Chain Gaming Needs Changes

[Fisherson]

I know we've all had some great ones in the past but it's time to at least try a little harder I think. Not because Chain Games make us money. even though they could if we tried hard enough and used different engines, but because the ones people here and other places seem to talk about are the ones where I pushed for more options and more content. Let's face it until I joined on Wrath of Gaia and named it we didn't even do THAT! The first chain games are lost to most's memory because they didn't have names. I helped a little there ya gotta admit right?

So listen to your old pal Fish now. We need to try finding a balance above 5 chapters. I mean it's good and all and some games have technically less that are excellent but honesty an RPG needs a long-ish story if it's gonna be memorable and enjoyable. We also need to one day try another maker besides 2003. I love it I've given 14+ years to learning it (some of which were unnecessary if I just learned to code on my own lazy butted younger self) but it's limited it's ability to give us what we want. I was shocked Moose could code a decent Caterpillar system but why should I be? It's standard on both MV and VX. Like flip a switch standard and improve further with a simple plugin command. I'm not saying we should jump into using Unity and force our members to all spend cash on what's a fun thing but we should take  stock of what makers we have in common and knowledge we have in common. Am I wrong to ask this? Don't care. Not the shy little n00b I was years ago. I'm on the freakin' banner! My opinion matters.

Also don't take me off the banner to make a point <.< Just ya know counter me with logic. ... That little me brightens my day so much you'll never know. Thank you for listening to Ramblings of Fisherson the Mad Sage Volume IIV the Plottening's Revenge.

[Prpl_Mage]

Well, I would also push for more chapters if  at least one of these 3 were true:
1. If we had more people interested in working on the chain game.
2. If the people working on the chain game had easy lives and could give that kind of investment.
3. If it didn't take us over a year to finish a game.

Because right now we have 4 regulars. And letting everyone do 2 chapters leave us at 8 which is a tad long. Now if we instead did 8 short chapters like some in the past that would be great. But some of us (including me) tend to lack boundaries and do too much.

To me the charm of the chain game isn't to make a long game or a great game. It's to make a chain game, you play it, continue it and pass it along. Then you'll see what the other members will do to it. It never aims to be perfect or long and cohesive, it's about continuing a story that no one knows where it's going.

If I wanted a long game, which I've tried in the past (and failed), you need to plan. You need to have a balanced battle system and agreements on how to do it to make it work. I have a hard time seeing that we can achieve that based on those 3 points above. Wrath of Gaia was great but there are some flaws there that can't be overlooked.

As for other makes. I would personally be more interested in doing a chain game in Gamemaker than another rpgmaker. We're already doing rpgs. Sure I own, XP and VX but they weren't my cup of tea. Better sure, but not enough to make me learn them the same way I did with this.
I mean, we've done some cool things with this tool and doing that from scratch. The DBs shooter from the first chain game, DBs shooter in Juno's and a lot of minor things we've done that make the games special. Sure we could just flip a switch or import a code, but then that's not the same thing.

All in all, I'm more interested in trying some of those other kinds of setups we discussed in a thread some year back than to just make more chapters.

[Fisherson]

I'll agree we need more active members in our Chain Gaming group. We need to poll earlier and find people who are dedicated/have made a pact to at least try and set aside some time to work on the project.

As for taking a year I don't always mind that given it takes most indie game companies four or more to release a single debut product barring the occasional Toby Fox type. Though to be fair that's hard to judge which iteration of "Undertale" counts there to factor in how long he really spent on it...

To me the charm of the chain game isn't to make a long game or a great game. It's to make a chain game, you play it, continue it and pass it along. Then you'll see what the other members will do to it. It never aims to be perfect or long and cohesive, it's about continuing a story that no one knows where it's going.

Well I dunno I do love a fun project but I also like sharing these games and promoting  people I truly admire, and you are one and you know it, by showing our completed work. Also it reminds me we are better than even bigger sites like RPG maker.net who I think has like three functioning ones none equal to Juno or Spring Valley. 

As for other makes. I would personally be more interested in doing a chain game in Gamemaker than another rpgmaker.

Oh how I wish I could say "Yes! That would be epic!" Alas Gamemaker is one I can't use on this laptop. I have no clue why as it will download but it just doesn't jive with it. -_-; Though it is good to list other types of engines! I didn't mean it had to be a maker exclusively. I was more meaning "engine that makes games". Should be more specific huh? I don't blame you on VX or XP. Neither worked for me well. I mean VX had a good interface...until the whole "you have to program your own battle system or do DQ/DW" -.-; At least MV can switch that with a button or a good plugin.

[Momeka]

I think you're taking this way too seriously, Fish. I see it more like a fun little community bonding thing, more like a forum game. In no way a "serious" game development event, I mean we make games blindly and pass it on to the next person hoping they will catch on to the things you set up. It's just fun to play them afterward and see how it ended up. The fact that we post them on itch.io and people seem to somewhat enjoy playing them is just a small bonus.

As for longer games. Personally, I don't really see the point. I don't feel these game has to be the lengths of a Final Fantasy 6 or something similar. In fact I think it would hurt the project more than help it. Bigger chance they'll die part ways through because of lack of interest or people not having time. They would take way longer to make (specially with the times it takes to make one chapter from time to time). Less chance other people will play through it if we share them.
In the end I'd find it more fun to make two small chain games rather than one long one. But that might just be me, if everyone else wants to make long ones I wouldn't object. Can't promise I would have time to sign up for two-three spots though.

As for different engines I'm down to try game maker or unity. Probably wouldn't be to hyped to buy one of the newer rpg makers cause I really don't have any desire to develop in them. Looks way more complicated to make art for than what I can handle. And if I can't do my own art I don't really have too much interest in making something.
As for game maker, I would be down. I hardly know anything about working in it though. I do own game maker studio 2. The downside is that it's rather expensive?
Unity I'm kinda meh towards. I work in it every day at work, kinda the reason I do stuff in rpg maker; it's nice just making in something else. It would require a lot of programming which maybe not everyone is comfortable with. Plus side it's free.

But if we're going to continue with 2k3 I'm with prpl. I'd rather do some of the stuff we talked about way back.

[Moosetroop11]

On the subject of you wanting us charas members to 'try a little harder' on the chain game: LOL. Is all I say to that, Fish

On the subject of a new engine, that might be fun, I'm up for trying something.

On the subject of longer games, I don't have a strong opinion, but rm2k3 isn't the sort of platform where you want to sink weeks into playing a game.

The quality of a chain game is up to all members and no matter how much effort or skill you put into your section, someone else might make a poor section. That's the fun of the chain game, because it's different clashing personalities and styles, and also the weakness. You can't smooth out these issues without absolutely crushing the fun and making the chain game less inclusive (which is the opposite of what you're going for) so I don't think trying to up the quality can really amount to anything.

[Zoltar]

Uhhh I know I'm new to this but isn't the fact we have like five of these things that work a mondo good thing, Fishman? You know what they say "If it ain't broken dude don't jam it up".  I think they work fine and trying to change the process would be gnarly. I mean if you mess with it you could end up axed!