Wander - Full Game Progress Report

[Pagerron]

Something I’ve been working on for the last few months. I’ve got a long way to go but…

Wander – for RPG Maker 3

You find yourself waking from unconsciousness as you hear the sound of waves against a dock. You soon come to realize that you are in a world you’ve never seen before and have no idea why.

Featuring:

-NO battles
(That’s right. No random nor event battles at all.)

-NO towns
(In this world, there is no need for them.)

-NO NPCs
(Imagine that! Seriously though. It’s just you and your environment.)

-NO huge expansive maps that require holding down the triangle button for long periods with nothing happening (The world is compact but jam-packed)

-NO Medieval theme
(This game is set in the modern day or beyond.)

-YES-highly interactive field maps

-YES-usage of the L3 button to pan the camera around you. (You’ll need to look carefully wherever you travel. The exclamation mark may appear in unexpected places. Pay close attention.)

-YES- secret bonuses (Who knows what items, or places, you may stumble across)

-YES- Original events (If you have seen “Test Facility” and/or “Origami,” you’ll know what I mean.)

-YES- Frequent save points (in case you need to play just in short spurts)

I would appreciate any comments you have as I keep working on “Wander.”

[Valkysas]

I'm interested. no battles, no towns, no NPCs, no huge empty boring maps. definately has my attention.

[Pagerron]

Thanks Valkysas for the comment. I hope that once it's finished, you do get a chance to play it. That would be really cool.

Well, over the last couple of days, I've had some successful game-making time, so I've gotten a bit done. Right now, I'm working on linking the field maps and creating warp areas to minimize unnecessary walking. However, there will be walking in this game. Seeing as it's called "Wander," it would be very strange if there weren't some walking to do, right?. The difference is that it will be walking with the purpose of exploration of the environment and figuring out why you are there in the first place. I am trying my very best to make them neither huge nor boring. :)

I'm also trying to make good use of the available graphics to create special items/events that could help make the game more interesting. It's been (and continues to be) a fun experience. I love just tinkering with things. Of course, that means this game might take forever, but who cares, it's fun. It really is cool to see what can be done with burying, overlapping, and linking graphics.

Well, I wish happy game-making to others, and hey, play some other people's games and submit reviews. That's a great way to keep inspired, too.

[Jamos]

I'm certainly curious as to how you are going to go about this. All we really know is that you wander around. Is there a point? Are there puzzles? Is it just one big fetch quest? Mainly curious as to how items are going to be used seeing as there is no combat.

[Pagerron]

Hey Jamos. Thank you very much for the questions.

This is more of an adventure game than an RPG.

The point of the game is to find out why you are in this world, and ultimately find out how to get back to your own.

Yes, there definitely are puzzles to be solved.

There are many items to be found as well, many of which directly affect your success in getting back home. They will be found in your treasure item inventory, each with a detailed description. Some items may work as regular "items" do, but this will be in the minority.

Think of it as a mystery to be unraveled or a code to be cracked (or both).

You will need to become familiar with moving the camera while you play because there will be things to see above or below you that can/will help you unravel the secrets.

Also, you have the option to save often, and this is recommended.

[JPS]

I love games where you just wander around and look for stuff, I cant wait for this to be finished, especially with your track record. :D

[Pagerron]

Thanks JPS for the kind words. I really am planning on seeing this game through to completion. :)

I've gotten some more ideas and I have been toying with different interactive event ideas.

Things that I'm in the process of creating:

-wall levers on a field map (one type designed already)
-wall switches in a dungeon (one type designed already)
-new varieties of plants on a field map (One type is designed already. The design for a second in underway.)
-bridges on a field map (one type designed already)
-docks on a field map (two types designed already)
-enormous interlocking doors on a field map (one type designed already)

I have some other "original" events that I hope to keep as a surprise, too.
Still lots and lots to do. Woo Hoo!

[salamander]

This will most certainly be a breath of fresh air from the sea of RPGs as of late. Consider your game at the top of my 'to-play' list!

[Pagerron]

Hey Salamander,

Thank you for the support. I hope that you do get a chance to play it when it comes out. It would be nice to hear what you think of it then too.

Well, The last week or so has been pretty productive. I'm in the process of designing some more special events.

Messing around with Storytellers has been fun lately, too. You can create some interesting new "creatures" and "Places" with overlapping the shadow model 2D graphics.

I've also thought of some more ideas for ways to make the environment more interactive. Still quite a work in progress though.

The story as to why you're there exactly and how that develops is coming along well. I have typed up several things today.

I've also been working on a special alphabet that will be used within the game. You'll have to decipher it in order to progress at certain points.

So, although it's a bit disjointed, there is a bit of update on things. Any comments at all are welcome. Suggestions? Ideas? :)

[Ωbright]

I've been taking a small Summer vacation of sorts, but I just popped by to tell you that I'm definitely intrigued by these new game ideas.

I can't wait to see how you handle some of the things you've planned/done!

Wall switches...on a field map??

[Pagerron]

Yeah, taking a bit of a vacation can be a good thing. I hope it's relaxing. Thank you for the support. Also, keep up the stained glass window making. That thread in the Creativity forum is really cool.

As far as Wander goes, I've been working more on the game. I had this one idea that was so awesome in my mind and on paper, but I wasn't able to translate it as I had thought into the actual game. Anyway, I've made some more progress in the last couple of days. I have created a few more events and fooled around with making some more "original"type ones too. I've also had a couple of storyline related ideas.

I've found myself just tinkering lately though. Haven't made any REAL progress, if you know what I mean, and I suspect other RPG Maker 3 owners know exactly what I'm talking about. :)

[Vonwert]

I know that feeling all too well.

[Pagerron]

Yeah, Vonwert, I know you do. :)

Well, today has been a really good day progress-wise.

I worked on things for a few hours. It was a good feeling to get some things done. I had to create a couple more storytellers today. I also created a sequence of events that has worked out well. That sequence alone has taken up about 3% of available memory.

In addition, I worked on finishing up connecting the fields with logical warps.

I have to go back to work (my real job I mean) in earnest on Monday, so I'm trying to get some good things done on the game this week. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks for your interest everyone.

[Pagerron]

Hey. Just wanted to check in and say that Wander is still in the process of being made. As the summer is done now, and my real work is back underway, things may be a little slow going for a while, but I look forward to being able to continue working on this game little by little as time permits. Hope everyone is doing well with their games. Thanks for checking in. :)

[Lausen]

It' great to see you working on a new project, Page. It sounds very interesting and it plays right into your strengths so I know it'll be good. I'm excited to give this a go, and if you ever need help let me know. I'd be more then happy to playtest it for you when the time comes.

I look forward to hearing more updates. Have fun with it.

[Valkysas]

glad to hear you're still working on this, AND not rushing it.

[Pagerron]

Thanks Valkysas!

Yep, I'm not rushing it, that's for sure. It's been a while since I have popped it in do get some more work done on it, but that finally happened this weekend.

It has been a while since I last did much with WANDER, but yesterday and today have been very cool. I worked through a couple of little kinks, made some changes, and came up with some new ideas. I would say that I spent about three hours doing things and playtesting certain parts. It made me sad that I hadn't come back to work on it sooner.

Well, just wanted to give a bit of an update here. Things are coming along slowly but they are.

Thank you all for of your support of Pagerron Productions! :)

[Pagerron]

Well, in addition to playing and finishing Vonwert's "Siren's Reef", I have had a good deal of time to work on Wander some more. I've created a variety of treasure items and events. I've done some tweaking of things and creation of new mini-areas. I love holidays like this. They're great for getting things done!

[Draygone]

At least when you're in school. Jobs are a bit more finnicy about it. ;)

[Pagerron]

Well, it's been a month since the last update in this thread. I haven't done a whole lot with Wander recently. I have been having trouble thinking of things. Sometimes you get in a game-making rut, and that's where I find myself right now.

Getting the Wii has been a bit of a distraction, I must admit. :)

If anyone has any ideas for things I could/should incorporate in the game, please feel free to send a PM. You will be in the credits of the game.

Thanks for your support. I hope that everyone had a great CHRISTmas and has a wonderful new year. Yay 2010!

[1ce]

Eff, I can't think of anything. I'd just like to recommend you play Myst and Riven (if you haven't already), and see what you can get out of that experience. Wander sounds a lot like these two games, and I'm looking forward to this with eager anticipation.

[Pagerron]

Thanks for the post 1ce. Yes, I love Myst. I haven't played the sequel yet, though.

Yesterday was a really good day and I worked on several events in Wander for about two hours. I was very pleased with my progress. Now, the next time I want to play, I know exactly what I'll be doing so that should help things move along nicely.

Yay! Well, happy new year everyone!!

Pagerron

[Pagerron]

Well, it certainly has been a fun day for me regarding making Wander.

I was tinkering around with trying to make some new "events" and I found out some really cool things. Do you ever have a "this is SO AWESOME" moment. I remember having a moment like that when I was messing around with the underwater area and found that the reef graphics actually bubble under certain conditions.

Well, a moment like that happened again today!

It was so fun to see an idea actually happen in a way that I wanted it to, and look even better than I thought it could. I don't want to spoil anything because I want you to be surprised when you see it, but try messing around with buried events and invisible events and you can create some really really neat never before seen "items."

I was also messing around in the dungeon editor with different decorative events. If you are careful, you can make a six button or twelve button control panel in the wall. I also found a way to make another type of wall switch.

Basically, this game is turning out to be a multi-layered adventure quest type of game. There will be no battles, but there may be some times when you do encounter enemies and situations that end up killing you. There will be questions with multiple answers that must be answered very thoughtfully. There will be one save point in the multi-leveled cave. All other saving is done from the menu as you walk in the overworld.

Just excited to share with you all!

Feel free to comment if you'd like. I'd love to hear anything you'd like to say.

[Lausen]

Sounds awesome. I can't wait to play Wander and see the new things you've twiated the maker to do. :) I hope progress is smooth sailing for you. Keep at it.

[Ωbright]

WOW. If Joe Schmo came up and told me he did those things with RM3, I would probably just say "UH-HUH". But this is Pagerron. LOL.

I know he actually DID it.

I can't wait to see it!

[Vonwert]

I would love to see what kind of neat stuff you created using buried events and invisible events. And how the heck did you do a control panel?

[Pagerron]

Well, just wanted to say thanks to all three of you for your supportive comments. You three guys are some of the few that know the ins and outs of RPG Maker 3, and your comments really mean a lot to me. I'm glad that you're still making games too. It's nice to not feel alone in this unique hobby.:)

The last couple of days I've been thinking about the game quite a bit. It's even gotten to the point of wanting to come home from work in order to work on the game. I haven't felt that way in quite a while about RPG Maker 3.
Unfortunately, time and reality don't allow for game making all the time.

I hope that the game lives up to what I'd like it to be. I look forward to giving a good update the next time I get some real information to add.

[Pagerron]

I'm frustrated today. I was planning on spending several hours on Wander today, but I just realized that I left the cable to connect it to the TV at the last place I took my PS2. Oh, that really stinks!!

Well, I'm going to work on some things in my game notes at least. I want to get something done with this game this weekend if possible. I'm still kicking myself!

[Ωbright]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a7H0TaNC_j4/ScFAbNpaf9I/AAAAAAAAEKk/32395hPy84c/s320/ned.bmp

In all seriousness though, I feel your pain. :( I keep trying to load RM3, and my PS2 still refuses.

You have the right attitude though! It'll be easier to work with the program when you've planned ahead a little.

[Pagerron]

Hey everyone. I finally have something of an update. Yay!!

(Thanks Obright for your vote of encouragement!)

I must admit that seeing some of the Viddler videos and the fact that I'm on a break from work has been quite a good motivation as far as game-making is concerned. I finished out my contest entry (which I hope you'll all enjoy) and I have gotten some more work done on WANDER.

Today I was messing around a bit with the storyteller for an introductory story, but the more I think about it, I think it would be cooler for the player to figure out the backstory as the game is played. I may scrap the intro storyteller idea then.

Also, I've been trying to figure out some specific events and how to get them to work the way I want them to. I think I have come up with another plant species as well at least in theory. I'm going to have to see how the buried merged events actually come out, but I'm pretty sure it will be fine.

I'm at 59% memory capacity, and I have lots and lots of ideas and events to tie together.

Remember to pay careful attention to everything as you walk around the world. Hm? What's that up on the cliff wall?
:wink

Well, that's my update for now. I hope I have more substantial things to report in the upcoming days.

Happy game making everybody!!

[Pagerron]

It's been over a month now since an update, and I'm so glad that I finally have something of interest to report.

I have lots and lots of ideas for interactive events, and some I have seen to fruition, but I want the story to be something engaging.

Today, I was just sitting and thinking about the game after playing through the first few minutes and I had an idea that I would really like some feedback on if you don't mind.

Here are my ideas for the beginning of the game.

The game starts off with young you searching in the woods behind your house with a friend. You come across some sort of tiny box. As soon as you touch it, the screen goes black.

The title screen comes up.

After about thirty seconds, the story begins.

"You find yourself on a dock somewhere in a world unknown to you. The last thing you remember is that you were searching in the woods with your friend and came upon a tiny box."

As you play, you realize that you are now a full-grown adult, and you have no idea where the the last ten years of your life have gone.

You come upon a note on the dock that explains that you have been given the honor of participating in a game. The object of the game is to remain alive and solve the mysteries of this world. If you are successful, you will not be killed and you can consider yourself honored to be added to the collection. (Apparently, those in charge of this world have taken it upon themselves to collect species from as many planets as possible.) If you are not successful, then your bones will be sent back to your planet without explanation.

At the very outset, it appears to be a lose lose scenario. Either you "win" the game and are forced to stay in this world as part of the "collection" or you "lose" the game and your bones are sent back to Earth with no explanation. Of course, it's not quite that simple. :)

-I'm thinking about giving the player the option of choosing the sex of the main character.

Would this be interesting to you or just frivolous?

-Any thoughts about the story ideas?

-Any suggestions or other comments?

[Perversion]

Sounds similar to this (http://www.pavilionboards.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23816), but more fleshed-out.

[Pagerron]

Hmmm...that's an interesting thread. I've got to leave a comment there. Cool! Glad to see other people working on out of the box ideas, too.

I want to be similar to a game like Myst in some ways.

Anyone else have any thoughts on the post two up?

[Perversion]

I suppose being able to choose the gender of the main character would be nice, but if it required you to do double the work (or just a lot of extra val cond branches, which it probably would), I wouldn't really even bother.


I've never played Myst (never had a PC, which I reference a few times in upcoming commentaries for S1), but as a basic framework, what you've come up with sounds solid. The way you described it, it seems as if right away, the main character realizes he's been captured by "aliens" or whatever. I'm not quite sure that's the direction I would take this, per se.


From your prior descriptions of Wander, it seemed as if (or at least, the vibe I was getting from it) you were going for an Ico/Shadow of the Colossus-type feel. You know, alone in the world, and solving puzzles that allow you to progress. From what I remember reading, it seemed more about atmosphere than story or characters. Granted, I've not played Myst, so I guess Myst seems like that as well.


My main concern is, if the game is indeed about being alone and "wander"ing, and solving puzzles, and IS about atmosphere, then the abduction framework for the story, especially if revealed early on, might break the player out of that atmosphere. Unless the atmosphere you are trying to set is a brooding, moody, "dwell on my lose-lose situation" atmosphere.


Personally, and granted, you've not revealed much about how this will all work or how the information will be doled out, but I think if you went the Portal or the BioShock route, it might be more effective.


In case you've not played these (they're both on PC, but I'm guessing you've played neither), they both parcel out information bit by bit instead of all up front. I think Portal would be the better reference point here. Basically, you find yourself in this surreal, almost absurdist situation, and really are given no clues about what the actual "endgame" amounts to. You are given a very basic premise, the basic rules, and left to explore and discover things on your own. Bit by bit, the details are revealed to the player, through sometimes humorous, sometimes sad, and always entertaining means. It's only at the end that the player gets the big "reveal."


And again, I'm not sure exactly what you are trying to accomplish or the mood or tone you are trying to convey, but if the player begins isolated in a strange place, and is only given the bare minimum of information...basically, only just enough to convince the player to explore further, and slowly parcel out the "abduction" storyline via the player's wanderings and puzzle-solvings, it might work a bit better.


Maybe this is what you have in mind...I dunno. You've left your description just vague enough for me not to know exactly how to respond.

[1ce]

I think the "lose lose" situation would kinda destroy the sense of free discovery that you seem to be aiming for. Because in a situation like that, I would just feel anxious about exploring instead of interested.

[Perversion]

Yeah, that's pretty much what I was feeling as well. I just was a bit more verbose above. :p

[Eschaton Orochi]

This does look like a great game. It appears to have some black comedy in its lose lose feel. And No Way Back was just an idea I had for a game 4 years ago that I wrote in a little book, and the page was never completed. So looking back at all my odd ideas for games before I have ever heard of RPG Maker, I saw that this would be the easiest to make. It also appeared to have been influenced in part by Phylomortis: Avante-Garde, but I really kinda forget.

[Pagerron]

Well, Perversion, Ice, and Catastrophe, thank you. I really value any input at all and you guys have made me do a bit of thinking. It's a great help to just throw an idea out and see how it's received.

I think the "lose lose" situation would kinda destroy the sense of free discovery that you seem to be aiming for. Because in a situation like that, I would just feel anxious about exploring instead of interested.

Okay, I think I understand the spirit of what you're saying here, 1ce. The intention is for the player to be interested of course as opposed to frustrated or anxious.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

And again, I'm not sure exactly what you are trying to accomplish or the mood or tone you are trying to convey, but if the player begins isolated in a strange place, and is only given the bare minimum of information...basically, only just enough to convince the player to explore further, and slowly parcel out the "abduction" storyline via the player's wanderings and puzzle-solvings, it might work a bit better.

My main concern is, if the game is indeed about being alone and "wander"ing, and solving puzzles, and IS about atmosphere, then the abduction framework for the story, especially if revealed early on, might break the player out of that atmosphere. Unless the atmosphere you are trying to set is a brooding, moody, "dwell on my lose-lose situation" atmosphere.

Yeah, that makes sense, a lot of sense. I am going for that feel of figuring things out slowly as you go. I'm definitely not going for the whole "brooding, moody" feel necessarily. Hmm...things to think about.

Maybe this is what you have in mind...I dunno. You've left your description just vague enough for me not to know exactly how to respond.

Yeah. I can see how some parts were a bit vague. I guess it's partly because I want to leave some surprises and partly because I'm still figuring it out myself.

---------------------------------------

And Catastrophe, thank you for your comments as well. :)

-------------------------------------
I think I may just need to revisit the whole storyline idea I had going, while not necessarily throwing it out. This game really is about just getting immersed in your new world and figuring it out. Maybe I don't have to have a super complex storyline at all. I'm not sure at this point, but I'm glad to have a sounding board and people like you guys who are willing to give some input. I really DO appreciate it. Thank you.

Any other comments are more than welcome.

[Wavelength]

I thought I'd responded to this before, since I know I've read it, but apparently not. Anyway, just want to tell you that first of all it sounds pretty great, and I'm really looking forward to the creative ways you're using events and models.

Perversion's definitely got a point but I think there's definitely room to make your story work. The initial layout of the story is definitely captivating. And I think you could honestly go either way.

You could make it a dark, moody scenario that's more about the emotions you feel in a helpless situation in an alien place. But I think you could also, once you set up the scary situation, let the pressure off the player and just let the player (if not the character) enjoy the sense of wonder and excitement that comes with exploring, accomplishing, and learning something new about the world.

Persona 4 proved how effective it can be to take a dark setup (a supernatural murder mystery!) and just make the game lighthearted and fun anyway. As long as you don't constantly swing the mood, you can get away with doing it once or twice.

[Perversion]

Perversion's definitely got a point but I think there's definitely room to make your story work. The initial layout of the story is definitely captivating.

I'm not 100% definitely sure, but I'm pretty definitely sure that I definitely agree with Wavelength on the above (definitive) comment. :p

[Wavelength]

Perversion's definitely got a point but I think there's definitely room to make your story work. The initial layout of the story is definitely captivating.

I definitely, absolutely deserve to be skewered for that absolutely horrible word choice. Definitely.

[Pagerron]

Hey everybody.

It's good to have some new info about WANDER.

First of all, I need to tell you that I had a bit of a hiatus from doing any work on it, and it has undergone quite a revision, but I'm very excited to fill you in.

I originally had created a huge field (multiple copies) with choke points connecting small sections of it.

Now, however, I'm using a dungeon and its different levels to serve as a transfer mechanism between field segments. Each dungeon level has a puzzle (or more) to be solved. Each connecting field has a puzzle (or more) to be solved. There are puzzles that cross over dungeon levels and fields and require careful consideration.

Instead of you having to remember any in-game clues that are provided, I will give you a complete clue library as the game progresses (in the form of treasure items). You can check your treasure items and you will see any as of yet unsolved clues and the areas that they pertain to. As puzzles are solved, the now unecessary clues are removed from your inventory. As you receive new clues, they appear in your treasure item inventory as well.

-----------------------

Also, I had originally been struggling with figuring out a story to go along with the game. Well, I've decided not to worry about that at all.

Here is the premise of the game. Long having desired an adventure, you pay your good money to learn the ropes. As your final test, you are placed in the world of Wander and simply told to find your way out. If you succeed, you will receive your well-deserved Adventurer's Award of Honor. If you don't, well, let's just say that we all hope you succeed.

I'll fill you all in on more information as I can. :)

[Wavelength]

Great to hear some new information about Wander! This is something I will definitely (yes, Perversion, that word was for you :)) be playing when it's released, and am much looking forward to right now. How long do you think the game will be? Short and sweet, or more epic in feel?

I think you made a very smart move allowing the clues to be things you can take with you, rather than things you have to remember (which would have been a cool device, but something that will absolutely screw you if you have to put down the game for a while).

I was sad to see the change to the story, however. I thought the setup you originally described was very intriguing, and again, I think the tone of the game, not the story, is what's going to dictate the mood.

If you do stick with the "you've dreamed of adventure, now it's time to live it" story, I would follow Perversion's advice, which is to take a line or two from a game like Portal. Come up with a basic framework for the game; for example, who is it that's taken you to this world of adventure and set up your game? Some eclectic organization of people? Maybe something much more out-there? Have them, essentially, take the place of the narrator, so that the game never needs to tell you what's happening, but rather the characters do, perhaps indirectly.

Also, just wondering, because it's something you might want to think of around now: what will happen if a player gets completely stuck on a puzzle? Will they get more hints as they spend more time on it? Are there alternate solutions to most puzzles, or can most be solved by trial-and-error if necessary? Will they get a couple of "free passes" to use along the way to just skip a puzzle that's bamboozling them? Can they work on the puzzles in any order? Or will they be left to sit there, keep looking around, and try to figure out what they missed, with the only recourse to hop online and ask you for the answer?

Once again, congrats on the progress, and I know you're good for all kinds of original, thoughtful puzzles, and mindbending graphical effects. I'm truly looking forward to this.

[Perversion]

I had forgotten that I had even mentioned Portal earlier, and when I read your description of the new setup, it was the game that immediately came to mind. Then I read Wave's comment, where he mentioned it as well, and went back and read what I had posted earlier. I'm not sure if you've even played that game, Pagerron, but it does seem like a perfect reference point in terms of a basic framework (you are alone in a strange "world," solving puzzles in order to "escape" and discover the reality of your surroundings) for a game of this type.


Actually, aside from Ico/SotC (and I do apologize here for continually referencing retail games), the other game this sorta brings to mind is the yet to be released (and similarly-titled) Journey from thatgamecompany. It's funny that when I first heard about Journey (and NOT the other way around, I think), I was actually reminded of Wander.


Keep up the good work, and I'm looking forward to future updates.

[Pagerron]

Great to hear some new information about Wander! This is something I will definitely (yes, Perversion, that word was for you :)) be playing when it's released, and am much looking forward to right now. How long do you think the game will be? Short and sweet, or more epic in feel?

Thank you Wavelength for your encouragement. It's taken me a while to respond to your message, I know. I have been out of town and just started a mini-vacation a few days ago. I finally have some time to tinker around a bit and spend a bit more time at the grand old Pavilion!

At this point, I'm thinking about just making it a few hours long, beatable in one afternoon. It might be nice to not have the player worry about putting the game down and not remembering where they left off.

I think you made a very smart move allowing the clues to be things you can take with you, rather than things you have to remember (which would have been a cool device, but something that will absolutely screw you if you have to put down the game for a while).

Thanks. I didn't have the memory left to be able to do this for Daniel's Quest III, but I'm definitely doing it right this time when it comes to quest reminders.

I was sad to see the change to the story, however. I thought the setup you originally described was very intriguing, and again, I think the tone of the game, not the story, is what's going to dictate the mood.

If you do stick with the "you've dreamed of adventure, now it's time to live it" story, I would follow Perversion's advice, which is to take a line or two from a game like Portal. Come up with a basic framework for the game; for example, who is it that's taken you to this world of adventure and set up your game? Some eclectic organization of people? Maybe something much more out-there? Have them, essentially, take the place of the narrator, so that the game never needs to tell you what's happening, but rather the characters do, perhaps indirectly.

Again, Wavelength, you've done a good job of giving me something to think about. Yeah, hmmm. Still thinking. I really appreciate the comments man.

Also, just wondering, because it's something you might want to think of around now: what will happen if a player gets completely stuck on a puzzle? Will they get more hints as they spend more time on it? Are there alternate solutions to most puzzles, or can most be solved by trial-and-error if necessary? Will they get a couple of "free passes" to use along the way to just skip a puzzle that's bamboozling them? Can they work on the puzzles in any order? Or will they be left to sit there, keep looking around, and try to figure out what they missed, with the only recourse to hop online and ask you for the answer?

Well, I will definitely be available to answer any questions online, but I'd like that to be a last resort for the player.

There are puzzles that will be able to be solved by trial and error. I don't think there will be free passes although that would be interesting to incorporate.

Along with the quest reminders in the treasure items, there will be clues to the puzzles in the world itself.

There will be a certain order to some of the the puzzles because the solutions to some are linked to others.

Getting more hints as time passes would be challenging to incorporate because there are some worlds where I have chosen time to be static (unchanging).

Once again, congrats on the progress, and I know you're good for all kinds of original, thoughtful puzzles, and mindbending graphical effects. I'm truly looking forward to this .

Thanks. I look forward to another real update soon.

I had forgotten that I had even mentioned Portal earlier, and when I read your description of the new setup, it was the game that immediately came to mind. Then I read Wave's comment, where he mentioned it as well, and went back and read what I had posted earlier. I'm not sure if you've even played that game, Pagerron, but it does seem like a perfect reference point in terms of a basic framework (you are alone in a strange "world," solving puzzles in order to "escape" and discover the reality of your surroundings) for a game of this type.


Actually, aside from Ico/SotC (and I do apologize here for continually referencing retail games), the other game this sorta brings to mind is the yet to be released (and similarly-titled) Journey from thatgamecompany. It's funny that when I first heard about Journey (and NOT the other way around, I think), I was actually reminded of Wander.


Keep up the good work, and I'm looking forward to future updates.

Hey Perversion, I looked up Portal and found it looks like quite the interesting game indeed. I haven't played it, but I read through some of the concepts and looked at some of the screenshots as well. Neat indeed. Shadow of the Colossus is a game I have played and I love. I'm at the seventh Colossus I think. Honestly, I haven't played that in about a year though. Great game.

Well, this should be a good week for some more work on Wander.

Thank you both for the feedback and comments. I really have been thinking about everything that you guys have said. Thank you.
Merry CHRISTmas!

[Pagerron]

Update (with actual game-making progress this time)

Well, today has been great as far as Wander goes. I have worked on it for about four hours today. I feel like I need a mental break so I'm putting it down.

I have connected various field segments together and I've had to do a lot of modifying of what was the previous Wander game. Fortunately, I'm able to use a lot of what I had created before.

Right now, here is what is playable.

-Original Title Screen (not using a Storyteller). Yep. It took a long time to get just right, but I'm psyched about it. :)

-Top Three Floors of the dungeon (with puzzles on each)

-The bare bones of the next three floors below those (which each connect to a different mini-field)

-The bare bones of several additional fields (with events still to be added)

-I'm still thinking about the storyline too, but I haven't made any concrete decisions as of yet.

Yay!

I'm at about 64% memory capacity. I think it's going to work out fine as far as memory goes. Okay, well, I'll keep you all posted. Let me know if you have any comments, concerns, or questions. :)

[Ωbright]

Awesome!

Glad to see you're making good progress! What you have planned has definitely grabbed my attention and intrigued me, and I can't wait to play this new game! Sorry I've been AWOL lately, but it was good to come back to see this!

[Doj]

Name reminds me of Journey, 0.0

Anyway, it looks great! Hopefully I'll be able to play it. I'll be getting another copy of RPGM3 for my birthday next month, so I will be anticipating this!

[Pagerron]

Thank you both for the encouragement. Also, thanks for understanding my delay in posting a more recent update.

After reading your posts, I've actually done a little research on the Journey game for PS3 and it does look really cool. If only RPG Maker 3 could make something like that. Oh, well.

Today I worked on the game for about three hours. I have the beginning sequence basically laid out and designed. It starts out with the custom title screen I mentioned before. It then goes to a 3D cut scene featuring 6 characters with texts and animations. It gives a little bit of the backstory.
At that point, the actual gameplay begins.

I have been working on one of the puzzles, which is made up of 8 decorative events and 11 actual events. It takes place on a very unique field.

I have various ideas that have yet to be implemented involving special events and such.

Also, I think I really have worked out the story a bit - see below:

When you were twelve years old, your grandfather died. You loved him dearly although you weren't able to be with him in the last days before he died. After his funeral, your grandfather's pastor handed you a small locked metal cube (which your grandfather had asked him to pass on to you).

The game begins nine years later, on your twenty-first birthday. The locked cube mysteriously unlocks itself revealing a tiny book and a golden key. You follow the map to a hidden cave and use the small golden key to open its entryway door.

Upon entering an inner door, you are knocked unconscious and awake hours later somewhere below the ground.

Where are you?

Why did your grandfather entrust his map and key to you?

What will the clues you find along your way reveal about your grandfather and about you?

You will find out when you play Wander. :)

[Ωbright]

Neat! The puzzle on the strange map intrigues me...I know what you are capable of! And the story so far has elements of Jim Hawkins, a-la Long John Silver...so of course I'm all about that. :p

[Pagerron]

Thanks for the comment my friend.

I had my wife play through some of what I'd made so far in order to get someone else's perspective. She liked the intro and the first two levels of the cave, but then things got boring for her. Now it's true that she's not much of an RPG game or adventure game (which is what this is really turning out to be more of) fan, but I think she's right. I've got a lot of work left to do to make this game be what I'd like it to be. If only there were more time in a day.

On a sidenote, I had the chance to play a bit through a Wii game called SafeCracker (which I bought very cheap used). There is not much of anything to interact with (other than the puzzles themselves). The graphics are very nice, though. Anyway, I'd really like to have my game be fun to play, so if it leaves the player saying "Well, I just wasted those minutes of my life," it will be really frustrating.

Anyway, I sometimes find myself thinking about the game so much and not having any actual time to do anything about it all. That can be frustrating.

On the upside, I'm happily married with a little baby, so I thank God for my wife and daughter every day. Really.

Well, this post is a bit ranty, but I just thought I'd share. Have a wonderful all of you gamemakers!

[the spirit of fate]

mabey you should make into several different games with a "master puzzle" spaning all of them
also i think it would be cool to make a item (the book you mentioned perhaps) be a search quest and as you find the different pages fill in the story bit by bit or even tell you about the history of the land of wander (why there are no people or company) also, the psycological aspects of being alone for a long time would take its toll on the charicter. usually i live for combat but the way you have described it it sounds myserious, creepy even. im look forward to it.

[Pagerron]

Thank you the spirit of fate for the kind words and ideas. I had thought about your idea to have the main character search for the journal pages, but I have already done the same thing in Daniel's Quest III, where part of the game focuses on retrieving missing pages from the Book of Destiny. Also, the adventure game Myst does the same thing using either blue or red pages if I remember right.

One thing I had also thought about was having a little side plot where the grandfather wanted to reach out to his wayward grandson by sharing important elements of his faith with the grandson. I thought I would perhaps have a quest to find a certain number of scrolls containing verses from the New Testament book of Romans. Even though I was thinking of doing this, it feels as if I'm just kind of forcing a message into a game where it doesn't seem to fit. Anyway...that approach isn't very different from finding lost journal pages, I know.

Anyway, I have enjoyed reading everyone's responses here, and I'm going to try to be much better at replying quickly to anyone's posts here. Thank you all for your support and encouragement.

Have a wonderful night! I look forward to adding another update soon.
:)

[Pagerron]

Hey everybody. Well, time for another update.

I have been thinking a lot about the beginning of the game, and I think I've figured out exactly what I'd like to happen. Some of it is complete and some of it is still in process, but...

The game starts with you (as a boy) by your grandfather's grave. It's like a three-dimensional cut scene, with six characters-complete with movements and animations, sound effects, and text/dialogue. In this scene you learn that when you were twelve you received a special gold and platinum box from your grandfather's pastor. It was locked with no key-some sort of ancient puzzle box.

At that point, a storyteller explains how it is now nine years later, your twenty-first birthday. At 12:00 am on your twenty-first birthday, the box mysteriously unlocks itself containing a key and a tiny booklet of some sort.

At that point, you appear as an adult in your home. After checking around your place, you leave your home and head to find the hidden cave by following a map inside the small booklet. Once you have entered the cave and unlocked the door inside, the actual game title screen appears.

The actual game begins with you in the cave, with only your wits and clues. :)

Opening cutscene - totally designed (still working on some of the dialogue)
Storyteller after that - basically designed (working on some of the wording there)
Home layout - complete except for the design of the platinum/gold box event.
Map to cave - still have to make as a treasure item
World map with cave - still have to design
Title screen - created

Thanks for following this thread. I'm glad to have made some progress.
Please feel free to comment/criticize/compliment/complement. :)

[1ce]

I had no idea compliment and complement were different words. Yay for knowledge!

Oh wait, you probably mean commenting about the game.....oh...ok.

Sounds like a great story to me. I'm glad you took some time to take the constructive criticism we mentioned at the beginning of the topic and have created a much more interesting narrative. I'll be looking out for more updates, so keep em coming!

[the spirit of fate]

well this is one game that i wish i had a dex drive to play it with but i dont. ****. but keep it up, i think the entire pav is waching and secretly praying for this project. i hope that the secrets of wander will finaly be revealed, and that the game will bee as mesterious as it promises to be. good luck bro!

[Lausen]

This sounds great, Page. I'm especially looking forward to seeing your maps. They're always top notch. :) I hope progress continues to be good.

[Pagerron]

Well, it has been quite the hiatus for me, again....several months actually.
Life has proven to be more important than game-making, but Wander has always been in the back of my mind.

There was one point where I was considering just deleting the game from my memory card since it was becoming such a distraction from things of real importance like my family, my job, and my relationships to other people and to God. However, I didn't delete it, and I'm glad for that.

Today after a very long period away from it, I played through what I currently have, and it was very nice to see it again through "fresh eyes."
I have so much to do on this game still. What I have takes about twenty to thirty minutes to play through, and there are lots of missing elements and tweaks that need to be made. There are too many unfinished areas to count. Many text bits need to be edited and repositioned. Lots of work, but I'm not going to stress about it. I still really want to finish it, and I think it will be great when it's done, but I'm just going to take my time for now.

I just wanted to check in and say "Hi" since it has been quite a while. Thank you Obright, Lausen, 1ce, the spirit of fate, Doj, Wavelength, Perversion, Eschaton Orochi, Vonwert, and Erika for your continued support. I really appreciate you guys and this community. It's always nice to come by to say hello.

Well, I'll keep you all updated more frequently on Wander if things move more in that direction for me. I hope that I will have a little more free time in the next few months.

:) thanks - Pagerron

[Pagerron]

Well,finally, I've made some progress.

I have been thinking a lot about how the game begins and I have changed a couple of things already in the game.

With the new changes, the game starts like this.

Title Screen - Not using a Storyteller, by the way. :)

Your House - Intro to controls and explanation of how to search through clues in your menu

Find Container - Four sided container on a pedestal.

cut Scene - 3D multi-character cut scene (lasts about a minute and a half or so)

Search for Cave - by following a map from the container

Find Cave - multiple levels

Game Really Begins - YAY!

I worked on it for about an hour and a half today. Yesterday I had the chance to playtest it as well. It feels good to get some things done.
I think I may be on a small streak of inspiration. We shall see. I'll keep you all posted about new progress as it happens.

[Wavelength]

Always good to see updates on this! I'm looking forward to seeing how this kind of sequence will play out, since you've proven yourself time and time again to be a master of RM3's aesthetics.

[Pagerron]

Well, all right. It's time for a new update.

I have been checking out RPG Maker XP a bit lately, and that is a very cool maker, I must say. I am still drawn back to RPG Maker 3 though to finish Wander before I begin any new endeavours seriously.

I have made some very good progress over the last couple of days.

I have made many events that you encouter in your home before beginning your experience in the cave. Most decorative items which come premade in the house model I am using have an invisible event attached to them, which convert them into events. In the house there are twelve or thirteen events, I believe. You will not be allowed to exit your house until you have obtained the items that you need to move on.

Once you leave your home, you must follow a map, which you received in your house and obtain access to the special dungeon. Both the field and the ascii map are completely done.

So, now the beginning of the game goes like this:

Title Screen

You find yourself in your house where you search around a bit. (events have been added since last time)

Find the container (this event is totally complete now)

Cut Scene

You make your way following the map to the special dungeon. (this is totally playable now)

You enter the special dungeon. (this is totally working now)

Let the adveturing begin!!

Hope you enjoyed reading this mini-update. Any feedback is always welcome.
Have a wonderful day.

Pagerron

[Ωbright]

Sounds great, Pagerron!

Keep up the good work!

[1ce]

Just thought I'd drop in and say that sounds like a great idea. Having a little puzzling right at the beginning will help the player warm up for the real adventure. I'll look forward to hearing more about the game.