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THE IDEA:------------------------------------------------------------
First I was playing Snatcher (Sega CD) and that made me really want to do a point-and-click adventure game, but then I started playing Shining Force 3 (Sega Saturn) and that got me really wanting to make a tactics game. After a little thought and planning I came to the conclusion what I REALLY want to make is a point-and-click adventure tactical RPG (PACATRPG?)!
How would that work? Story segments (outside of in-battle dialog events) are carried out in traditional point-and-click adventure game format. These will happen between battles, with some segments being longer than others depending on their point in the story. Often during these segments various members of your party will be available for chatting and interacting with and you'll be able to visit various shops (if in town or if applicable) to buy items and equipment.
I plan to limit the amount of time consuming puzzles and dialog required to advance to the next battle to little or none so that it doesn't slow the pace for battle-minded players, but there will be plenty of
optional side-quest puzzles and dialog interactions (not to mention traditional adventure game inventory manipulation) to keep players who enjoy that happy.
The story segments and tactical battle segments will also tie-in with items that can be acquired in one and used in the other. For instance, you may find seemingly useless items on the battle field that actually part of an optional puzzle in the story segments. Rewards for completing optional puzzle or dialog in the story segments could be equipment and items (or even characters) useful on the battlefield.
If anyone has any other ideas on the two genres can be integrated I'd love to hear them. My main focus in the design process currently is the tactical battle system, and I have been putting together a list of features from games that I really liked. I would like to hear any other features that would be an interesting addition! Anyways, here's what I got so far:
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THE LIST:------------------------------------------------------------
ACTION POINTS:
(a la Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth)Moving, Attacking, Using Items, etc. all cost AP
(Action Points). If you end your turn while you still
have AP your next turn will come sooner (there will
be a visual turn order list that is constantly updated
so that the player can carefully plan each action).
The exact order of the actions is not set in stone,
the player could in theory, use an item and attack in
the same turn or devote the whole turn to moving as
far across the field as they can.
SECOND ATTACK (OR CRITICAL ATTACK):
(a la Super Mario RPG)At a semi-random point of time during a magic-
using characters "charge-up" animation, a ranged
character's "loading" animation, or just after a
melee character's first strike animation a keyboard
key symbol will appear just above the character
(either UP, DOWN, LEFT, or RIGHT). By tapping
that key in the short window of time provided the
player will either increase the amount of damage
they deal (critical hit for magic and ranged) or
make a second attack (melee). With magic or using
healing items this can also work to boost their
healing effects.
SUPPORT BONUS:
(a la Shining Force 3)When characters attack the same target or get
healed or otherwise recieve a positive bonus from
another character they gain support points with that
character. The more support points a pair has the
bigger the bonus they will recieve when placed next to
each other on the field. These bonuses include raised
attack damage, raised magic damage, raised defense,
etc. If a character dies during battle they lose a small
amount of support points with all party members
currently on the field (not counting other dead party
members on the field). If they are not revived before
the battle ends the loss of support points is even
greater.
THROW CHARACTER:
(a la Disgaea)Some characters (particularly the strong ones) can pick
up and throw other characters (friend or foe) a few
spaces across the field. The exact distance depends on
the "weight" of the character being thrown and the
"strength" of the character doing the throwing. If there
happens to be a unit present in the square the character
is being thrown to and the thrown character has a higher
weight than the occupying character then the occupying
character is pushed out of the square and takes damage
and the thrown character now occupies the square.
However, if the occupying character has the higher
weight then the thrown character bounces off the
occupying character and lands in an adjacent square and
both characters take damage.
FOG OF WAR:
(a la Advance Wars)Each unit has a "vision range" that reveals squares on the
field within a certain radius. Squares outside this radius are
hidden from the player and can not be targeted. If the
character is standing on a high terrain (mountains for
example) the view range is extended. Characters can "hide"
in certain tiles (such as forest tiles) or with special abilities
(like a ninja's stealth ability).
COVER AND CONCEALMENT:
(a la Dungeons & Dragons)Some terrain tiles (such as bushes or just behind a low stone
wall) offer "cover" bonuses which grant additional protection
from ranged attacks. The magic spells affected by cover will
vary.
TERRAIN EFFECT AND MANIPULATION:
(a la Bahamut Lagoon)Some tiles can enhance or reduce certain battle effects or
the tiles themselves can be altered by certain actions. For
example, using an electrical attack on a character standing
in a water tile will cause more damage or a fire attack used
target a bush tile will burn away the bushes (replacing the
bush tile with a scorched earth tile) and damage any
characters hidden there.
EVENT LOCATIONS:
(a la Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance)There are tile locations on each map that will trigger short
story dialog sequences or special events when one of the
player's characters are placed there (for example, the door
of house). Some locations might be there simply to grant a
special bonus (for example, an alter that gives a temporary,
or even perminent, defense bonus).
TRAPS AND BALLISTA:
(a la Romance of the Three Kingdoms 11)Some maps will include traps that trigger if a character steps
on them or immobile ballista that fire at any target that get in
their line of sight. Some traps may only trigger if a switch
somehwere on the map is activated (for example, a row of floor
spikes that pop up when a lever is pulled). Some characters can
also set traps or build ballista.
EDIT: Just as a side note, this will either be developed in Game Maker 7 (I am beginning to loathe GM8) or Torque Game Builder (which I am beginning to love since it is platform independent, hello MAC version, and can work with XNA for XBOX360) and when I actually have enough of it done to have something to show I will post it in the DevLogs section. I have a good portion of the point-and-click adventure mechanics layed out already (inventory management, click zones, etc.) which the comments here have been a big help with, and the workings of a tactics game map editor started in GM7 which I am currently reworking in TGB.
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