Thoughts on this pseudo-class system.

Going into this project, my primary goal was to make a combat system that was simple in execution - yet deep and complex in mechanics and customization.

Allow me to deliberate. Imagine a combat system if you will that utilizes no elements, rather focusing purely on physical and magical damage and effects that both magnify and mitigate each type. MP has been tossed aside for skill cooldowns, and the only resource characters utilize is SP (TP) to unleash powerful Hyper abilities that come with the added benefit of having no cooldowns at all.

Similar to Xenoblade's Talent Gauge, SP can only be gained through the Attack / Guard commands and/or skills which specifically grant SP as incentive to use them.

Further, my initial design choice was to create a game that centered around personal growth. I decided that integrating this theme with the combat mechanics of the game would enhance characterization and player attachment - if not make for a very interesting RPG experience.

I have attempted to reflect this central theme of personal growth through the use of an off-brand class changing system I have coined the 'Mood' system. Through specific story events and overall game progression, characters experience personal change and discover hidden or suppressed facets of their personality. These changes unlock Moods specific to the character that pitch their stats towards certain cookie-cutter RPG roles and provide them with an entirely new set of skills that they may learn and then permanently interchange with abilities from other Moods through use of Yanfly's Equip Battle Skills plugin.



Every actor has about five or six Moods tailored to their individual personalities and preferred endgame stats. Each Mood highlights a story point or side-event that explores the character's emotional weaknesses - and as the game marches on, the names and overall tones of the Moods gradually improve to reflect the character's newfound strengths and mental stability - with the exception of one particular character whom happens to betray the party near the endgame.

As previously mentioned, each new Mood comes prepared with an entirely new set of abilities the character may learn and then use on any available mood with complete agency. I've been following a semi-strict dynamic to give each Mood approximately five active abilities, one Hyper ability, two stat-boosting passives, and two passives that alter some sort of mechanic or grant the character a nonspecific advantage of some kind.



Keeping in mind that the Moods are character-specific and each Mood contains roughly 11 skills each, my skill window has started to become quite the sizeable list..it's become difficult recently to keep thinking of unique, yet fitting abilities to give to each flavor of personality.

My state database has become quite the sizeable list as well.


I suppose the question I'd like to ask is: am I still keeping in line with my original goal? The pseudo-simplicity I was looking to capture seems to have fallen by the wayside as my database grows ever the larger. Perhaps it is just doubt.
Opinions, advice, etc. are appreciated.

 

First off, TWEWY is a great game.

More on topic though, I think one thing I would do is split the skills with a set of "core" skills to a specific character that don't change with respect to mood, and "mood" skills that alter based on a characters mood. This will keep it from feeling like you are playing a totally different character as they haven't totally changed, just slightly.

If you want to reign in complexity, there are a few things I think could work

1. Reduce the moods from 6 down to 4 or even 3.
   This works I guess, but I like having multiple moods
2. Reduce the skills per mood down to maybe 4-6. Then allow the player to learn and unlock stronger variants of the skill much like I assume you are doing for Paranoia I and II, only for all skills.

Other things you may want to consider are as follows.
Moods are generally in a state of flux so maybe have skills change moods, or even have them change on conditions (i.e. have a character become untrusting, if they remain in critical damage for 2 turns without receiving healing)

Otherwise, rename them beliefs or something, because those are things that don't change as often.

This looks like an interesting system though, and I look forward to seeing it in action.

 

'Game Mechanics Design' is not for feedback on a specific, individual game, and I do not see how this can be broadened out into a more general discussion.

From what I can see, you have enough material to start a thread in 'Ideas and Prototypes' which is where this discussion belongs.

As you need to format your opening post to meet the criteria for posting there, (you can read what they are here) I am unable to move this thread.

I am, therefore, closing it.