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Corfaisus
"It's frustrating because - as much as Corf is otherwise an irredeemable person - his 2k/3 mapping is on point." ~ psy_wombats
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"Winning" internet arguments via dismissive hyperbolic falsehoods and selective ignorance.
Unallocated Skill Points
"Take this beautiful moment and make a joke out of it. If you can't, you're a slave to it."
"The imperfections show the face."
Unallocated Skill Points
"Take this beautiful moment and make a joke out of it. If you can't, you're a slave to it."
"The imperfections show the face."
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In favor of level requirements on gear
author=LockeZCan we just cut to the basics and admit that RPGs aren't inherently "fun"? What can we determine about RPGs that make them "fun"? How can we decide for others what they should care about aside from filling a role in a game? I'm sorry, but if you try to decide what I should think is fun and I don't think it's fun, you shouldn't be designing games for me. Sometimes what's fun is what the game doesn't have over what it does.author=CorfaisusIf you aren't any better at determining what's fun than a typical player, you shouldn't be designing games.
You shouldn't twist their arm by deciding what's "fun" for them.
Ever played a platformer with too many enemies that stalk you while you're trying to platform? Not fun. Ever played an RPG where you're denied entry until you're so strong? Not fun. Hell, ever played a "collect-a-thon" game where you played the game yet didn't play it enough in order to explore new levels once the old ones have gotten stale? Not fun.
"Look at this shit I made" does not a good game make. Pay attention in the near future as I crank out a review that nearly died on this one credential alone.
You're usually the smart one here, but I feel you seriously dropped the ball on this one. It's like an overflow glitch of brilliance.
EDIT: Want to know another good reason why "level requirements on items" is a terrible idea? It prioritizes these specific items over everything else that you find until you reach that magic number that allows you to finally use it. You've already got the item but you have to put it away while you sink points into being able to equip that one specific thing. What if a new item comes along that needs one or two points yet isn't anywhere near as great as your super cool item you know you're working towards? Do you just sell this crap item because someday you'll be good enough for the ultimate item? Do you really want to introduce dead content just because something better is coming down the pipes later?
It's kind of hard to be excited about the tiny victories when you've already seen the goal line. Good, just not good enough, sonny.
I'd be mortified to create dead content, knowing I've wasted my time... but at the same time, I can't make every player think that this thing that I sank my time into is a good thing worth their time. If I force them into this thing that they don't like, I've failed them as a game designer. Let them play the way they want, and if they really want more, they'll find/return to that stuff later.
In favor of level requirements on gear
What's the mechanical difference between level requirements on items and price tags on items? You don't have enough experience/money for this item - go get more.
Level requirements on stuff drives me insane because there's typically also a skill tree and point allocation that twists my arm into sinking valuable points into something just to get me to a piece of equipment faster because it's slightly better than what I already have. It's not exciting, it's limiting. Why sink a point into getting a new ability (or strengthening one I already have) when I could just take a -1 armor requirement boost instead? Why play the game when I can just work my ass off in order to access content I already have sitting in my lap? So yes, it is manipulation. That's why we bring it up: not because we're old and unwilling to change* but because it's a legitimately bad idea. Don't make it harder to play the game by throwing in such transparent and deliberate road blocks.
No. No, no, no, no, NO. You should guide players to the relevant content. You shouldn't twist their arm by deciding what's "fun" for them. I had this problem recently when a game felt like implementing mandatory optional content. Is it rewarding? Who cares? I don't want to do it, I just want to go on this quest because the quest is relevant. By forcing me ("guiding") into the "fun" content, the opposite result occurred and I actually felt like giving up right then and there.
Let me find/entertain the fun content on my own watch. Don't grab me by the collar and say "we're going on a date NOW!"
The bottom line is just to minimalize grinding. You're displacing the value of the game by telling the player that they have to pass GO again before they can buy another property, regardless of how often they invest or how much wealth they've accumulated. It's my choice, let me make it. If I want to better understand something, I'll do it again. If I got it the first time, I should have my intelligence respected.
* Heck, it's not even some New Age ideology to throw road blocks at the player once they see something they want. Remember the original Legend of Zelda? Remember the first time you explored the world, came across the cave with the White Sword in it and couldn't pick it up? It wasn't a matter of "I have to earn this through gaining hearts", it was more like "the game must be broken because I've always been able to pick stuff up as long as there wasn't a number next to it".
When you can't pick up and immediately use the White Sword, the game is telling you that - even though you found exciting treasure - you haven't earned it. In a world where anything that isn't bolted down is yours for the taking, one stupid voice says "No" until you have 7+ hearts. Don't make me grind for the treasure I found; just let me play the game!
Level requirements on stuff drives me insane because there's typically also a skill tree and point allocation that twists my arm into sinking valuable points into something just to get me to a piece of equipment faster because it's slightly better than what I already have. It's not exciting, it's limiting. Why sink a point into getting a new ability (or strengthening one I already have) when I could just take a -1 armor requirement boost instead? Why play the game when I can just work my ass off in order to access content I already have sitting in my lap? So yes, it is manipulation. That's why we bring it up: not because we're old and unwilling to change* but because it's a legitimately bad idea. Don't make it harder to play the game by throwing in such transparent and deliberate road blocks.
You have to guide players to the fun content by making it also be the rewarding content.
No. No, no, no, no, NO. You should guide players to the relevant content. You shouldn't twist their arm by deciding what's "fun" for them. I had this problem recently when a game felt like implementing mandatory optional content. Is it rewarding? Who cares? I don't want to do it, I just want to go on this quest because the quest is relevant. By forcing me ("guiding") into the "fun" content, the opposite result occurred and I actually felt like giving up right then and there.
Let me find/entertain the fun content on my own watch. Don't grab me by the collar and say "we're going on a date NOW!"
Generally, you don't want grinding to feel rewarding. Because it's not fun.
The bottom line is just to minimalize grinding. You're displacing the value of the game by telling the player that they have to pass GO again before they can buy another property, regardless of how often they invest or how much wealth they've accumulated. It's my choice, let me make it. If I want to better understand something, I'll do it again. If I got it the first time, I should have my intelligence respected.
* Heck, it's not even some New Age ideology to throw road blocks at the player once they see something they want. Remember the original Legend of Zelda? Remember the first time you explored the world, came across the cave with the White Sword in it and couldn't pick it up? It wasn't a matter of "I have to earn this through gaining hearts", it was more like "the game must be broken because I've always been able to pick stuff up as long as there wasn't a number next to it".
When you can't pick up and immediately use the White Sword, the game is telling you that - even though you found exciting treasure - you haven't earned it. In a world where anything that isn't bolted down is yours for the taking, one stupid voice says "No" until you have 7+ hearts. Don't make me grind for the treasure I found; just let me play the game!
#666666666666
Both my brother and I have the same outlook on people: they suck. Institutions of people suck. His advice: learn something new.
Bury your nose in a book and fuck the world.
Bury your nose in a book and fuck the world.
Loss.png
author=Sgt Mauthor=FroggeCame here to make this joke gdi frogge
IS THIS LOSS
Had to Google because I don't know memes. "Loss" is a burden spared on no one.
I thought comics were supposed to be comical.
Loss.png
author=Dyhalto
I love that old convention.
Turn a sprite upside-down = It's dead.
Old as dirt. Still going strong.
I've also got this for super dead.
Matter of fact, there's a lot of people dying on-screen in this game. Hmm...
What are you thinking about right now?
We didn't have adequate gun control laws back then, either. At least Lee Harvey Oswald also got shot with everybody watching.
#7
author=thesacredlobo
Yeah, but are you infamous for throwing a tantrum every time someone criticizes one of your projects? Do you delete your games when you get bad reviews?
He's onto us!
author=kentona
hey now, I am embarking down the path of selling RPGMaker games.
It'd be foolish to not at least try after devoting how many years to a single project? At least it won't be like The Chosen RPG whose selling points are Anime, Mature, RPG, Nudity, RPGMaker and 2D. There will at least be some semblance of quality assurance.
At. least.
Blacksmith.png
author=WCouillard
if you feel that way about RM games... why... are you here on RMN, exactly?
Not all RM games are chock full of copy-pasted scripts that everyone and their grandma uses and truly does make each game feel even less special than the last. The last game I played I literally put my head down on my desk and mashed enter through the battles for minutes at a time in order to put forth the grinding I knew was coming. The scripts did nothing to sell the game for me.
If only I had a video full of characters celebrating victories with backflips and weapons sticking straight out. Why hasn't someone made this yet?
Close your eyes and just imagine a victory fanfare replaced with the Wilhelm Scream and you've got a pretty accurate picture of what I'm talking about.
#7
That's a good scene.
... out of eleven little littermates
author=Soozauthor=ArcmagikNumber nine....
#9
Number nine....
... out of eleven little littermates
Games - Tester
Games - Other
