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So, I'm trying to consider my options for how to handle enemy encounters in my project, and a good first step seems to be defining the different ways a turn-based RPG (specifically, one with a separate battle screen/perspective, so not a true roguelike which are turn-based but have on-map combat) can handle battles.
Option A) Invisible Random Encounters
Ten or so years ago this option was so universally despised I wouldn't even remotely consider it for any project, and I have no reason to think it's any better liked now lol. This is when you wander around the map and once you've taken a certain number of steps you get into a battle based on either the map you're on or the area of the map you're walking in. RPG Maker's default settings for this are notoriously awful throughout many iterations of the program, frustrating players with the possibility of getting into a random encounter literally two steps after your last one. The following steps can be taken to make these kinds of encounters more manageable:
This is the only option where encounters don't need to be "manually" respawned (or not!) somewhere in the event code.
Option
Visible Static Encounters
This is when you have encounters that are visible on the map but don't chase the player or patrol the area. This means that the player gets to choose whether to engage with any enemy, making this a good option for dungeon crawlers and games with a "board-gamey" feel. This makes this a good choice for tough optional bosses even in games that primarily use one of the other options. The events representing a monster can be something abstract like a glowing blob of flame or a skull or can indicate the monster encounter "Contained" in the event.
Option C) Visible Moving Encounters
This is like the above option except encounters are more proactive, patrolling in set patterns and/or chasing after the player if the player approaches within a certain detection range (or in 3 words: "Event Chase Player"). This is a very popular option but more labor intensive than option A. I think this is the new "default" approach taken by most RPG devs but I could be wrong. Again, encounters might have graphics corresponding to the monster or more abstract graphics just indicating it is "A" monster.
Note that this option adds a "twitch" or reflex-based element to gameplay, as the player can (and might really be obliged to, in a tough game) run from away from an encounter event. This is a bit of "Action" type gameplay in an otherwise turn-based game which might be desirable or undesirable for a variety of reasons.
Option D) Scripted Encounters Only
These encounters are by definition not random at all, as each one occurs at a pre-programmed point. Still allows for "mandatory" ("critical path") encounters and optional encounters. The most straight forward way of affecting this involves building your levels/dungeons so that they have chokepoints where the player is forced to step on one or two tiles that trigger the encounter. This doesn't pair especially well with respawning encounters. This option can be a good choice for games where "no grinding" is one of the design goals. This is the option I'm tentatively using for my current project (although I want to allow at least some grinding if the player wants to while not requiring it) although as mentioned I'm considering my options which is what inspired me to make this (incomplete??) list.
My first question is what am I missing? Is there one, or even more than one, method of setting up enemy encounters I've missed here?
Option A) Invisible Random Encounters
Ten or so years ago this option was so universally despised I wouldn't even remotely consider it for any project, and I have no reason to think it's any better liked now lol. This is when you wander around the map and once you've taken a certain number of steps you get into a battle based on either the map you're on or the area of the map you're walking in. RPG Maker's default settings for this are notoriously awful throughout many iterations of the program, frustrating players with the possibility of getting into a random encounter literally two steps after your last one. The following steps can be taken to make these kinds of encounters more manageable:
- Tweak the formula/algorithm so that there is a minimum number of steps between encounters, and make that number reasonably high.
- Include an on-screen indicator of how close the player is to triggering an encounter, such as a "Danger" meter that fills from blue to red as a player walks around.
- Give the player options to manipulate the encounter rate w/ in-game items, equipment, or character abilities.
- Make sure that fleeing battles is a viable option.
This is the only option where encounters don't need to be "manually" respawned (or not!) somewhere in the event code.
Option
This is when you have encounters that are visible on the map but don't chase the player or patrol the area. This means that the player gets to choose whether to engage with any enemy, making this a good option for dungeon crawlers and games with a "board-gamey" feel. This makes this a good choice for tough optional bosses even in games that primarily use one of the other options. The events representing a monster can be something abstract like a glowing blob of flame or a skull or can indicate the monster encounter "Contained" in the event.
Option C) Visible Moving Encounters
This is like the above option except encounters are more proactive, patrolling in set patterns and/or chasing after the player if the player approaches within a certain detection range (or in 3 words: "Event Chase Player"). This is a very popular option but more labor intensive than option A. I think this is the new "default" approach taken by most RPG devs but I could be wrong. Again, encounters might have graphics corresponding to the monster or more abstract graphics just indicating it is "A" monster.
Note that this option adds a "twitch" or reflex-based element to gameplay, as the player can (and might really be obliged to, in a tough game) run from away from an encounter event. This is a bit of "Action" type gameplay in an otherwise turn-based game which might be desirable or undesirable for a variety of reasons.
Option D) Scripted Encounters Only
These encounters are by definition not random at all, as each one occurs at a pre-programmed point. Still allows for "mandatory" ("critical path") encounters and optional encounters. The most straight forward way of affecting this involves building your levels/dungeons so that they have chokepoints where the player is forced to step on one or two tiles that trigger the encounter. This doesn't pair especially well with respawning encounters. This option can be a good choice for games where "no grinding" is one of the design goals. This is the option I'm tentatively using for my current project (although I want to allow at least some grinding if the player wants to while not requiring it) although as mentioned I'm considering my options which is what inspired me to make this (incomplete??) list.
My first question is what am I missing? Is there one, or even more than one, method of setting up enemy encounters I've missed here?