Charge-up skills

[yerkyerk]

I think a charge-bar for certain masteries (perhaps only melee?) would be interesting. Instead of Mana, you require (let's call it) Rage to cast certain spells of that mastery. Rage can only be accumulated by hitting stuff - and will be depleted after time or when using spells with rage requirements.

In TQ, this could simply be the Onslaught levels. More Onslaught rings means access to more spells - both more powerful and perhaps more potent.
This could inspire a bunch of 'original' skills for a new mastery. e.g.:
Rage skill, which allows you to actually build up Rage - allows for faster building and higher max amount of Rage per level
Mighty hit - which consumes all Rage at once, using your Rage counter as a multiplicator of your melee damage on a single attack
Berserk - an attack which slowly consumes Rage and allows for greater offense at the cost of defense
Ground Slam - just a 'normal' slam attack which stuns nearby enemies, but instead of Mana it depletes Rage
Cyclone - yesyes, it's a Whirlwind rip-off that consumes rage :)

[ASYLUM101]

This is a great idea, and I wonder why more RPGs don't do this. I mean, it doesn't really make much sense for a pure melee fighter to use mana. A pure ranged fighter, it's more likely, but still. When I think mana, I think magic. When I think magic... I don't think shooting arrows or hitting someone with a club.

[medierra]

This is a great idea, and I wonder why more RPGs don't do this. I mean, it doesn't really make much sense for a pure melee fighter to use mana. A pure ranged fighter, it's more likely, but still. When I think mana, I think magic. When I think magic... I don't think shooting arrows or hitting someone with a club.

Well, that's the very reason that I prefer the term "energy" as a skill resource. It's sort of a measure of how far you can exert yourself at any given action either physically or mentally before you're exhausted.

A related concept that I was thinking of introducing are skills that you charge up and then release and depending on how long you charged it, it would have a greater or lesser effect. Also I really like the idea of channeled skills or skills with casting time, mainly for enemies. One thing I enjoyed from WC3 was shutting down channeled enemy hero skills with stuns. I think this would add a fun new tactic to combat in GD. Basically it would allow you, if you acted quickly enough, to shut down some enemies before they were able to finish casting their most deadly spells. Or you might have an enemy casting rain of death, or whatever, and you need to disrupt them before you can close in for attack.

[yerkyerk]

A related concept that I was thinking of introducing are skills that you charge up and then release and depending on how long you charged it, it would have a greater or lesser effect.
I'm not too excited about that idea though, it reminds me much of the D2 assassin's charge up skills. Which were pretty pointless and unused, as at a certain point it was impossible to keep track of what you charged and when to release it for optimal results, which resulted in a failure to get adequate damage results.

[medierra]

I'm not too excited about that idea though, it reminds me much of the D2 assassin's charge up skills. Which were pretty pointless and unused, as at a certain point it was impossible to keep track of what you charged and when to release it for optimal results, which resulted in a failure to get adequate damage results.

I'm thinking more of a skill where it builds up as long as you're holding down the right-mouse button until it either reaches max-charge or you release it. So, it would be pretty different than the D2 assassin skills. Although, I'm not sure how crazy I am about it either. Just an idea bouncing around.

[Iggy]

A related concept that I was thinking of introducing are skills that you charge up and then release and depending on how long you charged it, it would have a greater or lesser effect.

I really like that idea. Playing a lot of different kinds of games i like the mix of different genres. This would feel a little bit like some SoulCalibur in an ARPG (feels really powerful in SC to trick an opponent and release a fully charged unblockable).
It would break a little bit from the "my Attack is 2599, 159% hit" to a more "actiony feel". Charge that skill and try to release it at the proper time to hit the monster, not too much or you'll get interrupted. It makes simple gameplay elements, such as timing and range, matter more.

[Malpheas]

I'm thinking more of a skill where it builds up as long as you're holding down the right-mouse button until it either reaches max-charge or you release it. So, it would be pretty different than the D2 assassin skills. Although, I'm not sure how crazy I am about it either. Just an idea bouncing around.

All I could think of was R-Type or Megaman. Not a bad idea really.

Would movement of the character be independant of this? Could you still move while charging?

[Shattered.likeness]

I am liking both of these ideas, although I would rather not see the rings come back from onslaught personally. Too confusing when there are multiple Onsluaghter's on the the screen at the same time, as it was hard to see the enemies.

@ Medierra:

Using the charge and release skills for enemies would be great, and maybe only with the top tiered skills/spells for the player. Having to "charge" a skill by holding down the button might detract from gameplay a bit, especially if it is holding the RMB while clicking to move with the LMB. However, if this were to be click the RMB once to start the charge, and once more to release it, it might be more viable and less conflicting with character movement.

Just my $.02

[Renevent]

I hated the animation/rings for onslaught. I never used it because of this. So obtrusive and visually unappealing. One of the few (maybe only?) skill in TQ that I thought was poorly done.

[ASYLUM101]

I hated the animation/rings for onslaught. I never used it because of this. So obtrusive and visually unappealing. One of the few (maybe only?) skill in TQ that I thought was poorly done.

It was actually introduced in IT, not TQ. TQ's onslaught animation was different, it was less obtrusive and it was just a few sparklies floating around the char...

[Renevent]

When I say TQ I pretty much always mean TQ+IT :p

[Malpheas]

Yeah, the TQ one was interesting... but people complained that it was too faint. So they went glaring instead.

No winning sometimes... lol

[Mister Skeleton]

A related concept that I was thinking of introducing are skills that you charge up and then release and depending on how long you charged it, it would have a greater or lesser effect..

Ya man absolutely, its the first thing that came to my mind when i read the thread title. Any action game can benefit from this imo. I love it in mega man, dmc, bayonetta, battletoads i believe used it to awesome effect, huge fist slam ftw! its just a satisfying mechanic. A chance to innovate a bit as well, i dont think this has been done to much in arpgs. Of course it needs a mean lookin animation and appropriate enemy reaction, i.e. enemy explodes from charged spell gets pushed back farther from melee. These types of attacks usually have a good balance, leaving your self open for a couple seconds for a stronger attack. Also like that your thinkin of interrupt attacks, it works in wow so why not here as well. I also think another interesting use of a hold button mechanic could be to have your fire spell, and you click it to fire a ranged bolt, hold to do a shorter but more powerful flamethrower burst. Ice bolt, alt fire lay a patch of ice on the ground etc. could be cool as hell. Just somethin more interesting than rapid fire or someshit, such a waste of an extra button, when on most peoples mice isnt very many:D.