Learn more about turn based battles and the available modes.
Turn Based battles are a classical and well loved battle concept in RPGs. Each combatant has their turn to perform actions in – enough time to decide what to do and plan their actions. The settings for turn based battles can be found in Battle System > Turn Based Battles in the ORK Framework editor.
Battle Modes
ORK Framework offers 3 different battle modes for turn based battles.
Classic
Probably THE classic RPG battle mode – each combatant selects their actions at the start of a turn. Once the last combatant finished chosing actions, the actions will be performed in the order they where made.
The turn order is defined through the Turn Calculation formula. Each combatant will get a turn value based on that formula – the order will be sorted from highest to lowest, i.e. the combatant with the highest turn value will get the first turn, the combatant with the last turn value will get the last turn. Optionally, the turn order can also be inverted.
Active
A more modern approach to turn based battles. Instead of selecting all actions at the start of the turn, each combatant will immediately perform the selected actions – the next combatant will select and perform actions afterwards.
The turn order is determined the same way as in the Classic battle mode.
Multi Turns
This battle mode is mostly known through a similar battle system in Final Fantasy X. In this mode, a combatant can have multiple turns before another combatant is able to have a single turn.
At the start of the battle, each combatant’s turn value will be set to the result of the Turn Calculation formula. The combatant with the highest turn value will get the first turn. Once the combatant finished selecting and performing actions, the turn value of the combatant will be reset to 0. Afterwards, the turn values of all combatants (including the one who had the turn) will be increased by the result of the Turn Calculation formula (which is calcluated using the individual combatants). The combatant who has the highest turn value now will get the next turn.
This continues until the battle is over, i.e.:
- a combatant performs a turn and is reset to 0 (turn value)
- all combatants’ turn values increase
- next combatant with the highest turn value gets the turn
- repeat
The Turn Order type HUD is especially made for this battle mode and displays an outlook on a defined number of turns, forecasted assuming everyone keeps getting the usual turn value increase. Abilities and items can influence the turn value of combatants, as well as the formula calculation (e.g. status effects changing the used status values) can change depending on what actions are used – i.e. the turn order HUD will just display a likely turn order and can differ from the actual turn order.
Dynamic Combat
Dynamic combat isn’t an additonal battle mode – it’s an option available in all 3 battle modes, but is best suited for the Active battle mode. When using dynamic combat, the strict turn order is broken up, allowing multiple actions to be performed at the same time.
If due to the rapid succession of actions a combatant that should select the next action is still performing the previous action, the combatant will be omitted and the next combatant who can perform actions will be used. Omitted combatants will be placed first in the turn order of the next turn, until they where able to select/perform their action.
Actions Per Turn
A combatant can use multiple actions per turn. The number of actions a combatant can perform in a turn is defined by the Actions Per Turn settings in the Actions Settings.
A combatant can perform actions until all actions per turn where used up or the turn was ended (End/None battle command). The actions per turn can also be calculated through a formula, i.e. you can use status values to influence this.
Additionally, actions define how much using them costs – i.e. an action can consume 1, 0, 0.5 or any other value of the actions per turn of the combatant. The default action cost is defined alongside the actions per turn and can be overridden for abilities, items and special actions. Individual abilities and items can also override the default action cost and default ability/item action cost. By default, combatants have 1 action per turn and all actions cost 1 to perform.
See an example in this gameplay tutorial.
The Actions Per Turn feature can also be used to create custom systems.
Tip: Custom Action Points System
You’re not limited to just using the actions per turn in the way described in this tutorial – you can e.g. use it to create a custom action points system. For this, you can let the Actions Per Turn at 1 (Value) and set the Default Action Cost to 0 (Value).
Now, the combatants can perform as many actions per turn as they want, until they use the End battle command (or None action in the battle AI). To limit the actions available to a combatant, you use the Use Costs of the abilities, e.g. using a Consumable type status value like MP or AP (action points) that can be replentished each turn through the Turn Bonuses (defined in the settings of the used battle system).
For actions that should end the combatant’s turn (e.g. defend or using an item), you can override the default action costin the Action Settings of the battle system you’re using.
Tip: Change member without wasting a turn
The player can change members in battle through the Change Member command. Usually, this results in the turn ending afterwards. If you want to switch members without losing the turn – i.e. the new combatant replacing the old one being able to use actions immediately – you can just override the default action cost for this special action.
Set the Change Member Cost to 0 (Value) in the Action Settings of the battle system you’re using.
Please note that this is only useful for Active mode turn based battles, otherwise the change member action will only be performed after all combatants chose their actions.
Other Settings
There are a lot of other settings available in Turn Based 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 was the last in the turn order. However, this can’t perform the defend command before already started actions.
E.g. when using the Classic battle mode, this ensures that a combatant defends before other combatants perform their actions.
Control Block Settings
These settings define if and when the player or camera controls are blocked during turn based 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 turn based 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.
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, Turn Based 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)
Use this to regain some MP or Action Points status values each turn.
Use this to completely refresh HP and MP of the combatants after the battle.