It’s no secret that I’ve been less than happy with the combat systems in my released games. While they are serviceable, a combination of technical and design inexperience, as well as time pressures, meant that I was unable to make them what I wanted them to be. But that’s to be expected, after all, game development is a learning experience.
I’ve said a few times during the development of Memoirs that I was refining the combat in that game to be more fun and open, but that came at the cost of challenge, and in many ways, it was a crude system that lacked mathematical elegance.
Of course, what I want is a combat system that could stand alongside any of its peers, both video games and tabletop RPGs, and still hold its own. A system that provides a crunchy simulation of turn-based combat, one that is simple but still contains depth, and above all is fun to play.
A lofty goal for any game designer. Veteran RPG devs, people who have been working in this field for years, are still striving towards this goal. It’s something that I’ve personally desired for a long time too.
I certainly wasn’t going to achieve it in my first two or three games. But on my fourth, I’ll give it a shot :D.
This isn’t a system designed in a vacuum. I spent months contemplating what RPG enthusiasts really like about turn-based combat, as well as my personal preferences from both tabletop campaigns and the cRPGs I’ve enjoyed. Low numbers vs high numbers, types of damage mitigation, RNG vs determinism, build balance and tactical considerations.
In the end, what I have can neither be described as unique nor startlingly complex, but hopefully as something that is robust and fun.
I am very excited to unveil the Memory Battle System 3.0 with the Early Access launch of Baldr’s Squid Isekai next month, my low-effort parody game that is getting decidedly more high-effort every passing day. The same system will also be present in Vampire Syndicate and That Which Rises, although possibly with changes.
I hope you enjoy it, and as always, I appreciate your feedback.