Fight/Combat choices in VNs. Good? Bad?

[HardlySoft]

I've been working on a visual novel with racing and action scenes, and I've hit a bit of a crossroads with how much control I should give the player.

I'm thinking of adding choices during fights and street races (stuff like "dodge or punch," "take the shortcut or stick to the main road") to make things feel interactive.

BUT those choices wouldn't drastically change the end result. Like, you still win or lose depending on the story, but the path you take might feel different. Different dialogue, a scratch on your face instead of a busted lip, someone commenting on your decision, etc. More of a roleplay thing than anything else.

So my question is:
Would you find that fun and immersive? Or would you rather just watch the scene play out like a cutscene if your choices don't really impact things?

And while on this topic, would you like a bit of RNG involved?
Like, you choose to punch instead of dodge, but whether it lands or fails depends on a dice roll.

 

[BethPT]

I wouldn't shove everything into the game. the player just won't understand what to do.

 

[balitz Method]

Interactive fight scenes are a good idea, but you do need to write with them, not around them. Rather than having everything turn out the same, plan things out so that the player has a couple of different paths that they can take in the sequence to win. That way it's not just a matter of saving and finding the 'correct' path through scumming; you can make whatever you picked work if you're actively reading and getting the hints about what opportunities you can take advantage of when you get a choice.

Beyond that it really depends on what else is in your game. If there are skills or stats or something you can work those in, too. Even dialogue choices before the fight could play into it. For instance, picking a particular thing to say could cause the PC to notice that their opponent has a concealed weapon and that prevents them from blindsiding you with it during the fight.

Set it up so that the player feels rewarded for doing the smart thing or cool for turning a bad situation around, not frustrated because they failed an arbitrary dice roll.

 

[Insomnimaniac Games]

I'd say that whatever you do, if the player is meant to be able to win or lose, you should to give them a way to influence it. This can either be through choices, or some sort of stat (this stat could even influence a "dice roll" DnD style).

If the player is meant to lose at any point, do not even give them the illusion of winning. Unwinnable battles only ever work if you're meant to come back to the same enemy later when the characters are stronger.