PROFESSOR_Q'S PROFILE

Housekeeping, this is an awesome game so far.

And I say this as someone who is awful at puzzles. I'm in it because the characters are great, as is the writing and music.

Also: Mint is adorable! (And "Ask Mint" is fun, fun, fun!) Can we all start a Mint fan club here? =)

Right now, I've just met Yvette and Raccoon, and we've headed for the ruined city and are exploring it. Unfortunately, I keep getting waxed to death by the yellow bats. We're all at level 17 or so. Do I just need to grind a bit, or am I missing a trick?

Once again, a big thumbs up on making something of this scope. It truly looks like a labour of love.

author=Desertopa
Not usually, perhaps, but it could be. Not to give away too much, but I'm planning something along these lines. Not that the setting is exactly urban fantasy either, it's actually a comedic mishmash of RPG conventions alongside a modern day setting (i.e. swords and elves and magic spells and ragtag bands of misfits saving the world, alongside the internet, multinational corporations, rap and pop music and celebrity endorsements.) But a comedic setting can still carry off a serious plot (Earthbound is one of my formative examples here,) and I'm planning a conflict that's essentially political.

Now I'm intrigued! =)

Not yet. I'm working in collaboration with another member (my art skills are terrible, and I'm still a newbie with the software, pooling our abilities is necessary to get it done properly,) so progress is slowed by the speed of our coordination. When we do have something up, I'll be sure to let you know.

Well, I'm pretty terrible at art too. ^_^

When I don't actually expect to get a work done, I default to not talking about it so other people don't expect anything, but on the flipside, I feel like if I'm actually committed to getting something finished, I should stake my reputation by telling people about it. But I'm afraid I'm kind of hijacking your own blog at this point, so I'll leave it at that. Good luck with Year of the Cat!

Thanks, and good luck with your projects too!

author=Desertopa
I considered discussing the matter of relationship values more in the comments of your Romancing Walker review, but this is a better place for it.

The game which, to me, sets the standard for doing interesting things with relationship values is the second Star Ocean game. It doesn't have the best romantic writing of the games I've played by any means, but it operates on some principles that I don't often see in video game romances, which I would like to see as the default rather than an exception.

First off, characters' relationships are built up through experiences that give them opportunities to interact and relate to each other, not simply through proximity and observation as they adventure together. Realistically speaking, people can be made to feel attraction to each other simply by going through exciting experiences together, but it's a very shallow basis for a relationship and doesn't tell you much about those people's compatibility. Rather than relying on dramatic experiences that draw characters closer to each other, I find it much more satisfying when the story presents opportunities for the characters to show things they actually like about each other.

I think this is a very good observation. Misattribution of arousal is, of course, a favourite Hollywood trope - so common that it even gets a lampshade hanging at the end of Speed, for example. It's also probably the basis for most "save the princess" plots, at least those which go beyond the Super Mario Bros. I level. =)

Second, the choices which draw characters together are not simple expressions of preference or affection, but things which actually relate to the characters' individual personalities. If the choices which pull your characters together amount to "will you be nice to character A?" or "which character do you like, A, B, or C?" then it fails to reinforce the player's perception of them as people with distinct character.

Agreed. It shouldn't be that simple.

On the other hand, the choices should not become too obtuse, lest the player stop treating the choices in terms of their understanding of the characters' personalities, and start treating them as a guessing game where savescumming is key to success.

This is also true. Sometimes the subtlety element is difficult to pull off correctly, though.

Third, pursuing development in character relationships is its own reward. Romance or friendships between characters aren't simply thrust at the player, they're given the opportunity to pursue them, and the incentive for doing so isn't that you have to put up with it for some Infinity Plus One Sword, ultimate spell, or achievement for one hundred percent completion, but simply because the interactions between characters are fun to see. If the player doesn't enjoy these character building scenes, they don't have to go out of their way for them. If they do want to build the relationships between characters though, it won't simply amount to making a series of choices through the narrative and having the characters' relationship values silently tick upwards, it will mean a substantial amount of additional interaction between those characters.

Exactly. It means optional scenes / sidequests / etc. - in other words, more screen time to watch that relationship grow.

One thing which Star Ocean 2, and most other games with relationship values for that matter, do not do, but which I strongly recommend, is that the player receive continual payoff for investment into building character relationships, not just an eventual payoff at the ending.

Hey, quit peeking into my script! =)

It doesn't have to involve big animated cutscenes or extensive dialogues (although it certainly could if you're willing to put the effort in,) but it's nice to see occasional feedback showing that your character's feelings for each other are changing. Maybe you add an extra line of dialogue now and then between characters reflecting the state of their relationship together. Maybe you vary the line a character gives when you place them in your active party depending on how much they like the party leader. Maybe you make characters stand closer to each other in certain scenes if they like each other more, or have them share a bed at inns if their relationship has reached a certain point, and so forth. I think it's more interesting if the player feels like the characters' relationships are a regular feature of the game, not something that merely comes into play in the ending.

True. Romancing Walker did the "ending" bit quite well; the challenge is to take it one step higher. After all, when you fall in love with someone, you don't silently watch that relationship grow until your wedding day; there are immediate rewards and reciprocations scattered along the way.

Perhaps we should compile an anthology of essays on RPG relationship values and ask FLARE to write the introduction. =)

This is a great review. I must go and try this game out now! =)

That would certainly be a fascinating idea! Looking forward to seeing it someday. =)