Post by Kunal on May 10, 2014 21:31:37 GMT -5
For today’s update we thought we’d talk a bit about Pixel Noir’s battle system and explain how it works, feels, and plays. Having a robust battle system is absolutely critical for classic RPG’s, so it should come as no surprise that we spent a fair amount of time designing and tweaking our battle system.
Fast-paced, yet strategic
Pixel Noir’s battle system goes at the speed that you prefer. It uses an Active Time Bar (ATB) to determine order of attack.
The ATB clock temporarily freezes while the player is choosing an action for a character. This means that if you’re a strategic thinker, you can take time to plan out your attack.
Timed Hits & Other Mechanics
We don’t ever want players to feel like they are mindlessly clicking their way through fights. We want you excited, engaged, and invested in every shot fired.
That’s why we made the decision to have battle in Pixel Noir revolve around player interaction. Basic attacks and defense include a timed hit and a timed block where you tap the screen at the right time to do extra damage to an enemy or to block some/all of the damage done to your character.
Special moves and skills require even more elaborate gestures or button combinations! For example, the Rapid Fire special requires you to tap as quickly as possible to do the maximum amount of damage.
This way you feel like you are not just tapping a menu and watching the action play out; you are directly interacting with what’s happening.
Combo attack is another fun element that we will be building into the game. Similar to dual and triple techs from Chrono Trigger, combo attacks consist of one character setting up an attack for one or more other party members to join in on. Never dive into a brawl without buddies who have your back!
Pixel Noir will also be able to use the Investigation mode to find and use environmental items and hazards to your advantage. If you see a pile of boxes, knock them over to damage your enemies! Find a can of cola on the ground? Grab it to either regain health or chuck it at the closest baddy!
Finally, we have a super-cool escape mechanic, which we are currently in the middle of prototyping. While you can escape from a battle in Pixel Noir, running away from a fistfight in real life is never easy. That’s why we’re implementing a timed escape mechanic, similar to a Shadow Hearts-style Judgment Ring. More to come on this subject later once we've built it out!
Optimizing the User Interface
Our battle graphical user interface (GUI) has evolved quite a bit! We started off with a simple GUI that pulls from classic JRPG.
We quickly discovered that it wasn’t dynamic enough for touch devices. Additionally, the layout and feel of the actions menu was clunky.
In our pre-alpha prototype, we decided to make the buttons target-centric to simplify the user experience.
In the above screenshot, you click on either the enemy or the Detective to select from various action commands. This was a marked upgrade, but still did not capture the finesse we were looking to have. Also, this version of the battle GUI did not play as well on the PC.
In our latest incarnation of the battle GUI, we decided to combine the two approaches into a more streamlined and polished design featuring character portraits.
This design helps us bridge the gap between Console, PC, and Smart Device. While you can use buttons to navigate the battle menus, it is also optimized for touch. This design will continue to be tested and optimized through iterative development. We're excited to see where this goes next!
Fast-paced, yet strategic
Pixel Noir’s battle system goes at the speed that you prefer. It uses an Active Time Bar (ATB) to determine order of attack.
The ATB clock temporarily freezes while the player is choosing an action for a character. This means that if you’re a strategic thinker, you can take time to plan out your attack.
Timed Hits & Other Mechanics
We don’t ever want players to feel like they are mindlessly clicking their way through fights. We want you excited, engaged, and invested in every shot fired.
That’s why we made the decision to have battle in Pixel Noir revolve around player interaction. Basic attacks and defense include a timed hit and a timed block where you tap the screen at the right time to do extra damage to an enemy or to block some/all of the damage done to your character.
Special moves and skills require even more elaborate gestures or button combinations! For example, the Rapid Fire special requires you to tap as quickly as possible to do the maximum amount of damage.
This way you feel like you are not just tapping a menu and watching the action play out; you are directly interacting with what’s happening.
Combo attack is another fun element that we will be building into the game. Similar to dual and triple techs from Chrono Trigger, combo attacks consist of one character setting up an attack for one or more other party members to join in on. Never dive into a brawl without buddies who have your back!
Pixel Noir will also be able to use the Investigation mode to find and use environmental items and hazards to your advantage. If you see a pile of boxes, knock them over to damage your enemies! Find a can of cola on the ground? Grab it to either regain health or chuck it at the closest baddy!
Finally, we have a super-cool escape mechanic, which we are currently in the middle of prototyping. While you can escape from a battle in Pixel Noir, running away from a fistfight in real life is never easy. That’s why we’re implementing a timed escape mechanic, similar to a Shadow Hearts-style Judgment Ring. More to come on this subject later once we've built it out!
Optimizing the User Interface
Our battle graphical user interface (GUI) has evolved quite a bit! We started off with a simple GUI that pulls from classic JRPG.
We quickly discovered that it wasn’t dynamic enough for touch devices. Additionally, the layout and feel of the actions menu was clunky.
In our pre-alpha prototype, we decided to make the buttons target-centric to simplify the user experience.
In the above screenshot, you click on either the enemy or the Detective to select from various action commands. This was a marked upgrade, but still did not capture the finesse we were looking to have. Also, this version of the battle GUI did not play as well on the PC.
In our latest incarnation of the battle GUI, we decided to combine the two approaches into a more streamlined and polished design featuring character portraits.
This design helps us bridge the gap between Console, PC, and Smart Device. While you can use buttons to navigate the battle menus, it is also optimized for touch. This design will continue to be tested and optimized through iterative development. We're excited to see where this goes next!