[Scrim]

I've had an idea for a while to do a Sci Fi RPG. It's still very much in the planning stages, but I was hoping some of you could give me some input on a question I have about the combat system as I can't decide how to proceed.

The main part of the game will be the player's party (a squad of 4, probably) landing on and exploring various planets. Combat, when it occurs, will be turn-based and take place on a 2D grid, with each character moving around independently. I'm hoping the result will be fairly tactical firefights between the party and various groups of badguys.

The player will also have a ship to fly between planets and explore the galaxy. I want most of the game to focus on the "ground-based" exploration and action but I would like to have space battles as well. Combat would be the player's ship and various character-piloted fighters against different enemy ships and fleets.

Now, my question: I could either have the space combat follow the same kind of mechanics (2d grid, turn based, same interface, etc) as the ground combat, which has the advantage of code re-use and keeping the "feel" of the game unified. Or, I could create a different combat system for the space battles (possibly quite different: maybe real-time, or hex based, or something else). In that case I could tailor the space combat system to better suit the subject matter (it would feel less like "a firefight in space"), at the risk of making things inconsistent and maybe even confusing for the player.

What would be your preference? One overall combat system that works at both levels, or distinct systems for each type of combat?

[ManaTroph]

I think that as long as multiple combat systems are warranted it should be fine. And here i think that is the case. I've seen it pulled off pretty well when it wasn't really needed in a few games. I believe that having multiple combat systems in games like this should be verry entetaining, and an extra demension of gameplay depth. The player should look forward to getting the odd chance to try out the alternate forms of combat. So aside from the main combat (character based here i assume) alternate combat formats (like ship to ship combat) should be as different and unique as posible (not just to the game itself) and as such should be used sparingly. You want the player to want more each time you use your secondary combat, and it should make the player wonder whats coming the next time. Going with this idea it should be somewhat new and different each time (eg. different combinations of ships, weapons, and other gameplay elements which change with conditions like environmental factors.) This is an oportunity for you to really make your game stand out. So if you're up for the creative challenge then i believe this is good advice.

Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

[Rainer Deyke]

I like the idea of using the same system for both ground and space combat. I think it's very elegant to apply to same system to vastly different scales, almost like a fractal. When you have two combat systems, there's always the danger that they won't balance properly or that one won't be as enjoyable as the other.

[Terry]

I definitely think using the same (or a very similar) system for both is the way to go. Though just because it controls and works the same way doesn't mean that you can't play with the rules a bit :)

By the way, this sounds like a very promising project! Good luck with it.
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[Verious]

I think using the same general system for both is the way to go because it will create continuity between the combat on the ground and in space. This will also lessen the learning curve for new players because they will not have to learn two completely different combat systems and the intricacies of each.

Additionally, if the systems were different, the player might really enjoy one combat system and hate the other especially if turn-based was mixed real-time in the same game since they appeal to completely different audiences.

[Scrim]

Thanks for the input guys. Aside from ManaTroph's good points, it seems like the consensus is it's better to keep a unified system in both cases. I think that's what I'll ultimately do (with some tweaks at each case, naturally).

[DeveloperX]

I think that space combat should feel more like an arcade game..something similar to a free-roaming shooter like Sinistar but maybe thats just me...

Goodluck with your game, I want to play it when you're done with it. :D
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[RedSlash]

I think separating space combat like an action game and ground combat as a turn-based strategy game would make the game seem a bit like two different games. I think if you kept both space and ground as turn based strategy and somehow integrated the action part into it (like it goes real-time when you select attack or something), then you can get the most of variety of game play style as well as overall consistency. Experiment with some options and I'm sure you'll find something that work. :)

[cowgod]

I think having two different systems is fine, so long as they aren't drastically different.

Having a turn-based RPG-ish system for one and an arcade style shooter for the other would cause some people not to like the game.

Combining RPG and strategy would work a bit better because there's more overlap between those two markets.