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Brazilian, psychologist, game making lover. I make strange games, but I'm not a strange person.
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How many five year old could you take in a fight?
[rm2k3] Character graphics combinations
Basically I want to have characters that change their walking graphic depending on their conditions.
Problem is, there are many conditions, and I need a different graphic for every combination.
For example, I have 5 different levels for condition A, 5 for condition B, 2 for C and 2 for D, giving me a total of 100 conditions. In theory, I would need 100 walking sprites for EACH character to make it work. I'm trying to think of solutions to reduce this number.
My first solution is, given the game circumstances, I can use only right-walking sprites, so that reduces the number of animations to 1/4.
I just tried using battle animations instead of walking sprites... I have an animation that loops and simulates a walking sprite, and it would be much easier to make combinations as battle animations... but for some reason the animation blinks when it loops, so it looks weird.
Now I'm thinking using regular sprites but battle animations only to represt certain conditions...
Well, I'm open for ideas.
Problem is, there are many conditions, and I need a different graphic for every combination.
For example, I have 5 different levels for condition A, 5 for condition B, 2 for C and 2 for D, giving me a total of 100 conditions. In theory, I would need 100 walking sprites for EACH character to make it work. I'm trying to think of solutions to reduce this number.
My first solution is, given the game circumstances, I can use only right-walking sprites, so that reduces the number of animations to 1/4.
I just tried using battle animations instead of walking sprites... I have an animation that loops and simulates a walking sprite, and it would be much easier to make combinations as battle animations... but for some reason the animation blinks when it loops, so it looks weird.
Now I'm thinking using regular sprites but battle animations only to represt certain conditions...
Well, I'm open for ideas.
Making games in little time
Game Gale is coming, so I think this is a very pertinent topic.
I'd like to discuss differences between making a game within a restricted set of time, and making a game with no such constraints.
Designing a small project is not the same as designing a smaller version of a bigger project, obviously. A small project shouldn't be like a demo, or a teaser for something bigger. Most game concepts that work for big games wouldn't work for smaller ones. You can't make epic RPGs, long storylines, huge customized systems or graphics, or anything of the sort in, say, 2 weeks. Still, I don't think these should be excuses for making a game that is bad, unpolished, or something that doesn't feel complete.
There are many good games that were made in a short set of time, and they work because they're based on a concept that is appropriate for that kind of game. For example, the Blue Contestant was made in 2 weeks, it's an awesome game, and I think it wouldn't be essentially a different (or better) game if it was made in 2 months.
So, in your opinion, how should game design choices change when you're making a game in 2 weeks (considering genre, style, graphics, customization, story, everything)?
I'd like to discuss differences between making a game within a restricted set of time, and making a game with no such constraints.
Designing a small project is not the same as designing a smaller version of a bigger project, obviously. A small project shouldn't be like a demo, or a teaser for something bigger. Most game concepts that work for big games wouldn't work for smaller ones. You can't make epic RPGs, long storylines, huge customized systems or graphics, or anything of the sort in, say, 2 weeks. Still, I don't think these should be excuses for making a game that is bad, unpolished, or something that doesn't feel complete.
There are many good games that were made in a short set of time, and they work because they're based on a concept that is appropriate for that kind of game. For example, the Blue Contestant was made in 2 weeks, it's an awesome game, and I think it wouldn't be essentially a different (or better) game if it was made in 2 months.
So, in your opinion, how should game design choices change when you're making a game in 2 weeks (considering genre, style, graphics, customization, story, everything)?
Strange error rm2003
I made a 250-tile tall map with a panorama. When I move up, either walking or with a pan command, after a certain point, this error window appears. I have no idea what it means, because neither that file nor that folder don't exist.
Alternative to battles
The thing is... I'm kinda sick of battles in RPGs. And I don't mean DBS, I mean... battles. Of course some systems are more fun than others, and of course there are ways to spice battles so the play nicer. But battles are still battles, and it annoys me to think that even though battles are not necessary to the constitution of an RPG, it seems hard to make an RPG make sense without them.
It may sound pointless to make an RPG without battles... but an RPG is a story, and not every story should involve fighting. Ok, maybe the story of a knight trying to save the world should have battles, but... why should a hacker trying to unravel political intrigues fight?
What bugs me is not just the battle SYSTEMS, but the battle CONCEPT... the fact that all of the characters' stats involve battles, the fact that challenge progression involves more difficult battles... the fact that if I'm to make a game about Pizza, it's either a Pizza Simulator (non-RPG) or an RPG in which the Pizza guy BATTLES.
So... how could an RPG work without battles?
My initial idea was PUZZLES. Puzzles are a good challenge alternative to battles. The problem with puzzles is that they usually involve the player's wits, not the characters' stats. So having characters' stats would be pointless. You could make more complicated puzzles that demand different character abilities... well, you could. But could you make a whole game around that? I don't know. Not easily, anyway.
My other idea was to make an alternative system that works almost exactly like a battle, but it's not a battle. Something like... instead of killing enemies, all the enemies are animals which you're supposed to tame, and in order to do so, you use different skills, stats, bla bla bla. The "dog taming" is a stupid example, but I think you get the idea. Problem is, it should be hard to make characters and enemies with many different stats and skills for a task like... taming animals. Or every other task other than battling! Aaaaaargggghhhhh!
Help.
It may sound pointless to make an RPG without battles... but an RPG is a story, and not every story should involve fighting. Ok, maybe the story of a knight trying to save the world should have battles, but... why should a hacker trying to unravel political intrigues fight?
What bugs me is not just the battle SYSTEMS, but the battle CONCEPT... the fact that all of the characters' stats involve battles, the fact that challenge progression involves more difficult battles... the fact that if I'm to make a game about Pizza, it's either a Pizza Simulator (non-RPG) or an RPG in which the Pizza guy BATTLES.
So... how could an RPG work without battles?
My initial idea was PUZZLES. Puzzles are a good challenge alternative to battles. The problem with puzzles is that they usually involve the player's wits, not the characters' stats. So having characters' stats would be pointless. You could make more complicated puzzles that demand different character abilities... well, you could. But could you make a whole game around that? I don't know. Not easily, anyway.
My other idea was to make an alternative system that works almost exactly like a battle, but it's not a battle. Something like... instead of killing enemies, all the enemies are animals which you're supposed to tame, and in order to do so, you use different skills, stats, bla bla bla. The "dog taming" is a stupid example, but I think you get the idea. Problem is, it should be hard to make characters and enemies with many different stats and skills for a task like... taming animals. Or every other task other than battling! Aaaaaargggghhhhh!
Help.
RPG numbers (level, damage, XP, etc.).
I'm working on my RPG, but I decided not to do any monster stats, skills effects and such thing because I rather do it all at once, after the rest of the game is done.
I think I'm somehow avoiding this because it's complicated.
How do you go about balancing battle and character progression factors in RPGs?
I'm thinking something like this...
Monsters from aproximately your level need around 4 hits to die, and it would take around 20 of them to make you go to the next level.
Mmmm... that's all I got so far. I'm looking for more objective formulas. I'm curious as to how people balance this. Or is it just guessing and testing?
I think I'm somehow avoiding this because it's complicated.
How do you go about balancing battle and character progression factors in RPGs?
I'm thinking something like this...
Monsters from aproximately your level need around 4 hits to die, and it would take around 20 of them to make you go to the next level.
Mmmm... that's all I got so far. I'm looking for more objective formulas. I'm curious as to how people balance this. Or is it just guessing and testing?
Lags in RM2K3
Ok people, help me make a list of things that can cause lag on RM2K3. I'm traumatized by it because lots of people couldn't play Marvel Brothel because of the lag, even though it runs fine in my computer and some others. I don't know how to fix it, because I don't know what causes the lag. Now in my other project I added an overlay picture that keeps rotating, and it lags. I wanted 3 picutres, but it lags as hell. I kept two... it lags a bit, but maybe it'll lag a lot in another PC.
Ok, so let's make this list, starting by this:
Rotating pictures.
Ok, so let's make this list, starting by this:
Rotating pictures.
Need a frog charset
That's pretty much it. Need a frog charset for RM2k/3. Not the CT character, but the animal. Any size.
Talk talk during battles
I just had this simple idea, but I want some input before implementing it, because it may work either nicely or stupidly.
I'm making a game with not many different characters (about 8 or 9), and a reasonable focus on character development (character flashbacks, sideplots, etc.).
And I'm using RM2K3 DBS.
So my idea was inserting random conversation lines during battles (not just boss battles, any battles), things like "This is one tough S.O.B", "this dude gives me the creeps", "we have to find his weakspot", and sometimes more useful stuff like "This guy is probably vulnerable to fire".
It's something like Persona 4, I guess.
What do you think?
I'm making a game with not many different characters (about 8 or 9), and a reasonable focus on character development (character flashbacks, sideplots, etc.).
And I'm using RM2K3 DBS.
So my idea was inserting random conversation lines during battles (not just boss battles, any battles), things like "This is one tough S.O.B", "this dude gives me the creeps", "we have to find his weakspot", and sometimes more useful stuff like "This guy is probably vulnerable to fire".
It's something like Persona 4, I guess.
What do you think?
Testing a character customization system
I had this very simple idea for a character customization system (graphically). In theory it works perfectly, but I need to test it extensively, because I'm having bugs.
The idea is simple: using a system similar to caterpillar, but instead of having events following the hero, place them on top of the hero, working as objects. So, you could have, for example, an ARMOR event placed on top of the hero, and it would look like it's part of the hero sprite.
The point is having a broad range of character graphic options.
Let's say you have a character creation system that allows you for 3 races (human, elf and orc), 5 outfits and 5 hair styles. If you make a different char for each combination, you need 3 x 5 x 5 charsets = 75. In my system, you only need one char for each part (3+5+5 = 13).
Like I said, in theory it works perfectly. The problem I'm having is that sometimes the synchronicity between events is not perfect, so they separate from each other for a very small fraction of time, but the effect is noticeable and awful.
My last test seems to be working fine, and I want people to help me test it, and look for possible extra bugs:
http://rpgmaker.net/users/calunio/locker/charcustom.rar
This is a one-map RM2K3 project using this system. RTP required.
The idea is simple: using a system similar to caterpillar, but instead of having events following the hero, place them on top of the hero, working as objects. So, you could have, for example, an ARMOR event placed on top of the hero, and it would look like it's part of the hero sprite.
The point is having a broad range of character graphic options.
Let's say you have a character creation system that allows you for 3 races (human, elf and orc), 5 outfits and 5 hair styles. If you make a different char for each combination, you need 3 x 5 x 5 charsets = 75. In my system, you only need one char for each part (3+5+5 = 13).
Like I said, in theory it works perfectly. The problem I'm having is that sometimes the synchronicity between events is not perfect, so they separate from each other for a very small fraction of time, but the effect is noticeable and awful.
My last test seems to be working fine, and I want people to help me test it, and look for possible extra bugs:
http://rpgmaker.net/users/calunio/locker/charcustom.rar
This is a one-map RM2K3 project using this system. RTP required.
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