Who here knows enough of Rpg2k3 and RpgXP code to convert one to another?

I released basically my leftover code from a more or less stripped version of my game (it has the world map, and that's pretty much it besides code screens). Pretty much any code you guys wanna use is there for the project (including an interesting fourth-wall attack at Swamp 2 battle). I came up with this package in like a few hours (making a cute RpgRevolution logo too), but it's basically a working code resource rather than something you actually should use directly.


http://www.mediafire.com/?78cznxwp9f28i3b

Other than that, about the only code-like thing I can do is Resource Hacker tweaking the logo screens.

Let's do XP. It's kinda easy to use, it's powerful, and the default graphics are good. Ummm, should we use side scroller scripts? Or the default facing enemy?

I don't think we need a poll; I asked for input on engines in the first post and everyone that responded to that said XP. If people want to use other engines, now would be the time to say, but theres no need for a poll (I've already kept a tally ). I would also vote XP, simply because I've seen the quality of RTP maps (also isn't there unlimited tilesets? in case people decide to make some unique tiles for their maps and for the dropbox generally).

@Shiny; I'm grateful for your input. Sometimes people are needed to push things just to keep them going and we wouldn't even be talking about sprites without you =] I like style2 the most.

They've also got variable charsets I think. You might be able to have a giant troll as a main character.

Style 1 for me.

Well we could do one thing I was thinking about in my game (where transformation was a part of the storyline) where the character just transforms and goes on a rampage. Not consistent with the other ideas, unless maybe we could have a bit where our character goes all grey and has the creativity sucked out of them (yup I'm totally ripping off the Yellow Submarine film here), but a nice little minigame to unlock? Either that or Whack-a-Mod xD

Ok, so I added everything we've talked about on the forum into the design doc that's up on dropbox. I also talked about a few other ideas that I'd like to discuss in terms of gameplay design. Here are a few ideas that I'd like some feedback on:

FUN energy: This will be used as a currency for activating other playable characters and upgrade them as well as the player character. Now this can be used like Gold or I was thinking perhaps we use it as SP. You can a certain number of SP from winning battles, solving puzzles, finding pandora's boxes, etc etc. In order to unlock a character you want you have to sacrifice some of your max SP for them. Same idea when upgrading. This would add an interesting element to the game. Just wondering what people's take are on that.

Party Swap: Once a character is unlocked for use they are added to a list. The player can go through the list and pick up to two additional characters for the party. Similar to Paladin's Quest. Not sure if we want the player to have to pay a cost to put them into their active party or not.

Other playable characters: This is wide open depending on those involved. The premise is that the characters dropped into the game are either effected by BOREDOM and must be given enough FUN energy to be available for the player's party or we could actually drop them into the story somehow as good guys or bad guys. Since we are still in the process of writing up a storyline, the option of dropping characters into the story is still available but after the storyline is “finalized” i feel like any characters that are added will have to be the first option, since it's the easiest way to add a character on the fly in my opinion.

What do you guys n gals think about that? Is there any other features anyone would like to bring up for this kind of game? Comments, critiques, etc?

Spending fun seems illogical because it would remove your fun and therefore make you boring
I like the idea of getting your MP from battles, grinders galore really.
'finding pandora's boxes'- I have no idea where this came from, what these are, or why they are named so specifically (and seemingly irrelevantly).
If you're paying to unlock characters you don't want to have to pay to use them as well.

While I'm glad your enthusiastic about this you've gone off on a massive tangent and left the rest of us behind really. I mean I'm not even sure how this whole party system is working.

Yea when left alone I tend to go OFF *whoooosh* anywho, I guess you're right about it being illogical. My mind set was that you were giving energy from yourself to someone else. Ex. I have a lot of fun energy and that guy got his drained...sooooo I give him some of mine and BAM he's back to normal. In my opinion it goes with the idea that when you're bored you hang out with your friends which is fun...something like that. But yea, it should at least be a currency like gold that we utilize.

Pandora's Boxes idea
This idea came from shinyjiggly mentioning that the source of the BOREDOM drain shouldn't be a crystal because it's too interesting looking. He said they should be like a plain box or something. So I just dubbed them Pandora's Boxes, doesn't have to be lol My mindset was that BOREDOM is concentrating the stolen fun energy into these boxes and using the energy for something boring...like powering a factory that is mass producing staplers *shrug*.

Party System Idea
In regards to the party system, we need something where we can drop random characters in and take them out without necessarily effecting the story. Paladin's Quest has two main characters and a good 30-40 mercenaries that you find throughout the game via subquests or simply paying them money to join you. In Paladin's Quest, you walk up to a bar and talk to the guy there and he'll allow you to switch between all the mercenaries that you've accumilated during the game, but you'll have to pay for them to join you again(well...depending on the subquests they might just join you for free). We can take out the part where they cost money to use them once you've unlocked them, but I feel the idea of having a list of characters you can access outside of the menu is alittle neater then Large Party swapping/switching.

All in all, I'm just shooting in the dark and seeing what people think about it lol no one has shot out any other ideas so I just kept going off on this one it's up to you really on whether or not you'd like to use this idea, modify it, or trash it. We can keep brainstorming ideas if you'd like. Just point us in the direction you want us to go

I believe we should have a variable in-game to determine the tone of the screen.
More grey = more bored people in that part
Less grey = less " "

Thats a good idea Kayden
I've not played Paladin's Quest, is it an RTS? Seems like an RTS would combine well with Kayden's idea
I'm glad you're giving ideas, just at this brainstorming period I don't want things to be too specific to allow others to join in easier (though it'll be good if we can nail down some specifics)
How about renaming MP as fun, keep it as something we collect from battles (I really like that idea) and just have special attacks that reflects their fun with lots of colours
With the boxes I think they should be named something that reflects they are inventions of boredom rather than containing fun, but thats just my aesthetic, and is the sort of thing I don't think needs to be specified 'til later (though by all means keep providing all and any ideas regardless of this, we can still consider them later on =])

Paladin's Quest is an old school traditional menu based snes rpg. It isn't the greatest of rpgs but it had some interesting systems, like magic costing health instead of mp and the party system I described.

Great idea, kayden! By RTS are you suggesting something along the lines of starcraft? or did you mean a tactics game like final fantasy tactics and stella deus?

edit:
If in fact you want to do a traditional menu based battle system, how would you like the characters to work? I mean, I thought the idea was to be able to drop a ton of characters in which would be references to people making the game, mods, staff, and cameos from people's projects. I can see this working with a tactics game too, it would just have a lot of playable characters to choose from similar to disgaea and stella deus. But as an RTS...unless you are wanting to make it something like suikoden, i'm not seeing us having the ability to drop in random characters and keep the balance in an RTS. But hey, totally up to the community

Yeah like FF Tactics or FE. Either that or the sorta missionbased systems (eg Crisis Core) seem like the best ways to implement Kaydens idea.
I'm assuming the colour density also implies difficulty rating.

Not really interested in where this is going, I'd like to give up my position.

FUN Energy could also be on a metering system. When it gets too low, you gotta do something random to restore it (but there's a resistance system, where if you do the same thing enough times,
it's less fun and then no fun, until you do something new, and the original resistance goes down and that new thing's resistance goes up). Sorta like a food system. You can spend it giving other people a sense of fun, and I do think the party joining based on that would be good. It would probably be less of a traditional party (except for maybe a small group of friends), and more like a Pokemon or Chrono Cross style. Maybe three permanents, and like a 100 tradeable guests. Mebbe some things drain fun (like getting a math book thrown at you, though I'm sure there are some math lovers out there).

...Suggest something then. If you dont like something say what you would like or do different.
Not only is nothing set in stone, but this whole project is about getting as many members interested and involved while also ultimately (hopefully) creating a game that reflects that very eclecticism.

If you are determined to leave I hope you can still find the time to make a map or two for us =]

Most of the ideas I have I intend to use for things of my own (selfish, I know), and even then I don't have much nor are they very good.
I was only applying as a mapper anyway, all I'd be doing was mapping. Suggesting story ideas or other things isn't what I was hoping to do.

Maybe I'll contribute a map or two once I see the style or enough progress.

Right, because it's just in the developing stages.
For one, we don't even have a XP project set up. So it's not like we're implementing our idea in the game so far.
I understand where you are coming from Albino... Or maybe i'm just that crazy that I think I know

Don't you guys think your over complicating things a little?

I mean instead on putting out ideas on stories, features just yet:

1 - Make a post with all people that are interested in the project.
2 - Make a poll on what genre.
3 - Make a poll on what maker.
4 - Make a poll showcasing each story ideas people wish for the project with finally everyone having to vote on which is the best or more appropriate.
5 - Make a poll on the art/graphic style the game is intending on having.

THEN starts features.

I'm sorry but this project started slowly by recruitment now it's rushing out with ideas here and there when the recruitment hasn't been even left for a week.

In my opinion, things should be made slower and more thoughtful, I mean there's no rush, no?

Just my 2 cent.

Its just brainstorming Vexus =]
I get what you're saying and we'll likely follow a similar method. However there's no harm in taking advantage of that surge of energy of initial excitement, some of that is lost when it becomes overly structured.
Besides its not like we're solidly recruiting (no set number of mappers or spriters or anything like that), ideally everyone would contribute a little something, some people just feel like doing a bit more.

Maybe so, but I went out with my friends for the night and the day after I find 2 pages filled with stories, features, etc etc

I'm probably not the only one a little confused here. While there won't be "recruitments" some form of list should be taken else it could be a little messy if everyone can "contribute" anything they want.

I understand you guys are brainstorming but if we want to start some progress in my opinion there should be some sort of list to help us step by step on what the project is going to look like.

Well I did try to find out what engine as a starting point but hardly anyone who posted obliged. Therefore I guess I'll set it as XP (as it was the most popular response), you're right that we need to set some groundrules here. Anyone who wants to contribute but does not possess a copy of XP can always download the free trial.

We should also focus on setting up a solid team. Bulmabriefs has set up a good guideline:
Game Producer: kayden997
Game Director: Kaust
Staff Management: Bulmabriefs144
Artists: shinyjiggly
Writers: vvalkingman
Mappers: Vexus
Coders:
Battle Editors:
Composer: khachuchrian

This is not for the majority who (hopefully) contribute a little here and there, but for those more serious about the projects completion.

Before this has been resolved please refrain using this thread for brainstorming (but dont stop the brainstorming ). If there's something you would like to see in the game please PM me or Kayden, or drop a document in the dropbox (the link is located on pages 2 and 3)

I'm setting up a survey as we speak.
I got a few things in but I would like to collect more information before I can release it.
I got some story ideas, an art concept, and the 'which engine...' question
Keep brainstorming

XP doesn't like me much, and I never had much patience with learning the program to its full length, but if you need a beta tester after you're done, count me in. Anything so I can have a cameo appearance. After all, I have to ensure Penguin's sprite of me doesn't go to waste.

Anyways, I stuck the sample sprite styles into the dropbox with a little description on some of the defining points about them enclosed in a text file.
What should i do next? Should I be doing some non-sprite concept art?

You could give us some preliminary heroes and villains. I was thinking mimes could be sorta stock lackies on here. Their pretty evil and lack the fun they seem intended to represent. They also made great antagonists in the Penny Arcade games if anyone played them, very adaptable. The protagonists would be colourful of course, to contrast their surroundings.
We've got a lot of the staff sprites covered 'cause of Penguin, and they should probably only be npcs we encounter rather than there be a major focus. Like an easter egg sorta thing.

I think mimes is a cool concept. They could have mime powers too, like invisible cages (stops from attacking), ropes (draws you closer, lowering defense), and guns (damage).

And the major villains could give Boring Monologues (which drain fun).

I've added quite a few random ideas in the concept art folder. Feel free to morph them towards a more theme-fitting form.

Bleh. Let's try 2k3. I don't actually like brainstorming, I like taking other people's ideas and coding them. And heck I even know how to do a vertical mode for heroes in 2k3. XP I couldn't figure out side scrolling, because I don't know Ruby code.

If we made that switch, you guys would get your Coder/Battle Events right away (I'd want some facesets, for vertical mode, since that would be the one idea I'd like to try).

I think I am going to make you guys a subforum for this - who is leading the project and they can be a named mod for the duration of the game.

I am loving the community spirit here the fact that everyone seems excited and this is the kind of attitude this site needs more of.

Wow that'd be awesome, where would it be located?
Kayden's the guy collecting all the materials and'll actually make something of them. And he's already a mod.

I don't have first post in this subforum anymore :c

We should probably make some topics in this new section for things that can be worked on and stuff now.