Devlog #8 – Combat Improvements

Work in progress on combat: adding environment-aware text, smarter classifier for battles, skip/fast-skip options, and sound or effects tied to dialog events. Making fights clearer, faster, and more connected to the world.

Gabriel at 18/60 HP fights Cawretch at 17/57 HP in Ava: Sporelight combat screen, with battle log and action choices shown.
Gabriel under attack by Cawretch in combat encounter

This time has been about improving how combat feels and flows. A few things are in progress right now:

Environment-Aware Combat Text

We’re adding combat text that changes depending on where you fight. Cold zones will mention freezing winds, urban ruins add collapsing walls, and so on. This should make battles tie better to the location instead of sounding the same everywhere.

Smarter Environment Classifier

The system that decides the combat environment is being reworked. Instead of just looking for one keyword, it now counts multiple matches, gives more weight to sublocations, and tries to tell the difference between “the place you are in” and “the place you are heading to.”

Skip and Fast-Skip

Dialogs during combat can take time. We’re working on skip and fast-skip options so players can move through events more quickly if they want.

Effects and Sound on Dialog Events

Combat lines will be able to trigger effects or sounds. For example, snow gusts when a Frozen North battle starts, or metal clashing when debris falls. This should make events more direct and easier to connect with.