Amount of Characters Needed

[waffleflavouredbacon]

Hello y'all.

I was wondering, how many characters are needed to make a game "playable"? To give an example, my game's story only calls for the need of two playable characters to be had in the party. I'm thinking of making multiple skill paths and the ability to equip different types of armours, weapons, for each character. Possibly even make a mercenary system, but only add characters that have as little story attached to them as possible.

In short, would only having two characters in your "party" (If you call it that at that point) completely impede gameplay?
And sorry if this is in the wrong section, just got here.

[waffleflavouredbacon]

Alrighty. I was just worrying in case one of them gets knocked out it would make the game impossible. I'll just have to think of some good enemies then...
EDIT:
Actually, while I still have a thread up, is it possible to make random Gameover screens? I have a set of three that I want to appear without specifically telling them to do so.

[Muraiko]

I don't think there is a command to change the gameover screen. What you set as gameover in the database is what it'll be.
You can always just take your game over screens and put them in the picture folder instead. You'll have to set conditional branches that checks to see if the whole party is dead, then randomize a variable from 1-3, displaying the gameover picture accordingly as if it was the default gameover screen.


As for party members, I guess any amount of characters will make the game "playable", as long as it is at least one, obviously. For RPGs, my general rule of thumb is to at least have twice the amount of possible battle participants, but that's just me.

[fruckert]

It doesn't really matter.
Like, at all.

You can easily make a playable RPG with one character...look at the Elder Scrolls games.
However, some people like the whole "team dynamic" thing.
If you're looking for a more balanced and deep playing style, go for more than one.
If you're going for a more "personable" story, go for one.
But, like I said, it hardly matters.

[zuhane]

Just make sure that their personalities make up for it. Don't let them be boring!

[Fisherson]

Almighty. I was just worrying in case one of them gets knocked out it would make the game impossible. I'll just have to think of some good enemies then...
EDIT:
Actually, while I still have a thread up, is it possible to make random Game Over screens? I have a set of three that I want to appear without specifically telling them to do so.

There is a custom system I used with my own game over screens, that is to say I made my own "game over" section I could see if I could rig something together, but I'm fairly certain it's 100% possible if you understand the programing language of RPG Maker 2003.

[Prpl_Mage]

About the party size. Anything goes. But status problems like paralyzis, sleep, petrify and so on would make the game really hard.
Anything goes, but some people like the variaty at least. Keep one character on the healing, one on dealing damage and one to never die and add buffs. For example.


And about the random game over screen.
In the Battle Layout tabb in the database you can check a box for "Common event" under a game over options thingy.

So you import your gameover screens as pictures.
Now you create a common event.
Variable operations. Any variable(since you died).
Set equal to - random value between 1 and 3.
Play the game over music
Then we create a conditional branch.
First statement:
<>VAR is equal to 1
YES: Show picture(gameoverpicture1)
NO
 <>VAR is equal to 2
 YES: Show picture(gameoverpicture2)
 NO
   <>VAR is equal to 3
   YES: Show picture(gameoverpicture3)
   NO
<>END
Wait: for button to be pressed
Game over

[A Forgotten Legend]

Prpl speaks the truth. 

[Emerates]

To get around the status problems problem, one could make them temporary, like paralysis only lasts so many turns, etc., and the character can recover from poison.  If you want to get fancy, you could make a sub-system that makes it so that they pass out for a few turns, then come back with a little HP.  Not sure how, as I haven't dabbled much with RM's battle events lately, but I'm sure someone could figure that out.  That way, if your character is on his/her own, they still have a chance, and to help even the odds if there are more than one characters.

[waffleflavouredbacon]

Post

Aaah, I like that gameover system, thanks.
And with status ailments: A lot of the ailments aren't going to restrict moves, petrify etc. The player usually has one of the party members able to cure the other (Or handle the remaining hostiles if need be).
And sorry for the late reply, I've been working on music for the program and it kinda took over, heh.

To get around the status problems problem, one could make them temporary, like paralysis only lasts so many turns, etc., and the character can recover from poison.  If you want to get fancy, you could make a sub-system that makes it so that they pass out for a few turns, then come back with a little HP.  Not sure how, as I haven't dabbled much with RM's battle events lately, but I'm sure someone could figure that out.  That way, if your character is on his/her own, they still have a chance, and to help even the odds if there are more than one characters.

Exactly, most of the ailments are only temporary, with a select few persisting until cured. I'm thinking of implementing an immunity build up system, to help some of the lower-level poisons etc. For example:
Monster X can poison a character, but only a low grade poison.
After being poisoned fifty times, the character now has a built up immunity which stops them from receiving that poison attack.