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SoM battle type system?

Posted: 15 Jun 2005, 21:35
by Filler
I dunno if this has been brought up or anything, but what about a battle system like SoM? With the percent bar, etc.

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Posted: 15 Jun 2005, 22:39
by Sull
check this up,all the info about concept of the game are on the wiki.
http://themanaworld.org/wiki/index.php/Combat_system

but for a fast answer *ehm ehm*

Ok, so here's the breakdown of the real time, active, directly controlled combat.

Movement - players move when they send a command to move. There are two types of move command-initial movement and end movement. An initial movement packet tells the server to start moving the player until the end movement packet is recieved. This is sent when the key (or mouse click) is first pressed. The second is the end movement packet. The end movement packet tells the server to stop moving the character at a regular rate. This way, movement can be smooth and continuous, rather than pixel by pixel, like some have suggested it will end up.

First off, players have a bar in the screen that measures time, since the last attack. When the player presses the attack key, and the bar is full, he makes an attack (there are no intermediate attacks, to reduce downstream server traffic).

Charge attacks exist too. To execte a charge attack, the player can hold a button. when the button is pressed, the server gets a start message. When it is released, he sends another attack message. The server calculates the amount of time between the two packets, then executes the corresponding charge attack. There are 10 attacks for each weapon type, and they are learned at weapon skill levels that are multiples of 10. Also, to perform a charge attack, the player must be wielding a weapon of the correct type, and that weapon must be built with synthesis up to level X. (see the EquipmentSystem for more information on weapon synthesis). While charging, the player moves a bit slower than normal.

When the player wishes to use a spell, he opens the context ring menu, (spacebar or right click with the mouse), selects the proper spell, then chooses the appropriate target within range (be it an area or a being). The player then goes through a short spellcasting animation, during which time he can be interrupted by a critical attack (10% or more of his HP in damage). After that, the spell is cast and executed. Spell casting is also regulated by the time bar, however, some spells may cause a freeze longer than normal after being cast. This depends on the specific spell, as well as the caster's magic level (higher mastery = lower freeze)

While I personally believe the mouse is one of the great evils of computer gaming, some members of the team feel that it is a necessary evil to include in the system. For this purpose, I've created a list of mouse controls and corresponding keyboard controls.

Move - Hold the left mouse button in the general area of the screen you want to
move. The character will follow the mouse to that point.
Attack - a fast click near the player causes him to attack.
Charge - holding the mouse directly over the character for a moment causes him to
start charging. To move while charging, drag the mouse away from the
player without letting go of the left button.

I'm not totally sure about how the mouse controlled model will work, but we can edit it as needed to ensure that it engages players in the same way as keyboard control.

Posted: 16 Jun 2005, 10:04
by Bjørn
Uh, note that that system is out of date and was witten by somebody who has currently left the team. It assumed a 10 Mbit server upload and doesn't include a way to solve synchronisation issues. Also the suggested mouse control seems rather inconvenient.

We will be trying to improve both keyboard and mouse control, but we probably won't do SoM-like fighting.

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Posted: 16 Jun 2005, 18:29
by Sull
but we probably won't do SoM-like fighting.
explain us what is gonna be instead? or is planned to be?

Posted: 16 Jun 2005, 21:21
by Bjørn
I'd like it to be more like Saga of Ryzom, where you target a monster and then specify how you want to attack it, or double click it to directly apply your default attack mode. And where it automatically walks within range of the target.

I don't have any special preference to SoM-like fighting, don't want to have to stop walking/fighting when chatting and want the system to work fine in the face of lag.

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Posted: 17 Jun 2005, 08:28
by Sull
nothing said here

Posted: 17 Jun 2005, 08:31
by Modanung
Exactly, SoM battle system just doesn't really work in an online game.

Posted: 18 Jun 2005, 05:38
by Sull
Exactly, SoM battle system just doesn't really work in an online game.
hahaha nice joke.

we are at "The Mana World".
as i know i got 4 ppl on 5 who want to have a SoM system at all cost.

all the other dont even played SoM. they just hang around for a free mmorpg.

personnaly adding SoM battle type is the best choice,if we remove this its not
"The Mana World" its just "The World"

Posted: 18 Jun 2005, 18:09
by Modanung
Apart from the party orginisation (which we could do better for pets) in SoM, I like the battle system. But it'll be hard to get it working as good as in SoM because of LAG-issues.
But really, I like the area-of-effect slashing and stuff.

Posted: 21 Jun 2005, 04:54
by Filler
Darn.. I got this hoping it was already included or planned to be... :\ The thought of a different battle system for a MMO as apposed to the standard click and wait was refreshing :cry:

Posted: 21 Jun 2005, 08:05
by Modanung
I heard romours about a split? :?

Would be nice to have the actual idea worked out as well.
A MMORPG with a SoM combat system, it doesn't need the same world or style. That would maybe also bring copyright issues.

Posted: 21 Jun 2005, 08:34
by ElvenProgrammer
Split? Well we're creating a project that at least 5000 people tryed once, so it's hard to find a common path. Anyway we will try to satisfy everyone.
About thecombat system, well I'd like something SoM oriented (and I mean something more real time: I know Bjorn will hate me), but not the same, as it was improved in Seiken Densetsu 3, Legend of Mana, Sword of Mana and so on..., I'll try to create a combat system which gives the same good feelings but it's someway new.

Posted: 21 Jun 2005, 14:41
by Modanung
Yay
Don't worry, Bjorn isn't the homicidal type...

He'll kill the whole team in one time I think. :)

Posted: 29 Jun 2005, 04:22
by Filler
Elven Programmer wrote:Split? Well we're creating a project that at least 5000 people tryed once, so it's hard to find a common path. Anyway we will try to satisfy everyone.
About thecombat system, well I'd like something SoM oriented (and I mean something more real time: I know Bjorn will hate me), but not the same, as it was improved in Seiken Densetsu 3, Legend of Mana, Sword of Mana and so on..., I'll try to create a combat system which gives the same good feelings but it's someway new.
SoM was the last "Mana" game I played. I pretty much moved on to the PC world after N64, even though I DID get a PS2, GC, etc. I hardly play them... :\

Posted: 29 Jun 2005, 13:53
by m4ndr4g00n
I like the style it is now actually. You have the normal som and then you can SHIFT attack a monster and then you have time to write.
It is SOM but still a little different, but could be improved ^^

I think there should be both in and that the manual attack style would have an advantage over the automatic one. Not that the automatic would make you die or anything, just so the manual control would be more attractive, like better chance of using attacks right after eachother while the automatic has a small delay before using next attack.