cRPG Modes of Movement
The modes of movement employed in cRPGs are manifold though some cRPGs embrace a much greater variety than others. Having access to a wide variety of movement modes can facilitate combat, enhance exploration and increase immersion.
Thus are movement modes an important aspect of cRPG Design.
cRPGs built in 3D engines tend to employ more movement modes than those built on 2D isometric ones. Presumably, this is due to the built-in verticality of 3D engines (Z-axis) and the comparative ease of animating the movements within 3D animation software (as opposed to drawing them by hand, or drawing sprites from a pre-rendered base).
First, let's give some examples of standard movement modes with which most of us are familiar: walking, running, jumping, swimming and climbing.
cRPGs built in 3D engines tend to employ more movement modes than those built on 2D isometric ones. Presumably, this is due to the built-in verticality of 3D engines (Z-axis) and the comparative ease of animating the movements within 3D animation software (as opposed to drawing them by hand, or drawing sprites from a pre-rendered base).
First, let's give some examples of standard movement modes with which most of us are familiar: walking, running, jumping, swimming and climbing.
Walking in cRPGs
Walking is of course the most common movement mode, and is employed in most cRPGs. In order to avoid provoking an Attack of Opportunity, we can also take a single tactical step in ToEE, known as the 5-foot step.
Running is much less common and jumping, climbing and swimming are rarer still. Presumably, most cRPGs offer nothing more than walking because we don't need more than walking to make a good cRPG; I think that is self-evident.
Indeed, other movement modes are more difficult, expensive and time-consuming to implement; they add hugely to the workload of coders and technical artists as exemplified by animators.
For example, if we allow running then we have just doubled our animation workload (unless we take the easy way out and just increase walking's movement rate to simulate running, which is plausible and could be acceptable).
For example, if we allow running then we have just doubled our animation workload (unless we take the easy way out and just increase walking's movement rate to simulate running, which is plausible and could be acceptable).
Running in cRPGs
Running is not just about cutting down on travel time when going from A to B: it can also be tactical. The most obvious examples include kiting, fleeing and closing in on an enemy (3.x Dash feat). For example, the tank that is being fired upon by archers wants to close in on them as quickly as possible (get into melee range).
- In addition, a combat unit running at full-tilt can be harder to hit than one that is walking or standing (Silent Storm).
- A combat unit that is running can be easier to hear than one that is walking or standing (Jagged Alliance 2).
There can also be variants of running, such as charging (ToEE).
Many cRPGs also feature penalties for running in general, through fatigue (Jagged Alliance 2, Morrowind).
Due to the increased movement rate, running can also reduce the damage we take when moving through environmental hazards (Deus Ex).
Runspeed can also be increased by base stats (Dexterity in Arcanum; Agility in Jagged Alliance 2), augmentations (Deus Ex 1 Speed Enhancement) or by feat selections, race, class, spells and so on.
Charging with a longspear in ToEE:
Jumping is common in 3D action cRPGs such as Gothic, Morrowind and Deus Ex 1. We usually jump while running because jumping gives us a movement rate boost or simply breaks the monotony of moving from A to B.
Charging with a longspear in ToEE:
Jumping in cRPGs
Jumping is rarely, if ever, implemented in 2D isometric cRPGs. Indeed, the only isometric cRPG I can think of that features animated jumping is Jagged Alliance 2, but the ability to jump, and how far we can jump, is not stat-based (though the speed the animation plays at seems to be Agility-based).
Jumping in JA2 was included for the purposes of tactics, aesthetics, convenience and immersion (the ability to vault over a fence or through a window, for example): a welcome feature that is absent in many 3D cRPGs, such as the Witcher. In the Witcher, we control a superman who cannot vault a picketed fence -- except in cutscenes!
Jumping is used to strategic advantage in Deus Ex: it allows us to reach delicious vantage-point positions that would otherwise be off-limits. Indeed, jumping has great utility in Deus Ex; it's hard to overestimate.
Jumping is used to strategic advantage in Deus Ex: it allows us to reach delicious vantage-point positions that would otherwise be off-limits. Indeed, jumping has great utility in Deus Ex; it's hard to overestimate.
To a lesser but still notable degree this is true for Gothic and Morrowind; some of their dungeons evoke the 3D platform game.
Swimming in cRPGs
Swimming is not stat-based in Gothic: the best thing we can do is jump into a rapidly flowing river and topple down its waterfalls in order to bypass a long journey. It's good for a laugh.
Only in Deus Ex and Morrowind is swimming impactful and not just about short-cuts.
In Morrowind, swimming facilitates exploration and treasure-finding (not just for Argonians), but in Deus Ex it opens up completely new pathways during a mission (an actual Deus Ex 1 Swimming skill + Deus Ex 1 Aqualung augmentation). Other builds would drown or be dependent on specific itemization which they are unlikely to have, which makes Swimmer-JC feel special.
Climbing in cRPGs
The only 2D isometric cRPG that implements climbing as standard is Jagged Alliance 2. We can jump up, grip ledges and then pull ourselves up onto the roof, which is impressive for 1999. This expands our tactical options, the most popular of which is rooftop sniping.
The ability to climb ladders is included in Fallout 1, Fallout 2 and Gothic, but not in Morrowind of any post-Daggerfall TES (embarrassing).
In Silent Storm, we can blow open a hole in the ceiling and then climb up into an attic, which is impressive for 2003. Silent Storm allows us to climb upon objects of varying heights whereas JA2 only has one level of verticality for climbing (up to or down from the roof). In addition, JA2 climbing is limited to 90 degree angles whereas SS allows for the climbing of placeables at 45 degrees as well.
In addition to walking, running and climbing, JA2 and SS also allow for duckwalking, army crawling, strafing and backpedaling. I can't think of any other cRPGs that offer such a variety in movement modes, much less employ them in tactically meaningful ways. ToEE does not allow for any of these movements, but it does have its own tactical movements such as the charging, withdrawing and the famous five-foot step.
In addition to walking, running and climbing, JA2 and SS also allow for duckwalking, army crawling, strafing and backpedaling. I can't think of any other cRPGs that offer such a variety in movement modes, much less employ them in tactically meaningful ways. ToEE does not allow for any of these movements, but it does have its own tactical movements such as the charging, withdrawing and the famous five-foot step.
Flight in cRPGs
In Morrowind, Levitate is a spell that basically allows characters to fly. Logically, flight facilitates exploration but it also breaks the game in that most enemies can't fly; certainly, no grounded enemy can levitate in order to give chase. And that means every unwinged enemy is a sitting duck or irrelevant.
In Master of Magic, flight capability is granted by the Flight, Floating Island and Wind Walking spells but flight is also an innate ability of some combat units such as Jaer the Wind Mage, Fang the Draconian, Spirits and Pegasai. In MoM, Flight has strategic (overland) and tactical (battle) advantages.
Teleportation in cRPGs
Teleportation is the province of Master of Magic, Morrowind, Diablo 1, Diablo 2, ToEE and Arcanum (below-right). In all cases, it is impressive, powerful and time-saving.
In Morrowind, the telportation spells are Almsivi Intervention, Divine Intervention and Mark/Recall. Such spells can teleport us to recall points previously set, or to the closest temple.
In ToEE and Arcanum, telportation spells call up the overworld map on which ANY destination can be selected -- even if we haven't been there before. Most impressive.
Baldur's Gate 2's pocket plane power (Bhaalspawn innate ability, ToB only) is also a form of teleportation, and can also be used in-combat. Parties can rest to heal and replenish their spells before sending themselves back into the fray, making combat encounters easier.
Reminder that I'm not covering teleportation that is dependent on itemization such as Neverwinter Nights OC (Stone of Recall), Shadows of Undrentide (Mystra's Hand) and Hordes of the Underdark (Relic of the Reaper).
In-zone teleportation includes spells such as Spatial Distortion (Arcanum, above-left) and Dimension Door (Baldur's Gate, below right). Once cast, these spells allow us to tele to another point on the playing field (radius is restricted), almost instantly. The latter was omitted from BG2 due to its sequence-breaking potential, though it appears in both IWD1 and IWD2 as well, but not PS:T.
I have always found in-zone tele to be of limited tactical utility, though they can be good for aggro-relief.
Baldur's Gate 2's pocket plane power (Bhaalspawn innate ability, ToB only) is also a form of teleportation, and can also be used in-combat. Parties can rest to heal and replenish their spells before sending themselves back into the fray, making combat encounters easier.
Reminder that I'm not covering teleportation that is dependent on itemization such as Neverwinter Nights OC (Stone of Recall), Shadows of Undrentide (Mystra's Hand) and Hordes of the Underdark (Relic of the Reaper).
In-zone teleportation includes spells such as Spatial Distortion (Arcanum, above-left) and Dimension Door (Baldur's Gate, below right). Once cast, these spells allow us to tele to another point on the playing field (radius is restricted), almost instantly. The latter was omitted from BG2 due to its sequence-breaking potential, though it appears in both IWD1 and IWD2 as well, but not PS:T.
I have always found in-zone tele to be of limited tactical utility, though they can be good for aggro-relief.
Death Travel: Death as a Mode of Travel in cRPGs
In Planescape: Torment, death itself is a means of travel for the immortal TNO and his party. Upon TNO's death, he usually appears back on his slab in the mortuary, but in some cases he may travel to places he has not yet been (such as the Trash Warrens).
This simulates the reinterment or collection of his corpse by Dustmen or others. Players that learn of the destinations can therefore use death in order to deliberately travel. Basically, death-travel can save on backtracking or speed up campaign advancement.
Note: I'm not concerned with modes of travel which are external to the combat unit's ability (silt strider) or are itemization-dependent (except for spell scrolls). Basically, the combat units must be able to execute the ability themselves, or the ability is tied up with their being.
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