Learn more about real time battles.

In Real Time battles there is no turn order or timebar that needs filling – actions can be performed at all times. The settings for real time battles can be found in Battle System > Real Time Battles in the ORK Framework editor.

Fighting in real time

Real time battles can be set up in different ways to achieve the gameplay style you want – e.g. menu driven, hack’n’slash, using skillbars or a combination of various methods.

Also, real time battles can happen in 2 ways, either in a defined battle arena using the Battle component (like the other battle systems), or in a Real Time Battle Area, taking place in a defined area or the whole scene.

Battle Menu

You can call the battle menu of the combatant the player controls at all times through the Battle Menu Key defined in the real time battle settings.

Like in all other battle systems, the battle menu can be used to select and perform actions. The selected action will be used right after it has been selected (if the combatant can use it), there’s no wait for actions of another combatant to finish or waiting for the combatant’s turn.

Control Maps

Control maps are used to assign battle actions to input keys. You can assign multiple actions to the same input key – the first usable action will be used.

Control maps are set up in Base/Control > Control Maps in the ORK Framework editor.

Shortcuts/Skillbar

Shortcuts allow assigning actions (e.g. using an ability or item) to slots, which can also be used through control maps. Shortcut slots can be displayed using a Combatant HUD with Shortcut type HUD elements.

For an example of a skillbar/shortcuts being used with control maps, see this gameplay tutorial. For more information on the shortcut slot system, see this how-to.

Group/Individual Targets

The player can select targets as a group target or individual target for combatants. These targets can be used for automatic targeting of actions.

Targets can be selected through mouse/touch input or input keys. You can also cycle through available targets or automatically select the nearest target.

Additionally, you can define different targets for different actions, e.g. have different targets for items and abilities, or even individual abilities.

Group/individual targets are set up in Battle System > Battle Settings.

Other Settings

There are a lot of other settings available in Real Time battles – some of the most important are listed here.

Defend First

The defend command can optionally take priority over all other actions, even when the combatant selected the actions after other combatants.

However, this can’t perform the defend command before already started actions.

Control Block Settings

These settings define if and when the player or camera controls are blocked during real time battles.

E.g. you can block the player control through the entire battle, but only block the camera control during actions.

Default Start/End Events

These settings define the default Battle Start Event and Battle End Events used by real time battles. If you want some of your battles to use different battle start/end events, you can override them in the Battle component of that battle.

When using Random Battle Areas or Combatant Spawners, you can define a game object with a Battle component that will be used to override these settings. Additionally, you can use the Nearest Battle game object to override these settings and place battles at defined locations.

Please note that that battle start/end events are only used in arena type battles, i.e. when using a Battle component (either directly or through random battle areas or combatant spawners). When using a Real Time Battle Area, battle start/end events are not used.

Leave Arena Settings

The battle can optionally end if the player leaves the battle arena. If used, the player has to move outside a defined range of the battle arena (i.e. the game object with the Battle component attached) to trigger the Leave Arena battle end.

Leaving the area will count as escaping in statistics.

Battle Gains Collection

These settings handle when the battle gains are collected. You can either collect them at the end of the battle (e.g. in the battle end event) or get them immediately (and optionally drop them to the ground).

Bonus Settings

Like the other battle systems, Real Time battles can change Consumable type status values and status effects at specific points in battle:

• at the start of the battle (all combatants)
• when a combatant starts a new turn, i.e. starts selecting actions (individual combatants)
• at the end of the battle (all combatants)
• when (optionally) reviving dead members of the player group (revived combatants)