alright, the idea I''ve been playing with is that I wanted an RPG battle system to have the characters seem like they''re participating in fighting game style fights (so alot of fast flashy moves, complex blocking, etc.) And while the player wouldn''t control them directly (at least not by default option) they would control who they''d attack and the use of special skills - you''d issue a command to your AI fighter and he''d go off and fight another AI fighter - just like in rolling demos in fighting games, where two AI based opponents are fighting each other. You''re able to command multiple characters if you wish, but most of the other characters also have AI scripts, if you don''t wish to control them (like in BG - but more complex). So you''re able to pause them game and issue commands, also like in BG. the commands would be menu based once paused so attack magic skill item pretty standard stuff - but if the player wanted to control the character in real time, instead of a menu system, each button would correspond to one of those options. tapping once would initiate the action, while pressing and holding would bring up a menu allowing you to change the magic, the skill, item or even the attack stance. movement would be directed via the L-stick, but waypoint based when paused. basically when the game is paused, the control scheme remaps to take advantage of the nature - the only button that stays constant is the pause/unpause button - and a few other extraneous functions. The player is also able to change the attack stance - so you''ve got a few moves per stance, and a few stances per character. How many moves and stances depends on the type of character of course. in real time, issuing an attack command would cause the character to attack the closest enemy - that he''s approximately pointed at. He''ll then proceed to engage the enemy in a fight with the fighting AI turned on and target designated. The player taps or double taps to stop fighting (double tap, because they might want to change stance mid fight). skills will probably eat into the energy that the magic also taps into... or may even use health or have various other limitations... How''s it sound so far? haven''t put anything to paper yet, but I''ve been playing around with it in my head... Zaptruder

I don''t think this will work unless you do it in Win32.

Playstation, Legend of Legaia. I''m pretty sure you just described a system already in existance.

-> Will Bubel
-> Machine wash cold, tumble dry.

Its not my intention to make this design a reality.

Why not? Your idea for it being real time over turned based might give it an interesting twist. Make it more like a bruce lee or jackie chan movie than another round of the latest arcade fighter.

-> Will Bubel
-> Machine wash cold, tumble dry.

At least not yet - the vision I have in mind would take alot of work - more then anyone man could handle...

and it would be a shame to compromise it.