Is the set-up for my stats and abilities confusing?

[TheWolfyGirl]

The game I'm working on has two "separate" pieces. In the first half of the day you pick activities that raise the main character's general/personality stats, and then during the second half, you set activities for each of the 5 members of your team to do (including the main character). This section mostly just works towards unlocking abilities/actions while the first section deals with unlocking conversation choice but can aid in helping the second part go faster. Does that seem too confusing? Am I just over thinking this? Does the separation seem weird or stupid?

[ladyguitarist256]

In both sections you are choosing activities, so I'm curious why there is a separation. Here is what I would do if I were making such a game. 1) Create one stat system that gives you experience points until you level up. At certain levels, you can give the player more actions, abilities, or conversation choices.

If you're not familiar with Persona 4 and Persona 5, I recommend watching a few let's play videos to see how they do it, because that series has one of the most excellent examples of this sort of progression system. Not to mention, it's entirely story-based. There are sections were you cannot progress with someone or accomplish a task until you level up a certain stat. Your description reminds me of that. Is this what you're going for?

I would like to see this strongly tied into story, so that it'll feel less like a sim and more like a mechanic that enhances your narrative. Unless you intended to make a sim - and nothing against them, it's just that I've seen many games get to the point where you end up grinding to get to the next story bit. Some players may enjoy that, but I personally don't find that a fun time when I gravitate toward visual novels for minimal gameplay and more story. c:

[TheWolfyGirl]

I've never actually played a Persona game, but I've heard a lot of good things. I really like the games like the Princess Maker series, so it's partially based on that and for at least the first few they are mostly just stat raising with some visual novel elements. I wanted something that is similar but is split a bit more evenly. The only reason I felt the parts seemed or should be separate was because I wasn't sure the player would want to keep up with all of the main characters stats and what they should do as well as everything the other members should be doing. I do think that I will check into getting a Persona game to see how I could learn from it.

[kivik]

From what you said, I wouldn't say it sounds too confusing - but as ladyguitarist256 said, you need to think of why the separation, and give it a solid reason.

I haven't played Persona myself but I understood it has a day time and night time world that are completely different but linked (narratively and mechanically) - and it's probably this fine balance that makes it such a critical game. So you ought to think about what makes each section of your game stands out, and how the two connect together > and tweak it so that they're connected but also separated (if that makes sense).

Also think about things that pushes both areas of the game in terms of ideas and mechanics, then review whether they gel together - narratively, mechanically, thematically etc. A lot of games have separate mechanics, X-COM (one of my first favourite games) has base management and missions and the original game (back in the 90s) has pretty much been my inspiration for good game design for many years. Civilisation games have city management AND world exploration. You can argue most RPGs arguably have exploration, character customisation and combat, they're all tied to each other but require different thinking for each part.

So go to town with your ideas, brainstorm and brain-dump, then pick the parts that works, refine and distill the ideas into your game.