For multiplayer role playing games a working party support is essential. The problem is the low resolution 2D tiled maps layout which prevents some common solutions.
Anyway, party support could be improved.
The combat is far to fast, there is no time for group tactics. A single player is able to clear a map within seconds, or a monster is able to wipe out the party before they can react.
Solution
Slow down combat speed to a human managable one.
In fact, nobody is able to handle a high speed character. This is not just a matter of party support (see combat).
Problem
Changing the underlaying system may result into unbalanced maps (see world).
Having monsters with a huge amount of HP needs weapons / spells inflicting high damage to offer the chance to kill such monsters. This makes friendly-fire deadly, because the HP of player characters is limited to 550(?) HP.
Solution
The HP / damage ration needs to be harmonized.
This also makes arena combats (player vs. player) more interesting.
Problem
Lots of monsters / maps needs to be changed and tested (see world).
There is a lack of party spells working on party members (e.g. party heal). And there is currently no way to aim on party members such spells. Aiming with the mouse is too slow for combats.
Solution
The party spell takes effect on all [visible] party members in the spell range.
Some spells may work through walls as well.
There is no easy way to see the status of party members. Do they need to be healed or not? Is their protection running out or not? And so on…
Solution 1
Drawing a health bar and other infos on the player character icon.
Problem
Using such status bars over the character icon won't work well on low resolution graphics used in CF.
There is no way to see the status of party members within a spell range but outside of the visible area.
Solution 2
Writing the party member status informations into an extra windows.
Problem
The layout of the clients used so far won't offer much place to add such a status window.
Adding a color code for party members inside / outside of a spell range.
There are only eight directions to aim. This is ok for range 1 melee combat but makes it impossible to hit aim on all squares at a range above 1.
There was no solution for a working mouse interface. So we stick with those eight directions.
Solution
Let range attacks go through party members. This allows archers and mages in the second row to support the fighters in the front row.
Friendly fire is still possible. A mage casting a fireball through a warrior to hit the monster in front of the warrior, the fireball will explode and the fire damage also hits the party members.
This is the same for player parties as for monster parties.
Problem
Reflect missile / spells needs to change the owner. If not, the reflected missile won't be able to hurt anyone, because the monster reflects it and the party members can't be hurt by a “party missile”.
There has to be a range 2 for melee when using a polearm.
The feature of xp sharing is abused to level up low level characters spoiling the fun of newbies.
No one is forced to be part of a party. If a newbie wants to share exp, that's her choice :)
So IMO current sharing mode is ok.
— Ryo Saeba 2007/08/18 02:50
Solution
To keep xp sharing, it should give xp on a pro-rata function on the damage the character made.
Example: If the xp for a monster is 1000 and (for the easier calculation example) also have 1000 hp, but regenerates fast. Now our party members have to inflict 2000 damage (because of the regeneration). Player A made 1000, B inflicted 500, and C and D each 250. Now the 1000 xp are diveded pro-rata. Player A gets 500 xp, player B 250 and C and D each 125.
No xp if the monster isn't beaten. And no way to spoil the fun for lower level characters. But keeping the party play fun of xp sharing.
Problem
The damage made has to be recorded for every envolved character.