XENOMIC'S PROFILE

Yes, I only intend on making this one game (there was plans for a "sequel" based on the bad ending, as well as a side game for this game for 5 of the more important characters so that the player could see what happened during their scenarios). Kinda why I'm tossing what I have into this one game. ^^;


What I tried to do with my game, if I may speak about it, is set it up so that each character has their own defined role in battle, as well as their own sets of strengths and weaknesses which is meant to be used in accordance with other characters as well as specific battles. Pretty much what you'd see in something like Final Fantasy IX actually, since you can't go beyond the characters roles in that game. So essentially, my Knight/Mystic Knight can only use elemental physical attacks, with a couple defensive options, and my Black Mage can only use elemental spells (not of all elements though).

I also tried to set it it up somewhat like Final Fantasy II's level system, where you can level up skills by buying skillbooks (or through storyline/sidequests), and each level adds something new to it (usually more damage for damage skills, longer durations for statuses, or some combination of effects with higher levels). And note, this is with 20 MAIN characters, and about 8-10 optional characters (yes, you have essentially 28-30 playable characters in my game). Yes, I COULD probably cut some of them out, but then the story wouldn't flow right at all in several sections, several gameplay mechanics are lost, etc. Yes, I COULD alter the story to not include those characters as playables, but that would affect what I had set for the story already.


Hopefully that offers a bit more insight as to my method of madness? ^^;?

@mawk: Well, I have a good 10-20 hours worth of gameplay already done for the game, and the game's only 50% done at that (people say this is too long for a RPG, when I say it's only half as long as a RPG really is. 40-50 hours is about how long a RPG's story usually goes, if not slightly less for the story but a little longer on the gameplay. I will say that I do have a tangible, playable "thing" right now (my beta4 has been around for almost 2 years now I think since it was released. I haven't gone through with the storyline since then if that says anything, because I've been trying to fix up bugs, maps, features, etc. so that I would not have to worry about them later).


I guess I COULD be remapping the next area for the times where I cannot think of what to do for abilities or database work aye...there's been plenty of times where I've sat there going "What do I want to give this character?" for hours on end and not actually do anything. Actually, I dilly-dally quite a bit whenever working in the database, especially on something boring (7 months straight for a Weapon Bless and Armor Bless system...there's BOUND to be moments where I dilly-dally).


Yeah, point #3 might be a big one. What I've been doing for the past 2 months (as mentioned) is working in the database, giving characters new abilities (those without a secondary command got one now, everyone is working on getting at least one battle passive, and there's still a lot without an overworld ability. Some even already got upgrades to their secondary commands). The game is long enough to where I think I can actually get away with having upgrades to abilities and whatnot, but there's a looooot of stuff in this game due to it. Problem is, I wouldn't even know what to cut, if anything, from the database if needed be. Recently, I've been trying to do this method on my Blue Magic, but I've been stuck on that (and those that I've brainstormed with on Skype haven't really helped too much with it either). @_@;;


@Kentona: 1 game a month? Crazy talk! Though sounds plausible for some I suppose (but I guess some of the stuff in there does point to just working on games in general too).

Adding onto this, here's another thing. I have my damage formula for the Blue Magic version of Flare Star (which is Damage = Target's Level * 40), which was simple enough to do. Now, the enemy version is different, which is:

Damage = (Level of lowest party member in target party * 80)/# of party members

Now, the question here is, how to make it figure out what the lowest level is in the current party? I know this would require a lot of coding but...I don't know if I want to use the Blue Magic version for the enemy skill as well or not (probably simpler to do but...).

Hm...that is true. The way I have it set up, anything that relates to damage taken happens at the end/start of the next turn. It is still possible to do it that way though, just not IMMEDIATELY when the attack connects. I'm not sure what other issues would arise out of that either too...hmm. Though this method doesn't take into account what damages it and who damages it anyways so that shouldn't be an issue (though it would be if I were trying to exactly replicate the Trouble status as it is. Exactly replicating is impossible in 2k3, yes. Somewhat replicating it should be doable though.)

So nothing huh? Well, still looking for how to do this, as well as any ideas of how to set up a FFVI Bushido command, if possible. The new one here for the day is Roulette, that infamously terrible spell that has a chance to randomly KO either one enemy or ally. I'm not quite sure how to code this in myself (I figured out how to do a bunch of other things at least! Just not this one particular skill for the skillset). @_@;


Also to note, I will probably be removing Paschal Moon, Flare Breath, Dragon Bullet, and possibly the Drain-series of spells from the Blue Magic list. Paschal Moon and Dragon Bullet because having 2 Blue Magic spells on a late-game boss doesn't seem like a good idea, and Flare Breath because of Flare, Flame Stone, Flare Star, and Salamander Shield being there (Salamander Shield may also go, since that's also another skill that the boss that uses Paschal Moon and Dragon Bullet uses). Flare Star might change to have it deal with the enemy's level and become non-elemental.

So all in all, the following would be removed from Blue Magic:

Flare Breath
Salamander Shield
Paschal Moon
Dragon Bullet
Drain
Drainra
Drainga
Ink
Fireworks
Poison Mist
Pollen


Meaning I'll be probably cutting out 11 spells, meaning I still have roughly 39 spells left over. Hmmm....