RTS-Style Post-Combat Replay Mode for Immersive Battle Rewatching

[amhoppe28]

This proposal targets Pillars of Eternity and similar real-time with pause (RTwP) games. It introduces a Post-Combat Replay Mode that allows players to rewatch battles as smooth, immersive sequences, with limited control over camera and playback.

Concept
After a battle ends, the player is given the option to "Replay Battle." Selecting this replays the full encounter from beginning to end, with all actions and outcomes preserved, but without pauses or player inputs. The battle plays out in real time, as if you were watching it happen naturally.

Why
In RTwP games, combat is tactically rich but visually fragmented due to frequent pausing and micromanagement. This breaks immersion and makes it difficult to fully appreciate the coordination and decision making behind your party’s actions. You rarely get to sit back and watch a satisfying battle unfold, even when it was won through careful planning. This feature would not alter gameplay, but would give players a way to experience their combat encounters as fluid, cinematic events after the fact. A thought for the anniversary event if a feature such as this were possible and feasible. 

Core Features

• A "Replay Battle" prompt appears after combat concludes

• The battle plays out exactly as it happened, without interruptions

• Combat log and floating damage numbers remain visible during playback

• Playback speed controls (such as 0.5x, 1x, 2x)

• A "Save Replay" option that allows players to store and revisit key encounters later

Optional Semi-Interactive Enhancements

• Free camera movement during playback (WASD or edge-scroll)

• Optional camera follow options, such as locking to a character or target

• Basic timeline scrub or jump-to-timestamp feature, if feasible

• Playback remains non-interactive beyond these viewing controls