Prediction

**Prediction** (or **intent**, and rarely **upcoming**) is a core mechanic in a few games of the *Svea* series. While most (all) games use telegraphing, predictions are an extreme version of the concept, that the games' combat revolves around.

# Note

## The Witch

* The hypothetical battle that proves the concept of the battle system.

* The Witch will at every turn use a standard attack that deals massive damage against a single target.
* For most of the game, perhaps even at the end, the damage will instantly KO any opponent.
* To make matters worse, it also restores her own HP, regardless of the attack's outcome.
* For this reason, the Witch has deceptively low max health.
* There is no point of the game where the player will be able to deal enough damage to instantly KO her, before her getting off a single attack, completely restoring her own HP.

* The trick of the battle is to survive every hit, eventually causing her Stagger Point to appear, and Staggering her.
* This will give the player enough time to finish her off.

* The only way to consecutively and reliably survive multiple sequential deathblows, is currently with the Cooldown Consumption alternative.
* The others allow other abilities to be used, but this would mean the entire team is a defensive one, which removes variety.
* The benefit of Cooldown Consumption is that it allows the rest of the abilities to be something completely different.
* It could also be a party-wide thing, and not tied to a character in the least.

### Scenario: Witch Battle (1)

1. Principles:
	1. All units have unique Emergency Arts.
	2. Emergency Arts charge exactly like Normal Arts; i.e. with normal cooldown.
	3. This also means that all Emergency Arts can be used with their own cooldown the *first* time they are used per battle; this motivates the player to use less conventional Emergency Arts.
	4. Emergency Arts can be used separately from Quick/Chains, if they're charged.
	5. No Normal Arts can be used in a Quick/Chain.

* The Witch uses "Fire", targeting Lina.
* Manda uses the Emergency Art "Magic Reduction"; applies only to magic attacks, the attack cannot deal more damage than half of the target's max. HP.
	+ Each Emergency Arts count as Sabotage, and as such fills the Special meter upon success.
* Lina is only dealt 4 damage.
* Lina uses the Emergency Art "Recoil Absorb"; when damage is dealt, a random enemy is damaged and that damage is converted to healing, to the injured party member.

### Scenario: *Pokémon*

1. Principles:
	1. All units have unique Emergency Arts.
	2. Emergency Arts charge exactly like Normal Arts; i.e. with normal cooldown.
	3. This also means that all Emergency Arts can be used with their own cooldown the *first* time they are used per battle; this motivates the player to use less conventional Emergency Arts.
	4. Emergency Arts can be used separately from Quick/Chains, if they're charged.
	5. No Normal Arts can be used in a Quick/Chain.

1. * Blaziken uses "Flamethrower", targeting Aegislash.
	* Aegislash uses the Emergency Art "King's Shield"; available when targeted by a single-target attack, Aegislash decreases its offense and increases its defense.
2. * Blaziken uses "Flamethrower", targeting Mimikyu.
	* Mimikyu uses the Emergency Art "Decoy"; available when at 100% HP and targeted by a single-target attack, the damage inflicted becomes 0 (but other effects apply normally).

## Cooldown Consumption / Emergency Arts

* A specific category of abilities, **Emergency Arts**, are able to consume the cooldown of other abilities to be used *instead* of their own **charge**.
* The main character, Sven, has the Emergency ability **Guts**.
* Guts's normal charge rate is the slowest in the game.
* It can only be used when an ally with more than 1 HP, would be dealt enough damage to defeat them, by a single-target ability.
* Guts would then allow them to survive with 1 HP.

* All units have access to all Emergency Arts?
* Since they aren't abilities per say, but rather mechanics/functions.
* There could be an emergency art for when the Stagger Point appears, allowing the player to gamble on whether they think they can take it out or not.

### Normal Emergency

* Normal abilities, if their conditions are met, can be used exactly like Emergency Arts?
* Say a unit has "Damage Down" as a normal ability; it halves the next attack by the opponent.
* However, if the Chain is eligible for a similar ability, "Damage Down" can be used as well, even though it is a normal ability.
* If it is on cooldown, it can consume others' cooldowns as well.

* ...well what's the difference, really, to an Emergency Ability then? They can also be out-of-chain? Other than being unit-unique, that is?
* ... we're almost back at all abilities being Quick, lol.
	+ Except for Consumption, that is a good idea.
* The idea with Normal Emergency is **variety**; you wouldn't try to Sabotage the enemy in silly non-conventional ways if you had a way to survive with 1 HP each time.
	+ But having specific unique reactions such as lowering damage instead, *would* be used if it only consumes it's own resource.
	+ Also, there probably shouldn't be only 1 Survive ability; Shulk has several depending on the attack and situation.

## Auras can be used Before other Abilities in Response

* When the player has the chance to respond with an ability, they are able to first use 1 **indirect ability** prior.
* These often include giving the user an Aura/changing the user's "Mode", which affects how the ability would function.

# Alt: Only "Cooldown Consumption" abilities are able to respond

Cooldown Consumption is a special type of "ability". They charge by performing well in battle, *but* they are able to be used at any time by **consuming** standard abilities, essentially giving them a gigantic cooldown. These types of abilities are also the only type able to **respond** to the opponent's actions, instantaneously when their conditions are met.

## Flow

* The game is balanced around their repeatable Cooldown Consumption abilities.
* The player avoids death with "Rescue", consuming an ability.
* Then, the player is eventually able to get the enemy's Stagger Gauge to appeear.
* At this point, they consume even more abilities to use "Desperado", hopefully Staggering them.
* While Staggered, the player is (mostly) safe from their attacks.
* All in all, Cooldown Consumption abilities allows the player a *chance* against even the highest leveled enemies, even if they may not be able to bring them down to 0 HP.

1. * The Witch intends to use "Flame", instantly killing an ally.
	* Since one of the player's Cooldown Consumption abilities can respond, time stops.
	* The player uses "Rescue"; they consume "Light Heal" to grant "Rescue" to the ally, preventing their KO with 1 HP.
2. * The Witch's Stagger Gauge appears.
	* Since one of the player's Cooldown Consumption abilities can respond, time stops.
	* The player uses "Desperado"; they consume 2 abilities to inflict massive Stagger damage.

# Alt: Conditions must be met, but abilities can always respond

*Inspirations: CTB (Final Fantasy X) and Chain (Yu-Gi-Oh).*
*Difference: In this version, a unit can very well have multiple upcoming abilities in the list. Having an upcoming ability does not inhibit the player from responding further.*
Abilities are put on a charge time before use. Essentially, the player is always able to input at least 1 action before any enemy action goes off.

However, if the **Quick** conditions of the ability are met, the player is able to make their selection immediately, and in this case, they can choose exactly when their ability should go off; either before any other upcoming ability, or before.

Players can also use Quick abilities to respond to their own actions; however, each player alternates in their availability to Quick respond, of which the opponent always gets the first go.

## Scenario: Assassin

* The Donkinja has almost exclusively Quick moves, that mostly respond to damage-only moves, and they mostly deal damage themselves.

* The enemy's Brutogre intends to use "Giant's Swipe" on each of the player's units.
* Quick!
	+ The player's Donkinja has several Quick abilities that reacts to this.
		- "Secret Stab" – Quick when a multi-target damage-only attack is predicted. Deals damage only, to that target only.
		- "Wound Knife" – Quick when a damage-only attack is predicted. Applies a status, to that target only.
			* Each time a hit is dealt to the inflicted, deal additional damage. Expires with duration.
		- "Smokescreen" – Quick when a multi-target attack is predicted, that affects the user. Reduces aggro / removes themselves from the targeting, but is less succesful the more of the user's abilities are on cooldown/upcoming. (I.e., best to be used first).

* Donkinja is able to use all of these abilities in response to the opponent's ability.
* Each does add a time penalty afterwards, however, so using all of them means they will all be put on cooldown, and then, that Donkinja won't be able to use their standard moves for quite a while after.
* This is often negligible, however.

## Scenario: Monado Shield

* If Quicks are on cooldown, they become immediately available once their cooldown expires, if their conditions are met at that point.

* Shulk has Monado Arts that start at full cooldown.
* This cooldown does not go down with time.
* Instead, it goes down with successful attacks.

* The enemy's Dumbogre charges "Mega Smash".
* Shulk would have had access to Monado Shield, to counteract this, but it is on cooldown.
* Shulk has to use his normal moveset, in order to charge up Monado Shield.

## Scenario: Miltank

* Miltank will use Rollout at almost every opportunity.
* Rollout is a standard move, that increases in power after every subsequent usage.

* Its Stagger weakness is having its power reduced.

## Scenario: Non-Quick moves that can go first

* So Quick-moves are defined by "if they are able to go first, they can do so every time".
* But on occasion we want moves that can still precede others, but use regular scheduling to do so.
* For example, guards.
* Guarding against a move reduces its potency, and inflicts Stagger if the intent is vulnerable to it.

* So the design decision is either:
	1. Execute the guard immediately. Since the other moves are "charging" at that point, the guarded state would execute before the move.
		+ This is potentially a bad idea.
		+ The rest of the game is defined by always being able to see upcoming, intended moves.
		+ It may not be a positive net effect to then have some moves go against this.
	2. Have a parameter with a time offset. Guards use this with a negative offset of some degree, that allows them to go before other moves.
		+ This is the preferred solution.
		+ Other moves could make do with this solution as well, also for moves that start charging later.

* Considering...
	+ - Players are already aware that any action they take may result in a Quick response by the opponent.
		- So a standard move being able to go before theirs is already not a big deal.
		- The reason they may not be Quick moves is because their success should not be guaranteed.
	+ - To this end, to not muddle up standard moves, one alternative solution could also be to have "Quick degrees".
		- Where the degree of applicability determines how far the player is able to alter their block time offset.
		- Altering time offset could also have more of a subsequent time penalty. (Though this would apply more to non-Quick standard moves...)

## Scenario: *Lightning Returns*

* Niblet intends to use Bite.
* While this intention is active, physical attacks that make contact, receive a large Stagger boost.

* Anubys intends to use Slam.
* Reducing this intent's power, inflicts Stagger to Anubys.
* The player can use Block abilities to do so.

# Alt: Abilities always have the ability to respond

Using the prediction system, no ability is able to go off instantly, they instead are put on a charge time based on the ability. The first unit to move can either select an ability, or pass their turn (a unit cannot pass twice in a row). When the first ability is selected to be used, this is public knowledge for both players, who are both able to see even the charge time remaining, and the targets selected.

This feature of knowing upcoming abilities is what is termed a prediction, or an intent. The next unit to act will now have to consider these predictions in their selection, as abilities can now be selected to perform after any given prediction, or **before** if conditions are met. This takes the decreased charge time and adds it to the subsequent recovery time, so no time advantage is gained.

Most abilities' effects rely completely on predictions, in a **sabotage** principle. Conditions to perform an action before another unit's go in tandem with the effect of the ability; for example, lowering the damage inflicted by an upcoming ability IF the opponent is charging such an ability.

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## Example: Miltank

1. * The opponent's "Miltank" charges "Rollout".
2. * The player's "Cyndaquil" charges "Burn", before "Miltank".
3. * The opponent's "Clefairy" charges "Follow Me!" on "Cyndaquil" before their "Burn"; this will change the targeting of "Burn" to "Clefairy" instead.

## In simulated-time games

*Note: This is one alternative design, which is currently the favored one.*
Both AI-controlled enemies and player-controller units have charge time on their abilities, and during this charge time, predictions appear for enemies and players alike. Abilities must be selected as soon as the unit has completed their previous action.

When a new battle starts, the enemy team always selects their abilities first, so that the player has something to respond to. As this is the starting point of the battle, the player then gets to select the order in which their units act. In battles against other players, speed determine the initial order of all units, but after that battles resume as normal.

Almost every ability has a **quick** condition; when met, the ability has drastically shortened charge time. This condition coincides with the bonus sabotage/support effect. The outcome is that the player is able to unleash several sabotage-effect abilities quickly, if the conditions are right, before they can charge their own ability next.

To note is that while the bonus condition of an ability is strict, the quick condition(s) can be much more lax.

Each intent has a **power** property represented by a percentage, that is easily manipulated in percentage units.

### Scenario: Tidbits

1. All moves have *both* **charge-time** and **recovery-time** parameters.
	* Charge-time is before a move is used.
	* Recovery-time is after a move is used.
	* Cooldown applies as well?

1. Quick does not necessarily mean *instant*, it can also be **variable**.
	* Say a move that powers up an ally's attack.
	* It does not need to be applied straight away.
	* It only needs to have as long of a charge time so that the ally hasn't used their move yet.

1. Quick can mean a **shift** of charge-time and recovery-time.
	* In this version, time spent is unchanging.
	* Time is subtracted so that the user goes first, and the remaining time is *added* to recovery-time instead.

### Scenario: Artifice

1. Battle start.
2. * Beep A intends to use "Rise Up", targeting Beep B.
	* Beep B intends to use "Windstorm", targeting Sven and Egil.
	* Beep C intends to use "Wind Slash" in a straight line.
3. * Egil decides.
	* Egil's "Heat Flash" meets its quick requirements: an intended ability is single-target physical.
	* Egil uses "Heat Flash" against Beep B, it is used immediately.
	* "Heat Flash" applies Heat against the intent; when it is executed, the user takes damage proportionate to the intent's power.

1. Team-based abilities.
2. * Egil intends to use "Big Smack" against the opposing team.
3. * Vanea's "Absorb" meets it quick requirements: an ally intends to use a damaging ability.
	* "Absorb" adds Lifesteal to the ability.

### Scenario: Artisan

* In *Artisan*, the player recruits wild enemies as the sole units capable of fighting, i.e. there are no human fighters and the "monsters" complement them, the recruited wild units are it.
* The player can only recruit 1 of each enemy type.
* When a unit would be recruited, if the player has already acquired one, it will "give some tips" to the one in the party, allowing it to grow.
* This is important since all units are slightly randomised at their recruitment, to add variety.

* Many 'mons are dogs in various costumes.
	+ These include Flower, Lobster, Dragon, etc.

First enemy.

1. Battle start.
2. WILD Steeleon gets to act.
	1. Steeleon intends to use "Massive Smash", targeting Trainer Red's Pon.
		* "Massive Smash" would deal massive, single-target, physical damage. It has no other effects.
3. Trainer Red's Pon gets to act.
	1. Pon has abilitie(s) that meet their Quick requirements:
		* "Undercut" is Quick when: The opponent has full health.
			+ "Undercut" would deal damage, but has a long recovery period.
		* "Red Flash" is Quick when: An intent would deal single-target damage *and* has no other effects.
			+ "Red Flash" would reduce Power, but has no other impact.
	2. *Help: A common mistake is to use "Undercut" first. The ability has a long recovery period afterwards, and it will not affect the ability in the slightest. "Red Flash" should be used first, as it has little to no recovery, and will allow "Undercut" to be used afterwards.*
	3. Pon intends to use "Red Flash", targeting WILD Steeleon.
4. Trainer Red's Pon uses "Red Flash" against WILD Steeleon, as it is Quick, lowering its Power from 100% to 25%.
5. Trainer Red's Pon gets to act.
	1. Pon has abilitie(s) that meet their Quick requirements:
		* "Undercut" is Quick when: The opponent has full health.
			+ "Undercut" would deal damage, but has a long recovery period.
	2. Pon intends to use "Undercut", targeting WILD Steeleon.
6. Trainer Red's Pon uses "Undercut" against WILD Steeleon, as it is Quick, dealing damage and lowering its health from 100% to 85%.

First Gym Leader.

1. Battle start.
2. Trainer Norm's Kow gets to act.
	* Kow intends to use "Roll Down", targeting Trainer Red's Chimichang. This would deal massive damage, and if hit, lower defense.
3. Trainer Red's Sewiper gets to act.
	* Sewiper has abilitie(s) that meet their Quick requirements:
		+ "Numb Bite" is Quick when: The opponent's intent deals high enough damage.
	* Sewiper intends to use "Numb Bite", targeting Trainer Norm's Kow. This would drastically lower its intent's Power.
4. * Sewiper's "Numb Bite" is used, as it is Quick.
	* The intent of Trainer Norm's Kow is lowered in Power, from 100% to 25%.

### Scenario: *Pokémon*

* Gym Leader Bugsy.
	+ - Bugsy uses a Scyther that starts off by charging Focus Energy.
		- In this game, this would drastically increase the damage of the next single-target physical attack.
		- Scyther follows this up with charging Fury Cutter.
		- In this game, this move is powered up by its beneficial stat changes, making it faster.
	+ - At this point, the player likely does not have an ability to counteract Focus Energy.
		- "Sidequests" are available that let the player acquire a 'mon that counteracts Focus Energy specifically.

## Abilities

Most abilities use bonus effects that only trigger based on intents.

1. Backblow
	* If: Target's intent is single-target damage.
	* Bonus: Inflicts "Backblow".
	* Backblow status: After ability use, the difference in power from original, is inflicted upon the user as damage.

### Based on enemies' intents

1. Bully
	* If: Target's prediction is physical.
	* Bonus: Deals increased damage. Has a great chance of switching the opponent's prediction to magical.
2. Focus Beam
	* If: Target's prediction targets 3 opponents.
	* Bonus: Deals increased stagger. Has a great chance of switching the opponent's prediction to single-target.
3. Smack Down
	* If: Target's prediction targets tile(s) on the top row.
	* Bonus: Deals increased stagger. Moves the target tile(s) a row down.
4. Ascend
	* Target's prediction targets a straight line forwards; move target up one level, and prediction with it.
5. Lifesaver
	* Target's prediction would KO an ally (not self).
	* Halve current HP; halve *current* prediction's damage output.
6. Final Break
	* KO self; quarter the damage output of all enemies' *next* predictions (even if prediction changes, until a prediction has been used).
7. Reverse
	* A prediction has low damage output: apply "Reverse" on the *current* prediction. (Expires if the ability of the prediction changes. When applied, damage is dealt as healing instead.
	* Note: The player is able to further modify the prediction as long as they don't alter the ability. Increasing its power and target count makes it a potent healing ability.

### Based on allies' intents

1. Gentleperson
	* Reduce damage taken while current intent is active.
2. Heal UP
	* If: Intent is restorative.
	* Bonus: Increase efficiency.

## Scenario: Latest Designs

* Designs:
	1. Quicks, when conditions are met, can only *shift* time costs, and only so the move goes off right *before* the appropriate target's.
		+ This is so that predictions will still apply for the opponent.
		+ That is the whole point of the game after all. It wouldn't be fair if moves suddenly became instant.

Tyrant: [0]   Abyss: [0]    |    HERO: [0]   Trickstar: [0]
1. 1. Tyrant plans "Enormous Strike"
		* Deals massive damage to 1 target.
	2. Tyrant: [100]
2. 1. HERO plans "Stop At All Cost".
		* (Quick) An opponent plans an ability that:
			+ Deals damage to a single target.
			+ Has no additional effect.
		* Inflict, on the ability's target, a new status effect.
			+ Survive with 1 HP when damaged.
			+ Expires thereafter.
	2. HERO: [90]
3. 1. Abyss plans "Drowned in the Abyss".
		* (Quick) An opponent plans an ability that:
			+ Adds a Protect-Tag status to an ally.
		* Deal massive damage to the ability's target.
	2. Abyss: [80]
4. 1. Trickstar plans "Phoenix Risen".
		* (Quick) An ally is targeted by at least 2 damaging abilities.
		* Inflict, on the abilities' target, a new status effect.
			+ When eliminated, if at full HP, revive self immediately after.
			+ Expires thereafter.
	2. Trickstar: [70]
5. Resolve!
6. Trickstar's ability resolves first.
	* Phoenix status is applied to HERO.
7. Abyss's ability resolves next.
	* Enormous damage is inflicted, defeating HERO.
	* Phoenix status activates, reviving HERO with full health.
8. HERO's ability resolves next.
	* Sturdy status is applied to HERO.
9. Tyrant's ability resolves next.
	* Enormous damage is inflicted to HERO.
	* Sturdy status activates, preventing HERO's elimination, leaving him with 1 HP.

## Desired Flow: Freely Ordered Attacks

* Mechanics:
	+ Each player takes turns.
	+ For the first turn, both players select at the same time; however, only one unit is selected to act, depending on the speeds and other factors. The other player gets to rethink and select again.
	+ It is only this first turn that is special; and only to eliminate randomness.
	+ After a player has selected a unit, the opponent gets a chance to select.
	+ The turn player can select from any unit who is able to act at that point.
	+ They are able to select at which time point their ability should go off, before or after the enemy.
		- Pending: Or even outside of the chain? What would be the difference though? Perhaps we want to be able to break the chain of responses, but this also seems OP? The opponent should be able to react after all?
		- Pending: Literally write out charge times and such on a timeline? And then place abilities on the timeline accordingly? And therefore take literal time costs into consideration when choosing moves? As the player may not be able to respond in time? Nah maybe not, this might interfere with the whole response concept. Unless the player is able to guarantee a response by offering up something, but then what would be the point?
	+ Not all abilities can be put *before* others; only if their "quick" conditions are met.

Starmie intends to use "Star Blast".Starmie"Star Blast"Paras intends to use "Numb Spore", before Starmie.Paras"Numb Spore"Starmie"Star Blast"Staryu intends to use "Power Star", between Paras and Starmie.Paras"Numb Spore"Staryu"Power Star"Starmie"Star Blast"
* Well... this isn't good either.
* We should only be able to go before people if they respond *to* someone, if you go between... wouldn't that mess with targetings and such? Maybe not?
* Maybe this is fine...

## Pending (Massive Departure): Use *Yu-Gi-Oh*-style responses for predictions *only*

* When a prediction is set, the player is able to instantly *react* to it, with a *matching* ability.
* They also determine whether to go before or after it.
* This is then treated as a new ability used, and the other player is able to react to it.
* If they do not, the first player is still able to react to their, but they each take turns.

* Other than these quick-reactions, the game plays pretty much like normal.
* If you cannot chain in this manner, you cannot go before a player, and you cannot guarantee your turn order.

* This... wouldn't be half-bad.
* Only allowing this as specific reactions would make the rest of the gameplay easier to map out.

## Pending: Stagger

* No Stagger, in the earlier sense.

* While an intent is active, that intent has specific weaknesses.
* When responded to, this is what causes Stagger to increase, and possibly what determines the Stagger outcome.

* Take this also in the sense that raising your defense, against a strong attack, will increase Stagger.
	+ Simply the act of choosing ability is what raises Stagger?

## Pending

### Quicks do not go Instantly

* (This has perhaps been mentioned already.)

* There is not much *prediction* to be done if moves ever go instantaneously.
* All reactions should warrant a counter-reaction.

* So.
* Quicks are only ever able to go before the opponent in question.
* The opponent then has ample time to respond to that response, and so forth.
* Building up to an amazing chain reaction.

### Borrow Energy

* Some abilities, when considering in a Sabotage sense, may be too powerful to be used every turn.
* On the other hand, the player *needs* to be able to use them instantly.

* Limit them by using some sort of Energy resource?
* *But*, when the Quick condition(s) are met, and to a substantial degree, the ability can be used *regardless* of Energy.
* The Energy is simply put to a negative.

* ...while writing this, I remember cooldowns, but whatever.
* This could instead apply to cooldowns.
* If the Quick condition(s) are met, and to a substantial degree, the ability can be used *regardless* of Cooldown.
* The Cooldown is instead stacked further.
* (Perhaps limit this by not allowing the ability's use if higher than standard cooldown?)

* Abilities I thought of:
	1. Sturdy.
		+ If the damage is going to instantly KO the unit.
		+ Apply a debuff.
		+ The debuff will cause the player to remain at 1 HP.

### Player-induced intents

* Since being able to affect the player's upcoming actions is also so neat.

1. The player must get their turn in order to initiate an intent. This gives it a charge time that is always after both allies are able to act, in order to boost it.
	* This makes the most sense, and can be applied as is to PvP, *but* it makes a distinction from PvE to PvP gameplay.
	* Which isn't *bad* per se, but it is different and as such different tactics will apply.
2. The player will *always* be asked when a unit's action has gone through, if they wish to declare their next action or wait until they can act. Declaring initiates an intent but increases the potency.
	* In this case as well as the prior, abilities can both be charged and uncharged. However, this is determined right after the unit has acted, and cannot be added later.
	* Will be a bit messy.
	* The core gameplay also revolves around counteracting the *enemy* 's actions, this makes this a bit less intuitive.
	* Will also not make sense for enemies, as they are not designed around counteracting the player *at all*.
3. Abilities will always have a charge time. This charge time is removed, or greatly decreased, if the ability has an applicable bonus effect.
	* Could work.
	* Also gives more incentive to sabotage abilities; would you act instantly right now and debilitate the enemy, or wait for an attack.
		+ Ooh, since abilities go on cooldown, it could be quite satisfying to unleash like 3 instant sabotage abilities, since their charge times would be so low because they apply, *then* get the added boon of queuing up an attack?
		+ This is the only alternative that would apply, that since both other alternative would put the player on "wait" immediately afterwards.
	* The problem with this alternative and the one prior is that this type of gameplay may not necessarily be fun for the core gameplay PvE.
	* The *entire* point is to be able to see the enemy's upcoming action and counteract it.
	* If the player characters feel sluggish as a result, it will be a detriment.
	* On the other hand, no distinction needs to be made between PvE and PvP, which is always good.
	* It can also feel more like strategizing, as the enemy will often be able to act while the player is "charging".

## Related

* Danger!
* Telegraph
* Intent

## Inspiration

* *Xenoblade Chronicles* – Vision.
* *Into the Breach*.

# OLD

## Intro

Being able to **predict** the **intention** of the enemy's next ability is a core mechanic in the simulated-time games in the *Svea* series. Manifesting as a thought bubble above the enemy's head, it includes the name of the ability along with its basic properties, and the current intended targeting. Most of the time, an enemy is unwilling to change their mind, but *if* a player's action were to cause a *change* in the prediction, which can be guaranteed with Sabotage abilities, a secondary thought bubble will appear as the player is highlighting their selection.

When fighting other players, predictions naturally cannot appear as players' being able to change their minds is a big part of strategy. However, Danger! events are being able to be manually triggered in PvP battles only, making the ability more potent at the cost of locking the unit into that selection, and letting the opponent know the player's strategy. A similar thing occurs in real-time games, where showing predictions in real time would be overwhelming, but Danger! automatically appearing whenever an opponent's action would cause critical damage or the like.

Also referred to as **intent**.