Sometimes good is not enough
![[IMG]](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/020/237/008/0d1e2262a4a7d1557a7c806a86878f45_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=160&h=160&fit=crop&v=1518634179&auto=format&frame=1&q=92&s=e4ff520b7f72ab7ac0be93197c91d752)
Posted by Underbite Games
September 3, 2019
Creator
Sometimes good is not enough
That's how we felt about our previous combat system: fun, but not very meaningful. We hit the whiteboards and, by pushing some existing systems and adding some new ones, came up with something we feel is awesome.
First off, in Sentinels of Freedom, there are two "rolls." The first is checking to see if you hit and represents your accuracy. The second is how much damage you inflict. Both the old and new system use this concept but have significantly different results.
So what changed?
More Info
To start with, we wanted wanted to provide as much information as we could to allow for more informed decisions. When an attack is chosen, highlighting a target will provide some important basic information.
![[IMG]](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/026/346/749/8f74f2dcb1752e1a7b17f355c1c4e194_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=700&fit=max&v=1567519598&auto=format&gif-q=50&q=92&s=24556032279d8936702f52e489eb796b)
The chance to hit the target is shown first, followed by the matchup between Attack Type and Defense Type with the resulting potential damage. The last bit of info here is the current health of the target.
For most attacks, this is all that is needed to make a decision; however, if there are any questions - maybe the accuracy is really low, for instance, or the damage is not maxed out - additional information is shown in the Info Panel.
In the Info Panel, accuracy bonuses and penalties are clearly displayed, along with the current matchup between attack and defense. These explain the "why" to the quick info so you can make adjustments to the current or future attacks, if needed.
Adding to the idea of more info, a line of sight (LoS) display was added. This LoS display shows all available targets and how obstructed potential attacks are from the location.
![[IMG]](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/026/346/757/b56edc9883f91ca84a3e78a83b3f22c2_original.png?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=700&fit=max&v=1567519639&auto=format&gif-q=50&lossless=true&s=956af8984aab7f4ec2847a4eeb19cbe6)
Movement
It's hard to hit a moving target - even harder to shoot while moving. While the initial system incorporated speed into accuracy, we felt the impact was not enough with the impact only being around 10% of your chance to hit. With the new system, the impact is more like 20-40% making the choice of moving more critical. Faster characters for instance, (who typically have lower health) can stay alive with hit-and-run tactics. Often, lining up a range attack on a fast target means staying put or choosing another target. However, melee attacks receive a bonus when the attacker is faster - allowing the full momentum to be felt.
Facing
Even a mindless thug can put up some kind of defense when attacked head on. Facing has a huge impact on the chance to hit, with frontal assaults drawing a penalty and back attacks providing a bonus. When selecting a target, the display will show which facing the attack will hit.
![[IMG]](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/026/346/764/29202430bc98d7d97d8b0b69e95ff9d8_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=700&fit=max&v=1567519675&auto=format&gif-q=50&q=92&s=55bec6aced7f877c7eebbf892cdc463a)
Attack vs Defense Type
Once the attack hits, the next calculation is damage. Originally, this value could vary drastically. Often, an attack could do anything from 2 to around 50 damage in similar situations. This can be very frustrating in a tactics game.
In the new system, we utilize a kind of Rock, Paper, Scissors (Lizard, Spock) method to determine the base hit "roll". Neutral matchups produce average damage, while strong offensive matchup have a potential for critical damage. Weaker offensive matches will still do damage but often at a cost of additional Action Points, representing the extra effort required to land such an attack.
We did away with the typical "elemental" or "projectile" categories and went with an "Onomatopoeia" damage and defense. This method not only supports the game's theme, but also provides more flexibility in creating the character abilities.
![[IMG]](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/026/346/772/08952f9a484ea5a1e314b6b03a7c4024_original.png?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=700&fit=max&v=1567519708&auto=format&gif-q=50&lossless=true&s=55db174c6bcd20c02599493455022714)
While each type does have a base description of what kind of attack it represents, there is some flexibility. For example, a "Thokk!" Attack is usually a kind of heavy physical attack while a "Ping!" Attack will usually be a quick lighting attack. Both of these could be used for either melee or ranged attacks. This allows characters to have a variety of different attacks and defenses while still holding onto their theme.
While other factors could have an impact on the final damage, typically if an attack hits, it will do damage. The values of this damage are also shown when an ability is chosen.
Archetype Equality
In the previous system, choosing to do damage always seemed optimal over choosing support actions. With the potential of targets that are consistently harder to hit or deal enough damage to, support characters are of high importance. Target too fast? How about they get their movement reduced by 50%? Is there an enemy that seems to always do max damage? Buff a hero with an additional defense type to minimize the chance of crits. We feel this new system allows all heroes a chance to shine!
Click to expand...
