Since I'm having a hard time getting comments on my ideas and system, I've decided to rethink the whole thing. I've been pondering about this times and times again for the last few weeks. Trying to overcome this creative roadblock.
I've finally found something I'm satisfied with. I'm very involved and obsessed with coming up with something I would like to play.
The bar system was cumbersome. Having one for the player and for the enemy was even more cumbersome. So here's what I came up with:
1. First of all, I've gotten rid of the bars and replaced it... with a circle with various sections. It's much more appealing and easier to understand at a glance.
2. Second of all... BOTH the player and the enemy solve their actions... at the same time! The idea here is to replicate how a fight actually takes place. I like boxing and anyone who's been in a fight now that a fight isn't an exchange of clean hits. It's an
exchange of blows. Here's how:
3. The player interacts with the spinning needle. The needle ends up determining the outcome of the turn. I haven't worked out all of the possible outcomes but here's some ideas:
a:
critical hit: major damage to enemy, no damage to player (the hero dodges the incoming attack and manages to land a blow on his own. Rare and hard to pull off. A small arc of the circle.
b:
critical miss: the opposite. the player misses but gets major damage from the enemy. Small arc as well.
c:
scuffle: both parties receive minimal damage. A lot more common.
d:
kerfuffle (for lack of a better word!): both player and the enemy miss.
4.
Minimal and
major damage: this is a set number based on the attack being used. This is still in development. I might add in another level of damage if things get too hectic.
5.
Energy: You might wonder what the point of having an option in combat where both parties miss: here's the answer: energy/stamina.
At a glance, the combat might seem overly simplified (it is simple!). The complexity comes from energy and attrition. Getting into many fights erodes the players health and stamina. I didn't want fights in which the player would often end up being unscathed (which very seldom happen in real fights). Getting in fights is a decision the player needs to seriously ponder.
This isn't a game where the player can deal with trash mobs. Fighting means getting hurt and having to use limited resources to recover from both health and energy. I believe this a necessary foundation of a survival horror. Bullets should be scarce and close combat fighting shouldn't be a way to bypass limited ammunition. It should come at a price which needs to be mitigated by the player.
Being out of energy would mean probably even less than minimum damage. This means having the player even more vulnerable to a lasting fight.
6.
Setting: I've also gotten rid of screen transition. Fight would therefore take place right on the game's "map".
You've noticed the character design at the beginning of the message. Here's how I picture the thing to take place in-game:
The idea is to figure out where the dial would end up being. I'm thinking on top of the player or basically anywhere where there are no foes or the player. I'm not sure about that yet.
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So there you have it. I'm looking for
feedback about both the art and the design. Innovative ideas which add to what I've already explained would be awesome.
EDIT:
I think this should give a better idea (although still very much so WIP). The hourglass sets a time limit for the player to make his/her selection in order to prevent pattern abuse.
EDIT 2: What I have in mind (UI included):
Whenever a player is facing an interactive element of the game, the speech bubble pops up:
Another possibility is to conceal menus until they're necessary:
The "general" tab.
This represents the status of the player. I want mental health to be a focus of the game so the mood should always appear. Other ailments would also appear here.