Epic ABS Final Fight when using an RTAB system

[jjangjae]

For the final boss fight in my game, I was thinking to make it something special.  Maybe instead of a traditional RPG fight using the RTAB system the game runs with for the final fight, have it switch to an ABS system--like a fist fight of sorts.  I got the inspiration from the final fight against Liquid Snake/Revolver Ocelot in Metal Gear Solid 4.  It just seems more epic to have a big mano-to-mano fight in actual real-time.  Can anyone clarify if this would work and if it was a good idea?  It's for RMXP, btw.

 

[Unka Josh]

Well, I'm just going to give my impression here, based on my experiences with another game that did something slightly similar-- God of War. 

In that fight, I felt kinda cheated.  I mean, I went to all this trouble to learn all the fighting techniques with the various weapons that were available, I collected orbs... and now all of that was completely irrelevant.  I had to learn an entirely new way of fighting.

I'm kinda afraid that this would go the same way-- "I learned all these spells for what?  I have to fight what way now?  Why can't my teammates help me blast him?"

 

[Sabao]

For scenarios like these, the fight is usually a gimmie. At this point you should have already beaten the true final boss and this would be more like a glorified end to the fight where there's no way you could actually lose. Think of the Cloud vs Sephiroth fight in FF7, or the hero versus Nyx in Persona 3.

Like what Unka Josh says, make it too hard and you'll only frustrate the player because you'll make it seem like all the work put into powering up his character goes for nothing in the end. While it's not necessarily a bad idea, just remember not to put too much focus on it.

 

[jjangjae]

I understand what you're saying and you guys do have a good point.  Though I was aiming at something closer to your scenario, Sabao.  The fight ends after the real RPG final fight (spanning 3 battles), and it's just there as a "thanks for playing now let's make this ending a good epic one" kind of fight.  It's just more of a memorial fight--okay, I just kicked your ass now let's do this 1 on 1 bare-handed and let me show you what I can really do sort of thing.  Like how in Metal Gear Solid 4 you would usually use guns to fight but the final boss battle is an unarmed fight that feels epic in retrospect.  The fisticuffs battle is just there to make a good ending that's unorthodox to RPG tradition (okay, we killed ur ass and now u deteroriate or fall into a void and all that sci-fi stuff that defies the laws of physics).

 

[Wichu]

It would indeed be good as an extra fight after the final battle. That's how they did it in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time - after you defeat the final boss, her ghost possesses Bowser and you fight him, with the same battle system, but different rules i.e. you don't get your turn to attack, so you just have to counter his attacks.

 

[jjangjae]

I see.  So you think it's a good idea.  Now, the big thing is--how do I do this?

 

[Ellie]

Since most ABS scripts don't edit Scene_Battle in any way, there should be no problem using both at the same time.

 

[jjangjae]

Though how would I change the game to use the ABS system at a cetain time?

 

[The Panda]

Most ABS have a script you can call that will turn off the battle system temporarily, it's different for each one though so you'll have to ask the creator of whatever ABS you decide to use. Alternatively(in case you decide to use an ABS which for some reason doesn't have that call script), you could just leave the ABS on, place no enemies on the maps and turn the HUD off. It might be a bit more laggy but it still gives the impression of there being no ABS till the end.