothing is going on. They can see you in battle on the map, but aren’t restricted to the update per tick because they haven’t aggroed or become hostile. Players keep moving as fast as they can mash the button, and other map mobs move at 1 update per second tick.

3 – Recommend to me something else.

Don't ever use the "as fast as they can mash the key", cause a turbo keyboard macro can be made in just a few mins, and you don't want that! Put a soft limit, try to use some other ways of adding player skill, like fast reaction times instead of repetition, since to simulate fast reaction times players would have to write actual bots instead of simple keyboard macros.

Also, I believe that if the battle mode is different than the game movement outside of battle, it would be better to instance battles.

How about fixing the PC's movement speed, then introducing a queue system so you don't lose time while you think about your next move? Maybe a mouse-based destination system, like RTS games use. Some shift-clicking and your guy has a whole list of things to do: Run across the room, grab the gold, head up the stairs and open the box. Allowing the player to interrupt the command queue at any time prevents the feeling of being "locked in" to a move you no longer wish to make, and it allows the player to micromanage his avatar's behavior without having to choose between making the next more or standing idle while they think about something.

How about a time unit system, where everything a player does costs a certain amount and these units replenish over time.

1) Make sure the player dont have to wait constantly while moving across the map. In a roguelike there are dangers lurking everywhere so this could also restrict the player from moving quickly across a map.

2) If the player needs to travel far you might introduce a warp ability that has certain conditions to activate, like no damage receiving and a certain time. Or you could have a auto move that alerts the player of hostiles.

3) Make a cap on the maximum time units a player can have, so he cant lurk around and save his points and suddenly kill someone with all his points saved.

4) You can also opt for initiating this system just for combat. But if you have a PvP system friends outside combat can arrive much sooner then you play a couple of moves.

5) You can also make a speed modifier very effective, quick characters can move and act much more often then slow ones.

Someone tell me if this seems sound or not.

There could be ten turns split between every two players on the same dungeon level. Each player normally gets five turns out of those ten (the original order of turns upon entering a dungeon floor is randomly rolled without reroll) with each turn either preceding or following a "monster turn," in which a few monsters on that floor of equal speed rolls all move at the same time. When a player has exhausted all five of their turns

(or a multiple of that depending on how many players are on the same floor; 1 player is like any other rouge-like, 2 players is 5 of 10 turns per player, 3 players on the same floor of the dungeon is 10 out of 20 turns per player, etc. This is to say that there are set rounds based on multiplies of ten turns for players numbering 2 and above; the last players to enter a dungeon level already containing other players will be able to roll for up to the entire multiple of 5 turns that they will be randomly given without reroll in the next "fresh" round immediately; however, whatever number of turns they decide to use during a "monster turn" in the current round will transfer the same amount of turns from them to other players by randomization in the next round. Note that when a player uses a "monster turn" only one of the monsters moving simultaneously will have its identical speed roll voided and thus cease to act for that turn. A "fresh" un-rerollable round will never allow a player a "monster turn")

they are allowed to change equipment for the next round and reroll as many times as they want for what their turns will be in the next round.

(1. If enemies are near it is wise to leave whatever shield you have alone as getting hit while de-equiping and re-equiping makes things a whole lot worse for you. Also, this down-time is the only time you can change non-weapon equipment. 2. You can only switch equipment and reroll as long as all your turns are up and the next round has not begun. Don't get caught with your pants down or missing another piece of equipment due to a botched last-minute change. 3. This is the only time you can use 1 rare consumable to steal a turn from another player in the next round. This is also the only time you are vulnerable to a rare item an active player can use to give you his current turn, which might be used to help or harm you- either way your choices our now locked until next round)

During the course of rolling for turns for the next round, rarely you will have some of your turns show up as "monster turns." As was mentioned in the case of players just entering a floor, these turns essentially pause a monster on the same floor as you (the player with the "monster turn" can choose which monster) so that it will not be able to act when monster speeds are rolled. This could save your or a friend's butt.

As a final note, don't make a generic teleport spell like in the first Wizardry. Have some differently costly abilities and consumables that can move your guy similar to different chess pieces. Otherwise, each turn is only the use of one action or moving one space in any direction.

So, thoughts on the wall-o-text? Is it interesting and sound enough to try out for a multiplayer rouge-like?