Sidequest #12 - RWBY Game Improvements - The Importance of Controls

Yesterday I watched RWBY, and as a dinosaur who watched Monty Oum films back when Newgrounds was…well new, I. Fucking. Loved it. So, when I heard that RoosterTeeth started working with the creators of the fan game to make an official RWBY game, my heart fluttered and pants swelled at what seemed like the stuff of wet dreams.

Seriously, if you haven't seen this show, do yourself a favor, make some popcorn, and prepare to spill it as you jump up and shout "DAAAYYUUUUM!!"

We all on the same page? Good. So after witnessing that awesomeness, I took a peak at some early access gameplay footage.

...and my pants slackened.

There’s no doubt that they got the aesthetic and genre right (spectacle fighter ala Devil May Cry & Bayonetta), but the progression is MOBA-y instead of gradual & the mechanics are too conservative & simplistic to capture the kind of show that RWBY is – one packed with fantastical team-oriented action sequences and complex character-specific weaponry. Fortunately, it’s only in early access and the devs can still do a lot to make it the game of weapon-fetishists’ dreams. I doubt that they will, since it’s their first game, and they likely don’t have the resources or experience to make an ideal RWBY game. But, the point of this post is not to put down the devs. I’m sure that they’re doing the best they can. It’s to prove that it is absolutely possible to capture the show’s spectacular fighting within a game, and demonstrate the merits of taking a controller-based approach to game design.

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First thing you're probably wondering, though, is "why would any designer think to start with the controller instead of the hardware?" the short answer: It imposes stricter limitations on the designer than hardware, and the limitations it creates are more critical to the end-user experience than a game's aesthetic or progression. A game's controls are the conduit through which players interact with the game space. If players enjoying the game is most important to the game's design ethos, as is usually the case in action games, then ensuring that the game has intuitive controls is absolutely essential to creating an ideal game.

To that end I came up with more “ideal” controls for a RWBY game, and wrote justifications for each decision I made. These controls are specifically designed to facilitate a high-octane single player experience with more player agency & combo versatility than any game currently on the market. But, the controls also function well within a (less complicated) multi-player format. Hopefully someone making the game will give this post a once-over to farm for some ideas either for the current RWBY game or a sequel. If not, well, at least you can see that I came up with something awesome more interesting mechanics were possible.

For comparison, this is the current RWBY game control scheme.

And THIS is what I came up with, displayed on a PS4 controller.

*Here's a quick key, in-case you can't understand my notation for the face buttons:
/\ = Triangle
O = Circle
[] = Square
X = X (shocker)

Navigation

L-stick = movement

R-stick = camera

Options = Menu

L3 - Dash

R3 – Center Camera

X (multiple times) - Jump/Extend
X (hold) - Wallrun/parkour

Basic stuff. The dash button is pretty much exclusively used to move faster, for reasons which will shortly become apparent, helping players get around the large environments the devs (for some reason) currently like using. However, it needs a separate button in order to avoid the occasional problem in Bayonetta (and the current RWBY game) where flustered players try spamming the dodge button and accidentally sprint. Also, while the X button does jump, since this game is based on RWBY, it should also enable some characters to continually extend their jump with gun shots (Yang, in particular loves doing this), or glyphs in Weiss' case. This coupled with the ability to run along walls and speed through the environment helps capture the show's freedom & fluidity of motion.

Basic Attacks

/\ = Strong attack

/\ (hold) = Strong projectile

[] = Quick attack

[] (hold) = Normal projectile

/\+[] = Bullet Launch (launch enemies into the air)

/\+[] (hold) = Bullet Launch yourself with the enemy

O = [Undetermined - it's just an unused button. Use items? Call for support? Reload? DANCE????]

/\+O = Environmental Action/Finisher

The two-button combo systems of Ninja Gaiden and Bayonetta allow for far more attack variety than the likes of Devil May Cry and the current RWBY game, without precluding any of the simpler games’ combat possibilities. Basically, everything that’s currently in the RWBY game would fit into this more complex attack scheme as is. That said, Ninja Gaiden & Bayonetta both undersell the significance of having a wide pool of immediately accessible normal attacks. So, this two-button system should try to marry the two approaches by having a list of dial-a-combos backed by an array of “special” attacks unique to each character. These special attacks would then use similar button combinations to that of Devil May Cry & Bayonetta (direction+face buttons), though as you’ll see in the next section, there’s enough room to allow for even more unique attacks than either of those games.

For the shooting, I used the Bayonetta approach as a foundation, but since these characters only have one gun/projectile it opens up more options for the shooting while simultaneously simplifying some things which were notoriously complex in DMC. For instance, there’s no need to charge a projectile attack when you have a button that specifically fires stronger projectiles. This also allows players to extend the damage of and or zone the enemy by adding a gunshot to the end of any individual attack. Also, since none of the characters on the show (save for Mercury, IIRC) can control their bullets there’s no need for a dedicated/modifiable shoot button.

The bullet launch attack is a new one I came up with to better facilitate air play (which is currently lacking). Since this game is based on a show where almost everyone’s weapon is also a gun, and gunshots are frequently used for their propulsion properties, this seemed like a good way to add stylish, generalized launchers to the combat without necessitating specific combos like in Ninja Gaiden Black. The IAD-esque approach of Bayonetta (jump, then immediately hit an attack button) would also compliment this function well since it would allow players 2 more options for what trajectory they want the enemy to have. There’s no need for two different button combinations here, when a simple hold can adjust whether the character goes airborne or not, and it’s not really a special attack since anyone can do it, though naturally each character should do it differently.

And finally, I added an environmental action/finisher button in-case there are ever boss fights and the devs feel like adding in unique cinematic finishers for them – or if they feel like borrowing from God of War and want to incorporate them into regular combat. This control scheme is so efficient that there’s an entire button left over that I have no idea what to do with. Grappling didn’t seem appropriate, since enemies are typically too large for it, but if they keep their item mechanics (which they shouldn’t) or feel like adding in reloading or something, there’s room for it.

Advanced Attacks

L1 = Activate/Deactivate Semblance

L2 = mode switch - Weiss=Ice/Space shift, Blake=mode switch, Ruby=momentum shift, Yang=dodge cancel

R1 = Lock-on/Parry (tap)

R1+R3 = Switch target

R1+face buttons = Special Attacks 1-4

R1+forward+face buttons = Special Attacks 5-8

R1+back+face buttons = Special Attacks 9-12

R1+back to forward+ face buttons = Special Attacks 13-16

R1+360 motion+ face buttons = Special Attacks 17-20

R2 = Dodge

R2+hold [] or /\ = Dodge Offset

Changing the function of a weapon is one of the hallmarks of the show, whether it be shifting between different types of dust or changing between different weapon forms entirely. Not including this capability just seems baffling. It’s a show staple that opens up dozens of potential attacks & combos for every character in the game without demanding any extra finesse from players. Since some characters don’t have (or don’t use) multiple weapon options, this same button could also be used for their unique capabilities. More specifically, in the show, Ruby uses the gun functionality of her weapon to immediately change the direction of her scythe swings, offsetting its heavy weight and potential recovery time for her attacks. So for her, this button could modify attacks or cancel attack animations. Yang, on the other hand, only ever extends her attack strength with shotgun blasts. So, since the prior capability is already covered by the normal shoot functions, this button should instead accentuate her fighting style in other ways, the most immediate of which that comes to mind is her boxing-esque swaying. For her, this could specifically be used to dodge attacks without changing positions, or to swiftly cancel attacks into new ones (ala God Hand).

And no, there should not be 20+ special attacks per character. That’s silly. These are just some possible button combinations for instantly accessible special attacks. Once again, it’s derived from the old DMC method, but with a more generalized principle: hold the lock-on button, then initiate an attack. This ensures that players know what they’re targeting if the move hits enemies, and that the special attacks can be incorporated smoothly into the dial-a-combos. To that end, I also borrowed the dodge-offset function from Bayonetta to allow advanced players to choose whether or not to continue a combo after using one of these attacks, or (more practically) avoid attacks without dropping combos.

On that same note, evasion should not be the only means of avoiding damage. The devs were right not to include a dedicated block button in their control scheme (since it makes almost no sense why any of the characters, save for Pyrrha and Jaune, would do so), but parrying is vital to a lot of the characters’ fighting styles, so this control scheme includes a way to do that which doesn’t necessarily get in the way of anything. Alternatively, they could do it Platinum games-style and just make players tap the left stick in the direction of an attack just before it lands. That approach is flat out better from an avoiding any potentially annoying camera jerking perspective, but as Metal Gear: Rising showed us, a lot of players will only attempt to block when it’s got a dedicated button. Either way is fine so long as the camera doesn’t spaz out with the R1 parry listed here.

And last, but certainly not least, there has to be some sort of dedicated Semblance button, and it has to be one of the upper shoulder buttons (in this case L1). Since semblances vary wildly from character to character, you can’t just make them moves within a characters’ combos without misrepresenting someone. At the same time, semblances have been shown to be: 1.) activateable modes (single button press), 2.) mobility moves (direction+button press), 3.) general combat abilities (button press or hold), 4.) modifiable by dust (hold button+press another button), and most importantly 5.) usable/changeable during a characters’ attacks (press/hold semblance button and input other commands, while pressing attack buttons). The only way one can capture this much versatility without overcomplicating the controls is to map the semblance functionality to a button on the opposite side of the controller as the attack buttons, that is not on the d-pad (so that the d-pad can be used to modify certain characters’ semblance attacks). The moves themselves, however, should be character specific, so there’s no general set of buttons combinations that work for everyone. To illustrate this, I came up with ideas for how to represent team RWBY’s semblances in the last section of this write-up.

Team Abilities

D-Pad Up - select Ruby

Right - select Weiss

Left - select Blake

Down - select Yang

D-pad in multiple directions – select multiple characters

Double tap D-pad direction - switch to character

Double tap D-pad direction (with multiple characters selected) – clear selection

Double tap D-pad currently controlled character direction – taunt (set-up?)

R1+Up - Team Attack 1

R1+Down - Team Attack 2

R1+Left - Team Attack 3

R1+Right - Team Attack 4

If there’s one thing that separates RWBY from every other action animation/cartoon/anime etc. it’s the spellbinding, well-choreographed, coordinated attacks between characters. How this has not yet been represented in the game, is once again, completely beyond me. But regardless, I came up with a way to enable players to pull off the awesome maneuvers in the show alone or with other people or without requiring vocal communication.

To start, the d-pad by itself can be used to select characters however, it will not automatically switch to them. This is to facilitate team attacks between more than two people, as well as team attacks between characters the player is not currently controlling. The R1 button is once again used to both enable team attacks & target which enemy will be on the receiving end of it. However, since the initiating button is tied to the d-pad, each combination of characters can have up to 4 different team attacks allowing for up to 24 two-person attacks, 12 three-person attacks, and 4 full-team attacks in total. Once again, that’s way more attacks than almost anyone is going to remember, but the point is that it’s possible. This could easily be adapted for multi-player by requiring one player to declare the team attack, and other player(s) to confirm it. There are other ways to add team functionality to the game. This just made the most immediate sense to me, coming off of the Tales of Xilia games which do something similar.

If you really wanted to get technical, one could further complicate the controls by allowing players to order their team mates around. This actually fits into the current control scheme (still, without using the O button), but I think it demands a little too much dexterity to be a realistic option. Of course, that’s just me. You can decide for yourself.

(If only 1 character is selected) R1+ d-pad direction= order selected character to do one of 4 things

(If only the controlled character is selected) R1+ d-pad direction= regroup team/use item/whatever

Character Specific Semblance Controls:

Weiss - Element Selecting

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L1+Up = Fire

L1+Down = Space/whatever the hell it is

L1+Left = Stone

L1+Right = Lightning

L1 + Face buttons = 1-4 dust-based attacks

L2 (tap) = Ice/default

Weiss’s semblance hinges entirely on her ability to flip between different elements. Since she has more than four elements available to her, but only one weapon, it seemed ideal to separate the two elements she regularly uses (Ice & gravity/momentum) from those she doesn’t. Since this is just mode switching, it only modifies the behavior of her special attacks and possibly some normals. This theoretically gives her the largest pool of attacks out of all the characters, but it’d probably be for the best if the devs only made a few attacks unique and primarily tweaked attack animations, timings, & damage scaling for others.

Blake - Elemental Augmentation

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L1+R2 = After-Image

L1+Up = Fire (after-image explodes on impact)

L1+Down = Ice (after-image traps enemies who strike it)

L1+Left = Default (lures enemies towards it)

L1+Right = Stone (after-image stops projectiles and enemies who attack it)

In the penultimate fight of Volume 2 (and opening fight of Volume 3!), we learn that Blake’s semblance, like Weiss’ can adopt different properties based on which type of dust she’s using. We only saw four different types during the fights, so I assumed that those were the only four possibilities. Since Blake’s semblance is exclusively based on dodging, she doesn’t necessarily need any special commands to initiate it. But, if you want two different types of dodges, combining the semblance button with the dodge button seems like the natural way to go.

Ruby - Shadowsprint (or whatever it's called)

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Hold L1+L-stick direction (tap) = dash a short distance pulling small enemies with the wind

Hold L1+L-stick direction (navigate) = sprint FAST (pulls nearby enemies off balance)

L1+R1+ forward+[] or /\ = dash attack

Hold L1+360 rotation = Local tornado (sends multiple enemies airborne simultaneously)

Ruby’s semblance is awesome, but slightly odd to implement into a combat system because it doubles as a mobility tool. On the show, we see that it creates enough g-force to lift people and objects off the ground, so rather than making it a glorified teleport, I thought it would function better as a crowd control tool. However, since Ruby also uses it to move around really fast, it had to be tied to general motion (read: the left-analog stick). She’s also been shown to use it to launch stronger scythe swings, so it could also be used to initiate attacks on distant enemies. Honestly, there’s so much that could be done with it, that exploring all of the possibilities here doesn’t seem practical. All I can say with relative certainty is that tethering her semblance to motion seems like the ideal way to represent its capabilities.

Yang - Burn
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L1 (toggleable) = increase strength proportional to the damage taken during the encounter

Do I even have to explain this? It's identical to Rage Mode, Devil Trigger, Rage of the Gods, & Umbran Climax from a control perspective – you press a button, to activate a super mode, and tether its use to some sort of gauge so that it can't be used indefinitely.