VILLAGES, TOWNS, AND CITIES.

I think that worst case scenario, your towns should be at least tolerable. If they become an actual burden to the player (either because of navigation, or complete uselessness) then you're doing something wrong.

Suikoden I & II always made me feel really connected to the towns for a few reasons:
-Because you can potentially have 108 characters, every time you enter a new town, there is the prospect of multiple new recruits, and you have to figure out ways to convince them to join you.
-Depending on the current game events, the dialogue and NPC's change entirely.
-Many NPC's provided sidequests or info about hidden items.
-Political/social relations with other regions and other towns are reflected in the dialogue and ways that the NPC's behave.

I think the ability of those games to make me actually ENJOY and LOOK FORWARD to towns/cities was always really inspiring.

post=44958
Nothing needs sewer dungeons. Ever.

EVER.

And in the interest of making this post a little less useless, my thoughts.

In my current project, the entire first demo revolves around the hub town. There are no filler buildings, and every NPC is an important character. More importantly, there are no shops. Shops are one of my biggest trope-related peeves in gaming- in a realistic, even fantasy, setting, where are you going to find a guy who spends his life, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week behind a counter, just waiting for the opportunity, nay the privilege, to sell you 3 potions and a map of the town?
Due to this, my town incorporates all of zero(0) shops. The only remotely shop-like building in the whole town is the local watering hole, where the inhabitants gather after a long day of work. The local pub is one of the most important buildings in town- as much of the game is driven by dialogue and building relations with NPCs.

post=92927
just waiting for the opportunity, nay the privilege, to sell you 3 potions and a map of the town?

I'm just that good.

While realism is to some degree important, making a game too realistic is definitely a waste of time. Yes, it would be more "realistic" to have a shop that isn't open 24/7, has different workers at different shifts, etc. etc. But I really question whether adding these things to a game adds anything to the immersion? If your whole game takes place in one town, then sure, maybe. But if you have multiple locations in a game, minor details like these will mostly go overlooked by the player.

I mean c'mon, in a game where you use magic spells, shoot up monsters, fight ghosts, save the world, etc., the realism of the work shifts at a shop in Town X isn't going to be the thing that makes the player go "HAY, THAT AIN'T REALISTIC!"

I've always been fond of towns that have some kind of major quest within the town itself. Like if anyone's played Super Mario RPG, if you remember when you go to the Mushroom Kingdom and the town is taken over by Mack and his Shyguys, you have to beat Mack before you can access the town again. I like those kinds of scenarios... they make the town more than just a pit stop, and plus, I think they happen to make nice plot devices. =3

post=93129

post=93106

post=93097
fight ghosts

It's official, someone has to make Ghostbusters: The RPG.

on it

EDIT

gotta make a bill murray sprite

If this turns into serious business, I want in on this sweet sweet ectoplasmic action.

post=93162
I hate designing towns. Period. I hate filler NPC dialogue, I hate making useless exploration, I hate all towns outside of DQVIII's areas.

Ugh, YES. This is why I'm only having 1 medium town, 3 small towns, and then all the rest are get in get out 1-2 house deals.

If I ever make anything else I'm just having one hub town.

post=93131

post=93129

post=93106

post=93097
fight ghosts

It's official, someone has to make Ghostbusters: The RPG.

on it

EDIT

gotta make a bill murray sprite

If this turns into serious business, I want in on this sweet sweet ectoplasmic action.

Make that three. You don't have to use the people from the movie, it could just be a game where you play as any ghostbusters like it's a service- but hey it sounds fun either way to me.

post=93358

post=93325
Make that three. You don't have to use the people from the movie, it could just be a game where you play as any ghostbusters like it's a service- but hey it sounds fun either way to me.

BILL

MURRAY

IS

THE

GHOSTBUSTER

But what about Winston Zeddemore? WHERE IS THE LOVE?

Has this approach ever been used before in an RPG? Instead of stores, the towns have a lot of houses with artisan families, each with something different to sell. This would work even better in an RPG with item creation or bartering.

It could also make writing town NPC dialogue much easier, as the family members could talk about what they know best: cooking, smithing, leathercraft, etc.