Well I for one am comfortable with a FPS/RPG hybrid (Rant)

[Dokurider]

Except levels, I loathe levels. It's a mechanic that creates a lot of problems for something that's little more than an aesthetic.

Sorry if this rant comes out of left field, but it's inspired by a conversation I was having about random crits in TF2, among other things.

Anyways, it might just be me and a small minority, but things like statuses and random chance I don't really mind one bit. That being said, I wouldn't exactly miss random chance causing events like crits, or even all together, mostly because most people think random chance is unfair and that random chance isn't necessary in a FPS. Random chance is what RPGs used to simulate skill, especially Tabletops. FPS games don't really need random chance because FPS games are all about skill.

However, I think status can fit quite snuggly in a FPS. But in a future without the Random Number God, statuses would have to be balanced in a different way, as opposed to "67% chance of inflicting confusion". Neither can we just have 100% infliction on hit statuses without being it being OP, at least for strong disabling statuses. That's why the Sandman was mainly kicked off of competitive TF2. Instead, I was thinking something along the lines of a vitality gauge.

Each unit would have one and would be equivalent to his max HP. To clarify, if a class had 125 HP, he would have a gauge of 125 units. When he is hit by a status inducing projectile, his vitality goes down. When it goes all the way down to zero, the status is inflicted. The least powerful the status, the more it will fill up the gauge. Unfortunately, nothing prevents people from just using lower statuses to fill up the vitality gauge just so they can get off higher statuses easier. An alternative is that each class would have a gauge for each status, which is nasty, complicated and laggy.

I'm willing to forget about random chance. It's just not needed for FPS games. But I do believe that statuses, not just hindering statuses like being Jarate'd and Afterburn, but disabling statuses like what the Sandman does, can fit successfully in a FPS. I do think a Vitality Gauge System is the right system to balance status. It just needs some mediated over some more to solve it's shortcomings. Well, back to the drawing board.

[formerdeathcorps]

Why not combine all three with an awesome story and graphics?  A FPS/RTS/RPG hybrid.  In other words, one in which your battles are on grids, but you have the option of going into RTS/FPS mode to decide your damage (because the default damage calculator will be too predictable and assumes an average RTS/FPS player--but this saves time).  Either way, each engagement between units will be a group vs. group level scenario with time limits per each engagement to calculate the damage your unit deals per engagement.  This can be done either in overall battlefield command of a RTS or a FPS mode game where you control one unit and have to kill as enemies within the time limit while the AI controls all other units in your squad.  If you die in this mode, you just switch to another unit in the same group on your team.  This way, both tactical and positional skill are rewarded and all types of gamers can play this however they wish.

Of course, the level up system would need overhauling.  In no variant should you be getting bonuses to HP more than +20% of what you started out with just because you leveled up to max level; something more like learning certain techniques or mastering others with levels makes more sense.  Equipment should make up the rest, and that should be tied to money.  The % system will be used if you play in chessboard mode but won't in the other two, but only because you're taking a more active role in the "chances" so to speak.

[Dokurider]

Yikes, I'm just talking about Statuses in FPS games, man.

[formerdeathcorps]

Yikes, I'm just talking about Statuses in FPS games, man.

I'm just pointing out you can extend that concept into creating the next generation of games.

[PX_Timefordeath]

Valkyria Chronicles

[Cheetah]

Valkyria Chronicles

Exactly, the game you described already exists. Oh, and it's awesome.

[VincentCraven]

Valkyria Chronicles

I wanted more magic, but overall it was pretty good.

The late-game strategy could have done with a bit more work.  For me, it was either

A) huh?  This doesn't work/doesn't make sense  (I swear, my units were completely out of the way of that giant tank.  They shouldn't die like that.)

B) Oh, I can make my scout resist crossfire and run all the way to the switch/boss, ending the battle in 1 or 2 turns.