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First person CRPG, based on the old classics like Dungeon Master or Eye of the Beholder
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mastro
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Post by mastro »

KnockOut wrote: On powerleveling :evil: :evil: :evil: My vote is for level 1 to not be that different from level 10. A level 1 character should be able to beat the game if he has the right equipment, potions, etc. And every monster should be a challenge to a level 10 character.
What? this makes no sense. A level 1 character should be the same as level 10? then leveling (the essence of RPG) wouldn't make sense at all!
Also from what you say it seems that you consider the game a singleplayer rpg... it is party-based rpg, from what jack said.
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jack1974
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Post by jack1974 »

Yes the game is going to be a party rpg, of course.
This time I don't agree with you KnockOut. Mastro is right, what would be the purpose of leveling if a character level 1 wouldn't be much different from level 10 ?
Also, "every monster should be a challenge to level 10" is just not possible. Every rpg game has low level monsters, and as you go deeper into the game there are bigger ones.
I can surely make some interesting combo of spells/resistances, and so on to make a fight's result less obvious, but I can't make a level10 have hard time to fight a simple "sewer rat" :lol:
Ken_Goding
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Post by Ken_Goding »

How about monsters that adapt to the environment... like the .01% of the germs not killed by antibacterial soaps? They level up with you? Just a neat thought and I'll go back to my corner now.
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jack1974
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Post by jack1974 »

Yes but with plot-based game I'm not sure it would work well. In the next Magic Stones the gather artifact monsters levelup accordingly to the druid level. But if I make a plot in theory the number of monster is finite, so I should have more control to which monsters the player will encounter and when.
Of course I can always do a check and raise some enemy stats based on how well the player is doing, to break his morale.... MOUHAHAH :twisted:
KnockOut
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Post by KnockOut »

Yay! Plot! Number of monsters=finite! Control of which monsters players encounter and when! Yes! Yes! Yes!

However, it doesn't seem like Jack likes writing plots and storylines very much based on previous games. So I'd reccomend keeping the text to a minimum and rely on the visuals and atmosphere to tell the story.

Now for a tangent...

It seems like the RPG is missing something without the classic "geek" skill known as Charisma...

Charisma could work like it does in say UBM. The higher your charisma, the more sponsors you receive and the more money they give you(Kings, businesses, etc. can all give adventurers sponsors). And it could work like UG where higher charisma makes your team perform better.

But also there could be combination moves. For example, a wizard could use fireball to set the fighters arrows on fire. Explaining how to combine assaults can require eloquent language so the more charisma you have the better you can explain how to combine tactics. How many highly intelligent and wise people can't explain their ideas?

Other combinations could be a cleric adding a turn undead rune to a fighter's sling and then a wizard adding an exploding element to the rock. So when the rock hits the target it explodes and casts turn undead on the surrondings.
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jack1974
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Post by jack1974 »

KnockOut wrote: However, it doesn't seem like Jack likes writing plots and storylines very much based on previous games. So I'd reccomend keeping the text to a minimum and rely on the visuals and atmosphere to tell the story.
Ehm no, actually I like writing them, but since english is not my native language I have some troubles coming up with nice descriptions... :oops: this time probably I'll use a professional translator. However I also hate boring LONG text, so it will be a middleway probably.

Your other ideas are cool, I'll think how hard they'll be to include in the initial 1.0 release ... 8)
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Post by KnockOut »

I read your latest blog entry about tower of destiny and it reminded me of a characteristic I would want to adjust in an RPG. That all races aren't adept at all classes. An orc should be able to be a wizard, a warrior, etc. An orc wizard should just be a lot different from an elf one. An orc could have different spells. An orc wizard shouldn't be a fighter/spellcaster hybrid but rather a spellcaster from a unique orc perspective. He should have violent orc spells.

Similarly the elf fighter. He should play to the more intelligent aspects of fighting and utilize his quickness.

Now the humans, most of the time they are forgotten about and underutilized. I don't like humans as a sort of jack of all trades. I think humans should have their own unique culture transplanted into each of their classes.

An orc wizard should play differently than an elf wizard and a human wizard. Each should have culturally influenced spells and abilities.

As it stands now there would be no reason for me not to take the best race for each class and make that my six person party.
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jack1974
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Post by jack1974 »

I'll implement some of what you say even if not for every race. I like the idea of specific cultural skills and I'll try to implement them. As I plan to make this serie a sort of trilogy, for sure once I have made the main engine in the first episode, I'll be able to concentrate on cultural-class differences when character reach higher levels in future episode of the game.
It might seem an excuse, but already having the game done with my main basic classes before this christmas will be already a great result 8)

But yours is a good suggestion, and while I don't want to change the ATTRIBUTES of each class (an orc is stronger than an elf - for sure), I could implement unique fighting skills for example for the various races.

I'm still planning everything: maybe if doesn't take away too much time I could even implement all those differences starting from this 1st episode already!
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Post by Astral »

I know your still in the planning stage of production, but when you get to the actual design phase are you going to have an open beta (or alpha) release so players can give you feedback?

Also, how flexible (if that is the right word?) are you going to make this game? My favorite playing style is purely warrior-based (I will only use magic or thievery if absolutely necessary and as a last resort), so I should be able to compose a party with all warrior-type players and still be able to beat every quest and the game. Likewise, people who only like spellcasters should be able to compose a party as such and be able to beat every quest and the game. Sure, a certain type of party might have a better chance to win a particular quest (mission), but the point is any combination should have a good chance. That way players who don't like customizing can use the same party over and over, and even though it might be a bit harder they can still have fun and beat the game.
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jack1974
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Post by jack1974 »

Well since I make shareware, luckily I can always change the game based on user feedback, like happened with UBM or Magic Stones (this last version is quite different from the original one!).

About flexibility, this I don't know, having a party based ONLY on warriors is a bit strange, isn't it? :lol:
Anyway for the quest/enemies I plan to make some sort of counterattack / weak or strong points, because this works well but I'll be able to implement it for both caster/fighters.

Example:
Monster Ice Golem: vulnerable to fire spells, but also to a flame sword

Or also quest related:
Iron door: you can open it with "open door" spell, with a thief, or bashing it open (but you'll need a very big strong orc to do it)

And so on, so I think you should be able to make your unique (at least from a RPG point of view) party of all warriors! 8)
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