Svea (Series)/Scenario

1. Single player
	* *Artifice*, multiple-turn-based role-playingHero-Party
		+ *Artisan*, multiple-turn-based role-playingGeneric-Party
		+ *Articiple*, multiple-turn-based multi-role role-playingGeneric-Party
	* *Bofa*, single-turn-based role-playingHero-Party
	* *Chime*, action-adventure (soulsborne)Single-Hero
	* *Ire*, active-time role-playingHero-Party
	* *Memoria*, action-adventure (zelda)Single-Hero
	* *Sprak*, puzzleSingle-Hero
	* *Tilet*, turn-based tile-strategy role-playingHero-Party
	* *Vers*, active-time role-playingHero-Party
	* *Xenon*, active role-playingHero-Party
	* *Xero*, active role-playingHero-Party
2. Multiplayer
	* *Arelle*, battle arena
	* *Plight*, action platforming
	* *Stark*, card

	+ Encourages the use of augment/ailment abilities, due to their lower time costs.
* Stamina.
	+ Discourages spamming, due to Topple.

### Stats

* Note:
	+ Abilities have cooldowns, and **Stamina** costs.
		- What makes Stamina different is that it is rapidly consumed, but also rapidly regenerates automatically over time.
		- Completely depleting Stamina causes a self-**Topple**.
			* The user *can* use end-game abilities right away, but not only will they not scale to be as potent, they will *always* cause a Topple due to the Stamina cost.
				+ Self-Topple duration variable? Even longer the more below 0?
			* The enemy is able to take advantage of this with Stamina-decreasing effects.
		- Max. Stamina is equal to current Level, and isn't levelable by other means.
	+ No innate "Defense"-stat exists.
		- This is so attacks used by bosses (who are fixed level) are easily displayed and remembered. Unless they score a critical hit (or suffer a whiff), an arbritrary attack will always deal the same amount of damage.
		- It also has the effect of not underestimating lower-level/early game enemies (as in *Soulsborne* games), as they will be able to deal damage even to a higher-level player.
		- Health and various damage mitigation effects from actives/passives cover the lack of innate Defense.

#### Levelable

* Note:
	+ Health is priority for Tanks.
	+ Assertance is priority for Damagers.
	+ Supportance is priority for Healers.
	+ Speed is generally useful (pending: dependent on Level, as Stamina is?)

#### Calculated

* Note:
	+ Where applicable, criticality is calculated before the ability is used.
	+ While Luck affects both Accuracy and Evasion, effects are capable of influencing them individually.

#### Levelable Stats as Stat Multipliers

		- StatMults.
		- Stat Grades.
	+ These multipliers are considered "permanent" in the sense that they are static, the exception being manipulated by the player by spending EXP.
	+ StatMults can at most reach +1 if all StatMults are raised equally.
	+ However, by decreasing StatMults, as low as to -9, more points are made available for the player to raise desireable stats.
	+ Decreasing all StatMults but one to -9 allows the player to raise the final StatMult to +9.
	+ Each StatMults affect its corresponding stat differently, due to the differently scaled stats.
	+ In *Artisan* for example, since each species has different fixed stats, say the explicitly set Health and Speed stats, StatGrades will affect each species differently as well. Same goes for Heroes in *Artifice*.

### Leveling

#### Stats

* There are very few stats (that can affect multiple things), and the player does not have to specify which to level.

#### Display

##### Pending: Bonuses

* Leveling Up grants 1 point in each stat.
* The player can then choose 1 stat to give a **bonus**, granting it another point.
	+ *Super Mario RPG* uses this system (I think).
* Best used for games with "clean-slate" characters and a limited amount of Heroes available.
* Not used for games where Heroes have clear growths and roles; there a Hero would gain multiple points in one stat per level. The bonus could still exist however, but it would be a bit redundant.
	+ *Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga* gives different points in different stats at different levels, and the bonus can give multiple points.

#### Talents

* "**Talents**" are upgrade selections, of varying kinds. May *contain* an activatable effect/ability, a passive effect, or *both*.

 Auto

### Health & Damage presentation

* Health bars are displayed in percentage to maximum health, from 100% to 0%.

### Criticality

* Note:
	+ No random "Miss"es exist.

### Ability parameters

* Note:
	+ Basics have no cooldown, and little overall costs but also low efficiency. Each unit has 1, no more no less.

### Topple

		- Stagger is represented as negative Stamina above the target's Stamina bar.
		- When the Stagger bar reaches the current Stamina level, the entire Stamina bar is emptied and the enemy is Toppled.
			* Stamina is unaffected until the Stagger point is reached.
			* For player units, the abilities that would cause Stamina to cause Stagger are red-lighted.
				+ Applies even if Stagger bar is completely empty.
				+ Red Topple icon?
		- Depending on how high the current Stamina was before Topple, the longer the duration.
	+ Specialization:
		- Front row specializes in Preservation (Stagger) and Extension (Topple).
		- Center row specializes in Staggering.
			* Without Preserving, Stagger level quickly decreases between hits and will be impossible to maintain.
			* With only Preserving, Stagger level barely rises at all.
	+ Representation:
		- [1]

#### Balancing

##### Hero

* Low Stamina pool & Low Stamina costs = Easy to Topple, rich ability usage
	+ Support
* Low Stamina pool & High Stamina costs = Easy to Topple, limited ability usage
	+ Assassin
* High Stamina pool & Low Stamina costs = Hard to Topple, rich ability usage
	+ Tank
* High Stamina pool & High Stamina costs = Hard to Topple, limited ability usage
	+ Bruiser

### Numeric Status Effects

* Each status effect has a *duration* value, that can be increased from 0 to 100, even after it has been applied.
* Not only does this increase the time active, it affects its potency as well.
* In general, status effects are inflicted as a side-effect, rather than a dedicated ability with no primary damaging/healing effect.

 Increases damage dealt.
 Increases support dealt.
 Slightly restores health over time.

Poison
 Increases damage dealt with Beast attacks.Decreases damage taken by Beast attacks.
 Increases damage dealt with Heat attacks.Decreases damage taken by Heat attacks.
 Increases damage dealt with Cold attacks.Decreases damage taken by Cold attacks.

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 0

### Restoration

* High cost?
	+ Healing-over-time for all healing abilities?

### Tanking

* Several types:
	1. Physical Barrier
		+ Either placed or attached to a Hero, stops all projectiles from passing through.
	2. Overhealth
		+ Health that exceeds the maximum, that is damaged first and does not charge Hyperactives.
			- Does not *restore* health, damaged Heroes have a *max* increase, not a *current* increase.
			- That's the Healer's job.
		+ Decays over time, with various speeds depending on source.
		+ Preferable in the sense that is very visible.
	3. Percentage Damage Mitigation (Armor)
		+ For a duration, all incoming damage is reduced by x%.
		+ Shown by an Armor icon, its potency, and duration. (See: *HotS*)
			- For multiple concurrent Armor effects (stack additively, e.g. 10% + 10% = 20% damage reduction), only the longest Armor duration is shown, and the potency adapts as time progresses.

### Inter-Battle

* Health regenerates gradually, at a rate that can be increased depending on Self-Sustain bar.
* Buffs decay gradually, at a rate that can be decreased depending on Self-Sustain bar.
* Nerfs decay gradually, at a rate that can be increased depending on Self-Sustain bar.

#### Self-Sustain

* Full Self-Sustain bar:
	+ Health regenerates moderately.
	+ Buffs decay moderately slowly.
	+ Nerfs decay moderately slowly.
* Empty Self-Sustain bar:
	+ Health does not regenerate.
	+ Buffs decay rapidly..
	+ Nerfs do not decay.

### Loot

#### Auto-Pickup Loot

* As loot systems are among the most boring things in video games.
* Post-battle, items dropped are automatically added without confirmation.
* On the field, loot is automatically picked up when walked over/nearby without confirmation.

#### Unique/Named Drops

* All bosses and (almost) all NPCs drop a type of item that is unique to them.
* Each item is named after its dropper, e.g. Ashes of Nidir is dropped from the penultimate boss.
* The last of each species is also a unique drop, e.g. Ashes of Leolarvae.
* Defeating NPCs allow the player to gain access to items early, at the cost of ending their quest involvement(s)/merchandise.

### Sidequest-leveled enemies

* Enemies faced in optional sidequests always level relative to the player.
* This is so that even sidequests done later on in the game feel challenging and rewarding.

### Enemy Farming

* Enemies respawn at every bonfire.
* They do however stop dropping (most) stats/experience once defeated.
	+ Signified by a lack of glow in the eye.
* Consumable item drops are unaffected.
* In "random encounter" games, a finite amount of enemies/enemy teams exist per area.
	+ The same enemies can still appear in different areas.
	+ Depleting the "habitat" spawns Darkspawn ([2]) to signify this, which reward the minimal (1) experience when defeated.
		- Populating all areas with Darkspawn lets the player fight the Darkeater ([3]) superboss.

### Ability Strength = Inventory Amount

* In games where abilities are dropped from enemies.
	+ Abilities cannot be directly leveled, but their efficiency is determined by the inventory amount.

### Collectibles instead of Equipment/Abilities

* Heroes cannot gain or equip traditional equipment.
	+ In games with unique abilities, they cannot gain skills from enemies or as drops either.
* Instead, they frequently gain collectibles.
* Collectibles are used per area i.e. in *Xenoblade*.
* They are also used as means to finish sidequests, some of which are very hard to complete.

### Side-character as equipment

* In games where all notable characters/NPCs can't be used as playable fighters.
	+ The Hero "equips" the side character as an Avatar, receiving a bonus effect specific to that Avatar.

### Terminology

* Condrite(s)
	+ Resource gained from defeating enemies. Can be extracted from Ashes.

## Game-specific

### Advantages to low-# of stats

* Low amount of stat calculations, instead relying on the individual properties of abilities, has several advantages.
	+ Universal damage & effects.
	+ Predictable calculations & outcomes.
* Little point in having attributes of abilities *as well* as unit stats.

### Leveling

#### Alternative: Stamina & Talents only

* Increasing Stamina as the player progresses allows the player to more liberally use their abilities, with less risk of being Toppled.
	+ Not allowing leveling of other stats makes balancing easy, as well as makes low-level enemies not one-shottable, which would make them space-fillers with no use.
* Talents also gives non-linear advantages, still allowing power increase.

#### Alternative: Level per Ability

* Each ability/basic attack has attributes that can be leveled individually.
	+ Thus, no "global" stats exist.
		- Except for Health & Stamina, perhaps.
* Basic attack
	+ Damage: 170
	+ "Cooldown" / Speed: 1.0s
	+ Range: 1.0m

#### Talent inheritance / Power Cell

* Treated as DNA-genes that are inherited.
* To make it more gamey, these can be leveled up to 100, increasing their potency.
* Once attached, a Power Cell cannot be removed.
	+ Most must be equipped, however.

* Can be acquired by both exploring/quests, can be assigned manually, or battle, are automatically assigned.

* Which stats/abilities are "dropped" from enemies are random.
	+ Amount of stats/abilities "dropped" are also random.
* Each enemy has a large amount of drop sets.

* Pros:
	+ Theming.
	+ Enemies only increase the Power Cell's stats significantly if their stat is close to or higher than the existing stat of the user.
		- The player cannot farm stats/abilities in the same way.

* Pending:
	+ **Stats** are special cells, that reflect a user's core stats.
	+ Only included here if they are leveled the same as others.

#### Ally Affinity Talents

* Each player may choose a finite amount of Affinity Talents, separate from other equippable talents.
* They are only made available to the player once receiving a set amount of **affinity** with another Hero.
* Each available Affinity Talent is unique to that pairing.
* Increasing affinity further with that pairing increases the Affinity Talents efficiency.

#### Talent "tree" system

* Used by *Arelle*.
* Each unit has several tiers of talents.
* These talents repeat themselves each n \* 10 levels.
	+ E.g. if you have several talent choices at level 4, you may only pick one.
	+ On level 14 however, you have a chance to pick another of those talents.
	+ On level 24, you may have 3 IV-tier talents.
* Important is that the player may be able to respec each talent tier, but only by paying precious EXP.

### Equipment

* No Stats: Only Skins
	+ Clothing has no impact whatsoever on a Hero's stats.
	+ Weaponry skins have no impact either, but different weapon *categories* may have different stats.
	+ In games with real-time full-movement.
		- Otherwise, no equipment at all.
			* May still be present in animations, as active abilities.
	+ Weaponry change only because of moveset differences.
		- Weapon types/classes have 1 weapon of each category.
	+ Skins acquired increases the corresponding weapon category's upgrade potential.

### Magic/Art/Special Points

* In games where cooldown doesn't feel organic.
	+ Either/Or. Only Cooldown or Only MP.
* Note:
	+ If HP is regenerated over time (to some degree), so is MP (to a lesser degree).
	+ MP is regained for each enemy defeated, moreso if MP was used to damage the foe.
		- MP Abilities should feel usable against random enemies instead of just saved for the boss.

### Types/Elements

* In games without standard cooldown on abilities, with a non-cooldown basic. (Only in rock-paper-scissor style? I.e. Pokémon?)
	+ Otherwise, no types at all.
* Note:
	+ No typeless/non-elemental. Beast (Hand) / Mineral (Sword) often cover this.
	+ There is no distinction between physical/magical attacks.
		- In some games, there *are* other types of damage distinctions.
			* Melee/Ranged damages
			* Basic/Active/Ultimate damages
* In games without types:
	+ Regular damage.
* In games with types, one of which being "typeless":
	+ Typed damage is treated as "additional"; e.g. a sword imbued with fire still deals its typeless damage (possibly to a lesser degree depending on the buffing factor), with the added fire damage calculated on its own.
	+ All hits thus have a parameter each for each Type, instead of more traditional RPGs where the type is a single parameter that can have one value.
		- Compare:
			* Neutral damage: 100, Heat damage: 0, Cold damage: 0
		- To:
			* Damage: 100, Type: Heat

 Dark

* In games with types, without one being "typeless":
	+ Typed damage.

### Empowered Enemy

* Each enemy can become **filled with revenge**.
* This is a guaranteed occurance when x enemies of that species have been defeated.
* After this first revenge, enemies can be vengeful at a random chance.
* The guaranteed vengeance after x encounters remain, and increase the random chance each time.
* Vengeful enemies have all of their stats increased by 50%.

### Rewind Progression

* The player has 1 set starting point.
* At any point, the player can rewind time to that point, respawning all bosses (giving new drops) and *main* quests (definitely not all quests).
* They retain all equipment and stats.

### Mirage

* The player can summon **mirages** to help with bosses.
* Mirages replicate another player's input when fighting bosses, being automatically locked-in to target the boss at all times.
* The boss will always prioritize the mirage.
* Once the mirage dies, it vanishes forever, and the boss will resume targeting on the player.
* Thus, the most helpful addition of a mirage isn't its damage (as it will rarely hit the boss), but rather the distracting element, if only for a moment.

## Pending concepts

### Estus bar -> Self-healing (Limited)

* The player has a bar with Estus energy.
* When activating the Healing function, the player immediately consumes Estus Energy proportionate to missing health (+ a usage fee? to not be able to be at 100 after taking a simple hit? but the initial activation is punishment enough).
* The player's health bar then slowly increases to maximum health again.
* Taking any damage for this duration cancel its effect.
* Estus Energy is restored at any bonfire, and can be increased through discovery.

### Passive effects equipped to Tension levels

* The player can equip auto/passive abilities.
* These all cost points to equip.
* Each Hero has certain "slots" to equip passives, directly correlating to Tension level.
* The lowest Tension level can only equip 1 passive, and not any strong one, for example.
* Maximum tension however, has far more points to spend on passives.
* Pros:
	+ Rewards an active playstyle, and doesn't let passives control the game, rather the player has to fight for them.
* Cons:
	+ The player can feel frustrated not having access to a passive at the right moment.

### Attached Passives/Talents

* Can be swapped on the fly.
	+ Implies that Talents are not gained at certain levels where only 1 can be chosen, but that none are rendered permanently unavailable.
* Limited equipped active abilities at a time.
* Puts emphasis on certain abilities, while neglecting others.
* Ability-specific passives/talents, in most cases.
* Others can only be applied to the Hero/All slot.
* Limited by a Cost that cannot be exceeded, but increases as the player levels.
	+ Alternatively, limited by Slots.

### Materia Linking

* Allows the player to put focus on certain cooldown abilities, and ignore others.
* Can be switched on the fly.
* Each Materia Slot has links to it.
	+ The player attaches one ability Materia to a slot, and any non-ability Materia preceding it will attach their effects to said ability.
* The pro-cons of the system comes into play in the way that the more non-ability Materia the player attaches to an ability Materia, the less "slots" available for more ability Materia.