Revision: 23
Still going back through and fixing some issues - things that did not make sense, things that were missing, fixing content errors and working with the presentation. One idea that I toyed with which is actually really fun is adding in certain elements found in certain adventure games - namely getting killed in a variety of terrible and nasty ways. So far there is only one event, an NPC who will not let you into his house so you can ransack it. He has a scattergun(think blunderbuss) and blows the player away for too many attempts to get in.
The idea definitely has it's appeal, and certainly will make things more interactive and interesting. The only thing that I am concerned about is that players might die at a really inconvenient point because they weren't expecting it, so I'm now looking into instituting an automatic checkpoint system.
If it can't be done, then I will probably do the deaths anyways - because I can. I'll just have to find a way to be somewhat fair about it, maybe have a death character give the player the option of "going back" a limited number of times in case they didn't save the game.
That actually sounds like a good idea. I think I'll do it.
And after that I'm done futzing with the system for awhile - Must make content instead of poking at fiddly bits! RARRR!
Monday, June 10, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Developer blog: 06.08.13
Revisions: 19
After testing the first section, eliminating some bugs and adding some missing functionality chapter 1 is finally finished. After some serious consideration, the idea of a combination exploration/combat system is the one that is going to be adopted, with EXP rewarded from both sources. Monsters still require harvesting parts and selling them, a lot of dialogue was cleaned up(not sanitized!)- and a really cool new feature was added:
Each area now has a level cap. Once that cap is exceeded, the game ceases to offer random encounters in that area. For those that like to grind though fear not - there is now a bait item that forces random encounters.
An idea I'm toying with is to create pure exploration locations that are simply there, but to have them interact differently with certain items. For example, maybe the bait would attract something really horrible and evil instead of a random encounter, maybe a skill could be learned.
Another idea is to have a score which is affected by side quests you have done, accomplishments you have completed, secrets you have found and exploration you've done. This score would later on be used to push the game to a harder but more rewarding level and to determine the availability of certain skills and items from various NPCs.
Play time for Chapter 1 at this point is 20 to 70 minutes, depending on how much the player skips and rushes. Pretty reasonable.
Plans are being written out for growing your own town. The results will be... entertaining >)
Next up is the Succubus' solo chapter, which is going to be super fun.
After testing the first section, eliminating some bugs and adding some missing functionality chapter 1 is finally finished. After some serious consideration, the idea of a combination exploration/combat system is the one that is going to be adopted, with EXP rewarded from both sources. Monsters still require harvesting parts and selling them, a lot of dialogue was cleaned up(not sanitized!)- and a really cool new feature was added:
Each area now has a level cap. Once that cap is exceeded, the game ceases to offer random encounters in that area. For those that like to grind though fear not - there is now a bait item that forces random encounters.
An idea I'm toying with is to create pure exploration locations that are simply there, but to have them interact differently with certain items. For example, maybe the bait would attract something really horrible and evil instead of a random encounter, maybe a skill could be learned.
Another idea is to have a score which is affected by side quests you have done, accomplishments you have completed, secrets you have found and exploration you've done. This score would later on be used to push the game to a harder but more rewarding level and to determine the availability of certain skills and items from various NPCs.
Play time for Chapter 1 at this point is 20 to 70 minutes, depending on how much the player skips and rushes. Pretty reasonable.
Plans are being written out for growing your own town. The results will be... entertaining >)
Next up is the Succubus' solo chapter, which is going to be super fun.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Developer blog: 06.05.13
Revision: 17
Still working to stifle my perfectionist instincts. I keep wanting to change the system, change the art out, change the music out... It's very difficult to remember that these are all placeholders, and that I simply need to use what's there until I have a finished product. THEN I can replace the art and music and so on and so forth.
Looking at finishing up Chapter 1 tomorrow and starting on Chapter 2. I'm going to estimate that C1 has anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes of gameplay depending on how fast the player rushes it.
Right now I'm of two opinions on the idea of combat. Make it minimal and reward exploration, or make it really grindy - like Monster Hunter grindy. As sort of a compromise I've got a lot of events that award XP just for finding them and monsters that award VERY small amounts of XP.
Money wise, the monsters don't drop any. Think about it: what the hell does a wandering monster need with gold pieces or human weapons and armor and artifacts? Absolutely nothing, that's what. Money is made by harvesting the body parts and fluids and taking them to a special buyer for them in town.
It can also be made via exploration and questing.
While I initially wrote the main character as well-meaning but sarcastic, he's coming off as an outright bastard - and it's pretty fantastic. I figure if I'm laughing at my own dialogue and events after seeing it a dozen times it's probably good.
Armor and weapons are fairly pricey, that way each step up seems like a real achievement and a major upgrade. I'm considering having only a very tiny handful of equipment available for each character throughout the game, with certain locations or vendors having certain things. So in this village there's a guy that makes great magic staffs, in that one is a good blacksmith etc...
Initially I had a shamanic priest/thief character planned, but he's just really boring. I'm replacing him with a homicidal glass cannon fairy/mage/thief.
Char's introductory chapter is up next. I already prototyped this earlier so I basically know how it's going to go, but now I've had time to learn the system a bit better so the whole thing will be way cooler.
Still working to stifle my perfectionist instincts. I keep wanting to change the system, change the art out, change the music out... It's very difficult to remember that these are all placeholders, and that I simply need to use what's there until I have a finished product. THEN I can replace the art and music and so on and so forth.
Looking at finishing up Chapter 1 tomorrow and starting on Chapter 2. I'm going to estimate that C1 has anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes of gameplay depending on how fast the player rushes it.
Right now I'm of two opinions on the idea of combat. Make it minimal and reward exploration, or make it really grindy - like Monster Hunter grindy. As sort of a compromise I've got a lot of events that award XP just for finding them and monsters that award VERY small amounts of XP.
Money wise, the monsters don't drop any. Think about it: what the hell does a wandering monster need with gold pieces or human weapons and armor and artifacts? Absolutely nothing, that's what. Money is made by harvesting the body parts and fluids and taking them to a special buyer for them in town.
It can also be made via exploration and questing.
While I initially wrote the main character as well-meaning but sarcastic, he's coming off as an outright bastard - and it's pretty fantastic. I figure if I'm laughing at my own dialogue and events after seeing it a dozen times it's probably good.
Armor and weapons are fairly pricey, that way each step up seems like a real achievement and a major upgrade. I'm considering having only a very tiny handful of equipment available for each character throughout the game, with certain locations or vendors having certain things. So in this village there's a guy that makes great magic staffs, in that one is a good blacksmith etc...
Initially I had a shamanic priest/thief character planned, but he's just really boring. I'm replacing him with a homicidal glass cannon fairy/mage/thief.
Char's introductory chapter is up next. I already prototyped this earlier so I basically know how it's going to go, but now I've had time to learn the system a bit better so the whole thing will be way cooler.
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