RippleGylf Posted November 7, 2015 Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 (edited) So, a few months ago I got my hands on RPG Maker VX Ace, and I've been itching to create a game. I've been trying to learn all about game design (learned a lot thanks to Extra Credits) but I don't really know how to start it. Due to the technology I have at my disposal, it... a) must be a JRPG, with JRPG mechanics. This includes the dreaded turn-based fighting b ) cannot require a whole ton of coding. c) must have a gripping story. d) must be simple enough to present with ease. e) will not work with a mouse. You can use a keyboard or a controller, however. f) must have an old-looking nostalgic art style, such as: Lately, I've been kind of stuck as far as the story goes. I considered making an RPG version of Mistborn or something, but that would take a lot of effort for something I could never really share. My current original ideas: 1) A kind of bedtime story, told by a son to his father. It would kind of be an AU of the "real-life" setting, involving an alternate version of the son as the "hero," guided by the alternate version of the father, whom the player would play as. Medieval fantasy setting. I've got more of the story for this one, less of the world, but I don't know if it's any good. 2) A food based magic system. Basically, different flavors of food allow certain abilities to the magic users of this system. Would probably have a typical fantasy setting. This food-based magic would make consumables easy to explain. Don't really have a plot set out, but that might be for the best. As far as tools at my dispense, I have plenty of music, a (human) sprite generator, different tilesets and whatnot. I know that there are plenty of artistic and creative people here on the 17th Shard, so I am requesting help with story and world-building for the time being. Later on, I might need aid with some art things. Any advice? Edited November 7, 2015 by RippleGylf 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thommy92 Posted November 8, 2015 Report Share Posted November 8, 2015 food based magic system! great idea! now that makes me think, what about meals that have multiple ingredients? would it be like combining magics to create some thing new and more powerful? for example pie. you could make lots of different kinds of pie... so then they would have different powers? hahaha, this is too awesome. Imagine the whole quest is to get a golden apple to make an all powerful golden apple pie or something... yeah... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RippleGylf Posted November 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2015 (edited) For the time being, I have different kinds of juice that will heal the player when consumed. Thinking that maybe eating spicy food and then using the magic (you have to consciously use it, otherwise restaurants would be disasterous) would radiate waves of heat or something. Also tentatively have some people who use pure spices for more focused attacks. Edited November 8, 2015 by RippleGylf 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThirdGen Posted November 8, 2015 Report Share Posted November 8, 2015 If you want to go food-based, work out what kind of mechanics you want the magic system to work with. Simple each-group-is-better-than-the-last? Classic. Rock-paper-scissors? Hey, Magic: the Gathering operates on a variant. Every type of food is more or less the same? Easy. (Easy isn't exactly a bad thing for something you're making yourself.) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RippleGylf Posted November 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2015 I was thinking each type of food is more or less the same, just different gameplay styles, if that makes sense. I figured that as you progressed through the game, you would gain access to more flavorful versions of each type. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vauhsoj Posted November 12, 2015 Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 I am a programmer, so if you need help with code feel free to PM me. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RippleGylf Posted November 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2015 That would be very helpful. I'm not exactly to that point yet, but I will let you know. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Left Posted November 13, 2015 Report Share Posted November 13, 2015 Gahh, completely forgot about this. I love world building, do you still need help with it? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RippleGylf Posted November 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2015 (edited) I have the general land masses sketched out already, as well as the starting town, but I could still use some advice as far as the magic system goes, and perhaps other towns. Edited November 14, 2015 by RippleGylf 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RippleGylf Posted December 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2015 So, I haven't really been working a whole ton since my last post, but I don't think I like this magic system. It doesn't work well with what tools I actually have in the program, specifically making class-specific consumables. Any ideas or help would be appreciated. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datan Nomlibash Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 If you don't like the magic system then you shouldn't use it. If all else fails you can just go the way of a generic RPG combat system and let the story and characters be the main draw. More info on what your trying to do might help since all I know is that its a generic medevil RPG. Things like is it a turn based statagy like shining force / fire emblem or is it more in the vien of final fantasy? How dead are the characters when they die? Any basic plot ideas would help as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RippleGylf Posted December 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 I have never played any of those games myself, but I think it is more like Final Fantasy. It is a very generic turn-based combat system, but unless I add some sort of special ability, there isn't really any true strategy to it. I do have a town already set up where the main character starts out. The entire town is a fortress, barring anyone from going in or out. The game will probably start with the main character escaping this town to actually see the world. Don't have a whole ton of good ideas as far as antagonists go. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datan Nomlibash Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 (edited) Is there room for party growth or is it just one on one? An idea I just had would have you create your character and then you could level up different abilities and skill trees to customize your fighting style as you go on with incentives to branch out. Some skills would be light damage but would hit more than one person to deal with large waves of fodder while others would be single target strikes with massive power. Magic skills would have different elements to keep players from just learning that one generic spread skill and heavy hit skillmand using that while melee skills would focus on specific weapon types abilities to single strike or spread with maybe a special move thrown in to liven it up. Spread skill modifiers could affect how many targets it hits or how much raw damage it does to be useful against tougher foes You could have magic points (mp) for magic and skill points (sp) for weapon skills making both important. If you really want to have a party you could make the non main characters optional like hirelings or side quest followers. To keep you for stressing out they could just have generic classes and limited eqipment types. The different characters that you have following you around could also effect different scene outcomes and the ending. ( am example would be that a powerful, self rightuos paladin might drag you into more fights with morally questionable characters and not give you the option to back down. This is useful for exploring and maybe side quests but it might mess up a delecit political situation were you might want to act in a way that didn't involve drawing rightuos steel on the dignitary. As for story you have already established that he lives in a fortress that he can't get out of to see the world. Your story might seem simple but there are so many ways you could expand what you already have. For one you could go the traditional route and have something bad with the kingdom go down. All the soldiers are tied up with something important and the king has none to spare for this new development so he asked his people to gather to hold council. During the council lots of bad ideas are discussed until playerchar1 steps from the crowd, though only a soldier in training he has shown some aptitude for combat but not yet a full soldier he was not sent with the army. He volunteers to go on this mission, if he success he will return a hero, if he fails he won't be missed, his mother cries and the king solemnly gives his blessing on the quest, the hero now goes to the outside world. Or you could follow a less traditional route like this. A young boy(or girl) has spent his etire life in the kingdom were the king has forbbiden any one from going beyond the great wall unless on official business. He grows up learning that the eternal king has protected them for hundreds of years from the evils of the outside world. He always has looked up to the king for this and joins the soldiers in an attempt to be more like him. After he trains for a while(completes the tutorial) he is sent out to fight and try to "reclaim" territory beyond the wall. Only then he starts to wonder if he is doing the right thing. The legions of evil are a little to human for his taste. They are not the brutish thugs he was taught they were. They bleed and show fear just like he does. He eventually leaves while nobody is looking and is off to see the world and eventually come back to free his people. Remember with story telling the sky is the limit as long as you can sell it to the audience EDIT: I know I can tend to ramble and if anything is confusing just ask. Also its late so I had to hurry a little. Edited December 10, 2015 by Datan Nomlibash 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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