Action Point, commonly abbreviated AP, are points in games to determine how much action a player, unit or Video game character can do in a single turn. GAMES Magazine is a United States based magazine devoted to games published by GAMES Publications, a division of Kappa Publishing Group. ... A video game character is a character appearing in a video game or computer game. ...

Within computer and video games they are predominantly used in the Turn-based tactics genre. A major difference from hit points and magic points is that action points recover automatically over time in combat rather than with items as hit points and magic points are usually recovered. This article needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and make it easier to understand, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Magic points (MP), or “mana”, are units of magical power that are used in many role-playing, computer role-playing and similar games. ...

Basically, any action, except using items, consumes a certain amount AP. A unit cannot execute an action if there's not enough AP. If the unit has zero AP, that unit's turn is over. The player however, may end the unit's turn early. When it is that player's turn again, AP is replenished. AP may be partially restored or fully restored, and in some games, restoration may bring the unit's AP over the maximum limit that unit normally has.

Using the turn-based tactics genre as an example: To meet Wikipedias quality standards and make it easier to understand, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

• Units, both the player's and the enemy's, are placed upon a map of an area. Both sides take turns moving every character they have at their disposal.
• When an AP system is in effect, both sides use AP.
• Say it is the player's turn. The player wants to move a unit with 15/15 AP three spaces with each space consuming 1 AP. There is 12/15 AP left.
• The player wants to attack a nearby enemy:
  • If the attack consumes 10 AP, there will 2/15 AP left. Since the unit doesn't have enough AP to launch another attack, the player can decide to move the character away or end the turn (normally most games have the character's turn ending immediately after attacking).
  • If the attack consumes 12 AP, there will be 0/15 AP left. The unit's turn ends immediately.
• When the player's turn comes around again, it will have 15/15 AP.

To add a sense of realism, the more stressful the action is, the more AP is consumed. For example, in land based combat, having a character move over rugged terrain may consume more AP than moving over smooth terrain. Also using more powerful attacks also consumes more AP. In the Front Mission series, using a shotgun consumes a different amount AP than using a sub-machine gun or a rifle. Front Mission (Japanese: フロントミッション) is a series of turn-based tactical strategy video games produced by Squaresoft, now Square Enix. ... A pump-action and two semi-automatic action Remington 1100 shotguns, 20 boxes of shotgun shells, a clay trap, and three boxes of clay pigeons. ... A submachine gun is a firearm which combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the ammunition of a pistol, and is between the two in weight and size. ... It has been suggested that Break action be merged into this article or section. ...

See also

• Game mechanic
• Experience point
• Hit point
• Magic point