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Random Number Generation: The death of the Critical Hit
If you want a truly great example of RNG taken too far, try the latest Lunar remake for the PSP.
Every round your turn order is pretty much random - everything else about the combat was great, very much like the PS version with really nice updated graphics.
Every round your turn order is pretty much random - everything else about the combat was great, very much like the PS version with really nice updated graphics.
Random Number Generation: The death of the Critical Hit
Odd that you list games that only require reflexes.
I would not say these require only reflexes at all (or even as a vast majority) - actually that's a common misconception and excuse. I'll use 2 examples:
1. Counter Strike - While reflex can definitely matter, if you watch a lot of matches, often who wins is the one that predicts where best to ambush the other person. I've often beaten or been beaten because someone knew I was coming or hid well around a blind corner and I foolishly rushed in. Reflex can matter in a fair fight or when you're surprised, but placement, planning, and psychology (where will people rush, knowing how to make them nervous or feel secure so they start making mistakes) are extremely important and can trump reflexes.
2. StarCraft - While speed helps the early stage and managing armies later, you still need to understand how to counter your opponent and you need to constantly be gathering intel on them and strike at their weak points. New, poorly defended expansions can be attacked to open holes in defenses for more important areas AND to cause them damage. If they have little to no air defense, attack from the air. If they're using masses of enemies, use area damage hitters like tanks and reavers. The entire genre is usually based on good gathering of information and using and applying a smart counter to it.
I like your notes about Chess though.
Help with running poses for four characters?
Are you looking for running in 4 frames, or just running in general?
If you want a standard 2K/XP/VX running sprite - that's a big challenge since 4 frames isn't enough, standard running is 8-9 frames for all the states, same as walking.
But since walking is such a small movement versus the site of a small sprite, you can 'fake' the walking version - I think running is a lot harder to fake with only 4 frames.
If you want a standard 2K/XP/VX running sprite - that's a big challenge since 4 frames isn't enough, standard running is 8-9 frames for all the states, same as walking.
But since walking is such a small movement versus the site of a small sprite, you can 'fake' the walking version - I think running is a lot harder to fake with only 4 frames.
A moment of silence for a hero, a friend, JKB.
Random Number Generation: The death of the Critical Hit
I think we're too used to it in the RPG genre to see it's inherent weaknesses. I believe as genres start to require more strategy and skill, the random element is more and more removed.
If asked which game genres require the most strategy, practice, and skill, I'd reply:
1. Fighters (Smash Bros Brawl, Street Fighter, etc)
2. Real Time Strategy (StarCraft, Civ, etc)
3. Platformers (IWBTG, Super Meat Boy, Castlevania)
4. First Person Shooters (Counter Strike, etc)
All of these genres completely or almost completely ignore the "random" factor - they instead depend on better AIs and/or human input to make gameplay more interesting.
Want to know a game that eliminated a lot of the randomness? Final Fantasy Tactics.
There were lots of random rolls, Teleport, hits, status effects, etc - but you were given all that information before you acted, so you could change your tactics to make them as reliable as you felt you wanted them. I rarely if ever made an attack that wasn't a 100% chance to hit because each turn was precious. Classes that relied on random elements too much were shunned and replaced with more reliable ones (see: Oracles.)
(Shout-out here to Mario and the Seven Stars for consistent damage and you being in control of "criticals.")
There are 2 other major things I'd ask you to consider in terms of "random" in our games:
1. How would you feel if player input was random? ie. 9 times out of 10 it worked when you hit the a key, but every once in a while it just ignored it? Imagine trying to beat Super Metroid when it randomly decides to ignore your jump to make Samus feel more "human" by making mistakes. This isn't really different, we've just accepted that it's an RPG standard and modified our mechanics to take it into account.
2. Getting "real" random numbers is beyond the scope of the engines we're using, we're all using pseudorandom number generation, so our values are predictable and run in patterns, making those "random" calls nothing more than staged-out runs. (Ever notice a string of criticals and then nothing for a long time? Or in MMOs you sometimes gain 4 or 5 skill gains on a random check and others you can run 20 or 30 with none?)
Some randomness is okay, even necessary, but the more it's used, the more it's hidden, and the less control players have over their "random" choices (see FFT) the less interactive I believe the system is and the harder it is for it to have depth.
Why I think it subverts good game design principles:
One of the core principles of game design is patterns. Creating, recognizing, and utilizing. You teach the player that when they see a giant hole, they jump over it. Then you teach them other, more complex patterns - get over the bigger hole by using these moving platforms, use the walls to get more height to get over the holes, etc.
By adding in too much of our fake "randomness" we're trying to disrupt those patterns to make something seem more complex when it's actually just out of their control.
If asked which game genres require the most strategy, practice, and skill, I'd reply:
1. Fighters (Smash Bros Brawl, Street Fighter, etc)
2. Real Time Strategy (StarCraft, Civ, etc)
3. Platformers (IWBTG, Super Meat Boy, Castlevania)
4. First Person Shooters (Counter Strike, etc)
All of these genres completely or almost completely ignore the "random" factor - they instead depend on better AIs and/or human input to make gameplay more interesting.
Want to know a game that eliminated a lot of the randomness? Final Fantasy Tactics.
There were lots of random rolls, Teleport, hits, status effects, etc - but you were given all that information before you acted, so you could change your tactics to make them as reliable as you felt you wanted them. I rarely if ever made an attack that wasn't a 100% chance to hit because each turn was precious. Classes that relied on random elements too much were shunned and replaced with more reliable ones (see: Oracles.)
(Shout-out here to Mario and the Seven Stars for consistent damage and you being in control of "criticals.")
There are 2 other major things I'd ask you to consider in terms of "random" in our games:
1. How would you feel if player input was random? ie. 9 times out of 10 it worked when you hit the a key, but every once in a while it just ignored it? Imagine trying to beat Super Metroid when it randomly decides to ignore your jump to make Samus feel more "human" by making mistakes. This isn't really different, we've just accepted that it's an RPG standard and modified our mechanics to take it into account.
2. Getting "real" random numbers is beyond the scope of the engines we're using, we're all using pseudorandom number generation, so our values are predictable and run in patterns, making those "random" calls nothing more than staged-out runs. (Ever notice a string of criticals and then nothing for a long time? Or in MMOs you sometimes gain 4 or 5 skill gains on a random check and others you can run 20 or 30 with none?)
Some randomness is okay, even necessary, but the more it's used, the more it's hidden, and the less control players have over their "random" choices (see FFT) the less interactive I believe the system is and the harder it is for it to have depth.
Why I think it subverts good game design principles:
One of the core principles of game design is patterns. Creating, recognizing, and utilizing. You teach the player that when they see a giant hole, they jump over it. Then you teach them other, more complex patterns - get over the bigger hole by using these moving platforms, use the walls to get more height to get over the holes, etc.
By adding in too much of our fake "randomness" we're trying to disrupt those patterns to make something seem more complex when it's actually just out of their control.
Random Number Generation: The death of the Critical Hit
Personally I look at random chances like this as warnings signs to check for undeveloped features or unnecessary clutter.
A 5 to 10% chance for random double-damage criticals? This is a cry for an interesting mechanic that can give players some real "choices" in your game.
Take those random calls and turn them into a player option - for example keep criticals, but only have them do 50% damage and make them an inherent and high chance on certain weapons or during certain conditions. Some examples:
1. Making Critical Hits ignore dodge/miss/evasion - instead of increased damage criticals introduce a new counter for player tactics to utilize, increasing depth and lowering unnecessary redundant mechanics.
2. Weapons: Daggers give a person a 50% crit rate + a bonus based on their DEX score - rolling your thief into a high DEX stat and using daggers versus swords or a bow makes them play differently and fill a different role.
3. Conditional Criticals - sleeping or stunned or other status effects allow critical hits instead of random chance. Maybe even an enemy going "off balance" if they miss a character, similar to the SMT series.
You can mix these together as well, making criticals always hit, but making only some weapons allow criticals, and make it easy for them to customize the character to hit crits almost every time but at the cost of of another advantage like high STR or HP.
Mix these theories with all the "random" elements - dodging might only be possible for some classes or special armors that are otherwise weak; or based on enemy condition or status.
Another example: Maybe everyone has "Stances" they use to decide if they try to dodge attacks or just lower the damage and take the hit - here you can pick which enemies should be tackled by which build, enemies using a dodge stance can be dealt with by the dagger user and the other who's just absorbing blows can be handled by the character based on normal damage.
Specialize some casters as a class that allow you to mess with enemies - instead of having a team prepared to specialize with each foe you can use that method to control them and your other characters can focus in more normal areas (and you get away from mages just being glass cannons and instead being tactical weapons.)
Staying consistent is important! One of my most annoyed moments ever was in Persona 3 - I had been playing heavily underleveled, using elemental strengths/weaknesses and defenses to handle bosses in Tartarus, then they introduced a new mechanic that became standard-fare afterwards - Almighty damage.
They built me up into using these elemental mechanics, and then took everything away by giving enemies an attack that hits all party members, does massive damage, and can't be reduced by elemental values.
I was left with only a couple options instead of the usual much more broad array - twice I nearly beat the boss with my underleveled party, each time by going completely offensive and getting those 'lucky rolls' - but to no avail, as it got close to death it'd just spam that attack for several turns and we'd all die.
Finally I was forced to level up enough to get the second level group healing spell and just spam-heal through the fight to win - was pathetically easy and boring like that and really left me disappointed.
A 5 to 10% chance for random double-damage criticals? This is a cry for an interesting mechanic that can give players some real "choices" in your game.
Take those random calls and turn them into a player option - for example keep criticals, but only have them do 50% damage and make them an inherent and high chance on certain weapons or during certain conditions. Some examples:
1. Making Critical Hits ignore dodge/miss/evasion - instead of increased damage criticals introduce a new counter for player tactics to utilize, increasing depth and lowering unnecessary redundant mechanics.
2. Weapons: Daggers give a person a 50% crit rate + a bonus based on their DEX score - rolling your thief into a high DEX stat and using daggers versus swords or a bow makes them play differently and fill a different role.
3. Conditional Criticals - sleeping or stunned or other status effects allow critical hits instead of random chance. Maybe even an enemy going "off balance" if they miss a character, similar to the SMT series.
You can mix these together as well, making criticals always hit, but making only some weapons allow criticals, and make it easy for them to customize the character to hit crits almost every time but at the cost of of another advantage like high STR or HP.
Mix these theories with all the "random" elements - dodging might only be possible for some classes or special armors that are otherwise weak; or based on enemy condition or status.
Another example: Maybe everyone has "Stances" they use to decide if they try to dodge attacks or just lower the damage and take the hit - here you can pick which enemies should be tackled by which build, enemies using a dodge stance can be dealt with by the dagger user and the other who's just absorbing blows can be handled by the character based on normal damage.
Specialize some casters as a class that allow you to mess with enemies - instead of having a team prepared to specialize with each foe you can use that method to control them and your other characters can focus in more normal areas (and you get away from mages just being glass cannons and instead being tactical weapons.)
Staying consistent is important! One of my most annoyed moments ever was in Persona 3 - I had been playing heavily underleveled, using elemental strengths/weaknesses and defenses to handle bosses in Tartarus, then they introduced a new mechanic that became standard-fare afterwards - Almighty damage.
They built me up into using these elemental mechanics, and then took everything away by giving enemies an attack that hits all party members, does massive damage, and can't be reduced by elemental values.
I was left with only a couple options instead of the usual much more broad array - twice I nearly beat the boss with my underleveled party, each time by going completely offensive and getting those 'lucky rolls' - but to no avail, as it got close to death it'd just spam that attack for several turns and we'd all die.
Finally I was forced to level up enough to get the second level group healing spell and just spam-heal through the fight to win - was pathetically easy and boring like that and really left me disappointed.
So, who's used Game Maker and can tell me how awesome it is?
GameMaker is very robust and you can do a lot with it, much more if you pick up the scripting aspect.
It excels at making smaller games or games based heavily on the gameplay and with little database-like content. Most of the more powerful editors really lack any central organization for data because they're not specific enough to have an interface for it.
To get used to GM you'll want to do some tutorials and easy games, then make some really short shooters, etc, yourself - don't try to jump right into something major, but your smaller games don't even need to be released if you don't want, they just give you some experience with the editor and structuring a game where your engine isn't as pre-built for you.
Ideally make a small game-play game like a shump or block chaser or something with some unique graphics and gameplay that'd make it a fun small release if you feel comfortable enough with it - surprising how popular those can become if they're fun.
Regarding multiplayer - if it's not using more than one controller or a set of keyboard buttons, don't mess with it yet. You need to have really advanced scripting knowledge and a very solid understanding of how multiplayer works, and even then you don't want to use the built-in GM multiplayer, you want to use one of the socket add-ons.
It excels at making smaller games or games based heavily on the gameplay and with little database-like content. Most of the more powerful editors really lack any central organization for data because they're not specific enough to have an interface for it.
To get used to GM you'll want to do some tutorials and easy games, then make some really short shooters, etc, yourself - don't try to jump right into something major, but your smaller games don't even need to be released if you don't want, they just give you some experience with the editor and structuring a game where your engine isn't as pre-built for you.
Ideally make a small game-play game like a shump or block chaser or something with some unique graphics and gameplay that'd make it a fun small release if you feel comfortable enough with it - surprising how popular those can become if they're fun.
Regarding multiplayer - if it's not using more than one controller or a set of keyboard buttons, don't mess with it yet. You need to have really advanced scripting knowledge and a very solid understanding of how multiplayer works, and even then you don't want to use the built-in GM multiplayer, you want to use one of the socket add-ons.
VX mapping trick?
author=Drakonais
I'm pretty sure the tool I'm talking about (puts a marching ants border around the selected tiles) could select an entire map. And the right-click and drag method unfortunately makes the autotiles reformat themselves when pasted. Guess my only options is to play Tetris with my tilesets.
Hold shift when pasting and it won't.
Also, if you want to copy an entire map, just copy the map itself - could be troublesome if you have a ton of events.
How do I set the scale size in RMXP?
author=NewBlack
I don't use Xp but if it's what I think you're thinking of then that's just your zoom function for editing your own maps.. Not what will be displayed when the game's played.
This is correct, there's no zoom in/out feature built into the RPG Maker series by default, and I'm not even familiar with even a script that can do zoom on the map view.
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