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[SirNiko]

Use a World of Darkness style character development system - the player gets points to spend on all their different criteria. Buy skills, attacks, stats and weaknesses with the same pool of points. Break up the game into sections where the player has to make a character and live with it to the end of the dungeon, chapter, or quest, so you can't just respec every few steps.

Combat could be standard RPG fare, although the focus would be less on your actions in combat and more about how your selected set of stats compares to the fight you've encountered. Maybe a Tower of the Sorcerer style combat where fights are automatic? Any system where the outcome of combat is typically the same if you enter it with the same specs.

Add in a developmental aspect where the player receives rewards for completing missions under certain criteria. Rewards come in the form of advanced perks and gear choices that must be purchased with your character development points when you respec.

It would require a lot of thought and well-designed puzzles and monsters, but the end effect would be very enjoyable I think, especially with leaderboards that encourage players to replay quests while searching for the optimal solutions based on several criteria.

[noah!]

One idea I had a few months ago, though it's not so much of a system as it is a mechanic, is a system where spells affect the laws of physics on a character. For example, you can strengthen, nullify, or invert gravity on someone, muck with their sense of time and space, or even cast noclip on them and watch them fall through the earth (then uncast and bury them alive ;-).

Not that this complex, escalating battle system is any more effective than just mashing "attack", though... (which is my biggest gripe with RPG battles in general; MMBN's the only game I've played that made random encounters actually somewhat fun sometimes I guess)

[Bree]

I assume you're talking about the Megaman Battle Network game series, right? Would you be willing to elaborate on what you found fun about it? It'd be useful for trying to come up with a more entertaining system for random battles.

[noah!]

I assume you're talking about the Megaman Battle Network game series, right? Would you be willing to elaborate on what you found fun about it? It'd be useful for trying to come up with a more entertaining system for random battles.

Why yes I am and why yes I will. Honestly, there are really only two reasons why I like Battle Network's combat system:

1) Skill-based battles. In most RPGs, nothing outside bosses usually warrants nothing more than mashing "Attack" and sometimes using your latest nuke-everything spell. In MMBN you actually need to actively participate in the battle. The limited chip set means you'll need to improvise with what you're given, and the active battles force you to pay attention, dodging and attacking when you get the chance. This makes defeating bad guys actually feel like you're defeating bad guys, instead of choosing from a drop-down how they're going to die.
2) The buster. Honestly, the only reason I can conceive why the rapid-fire buster (your secondary weapon) is fun is because it breaks up the traditional attack-wait-rinse-repeat loop. Even though it's weak (~3dmg per hit against 100HP enemies), the damage adds up, and skilled players can chip off 10-20% of the enemy's health in-between your "real" attacks.

At least, those are the real stand-out points to me...

[Oddball]

I've always wanted to make a rpg combat system where you launch the characters at eachother. Aim the speed, angle, and launch. Some would be heavier, faster, deal more damage etc. After the turn they would all be staying in the place they ended up, making for super dynamic battles if combined with spells and everything.

I really like this idea. Especially if both the player's and the monster's turns play out simultaneously. You'd be able to setup dodge manoeuvres or try and preempt/intercept attacks aimed at other party members. The potential for multi-attacks via ricochets appeals to me too. If you don't make this game I might have to steal the idea from you.

[Mogget]

I've had this idea for some time (I posted it in the pitch your game topic but everyone ignored it  ) and I still have no idea how it would exactly work. But whatever, here goes.

It seems like a normal Action RPG at first, but you have some sort of way, perhaps restricted, to go into "Old-Skool mode" in which the game suddenly transforms into Final Fantasy 1 or something similar. The point to this is, that while in Action RPG mode enemies only drop hearts or ammo or something, in Old-Skool you would actually level up, gain stats and whatnot. You can also do all sorts of menu-based action, which your future self has no time for, opting instead for an option to jump.

Like I said, I have no idea how that would be balanced or even be entertaining.

[SirNiko]

For MMBN, I'd also like to add that the chip system makes using your nuke attacks fun and useful. They're not consumed upon use and they shuffle each fight, so there's a balance between building a deck that is powerful (has lots of great chip combos) and is versatile (can take out all the foes without having to shuffle too often for better chips).

The upgrade systems were fun and did not have obvious best solutions. Sometimes you would shoe-horn in crap abilities to get that really nice chip to fit your buster, or other times you'd get as many chips as possible by forgoing a useful but awkwardly shaped chip.

Killing foes efficiently gives way better rewards. It allows you to escape the randomness trap where skill doesn't matter but luck does.

The only thing I disliked was that finding defeated bosses required you to do a lot of running around and hoping for random spawns (though the tracker consumables helped a bunch). Bosses spawned based on sneaky requirements, like Bubbleman only spawns if you have low HP or another spawns only if you are poisoned, things like that.

[baconman]

Begin by importing FF6's Skills/Talents system and SMRPG's Timed Attacks into Chrono Trigger's main framework (direct/line/radius/flood ranged spells/techs and Team Techs), and polish that off with a position-influencing element.

Or, screw it altogether. Just use GG Izuka. :D

[ChomperTheSharptooth]

I'v actually been working on something JRPG as a hobby, I joined just because I saw this topic.

Some important bullets of it are...
* Competetive JRPG. Must be competetive above all
* Divided up into to sides, each with a 3x3 grid to move their units on. Position has an effect
* Units can attack not only ones body, but the mind. Emotional damage can wear away at an enemy
* Uniquely balanced characters (at least unique, balanced is an ambition)
* Sacrifices to the gods (adds a betting system and removes speed ties)
* A 4 way battle royale mechanic

Probably more I'm forgetting off the top of my head. I usually write more but with the little response I get and my website starting to be decent I can just post the link for those who are interested in what is done (24 characters so far)

A lot of things are done and just not listed here/on my site. I've been moving slower than I should be sadly.

http://chompersrpg.webs.com/

[magnum_opus]

I've been toying around with a modified version of James Ernest's BRAWL as a way of game-izing debate club style formal debate.

The mechanics fit well enough but I haven't thought of a balanced way "leveling up" or some sort of non skill based progression yet.

If/when I do expect a game about a band of ex-college professors roaming the post-apocalyptic wasteland drinking wine and reforming civilization through sheer force of intellectual will.

[shadowdim]

a slightly simplified version of Toribash would be awesome

[magnum_opus]

Honestly Toribash with a built in "walk", "jump" and "stand upright" options would probably be simplified enough. It's also skill based enough that even xp based stat progression wouldn't negate the need to know what you're doing.