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TIGSource ForumsDeveloperDesignHow do Action RPGs make different weapon types feel unique?
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vinheim3
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« Reply #20 on: July 21, 2014, 12:58:35 AM »

Another good game to draw inspiration from is Dragon's Crown and other games in its genre. So rather than having weapons change different variables so that each has their own risk/reward/playstyle, you could also give each weapon additional attributes that specifically cater to a self-made playstyle, playstyles that people would pick in different games for the sake of challenge. For example, one weapon would deal additional damage or maybe shoot more bullets if you are low on health. Another weapon would work better if using a move that gives the weapon a certain setup before actually attacking. Some weapons like shotguns only work well if you're super close. Another weapon can deal more damage the more you combo so consistently killing enemies making sure that most are close to death so that you can plow through more faster would benefit it, etc.
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McMutton
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« Reply #21 on: July 21, 2014, 04:45:01 AM »

It's an FPS, but Team Fortress 2 does a rather good job of making its weapons feel different. If you look through them I'd imagine you'll get some ideas.

Making certain guns change up the input is a good way of making them feel different, as well. For example, one gun requires that you hold the attack button to charge it, another fires about as fast as you can click, maybe one fires with enough force to make you slide back, which becomes a viable evasion technique. Stuff like that. (Though I'm not sure if it would mesh with your control scheme).
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biomechanic
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« Reply #22 on: July 21, 2014, 06:04:04 AM »

There's this game: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2007/10/05/the-chosen-well-of-souls-review

It is bad, but I remember it had a focus on guns and they all felt very well differentiated (but not necessarily balanced). Give it a play, if you can find it.
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FranLesko
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« Reply #23 on: July 28, 2014, 04:50:01 AM »

Add attributes that are not quantifiable: ability to dash, ability to double or even triple jump, glide, teleport a short distance, etc. Since you can't say any of those skills is better than the rest, each player will use the one they consider is better. In games that offer this kind of thing, most of the times I sacrifice DPS for mobility. Is it better? It is very situational and depends mostly on your skills to pull of any kind of real advantage. That is why it kind of auto balances itself.

Hope it helps.
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standardcombo
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« Reply #24 on: July 30, 2014, 08:37:00 PM »

Add in little quirks, for example a gun that is so strong that the character using it gets pushed back. Likewise you can use a similar mechanic to push enemies back with another weapon. Something else could group/tie enemies together this way the player is encouraged to do combinations with the various squad members.

Don't let it reduce to calculation. If the player can put the numbers side-by-side and at a glance figure out which is best, its wrong. I think Hearthstone does this really well as a recent example which I am familiar with. They eliminated much of the complexity of MtG but its still very hard to reduce the cards to a calculation. In some scenarios a 2/3 creature is better than a 3/2. They do this with the game mechanic fundamentals but also with little additions such as the crocodile being a Beast type.

One way to keep the weapons from reducing to calculation is to avoid 'strictly superior' designs. Lets say there is a gun that deals 1 damage and has a range of 10. Another also deals 1 damage, has a range of 10 and a 1% chance of critical damage. The latter is strictly superior to the former. Avoid this.

And, balance is not about all things having equal power, its about the player's perception. Some weapons can be weaker than others as long as they have a niche application or they are quirky enough that someone out there will love it for that.

You mentioned you want weapons to progressively become stronger. What if they are generic/vanilla in the beginning, but they gain more and more quirks and special abilities that make them more and more niche? They become stronger but not strictly superior and hard to reduce. The player learns the mechanics as they progress and has to apply the knowledge to take advantage of the special mechanics.
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