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Journeyman is a simulation/RPG about starting with nothing and crafting EVERYTHING. The project's intent is to focus on the fun, addictive, and deep crafting systems in games like recent blockbuster The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and indie masterpiece Dwarf Fortress, crafting systems that in the former case were so addictive they made you want to ignore the rest of the game, or in the latter case that were so deep they comprised the entire game. The idea is to expand this into such a massive and deep crafting system that it can serve as the centerpiece of an entire game.
Journeyman is bright, whimsical, funny, and cute, at least in places, which might be considered quite a departure for a developer of my doom and gloom pedigree. I guess I say this as much to warn my fans (as few, far between, and silent as they may be) as in hopes of giving pause to some small fraction of my many detractors.
Although this is a fantasy RPG with sidequests, it's nothing like Final Fantasy.
The most important thing to understand is that Journeyman is not an RPG with optional logging, mining, gathering, farming, fishing, hunting, woodworking, smelting, threshing, weaving, cleaning, tanning, cooking, alchemy, smithing, and enchanting minigames. It's a logging, mining, gathering, farming, fishing, hunting, woodworking, smelting, thresing, weaving, cleaning, tanning, cooking, alchemy, smithing, and enchanting game with an optional combat minigame.
-NOTICE OF CREDIT-
98% of the maps used in this project were made by ShortStar and then donated to me for my use. Out of that 98% I'd say all of them have undergone slight changes by my hand--not all to the good, aesthetics wise, but many were functionally necessary to support the underlying mechanics and systems.
Journeyman is bright, whimsical, funny, and cute, at least in places, which might be considered quite a departure for a developer of my doom and gloom pedigree. I guess I say this as much to warn my fans (as few, far between, and silent as they may be) as in hopes of giving pause to some small fraction of my many detractors.
Although this is a fantasy RPG with sidequests, it's nothing like Final Fantasy.
The most important thing to understand is that Journeyman is not an RPG with optional logging, mining, gathering, farming, fishing, hunting, woodworking, smelting, threshing, weaving, cleaning, tanning, cooking, alchemy, smithing, and enchanting minigames. It's a logging, mining, gathering, farming, fishing, hunting, woodworking, smelting, thresing, weaving, cleaning, tanning, cooking, alchemy, smithing, and enchanting game with an optional combat minigame.
-NOTICE OF CREDIT-
98% of the maps used in this project were made by ShortStar and then donated to me for my use. Out of that 98% I'd say all of them have undergone slight changes by my hand--not all to the good, aesthetics wise, but many were functionally necessary to support the underlying mechanics and systems.
Latest Blog
Persistence
Max McGee
11 post(s) 
- 07/25/2012 02:23 AM
- 4603 views
- Cancelled
- Max McGee
- ShortStar
- kumada
Anaryu
Gourd_Clae
aprilschild
railgun545 
RPG Maker VX- Simulation RPG
- 12/02/2011 06:40 AM
- 08/22/2018 01:00 AM
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@thatbennyguy: wait, what? i can't tell if you are being weirdly sarcastic or what. in case you are not (excuse my naivete) i think you should know that i haven't made a blog post in literally years.
whatever your sarcasm level, all i can do is say, somewhat lamely, that hiatus != abandoned
whatever your sarcasm level, all i can do is say, somewhat lamely, that hiatus != abandoned
thatbennyguy
1612
apparently this is on hiatus. i was under the impression that it was ruthlessly being worked on, and never abandoned, never. the blog posts on this thing spam my notices ruthlessly
kumada
3917
I dunno if it would work or throw the game horribly off balance, but if you created a 'raw goods' store that sold basic crafting supplies (minerals, etc) at horribly inflated prices, you might be able to offset people screwing themselves over by burning through all their stock crafting the wrong stuff. With the prices high enough, it shouldn't trivialize collection.
Also, I think I'd like to try a version where the harvesting is done by ShortStar's percentage chance, and the harvesting tools don't need to be equipped to work. I don't know if it will be necessarily better, but I'm definitely interested in having the point of comparison.
I think, with the new revisions in game difficulty, accidentally leaving your axe equipped before starting a combat is going to be more of an inconvenience than a life-ending mistake, especially with the ability to re-equip mid-combat, and so forcing players to juggle their equips will probably burn more time than add challenge.
Also, I think I'd like to try a version where the harvesting is done by ShortStar's percentage chance, and the harvesting tools don't need to be equipped to work. I don't know if it will be necessarily better, but I'm definitely interested in having the point of comparison.
I think, with the new revisions in game difficulty, accidentally leaving your axe equipped before starting a combat is going to be more of an inconvenience than a life-ending mistake, especially with the ability to re-equip mid-combat, and so forcing players to juggle their equips will probably burn more time than add challenge.
ok playing again.
The menu sound is too harsh and not pleasant.
I'd skip the intro story and just drop players into the world with a note saying pay up you chump or your out.
Having everything as a minigame makes me want to die. I'm sorry. So I adjusted things to have a 80% chance to get something with a 20% chance to get the 2nd tier of something. OMG the game goes so smooth now.
Sound to make armor / weapons takes way too long esp since I didn't make anything.
Really need doors or at least curtains.
I really think the bed should fade to black then fade into light. Maybe save box dialog? So I did both. People forget to save a lot.
I really don't think the loom needs so many seperate components. A shop and a loom. Sure there are different components, but it wouldn't be overwhelming to combine textile 1 and 2.
We need interiors :-) Playing on 1 single map just feels very dull especially since there isn't much life in the first map. Actually maybe its the lack of people and movement in the first map that is the problem. So I added some wildlife. Lack of exploration makes it ... lacking fun.
Having to equip weapons after you've auto equipped them is a chore. Why don't you just need a fishing pole in your inventory to fish? Why don't you just need an axe in your inventory to chop wood? :-( Worse yet why isn't the need for an axe in the common event? Fixed.
Not sure you need 3 switches for the fishing. Just a typical event with a common event would work. Now I have it so you only need a fishing pole to fish.
Ever feel screwed because you didn't chose right in the game and now there's no minerals to make stuff and you feel like you need to start the game over?
The menu sound is too harsh and not pleasant.
I'd skip the intro story and just drop players into the world with a note saying pay up you chump or your out.
Having everything as a minigame makes me want to die. I'm sorry. So I adjusted things to have a 80% chance to get something with a 20% chance to get the 2nd tier of something. OMG the game goes so smooth now.
Sound to make armor / weapons takes way too long esp since I didn't make anything.
Really need doors or at least curtains.
I really think the bed should fade to black then fade into light. Maybe save box dialog? So I did both. People forget to save a lot.
I really don't think the loom needs so many seperate components. A shop and a loom. Sure there are different components, but it wouldn't be overwhelming to combine textile 1 and 2.
We need interiors :-) Playing on 1 single map just feels very dull especially since there isn't much life in the first map. Actually maybe its the lack of people and movement in the first map that is the problem. So I added some wildlife. Lack of exploration makes it ... lacking fun.
Having to equip weapons after you've auto equipped them is a chore. Why don't you just need a fishing pole in your inventory to fish? Why don't you just need an axe in your inventory to chop wood? :-( Worse yet why isn't the need for an axe in the common event? Fixed.
Not sure you need 3 switches for the fishing. Just a typical event with a common event would work. Now I have it so you only need a fishing pole to fish.
Ever feel screwed because you didn't chose right in the game and now there's no minerals to make stuff and you feel like you need to start the game over?
thatbennyguy
1612
OK I just played this, and it is amazing. I like the fact that you can make everything from your bare hands, and that you slowly build up your resources until you finally make the thing you want. It's exhilirating!
Overall, don't get disheartened, Max. This is a great game that deserves much praise, and maybe a little bit of balancing and reducing clutter. But it is great and I very much enjoyed it. Maybe in your future projects you can implement a crafting system with much more ease and experience now that you've chugged this out ^_^
Overall, don't get disheartened, Max. This is a great game that deserves much praise, and maybe a little bit of balancing and reducing clutter. But it is great and I very much enjoyed it. Maybe in your future projects you can implement a crafting system with much more ease and experience now that you've chugged this out ^_^
I would like to finish this some day; I am having a hell of a rough year, though.
ShortStar, thickheaded, thank you for the feedbacks.
ShortStar, thickheaded, thank you for the feedbacks.
kumada
3917
Check the 'Gameboard - Illandria' tab, if you're curious what it was going to be.
Although, the notion of an epic fantasy in which nothing at all happens is strangely appealing.
Although, the notion of an epic fantasy in which nothing at all happens is strangely appealing.
Yeah like the landlord will kill your mom or something... you can still interact with her and she can say random things.
kumada
3917
I dunno if this is still in development or not, but I do know that the current version of the game is intended as a plot-lite version. If this is ever worked on again, the next two game modes will feature a progressively more involved story.
I played 40 minutes here are my notes >>
- Good intro logo.
- Nice title screen. The title menu could of course be better.
- Good basic tutorial. Could have been done in game though. Like a starter quest or a starter map to demonstrate everything.
- Good and different opening credits. Good accompanying opening music.
- I feel like the opening credits are missing headers that say maps by: scripts by:
- More eventing with the intro would have been good like smoke from chimneys... unless no one lights a fireplace in the rain.
- Noticably Good use sound effects throughout the game.
- Not sure Luffyk's music was the best choice. Finally a RPG maker game with characters that have last names.
- Good use of shinnies that draw attention.
- Good controls, feels very easy especially with the visual.
- I feel like there is too much blunt text for the books. Perhaps a script or a topic choice to break it all up? Maybe even NPCs to tell you.
- More interaction in your own house might be a nice touch... perhaps some clothes.
- I think it would be barging into people's homes... if they had closed doors. Open entrances should be places you can go.
- You're really missing out by not having shop interiors. Sure it sounds trivial, but if there is an indoor shop you should be able to go indoors... otherwise outdoor shops work :-)
- It feels very devoid of life with no NPCs or no movement of any kind in a town.
- The round locked door doesn't match the square opening.
- The ... you got firewood statement should be quicker and disappear without having to hit anything. Even if you miss seeing the number because the window disappears... you didn't miss much.
- The uprooting of items seems very easy and tedious to do. Maybe a variety of mini games...
- Not sure how alchemy increases when you're gardening... Perhaps a digging skill?
- I'd feel better if I could get something special for doing this. Like a 10% chance the log will have something cool in it or a mouse in it.
- Logically I think you need gloves for wild cotton. It hurts.
- There doesn't seem to be any plot that's worth the player's time.
- I feel like this could be the fun part of another game, but as a game its not a game. It's busy work.
- Hopefully environment events respawn after a while.
- Someone else should warn Gordon when he leaves the town.
- Good enemy graphics.
- Good intro logo.
- Nice title screen. The title menu could of course be better.
- Good basic tutorial. Could have been done in game though. Like a starter quest or a starter map to demonstrate everything.
- Good and different opening credits. Good accompanying opening music.
- I feel like the opening credits are missing headers that say maps by: scripts by:
- More eventing with the intro would have been good like smoke from chimneys... unless no one lights a fireplace in the rain.
- Noticably Good use sound effects throughout the game.
- Not sure Luffyk's music was the best choice. Finally a RPG maker game with characters that have last names.
- Good use of shinnies that draw attention.
- Good controls, feels very easy especially with the visual.
- I feel like there is too much blunt text for the books. Perhaps a script or a topic choice to break it all up? Maybe even NPCs to tell you.
- More interaction in your own house might be a nice touch... perhaps some clothes.
- I think it would be barging into people's homes... if they had closed doors. Open entrances should be places you can go.
- You're really missing out by not having shop interiors. Sure it sounds trivial, but if there is an indoor shop you should be able to go indoors... otherwise outdoor shops work :-)
- It feels very devoid of life with no NPCs or no movement of any kind in a town.
- The round locked door doesn't match the square opening.
- The ... you got firewood statement should be quicker and disappear without having to hit anything. Even if you miss seeing the number because the window disappears... you didn't miss much.
- The uprooting of items seems very easy and tedious to do. Maybe a variety of mini games...
- Not sure how alchemy increases when you're gardening... Perhaps a digging skill?
- I'd feel better if I could get something special for doing this. Like a 10% chance the log will have something cool in it or a mouse in it.
- Logically I think you need gloves for wild cotton. It hurts.
- There doesn't seem to be any plot that's worth the player's time.
- I feel like this could be the fun part of another game, but as a game its not a game. It's busy work.
- Hopefully environment events respawn after a while.
- Someone else should warn Gordon when he leaves the town.
- Good enemy graphics.
The mine boss was pretty easy with the use of a long sword,heaviest metal armor&shield. Along with using a paralytic potion,venom, and coating my weapon with fire. The demons gave me more problems than the giant worm. :\ I actually finished at around day 5 and proceed to "sleep" for the rest of the short game. Overall an enjoyable,but short experience. Took around two and a half hours to beat the demo.
Woo! I log in about once every six months and am always excited to see what Max has been up to. Just hope this one doesn't get cancelled like so many others.
kumada
3917
The combat is pretty masocore, but survivable. Especially if you get metal armor. If you can kite the enemies in the mine (save before you try this,) you can get in deep enough to get a pick (it's only a couple rooms in,) which will let you mine the iron you need to unlock the smiths (and also serve as a pretty dependable weapon.)
There are a whole handful of other ways to go about it, but my prevailing strategy has been:
-harvest everything in the starting town.
-Do some basic woodworking. Sell goods.
-Buy fishing rod, bucket, rope, bottle. Repair well.
-Go to second town, stopping off at cave on the way. Kite your way around monsters to get the pick while you're in the cave, and harvest any safe deposits of coal, iron, and flint.
-Harvest/fish out second town. Travel back to first town, stopping off at cave along the way.
-Go to alchemist, unlock alchemy, mash every herb and fish in your inventory together. There are a lot of combinations, and I wish the game included a built-in learned recipe list, but a pen and paper works as well. If you have belladonna berries, mash them with other belladonna berries and keep the paralytic agent that results.
-Sell stuff that isn't healing potions, mana potions, paralytic agents, or other possible cornerstones of a good offensive strategy.
-Unlock smiths, buy armor.
-Assault the mine.
There are a whole handful of other ways to go about it, but my prevailing strategy has been:
-harvest everything in the starting town.
-Do some basic woodworking. Sell goods.
-Buy fishing rod, bucket, rope, bottle. Repair well.
-Go to second town, stopping off at cave on the way. Kite your way around monsters to get the pick while you're in the cave, and harvest any safe deposits of coal, iron, and flint.
-Harvest/fish out second town. Travel back to first town, stopping off at cave along the way.
-Go to alchemist, unlock alchemy, mash every herb and fish in your inventory together. There are a lot of combinations, and I wish the game included a built-in learned recipe list, but a pen and paper works as well. If you have belladonna berries, mash them with other belladonna berries and keep the paralytic agent that results.
-Sell stuff that isn't healing potions, mana potions, paralytic agents, or other possible cornerstones of a good offensive strategy.
-Unlock smiths, buy armor.
-Assault the mine.
