Need some game-play design advice

[LaDestitute]

For those that read about my latest topics (my literary analysis one and the one asking about the customisiation of weapons/armor and alternate skill costs) skip onto the next paragraph after the following one.

I had created a system for my project where I had a specific set of items (called Auguries) that could be fused with weapons/armor to improve, and where used as a alternate cost to skills instead of MP.

So, I had a Maple Story style class system set up, where the characters where one of the four standard RPG classes (Warrior, Archer, Thief, Mage), and at levels 30, 60, and 90, you reach a upgrade point where you could pick a more advanced class, say Warrior to Black Knight. Of course, considering it sounds very clich, I was thinking of getting rid of it, and instead: Each character would keep their class archtype and actually have a second subclass under this archtype (commonly a rare or interesting one or one unrelated, and meaning they learn skills under that group). They would have "deft" magic: Casting a set of primary magic based upon their elemental affinity and a subgroup of magic such as blue magic or healing magic. Second, the ability to convert items into Auguries (i.e Potion turns into 3 Light Auguries), and last but not least; the ability to forge auguries with weapons and armor to improve. Also, so nobody is left out, any particularly important magic (only one I can think of is summoning), each character would have a set of summons.
1: Leave the class system in. It gives something familar and comforting to the player.
2: Leave it and replace with your idea. It's unique and fresh.

Second concept...with the thought of modifying armor and weapons, the cliche concept of buying equipment and ditching it in the next town for better ones doesn't seem nessacary at all. So, what sould I do to compensate for the loss of equipment, espically late into the game? I thought of just using simple equipment like: "Sword", "Robe", "Chestplate", etc...but it seems a bit harsh for the player to be stuck with a single set of equipment for nearly the whole game. Perhaps spliting them into metals? Like bronze armor, iron armor, etc...

 

[gRaViJa]

Your class system does look cliché. Subclasses are nothing new.

About your armor idea. In every way, do not make just a few armors for your heroes. It will bore the player.You should make a lot of different weapons/armors OR make them hard to acquire. For example you can't buy weapons/armor but have to find rare items which you can trade or craft into weapons/armor (that's what i do in my game)

 

[LaDestitute]

About your second paragraph, the main is that there is a lot of armors and weapons what with the possibility of mixing and matching auguries with them.,

 

[Reygekan]

The class system doesn't really change much with either system, although the second one does have more versatility.

I hate the system of ditching weapons and armor in the next town as it adds nothing new to the gaming experience. Remove.

Rather, go for weapons and armor that do different things, rather than improving. Add a bit of strategy. A weapon that hits far enemies, a weapon that is fast but inaccurate, etc., make a tradeoff between pros and cons and let the player strategize a bit and try breaking it with different combinations combined with your Augurie bonuses. It makes for a deeper and more strategic system overall, and makes every weapon and armor actually worth owning.

 

[Crystalgate]

Second concept...with the thought of modifying armor and weapons, the cliche concept of buying equipment and ditching it in the next town for better ones doesn't seem nessacary at all. So, what sould I do to compensate for the loss of equipment, espically late into the game? I thought of just using simple equipment like: "Sword", "Robe", "Chestplate", etc...but it seems a bit harsh for the player to be stuck with a single set of equipment for nearly the whole game. Perhaps spliting them into metals? Like bronze armor, iron armor, etc...

If the Auguries improves the equipment, there's no need to give the player better weapons and armor. The Auguries are the improvement. Reygekan's suggestion sounds great however. You can have leather armor which has good evasion, but low defense and plate armor which is the opposite and maybe some armors that are somewhere between. That way the player can choose the basic equipment depending on how she/he want to customize it.

 

[cordynasty]

Your class system does look cliché. Subclasses are nothing new.

About your armor idea. In every way, do not make just a few armors for your heroes. It will bore the player.You should make a lot of different weapons/armors OR make them hard to acquire. For example you can't buy weapons/armor but have to find rare items which you can trade or craft into weapons/armor (that's what i do in my game)

That doesn't sound very smart. Not all players will enjoy having to find items just to get new armor and weapons. That can bore the player. You should make it an option and make it to where the player can only get the best equipment through crafting. However, offer buyable equipment in shops as the games goes for those who don't want to spend time making equipment. In Legend of Mana, you could buy equipment in shops, but you gained the ability to craft your own at a certain point in the game. Then, you had the choice of making your own weapons and armor, which can result in equipment much more powerful than what you can ever buy from the stores, as long as you had the right items. If I only had to make my items, the game would have been more of a chore and I wouldn't have liked it as much.