The risk here - which would happen immediately in my game - is that the louder and-or faster-thinking players would drown out the others, and end up getting three actions to their one unless I put my foot down...and impose a speaking order...which then might as well be an initiative order.
The route to simultaniety is to use a smaller initiative die and allow ties.
The route to not using initiative at all passes, I think, through bedlam.
Lanefan
No, because you're still using rounds. Everybody still only gets their allotted turn each round. It's just addressed differently.
And no, a speaking/declaration order has nothing to do with resolution order. If it works better for you to get all of the actions then describe it, that's fine. But there's no guarantee that the person who declares their action first is the one that will resolve first.
As I stated, I'm not trying to get simultaneous initiative. I'm trying to spread everybody's actions across the entire round, with the actions unfolding simultaneously. If somebody is attacking first, then moving, their attack will usually resolve before somebody who is moving first and then attacking.
Having two creatures move to attack a single creature will usually result in that creature falling back, attempting to keep both of their attackers in front of them, such as by circling around the first opponent to keep the other opponent in a rough line. They may have initially intended to attack, but might switch to dodge instead since they are now defending against two opponents. That's not possible in the normal turn-based initiative.
While those two attackers are locking down that opponent, another ally drops another monster, and then moves to target the same creature as the other two. With three against one, it's very easy to surround the target creature. It's much harder two against one. The target creature is now at a disadvantage, so instead attempts to overrun the weakest looking creature to run away. Yes, he's subject to some opportunity attacks, but might be able to get away.
On the other hand, if his ally was some distance away, as soon as he saw them drop and the other enemy approach, he might have turned and run before the third attacker closes.
It's one of those things that makes more sense when you're trying it, then trying to explain it.