In my game, there are several stats that the player could undertake for their combat ability. The player will be able to select what stats they want to master and after selection, there will be no way to change them except for gaining an extra one later on.
These skills will also give the player access to different equipment.
These stats are:
Physical; Melee and CQB skill
Ranged; Shooting and long-ranged combat skill
Perception; awareness and spotting skill
Stealth; Stealth and intrigue skill
Defense; self-explanatory
Mobility; speed and navigation skill
I found these particularly fine, but I feel as though that these may be seen as blatant copy-pastes of other combat variables since I have found similar stats like these in other games. Any ideas on how I can change these?
Since these stats and equipment items are static and not changing, you should design specific skill-sets that include the stats and equipment as a package.
Like how the modern FPS games handle it.
You can then design a couple of “upgrade paths” for each skill-set package and further control the combat system you are designing.
Yes, I have planned that. Because the game I am working on is a superhero game with selectable powers, I think comboing these stats and equipment with the player’s chosen powers could lead to interesting skills sets.
It will take some effort, but it should be no trouble. Thanks for your input.
It avoids making the stats page look like a recruiters cost benefit analysis. Instead, take a page from indie RPGs and use the stats as a peek into a protagonists soul (and to provide a sense of progression). I find it makes conflicts and stat checks more engaging to write.
Something I don’t see very often is crossing the stats over. For example if the mobility stat could be changed to something more general like athleticism, you could mix the melee stat and athleticism stat to determine how the fight will play out. Maybe they’ll wrestle to take down their opponent.
Also just my thoughts on the stats themselves. Maybe you could mix the ranged and perception stat as they’re pretty compatible and introduce something else like tactics or strategy. Would be interesting to play as that type of warrior instead of just subterfuge or assault types.
I am someone who has been in fighting circuits for a few years in my life and personally i would love to see a stat that everyone ignores and that is combat instinct.
In combat instinct means you can respond or counter to a certain situation or surprise attack without even thinking about it just on pure reflex . Combat instinct takes a lot of grueling fights to develop and is a stat that i would love to see in a cog/hg game.
Are you looking strictly for different terms to define each stat? Or different skills to implement in your game? For instance, are you looking for a different word for “Physical” or a list of different types of skills that could fit under “Physical”?
To be frank, there’s only so much originality that can be in a character’s skill set from game to game. I honestly believe how you implement stats like Perception, Stealth, Physical, etc. that will make your stats - both on their own and in combo with one another - not be blatant copy pastes of other combat variables.
Yeah I had a feeling that the stats’ names were bland. I’m, planning on giving them new names.
Although the idea of stats crossing over sound good, it will somewhat restrict my plans on making certain “playstyles” for the player because it reduces the specifics of each variable, but I am planning on adding more things that each stat will cover. As of now, stats like the Physical stat will now cover strength for lifting objects and others instead of just melee damage.
I am planning on reworking the “Perception” stat into “Intuition,” which covers a character’s judgment and intellect, your “instinct” idea could fit well into its definition.
Alright. Also another bit of advice, in the average CYOA game I feel as though the stats just give a different flavour to a certain choices instead of directly affecting the end result. There could be many different ways to do things, but they all seem to have the same outcome, which I don’t find realistic. I think the most important thing to keep in mind would be to make different possibilities for each stat.
For example, if the player goes into battle those that trained for ranged attacks could act as snipers or something, picking off the leaders in the battle. Or if they’re close combat oriented they could go directly into battle and kill many foot soldiers or henchmen(whatever the setting is). One would decrease the enemies organisation and the other decrease their strength. Something like that where each stat has different pros and cons. It’s all up to you and it may be more difficult to write/code but I think it makes the game more interesting.
Yes, that is why I am creating a “playstyle” system as indicated by my reply. The player will be able to take on different approaches in combat depending on your equipment, and certain builds will even permit a “pacifist loadout” full of squad support equipment and a lack of weapons.
Might not be totally related, but consider adding a short bit of “flavor text” with certain marks on each stat. Kinda like the Lux City new book did, but doesnt have to be as extensive or have its own category.
If you tell me my strength stat is 30, I dont really know sometimes if Im strong enough to do X check, so I end falling in the “play to your higher stats” routine.
However, if I know that “his stregth makes him a able to beat someone in a 1vs1 fight with some ease”, then I have a better idea of what he can or cant do, and I might choose to punch the bully instead of using my very high magic to turn invisible xD
