User:M.mendel/game design

Here's an idea for a 2D RPG-like game combat system.

This battle system can be used for one on one, one on many (monsters etc.) or many on many (party vs. monsters, or group PvP), and it is not turn-based.

The characters get the standard set of melee and projectile weapons, and they can deal damage with them, but spells are done differently. Spellcasters get different types of Mana, maybe starting with 4 for fire, water, earth, and air: this is available in buckets onscreen and the level in the buckets goes down as it's used, to be replenished over time (or maybe by going to wells or picking up powerups). You "dip" your cursor in a bucket and use it to paint on the battlefield. Anything painted water will be a healing area, painting fire deals damage. These delete each other when painted on top, so to get rid of a fire area that is in the way (i.e. where you want to go), paint water on it. If you want it to become a healing area, paint water on it again. These colors stay active for some seconds, then decay slowly in intensity (and effect), so that doing nothing would clear the battlefield after a minute or so, maybe sooner (needs playtesting).

An air area impedes/reroutes projectiles (think mini tornado), and an earth area impedes character movement (think earth wall).

If you are painting = doing magic, your character is stationary. You can see the cursor(s) of the other players and the color they can paint (fire could be a flame cursor etc.), and of course you will see the colors on the battlefield. Effects do not discriminate (i.e. they affect friend and foe alike), but you can make each of your players less affected by a certain element by choosing armor upgrades wisely.

Painting fire on an enemy player will place him in a damage zone, but of course he is free to move out of it, or paint water on it.

The strategy consist in getting a good combat position while using your painting to prevent your opponent from doing the same; as a team, the challenge is to coordinate these efforts well.

In effect, the paintings create a structure of different environments on the battlefield, and the player who can best shape this environment will have the edge they need to win the battle. Play Amorphous to get an impression on how colors on the ground can affect battle play.

Leveling spells can work in different ways: bucket size, painting range (how far you can paint from the spellcaster, but maybe it is not good to have this), brush size. Initially the buckets could be placed off the battlefield, but if they're on it and can be damaged, they become objects to be protected.