Conditional Blocking

[Loveless]

So, I plan on making an Blizz-ABS add on that allows something I call conditional blocking. This is sort of a revamp for the defend option that Blizz-ABS offers. It's basically going add things such as timed blocking. This means to successfully block you'll have to defend within a short time frame surrounding the moment your character is actually hit. For example, to block an enemies jab you'd have to wait until the jab is about to connect before you defend. This'll activate a sort of stun on the opponent which gives you the opportunity to counter-attack. The conditional part is basically the fact that this won't always work. There'll be certain moves that can't be fully blocked or can't be blocked at all.

Just wanted to hear everyone elses thoughts on the idea.

[Blizzard]

That sounds like an interesting idea. I have seen something similar in other games and it usually also included the possibility to counter attack right after defending and hence breaking the enemy's combo.

[Loveless]

Yeah, the idea came to me through my 20+ playthroughs of CoSLAL testing the capabilities of the defend option and thinking of ways to make it better.

[RoseSkye]

Yeah, the idea came to me through my 20+ playthroughs of CoSLAL testing the capabilities of the defend option and thinking of ways to make it better.

A.Sounds like a blast
B. What is CosLAL?

[Loveless]

The Chronicles of Sir Lag-A-Lot, one of the Blizz-ABS demos.

[RoseSkye]

The Chronicles of Sir Lag-A-Lot, one of the Blizz-ABS demos.

Oh! Duh.

[Loveless]

This is coming along a lot faster than I originally thought it would. Guess it's time to procrastinate.

[KK20]

Quite curious to see how you implement this feature. I mean, attacks are processed instantly--there's no delay between contact and the damage done (from what I can tell).

[winkio]

You could do this for individual attacks or skills without too much effort using the combo system.  Once you check to see if the player is in range, simply open an input window, wait a few frames, and then branch based on whether or not the input was received.  One branch would execute the normal attack, the other could play a block sound and inflict the stunned state on the character using the combo.

[KK20]

Oh yes, with the combo system I can see how to go about making it. I thought the idea was to avoid using it.

[Blizzard]

there's no delay between contact and the damage done (from what I can tell).

Actually there is. More precisely there is a delay between the start of the animation and the damage dealt (at least as far as I remember).

[Loveless]

Actually there is. More precisely there is a delay between the start of the animation and the damage dealt (at least as far as I remember).

There is. I planned on treating the animation as the point where you are allowed to be blocked. In other words, you watch for when the enemy's attack animation starts, player blocks, enemy is stunned and player can immediately counterattack. The stun will only last long enough for you to attack though.