Main Topics: Combat Style Item Usage and Inventory Special Weapons/Armor Health System Death *Combat Style* Combat style should be more focused on the right tools for the job rather than brute force of overcoming your enemies. Precision, timing, and finding weaknesses are the true epitome of the warriors of old, and thus it should be for our hero (and his allies). I'm not saying that being a low level fighter vs. a high level won't make much a difference; but through the correct application of tools at a players disposal it should be possible for a lower leveled character to take out a much more ferocious (statistically speaking) foe. *Item Usage and Inventory* One thing I've disliked about most games I've played is the inventory system. They have either been too large, too small, or have no room for customization, etc. I feel that there should be 3 inventory types. On-hand; each character in your party has this Carried; the supplies that are left in the wagon and on other characters in the wagon Stored; items left in storage lockers and warehouses in towns. Stored items could be universally applied or area-specific. On-hand items depending on how the system works, graphically or via console commands, you could access specific containers: pouches, backpack, cloak, sheath, etc. Items would be stored based on a weight and/or volume system, ex. A pouch that can hold 20 pounds may not be able to store your axe. Carried items would be stored under the same weight/volume system to a much larger degree, but only a limited amount of those items can be taken into your battles/adventures where the wagon would be inaccessible (items in the wagon are also inaccessible during battle). An infinite amount of items may be stored in warehouses/public lockers. Carried items may slow a person down based upon their strength (if they're carrying stuff at max. capacity swinging a sword may become a little awkward/unbalancing) and other potential setbacks (reduced attack/defense) *Special Weapon/Armor* Special weapons and armors with unique properties are undoubtedly on of the biggest highlights of most games. Unfortunately they're generally overpowered and there is little thought about when/how to use them. In one game I've played there is a weapon that when used in battle does 100 – 150 damage to everything. The strongest creature has about 400 hp, with the high average of around 200 for most others. Whoa. Attack or use that weapon; hard choice, huh? Weapons and armors should be a tactical decision rather than based on strict numbers where the highest value yields the best results. A couple of ideas I had for this is a speed or RT modifier on using the special powers, and a chance that: one, the item will lose its magical properties and become the normal strength for that class; or two, the item breaks! Example: A shield is given to you from an angelic figure for going to Hell and saving one of the angels' servants. This magic shield offers a defense value 15% higher than a normal shield of its type; when used in battle it makes you *invincible *for the round and restores 8 – 10% of your health. Time modifier is +10% eg: if your RT is normally 10, it increases to 11 for that round. Downside: After using the shield enemies will begin super attacking you. Best time to use the shield: Weaker character about to die and you need a few seconds to finish up the battle. Worst time to use: Slightly injured, fighting a larger group of enemies; being smug and trying to keep your health up/toy with your foes or while fighting a boss that is not close to death. I have much more on this but I'll save it for a later post. *Combat Style* Combat style should be more focused on the right tools for the job rather than brute force of overcoming your enemies. Precision, timing, and finding weaknesses are the true epitome of the warriors of old, and thus it should be for our hero (and his allies). I'm not saying that being a low level fighter vs. a high level won't make much a difference; but through the correct application of tools at a players disposal it should be possible for a lower leveled character to take out a much more ferocious (statistically speaking) foe. *Item Usage and Inventory* One thing I've disliked about most games I've played is the inventory system. They have either been too large, too small, or have no room for customization, etc. I feel that there should be 3 inventory types. On-hand; each character in your party has this Carried; the supplies that are left in the wagon and on other characters in the wagon Stored; items left in storage lockers and warehouses in towns. Stored items could be universally applied or area-specific. On-hand items depending on how the system works, graphically or via console commands, you could access specific containers: pouches, backpack, cloak, sheath, etc. Items would be stored based on a weight and/or volume system, ex. A pouch that can hold 15 pounds may not be able to store your axe. Carried items would be stored under the same weight/volume system to a much larger degree, but only a limited amount of those items can be taken into your battles/adventures where the wagon would be inaccessible (items in the wagon are also inaccessible during battle). An infinite amount of items may be stored in warehouses/public lockers. Carried items may slow a person down based upon their strength (if they're carrying stuff at max. capacity swinging a sword may become a little awkward/unbalancing) and other potential setbacks (reduced attack/defense) *Special Weapon/Armor* Special weapons and armors with unique properties are undoubtedly on of the biggest highlights of most games. Unfortunately they're generally overpowered and there is little thought about when/how to use them. In one game I've played there is a weapon that when used in battle does 100 – 150 damage to everything. The strongest creature has about 400 hp, with the high average of around 200 for most others. Whoa. Attack or use that weapon; hard choice, huh? Weapons and armors should be a tactical decision rather than based on strict numbers where the highest value yields the best results. A couple of ideas I had for this is a speed or RT modifier on using the special powers, and a chance that: one, the item will lose its magical properties and become the normal strength for that class; or two, the item breaks! Example: A shield is given to you from an angelic figure for going to Hell and saving one of the angels' servants. This magic shield offers a defense value 15% higher than a normal shield of its type; when used in battle it makes you *invincible *for the round and restores 8 – 10% of your health. Time modifier is +10% eg: if your RT is normally 10, it increases to 11 for that round. Downside: After using the shield enemies will begin super attacking you. Best time to use the shield: Weaker character about to die and you need a few seconds to finish up the battle. Worst time to use: Slightly injured, fighting a larger group of enemies; being smug and trying to keep your health up/toy with your foes or while fighting a boss that is not close to death. I have much more on this but I'll save it for a later post. *Health System* Not sure how combat will pan out yet, but I believe there should be several health gauges, some may visible, others working behind the scenes. Max health is the character in their prime, no injuries, etc. Max health is broken into two parts; True Max and Current Max. Current Max is the highest health may go with the injuries or ailments that are not healed. Current health is more blood based than actual "hit points," bleeding, poison, and injuries affect this stat. Once health is depleted, further injuries will draw directly from concussion if bleeding or injured, or from vitality if poisoned or suffering from other ailments. Concussion points could be added to help calculate stuns, or being knocked unconscious. Weapons with blunt faces such as bats/cudgels would take more from this pool than health or vitality. Once this reaches zero the player is knocked out, and successive hits will draw directly from the vitality stat. Vitality is a health stat based on how close you are to death. Critical wounds, and deep punctures, and extremely low health affect this stat. Once it reaches zero the player dies. I can make examples if this doesn't make enough sense to anyone. *Death (redundant I know)* When you die; depending on your deeds you can go to heaven, hell, or purgatory. In each of these is a place you can go to get revived, or do some crazy side quests. Being in any of these places the character is placed on a timer before a being comes down and tells you it's not your time, and sends you back to the mortal plain. The way to increase this timer is by talking to specific people or completing quests.