http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=900371
( For a TL;DR "kinda" ) you can get a grasp on what " MIGHT" be FFXV battle system.
Considering we have very few concrete details about FFXV's battles, and noticing how deep this "patent" seems to tie with it, I felt it was worth reading and analyzing it a bit. There's some interesting notes that shows us the director's worries and solutions for several issues, and if what is written trully is the base design for FFXV's system, then it sheds some light about its control input and level of customisation.
ANALYSIS
(Note: I found the technical wording confusing and a bit hard. The text bellow is just my interpretation of it, and I have no idea how accurate is it compared to what it's being said).
1. Technical details on Auto-Attacking
[0008] (...) it is difficult for a player unfamiliar with an input operation of a command to operate the input operation and it thus becomes difficult to complete a requested command input within a predetermined period of time. (...)
In other words, the director thinks that casual players are slow to react to complicated input situations (complex combo buttons or massive command lists in menus), and this hurts their enjoyment of the game.
Tabata seems to be aware of how streamlining might make for a shallow experience to more advanced players, though:
[0009] On the other hand, in a case where a simple command input is to be required, there is a fear that it causes interest of a player, who is familiar with an input operation of a command, in a video game to be lowered.
And then it goes on to say:
[0010] Namely, it is desired to provide a video game processing apparatus that carries out an input request of a command and determination of input completion so that a player unfamiliar with an input operation of a command can readily complete an input operation while maintaining difficulty of an input operation by a player familiar with an input operation of a command.
In other words, inputting commands should be easy and straightforward for casual players, BUT it should still retain some intricacies to provide a challenge to the advanced player.
( For a TL;DR "kinda" ) you can get a grasp on what " MIGHT" be FFXV battle system.
Considering we have very few concrete details about FFXV's battles, and noticing how deep this "patent" seems to tie with it, I felt it was worth reading and analyzing it a bit. There's some interesting notes that shows us the director's worries and solutions for several issues, and if what is written trully is the base design for FFXV's system, then it sheds some light about its control input and level of customisation.
ANALYSIS
(Note: I found the technical wording confusing and a bit hard. The text bellow is just my interpretation of it, and I have no idea how accurate is it compared to what it's being said).
1. Technical details on Auto-Attacking
[0008] (...) it is difficult for a player unfamiliar with an input operation of a command to operate the input operation and it thus becomes difficult to complete a requested command input within a predetermined period of time. (...)
In other words, the director thinks that casual players are slow to react to complicated input situations (complex combo buttons or massive command lists in menus), and this hurts their enjoyment of the game.
Tabata seems to be aware of how streamlining might make for a shallow experience to more advanced players, though:
[0009] On the other hand, in a case where a simple command input is to be required, there is a fear that it causes interest of a player, who is familiar with an input operation of a command, in a video game to be lowered.
And then it goes on to say:
[0010] Namely, it is desired to provide a video game processing apparatus that carries out an input request of a command and determination of input completion so that a player unfamiliar with an input operation of a command can readily complete an input operation while maintaining difficulty of an input operation by a player familiar with an input operation of a command.
In other words, inputting commands should be easy and straightforward for casual players, BUT it should still retain some intricacies to provide a challenge to the advanced player.
[0012] up to [0018]
From what I'm getting, a predetermined command should show up on the screen, and upon player's input (press of a button), it would verify (within a timer, more on this later) how many times the input occured. This seems to be the base for the "hold to attack/ defend" design philosophy, and possibly even opens doors for charging magic (the mechanisms are certainly there). There seems to exist a mechanic in place that might cap how high that number can go.
All this would happen under a timer. As stated, within the timer, the game would verify how many times the input ocurred after a button press, but it would also verify if the button was even pressed in the first place. The condition to trigger the timer is, as vaguely written, "set up by the game". This implies that additional actions might be available through other means, before or regardless of a button press, and once available, the player would have a specific time window to pull them off. This is probably reserved, I guess, to all kinds of contextual commands.
The "number of input actions ocurred within a timer" is heavily emphasized and detailed in the document, so I assume it's going to be very important. It is said, more than once, that this is how they plan to make button pressing challenging to the advanced player while keeping it simple for the casual player. My guess is that we should expect some intrincacies here to make it more complex than just "hold and watch it unfold", or else, the intention behind it to challenge the more advanced player wouldn't make sense. (Maybe holding for a longer time does not always translates to a superior effect? Maybe holding it for a longer time makes you more vulnerable to attacks, unless you interrupt your combo to avoid the attacks?)
From what I'm getting, a predetermined command should show up on the screen, and upon player's input (press of a button), it would verify (within a timer, more on this later) how many times the input occured. This seems to be the base for the "hold to attack/ defend" design philosophy, and possibly even opens doors for charging magic (the mechanisms are certainly there). There seems to exist a mechanic in place that might cap how high that number can go.
All this would happen under a timer. As stated, within the timer, the game would verify how many times the input ocurred after a button press, but it would also verify if the button was even pressed in the first place. The condition to trigger the timer is, as vaguely written, "set up by the game". This implies that additional actions might be available through other means, before or regardless of a button press, and once available, the player would have a specific time window to pull them off. This is probably reserved, I guess, to all kinds of contextual commands.
The "number of input actions ocurred within a timer" is heavily emphasized and detailed in the document, so I assume it's going to be very important. It is said, more than once, that this is how they plan to make button pressing challenging to the advanced player while keeping it simple for the casual player. My guess is that we should expect some intrincacies here to make it more complex than just "hold and watch it unfold", or else, the intention behind it to challenge the more advanced player wouldn't make sense. (Maybe holding for a longer time does not always translates to a superior effect? Maybe holding it for a longer time makes you more vulnerable to attacks, unless you interrupt your combo to avoid the attacks?)
[0023] (...) it is preferable that the command receiver receives a command from each of a plurality of players (...)
Interestingly, it seems like it's being designed to handle more than one player, when input from different players occurs.
2. "Gambit" System and Positional Actions
Based on the images available, one of them shows a list of actions + conditions that greatly resembles FFXII's gambit system. On the right side, you have types of actions (Boomerang, Spell A, Spell B, etc). On the left side, you have conditions based on character's positioning (how close or far they are).
Apparently, moving around the battlefield changes/ determines your skillset.
There's another image with a list of examples for positional conditions. "Nearest from player character", "Nearest from allied character", "Farthest from (...)", "In contact with (...)", etc. FFXII had some gambits like that, too, but this one is greatly expanded to the point that it can determine if characters are within 3m or 10m of distance of each other.
The following image gives examples of action methods. "Close attack with sword", "Distant attack with boomerang", "Attack Spell B", etc. I assume that when pressing the button to attack, if the character is far from the enemy, will make the character automatically switch to/ usa a ranged weapon, or at least if specified in a gambit-ish system.
Then, it is shown that the positional condition + attack method "gambits" are priotized exactly as they are in FFXII. Top rows have priority over bottom rows.
In fig 8. and fig 9. the combat flow is shown in the following order:
1) player's sights on enemy;
2) attack instruction (I assume this is when the player can manually press the attack button, if they want to);
3 & 4) specify positional relationship and attack method (AKA, verifies which "gambit" to use);
5) execute attack;
About this figure, the document states that a "control section" occurs within it, right alongside a timer to pull off the command. (It says that there's a time limit of 8 seconds).
Interestingly, it seems like it's being designed to handle more than one player, when input from different players occurs.
2. "Gambit" System and Positional Actions
Based on the images available, one of them shows a list of actions + conditions that greatly resembles FFXII's gambit system. On the right side, you have types of actions (Boomerang, Spell A, Spell B, etc). On the left side, you have conditions based on character's positioning (how close or far they are).
Apparently, moving around the battlefield changes/ determines your skillset.
There's another image with a list of examples for positional conditions. "Nearest from player character", "Nearest from allied character", "Farthest from (...)", "In contact with (...)", etc. FFXII had some gambits like that, too, but this one is greatly expanded to the point that it can determine if characters are within 3m or 10m of distance of each other.
The following image gives examples of action methods. "Close attack with sword", "Distant attack with boomerang", "Attack Spell B", etc. I assume that when pressing the button to attack, if the character is far from the enemy, will make the character automatically switch to/ usa a ranged weapon, or at least if specified in a gambit-ish system.
Then, it is shown that the positional condition + attack method "gambits" are priotized exactly as they are in FFXII. Top rows have priority over bottom rows.
In fig 8. and fig 9. the combat flow is shown in the following order:
1) player's sights on enemy;
2) attack instruction (I assume this is when the player can manually press the attack button, if they want to);
3 & 4) specify positional relationship and attack method (AKA, verifies which "gambit" to use);
5) execute attack;
About this figure, the document states that a "control section" occurs within it, right alongside a timer to pull off the command. (It says that there's a time limit of 8 seconds).
[0081](...) notify the player A that it is input timing of the command corresponding to the specific process and of its input time.
This seems to confirm that gambit-driven actions are manually triggered by the player.
3. Personal Thoughts
The idea that I'm getting so far for this combat system, is that a gambit system determines which action is available with the Attack button, based on the player's positioning (and thus, under the player's direct control), where it then must be manually triggered by the player.
Apparently, it seems like battles will unfold in the following way:
PRE-BATTLE
1. A gambit system determines the actions (customisable) that are available under specific positional conditions (also customisable).
MID-BATTLE
2. You manually position yourself to have access to the actions that you want to have acess to (based on the gambits).
3. You manually trigger said actions by pressing the button.
In other words, you don't seem to have any less control than traditional, menu-driven FF combat, whose actions were also determined with the arrow pad/ analog sticks and a "Confirm Button". FFXV seems to go for a different retake of the same idea.
This seems to confirm that gambit-driven actions are manually triggered by the player.
3. Personal Thoughts
The idea that I'm getting so far for this combat system, is that a gambit system determines which action is available with the Attack button, based on the player's positioning (and thus, under the player's direct control), where it then must be manually triggered by the player.
Apparently, it seems like battles will unfold in the following way:
PRE-BATTLE
1. A gambit system determines the actions (customisable) that are available under specific positional conditions (also customisable).
MID-BATTLE
2. You manually position yourself to have access to the actions that you want to have acess to (based on the gambits).
3. You manually trigger said actions by pressing the button.
In other words, you don't seem to have any less control than traditional, menu-driven FF combat, whose actions were also determined with the arrow pad/ analog sticks and a "Confirm Button". FFXV seems to go for a different retake of the same idea.
