After building our status system, it’s time to use it in formulas to calculate things like attack damage or hit chance.

In this game tutorial we’ll focus on creating the formulas we need, to learn more about formulas in general read this how-to.

Keeping order with formula types

To keep things organized we will separate our formulas into different formula types:

  • Physical
    For everything related to physical attacks (using ATK and DEF).
  • Magical
    For everything related to magical attacks (using MATK and MDEF).
  • Chance
    For the different chance calculations (like hit or counter chance).
  • Other
    For other things (like the turn order calculation).

Formula types are created in – you should already know – the ORK Framework editor. So open the editor and navigate to Game > Formula Types. We need four formula types, so add the needed number and change the following settings.

Formula Type 0

  • Name
    Change to Physical.

Formula Type 1

  • Name
    Change to Magical.

Formula Type 2

  • Name
    Change to Chance.

Formula Type 3

  • Name
    Change to Other.

That’s it for the formula types.

Formulas … mathematical!

Now let’s create our formulas. Keep in mind that the formulas are a crucial part of how your system works and how balanced it will be. Since you can simply use another formula within a formula as a calculation step, we will break down some of the formulas to basic blocks, so that we later only have to tweak and balance a small number of formulas.

We will create the following formulas:

  • Turn Calculation
    To calculate the turn order in battles (turn based, active time).
  • Level Factor
    Calculates a factor based on user and target level (same level > factor 1).
  • Hit Chance
    Calculates a chance if an attack will hit the target.
  • LUK Chance
    A LUK based chance, used for counter, critical and block chance.
  • Physical Damage
    The base physical damage calculation.
  • Physical Damage 5
    5 times the base physical damage.
  • Magical Damage
    The base magical damage calculation.
  • Magical Damage 5
    5 times the base magical damage.
  • Magical Damage 10
    10 times the base magical damage.
  • Small Heal
    Calculates the HP refresh of a light heal ability.

That’s 10 formulas in total, so navigate to Game > Formulas and add the needed number of formulas. Formulas are created using a node editor – you can learn more about the node editor in this how-to.

Formula 0: Turn Calculation

We start with a simple formula to calculate the order of turns in battle. The minimum value of the formula should be 1.

We will use this simple formula: ((user LUK + user DEX) / 10) + user AGI

In Turn Based battles, the formula is calculated at the start of a turn for each combatant – the combatant with the highest result will have the first move, followed be the next highest combatant, and so forth.

In Active Time battles, the formula is used to fill each combatants timebar over time (i.e. the timebar will be increased by the formula’s result).

To create the formula, we need four additional steps (nodes) beside the start node.

gametutorial_11_formulas1

Formula Settings (Start Node)

  • Name
    Change to Turn Calculation.
  • Type
    Select Other.
  • Use Minimum Value
    Enable this setting.
  • Minimum Value
    Set to 1.

Now, right click on the start node’s Next slot and add a status value step: Add > Combatant > Status Value

Step 0: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Add.
  • Status Origin
    Select User.
  • Status Value
    Select LUK.

Add another status value step on this node’s Next slot.

Step 1: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Add.
  • Status Origin
    Select User.
  • Status Value
    Select DEX.

Now, add value step on this node’s Next slot: Add > Value > Value

Step 2: Value

  • Operator
    Select Divide.
  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 10.

Now, add another status value step on this node’s Next slot.

Step 3: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Add.
  • Status Origin
    Select User.
  • Status Value
    Select AGI.

That’s it for this formula.

Formula 1: Level Factor

The level factor will later be used in other formulas to influence their outcome. Basically it’s used to give higher level combatants an advantage when fighting lower level combatants. If the combatant’s have the same level, the factor will be 1. The minimum value of the formula should be 0.

We will use this formula: ((user Level – target Level) / 50) + 1

The value 50 in the formula is related to level 99 being the highest level in our game – it’s not really half of it, but it gives us a nice increase of 10 % every 5 level difference (i.e. if the attacker is 5 levels above it’s target, he will do 10 % more damage).

To create the formula, we need four additional steps (nodes) beside the start node.

gametutorial_11_formulas2

Formula Settings (Start Node)

  • Name
    Change to Level Factor.
  • Type
    Select Other.
  • Use Minimum Value
    Enable this setting.
  • Minimum Value
    Set to 0.

Now, right click on the start node’s Next slot and add a level step: Add > Combatant > Level

Step 0: Level

  • Operator
    Select Add.
  • Status Origin
    Select User.

Add another level step on this step’s Next slot.

Step 1: Level

  • Operator
    Select Sub.
  • Status Origin
    Select Target.

Now, add value step on this node’s Next slot: Add > Value > Value

Step 2: Value

  • Operator
    Select Divide.
  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 50.

Add another value step on this node’s Next slot.

Step 3: Value

  • Operator
    Select Add.
  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 1.

That’s it for this formula.

Formula 2: Hit Chance

Our hit chance is based on the relation between the user’s DEX and the target’s AGI – if they’re equal, the hit chance should be 75 %, but we also use the level factor we just created to give higher level combatants an advantage. This formula’s minimum value is also 0.

We’ll use this formula: (user DEX / target AGI) * 75 * Level Factor

To create the formula, we need four additional steps (nodes) beside the start node.

gametutorial_11_formulas3

Formula Settings (Start Node)

  • Name
    Change to Hit Chance.
  • Type
    Select Chance.
  • Use Minimum Value
    Enable this setting.
  • Minimum Value
    Set to 0.

Now, right click on the start node’s Next slot and add a status value step: Add > Combatant > Status Value

Step 0: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Add.
  • Status Origin
    Select User.
  • Status Value
    Select DEX.

Add another status value step on this step’s Next slot.

Step 1: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Divide.
  • Status Origin
    Select Target.
  • Status Value
    Select AGI.

Now, add value step on this node’s Next slot: Add > Value > Value

Step 2: Value

  • Operator
    Select Multiply.
  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 75.

Add another value step on this node’s Next slot.

Step 3: Value

  • Operator
    Select Multiply.
  • Value Type
    Select Formula.
  • Formula
    Select Level Factor (the formula we just created).

That’s it for this formula.

Formula 3: LUK Chance

This formula is similar to the hit chance, but is used for all LUK based chances (counter attacks, critical hit, blocking attacks). The chance is based on the relation between user and target LUK, the chance is 5 % if both are equal. This formula’s minimum value is also 0.

We’ll use this formula: (user LUK / target LUK) * 5 * Level Factor

Again, we need four additional steps (nodes).

gametutorial_11_formulas4

Formula Settings (Start Node)

  • Name
    Change to LUK Chance.
  • Type
    Select Chance.
  • Use Minimum Value
    Enable this setting.
  • Minimum Value
    Set to 0.

Now, right click on the start node’s Next slot and add a status value step: Add > Combatant > Status Value

Step 0: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Add.
  • Status Origin
    Select User.
  • Status Value
    Select LUK.

Add another status value step on this step’s Next slot.

Step 1: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Divide.
  • Status Origin
    Select Target.
  • Status Value
    Select LUK.

Now, add value step on this node’s Next slot: Add > Value > Value

Step 2: Value

  • Operator
    Select Multiply.
  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 5.

Add another value step on this node’s Next slot.

Step 3: Value

  • Operator
    Select Multiply.
  • Value Type
    Select Formula.
  • Formula
    Select Level Factor (the formula we just created).

That’s it for this formula.

Formula 4: Physical Damage

Now we’ll create the base physical damage calculation. The physical damage is based on the user’s ATK and the target’s DEF – and we’ll also use the level factor formula. To get thing’s a little bit more complex, we’ll use a power of calculation to increase the attack with higher ATK values. The minimum result should be 0.

We’ll use this formula: (user ATK ^ 2) / target DEF * Level Factor

And again – four additional nodes needed.

gametutorial_11_formulas5

Formula Settings (Start Node)

  • Name
    Change to Physical Damage.
  • Type
    Select Physical.
  • Use Minimum Value
    Enable this setting.
  • Minimum Value
    Set to 0.

Now, right click on the start node’s Next slot and add a status value step: Add > Combatant > Status Value

Step 0: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Add.
  • Status Origin
    Select User.
  • Status Value
    Select ATK.

Now, add value step on this node’s Next slot: Add > Value > Value

Step 1: Value

  • Operator
    Select Power Of.
  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 2.

Add another status value step on this step’s Next slot.

Step 2: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Divide.
  • Status Origin
    Select Target.
  • Status Value
    Select DEF.

Add another value step on this node’s Next slot.

Step 3: Value

  • Operator
    Select Multiply.
  • Value Type
    Select Formula.
  • Formula
    Select Level Factor.

That’s it for this formula.

Formula 5: Physical Damage 5

This will be easy, simply use the physical damage formula and multiply it by 5. A minimum value isn’t needed, since we only multiply another formula with a minimum value of 0.

We’ll use this formula: Physical Damage * 5

We only need one additional step this time, because we can use the other formula as start value in the formula settings.

gametutorial_11_formulas6

Formula Settings (Start Node)

  • Name
    Change to Physical Damage 5.
  • Type
    Select Physical.
  • Value Type (Start Value)
    Select Formula.
  • Value (Start Value)
    Select Physical Damage.

Now, right click on the start node’s Next slot and add a value step: Add > Value > Value

Step 0: Value

  • Operator
    Select Multiply.
  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 5.

That’s it for this formula.

Formula 6: Magical Damage

The base magical damage calculation is similar to the base physical damage – only we’ll be using the user’s MATK and the target’s MDEF. The minimum result should be 0.

We’ll use this formula: (user MATK ^ 2) / target MDEF * Level Factor

And again – four additional nodes needed.

gametutorial_11_formulas7

Formula Settings (Start Node)

  • Name
    Change to Magical Damage.
  • Type
    Select Magical.
  • Use Minimum Value
    Enable this setting.
  • Minimum Value
    Set to 0.

Now, right click on the start node’s Next slot and add a status value step: Add > Combatant > Status Value

Step 0: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Add.
  • Status Origin
    Select User.
  • Status Value
    Select MATK.

Now, add value step on this node’s Next slot: Add > Value > Value

Step 1: Value

  • Operator
    Select Power Of.
  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 2.

Add another status value step on this step’s Next slot.

Step 2: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Divide.
  • Status Origin
    Select Target.
  • Status Value
    Select MDEF.

Add another value step on this node’s Next slot.

Step 3: Value

  • Operator
    Select Multiply.
  • Value Type
    Select Formula.
  • Formula
    Select Level Factor.

That’s it for this formula.

Formula 7: Magical Damage 5

Like Physical Damage 5, this formula multiplies the magical damage by 5.

We’ll use this formula: Magical Damage * 5

We only need one additional step this time, because we can use the other formula as start value in the formula settings.

gametutorial_11_formulas6

Formula Settings (Start Node)

  • Name
    Change to Magical Damage 5.
  • Type
    Select Magical.
  • Value Type (Start Value)
    Select Formula.
  • Value (Start Value)
    Select Magical Damage.

Now, right click on the start node’s Next slot and add a value step: Add > Value > Value

Step 0: Value

  • Operator
    Select Multiply.
  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 5.

That’s it for this formula.

Formula 8: Magical Damage 10

Same thing, only times 10.

We’ll use this formula: Magical Damage * 10

We only need one additional step this time, because we can use the other formula as start value in the formula settings.

gametutorial_11_formulas10

Formula Settings (Start Node)

  • Name
    Change to Magical Damage 10.
  • Type
    Select Magical.
  • Value Type (Start Value)
    Select Formula.
  • Value (Start Value)
    Select Magical Damage.

Now, right click on the start node’s Next slot and add a value step: Add > Value > Value

Step 0: Value

  • Operator
    Select Multiply.
  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 10.

That’s it for this formula.

Formula 9: Small Heal

Our final formula will calculate the amount of HP a small heal ability will refresh. It’s based on the user’s MATK and ignore’s the target’s status. Again, minimum value of 0.

We’ll use this formula: user MATK * 5

We need two steps this time.

gametutorial_11_formulas8

Formula Settings (Start Node)

  • Name
    Change to Small Heal.
  • Type
    Select Magical.
  • Use Minimum Value
    Enable this setting.
  • Minimum Value
    Set to 0.

Now, right click on the start node’s Next slot and add a status value step: Add > Combatant > Status Value

Step 0: Status Value

  • Operator
    Select Add.
  • Status Origin
    Select User.
  • Status Value
    Select MATK.

Now, add value step on this node’s Next slot: Add > Value > Value

Step 1: Value

  • Operator
    Select Multiply.
  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 5.

That’s it for the formulas – click on Save Settings.

Now that all our formulas are completed, you can try filtering the formula list using the Search/Filter box above the list.

gametutorial_11_formulas9

It’s a lot easier to find a certain formula this way, since we separated the formulas into the different types.

And that’s it for now – the next lesson will cover Abilities.