Valiance: Class & Skill Customisation Options

[Rob_Riv]

With Valiance, I decided to favour picking specific character classes, and having attributes be assigned automatically, and not by the player. Some might feel that this is too little customisation. There are around three different options of what I can do to increase customisation, so I would like some feedback on what your thoughts are really.

- For a long while I planned just to have each of the six characters take on a class, but have, maybe, two sets of different, but related skills. Skills were learnt from a variety of sources (npc acting as masters, monsters, levelling up, chance, finding items), and it would be possible for characters to learn all their skills, although skills that act as commands would be equipped and limited to what you could equip at one time (like magic stones in FFIX).

- Then, came the idea of allowing each character to have a class with different sets of related skills, but you would specialise in one set, and so couldn't learn all the skills necessary.

- Then, last night I thought of a limited job system. Each character has three distinct but related jobs that function with JP, like other systems. This might be extra work, but it balances customisation and having a class that is related to who the character is. Presumably, a character can switch class in battle, but they might lose a turn or two. Hopefully, there's a new element of strategy with regards to which skill set you take into battle. An example would be Oriana being able to switch between an alchemist, a gadgeteer, and a (enter class here).

This post has been edited by Rob_Riv: May 24 2012, 10:01 AM

[Lato]

With Valiance, I decided to favour picking specific character classes, and having attributes be assigned automatically, and not by the player. Some might feel that this is too little customisation. There are around three different options of what I can do to increase customisation, so I would like some feedback on what your thoughts are really.

- For a long while I planned just to have each of the six characters take on a class, but have, maybe, two sets of different, but related skills. Skills were learnt from a variety of sources (npc acting as masters, monsters, levelling up, chance, finding items), and it would be possible for characters to learn all their skills, although skills that act as commands would be equipped and limited to what you could equip at one time (like magic stones in FFIX).

- Then, came the idea of allowing each character to have a class with different sets of related skills, but you would specialise in one set, and so couldn't learn all the skills necessary.

- Then, last night I thought of a limited job system. Each character has three distinct but related jobs that function with JP, like other systems. This might be extra work, but it balances customisation and having a class that is related to who the character is. Presumably, a character can switch class in battle, but they might lose a turn or two. Hopefully, there's a new element of strategy with regards to which skill set you take into battle. An example would be Oriana being able to switch between an alchemist, a gadgeteer, and a (enter class here).

Skills that act as commands that have to be equipped at one at a time? Didnt they fix this with the blue magic script like in FF6? you get his with a spell and have a chance to learn it?

Im a huge fan of customization but disturbing skill points yourself is just ehhh a bit overdone and overrated to me, I like you idea of mixing it up much better.

[Rob_Riv]

Skills that act as commands that have to be equipped at one at a time? Didnt they fix this with the blue magic script like in FF6? you get his with a spell and have a chance to learn it? .

You seem to be asking two separate things. Originally, I thought characters would have multiple skills that functioned as commands, and you would equip them, they would probably have been limited to 2. However, I can probably just use those as regular skills now. As for Blue Magic, the individual skills learnt would just function as regular spells do.

[rewells]

So your idea is to have skills based on what a character has equipped? I like that idea. I designed a system like that for a game with only one party member, you can see it here: Sacrifie System

For a game with multiple playable characters I think they should each have access to different classes and skillsets based on their class, and they should def be able to change classes in battle!

I also dislike having to distribute stat points. I think it's too tedious and characters should just grow and learn skills based on levels, but that's just me.

[Rob_Riv]

So your idea is to have skills based on what a character has equipped? I like that idea. I designed a system like that for a game with only one party member, you can see it here: Sacrifie System

For a game with multiple playable characters I think they should each have access to different classes and skillsets based on their class, and they should def be able to change classes in battle!

I also dislike having to distribute stat points. I think it's too tedious and characters should just grow and learn skills based on levels, but that's just me.

Originally, I thought characters would have multiple skills that would be equipable, in order to make players decide how to build their character.

However, the current idea I'm really excited about is the, what I'm calling, the "exclusive job" system. The six playable characters would have three classes each, meaning 18 different classes, all offering distinct skill that can vary the characters' roles in battle.

I haven't yet thought of all the classes I need to, but I've got a good idea for many of them.

This post has been edited by Rob_Riv: May 23 2012, 09:49 AM