Isometric Game: The World Of The Ronics

ShadowLoneWolf · Post by **ShadowLoneWolf** » Jan 29, 2008 19:14

Hi, I'm Kalvin Osborne

The game I'm making (with a brand new engine behind it) is called The World Of The Ronics: Clone Birth & The Rule Of The Machines.
Now, I'm going to guess that your asking what is "Ronics". Well, they are creatures from a different world, a world very similar to ours but a little more advance in technology. The current event is that the first clone has been made, and also the first clone army.

I have way more stuff then this, but I would enjoy ideas from users of the forum; The game is still in planning stage, but is rapidly growing to the first beta. To help me please answer these few questions about RPGs:
What would you like to see in a RPG?
What would you be annoyed at in a RPG?
What is the best Feature in a RPG that you've seen so far?
and any other input about RPG that you like to share is welcome too;

Thanks:
Kalvin Osborne

Lachie Dazdarian · Post by **Lachie Dazdarian** » Jan 29, 2008 22:39

I'll answer you questions, but consider them as my highly personal preferences in this specific moment of time.

What would you like to see in a RPG?
I would like to see a RPG with real-time battles. Not an easy thing to do, so I can assume it's the main reason most people avoid that and resort to turn-based battles.
I would like to see a polished RPG, with coherent and at least decently done graphics. As I haven't seen anything yet from you, I have no idea what kind of graphics you are able to deliver. But my point is, I wouldn't care if you released a terribly short game, as long as it would be properly done. There is always time for a larger and more ambitious project. Such thing is not a smart move for a debut game.

What would you be annoyed at in a RPG?
I would be annoyed with clichés storyline, like plague falling on the land and you being a hero destined to save it. But I see you are not going in that direction. I would personally like to play a game with grey storyline, without clear good and bad sides, and perhaps with ability to play with characters on different “sides” in the game, something that was very cool in Love and War.

What is the best Feature in a RPG that you've seen so far?
That’s a rather demanding question. I can say again that I liked the character switching in Love and War which really made the game exciting and interesting. Not that this is an invention of Love and War, mind you. Still, a very cool feature.

Advice. Keep it in bounds until you see how much and how good stuff you can deliver first. Don’t expect much help from other people in graphics department or to join the project for the mere fact you are running one. You must provide something cool to tingle the excitement of a graphics designer. That happens very rarely.

Looking forward to see some screenshots or demos soon.

notthecheatr · Post by **notthecheatr** » Jan 29, 2008 22:44

Polish is a big thing for me too. And nice graphics is always a plus, but with plenty of options so it can be played on slower computers too. Probably a non-programmer oriented interface would be good. We programmers are used to things being a bit hackish, but a non-programmer wouldn't know what to do with that. Need a good GUI, probably, and everything should be automatic. Yeah, polish is essential. Make a game the FB community would be proud of, like LL.

ShadowLoneWolf · Post by **ShadowLoneWolf** » Jan 30, 2008 1:23

Thanks allot for all that guys;
also, do you think it's a good idea for multiple of windows to be open while the game is playing; (eg: one window will display the map, the other will display the pack, the other is the main game) the purpose of multi windows would be to free some space for the main window; and gives the player a bigger playing field.

1000101 · Post by **1000101** » Jan 30, 2008 15:28

It doesn't matter what we like, it only matters what you like. If you work on a project you don't like, how are you going to feel motivated?

ShadowLoneWolf · Post by **ShadowLoneWolf** » Jan 30, 2008 17:04

1000101 wrote:It doesn't matter what we like, it only matters what you like. If you work on a project you don't like, how are you going to feel motivated?

Good question; but the choice to me doesn't really matter; if I make a game that the public likes more; the public will play it; if I make a game that I only like, then only people who has similar likes of me will play it;

What I've made so far, is everything I like; All I need is ideas from the public so that I know the majority of the public might think of playing it (I don't care if they don't play it, It's freeware, I'm not getting anything off of it)

C · Post by C » Jan 30, 2008 17:10

Make something you can FINISH.

ShadowLoneWolf · Post by **ShadowLoneWolf** » Jan 30, 2008 22:30

C wrote:Make something you can FINISH.

well, like I said in my first post; the beta is coming up fast.
Even though the Beta is going to be the Beta for the engine more over then the game, the game Beta will be shortly coming after the Engine beta (in the same week, or day). Other then some stuff, I have everything for the game. Heres a brief list of what I need to finish the game:

GUI, Sprites, some music, SFX, and for the engine, sound, collision detection, custom AI.

I'll assume that after one more month and I'll have a good Beta out; By may I should have the Full game out; Most of the bugs out, and a website to support the game.

Lachie Dazdarian · Post by **Lachie Dazdarian** » Jan 30, 2008 22:39

Like I said talking with your in IM, I prefer a built-in GUI. I like playing games full screen, so multiple windows are not my thing. It's also not a common thing so I'm not sure many people would feel comfortable with such an odd sheme. You worry too much about not much game screen being left to the user to see. Your game control windows don't have to be present on the screen all the time.

cha0s · Post by **cha0s** » Jan 31, 2008 6:24

Definitely stick with in-game GUI. What I look for most in an RPG is a great story. The gameplay doesn't even matter so much (although horrid, unresponsive gameplay is inexcusable), as long as you have me gripped to see what happens next.

nkk_kan · Post by **nkk_kan** » Feb 01, 2008 11:11

multiple windows can be good and bad as well...but i prefer the game gui as if there are too many windows open i feel that my screen is cluttered..
what i would like to see in an rpg is real time growth..not that level system growth...basically,what you learn is what you master concept..
what annoys me most in an rpg is "out-of-blue" monsters (the ones which pop out of nowhere when you're moving on a map)

I've played an rpg called "Demise : Rise Of Ku'tan"..it features dungeons and loads of mysteries to unravel..
but what i liked about that is that once if you do an action, it is done forever..in a nut shell..there is no save option but rather the game saves your every action..so you can't roll back any mistake you made..it makes the game more challenging and fun.i think secret levels are must for a rpg..
But overall i would play any rpg which has an exciting and adventurous story even though it has crappy gui or something

ShadowLoneWolf · Post by **ShadowLoneWolf** » Feb 01, 2008 20:31

Thanks for the opinions; I think, now, that it'll be a better idea with one window; as mentioned, cluttered desktop, and some people may want a full screen game, would some problems that will hinder the usage of the game.

@nkk_kan: Thanks for telling me about the Save-every-action thing(I don't know what to call it) it would make a game more interesting; but also I see some problems with it; even though the player wouldn't require to save, there isn't a second chance, where some of the most popular games I've played, having a Second chance is a good thing; especially when your facing a boss;

Mentat · Post by **Mentat** » Feb 01, 2008 21:35

What would you like to see in a RPG?
I like a depthy storyline that is involved. But the back story shouldn't be long compared to the in game plot. A real time battle engine, which isn't based on speed (how many times you can hit the space bar), but rather on-your-toes decisions.

What would you be annoyed at in a RPG?
Conformity. The golden-heart-farmer upgrades from stick to rusty-sword to ruby-hilted saber to save the princess. People are often dynamic. Weapons have trade offs. For example, a dagger will cause the same amount of damage as a sword to an unshieled goblin. A blade is a blade. The dagger will be faster. But a sword would cause proportionally more damage to an armoured goblin than a dagger.

What is the best Feature in a RPG that you've seen so far?
Open-endedness and Flexibility. Test the player's mental abilities, not his/her patience. Anybody have level up by attacking little goblins. But when you have games like Morriwind, it becomes very easy to get lost, as in physically, and in the story line. Force the player to pay attention, instead of pressing keys. Make the player's own skills come into play, rather than only the sprite's. This is very important.

and any other input about RPG that you like to share is welcome too;
If you want to really get involved, read Stephen King's On Writing. It has little to do with the actual game, but it's a good tool for learning about making stories. Pay close attention to other games, especially other RPGs. Take note of how they work. Especially popular games. The KOTORs, the Final Fantasies, the Edler Scrolls, the QB RPGs, and other games with backgrounds. Assassins Creed has an extremely good story. Also good books and movies. Harry Potter is famous for a reason. Don't copy it, but keep in mind that it attracts a wide population of readers.

Lachie Dazdarian · Post by **Lachie Dazdarian** » Feb 01, 2008 22:13

Harry Potter?!? Oh, yeah. Go with that. :P

nkk_kan · Post by **nkk_kan** » Feb 02, 2008 9:49

@nkk_kan: Thanks for telling me about the Save-every-action thing(I don't know what to call it) it would make a game more interesting; but also I see some problems with it; even though the player wouldn't require to save, there isn't a second chance, where some of the most popular games I've played, having a Second chance is a good thing; especially when your facing a boss;

yeah second chance is a good thing...but what those "demise" game programmers did is that they made a character "reincarnable"..that is if a character(s) die they're supposed to be rescued by some other character or rescuers from the morgue..then their body is carried back to city and raised..so even if one died in a boss battle, they can always go back and try to kill it again...the save-every-action adds realism to game...
So, what i mean to tell is that i really liked that the character can't be "game overed"..

But to avoid infinite reincarnation, they added the parameter of age..after certain age,you do die due to old age..that's another feature i would like to see in a rpg...this increases the replay value of the game..

Being able to control multiple characters is also fun...like suppose if i have a party of four characters..so i can switch between them who all are doing certain quests at different places according to their plan or something seems exciting idea..so if i was annoyed or bored of playing warrior i could switch to mage or some thing for a while.

All this stuff may make the game super-complex..though i have almost no experience in programming a rpg...but a good rpg is always super-complex to program in my opinion :P
and like Mentat said speed should not have an annoying effect in an rpg...one can use it to hide secrets and i think that's the best way to implement speed-related stuff in an rpg.

One another feature i have liked in a rpg called "Evil Islands"
They let us build weapons and magic stuff at shops..the character finds materials and magic "runes" of different quality.. (like thin leather,troll hide,granite,steel,iron etc..).The magic spells also need to be "created" before one can use them..and their effectivity depends upon users magical ability...

I really like to play rpgs such as Lynn's Legacy Or Griffon Legend where our character moves around and kills things..according to me,it makes game more dynamic.

i really hope you complete the game. =P
Good luck!