OT: Western v. Eastern martial arts

[Endoperez]

I'm studying 3d-graphics for games, and I've given some thought to similar things. As I said earlier, it's a good question.

Here are some simple ways that can be used to differentiate martial arts from each other in RPG-type games with a strong main character. Some of these are inspired by ADOM, a roguelike game.


Mechanical differences in learning:

- Some skills are faster to learn than others.
- Visiting a techer may give you instant bonus, or you might get knowledge that only becomes useful after, say, 150 weapon hits, at which point you "understand" the teaching. This would be a nice way to incorporate kata-style practice in-game.
- Also, it may be easier to find teachers for some styles than others. If there's a school, you just have to be accepted, which may just be a matter of paying a fee. Being taught by an old master, whether he's a knight or a sage, may require you to run errands and do quests for him, perhaps before every lesson.
- Some part of the skill should be keyed to time. Increasing the level when a weapon skill has been used long enough often works well. What counts as a use could vary between martial arts. Another, much-used option is limiting the skills to your character's level: you only get so many points per level, and must divide them between the martial art skills. In the latter case, if there are lots of different martial arts styles, weapon skills and other skills should have separate points so that people wanting to play fighters will have skills other than fighting as well.


Mechanical differences in use, or more options to fight with:
- Skill bonuses to other skills. Teachers teach you what they know, and it's never just the martial art. Conversely, the associated skills could give minor bonuses to martial skill, and choosing martial arts with similar secondary themes could be interesting character design decision.
- You need both martial art skill and other skills to get the benefit. Say, knowing basics of Tai Chi doesn't do anything before you get level 3 Balance and level 3 Intuition, but at that point you get some special stance or something.
- Some skills give substantial benefits at lower levels, while others give better bonuses once you've trained them for a while. These can be bonuses to speed, accuracy, damage, defence, perhaps stats/armor/hp at high levels.
- Some skills give better benefits than others. Whips don't make efficient melee weapons, so they need that kind of incentive, and it's nice to get some benefit from being a Little John with a staff instead of a spear.
- Different tactics or stances with mechanical differences. Learning western fencing might give you a stance that alternates between defense bonus and fast, far-reaching lunge attacks. Learning Bagua might give you mobility bonus in your basic defensive-balanced-aggressive stances.
- Different magical effects tied to a martial art. Avatar cartoon is the best implementation I've seen of incorporating martial arts with clearly supernatural. Unfortunately, most of the fan-videos are crap, or only show the fancy big moves.


Different dialogue options that you only get if you are familiar with a certain philosophy or martial art. This could be fun! Examples:

* Here's the money! Just don't kill the girl!
* What do I care! Just kill her!
* [bluff] What do I care! Just kill her!
* [preacher] Kill her and your soul will be damned forever! (15% chance of Charm Person)
* [robinhood/swashbuckler] I don't think so! (55% chance to disarm)
* [robinhood/swashbuckler] Touch a hair on her head and I'll nail your ear to the wall! (75% chance of intimidation)
* [iaido] My sword is sheated! I'll bring you the money. (55% chance of surprise attack)