Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

[MagusMartovich]

Through reading a lot of posts in the Workshop areas, and playing some "non-RPG" games in my free time, as well as thinking about games to make for the Pav to enjoy, a thought occurs to me:

A lot of people are looking to create (OR play?) very open, non linear storylines that encompass many characters who all interact with each other on different levels (friend/foe/etc.) yet in the end it all boils down to "Well, I decided to start another game to try something out and the characters are as follows..." and I get disgusted and stop reading the post.

Having been playing [SOME] of the Dynasty Warriors games, I feel that it could translate well into an RPG: pick your gender, pick your weapon, pick your kingdom, pick a bodyguard or two, get out there and make a better world for the people of ancient China!

But would anyone care?! I'd be making it for either RM3 or RM1 (what abilities and features are available to the player is the bottom line: RM3 is pretty, but you can't name your character, RM1 isn't pretty...) and it wouldn't be done for about six months to a year.

...or does this go in the Workshop as well?

[Wavelength]

Re: Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

Um, yeah, I would definitely care, and I'd play it.

Just please make the battling a little more momentous than Dynasty Warrior's--it's bad enough moving around and button mashing through goons, but choosing "attack" over and over to defeat goons is intolerable.

Wish I could say more here, but I don't at all understand your complaint against when people post that kind of description in your second paragraph, and I also don't see how you'd be able to pull off quite this much freedom in 3.

[JPS]

Re: Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

I know RM3 has a "Change Name" Command, I dont know if it comes up with a user dialogue or if its a fixed name, Ive never used it.

[MagusMartovich]

Re: Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

I was told that RM3's "Change Name" was more like "Change character's name to the creator's pre-specified name" and not so much of a "Change Qdtr's name to Joseph or Thomas or something pronouncable".

And I (of all people) know that RM2 would very much more suit what I am going for, but RM3 at least has the magic damage modifier on the weapon. SO, not giving out gold for the random battles enables me to track experience, awarding a "random" weapon depending on who/what you kill, and making the magic/skills more of a Charge 1-6+ and Mousou/True Mousou. Then things like armor and accessories become more like the blue items in Dynasty Warriors, and/or red items for things like "HP Drain" or whatever.

I've thought through the planning stages and I know I can do it and without too much difficulty. Problem lies in making my game enough like an RPG that can stand on its own and less like an obsessed fan trying in vain to get to be able to play as his own made up version of a character.

...and not getting those same people complaining because "____ isn't that color!" or whatever because RM3 is so gosh darn limiting.

[JPS]

Re: Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

The only problem with using RM2 is that it has a lot narrower user base compared to RM3, so all your time and effort will be for a smaller user base.

And yeah I know yadda yadda make the game for yourself yadda yadda, but lets face it, everyone who knows theyre going to upload a game here thinks about this place throughout the whole games creation.

Im not telling you NOT to use RM2, Im just saying you need to weigh the pros and cons before making it on each Maker.

[MagusMartovich]

Re: Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

Right. I know that. Sadly, I don't have a copy of RM2, and although RM1 could get me closer to not having to deal with complaints of "...doesn't look like that..." or "...uses a fan, not bow and arrows..." RM3 is pretty, and I figure even if I can't match up looks/equipment all across the board, I can get close with either the 3D model or the 2D storyteller, and I can make a decent story out of the game, based on a book, based on ancient legends, based on factual events...

[MRevelle83]

Re: Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

The name change in RPGMaker 3 allows the player to input (read: type in) whatever name they want for the character. They do not choose from a list. This function is also in RPGM2, though harder to set up.

You'll have people playing it regardless of what Maker you make it on, so just go with what you are most comfortable with. I'll play it all just the same, RPGM2 and 3 games just need to be converted to PS3 format for me to play them is all.

[MagusMartovich]

Re: Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

UPDATE:
In light of my *new* knowledge of what name change in RM3 does (thanks Rhen!) I've decided to edit my original idea, while still keeping with the spirit of the original, IMO!

Originally I was going to make a gigantic cast of characters (about 50) of which the player could choose which 4 he/she/it wanted to play through with. I've now decided to limit the players choice to which Dynasty they want. The player will play as the leader of that Dynasty (Wei = Cao Cao, Shu= Liu Bei, WU = Sun Jian) and gain other characters depending on the current battle, or events of previous battles.

This limitation solves my biggest problems: there aren't enough "archer" characters, and there in NO "fan" weapon. There are a few characters who could get away with being armed with a bow, though 2 just isn't enough. Also, most of the fan characters, in fact all of them, are benchable. They matter in the story, but not in the fighting.

Also, I've made halfway decent matches (based on the Dynasty Warriors Games) of very few characters (most notably the leaders) and my new approach also limits the complaints as far as that is concerned.

That having been said, I'm about 1/2 - 1/4 of the way done with the planning stage of my game creation! Soon, I'll be able to actually start to complie lists and maybe even edit something with RM3...

[MRevelle83]

Re: Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

Glad to be of help. I'm very interested to see how a Dynasty Warriors game comes out on RPGM3.

[MagusMartovich]

Re: Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

Well, again, I'm still shaky on the programing end of things, so that'll require a lot of fine tuning...

On top of that, I'm toying with another idea that might make the game more "player customizable" by allowing the selection of a gender. The player will select male/female, and be an archer/general/bodyguard signing up for enlistment:

- "What's you're name, kid?"
- CHANGE NAME
- "___, huh? Well, I'm not here to judge people's names. Who're you going to be fighting for already?"
- 3 Way choice: Wei/Shu/Wu
- "Of course! I could tell right away from the look in your eye! You're all set here, so stop wasting time and get out there!"

(...why not?)

As the archer, you'll be the support character who CAN attack, while also doling out status boosts/recovery/etc while the "important" people do what they do best. I'm attempting somewhat of a best of both worlds, that in effect will appease everyone!

This, again with limiting the player's actual permanent team to the leader of your Dynasty/Allied Dynasty/important storyline character will minimize not only the amount of characters I need to match up but also the horrible amounts of horrible programing I need to do in order to make a quality finished product that I can be proud enough to stick my name on and allow other to enjoy!

I'll also work really hard at eliminating run on sentences in my RPG, but I make no promises as far as that goes...

[Dusk Raven]

Re: Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

I think a problem with RPGM3's naming system is that the name doesn't change in dialogue. I didn't test this very much, but at the beginning of the game you'd put your name in, and the other characters would still refer to you as "NewChara06." I didn't try to fix it very much, as I dropped the idea in favor of a more solid character, but that was my experience.

[MagusMartovich]

Re: Seeking Advice on a TYPE of Game

Well, that also implies that the character who's name was changed was the most important character who everyone knew and talked to. With the way I'm setting things up, "Bob McAlister" can be there and have his cake and killing too, but he/she isn't important enough to the story to be addressed by the other characters. If no one really ever pays any attention to your character, you wouldn't be involved in any of the cinema, so the name change would adversely effect your gaming experience.

UPDATE:
Okay, so I've decided on sprites for the 5 main characters in the game!
Cao Cao: Chancellor, C4 Sage (Evil) D4
Sun Jian: Warrior, C2 Adventurer D1
Liu Bei: Samurai, C2 Prince (Good) D4
Female Archer: Archer C1, Archer A
Male Archer: Archer C4, Young Man A

NEWER UPDATE:
Also, it has come to my attention that although none of the 3 main leaders actually made it to creating a full fledged dynasty out of their rabble, Sun Jian died almost right off the bat. Sadly, this does throw a bit of a monkey wrench into my game's "flow" but I've decided to spice up the entire method of game play making the game itself more "user choice friendly" and causing me to be able to shift blame for problem onto the players, and off of myself.


The game is now opening with one of the "Yellow Turban" battles, wherein, the player will equip "dummy" weapons to the soon to be leaders, so that later in the game, Cao Cao and Liu Bei will both be sporting something more along the lines of what they should be wielding.

Sun Jian will be present for the first 2-3 "Wu Branch" battles, after which, he will be replaced with Sun Quan. Sun Quan will have the ability to equip the same set of weaponry, however, you will lose whatever Sun Jian was in possession of at the time of his death. I will also be warning the player of this in the game itself, so as not to create a "you lost the best equipment because I tricked you" situation.

Each enemy defeated will generate a certain amount of points into a variable, and generals will generate much more. These points will be able to be "spent" at the players discretion in order to attain more valuable weapons, accessories, or stat bonuses. SO, much like the original games that I am spinning off of, walking around and defeating every single living creature on the battlefield will benefit you more, than just rushing in and whacking the opposing army's lead general right off the bat. Though I may add some sort of "not quite as good" bonus for charging through enemy lines at a later date, depending on free space and my patience with the programming end of things.