FAN MASTERS PART 2- DRAGON QUEST/WARRIOR

Interviewees:

Ljink
Orias_Obderhode
Hawkeye77o4

Welcome to the second issue of Fan Masters!
This week, as obvious as it may be, we’re exploring the various DQ fangames on RMN with hawkeye77o4 (Dragon Warrior Classic), Orias_Oderhode (Dragon Quest: Legacy of the Lost), and Ljink (Dragon Quest +).

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Why a fan game? And why DQ/DW?

Ljink: I chose a fangame/remake because I'm a guy that likes to see games revamped even if it's not by the original company. Much like the "cancelled" Chrono Resurrection which I thought was a legit Square Enix release title. I like to be able to see what I can do in order to improve an existing game without going too far or downgrading. As for why I chose Dragon Quest. I've been a Dragon Quest fan since Dragon Quest 8 on PS2. It enthralled me in every way possible and it stands as a pillar for my motivation in making this specific fan game and games in general. The game is simple down to the T and it's a quite charming series. The characters and the music draw you in from the start. That's one of the main reasons I chose Dragon Quest/ Warrior for a remake. The more obvious reason is that Dragon Warrior's 25th anniversary is in 2014.

Orias_Obderhode: Well, I've always wanted to make a game much like the ones I loved growing up. I decided to make a fangame over a completely original game just because of my love of the series. It is more fun for me to make a game in the style and image of a game I love over making something entirely original.

Hawkeye77o4: Dragon Warrior/Quest is my all-time favorite game series. I always wanted to make a DQ fan game since I was a kid. So making a fan game as part of the series wasn't a difficult decision.


Can you (briefly) describe your game for us?

LJink: Okay, so I'm not going to completely nut-shell this one. The game is essentially a full blown remake of the first Dragon Quest/Warrior title featuring updated graphics of those on consoles like the Super Nintendo. However, I feel that if a remake of any game is created that it must have extras to keep one occupied. The answer for Dragon Quest + was to mimic the Dragon Quest Monsters 2 Warp Gate system.

This system will be available about a month after the initial release in "patch" form. Every month or so you'll get to come on Rpgmaker.net and download a new quest or two on the DLC tab. I thought that would keep people busy for a while. Not only this but the game ties into Dragon Quest 2 by extending the ending. So once the end game is complete you extend to the after years sort of like Final Fantasy 4's "The After Years" for various gaming machines. So you'll get stuff like a "Point rewards system" for buying items, a casino, new party members, and even a few cinemas in there. Heck, you'll even get to swing a sword like Link in his SNES days:D

So it's a remake of Dragon Quest with updated visuals relevant to Dragon Quest III: And Thus Into The Legend, new party members, new campaign, and you'll even get to accept the Dragon Lord's offer of becoming his minion and rule havoc in the land.


Title screen for DQ+.

Orias_Obderhode: My game borrows the time travel aspect in use in Dragon Warrior 7. Despite the idea of shards and time travel, it is in no way a sequel to Dragon Warrior 7.

The basic plot of the game is that three demon lords are bending the timeline and causing destruction in order to resurrect their lord.


Title screen for DQ:LOTL.

Hawkeye77o4: My game is called Dragon Warrior Classic. It is a tribute to the original Dragon Warrior on NES so I attempted to recreate the original as closely in possible in terms of look, style, and feel. It features original monsters and an original soundtrack that closely resembles the original Dragon Warrior.


Title screen for DW Classic.

Is there a stigma against fangames in the RM community?

Ljink: You know, I really don't think so. Indeed I think indie gamers or gamers in general like to see new, creative, innovative stories like those of "Star Stealing Prince" "Ill Will", The insanely charming "Final Fantasy: Blackmoon Prophecy" and "Heroes Realm" just to name a few. I think the community speaks for itself and if there is this stigma against fangames I don't sense it at all.

Yes, I enjoy these new stories as the ones listed above very much but ever since I was a kid I'd say to a game that I'd completed "How can they make this story better?". I'd often write stories about fangames I wanted to create and soon I was able to make them come true through RPGmaker.net.

Fan games are usually ideas poured out by fans' hearts in the form of a game. I enjoy them alot and hey, the creator of Earthbound/ Mother even says he's promoting a Fan=game group that's creating Mother 4. So yes, there definitely is a pinch of stigma in there but hey, for every stigma there's an embrace. I take it with a grain of salt. Well, sugar tastes better.

Orias_Obderhode: I think so. People either seem to completely love them or completely hate them. I'm one of the people who love them - for me, it is more fun to play a game in the image of a game series I love than to play a game that I've never heard of. I'm extremely unlikely to buy a game in a series I'm not familiar with and I'm even more unlikely to play a indie game that I'm not familiar with.

I also kind of cringe some when I see graphics from a series such as Dragon Warrior in a game that isn't a fangame - I can't see a "slime" from Dragon Warrior and not think of it is a Dragon Warrior game. I do think fangames can be done wrong, but when they match the style of a series you love, they are so much fun.

Hawkeye77o4: Not exactly sure what you mean by this, but from what I observed in my short experience is there doesn't seem to be any animosity for those who create fan games. There seems to be a decent ratio of both of them. But again, this is just in my experience.


Screenshot from DW Classic.

What are the major advantages and disadvantages, in your opinion, of working within the frameworks of a work that isn’t entirely your own?

Ljink: That's a really good and quite appropriate question. It's very difficult if you haven't played the specific game in series. It's somewhat difficult if you've played the game series, I think. I ran into several parts in planning Dragon Quest + where I'd say "That'd be so cool!" but I realized that "That wouldn't fit the mold would it?" That's the main disadvantage. But, after I found the necessary routes needed to be taken I took off with the Warp Gate idea. For those of you who aren't familiar with warp gates, you have a key that's specific to a specific world. Put it in a warp gate and boom, you're there. So yes, it's a challenge... is it impossible?- no, definitely not.

For the advantages you still can find other routes that make sense and still pass as a fan game. My thing is, "if nobody else is doing it then do it.: This isn't always applicable to certain things but the saying has impacted Dragon Quest + dramatically.

Orias_Obderhode: For me, I can really only think of advantages. It really is just more fun for me to work on something that I enjoy. My game is almost finished, and I actually really enjoy playing it myself - I liked the challenge of emulating the style of a game series I love.

There are lots of little quirks, familiar monsters and fun ideas present across the Dragon Warrior games that I got to use in mine.

Hawkeye77o4: The goal of my game in particular was to capture the feel of an existing game so I was purposely using that framework as a guide. However, since I was designing the game as if it was 1986 again, I was very limited in creativity in the sense of having to keep to a simplistic style, storyline, and plot points just like RPGs were back then for the most part. It would be nice to stretch my creative muscles but I had to resist that for this game otherwise I would not have accomplished my goal.



Screenshot from DQ:LOTL.

Should DQ/DW fangames be in name/graphics/style only, or are direct sequels/prequels/crossovers a better way to go?

Ljink: I honestly love crossovers. Super Smash Brothers stands as the crossover of all crossovers and has inspired me on several occasions. When it comes down to it, it depends on what the developer is trying to achieve. If you want a classy, charming, realistic Dragon Quest fan game then I'd recommend sequels or prequels. Then there are the game changers that like the fundamentals of Dragon Quest but wish to add their portion of twang to it. Much like Final Fantasy's genesis, Squaresoft took what Enix was doing and kinda "mutated" the formula ,if you will, into the Final Fantasy series.

Orias_Obderhode: I think it is entirely up to the author. My game is one in name/graphics/style, but I've seen some pretty promising projects that are sequels/prequels/crossovers.

Hawkeye77o4: Which ever way you go, whether it be direct sequels/prequels or just a new DQ/FF or whatever fan game, if you have the name of it in your game, there must be an element of feeling that reminds the player of that series.

Calling it a DQ game but then going off the deep end in characters, story, design, that doesn't mold with what has already been established doesn't make it a good fan game. Designers must of course feel free to be as creative as possible but you need elements that will make it feel like the player is playing a game from that series.


Screenshots from DQ+.

Okay, the moment of truth regarding titles. Dragon Warrior, or Dragon Quest? Why?

Ljink: Dragon Quest all the way. It was the original name and I knew it as Dragon Quest because I started playing Dragon Quest 8 first. Which bore its original name in the states. For some games like The Legend of Zelda, that title is the American translation and the Japanese is Hyrule Fantasy: The Legend of Zelda. It doesn't change much and retains the epicness, if that's a word. Dragon Warrior doesn't have that classy factor to it. Dragon Quest was the original name because at the end of every game you fought some type of dragon as a final boss. Hence the name Dragon Quest, or questing to defeat a dragon. I feel like playing Skyrim now... Dragonborn DLC... Oh yeah, Dragon Quest!

Orias_Obderhode: When I decided to make Legacy of the Lost, I had considered two options - Final Fantasy or Dragon Warrior. I love both series but I ultimately went with Dragon Warrior for three main reasons:
- I love the monsters and lore of Dragon Warrior. The art style is fun and I think I was better suited for emulating this style over Final Fantasy.
- Monster Breeding. I LOVE Dragon Warrior Monsters I/II... and I wanted to incorporate it somehow.
- Final Fantasy seemed harder to make. For me, each new installment in the Final Fantasy series is different from the successor and I think custom battle systems and coming up with new features would be harder for Final Fantasy. I think I can emulate Dragon Warrior better.

Hawkeye77o4: I prefer Dragon Warrior. It's a cooler sounding title in my opinion. Plus that's what it was for me from my childhood all the way to college so its what I knew. But I'm more than fine with Dragon Quest to go with the times.



Battle shot from DW Classic.

What advice do you have for other creators who are trying to make their own fan games?

Ljink: I haven't completed the full game yet but I will say this. It might sound cliche or corny but "don't give up", "always try to outdo yourself", and most of all "have fun!". The fun aspect is the most important. If you don't have fun then how will the audience. I believe the audience can tell if you had fun making a certain game. Like Super Mario Galaxy, I had this childish smile on my face as I played. I could tell that the developers had a blast making such a quality game. Try to do something that you thought you'd never accomplish. Try something "out of the box". Not so much that your Mario fangame has moogles or slimes in it but do something to spice up the game. I always say, when I'm remaking something "Could I just go find this on an emulator or console somewhere?". If the answer is yes, then I'd add new features or mechanics. If the answer is no, just keep swimming. So just be persistent and have fun.:D

Orias_Obderhode: Have fun with it! If you enjoy your game like you do playing a game in your series, then I think you've done it right! :)

Realize too though, that there is no way it'll be perfect! Most likely, you're just one person, so don't get discouraged if you can't do something 100% identical to the original. I know my monster breeding system works a little different than DQM, but I think it still turned out really fun.

Hawkeye77o4: Like anything else in the creative field, just make. It doesn't matter what it is, how long it is, whether its for the public or just for you, just make things. Gearing towards fan game designers specifically, I refer you back to my answer of what makes a good fan game. Make sure you stay true to the establish feel of the series while still keeping your creative scope.


Battle shot from DQ:LOTL.

Any plans on making a sequel to your own fangame?

Ljink: For Dragon Quest + the sequel would be Dragon Quest 2 so I don't really see this as a sequel or prequel opportunity. I do plan on remaking Dragon Quest 2 in the future as well but no "Dragon Quest +: 2".

Orias_Obderhode: Probably not. My game was long enough as it is! Not saying there is no chance, but I would be more likely to do a "remastered" version with HQ graphics over doing a new game. I think one big RPG is enough for me though!

Hawkeye77o4: I just announced a sequel on my website that I've been hard at work on for a little while. See Here


More images from DQ+.

Any final thoughts?

Ljink: Dragon Quest + will have alotta stuff to keep you busy. There's games like Chimera Hunt, Slots, trials, trivia, new quests, monsters, maps, characters, and so much more. I really hope indie gamers are looking forward to it.

As a side note I am really a remake guy. On this site, after I finish Dragon Quest 2's remake I'll open a poll of games that the members would like to have remade. The game's mechanics must fit within the RPGmaker 2003 template with a few exceptions due to how I can manipulate the program. Future titles I've considered are

"Lufia III: The Legend Returns", "Legend of the Ghost Lion", and a game from DS's compilation cartridge, Retro Game Challenge, "Gaudia Quest". Those are just a few.


Orias_Obderhode: If you want to make a fangame, do it! Make something that is fun for you to make and fun for you to play.

Hawkeye77o4: Not really. Pretty much spewed all I have to say.

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Hope you all enjoyed this whopping three person interview! As always, I'll be back with another new one next week!