Combat Modes

Real-Time (RT) and Turn-Based (TB) are the two different combat modes available in FOnline: Reloaded. Real-Time combat is forced in permanent locations on the Worldmap, like in Towns and Mines for example.

As for regular Random Encounters you can choose in options which combat mode you prefer. If someone encounters you, he is forced to fight in the combat mode you were in when you started the encounter. Forced random encounters as well as Special Encounters do not display that option, but start in your currently set combat mode. You can check what combat mode currently is set by typing ~combatmode.

When starting Quests, the Player has the luxury of choosing which combat mode, RT or TB, to use. Some quests inform you about this choice during the last stages of dialogue, right before the quest officially begins, but some do not. The player needs to set the preferred combat mode before finishing the dialogue that starts the quest at the NPC quest-giver. Otherwise it will start in whatever combatmode is currently set. Changing the combat mode afterwards will not have any effect on the started quest.

To temporarily set the combat mode in game to Real-Time (until you restart your client or change the mode again), use the command ~combatmode rt

To temporarily set the combat mode in game to Turn-Based (until you restart your client or change the mode again), use the command ~combatmode tb

To permanently change your preferred combat mode use FOConfig.exe, combat section, and restart your FOnline:Reloaded Client.

Turn-Based Combat

• Combat participant with highest Sequence gets first turn.
• In a single turn, you have 30 real seconds to perform actions.
• Your turn ends when one of these three things happens, and the turn goes to the next combat participant:
  • 30 real seconds expire, or
  • You spend all of your Character's Action Points, or
  • You ended your turn yourself by hitting SPACE on your keyboard or by pressing the TURN button.
• Moving (walking) costs Action Points.
• In Turn-Based mode, a Character's Action Points are fully regenerated per turn as long as he is not knocked down or knocked out (see Critical Hit).
• You can use First Aid and Doctor, each of which cost 3 AP.
• You can leave an area (via an Exit Grid) but you can’t Follow Players to Worldmap during Combat.
• Combat ends automatically when you are the only one alive in an encounter.
• When you have Followers present in the same location you need to manually end combat by pressing the CMBT button or hitting CTRL + SPACE on your keyboard.
• With Players present in the same location, turn based combat only ends when every player pressed the CMBT button or hit CTRL + SPACE on their keyboard.
• As long as there is aggro from NPCs turn-based combat does not fully end. The CMBT button just pops out again.

Real-Time Combat

• Player with best reflex (and/or best connection, best ping) shoots first.
• NPCs react very quickly and will perform actions independently from player Characters.
• Moving around (walking/running) does not drain Action Points, but delays AP regeneration.
• Your Action Points refill completely every 5 seconds, but only when standing still.
• The same rules apply to NPCs, but the simultaneous actions of RT combat will make them seem much faster.
• You can’t leave an area (via an Exit Grid) or follow another Character with an active combat timer.
• Combat timer is also called combat cooldown, which is 10 seconds after attacking or being hit.

NOTE:

• You can't use some skills during combat (for example: Science).
• You can't change or drop your Body Armor during combat.

Most fans of the classic Fallout games (Fallout, Fallout 2, Tactics) start here with a strong preference for TB combat. Before long, they may see the benefits of switching to RT, but many find this transition difficult. Compared to TB they find RT is chaos and they prefer an orderly experience, where they have time to make decisions, and plan strategy for best outcomes. "30 seconds per turn is fast enough", they might say. All players are encouraged to try RT as much as it takes to get used to the faster action, which will seem less chaotic once they get acclimated. Turn-based combat can be frustratingly slow in some cases:

• All it takes is for one person in the party to not understand how to end combat, and a TB fight can be frustrating. Tell that one to hit CTRL + SPACE.
• In some Quests, all of the NPCs become triggered in the entire map, and each one gets a turn. The ones not involved in combat might just wait up their 30 seconds each turn.

Forcing yourself to adjust to the faster speed of RT mode will drive you to become much more efficient in fights; you'll manage many things better, including movement and weapon reloads. This will step you closer to being a PvP competitor, and playing on a team. While some team fights are in TB, most are in RT. Remember: in the time you've taken to beat some quest in TB mode, the RT players may have beaten that same quest twice if they managed to survive the chaos.