Saturday, September 24, 2011

RPG Turn based combat in the Red Ash World Engine

Testing continues on the combat rules and I have a lot of tweeks to upload once I am further along. One area I have noticed that will certainly change is the PAP/MAP (Physical Action Points/Mental Action Points) cost during combat. With the current rules, 1st level combants will gain a fatigue counter by the 3rd round of combat and a 2nd by the 4th or 5h round with only 2 characters fighting.  
This is quicker than I expected from my initial design and I realised a new issue that will be presented to higher level characters. It is based on the manor in which PAP and MAP are figure, the physical and mental ability scores. While they increase based on the level advancement of the character, they do not keep up with the number of attacks one would get from weapon speed that is increased. Put in a more basic phrase, the characters are eating the PAP and MAP faster than desired.

So my solution to counter this issue is to add a new feature of root skills and that is a bonus to PAP and MAP. For every skill point you spend in a root skill or any of its child skills your character will gain a +2 in eaither PAP or MAP, or you will gain a +1 in both PAP and MAP.

 I will also still be using the x3 skill points for 1st level characters. This will greatly aid the soldier in being able to use a weapon and shield. It will also help in giving a 24 point bonus to PAP at 1st level.

This rule also means high skill point classes, like the Arcanist, will have a lot of skill points and thus a lot of PAP and/or MAP. To counter this I will be increase MAP cost of spells.

In the long run I think you will find the PAP and MAP will scale much better as the character levels as you will see and increase in ability scores and skills your characters have trained in.

On a side note, I was asked in a PM why armor was not a skill, when shields are? The short answer is armor is worn, not used. It would be like having a skill in pants.... ;)

All the Best!
Chris J

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Work Continues....

...on the Red Ash World Engine Combat System. I will soon start melee testing with two clones, or cloned characters. Same species, Class, Level and equipment. I will later add combat at different class levels, species and equipment.

I have discovered one issue right off and will implement a change in the near future. I found that the starting skill points is not enough to be very effective at making a soldier and I suspect the other classes as well. So I will look at starting the 1st level at 3 times the current list value.

For the soldier this is a 12 point start and is enough to pay for a weapon skill and shield, but nothing else. While weapons training is important an adventurer will need more than this and so I may need to up the skill points for classes, more on that to come later.

The combat rules are definitely changing and will offer players a long overdue change to the typical RPG combat rules which are as exciting as a game of Whac-A-Mole!

All the Best,
Chris J.

New Art from Daniel Richards

Daniel has done added more art to the Red Ash World Engine! Check out his work on the Gargoyle, the Bodkin, Arrow, the Francisca, the Great Axe and the Kusarigama. You can also see them all in the artist gallery under Daniel Richards. You can also see more of his work at his gallery and contact him via http://www.danielrichardsart.blogspot.com/

Sunday, September 11, 2011

New Artist: Daniel Richards has been kind enough to provide art for Red Ash.

Daniel Richards,

Has been kind enough to provide some art for the Red Ash World Engine. You can see his work on; The Orc, The Lacerian, The Mace and The Morning Star or see them all in the Red Ash Gallery. Also stop in and check out his other work in his gallery at http://www.danielrichardsart.blogspot.com/

Thanks a lot Daniel!

All the Best!
Chris J

Equipment Updated

Hello all,

I have uploaded a big update to the equipment, changing a lot of the attributes of weapons, armor and shields. I also fixed a few logic issues.

I also fixed an issue with the melee and ranged child skills having too low of a level requirement for each +1 you got for the weapon speed bonus. Now you can ear a maximum bonus of +11 Speed Bonus.

Other aspects of these skills will be looked as I begin building some basic characters and perform combat testing. I will be posting to the blog what my findings are to see just how well the rules hold up to two opponents trying to kill one another.


Until then...All the Best!
Chris J.