Engaging Combat
I like complexity and depth in RPG combat systems. Usually, this comes across in having lots of things to do and multiple strategic options for a single battle. If the game can be mastered by rolling my face over the keyboard, then I’m really not interested in playing.
Some games seem to believe that combat is a simple equation - the more you click, the more engaging and fun the system. That’s not even remotely close to being true. You can make me hit a button every second, but if I never have to think about that button then I’m going to be so “engaged” that I’ll probably be watching a movie.
It’s a question of the number of button clicks versus the number of things you have to manage. In other words, high motor activity versus high brain activity. In Guild Wars, there were often times when it’d appear that I’m doing almost nothing if you just looked at what skills I activated, but I was highly engaged. Even though there were only 8 skills and many builds didn’t use them frequently, the GvG was quite engaging due to how much stuff I had to monitor and the impact of each skill. Relative positions, movement, opportune targets, vulnerable allies, interruptible casters, overall tactical situation… there’s a lot to manage.
Having buttons to hit is important and the individual actions should have an easily observed impact in the game, but it doesn’t make the combat interesting on its own. Requiring too many button clicks often leads to a button-mashing mess. Conversely, too few buttons is extraordinarily dull (bash/kick/taunt, Mr. EQ Warrior). What matters is why I’m hitting a button, whether the buttons I hit will ever change and whether they open up new options.
Chess offers a limited set of moves that are possible. The abilities of the individual pieces don’t change, but your options are determined by the spacial relationships between your pieces and your enemies. This happens organically, and it makes for a deeply strategic game. Chess is full of valuable lessons for combat systems, even if you don’t want your combat to be anything like chess.