Tropical RPG CBS CMS - Development Diary (Help needed)

[zuhane]

To anyone who is interested in my game: The development has not stopped. I'm trying
to make critical decisions on what will work best for the game's battle system. Additionally,
I'm going to use this thread to request help from people such as sprites and coding decisions.
There will eventually be a separate thread about the game itself once this gets moving.

I'm currently trying to add special attacks to the game, and that's the hard bit. I want to know
what people think about the Specials system.

As you may know, special attacks are initiated in the completely non-default battle system.
When activated, you must complete a small mini-game or task in order to do the special
attack. The better-performed the task is, the more effective the special is. Specials can also
be upgraded to have more or improved effects, and mini-games can be made easier. This is
how it works. My next post will be my current problem.

[zuhane]

The problem is my decision I have to make. What will result in an easy-to-edit and upgrade
special attack system?

Whilst in a battle, you are in a separate map, with charsets representing you and your enemies.
When you attack, you are teleported to a new map, where you perform the attack mini-game.
You then teleport back to the battle map. This gives an effect that menus are used etc, when in
fact, you are teleported to various maps with pictures showing. This works, and you can perform
simple attacks against enemies.

With special attacks, I want to know what I should do to create them properly. It's really hard
to explain. Basically, ALL special attacks can be upgraded in various ways to pierce defence, steal
money, gain extra exp, transfer EXP etc. I will have lots of battles happening, so I need some global
special attack system which can be edited once, so it doesn't have to be implemented or coded for every battle.

I was thinking of having it, so when you're in a battle, you select Specials, then you're teleported
to a new map with a picture overlaying it. In this new map, Special attacks can be selected. Could
I then have maps with all the variables in for that attack, so I can add upgrades and modifications to
specials once without having to edit every separate battle?

Hard to explain. Anyone understand me? If someone can help, PM me or something!

[zuhane]

By the way, to finish, add me on MSN or the like at: kruzrpg@hotmail.co.uk

It's an account completely devoted to the creation and development of this game. I
really appreciate all the help I can get, since this game will be pushing RPG Maker
beyond its limits and creating a new experience unfamiliar to Rm2k3 users. I'll be
posting development diaries etc with my progress. Only people interested in this game
will be on the contact list.

[zuhane]

Bump... I guess...

ADD kruzrpg@hotmail.co.uk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Desimodontidae]

Not sure I fully understand your system, but what if when you select the special you want to use, all events on the map stop, the screen gets darker and the "mini-game" appears on the screen, such as "Mash X" to raise to a certain level over a bar (like over 75%), or hit a combination of buttons (like in the Naruto fighting games... Ultimate Ninja was it?). Then, the "mini-game" disappears, the screen returns to normal and all the actions continue, and if you were successful, your special is readied. Then you can select to do it again to stack it's effect as much as you wish (you can set a limit to how much you can upgrade a special). And then set the special's effect to wear off after a certain time to add another element to the game. Like if you want to double EXP, you have to defeat the enemy BEFORE it runs out or the effect is negated.

I think you could just make many of these little "mini-games" and randomize them each time for every special, so for each special you could get a different "mini-game". It would be a little hard to program, but not impossible, AND it would be universal...

Is that what you're going for or did I miss the point completely?

[zuhane]

Yeah, it's hard to explain. I've made a blog with all updates and information on the game.

http://kruz-rpg.blogspot.com/

Check that out and apply for help if you want