Konaku Poll #6 - Misthalin Memories

[Konaku-Rasenore]

Right. Basically I thought about it, and realised that techniques that you pull of in combat generally depend on weapons. I mean I can't imagine someone pulling of a combo they learned with a sword on a battleaxe, ya know? So a thought came, why not learn skills specifically for certain weapons?

Like using an Uchigatana, a type of Japanese Sword which due to it's shape, can attack and be unsheathed in the exact same motion, will open up the Battokiri Techniques (Battokiri is the name for lightning fast strikes when unsheathing). However, how the hell will the character figure out how to use the specialties of the weapon?

Well I thought of making 9 Weapon Classes, each with their own subclass, to specifiy techniques more. The 9 Weapon Classes are: Sword, Dagger, Broadsword, Axe, Polearm, Ranged, Stave, Knuckle, and Other. Each of these have a subclass, like Sword has Longsword, Katana, Scimitar, Uchigatana and a possible few others (I haven't gotten that far yet.) So using those idea's, I came up with the following concepts.

Besides that, I like that this is an original system for customization of your character, instead of mimic'ing other games.



Weapon Technique Concept:
Characters learn techniques for specific types of weapons. For example, by using a "Sword" often, the character will learn more Techniques for that particular Class. Whenever the Character has a Sword equipped, they will be able to use those Techniques.



Weapon SubClass Technique Concept:
In each Weapon Class, is a few SubClasses. Each SubClass of weapon boasts a specialty, such as the Scimitar boasts it's speed in slashing opponents. So why not have abilities that take advantage of the SubClass' specialty? Those would be SubClass Techniques. The earlier Uchigatana example, with the Battokiri Technique, could be one of those SubClass Techniques.



School Concept:
Instead of a Class you're stuck with, or unable to change in battle, I thought training at a "School" will allow you to unlock a set of techniques and learn from them. You learn Weapon Techniques from a "Master" at a "School" and you can impliment those in battle. There will be techniques exclusive to schools, but once you unlock a new Command (eg."Battokiri") you can use the techniques to do with that command.

Once unlocked, you may also learn techniques based on that school, through experience in levelling up and such.



Individual Schools:
Each character will start with their own school that no other character can get, this being from either their own style of command or simply from what they were taught prior to the story.



Spells
Magic has to first be taught by a "Mage School." After learning about that type of magic, spells will be learned from levelling up or from the "Mage School."

Eg. Learning about Pure Magic from a "Mage School" will result in the ability to use the Pure Magic command. From there own the character can experiement with battle (basically levelling up and gaining experience in battle) and develope spells themselves, however some spells can only be taught by the master from the school.




Summary:
It sounds rather complex so let's dumb it down a bit, now that you know the theory.
You can use the skills from the schools, so long as it meets the requirement. (That relates to Weapon Techniques and SubWeapon Techniques. They only work when that particular Class or SubClass is equipped). If you've still not got it, here's the best example.

For the sake of an example, let's think of School = Class or Job.
Now, they've chosen the Pure Mage School. That's like White Mage Job in Final Fantasy:. With them currently focusing on that, they learn Pure Magic through battle.
The character has recently mastered Battokiri Techniques, and has also obtained the Souen Form (they haven't got all it's abilities right.) Souen Form is a type of style for using Swords. Since you can equip a weapon, let's have the Pure Mage equip a Sword then. Now they can use Souen Form Techniques and Pure Magic. The mage doesn't even need a class change, since they've already learned it.

Hang on, didn't they master Battokiri Techniques? Wanna use that too? Well Battokiri Techniques are SubWeapon Class Techniques. That means they only work with a SubWeapon Class. But won't that disrupt the Souen Form? Nah-ah. Battokiri Techniques ONLY work with Uchigatana Weapons, which is a SubClass of Swords. That means since it's BOTH Sword AND Uchigatana, you can use both Souen Form and Battokiri Techniques.

Basically, with this system with every feature in, you can completely customize your character. Completely. The only thing you can't affect is their stats (to force thinking and planning into what to give them first etc.) which can be controlled with the ability to equip any piece of equipment you want, which can totally turn their stats around.



Rules:
- There is only 1 School for each SubClass Weapon.
- There are about 3 - 5 School's for each Weapon.
- There are several Mage School's.
- You can only use Techniques and Spells when the requirements are met.
- You can use as many Schools' Techniques in Battle, so long as you meet the requirements.
- You can only learn one School at a time, but can swap between them.

[Konaku-Rasenore]

I've edited a massive bit, lawl. Mind reading it again? XD

[Konaku-Dralel]

The school is awesome, I've always wanted a game where you learn specifics from schools and unlock special abilities.

[Konaku-Rasenore]

I made a realistic system which builds up on the world more, while allowing more customization than the class system, and still use more classes than one.

It also looks more complicated in theory, but doing it is hardly complex at all.

[Quaser]

I like the weapon technique idea. As well as the spell concept, new and creative.

Yeah.

[Konaku-Lost King]

Very nifty, I like the learning through use of individual weapon subclasses, sort of like learning skills through use of items in Final Fantasy: IX. Another thing would be learning combo techniques for dual wielding perhaps? Say a character is wielding a hand axe and a dagger, they could learn some weird crazy skills that would only be learnable through combat with the weapons whereas the others could be taught in the schools.

As for the schools, let's try to stay away from the way Oblivion does it. "I'll teach you in the ways of sword mastery. You've now learned how to use this skill." And instead have them actually have to master the button combination before they can use it in combat. Hopefully that was your initial plan. But all in all, I like it.

[Konaku-Rasenore]

My plan was to have some interaction to learn, I jus thaven't thought it up yet.

Button Pressing was one of my thoughts, but I wanna do better than that if I can. Mind you, there are limits to 2D...

And yeah, I wasn't wanna do: LAWL YOU JUS TLEARNED IT! HAVEANICEDAY!