I am currently working on a project to simulate fighting games. I know that there have been many other games that have done this, including one based on street fighter (an inspiration of mine), but I’d like to have a go at it myself. I’ve looked at several games based on martial arts and I’ve even done some reading up on martial arts itself. What I’m trying to do now is define the factors that affect a combat situation. This is sort of a scientific approach to combat. With little experience in fighting (however I have had some), I need some help. This project encompasses all forms of fighting in and out of the ring.

As of now I have compiled the following information:

First we examine the “fighter.”
Factors contributed by the “fighter” himself are:
Mental Situation: the mood/morale/or mental fatigue the fighter is currently experiencing.
Physicality: The level of fitness of the fighter, including strength, conditioning, etc.
The training of the fighter: This is the most difficult portion to define. It cannot be simply put down in numbers like the physicality (Height, Weight, Bench Press, etc.). This is where I need the most help. What is detailed in the training of a fighter? As of now I have the following:
forms/styles, stance, maneuvers/techniques (striking, grappling, pressure points) & combinations, aiming/reach, footwork/movement/distancing/angling/balance, timing/initiative, tools/weapons used, defense & reaction

Second we examine the “opponent.”
Factors that are contributed by the “opponent” are:
Number of opponents
Opponent characteristics (including Mental Situation, Physicality, and Training as described above)

Finally we examine the “environment.”
Factors contributed by the “environment” are:
Perceptive Inhibitors: anything from lights or sound that may affect concentration/perception
Hazardous Conditions: any obstacles that may affect the fight whether it is a pothole in a street fight or the actual cage in a UFC fight.

Is there anything else you can add to this (especially the training part)?

Thanks!

Are you looking to simulate the experience that playing a fighting game provides, but in RPG format, or are you trying to write a fighting-oriented game that has similar styling to fighting games?  The latter might be difficult, since the styles behind, say, Guilty Gear, Smash Brothers, Soul Calibur, Mortal Kombat, and Virtua Fighter are all pretty varied.

If you're trying to simulate the fighting game experience I actually wouldn't worry too much about mechanics for things like mental state and prior training.  I normally really like it when games include those in factors for combat, but since without them it makes combat feel like it's just a bunch of soulless puppets wailing at each other.  That's exactly what fighting games are, though.  I'd focus more on analogs for hit-boxes, start-up times, frame advantage, mix-up, chip damage, super-bars, and so on.

Do you have experience in the tournament scene for any fighting games?  It's not worth it to train up to tournament-level in a game if you aren't there already, but just being around people who are and listening to strategy they talk about could probably be a really great inspiration for you.

Also, I think a card game system did something like this at one point.  UFS had some pretty interesting mechanics.  I never got too into it, but that was mostly just because it was hard to find friends to play with.

Training? My least favorite part of fighting games:
Rote memorization of button combinations.
Personally, I'm only ever interested in two:
What's my launcher and what's my air attack? (I like juggling.)