Ideas/Feedback for combat system

[Lake]

Thanks for checking out this post!

I'm developing a new combat system for my hero survival map Gladiator, and would love some feedback on as well as ideas or suggestions! You can test it yourself (download below) or my demo video of it below!

System Explanation
The system makes use of 3 concepts:

1. No Auto Attacking: The hero has no auto-attack, instead you use your Q and W abilities which replaces that.
2. Hover Abilities: All abilities (including the "new auto attack") are automically cast at the position of your mouse, rather than you have to select the target unit/position. This also allows for abilities to miss.
3. Combat Moves: When using your regular attacks (Q/W), you gain a combo point. Certain combinations will unlock an ability, which you can use once (type -combomoves in game to see the moves).

Your help
I especially want to know if it feels right to play with this sort of system, even in fast paced combat and if it's too complicated or too boring.
All other ideas are, of course, also welcome - like other uses for the system, interesting mechanics that would synergise with the system well, etc.

- Thanks in advance!


Video
Go to 2:27 if you just want to see the system in action.

Credits
I was inspired to do something with the combat system by feedback from Leods and Apsyll on my map dev post. Was finally pushed over the edge, by seeing the spellstring system in The_Spellweaver's "Crazy Summoners" map.

 

[cleavinghammer]

It sounds like it might get complicated, even with only two attacks. If the mouse is used for aiming, how do you move?

Maybe something like an auto-aim buff: while the buff is active, the spell always hits an enemy/always hits the targeted enemy.

 

[Lake]

It sounds like it might get complicated, even with only two attacks. If the mouse is used for aiming, how do you move?

Maybe something like an auto-aim buff: while the buff is active, the spell always hits an enemy/always hits the targeted enemy.

I was a bit nervous about that as well, when designing it :s but didn't feel like it was a problem when I had something working (the demo). One could argue that if you're moving, you're not attacking and vice versa. Im probably super biased, though, heh, hence I would love for someone to test it

Ah, so you would attack the same way, though instead it would keep on attacking until you do something else?

And thanks for the response! I'm really in doubt, if the system is any good, so any feedback is appreciated.

 

[cleavinghammer]

Not really, as in while it's active, the spell goes for an enemy rather than the mouse location, the player still triggers the spell himself.

 

[Lake]

Not really, as in while it's active, the spell goes for an enemy rather than the mouse location, the player still triggers the spell himself.

Ah, okay, I think I understand now. Would this be something the player freely can toggle on/off, or more like a cooldown spel?

 

[doom_sheep]

something this type of map could use is a defensive ability and enemies with special attacks that force you to use it. you could combine it with what you have for some kind of a grappling system.

 

[Lake]

something this type of map could use is a defensive ability and enemies with special attacks that force you to use it. you could combine it with what you have for some kind of a grappling system.

Yeah, that's a good point - feels very offensive atm It's a bit tricky though, to decide if it's a problem to add certain combopoint types to a certain regular moves (like basic defensive move). It's how it is now, but the problem is that you're not urged to use a basic move (Q/W) because of the effect of the move (aoe vs singletarget), but rather because of the combopoint that it leads to. But on the other hand, I suppose it could also have the effect that you have to consider if you really wanna defend yourself now (with a move like you suggest), because you're building a specific combomove - so timing becomes even more important.

 

[doom_sheep]

it could also be alternate way to spend combo points. uncharged it would just block special attacks for a short time but if you have points and are pointing at a nearby enemy during their attack frontswing you get a grappling move.

some ideas for what these could do
- throw the enemy
- jump over the enemy
- throw the user off of the enemy
- glue the enemy in front of you for a short time so you can use it to block attacks
- stun the enemy and make them more vulnerable to damage
- disarm
- maybe add a special combo point that could be used for further moves

 

[Lake]

it could also be alternate way to spend combo points. uncharged it would just block special attacks for a short time but if you have points and are pointing at a nearby enemy during their attack frontswing you get a grappling move.

That's definitely not a bad idea! An intestering way to implement the defensive side a bit more! Hehe, and some interesting ideas to use it. I'm trying to keep away from things that moves units, as I feel like those take up a lot of time to make, and can easily bug out (even the simple jump I made is a bit buggy). But the idea, of having a defensive move which works a bit different than the other 2 regular moves could be pretty cool.

A thing that I didn't mention in my post, is that this system will be used for a series of Heroes (spellcaster, archer, spear thrower, warrior/footman etc). So in the end there will be a lot of opportunity to implement a lot of interesting moves

 

[cleavinghammer]

If toggled, it would need a tradeoff like draining mana, longer cooldowns or lower damage.

I envisioned it more as a buff, where the player can fire his spells without worrying about aiming for a short time.

 

[Lake]

If toggled, it would need a tradeoff like draining mana, longer cooldowns or lower damage.

I envisioned it more as a buff, where the player can fire his spells without worrying about aiming for a short time.

That's a pretty cool idea. If not a generic mechanic, it could also become a really cool Hero specific ability