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**ErikaFuzzbottom** · 03-08-2005, 01:59 AM

Re: How Thorough of a Design Document Should I Make?

My current project, I wrote a quick synopsis of the events in each place visited (including mostly details that I absolutely must remember). Along with that are quick details of each character (including weapon/class, and any special skills they learn). I also jot down ideas for puzzles, and may or may not write specifics of certain puzzles down. Planned enemies, I jot down a few details of possible behaviors and strategies.

**WilliamKirk** · 03-08-2005, 11:23 AM

Re: How Thorough of a Design Document Should I Make?

I recommend splitting up the different categories in your plans so that they are easy to find later. What I did was (this is largely before RPGM2 came out too):

General Notes to Remember - things like, "name the abilities well, for example call it Blizzard Strike and not Ice Slash and Thunder Flare instead of Bolt 3"

Beginning basic overview - basically, the VERY first thing you write, don't go into any detail, something simple like the general flow of the game, this one isn't really important unless you just came up with the basic story idea and want to write it down in case you forget it (later you'll probably look at this in total awe at how much your game's changed from your original idea)

Characters; Personality, Background, and player's Understanding - what is each character like and through their background (which I like to reveal a while later after the character joins) why are they like this, and thus how the player can understand, believe, and possibly relate to these characters. Whatever other information here that arises because of their story is also taken into account (such as something like hometown). Note that very minor characters like 'main character's mom' or something don't need this. This is more for your main characters. If you're having trouble making characters with depth I recommend thinking about your life, what's happened to you, and how it's shaped you to be who you are now. Also, do not simply 'base a character off someone you know' because sooner or later that person will change, you'll find out what you knew of that person wasn't the whole story, etc. and you'll be left with a character based on a fake idea of a person that never existed as you thought they did.

Characters; Extra Information - (this one isn't totally neccessary) Whatever other information about the characters such as age, hometown, etc. I recommend you wait on this part till you're done with the one right above this since the characters' story will determine what this stuff should be.

Characters; Stats, Abilities, Equipment, etc. - Basically, all the gameplay aspects of the characters like their stats (I recommend doing specific numbers), their abilities/how they learn them (this one varies a lot from game to game), what they can equip, etc. Note that later when working on your battle system plans your battle formulas and character stats will go hand-in-hand in balancing everything out well. Expect to re-do the characters' stats 4+ times or so.

Specific Cutscenes not gone into detail but overviewed - Write down every cutscene you think of, use dialogue where needed and summarize others. Put all your cutscenes in the right order and connect them from A to B to C etc., and you'll have a perfect plan for what happens in what order (more than just 3 key parts in the story not connected, then later connected with very weak/lame reasons (leading to disbelief among the player)) and what the player does in what order, what cutscenes and locations you'll have to make, and from there you can move onto the next part. If you find yourself having trouble connecting two parts of the story together do NOT force out some weak connection, give it time and wait and you'll randomly come up with a good idea of what to do in between point C and E (or whatever). Do not be afraid to go for several weeks or more without adding anything to the story. (this is the longest part - it's the whole story planned pretty thoroughly)

World Map/Game Flow Plan - Draw a simple map with the different locations where they need to be (this will save you a lot of trouble editting the difficult-to-use-well map editor in RPGM2) (it'll be a long while till you get to this one probably, but don't worry, it goes real quickly)

Gameplay; Battle System - Your game may not, but most likely will have a battle system. This will end up being a result of which battle system you think will be best for your game and that you are most capable of making in RPGM2, and in making fun (people at the boards will always be there to help you at least)

Gameplay; General - Lots of info such as, approximately how many battles per dungeon/half-dungeon/final-dungeon, if you have dungeons or not (like in the case of a Tactical RPG like Final Fantasy Tactics or Tactics Ogre), etc. This is much more general notes to think about and remember and not specific details about the game.

Gameplay; Features - This is very broad and varies a lot, but will include anything special that the player can do in your game such as a customizable leveling/ability system, mini games, private actions (look here: http://williampaladin.tripod.com for an explanation), anything special/additional to your battle system like limit breaks/etc. that the player can do (this will likely already be in the battle system part), sidequests, and more

Additional Plans - This varies as well, but includes stuff like item lists, equipment lists, what types of shops you'll have, and whatever else you see fit.

This folliwng portion of this post is copied and pasted from elsewhere, but is a very lengthy collection of good advice for beginner game designers:

"This is all copying and pasting so I take no credit for it AT ALL, minus the quotes that are from me.

Vespuleth -
"while im not particularly for the collection idea, i want to present a few thoughts to ponder:

1) none of our stories are truly unique. every storyline has been done and redone to death.

2) none of them have been done well enough that we think they should be redone. thats why we are all here. because we have seen a story device we thought we could be done better.

if you want to do a good 'collection' type rpg, id advise you to play a few musts:

Legend of Zelda, a Link to the Past
Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time

also, to begin your bare bones plot, think of these things:

what is the artifact(s) in question?

is it a stone? a suit of armor? a special sword? a lost scripture? a simple mirror? an enchanged bag?

why is it(they) important?

what does it do? does it grant immortality? three wishes? is it a crown that ensures a prosperous rule for whoever owns it? a sword that guarantees success in battle? a bottomless bag? a scripture that exposes some ancient belief? a special spell that subdues mankind to a certain person?

why is it in several pieces?

if it has been divided, why? is it to ensure it remains hidden? to ensure its survival (many people in olden days would memorize parts of important documents, so that if the document was destroyed, several people together could reproduce it)? to decrease its value (treasures divided up are less easily lost)?

is this item common knowledge?

is this an item of legend, something that all little boys here about? is is a sacred ritual whispered about, but only performed in secret? is it a responsibility of the royalty to protect it, and only they know about it? who knows about this item? a religious sect? a political sect? an alignment (the good/bad guys)(if doing this, give a good reason why only they know about it)? everyone? one country?

Who are the involved parties?

where is the conflict? in any situation, more then just the desired party knows about the artifact, sometimes more then just two, and each has a reason for wanting it. who are yours?

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

so heres my rewrite of your original story:

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

in ages past, as a gift to a wise King, priests forged a crown at the foot of the Throne of God (and as such, it can never be totally or truly destroyed, unless by the priests, at the Throne of God, or by God himself), and gave it to him. This crown ensured his peoples loyalty, and guaranteed his lines rule over him so long as he kept it, and in one piece. Years past, and the crown became a legend, that no one ever saw, and few people, even of the royal family, even believed. Slowly the bloodline became corrupted, and the times of wise kings is no more. Somehow, the crown turns up missing, and the royal family gets nervous. The Inaugeration of a new King is coming, and they would like to have it back. They ahve assured whoever has the crown whatever they want so long as they keep the crown and its power a secret, and return it to them. When the crown theives do not respond, the player is sent out to get it.

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

implications:

who took the crown? was it an infiltrator, wanting the power the crown had? was it a member of the royal family, greedy for rule? was it the priests, emberrassed of the greedy family they had embraced, ready for their demise, and the set up of a new regime? was it a kingdom enemy, planning a kingdom attack?

who is the player? is he a townsman, a serf of the king? is he the inaugural heir? is he a priest in the order, charged to find the crown? is he a knight of the King? is he the Kings advisor, who through trust has discovered the secret of the crown? is he a suspect of the thievery, and thus why he was sent to regain it? is he the thief?

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

at some point, due to the relative closeness of the royal family regaining the crown, it may or may not be broken, and split between different people, places, things, and so forth, making the player pursue each individual piece. this scenario would be interesting if the player is somehow directly involved with the crown (he may be the inaguraul heir, and has to secure the crown so that his rule will be prosperous and good for the people, he may be a priest, trying to ensure the crown is safe, or he may be one of the thieves, making sure for whatever reason that the royal family does not regain the crown.)

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

you may feel free to borrow any or all of this story, and manipulate it as you wish. if you dont, one day i may. i wrote this as i went, so if parts dont make sense, you will have to forgive me. i hope that this gives you some direction or idea on how to deal w/ this sort of story, and if nothing else, please think on the questions, and use my story as a good way to apply them. (you dont have to use my story if you dont like it)."

The Last Big Fall -
"Well here is my Process AND Problem in a nutshell:

As most of my ideas are of the serious variety, i tend to usually end up working on more of an epic type game/story. I usually notice that a lot of my plot is influenced heavily by what i am reading at the time, or even an excellent movie (or game) that i have seen (or played) recently.

I tend to lean toward somewhat fantastical, though based in realism, ideas. For example the last big thing i was working on was called House Angelis.

*i may eventually post the plot outline here*

House Angelis's idea was gleaned largely in part from 17th and 18th century sciences. Namely Alchemy. In addition i tried to incorporate similar ideas that circulated at the time, such as mathmaticks (how it was spelled), astrology, dynamics, and basically the pre-cursors to all the scientific methods we now have. Namely the studies of Descartes, Newton, Hooke, and others.

I digress.

My advice to you is to look to what you enjoy. No matter what media it is you muct have had ideas at one point along the lines of "I liked this about that movie" or "This part of the game was AMAZING." I am not saying you should take them and copy the same aspects, but rather you should look at WHY you liked them. What about those ideas spoke to you. From there try to develop something unique. You will find MANY people of the opinion that nothing is unique anymore, that everything has been done and is now cliche. I disagree. You might find many similarities in games/books/movies but there still exists something to set them apart.

To break down my recommendation to you further... First develop a general history or timeline, then flesh out your main characters. From there start envisioning what it is you want the story to say, to eventually do in the end.

In the beginning all you need is just that, a beginning. From there you have unlimited time to tweak, add, and subtract from your original idea. It is all a matter of finding a balance.

I talk too much.

And THAT is why i will never finish House Angelis..."

Me -
"My advice is not to make an intro scene till after you've done lots of other things, so that your intro scene won't be the first cutscene you make, and therefore will be better. My other advice is not to start a game's story from an intro scene. Start planning out the whole thing from start to finish (at least important parts and map design with locations) in your head/on paper/on microsoft word (and get feedback before starting to create it on RPGM2 as to not waste your time on a bad/cliche story)."
"Start with an overall view of how the game will be played (not story).

My now over 150 page written game started out with this

"Overview - 1 main character, 1 main story, 6 or more parts where the story and what the main character does splits in 2 paths and later comes together, 1 of those parts is how to enter a castle or mansion and determines out of 2 alternate characters which 1 will join, 1 is near the end of the game, 1 main character, 3 other always join characters, 4 pairs of alternate characters (8 characters), private actions (1 point of view), 13 characters total not counting - if there are any - temporary joining characters."

Now not all of that is true, but it was my beginning, and I'm sure your beginning won't end up being all true in the end either.

Then I would say, start conceptualizing different characters overview - such as a young 19 year-old man that likes to check out the ladies a lot, or an older 26 year-old man that likes to eat a lot and knows a lot about food and cooks a lot and well. Right now, these two characters are very flat- because they can be summarized into a simple one sentence statement. There are four types of characters (this I learned in my English class)

+Flat - basic character, can easily be summarized into one statement, has no depth (recommened for: minor characters)
+Round - character with many different personality traits, has depth to them (recommended for: main characters)
+Static - unchanging through out the game (recommended for: minor or main characters)
+Dynamic - changes significantly in one or more ways throughout the course of the game (recommended for: minor or main characters)

So be very careful how the characters develop, and by all means make all the main characters Round.
Quick example: Chrono Cross: Pushel - a stupid pink dog with poor speech (yet is still a dog that can talk)
Flat: Bad for a main character

Personally, most people do well on the background's of characters but not the personalities. Try to make them fun and interesting in some way. I rank the personality above all else when dealing with characters.

For the story, this is what I did.
I started out with an overall idea. Main character learns of mysterious Big Bang, goes out to find what it was and how it can be stopped, and finds out (I won't say yet, but have something planned for here too). Slowly add in more and more parts that often have nothing to do with each other.
Quick example: FF9: The thief gang capturing the princess, Zidane getting romantic with Dagger, Zidane saving Blank later in the game, Steiner trying to take Dagger back to Alexandria, Vivi learning his past, finding out about the black mages, and finally the important part of the story: Kuja and (I forget his name) and saving the world. They're many different parts in the story that often don't have anything to do with anything.
or
Quick Example: Star Ocean 2: Meet Rena, get romantic with Rena, try to find way back home, go to Cave with Celine to find artifact, get artifact appraised, meet Ashton and the dragon, Clik getting destroyed, Lacour tournament of Arms, going to the cave because Bowman wants you to, go through the Hoffman Ruins, fight at the front line, go to El, and (you know what happens).

Eventually you'll have enough ideas (write them down in semi-detail so you don't have to remember them all). Then it's time to try to put them together. Map it out on paper. Does this because this, then this because this and meets blank, learns blank from blank and decides to go blank, does this to get to blank and meets blank, etc.

**Learn the ways of RPGM2 before thinking up features to your game.**

Then start thinking up features that'd make your game fun. Remember to in your mind think out the basis of how you'll do them so that you don't have to give up an idea once you're commited to it.

Then check out an article by KingSpoom in one of the more recent (I think the last one) RPGM Mag Issues at...

I like how he talks about a theme because my game's full of themes. You may start out with a simple overview and story, but eventually you'll probably get to the point where you want to send a message to the player (or multiple messages). I know I do...

Sorry, one more thing.

*******Don't EVER be afraid to scrap anything you've though of/created. I am still changing things (sometimes big things) in my game and it's storyAayear and a half after starting it. Also, it took me about two months of coming up with story ideas to get to the one I'm on. I scrapped a total of 4 game ideas within the two months before starting on Paladin.

And don't ever plan sequels to games before you're done with them, especially if the sequel is just named "The Return of (main bad guy)." If you have a prequel or sequel, my advice is to make it after making the original and to make it INdirectly related to the original."
"It doesn't really matter whether you start with setting, characters, or plot and develop the others from what you've already thought of. I think as long as try at making it the best you can and take your time and don't rush it, it'll turn out pretty good no matter."
"Don't be afraid of the word cliche, but also don't think that it has no meaning."

KingSpoom -
"Every piece of literature has a tone or mood. Most professional games convey a theme, even non-rpgs. It is not necessary to have one, but it certainly can help. A theme will help to keep your storyline running smooth, but only if you use it. A theme can keep the player immersed in your world. Now... how do we come up with a theme? What exactly is a theme?
A theme is simply the message your game has. Common themes are:

One person can make a difference (Chrono Trigger)
Some things are worth dying for (Lufia 2)
Friends are there to help (FF6).
There and many more out there and millions are possible. Coming up with a theme shouldn't be too hard. In order to find the theme of your game (in case you don't have one), you should look at generalizations of your plot. If your game is a traditional or similar RPG, then take these steps. First look at your main character(s). Then ask yourself why, in a general way, he fails or succeeds. This doesn't work all the time, if it doesn't you usually have to look throughout the whole story, but many hints are given. To give you an example, I will take a look at Final Fantasy 6. Terra is thrown into a world she remembers nothing about. Throughout the story she is guided to be good, by her newly found companions. After the world splits apart, many people lose hope. Just knowing that there were others willing to fight Kefka wasn't enough, however, and she needed to be convinced that saving the world would still help the children she wanted to protect. In the end, Kefka is defeated because of the teamwork involved against him... and the spell Ultima. The theme is mentioned above, and it is shown throughout the game. Your friends are constantly helping you through situations, giving you the support you need to finish your journey.

I mentioned that a theme isn't necessary earlier. A good and original idea is important (unless you are doing a parody/comedy type deal). Creative ideas seem to pop in certain people's heads, but what about the rest of the populace? Everyone else has to either steal their idea, or make their own. Hopefully you choose the latter. Here are various tips I have heard over the years:

Listen to music
Watch a movie
Read a book
Play a game
Take a nap
Ask someone else
Personally, I have only tried listening to music to help with a game... it was orchestral music. All of my other game ideas have come out of the blue or by thinking just about games. It does help to have a guide in your quest, and I intend to provide one over this small series of articles. When creating a story, there are a couple of things to remember. First, you should strive for originality to ensure your game brings a fresh feeling to the player. Next, you should decide on a setting. Then, you should plan your linearity. After that, you should decide your conflicting force. Then, you should develop your plot to make it dynamic and unpredictable and your characters to make them interesting and believable. Finally, you should let it sit. Wait you say? Let it sit? Yes, after fully documenting your game project, let it sit in a drawer away from your mind. Come back to it in 2-4 weeks, after you have forgotten about it. If the game still sounds like a good idea, then you have a winner. It can be skipped (although I wouldn't recommend it).

Original ideas...
Some would say they are few and far between, but what is the definition of an original idea? To be original, you must precede all others in time, which means to be first. There is a fine line between originality and deriving your work from another, and there are even different scales upon which people judge originality. What you must realize is that the kind of originality that you should have doesn't have to be as far from your predecessors as possible. Remember that just making your game original will not force its success. Things to avoid taking, in order of importance not to take are: Main stories, character stories, specific graphics, names (characters, towns, or other), concepts, events, and features. If you want to help rid yourself of other game's ideas, you should stop playing games for a week (only involved games, you can play Tetris, pong, etc...). For those of you hard-pressed or unable to come up with a plot, I will list several generic plot types in a future installment, as well as some examples that may be used by anyone."
"You may be asking yourself "where do I start?" A relatively simple question. If you do not have an idea for a main character or plot already, then the setting is the most important thing to make. If you already have one of the things mentioned above, this will be the next step. The setting will set the pace of the game as far as what the characters will be able to do. It will give a basic idea of what weapons (if any) will be used, what technology or knowledge is available, and what the world will look like. A setting will begin to form the basis for your game. There are advantages and disadvantages to every setting. Past settings are the most common type (specifically medieval) and can run into problems if you are looking for original ideas. Modern settings generally have less of an "epic" feel to them. Modern settings also discard realism in many cases, allowing people to perform superhuman feats, only to become feeble moments later (although many games do this, it is more apparent in a modern setting). Futuristic settings are more common than modern settings, and for a good reason. In a futuristic setting you can basically do what you want. Technology can allow cloning, teleportation, and many other fantasies as realities without totally discarding realism. On a downside, futuristic settings confuse players on a constant basis, and often try to handle complex stories beyond the creator's reach. The right type for you should be easy to decide. It should be the type that you have an idea for, or the type that interests you the most. Writing about something that interests you will yield a better game in the end.

The next important thing to decide is the game's linearity. Linearity will be a helpful factor in determining how much effort you will have to put into the game, and where it needs to be placed. Deciding on your linearity before you start your game will help it be organized and will allow efficient use of resources. Linearity is a measurement of the amount of options there are while playing a game.

There are two basic types of options that are given to players. The first type of option, which I will now call static options, don't have to happen. It is entirely up to the player to trigger them, and the game will finish unaltered either way. An example of a static option are the weapons from Final Fantasy VII. The story remains the same if you beat them, and you really don't receive a reward for beating them (if you could defeat them, you could defeat the end boss, which renders the weapons they provide unrewarding).

The other type of option is a dynamic option. These are the real options, the ones that affect linearity. These options often come in sets, and they usually can't all be completed. However, some of them MUST be completed in order to finish the game. For example, in FF7, while busting into the Shinra HQ you can either sneak in through the back or charge forward through the front. Each different option could yield a different outcome. Each one of the options also contains different pros and cons. The amount of options available gives the game a lot of replay value and it allows the player to change the challenge of the game by getting or not getting certain characters or spells.

Here are the four types of linearity with a description and example.
Completely linear game:
Description - Every time you play that type of game you will doing the same thing in the same order, give or take the minor details.

Example - Gradius (NES)

Partially linear game:
Description - Often it involves a scripted beginning followed by a couple decisions nearing the end. For this reason it is often compared to a tree. Players will start at the trunk (roots are usually avoided, but are sometimes individual openings for players who quickly join together). Players then follow the game path up the tree nearing the top where the branches start. However, even though the player can explore these "branches", he will eventually have to return to the tree and continue the game.

Example - Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (GBA)

Non-linear games:
Description - These games are huge, but often generic. The player can move in and out of events in any way he wants and can usually come about the end of the game in several ways. However, the game still has a goal.

Example - Mario Sunshine (Gamecube)

Completely non-linear game:

Description - In this type of game every possible option is available from the start, often viewed like an open field. Instead of focusing on one aspect, the game is about everything.

Example - Simcity (PC)

Each of the above types of linearity has certain advantages and disadvantages.

Completely linear games:

Disadvantages

- Most people feel confined by the lack of options
- After one playthough the game becomes boring
- Usually rely on high difficulty factor to remain interesting
Advantages

- Easy to keep track of what is going on for both the player and creator
- Quick to make and fix
- Simple to playtest, so the game should be solid
Completely non-linear games:

Disadvantages

- Quickly overwhelms you with options, forcing you to make choices with unknown effects
- Impossible to keep track of everything the player has done
- Devoid of life; Games feel like random pieces of scenery thrown together
- Allows player to get lost in a giant world because of excessive areas
Advantages

- Highly customizable, allowing the player to play how they want
- Easy to maintain challenges that are not combat based
- Allows a feel for a real world, and real world situations
- Style of gameplay will usually not leave players frustrated
Partially linear and non-linear games

Disadvantages

- Can ruin gameplay with excessive or flawed sidequests
- Sidequests can also lead to plotholes in story
Advantages

- Most popular and liked styles of games among the 4 above
- Allows players to make choices that affect the game
- Gives breaks from tiresome 'plot trekking' often and at players leisure
Here are a couple tips to remember while thinking about linearity:

- Giving the player something to do besides following the game's base storyline is a good idea, however, disrupting the flow of the game or the plot to do so is not. Placing a fun minigame in an average dungeon while the player is hunting down a magical artifact may be fun; putting the same minigame in the main villain's hidden lair while the players are attempting to rescue an ally is distracting.

- The more non-linear your game is, the easier you must make it to stay on track.

- The more optional stuff you have during the game, the stronger your player has potential to be.

- Don't offer an option if there's no reason to take it! Players don't like going out of their way to be greeted with a dead-end. They will often think they missed something and spend more time exploring an optional area than they should, and for nothing."
"The plot is the pattern of events over the course of a medium. It has four main parts: Scenario, problem, solution, and main result.
The scenario is the main setting of the game, both time and place. Since most RPGs aren't from our own world, this usually involves a lot more than two simple answers. A whole world, with laws, customs, and traditions should be created. It doesn't have to take place all at once (even though most of it should), but it should be recorded somewhere for reference. The problem is a conflict within the story. A tree blocks the road ahead, some thugs have come to rough you up, a village lies in the path of destruction... all three present problems that are to be solved by the character (and player). The solution is how the problem is dealt with. The hero could simply step over the tree, show the thugs his true power, and ignore the village. It doesn't matter how the problem is solved, but once it stops existing it isn't a problem anymore. The last part, main result, is the biggest and most important result of the problem that was overcome. The hero can now make it to the cave of doom, the thugs respect his space and property, and the hero no longer has to worry about saving said village. There can be as many results from a solution as you want, but the main result is what you would expect to be told about an event. Back in the dark ages (scenario), there was a demon who forged an evil army (problem), but was stopped shortly after by an old man's magic (solution) and peace enveloped the land (main result). It will always appear in that order (unless time is messed with, including flashbacks and amnesia), but several problems can arise before a single one is dealt with. You see this often in commercial games, but even then rarely more than once. In FF6, Kefka threatens to enslave Espers and dominate the populace. You meet him rather early in the game, and even though he presents many problems, the main threat of Kefka isn't stopped until the end. Of course the only reason you didn't take care of him earlier is because of more immediate problems, as Kefka took a back seat for a while, it sets the overall goal of the game. Making the plot before you make the characters usually helps the flow of ideas, and often makes character creation easier and more relevant to the story.

Simply knowing what you need to fill up a plot isn't enough. One thing most amateur games lack is direction. Direction is the driving force behind characters and the story itself. Without direction, your whole game takes a hit; characters seem less lively and believable, links between anything seem weak; it can even confuse the player. There are several things to keep in mind when trying to keep direction in a game. First, the player must know where to go. This can be done by telling him, "Go northwest to the cave of doom". Both the direction and the object you want them to enter are good to know. Between commonly traveled grounds, such as towns, you can put roads or lighter grass areas. It is a small task, but it does help a lot. An objective is also a great thing to know. It gives the player an idea of what he is heading towards. Each person thinks differently, so clues as to what is going to happen help people to stay on the same track. When I think of what might happen in the cave of doom, I imagine a boss battle. However, someone else might think it is just a name to keep children or thieves away from it and expect it to be a treasure filled dungeon. Lastly, giving a hint at a solution will clear up all but the craziest of adventures. Knowing that the beast in the cave of doom has weak knees will give me an advantage, knowing that someone in town knows a cure to the disease my friend has been overtaken by gives me a direct route to helping him. Depending on the type of situation you are in, you will want to give varying amounts of direction. If players view your game as too hard, and it has nothing to do with the mechanics (a battle), then you probably lack direction.

Before I list those ideas, I want to explain a bit about clich�s. A clich�, as you may know, is something that has been done so many times that is has become old and stale. "Mario, Bowser has kidnapped the princess... go save her!" It happens all the time, Mario is apparently the only one who can save her, and it usually turns out the same way. However, many people tout the word clich� around as if to judge everything by it, as if only original stuff can be entertaining and without really the knowledge to use such a word. It happens almost as much as I read the words "with a couple twists". The truth is that most summaries you read about someone else's game are going to sound clich� just from the lack of extreme details. To go just a step farther it really isn't even their fault, because it would be a tremendous effort to give the details you need to change it around. Here are some examples:

Clich� version: An evil demon creates 4 magical crystals so he can conquer the world. You play the role of Malvin Toldas, an apprentice wizard, and try to stop him.

Detailed version: The evil demon, Makkr, was stripped of his powers and banished to the human world by his master. Fearing destruction with his weakened powers, and wanting revenge on his master, he fabricates a plan to accomplish his dreams and more. By draining the souls of the four most powerful wizards on Earth into four identical crystals, great power can be achieved. Power that can rip apart the divide between this world and the next. All Makkr must do now is secure the crystals until the next full moon. You play the role of Malvin Toldas, a wizard who was apprenticed to the 4th most powerful wizard, Tazel. He learned of the demon's plot after the death of the first two wizards, and with the help of the other remaining wizard, tried to stop Makkr. Upon his death, spells were triggered in his tower instructing you of his demise. With a few magical items that Tazel had gathered over the years and what little magic you know, you head out seeking help to end Makkr's evil plot.

Not exactly the most interesting story you have heard, but when compared to the first it should take away some of your doubts about the crystals, the demon, and the main characters motivation in the story. I wouldn't even rate the first story as a 1, where as the second story might earn a 7 or 8. Of course, the important thing is that the story that is presented in your game represents the same thing. It's one thing to give a summary; it's another to have the summary be accurate. After all, many games contain more story on the back of the box than in the game.

One of the important things to remember in story telling (including the stories in games) is that there is a certain requirement for active exposition. Passive exposition is when you are simply told about events, active exposition is when you see what is going on. It is almost always better to show what has happened and let people gather their own opinions than a character to explain what happened and have it his relate to his view of the situation. Often referred to as "speaking through your characters", you should remember that even though the number 1 rule for films and books is that "Nothing should be said unless it adds to the story in some way", you should also keep in mind that each character should maintain his personality in all situations he can. Someone who earlier wasn't concerned about the destruction of an ally's home shouldn't be the one bringing it up later in a tense moment.

Medieval

01: Your master, who has raised you for all but the first years of your life, has taken ill. A seemingly unstoppable disease has immobilized him and threatens his life. Your mission is now to save him and no life holds more value than your masters! (Note: I'd be careful about how a cure, if any, is obtained. Both a self-sacrificial cure and an evil cure sound interesting)

02: Three kingdoms are at war on a single (triangle shaped?) continent. Each of them have seemingly equal armies, and there is no end in sight. A couple villages have been destroyed; many more have been taken over to help win the war. You take control of a person from one of the villages that has been taken over. There are many things you can attempt, but your main goal is to free your village. To make matters worse, each kingdom is rushing to develop new weapons to win the war. Pick your allies and enemies carefully! (Note: Gunpowder makes an excellent new weapon if you are in that age. So much can go right... or wrong for them. Try to make a lot of different ways to win, as each different path can change the story greatly.)

03: 10 years ago you were cursed by a demon before he was slain. Now a hero of your town, you live the good life. The citizens were never told that your life was essentially linked to a fist-sized gem in your efforts to stop the demon. While asleep one day, your house is robbed! Not only are most of your valuables gone, but your gem... the gem that holds your very life is missing. Travel about the world in search of your gem, group with law authorities, get help from previous victims, and bust some thugs while you are at it. (Note: At some point the main character will probably question the purpose of risking his life just to save his life. Perhaps if the gem is in the hands of someone evil (merchant?) then his mind shifts slowly towards that angle.)

04: You have lived in a small village ever since you could remember. Of course, that isn't very long because you lost your memory just a few years ago. You have a natural aptitude for a certain weapon (or perhaps magic) that isn't common in the village. Recently, strange markings have been appearing on your body. They are almost like tattoos, except they sometimes glow. It is, of course, unheard of in this area, and you don't know how it is being triggered. You set out on a journey to find out who you were before you arrived at the village, party because you want to know, and partly because the villagers have become unrest. (Note: There isn't anything in particular I would enjoy seeing here that I can think of. He probably has had this magical tattoo since just after his birth. It's either a religious thing, or has to do with an event that happened near his birth.)

05: A wizard has always lived in the tower upstream, but he hasn't always polluted the water. Until recently your village has lived easy. A nearby stream has provided it with all the water it needed to grow crops, drink, and give to livestock. Recently, waste from the wizards tower has begun to pollute it beyond use. If the wizard isn't stopped, the town will fall apart, leaving everyone to go their separate ways. You just happen to be the best-suited villager to take care of this problem. (Note: The story can work one of two ways. It can either be a story leading to a game like Diablo... except you travel UP a tower, instead of down. Or it can be a large tower that you keep returning that remains part of the main plot. The first way is simple, but the second way involves fetching artifacts, ingredients, spells, or tools from various other towns or caves to break some sort of seal/barrier/door/obstruction that you need to reach the wizard who remains locked at the top.)

In addition to the story in this article, you may use any of these plots as your own, giving me no credit if you don't want to. I would, however, like to be informed if you want to use any of them for my own personal records. Please inform me by sending an email to: Kingspoom@hotmail.com "

Good luck. Sorry about before. This is the advice that we should've given you. It is good to try to write it out well before you put it into RPGM2 or else it won't be presented well in the game either.

For tons of cliche examples to avoid read through this: project-apollo.net/text/rpg.html
Some, like Capitalism is a Harsh Mistress, you don't need to worry about at all but others like Oh No, My Peasant Village are definitely best avoided."

**Czechs Mex** · 03-10-2005, 04:28 AM

Re: How Thorough of a Design Document Should I Make?

Holy sh*t, that's a lot of sh*t.

I agree, you should probably plan out as much as you can tolerate. But at first - get familiar with the RPG Maker system. For dungeons/puzzles/etc, if you don't really know the ropes, you could spend a lot of time planning out something that isn't really feasible to do with RPG Maker. It might be best to tinker around at first to get a good grasp of what isn't possible or enjoyable.

If you're past that point, plan away.

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