I would like to add a suggestion, although you have probably already thought of this. Add length of time to loot to items(when in pvp and looting armor)
When looting an opponent in pvp, or if a pve creature is chewing up some of your items or supplies, add a 'time to loot' that is realistic, and or corpse dragging.
The reason for this, besides being realistic, (even with a can opener, getting that plate mail off of a corpse can take some time) it also allows allies to protect there fallen comrades from being looted.
It is also a realistic sociology of war, the defense of the fallen Commander at theopolis, all the way till today, where current militaries will engage in difficult situations to recover fallen comrades.
Although it will flood the chat channels with people asking for help when they die to keep there stuff, so be aware of that also, if such actions were added, it should be clearly noted that is part of the risk, not that people should expect assistance if they carelessly lose a melee combat.
Looking forward to the release, it seems you are building a game that will require some thought and skill, with both reward and risk.
And on the topic of the no targeting, it might be a good idea to also put 'realistic' movement speeds into combat actions. The actual amount of effort to circle around an opponent, is far more then that enemy rotating to keep a facing, although that is not always modeled and so many games become circling attackers.
Note armor should be an effect in that also. With turning in place, faster then the same knight in plate side step circling, a plate knight, can actually keep a facing with a leather armored foe, but a plate knight would have a difficult time side stepping around to the side of a leatherd foe without him moving.)
Dexterity stats are used in games to emulate that fact, and modifications to to hit rolls. The no targeting system moves some of that dexterity to the fingers of the player. and players aren't actually in the dexterity hindrence modeled in the game, so different movement speeds would make sense.
Since you are leaving that to player keyboard controls, modifications on 'movement speed' 'and rotation speed' based on hindrance and dexterity I would think would be a good idea.
It also has always been bothersome that in most games everyone runs the same speed, while some have heavy armor, and some are in cloth. Different speeds, even if only when 'in melee' (trying to flee) can add to a more realistic choice of armor, where having plate is more then only a better armor, but a more riskier armor when in the field alone. (although combat wounds would inhibit retreat, so every battle does not end with the guy in cloth running if he is losing.)
Figured I would add a couple ideas, that if you had not thought about them, could be something to consider (or ignore)
Zathurus
(On another note, your icon is not consistent, or it is incomplete with your game name. The Hammer and Sickle is building and reaping, the two sides, servants and soldiers, Life and Death, yet you name the game with only a life comment, and in contradiction since Sword and Sickle, would be Wars, and Death, only one side of the comment.) Although it is still both sides, with death side in icon, and life side in text. Although it feels a bit unbalanced.
Added » 15 Apr 2014, 05:32
The mechanics of combat really are difficult.
For instance, how do you stop the problem that a fast guy with a bow, could always win against someone in heavier armor, by using shoot and move?
The act of shooting, would have to incur a 'movement penalty'
By having movement speed include inertia, so the guy charging the archer would run faster after continual running, the guy firing would move much slower when starting to run again.
And shields would be particularly effective when charging an archer one on one. Making archery a support weapon for others in melee, and if someone is outmatched at a 'ranged' vs 'ranged' battle, they would have to switch to charge and try melee
Really interesting formulas to both simulate realism, and balance, hence such games are fun things to think about.
Zathurus