What are Combat Systems?
Combat systems are scripted avatar attachments, which track the health, stamina, and possibly other factors for each player in metered fights. In such fights, all combatants must each be wearing the same combat system for the fight to be properly metered. Usualy, sim rules require roleplayers to wear a particular combat system, but a few sims don't enforce a single one, leaving it up to the roleplayers to decide amongst themselves whenever the need might arise.
Some combat systems also keep track of experience points, character levels, and character stats (strength, constitution, agility, etc.); provide regulated force powers and special abilities; provide a pseudo-currency; provide a customizable, floating title above the avatar's head; provide a health gauge above the avatar; include a HUD attachment for quick access to functions and to provide information on ones state whilst one is in mouselook; etc.
Combat systems (CSs) simply provide the ability for people to engage in combat within Second Life. (This is necessary because Second Life's included "health" system is unable to be customized in a rational way and is far too easy to grief.) This is a great aid to Star Wars roleplay since, obviously, Star 'Wars' involves warfare, which usually involves combat. But like actual warfare, SWRP also involves healing and medical treatment, which can be provided by scripted combat systems but are not provided by default in SL]. Prior to the advent of combat meters, duelling with a push saber was considered the norm; however this too was open to abuse and was rendered obsolete in roleplay by the advent of RCS.
What aren't Combat Systems?
Combat systems are not inherently related to RP nor SWRP. They do not usually involve typing out ones actions (aka "emoting" them by typing "/me does such and such"), but rather, more frequently involve simply doing the action. Oppositely, another form of combat has arisen called free-form combat (FFC), which does not directly involve combat systems, necessarily, but rather involves typing ones actions. Combat systems are not things that perform well in high-lag or for users with underpowered computers. They are also not able to be used in non-script-enabled lands.
List of Combat Systems used in SWRP
Here is a alphabetically ordered list of combat systems used of having been used in SWRP.
BCS
- Main article: BCS
DCS (Dantooine Combat System)
- Main article: DCS
DCS2 (Dynamic Combat System)
- Main article: DCS2
Versatile system, it allows many configuration but the settings are not always compatible from a sim to another unless configured otherwise.
FCRS (Force Combat Roleplaying System)
- Main article: FCRS
FCRS, Force Combat Roleplaying System was created by Cindy Kellner in 2007 in with a view to limit the griefing and to sort unaddressed issues from other Combat Systrems. The System was server based and pulled information via server.
Core Features:
Modes - Training Mode - Changed the System to Basic mode were stats and effects were equal.
Roleplay Mode - Normal operation mode of the FCRS.
Universal Mode - Discontinued after Public release of FCRS. Same as Training Mode.
Ranks - Determined the strength of a character. Ranks although similiar were allowed to be named for a specific group using it.
Health Bar Hover-Text Display - Showed health in color based on percentage left.
Force HUD - Status display in mouse look also provided the user with an array of powers.
Enforcers - Balls that forced the system into the Modes based on sensor radius.
Free during the first times, it became a paying system in march 2009. Shortly after that time the system was discontinued for use due to a opensource HUD release that almost immeditaely turned into griefing weapon against the system.
FCS/FRS (Force Combat System / Force Roleplaying System)
- Main article: FCS/FRS
Predecessors of FCRS, these were the beta versions. FCS was designed to be used by non-force sensitives and FRS was designed to be use by force sensitives. Opensource of the FCS and FRS beta code do exist but by a limited number of residents.
HCS
- Main article: HCS
HCS is the only major combat system to never have been used in any sim. It was the successor to DCS. It featured a sophisticated graphic HUD with moving bars for health, stamina, and armor; and rezzable health packs which could be dropped on the ground and then ran through with your avatar to pick up the extra health.
KCS (Kamino Combat System)
- Main article: KCS
Built by Veteran Star Wars role players. The idea of the KCS was to build a new combat system that would be low lag, user friendly, usable anywhere and built specifically for SWRP. Combat is fast paced, the intention is to make use of cover and fight strategically.
Orb
- Main article: Orb
Orb is a free combat system designed by Furia Freeloader. Some of its unique features include: a color changing orb that shows your approximate health to others but not your exact health, penalties for automatic weapons, different block animations for different character types. It is free of charge and available in Taris, The Forest Moon of Endor, and at Furious Star Wars Avatars.
RCS (Roleplay Combat System)
- Main article: RCS
RHCS (R34l1ty H4ck3r5 Combat System)
- Main article: RHCS R34l1ty H4ck3r5 Combat System
RHCS is offered by the same team that created Fusion lightsabers. It is a free combat system for SWRP. Its main focuses are high performance, engaging melee combat, natural-feeling Force powers, and a diverse set of internally-balanced capabilites that makes each fight unique. Originally concieved by its creator as a response to the feeling that the melee combat in other popular combat systems favored button-mashing, feeling more like whack-a-mole than anything resembling combat. RHCS works anywhere, and has no classes, ranks, or titles. RHCS works with all standard (LMB+WASD) melee weapons and collision-based ranged weapons. A free meter (force powers included) can be obtained on Mos Espa SWRP SIM.
SCS (Somnium Combat System)
- Main article: SCS
Used on The Rogue Planet by the Potentium and others sims, is a very good and free meter dedicated for sw roleplay game. Is still under construction, also it is operative, and soon will have force power too integrated in the meter.
SWCS (Star Wars Combat System)
- Main article: SWCS
ZCS
- Main article: ZCS
Free combat system originally designed to work on low performance sim, but with a complete set of features. It has no level or central database and can be used everywhere.
ZXCS
- Main article: ZXCS
Space ship and vehicles combat systems
The combats system for space and vehicle combats work differently than the the ones designed for ground fights. Melee is pointless and, as the space has obstacle to hide behind, they can rely on scanners rather than physical bullet.
CCC (Calahan Combat System)
- Main article: CCC
CCC is the more universal combat system used in dogfights on SWRP.
PCS (Phoenix Combat System)
- Main article: PCS
SCS-V (Somnium Combat System-Vehicle)
- Main article: SCS-V
For ships/vehicles coordinating with the SCS (Somnium Combat System)
TCS (Terra Combat System)
- Main article: TCS
VCS
- Main article: VCS
VCS, or Vehicle Combat System is a physical vehicle-based combat system developed for the Star Wars RP community.
XCIS
- Main article: XCIS
Controversy
The issue of which combat system(s) to use has been the center of several controversies within SWRP, due to the way in which certain systems provide or deny enhanced statistics and/or combat dynamics to particular players or classes of players based on arbitrary factors or experience points, for example. There have been many other factors related to these controversies.