Battlescape prototype: initial concept

Aspects of battle prototype: initial design philosophy:

This prototype is an attempt to create a more engaging and narrative forward menu driven battle system than it's exemplars (world of horror, wasteland dos, swat for the famicom, smt). The goal in designing this system is to create a battle system that can be understood by people not familiar with video games while making combat flow like a story and not become tepid or formulaic, as such while it is quite mechanics heavy under the surface, fudges and non systemic narrative events are a part and parcel of the experience. The goal is for the combat to provide a lot of novelty while also having the characters abilities and current status playing a significant role in determining possible actions and their chance of success. Since this combat system is intended for horror games the feeling of a real threat is prioritised, over predictable mechanical outcomes

This combat system covers a larger arena than most traditional combat systems, the encounters it models being more akin to a wilderness encounter, rather than only what is up close and personal. So the furthest sphere of combat represents a distance of a bit over 1 km. Since most combat will be at throwing distance at most (15-50m), the combat system includes ways to spot and evade enemies and this is treated as part of combat.

Combat actions are split into 3 menus. Escape fight and influence. 

Escape covers movement and situational awareness, I.E. Fleeing, approaching, moving to a more advantageous position,  sneaking, hiding, looking for the enemy's position, searching the environment.

Fight includes attacks use of items changing equipment and other actions undertaken that directly physically engage with the enemy

Influence includes all uses of magic in combat as well as attempts to talk to or intimidate the enemy and any tricks used outside of mêlée to manipulate the enemy

As well as the characters base statistics, combat is also governed by the characters statuses: these records injuries the character is currently suffering and their extent, how physically tired they are (both immediately from a burst of frantic action or heavy exertion and from generally being worn down throughout the day and by a lack of sleep) and psychologically how composed they are as well as states that affect them coming into the combat

In an effort to narrativerise combat the player will be asked from the initial engagement how they are approaching combat, which will drive (along with their stats and statuses) the options they are presented with, these will be crafted to each combat and build toward a microgoal, I.E., 
You see a figure in the distance (find out who it is, try to sneak away), 
Approach
Figure is a monster who engages you in melee (attempt to injure creature directly, attempt to find something in the environment to give you an advantage)
Lead monster into tightly packed scrapyard  (attempt to kill monster attempt to escape)
Etc.

Hand crafting combat encounters and giving the player different options at each stage sacrifices the predictability of a regular combat system with the aim of providing more exciting and dynamic decisions in the moment as well as removing the hard systemic aspect that encourages thinking of magic as primarily logistical