Thoughts on card based combat

When they said combat was going to be a card based system, it sounded different to the current RPG standards and interesting. I am dreading the game turning into another WoW style interface full of spell buttons. With cards I immediately pictured it as something like the gypsy virtue cards from Ultima, but instead of virtue options you get 2 random skill cards to pick from out of your active skill deck. I assumed you could setup multiple custom card decks from your available skills and then pick which one to use at any time while out of combat.

The cards might appear slightly translucent and hover in the lower left and right of your character near screen center (a bit like U9 gypsy cards). You pick one of the 2 cards options and then they both fade away and go into a kind of used card pile, then another two random cards would appear. If no card is chosen in a short period of time (Eg. 1 "turn"), they could both fade out and either go back into the deck or go into the used card pile. Putting multiple points into a skill would add more of those cards as desk options to give you more chances to use that skill. When your skill deck is all used, it should be shuffled and dealt again until end of combat.a

When out of combat you should be able to draw any card of choice from your active deck for things like healing, curing or initiating combat with a target. Maybe this is when you could see that lower combat bar?
Also, having something like combat dummy's or trees would be nice for testing out attacks. The animals around town have been getting a beating by the looks of all the corpses.

The keyboard turn left/right shortcut keys could then also work as a way to select which of the 2 cards to use without mouse clicking, allowing you to keep moving during combat if you wish. The number keys are good but during combat anything past number key 5 basically means you have to look at the keyboard. I found myself often watching the combat bar for cool downs and not watching what was actually happening in combat. Only a few glances up at the health bars to see who was still alive. The cards should be dealt out and appear in the combat field of view where you have to make a choice of which action to take. I like real time combat, but this might bring back a kind of quick thinking turn based feel while still being real time.

 

Um, this is because the current deck system isn't in place yet.

 

I'm really looking forward to this Card Combat System because it's different. Obviously, WOW and EQ bred gamers won't like it because it's different but, then again, Shroud of the Avatar is not really a game for them.

Looking forward to Pre-Alpha Release 6 where we can finally give the Card Combat System a real test.

 

I admit at first I really didn't like the idea of the card based system. However now I think if done right it could be a lot more fun then the traditional system most games have right now. So I am looking forward to next release when hopefully we will finally get to see it in action!

 

"Card Combat!" (a big plus+ to the gaming experience!)

I am also very excited to see the card combat in action. I brings back a flavor of all the great board games in it's style, yet has an intricacy that appeals to a more thoughtful game. I also enjoy that such a board game style flavor (though being nothing like a board game) has even been seen in our map's design. Sure, I'll miss the flowing seamless map of UP and some of the other games, yet I also believe that our mapping system will become much better as our games continues to evolve.
I believe that games have come full circle by implementing the "cards" (<---<<<what a thing to be able to say about an online game)

There is still much to be discovered in the use of what will come through the usage of our "decks".
I also believe that by our SotA's new combat system, that all those uninviting macros needed for any quick PvP or PvE encounter may never be needed again. (Sorry Razor, it was good, "but not this Time" )
~Time Lord~

 

Refer to: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/?p=39394