Fight, Kill, Roll Dice

I've been thinking again about the math and mechanics of combat in role-playing games. This is of course of importance for me since I am working on at least two games of my own design. It remains to be seen if both will run off of the same system mechanics. Just because I would like that to be so, doesn't mean that it will manifest. I started with the idea that for my fantasy setting I would use easy if not actually simplistic rules. There is no need to model your game entirely after physics and reality. There can be a certain disconnect, through short hand or the quality of being an abstract version of the concepts involved.

The point where I have a problem, both in decision making, and perhaps even in development, comes at the point where one has to move from one sort of combat into another. In particular I am thinking about the transition from unarmed combat to melee combat (hand held weapons with range being only a function of the weapon's own length) to ranged combat. Even within a medieval type setting there are troublesome issues that arise when moving from one form of combat to the next. Then it worsens when you consider modern weapons of varying types. Or, even if you stay medieval you have magic to deal with as another kind of combat. Maybe even psychic powers.

Above and beyond this, which isn't necessarily all that much of a struggle to work with, there is the consideration of movement during combat. Here at first blush you have changing from one form to another, the affect on accuracy of moving and fighting at the same time, and dealing with changing ranges. The faster the movement from either or both opponents the greater the effect it has on the combat and therefore the rules. All of this involves--yet at the same time doesn't take into consideration--the difference between grace or prowess, and hand eye co-ordination, not to also mention the difference in how fast the character is at either kind of combat driven by those factors.

Mood: deep-thoughs thinking.
Music: Cum On Feel The Noize by Quiet Riot and Shoot 'Em Down by Twisted Sister.

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Mad Skillz

One of the important aspects of all role-playing games, even though it isn’t the coolest, or the most definitive, is the skill rules, and by extension the skill set that each character will be able to have and the player to manipulate to be tailored to who and what that character is as they want it to be. I have been thinking a lot about this ever since Friday when I was reading a discussion on a forum about a particular skill and when to use it. The first factor to consider in writing this section of the game is a matter of play style. The second factor is complexity. As usual both of these factors also have to take into consideration your game’s mood.

Most people it would appear deal with play style all on their own. They buy a game and they develop the way that they want to play it based on a number of criteria that changes based on their current mood, and the composition of the group playing, of course on both sides of the proverbial game screen. A big factor of that style determines how often they pick up the dice. Since it is such a fluid and variable condition things other than the audience dictate the play-style of a given game, except of course in the whom of the who will buy this product. The things it is dictated by are comprised of the set version of the things that the audience changes for themselves, and the aforementioned mood of the game.

Complexity is where I like to let my imagination run rampant. For skills I have this dream, this desire, to take a fairly dice intensive approach. If I were to go with such an approach, throwing mood to the wind perhaps, then I would have to design the skills to be used in a particular way. For example let’s look at using flying power armour in combat. In the complex approach you have to pilot the suit, read the instruments, be familiar with the weapon system in order to optimize your aim, and be able to fight in it. That’s four skills. Now, let’s say the combat computer is broken and aiming isn’t aided. Then you’d have to add in some ability to lead the target yourself, and determine windage to make a shot with any kinetic weapon at range, much like a traditional sniper. Of course usually many of these skills are lumped together cutting down on everything. It’s practically a requirement.

Mood: exhausted.
Music: Hot for Teacher by Van Halen and Stand by for Pain by Widomaker.

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