Intro
Inspirations: Tactics RPGs and ASCII Roguelikes
I really liked the older Fire Emblem games, and there are a few mechanics from that series that left a big impression on me:
Item-Driven Actions – Every action—attacks, healing, utility—consumes an item. This naturally creates attrition and scarcity, where each decision carries long-term consequences. It's not easy or convenient to get new items, so you're always budgeting.
Permadeath – Losing a unit isn’t a one-mission setback. It reshapes your team for the rest of the game, forcing you to adapt to a sub-optimal roster. It makes your army feel personal because it's a living record of your campaign.
Optional Sub-Goals – Objectives like rescuing villages or looting treasure chests require you to divert resources from the main objective for the sake of a greater reward. This creates a trade-off between short-term safety and long-term benefits.
Non-Combat Utility – Thieves are weak units, but they’re uniquely good for scouting and unlocking. Taking a thief over a swordsman is trades raw power for tactical options.
The series moved on from most of these mechanics, but I always felt they were underdeveloped. One genre that has developed these ideas is the Roguelike. The old ASCII roguelikes have the resource management and impactful decisions I liked so much about Fire Emblem. The hostility of the dungeon and the permadeath mechanic also add a survival horror element that reinforced the tension created by the resource management.
That said, I get bored of those roguelikes fairly quickly because as a single unit, there isn't much tactical depth. Also, being entirely reliant on random treasure means that your choices are often forced.
I want to make a tactics game that plays like survival horror heist, with each unit playing a specialized role in an environment of scarcity and danger.
Core Mechanics
Everything is items.
Firstly, there is no equipment and no spells or abilities. Everything is items. An item consists of:
- A number of charges. Using an item consumes a charge.
- A list of actions. An action consist of:
- A state requirement for using the action.
- A cost, the number of charges it consumes.
- A range, determining what it can effect.
- A list of effect, which determine what the item does.
Example: Sword
Sword
Charges: 2
Actions:
Slash
Requirement: Strength 1
Cost: 1
Range: Single (Range 1)
Effects: Damage 1 Physical
Example: Mercury
Mercury
Charges: 3
Actions:
Splash
Requirement: None
Cost: 1
Range: Single (Range 2)
Effects: Poison 1
Mist
Requirement: Arcane 1
Cost: 3
Range: Circle (Range 2) (Radius 1)
Effects: Poison 2
Vapor
Requirement: Divine 1
Cost: 2
Range: Circle (Range 0) (Radius 1)
Effects: Heal 1, Cure
Standard Tactics RPG turn structure.
Units move a number of spaces equal to their movement* stat, then they **act (use an item). Caveat: Stepping on a trap will interrupt a units move and end their turn immediately.
Fog of war.
Units have a vision stat that determines how far they can see into the dark. There are lights that reveal spaces in a radius around them. Every space that is not lit is considered dark. Vision 3 = Unit can see 3 spaces into darkness (i.e. 3 spaces away from the nearest lit space). Vision is resolved after moving. If a unit wants to move beyond their vision, they will be blundering into the dark.
Monsters don't use items.
Monster actions are special to the monster. They may each have their own rules for using their actions.
Status effects.
Units have a resistance for each status effect. An effect like "Poison 1" will reduce the target's poison resistance by 1. When their resistance reaches 0, the status will be inflicted and their resistance will reset.
Switches
Switches activate and cause some effect when they are stepped on.
Levers
Levers activate and cause some effect when they are interacted with.