I want to create a thriving economy and one of the ways I want to do that is by removing combat stats from the game (or rather, not adding them). The only way to get stronger in battle is by the equipment you wear.

That means right from the start equipment becomes an important thing to own.

But you won't be able to buy it from shops or gain it from enemy drops. The only two ways of obtaining equipment is by creating it, or by buying it from another player.

You can gain ingredients to make better weapons and armour from combat and quests but no actual equipment.

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HP is always the same, so to last longer in battle you need more defensive armour.

There's a lot of randomness to it, yes, but there's still the stats of the armour and weapons deciding all this.

Current thoughts:


DMG = ( a=rand(MIN, MAX) * [elemental equation] * [distance equation] + (c=rand(0, LEFT) if a<MAX-c) - (d=rand(0, RIGHT) if a>MIN+d)) ) - (e=rand(EDEF_MIN, EDEF_MAX) + ( (f=rand(0, EDEF_LEFT) if e<EDEF_MAX-f) - (g=rand(0, EDEF_RIGHT) if e>EDEF_MIN+g )

I have almost certainly cocked up that equation. It'll be broken down into steps anyway.

Basically something like this:


Working out the damage dealt

damage = a = random(MIN, MAX)
damage = damage * [elemental equation]
damage = damage * [distance equation]
damage = damage - random(0, LEFT) if damage is greater than than MIN + this number
damage = damage + random(0, RIGHT) if damage is less than MAX - this number


Working out the defense deducted

defense = random(EDEF_MIN, EDEF_MAX)
defense = defense - random(0, EDEF_LEFT) if defense is greater than EDEF_MIN + this number
defense = defense + random(0, EDEF_RIGHT) if defense is less than EDEF_MAX - this number

damage = damage - defense

Elemental Equation

value = enemy_element[element]
damage = damage * (value / 100)

Distance Equation

using distance, enemy_distance

NEAR/NEAR: 100
FAR/NEAR: 75
NEAR/FAR: 75
NEAR/WHEREVER: 100
WHEREVER/NEAR: 100

Multiply by and divide by 100.



What's the point of left and right?

Basically it's to add some weighting to the stats.

You may have a weapon that does 10 to 30 damage. But (or how it works in my head, anyway) the left and right variables mean you're more likely to get numbers within a certain range within this range.

Example weapon stats:

MIN: 10
MAX: 30
LEFT: 5
RIGHT: 10

You're able to deal 10-30 damage, but you're more likely to hit 15-20 damage. Does that make sense?

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Weapon Stats

MIN: the minimum damage you can deal
MAX: the maximum damage you can deal
LEFT: see above
RIGHT: see above
DISTANCE: Near / Far / Wherever You Are
ELEMENT: one of eight, matched up to the enemy's defense against that element as a percentage

Elements

Fire / Water
Air / Earth
Light / Dark
Mind / Body

So you can use some logic in working out what to use against an enemy. Their stats will look something like this:

FIRE DEMON

Fire: 20% // strong against fire
Water: 120% // weak against water
Air: 100% // no difference
Earth: 100% // no difference
Light: 200% // very weak against light, it's a demon
Dark: 0% // VERY strong against dark
Mind: 70% // it's an apparition type thing
Body: 130% // you get the idea



DOES ANY OF THIS MAKE SENSE
I DO NOT KNOW ANY MORE