WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT? (GAME DEVELOPMENT EDITION)

I'm thinking of making an SMBX game but I have a couple problems. I can make decent levels, but I can only make a couple before my inspiration disappears. Then I'll be unable to make anything slightly decent for a few weeks (or months, sometimes) until I get that inspiration back. I'm not sure how to fox this problem.

And on another note, I also am unsure what kind of game I should make. Should it be SMB2, SMB3, or SMW styled? Perhaps a mix of all of them? What style of world map should I use? How many worlds, and how many levels for each world? How many levels should a person whose only created a few decent levels and participated in one or two community SMBX events make for their first non-community SMBX game?

What I'd REALLY like to know is, basically, how large should I make it, and how can I keep my level-making inspiration around longer?

It sounds exactly like my mom, so, seems fine.

author=slashphoenix
What I'm trying to get across the idea that you (the protagonist) are looking pretty desperately for a job.

"Hey! It's George! You knew what today is, right? Now I've been thinking, four months without paying rent is getting ridiculous. I'll give ya 'till the end of the month to make some cash and start paying some rent or you'll be collecting your things off the curb. Oh, and good luck."

Conveys the "pretty desperate" part way better I think. There's a problem, it has been going on, there's a deadline, and serious consequences. I don't think yours conveys any sort of serious nature or even a possible problem. It could be the protagonist took part and finished a triathlon.

I'm thinking about how the hell to manage the resources I'm supposed to give the player in my game, and how to also balance that with healing so that they want to avoid combat with mooks, but also find it useful from time to time.

@_@ It's driving me bananas.

I am PROBABLY going to ask the forums for their help on this very soon.

author=LockeZ

author=Aegix_Drakan
I'm thinking about how the hell to manage the resources I'm supposed to give the player in my game, and how to also balance that with healing so that they want to avoid combat with mooks, but also find it useful from time to time.

@_@ It's driving me bananas.

I am PROBABLY going to ask the forums for their help on this very soon.

This would make a solid Game Design & Theory topic if you can go into more detail about the problem.

That's the plan.

^We say graphics are secondary yet most of us decide to read more about a game, play it, or back it up after we had a look at the pretty screenshots.

author=slashphoenix
Okay, a more useful post... how realistic does this sound for a voicemail?

*beep*

Hi sweetie, it's your mother!
I just called to wish you good luck on your big interview today! You've been working so hard... We're all really proud of you!
Oh, I put a little present in your bank account. Go out and order a nice dinner or something, okay?
I love you so, so much! Talk to you later!
Good luck!!

I'm reading it aloud and it sounds okay, but I just don't know... What I'm trying to get across the idea that you (the protagonist) are looking pretty desperately for a job.

Somehow this voicemail sounds very familiar ... as if I had read it in a RMN game I've played some time ago.

author=edchuy
Somehow this voicemail sounds very familiar ... as if I had read it in a RMN game I've played some time ago.

Haha, really? I just kinda made it up based on what I figure sounded like a very worrisome mom might sound like. I just finished the game and it's in there now!

Now I just need to figure out what to work on next...

Hmmmmmm... what would it be like if I were to remove tiered equipment? What I was thinking of was having each weapon category possess different traits (swords up defense a bit, daggers have a higher critical hit chance, et cetera), but the different types deal similar damage (with the exception of some doing more or others less), and newer versions have special traits to add to the category's trait?

For instance, had this in mind for the sword and the axe categories...

• Swords all increase DEF slightly when equipped. Initial version is the Xiphos, with no special effects. Variants include the Orichalcum Gladius (MDF boost, as orichalcum is magic-resistant in my game's setting), the Horizon Sword (adds Fire damage, which a fair number of beasties are weak to), and the Mystical Sword (increased DEF boost than before).
• Axes all deal a notably higher amount of damage than other weapons, but all reduce your DEF slightly. The initial kind is the Broadaxe. Variants include the Bipennis (negates an opponent's physical damage reduction, like mace weapons would), the Golden Axe (doesn't have the axe's usual DEF drop due to magical golden inlays) and the Tabarzin (raises MDF and AGI, as the tabarzin was supposed to be a dervish's symbolic weapon)

Basically, the idea's inspired two games -- Dark Cloud and Kid Icarus: Uprising -- as well as a quickie tabletop game's mechanics I'm working on. Plus, the fact that I feel just having the same weapons, different ATK is boring, and that it's troubling that weapons with cool properties get replaced by stronger weapons without those properties in JRPGs. So... what do y'all think? Good idea? Bad idea? Okay idea?