Bearers of Unity

[Muraiko]

Well... I just want to see what people would classify is a "good" game. And so many people are showing off their games, that it's a good chance for low people like me to see what others think is cool. To make a short story short... Your game is FAR MORE better than mine so far, so that's why I like to take the chance to learn a bit. And learning is fun!!!

[DragonBlaze]

Most of your features look pretty cool, I'll be interested in seeing how they work out.

For your duel system. I like the basic idea, but a one on one battle that is turn based could get very boring very quickly, especially if its a longer battle. I suggest spicing things up in it and making it a semi-fast pace battle. It can still be turn based, but try not to make it a 'slow' moving thing. Also it would be best to add lots of 'eye candy' like pictures for the damage and such. It takes some work, but not much at all, I've had to display 25 differant numbers in my cbs via pictures (hp, mp, damage), one value with 4 digits won't take that long or that much work, but it would sure enhance how the battle sytem looks. An HP indicator bar for the hero (and possibly the enemy) would also be a cool feature to add to the battle system.

[shadus]

Now remember young one,when it comes to games,DragonBlaze's
words are law!

[Raen Ryong]

Hmm... I may implement a HP indicator bar... that shouldn't take too much work and it would make it look a bit better... thanks

In order to separate the HP into four different numbers (IE, so I'll only need 10 different numbers rather than 9999), I'll have to "mod" them, won't I? I'll probably experiment with that a bit... I've never had to use "mod"ded variables before!

And yes, I know that I'm not perfect on the mapping front. Well, it depends on the chipset really... I'm better with some than others. That said, I generally always improve on the graphics when I can see a way to... so keep suggesting!

I'm hoping to release a demo fairly soon... and it's VERY long for a demo... as in about 9 hours of playing or so, judging from previous playthroughs from testers. I'm not setting a date, though, because I don't rush things as a policy

Muraiko, thank you for the compliment! Feel free to ask me anything at all, preferably via PM so this topic doesn't become too cluttered lol... and DragonBlaze (and possibly others) I hope I can win you over when I release the demo! On that topic, does anyone know somewhere I can *actually* store it for download?
My pitiful freeservers website can only have 15.0MB with a maximum of 150KB per file... no chance

1. Check the post about features... I'm about to update it with details of my Bank system (with interest! Woohoo!)

2. I've mentioned this before, but with the demo coming up (maybe in next month or so), I'm going to have to playtest the thing first. I'll take a lot of screenshots!

[DragonBlaze]

 

    Now remember young one,when it comes to games,DragonBlaze's
words are law!

:p

 

In order to separate the HP into four different numbers (IE, so I'll only need 10 different numbers rather than 9999), I'll have to "mod" them, won't I? I'll probably experiment with that a bit... I've never had to use "mod"ded variables before!

Actually you'll need 40 :p, 10 for each digit. Though its still a TON better than the 10000 you would need otherwise. Yeah you'll have to use the MOD feature, I used to really hate it, but then I had to use it a lot in my computer programming classes so its not as bad now, I still don't like it though. Anyway, heres the script you'll need to mod a 4 digit number.

variable [ones] set equal to heroHP
[tens] set equal to heroHP
[hundreds] set equal to heroHP
[thousands] set equal to heroHP
[hundreds] MOD 1000
[tens] MOD 100
[ones] MOD 10
[thousands] minus [hundreds]
[hundreds] minus [tens]
[tens] minus [ones]
[thousands] divide by 1000
[hundreds] divide by 100
[tens] divide by 10

[ones] will now be equal to the hp ones digit, [tens] to the tens digit, and so forth.

I hope that helps

You can store your game at savefile.com

 

and DragonBlaze (and possibly others) I hope I can win you over when I release the demo!

Don't worry about what I think. I have a very high expectation for games, and basically no matter how good your game is or will be, I'll find things to critique on it. Most of the time, I list much more negitive things about a game than the good things I find, simply because listing all the things I liked about the game won't make a differance compared to listing the negative things. So if it sounds like I think your game is bad, thats not the case I think your game has potential, its how you use that potential that will determain if this game will be good or not.

So yeah, I'll be looking forward to your demo when you finish it.

[Muraiko]

Cool. I never played a demo from ANYONE before, so I'm sure that once it comes out, it will a good experience and can possibly teach me a thing or two about how to improve my game.

[Raen Ryong]

Hmm... yeah, I see you point. Although it's very nice to see loads of compliments etc it's more useful to receive constructive criticism... and thanks for the mod stuff, would have taken a while of experimenting with otherwise :p

I'll have the graphical overhaul done before I release the demo, so you'll see the more... eye-friendly version.

Here's something which I'm sure someone must know... ever played a Laxius Power game? How does he stop people opening his game in RPG Maker? I really want to know how to do that, don't want anyone taking the easy way out and looking through my database and changing things lol

What needs to be done before demo release...

Mapping: ~75% Complete Estimated time = 3hrs
Coding: ~70% Complete Estimated time = 9hrs
"Graphicking-Up" Duel System 0% Complete Estimated Time = 3hrs
Encoding Game -- SEE QUESTION! 0% Complete Estimated Time = Not very long, I'd imagine...

And after that...

Firstly, I'll have to thoroughly test the game... shouldn't take too long...

Next,

I have four confirmed primary testers, possibly five. They then need to test the game, and there is... a wide variety of 'RPG-Playing' skill levels within them, so it should provide a good range of experiences. This will take longer than just me, but not too long, hopefully...

Finally, I'll have to tweak it and then I'll host it on www.savefile.com or something similar (cheers DB)... look forward to it :p

Look at this post for details on the demo release, I'll update whenever I do something significant in terms of % progress...

[Muraiko]

Coolios. But I got a question that's completly off topic, I hope you guys don't mind. But, I finaly learned how to do that link type battling thing, and I began to wonder... maybe I should get rid of my normal battle simulation thing... and like... replace it with the no batttle simulation thing. I know how I can solve all the flaws, like with the other party members, I'll make it so there will be a special tile that you can step on and switch to other characters to play as, like in the dragon ball Z 2 & 3 game on the GBA. but then... I also thought that maybe making my whole game a no battle simulation would be kinda weird, because maybe no one else does that. But then again... Maybe I'm wrong, and no battle simulation might be much funner. But then again... maybe I'm wrong about being wrong and maybe people think that normal battle simulation is cooler. I dunno. Do you guys think that battle simulation is cooler, or no battle simulation is cooler?

[Raen Ryong]

It all depends. Certain games run entirely on "no battle simulation thing"s, generally referred to as a CBS (Custom Battle System), take Meiscool's Pact and DragonBlaze's up-and-coming game for instance.

Personally, I only like a CBS if it's executed well or adds variety to the game. If it is going to be the only battle system in use, it had better be good... I see nothing wrong with the DBS (Default Battle System) and I still have fun in battles using it, so I don't think there is anything wrong with using it. That's just my opinion

[Muraiko]

Hmmm... Darnit... my mind is split in two places again! There is a reason why I want to use CBS (Thanks for telling me what CBS and DBS means) And why I want to use DBS.

First off... I want to use CBS, because it to me, it is more funner, and... well... it's more funner.

The reason why I want to use DBS is because there are some characters that have abilities that are only useful in battle. like my one guy that copies enemy's abilities. How the heck are you gonna copy someone's ability on the normal map field. And that brings up another good question... How the heck are you even going to use abilities? And also... wouldn't it take ALOT of hard work to make CBS stuff for all ten of my characters. I can see how hard it was for one... but for all ten?

Maybe I can solve some of these problems... like, maybe I should have less characters. But... if I have less characters, then it will greatly effect my story line. Then maybe I should trash my whole game and get a new story line... But then it will so much hard work!!!

Darnit! I still have no idea!!!! Owww... my brain hurts again. I'm thinking too much...

[Meiscool-2]

Originally posted by shadus
Now remember young one,when it comes to games,DragonBlaze's
words are law!

*ahem*

[Raen Ryong]

If it's not going to work with your game, don't use it. The battle system should be structured around the game, not the other way around in my opinion.

In a CBS, the "Steal Ability" system may actually work better... but if the amount of work puts you off, don't do it. I'm slightly masochistic as far as coding goes and I do A LOT of the stuff, but others simply may not enjoy it.

Reducing characters is a bad idea, in my opinion. Part of the stuff I like most about RPGs, both professional and... less so, is the CHOICE of characters you have to make. You want to give the player that choice over their characters -- allows them to adapt the game to their battle strategies a bit. See what I mean? Give the players a lot of strategic decisions to make

Put it this way, as my reply probably leaves you with some confusion (as always lol) -- Is it absolutely necessary for the game to have a CBS? You may find that developing one will actually make the game less fun to play. You can always change later, anyway.

And on a purely grammatical and insignificant point, nothing can be "more funner"... it's either "more fun" or "funner" :p

[DragonBlaze]

Yeah, listen to Raen. A CBS is probably 'fun' because its something differant than you're used to. Imagine the DBS like a hot dog. If you eat hot dogs day in and day out, eventually you're going to get sick of them. If you use the DBS day in and day out, eventually you'll get tired of it. A CBS can be a solution to this. However, if you have a bad battle system in your game, it'll make the whole game bad.

My suggestion is to make a CBS and use it for mini games and such, it doesn't have to be great, and it doesn't have to be better than the DBS since its just an add-on. Once you get really good at making CBSs, then you're ready to replace the DBS.

And really, unless you plan to make some unique features that would be very hard to do with the DBS, a CBS isn't worth making. In the end, it'll probably turn out to be just a 'crappy' copy of the DBS.

Plus any type of CBS's are a LOT of work, my first one took two weeks to make. My first standard battle system took a week to make, and that was just 1 v 1 fighting, is wasn't nearly complete either. Then I made anothe 1 v 1 action type CBS that took a week, my last CBS took two weeks and it was very limited, the one I'm working on now has taken me over a month, and I'm still not done.

But you know, if you want to try a CBS, go for it Your first ones won't be good, but over time you'll be able to make battle systems that are much cooler than the DBS. Just be prepared to do some work

 

And also... wouldn't it take ALOT of hard work to make CBS stuff for all ten of my characters. I can see how hard it was for one... but for all ten?

Not really, at least not if all 10 of them are on the field at a time. In a CBS, you would use variables for h1stats, h2stats, h3stats. You just make an event to check which character is in the first posistion, and set all the h1stats to the character thats in that possition, so if hero1 is in the first possition, all of the h1stats would be set equal to the hero1 stats. Err that probably didn't make any sence, but is very easy to add more characters to a system, its adding more characters on the field at a time that would be a problem.

[Muraiko]

... yeah. I see... I guess I got two options then. Either replace some of my characters with other characters that CAN do things with CBS, or I could just dump the whole CBS Idea and stick with DBS. but... I do want to get better. I want to learn alot more, and make my game alot better. I think... I think I'm going to choose CBS. Your right about that my first CBS is going to stink badly, but overtime I'm going to learn some more, and get better. I already tried to make my first CBS before... and yes... it was very pathetic, but either way, I still found it more fun to use than normal DBS. You were right about that whole "hotdog" thing, and I guess maybe I just got sick of DBS already. Okay, I'm going to trash my whole game, seeing it would take a long time to change everything to CBS, and I'm going to start with a new begining. Maybe I could have five characters again... or maybe not. I dunno. Anyway, what were you saying about that whole have more characters in the field at once thing?

[DragonBlaze]

 

Anyway, what were you saying about that whole have more characters in the field at once thing?

Basically the more heros and monsters you have on the field at a time, the more complex the system. So a cbs with 1 hero and 1 monster will be much simpler to make than a cbs with 3 heros and 3 monsters on the field at a time.

However, most likely you'll have more heros in your game than heros in a battle at a time. For example, you have 5 heros, and you have a cbs that allows 3 of them to be fighting at a time. It isn't any harder to make a cbs that supports these 5 heros than it would be to make a cbs that would support a maximum character size of 10.

So don't limit the number of characters in your game because you use a cbs.