darkSpyro

Hey, all! So I've began learning how to code and **** with GameMaker Studio. I'm trying to create my very first game - an Action/Adventure RPG that's focused mostly on story and exploration. However, there will be combat in the game, but that's where the problem is.

There are many different types of combat systems for RPG's, and I'm unsure of which one to use. I liked the "bullet hell" style combat system like in Undertale, but I don't want to use it because people would think I was copying it because of how popular Undertale's combat is.

Then there's turn-based RPGs, where, when you encounter an enemy, it takes you to a "battle area", where you get to choose to attack or defend. Once you've made a choice, the enemy attacks. Then it's your turn. So on and so forth.

There's also RPG's where there isn't a battle area. Instead, you just run around the level attacking enemies directly without any turns until they fall. I don't like this idea and would prefer to avoid it.
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So here's what I'm wanting my game to include:
-Ability to gain party members, which either act as attacks or have their own set of attacks
-Ability to gain and use new items/weapons
-Some kind of "battle area"
-Ability to change your mind about fighting someone (mercy) or to flee

Does anybody have any ideas on a combat system? It can be anything. An original idea, some idea that's not very well-known (rare), etc.?

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As for the game itself, I draw inspiration from "Alice in Wonderland" for the setting and characters. I draw inspiration from "Undertale" and "OFF" (a really good horror rpg) for the rest of it. If you've played Undertale and/or OFF, I'm going towards a combination of those two. I do not wish my game to copy either of these two games. I want it to stand out as its own.

If it helps, my game is going to be aimed toward a more "mature" audience than Undertale. (16+)

Don't eat more than you can chew, man. Go adding every mechanic you want little by little to feel your current limitations. Using all these cool things at once will just burn you out on game development entirely.

As for the setting, research research research. OFF and Undertale are very postmodern, look up how works today subvert the viewer's expectations of the genre and what draws in a person or not - just going 'hahaha fourth wall' is worse than just playing a cliche straight. I also recommend Pony Island though the facade is dropped very quickly.

As for combat, use what your game "calls" for the most. For example, don't use this it's too complicated, an Alice themed game could maybe use cards for attacks like Sticker Star, or Lewis' poems like Typing of the Dead. Go feeling for what COULD be used and then choose what fits.

source for all of this: not a game designer, but a game artist that listens to GDCs on Youtube, other related videos and reads up on dev stuff. Oh yeah, GDCs are good as well to hear from devs themselves on what works and doesn't - but take a grain of salt, there are a LOT of pretentious or outright unusable presentations from people who got comfy with their methods.

I'm not entirely familiar with Undertale, but you saying about bullet hell and worrying about copying it, reminds me of Touhou who did bullet hell before Undertale.

As far as leaving battle and having aa battle area, take a look at Kingdom Hearts: RE Chain of Memories. Touching an enemy in overworld sends you to a battle arena to fight a group of enemies. You can run to the edge of the arena and stand there for a period to exit the battle.

Quote: Seiki

Touching an enemy in overworld sends you to a battle arena to fight a group of enemies.

I like this idea for confronting the "bad guys". But I also want it to be possible to fight "good guys". For them, though, I thought of having a pop-up menu that gives you the option to talk or to just flat out fight them, regardless of if they wanted to or not. If you select to fight, it takes you into the battle area where as "Bad guy" encounters take you straight there.

As for stopping a fight, you can only "flee" the bad guys, while with the good guys you can "stop fighting".

I want the systems for bad guys to be different from the system for good guys because unlike the good guys, the bad guys actually want to fight. Good guys can be forced to.

Sorry if this sounds complicated.

I don't really know, but Maybe something about Animals?

Quote: King-Pen Krazy

I don't really know, but Maybe something about Animals?

The NPc's were going to be animals, actually. Save for the enemies, which are heartless-inspired demons.