Fully 3D SRPG

I know that this is neither feasible as a game project nor exists, but would you play one where movement and attack ranges are in 3 axes freely instead of 2 axes freely or limited 3 axes? It might be more realistic and challenging at the expense of simplicity. Also, some usual mechanics of an average SRPG would have to revamped, such as:

• Attack ranges might have special properties such as limited to certain planes or more powerful in certain axes.
• Some units might move in only one axes as a result of status effects.
• Characters might stuck on the ground or stay in the air.

If you design a game like this, what kind of modifications would you do for the game mechanics?

First thing's first: Please clarify the basis for the thread. There are quite a few SRP Gs that have some manner of height calculation in them, so how does this differ from that?

I don't even know what a SRPG is.

Strategy Role-Playing Game. Think Fire Emblem, Shining Force, Final Fantasy Tactics or (to some extent) Nintendo Wars.

edited 7th Mar '14 11:14:14 AM by ShadowHog

How is it more realistic? In what world do people regularly fly and object hover perfectly with the ability to move up and down without x or z movements? And how is it less simplistic if you're pretty much eliminating terrain and path finding as a factor.

Because being stuck on one axis is more realistic somehow?

edited 7th Mar '14 12:36:44 PM by CobraPrime

But in those games, multiple units cannot float in different heights on the same 2D coordinate, grids are in laid out in 2D or 2.5D and attack ranges are more of 2D with height restriction instead of fully 3D.

To elaborate on the latter point, in a typical SRPG, attack range of 6 means I can hit someone 6 spaces away from me if the elevation is not too high. In a fully 3D SRPG, that means I can only hit someone 6 spaces away and on the same elevation with me as any elevation difference would add up to the range.

Units are not necessarily people. They could be machines with directional boosters. If only one of the three axes' boosters get fully functional, getting stuck on one axis is not as unrealistic as it sounds. Terrain can be fully 3D too, with tunnels, man made structures and the like.

edited 8th Mar '14 12:11:29 AM by murazrai

Going with the "hovering machines" idea, you could perhaps set it in an adrift spacecraft, or take a page out of Descent's book and set it in twisting mine shafts.

One thing that I might suggest is removing the grid entirely and making movement (and orientation) somewhat more freeform. At the least I think that I'd suggest removing the restriction of units only being able to attack those on the same elevation as them. After all, if you're going to give the game three-dimensionality, why not make use of it?

3D versions of Growlanser mechanics? Sounds interesting, but that would be quite hectic.

By the way, to elaborate further how attack ranges would work in a fully 3D SRPG, the 6 attack range would work as long as the sum of distances from x, y and z axes is 6 or less. That means someone who stood 3 units above, 2 units left and 1 unit in front of me can be hit.

edited 8th Mar '14 12:17:12 AM by murazrai

So the idea of wholly turn-based 3d strategy game?

What I would do is give facing heavier facing bonus/penalty...maybe with different weapons with limited firing arc and such, so that tactical maneuvering DOES matter...okay, this also applies to RTS games too, but really...

Sid Meier's Ace Patrol also did this a bit already...okay that also applies thing like damage based on fire angle, facing, and such...but eh.

edited 8th Mar '14 2:04:59 AM by onyhow