Lore/Story Wynncraft: To An End - Hunted mode rework - Part 3 - MECHANICS!

To An End: Mechanics Update

Hello everyone! This is the third installment in Wynncraft: To An End, a series within Hunted mode where I rework the quests and the combat system mechanics. A large part of those updated combat systems will be in this post!

I was going to include a quest with this, but there is already a ton of information here and it needs to all be absorbed, so enjoy just the mechanics!

This post does look like a massive block of text, but there are subtle nuances throughout and hopefully engaging interactions so try and stay engaged please. :) More to say on this at the end.

-I highly recommend you read post #1 and #2, at least the mechanics section, before reading this.
-They will greatly help you understand how things are working in this dark version of Wynncraft.
Links here: Wynncraft: To An End - Hunted mode rework - Part 1
Wynncraft: To An End - Hunted mode rework - Part 2

PRESENTING: WYNNCRAFT: TO AN END - Combat Mechanics

Spoiler: What is To An End? (endgame spoiler)

The To An End quests will trigger upon activating Hunted mode when creating a new character. They give the player a chance to see what the entire game would be like if they fought for the dark side, but they can still fight the darkness as they do.

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Combat Mechanics

(Please note, this is what I've been thinking about how to make this function, but there are definitely still some things I'm working on. This is only the first iteration, and later posts will expand upon and modify it depending. That being said, I would love feedback and suggestions on what the new encounters and battles feel like to you. If they feel too strong or unbalanced, please let me know).


HOW PVP AND HUNTED ENCOUNTERS WORK:
Throughout all of To An End, the player will be making choices of which side to fight on, the Light or the Dark. This will be chosen at the very beginning, in the Recruit quest, but then other specific quests will have that occur. As of right now, I'm planning on making most of the dungeon correlated quests have a dedicated choice within them. Some of the quests it will be better to reside in the light, but at times darkness is stronger…

This mechanic marks the player on either the side of LIGHT or the side of DARKNESS, based off of their most recent choice.

Now, envision this encounter: A level 43 Warrior on the side of darkness spots a level 36 Mage running around Almuj and wants to attack. They go up and attack the Mage. But this does not work like the old Hunted battles, where one can ambush a player 9 levels below them and take their life away in one blow. Instead, upon the initiation of combat, a chat message will be broadcasted to all Hunted players online:

The side of (Light/Darkness) has attacked the side of (Light/Darkness).
You are currently on the side of LIGHT/DARKNESS
Will you join the battle? Y or N

The message and accompanying decision will appear. And then each player will have to choose if they want to fight. If they do not want to, then they select no, and just go about their day. However, if one says yes, then they are added into the battle and the timer, whatever it is currently at, will show up on their screen, counting down. The timer will most likely be 2 minutes long, I'll explain why later.

When the timer reaches null, the attacker, the person being attacked, and anyone else who wished to join the fight will be teleported onto a new server, in the battle arena. The battle arena is a large open space of dueling grounds, hopefully crafted masterfully, divided into chutes. Each chute is about 50-75 blocks wide and long, and the chutes are split by barrier blocks. There will be roughly 15 combat chutes per world, as that, when filled up, will hit the soft cap of 30 players.

-All duels will commence at the same time, roughly 15 seconds after everyone arrives in the arena.-

-In the center chute, the original challenger and challenged will duel.
-In each subsequent chute, everyone who popped in for the war will duel with a player from the opposing side. They will be matched up based on level, as close as possible. If there is not a perfect match, players will be scanned for 5 levels apart, matches might be made, and then 10 levels apart.
-If a player just straight has nobody compatible, then they can either leave the arena or just spectate all of the conflicts that do happen.
-If there is no match for a player within ten levels available (the compatible opponent already having been matched up) and/or there is an odd number of players, then it will turn into a mini bracket.
-The first two matched will fight, then if the side that has two players, let's just say light in this case, wins, that battle is counted as won.
-However, if light loses, then the second light will step up to fight the dark, and the winner of that encounter will decide which side won in that chute.


-Now for the details on how the scoring, fighting, and killing actually occurs.-


Each match will be fought. The main match will have its own effect, but every other battle will be the same. If the light or dark side wins, then a point will be added to that team's total.

If they draw, they have the option to duel again, or to let the draw stand. (I think it is possible to draw, but I really am not sure, so I am just going to pretend you can. If not, ignore everything with a draw)

-There are 4 ways that this can play out. The situations are listed immediately below, the explanations slightly lower. For the sake of this example, challenger, challenged.
Scenario 1: The challenger and the challenged draw. The total number of wins for the light and dark side are equal.
Scenario 2: The challenger and the challenged draw. Either the light or the dark side has more wins.
Scenario 3 (light): The challenger wins. The challenged team has more wins.
Scenario 4 (light): The challenger wins. The challenger’s team has more wins.
Scenario 3 (dark): The challenged wins. The challenger’s team has more wins.
Scenario 4 (dark): The challenged wins. The challenged team has more wins.


Result 1: Pretty much nothing consequential happens. People battle and have fun, but there is no winner. Everyone returns to where they started on the side they previously stood on.
Result 2: The player on the losing team is converted. With the draw of the main two, neither dies, but the player who loses becomes part of the other team. i.e. Light side has more wins. The two main players draw. The Dark player is converted to the Light side.
Result 3: The losing player will die, but not be converted. They will lose items as if they had 5 soul points.
Result 4: The ultimate blow is dealt. The losing player will die, be converted to the other team, and lose items as if they were at 1 soul point. (That is a lot of items, including some IDed pieces, for those of you who joined after Rekindled and have no concept of that idea :)

After any of these scenarios take place and conclude, the attacker and the attacked have a 10 minute cooldown before they can initiate or be on the receiving end of combat again. There is no cooldown for the other participants, and if another battle begins within that time, the original pair can join.

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That is pretty much the mechanics of To An End, for combat, as it is right now. I have to say, the more I develop this, the more I love the way that it is coming together. Further design plans and ideas are coming like crazy and they are engaging my mind to the max. Below are my thoughts on these mechanics and why some things operate the way they do.

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Thoughts

-First off, I want To An End to be a more cohesive, involved conflict mode. Not just a few random PvP encounters here and there, but one that everyone who plays this can engage in and feel like they are truly on a side and working towards a greater purpose. As such, combat involves anyone who wants to fight for their cause, not just two players.

-The 2 minute timer after combat is initiated is for preparation. If someone is doing a cave, quest, or some other random activity, but they want to fight, they have time. They can maybe finish what they are doing, pop a travel scroll, grab their war build, and then begin the combat.

-I am imagining the chutes for battles being split by barrier blocks. I want each chute to be big enough that there is maneuverability, so combat can last some time and have complex plays that require quick thinking. There also might be some custom obstacles and natural hazards as well as locations to dodge behind. But on the flip side, I do not want them to be too large, resulting in just a constant snipe that can't be countered, or an acrobat that just completely uses jasmine bloom to decimate an enemy. There would definitely be tests needed to determine the proper size.

-The second aspect of the barrier blocks would allow players to see the battles going on around them. It would be super cool to be fighting intently, and see all the spell effects and explosions going on around you. After your battle finishes, you can just chill, cheer on your teammates, and enjoy the show.

-I am going to have to balance the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a side in quests, otherwise nothing is stopping everyone from choosing the dark side, and never exploring the light.

-I am hoping that people would choose some light and dark, and this adds to the team aspect of To An End. People should feel competitive for their team, wanting to win, but their side can change rapidly. They could lose a battle, or just encounter a choice quest. Players will do their best to support their side, and this will be motivated by some massive prize, buff, or something (have not quite decided yet) that will be awarded if one team converts everyone to their team.

-The matching of battles might need to change slightly, I just feel that what I have is a fairly good starting point.

-Overall, I want To An End combat to be team based. Players form alliances to fight for their team, but they can shift to the other team and repeat. It hopefully will be a competitive-cooperative experience. One where each player can fight fiercely, both as an individual and a team, but there is a greater sense of all being in the same situation, and having great fun while at it.

-This took a long time to figure out but once it popped into my head it took on an awesome shape. If anyone has ideas for improvements of aspects or some completely different thoughts, share!



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These are my thoughts on what I have for the combat mechanics right now, let me know what you think!

As always, thank you for reading!
Hope you enjoyed,
KingNarwhal74

 

as someone who despises PVP but would want to explore differing options in a mode like this i enjoy the thought of simply going "getting killed? just say no! your enemy cannot kill you without your consent" solely because that is hilarious and because i just want to mess around

i continue to observe politely ️️ very interesting

 

guilds 2: electric boogaloo

but like seriously this would be cool. maybe it would finally get me to beat ahc