The real problem isn’t really creating a combo system, it is to animate it all and make sure it all works just perfect. The animation needs to all work together and feel right. Even if you look at my current animations, they are about as simple as can be where it still feels ok as a motion but feels good as feedback from your input. It can still improve on various levels, it just needs to feel important enough for me to spend time there. So, that doesn’t just happen, it takes a lot of iterations to get that. Animation of any fighting type game play is key. Anything a little more elaborate and it’s just way harder to do. I’ve attempted to add in some kicking moves as a combo choice and failed miserably. I might give that another shot some time. I’m not an animator by any means, I mean I can get by, but it’s hard for me. I have set realistic goals for this project. They’re certainly not static goals, otherwise my game would be done already. My original idea was much simpler. But still realistic goals where I’ll flex where I feel I need to. Going beyond my current fighting system means a pretty big commitment on a few levels. It’s not impossible, just, not practical at this point. I’m very aware of methods to make different types of systems, but I have chosen what I did for a good reason, it keeps the project in the realms of possibility.
So, currently I have basically 2 animations that represent the combo or the loop of the combo. They fit together, right, left, right, left… etc. I have 5 animations total that represent start, loop, finish. Although as finisher moves I have 3 animations for 3 different strengths finisher, but that I need to replace with a sectioned system so ultimately less animations with more end possibilities. The current solution was a quick and dirty one. The start is represented by 2 animation, to get the combo going. Those moves you can do while not hitting someone and they basically loop until you hit someone to get the combo going. So this is pretty simple, yet, took me months to get it just right.
My plan at this point is to have, for the loop section of the combo, 4 or 6 animations that can possibly be used in different orders. So it’ll be either 2 left and 2 right, or 3 left and 3 right. In this case you get a combo loop that can vary in it’s look and feel but still simple by just tapping the key. Or if I feel it’s the right thing, bring in a second key for choice. This whole system is based on old school arcade brawlers like Final Fight or Ninja Turtles. Those games work because they are fun, even with only one string of something like 3 or 4 moves from start to end. Sure, we don’t live in the 80’s anymore, but this is the game I’m making and I’m putting a lot of effort on everything, not just combo animations. If I can make the kicks work, that will instantly create a possible hierarchy choice or split in which case a second key comes into play anyway. But that’s just really unlikely at this point. I do hope to take another shot at that and see if I can make it work, by which I mean, make it feel right. Setting up the blueprint for that isn’t a big deal, but the rest of it… well… is… 