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| {Working Title} Parallel Chronicles; *current project* | |
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| Topic Started: Dec 23 2007, 03:32 PM (647 Views) | |
| DarkBahizzle | Dec 23 2007, 03:32 PM Post #1 |
Abra kadabra, I'm gonna reach out and grab ya!
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This is something I've been working on slowly, on and off for several months now. All of the stuff in this topic are by no means final - changes, big or not, may be made on occasion - but the core of it all will remain the same. Basically, the main purpose of this project is to combine some old childhood ideas - between my younger years and now, that is - that I've had, put them all together into one place, and create a game series that tells the whole story. I'd thought that this best way to do this because making it into a game that anyone can play will make it flexible, and much more enjoyable than if it were created in any other way; like a series of novels. Those who enjoy it can do so at their own pace, and I will try to space out major events, and try to avoid huge gaps of 'filler'. On the technical front, I aim to make the game feel as non-linear as possible in an RPG Maker game. I've seen so many use a 'world map' screen, which leaves players with little room for exploration and discovery, and so I've decided to make the game feel more on par with Pokémon/Dragon Quest VIII in terms of where you can go, what you can find, see and do i.e. gone for scale more than simplicity. Of course this will take some time, and I'm aware that this may spawn a few complaints but I'll try to reduce the likelihood of them from happening. As this is my first project, I by no means regard myself as a coding prodigy, but I've done my very best to make as many features as I feel it needs. Of course, my coding skill is limited - some codes you may recognise, but I've changed most of them as much as I can - but that doesn't mean I can't try something new. I'm also varying the animations, and adding a few voices to battles; this isn't actual voice acting, just little snippets of Japanese 'battle cries' tacked onto some of the animations. Plot Will be updated later. Characters Again, will be updated later - names are not final, but I think personality-wise, they're all set. Features I've tried, tested, and finished quite a handful of features, to try to give the project some variation. Some things I'd added previously were scrapped, but here's what is currently working: -Day/Night cycle. Obvious one, but has been done in a similar way to DQVIII, with a bit of Zelda added on, such as pubs being more active at night, shops closing and opening at certain times of the day. -Special button commands. It says in the RPG Maker Help topics that it is impossible to use the 'Key Input Processing' to map functions to the buttons. This is, in fact, a lie as demonstrated quite clearly here. I have used buttons 1-5 for special features, such as viewing the time of the day and shooting enemies with a 'photon', much like in the Valkyrie Profile games. EDIT: Now changed to a menu interface. Pressing the 2 key opens the menu, and pressing 3 will use the currently selected item. Some may be grayed out, which indicates it can't be used at that time, and can be for various reasons, like not having the item or a certain party member not being in the party. One is an automatic addition, so pressing 3 in that case will prove fruitless. -Battle-based variations. The game does use the DBS, but if you've played Beastly's Dreamcaller, you'll recognise the AP system, much like in Wild Arms 2 (which has had a small change to it)... attack an enemy, and you'll gain AP (which is TP in this game). Others include a Surge system, very similar to Trance in FFIX. If a character takes a certain amount of damage (currently equal to Character Max HP * 3) then their own skill subset is changed to 'Surge', and they enter a 'Surged' state. -Banking system. Another obvious one. You can store your money (Gald, woo, Tales of series!) in a bank, and if you die, this money will remain where it is, untouched. (more on the 'dying' later). I've made a few variations, such as you must input your 'bank number' in order to withdraw/store money. -Old-skool Zelda-like shopping system. You walk up to what item you want, and buy it. Simple as that! -Tales of Symphonia-like skill system. The more a character uses their skills, the faster they learn new ones. A bit like a seperate EXP system. -Post-battle screen (not 100% finished). Okay, so its not exactly like FF, but its been tied in with the custom EXP system, which is like a combination of FFVIII and VP. Other things do happen here, like any stat increases through custom add-ons, any of the 'Blue Magic' that a certain character learns. -Defeated? You get no 'game over'! Instead, you just return to the nearest town with your money slashed in two. Plus you'll keep all of the EXP and items you've gained, but items used are not restored. Similarly, if you mess up in a major event, like getting somewhere within a time limit, you'll have the chance to start again from the screen where the event started. -Golden Sun-style weapons. There are only five for each character - may make more for later versions - but it goes something like this. If a character attacks with one of these special weapons, it may unleash a powerful attack. The probability changes with each weapon - somewhere between 25-50% chance, so you may not see this very much. -Ammunition and recoil. This only applies for one character. Each of his weapons require ammo, which may be more or less depending on his weapon, and will cause him to take some damage from recoil. Better be careful not to accidentally KO him! -Optional bosses. There will be no more than four of these in the main game (one or two more will be in the feature stated below), but they will be a chore to defeat, and the rewards for besting them in battle will be worth it. Also optional, you can fight the bosses again - this won't give you any more rewards, except what the bosses usually drop. -New Game Plus (may be scrapped if incomplete). Just like in most RPGs being made today, after beating the game, you'll have a 'new game plus' option. Here, though, the game will be a bit more challenging, some changes to the environment, and a bonus boss awaiting you in the hardest optional dungeon. The game will also allow you to re-fight progressively harder versions of the minor bosses, and this will have a meaning, unlike in the main game. -Lufia II-styled monster movement. When the hero takes a step, so do the enemies on screen. -Trapped chests. There will be a fair number of these, and there will be some different variations, such as a poisoned arrow, a bomb, and even some gas that reverses the hero's movement! Be careful on your travels. -FFVIII-style salary system. Here you get money at regular intervals, which increases depending on what things you have done and how far into the game you are. This is used in conjunction with the bank system, so it doesn't go straight to your pockets. -FFIX-like ATE system (to be made). At certain points in the game you may witness scenes that are unrelated to your party's progress, and they can be within the same town, or... miles away! Each scene may reveal a few things about certain characters, so be sure to watch them. Screenshots None at the moment - chipsets aren't that great, nor is my mapping skill. Soo, I'll update this topic as much as I can, with new information, and stuff. If you're interested, be sure to check it regularly. Also, be sure to post an comment/questions about this project, but please don't rush me in it's progress... these things take time, especially where this one will have a lot of places to go. Edit (20/04/09) The game has had a lot of changes lately, particularly in the battle system. Animations are being re-done, as well as made when needed, some of the things implemented previously have been altered or removed, and some story plot points have been set in stone already (sorry, no new information here!). Edited by DarkBahizzle, Apr 27 2009, 05:36 PM.
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 Many thanks to Miggeh for this one! 
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6:35 PM May 19