RPGDX > Forums > General Discussion > new article discussion thread

Mandrake · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 5:15 am Post subject: new article discussion thread

here's the article:
http://grraargh.com/abmu/thoughts.html

now discuss.
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Locrian · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 6:10 am Post subject:

A specialized RPG engine geared towards one type of RPG would be cool, as long as it was a real time action RPG engine. ;)

The majority of indie RPGs out there seem to be turnbased/battle screen/random encounter/world map or all of the above. Bleh. If you're going for uniqueness, get rid of all of these. They are ancient, abstract, atmosphere breaking, etc... Though I'm sure everyone disagrees with me. Ah well. Just my $0.02/bias.

Mandrake · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 6:17 am Post subject:

I somewhat agree-an action RPG would be more unique. But it's not the only way. A Chrono Triggerstyle engine would be just as unique, or a Breath of Fire one, or a Lunar one, or even a shining force one.
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twinsen · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 6:31 am Post subject:

What about my 3D RPG? Doesn't that count as action?
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Mandrake · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 6:40 am Post subject:

we are talking about RPGMaker's- not just game engines. Big ass diffrence there. I take you ready articley? please do, it's a good one.
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"Well, last time I flicked on a lighter, I'm pretty sure I didn't create a black hole."-
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twinsen · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 6:44 am Post subject:

Mandrake · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 7:01 am Post subject:

fixed the post, what i meant was, did you read the article?

anyway, if it is an enine, like a gamemaker, i tried looking for it on rpgdx. any clues as to it's name?
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"Well, last time I flicked on a lighter, I'm pretty sure I didn't create a black hole."-
Xmark

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Locrian · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 7:09 am Post subject:

I dunno. Any system where there is a distinct (jarring) battle mode irritates me. I don't understand how these seem to be the most popular. Characters and enemies standing still... menus... argh! Need more games where you walk up to something and bash the hell out of it. Else it might as well be a text game. I'm probably looking like the ub3r 1337 counterstrike d00d of the RPG world here but oh well. I think there needs to be more experimintation with tactical elements in action based systems.

Fighting is only half of the fun in RPGs though. Great RPGs have well sculpted worlds and unique-to-the-game systems. Would a simplified RPG engine like this end up creating cookie cutter games? Ultimately I think RPG creation engines may be doomed to being very flexible and not so user friendly (especially to non programmers like myself), or user friendly but only capable of producing the same game over and over again (with different graphics and story).

Mandrake · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 7:20 am Post subject:

Mandrake · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 8:02 am Post subject:

also- DarkDread, Locrian, Zoggles (if you read this- I'll try emailing you as well), Xmark (if possible), WhiteDoor, and Tenshi- meet me on #rpgdx Friday (tomorrow, or rather today- June 20th) at 11GMT....i's gots idears.
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DrunkenCoder · Demon Hunter Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 559

A very intresting read I must say. And I fully agree with what you say, it seems like the biggest problem in the indie scene (and Im alsto a victim to it) is lack of focus.
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papillon · Fluffy Bunny of Doom Joined: 09 Mar 2003 Posts: 16

Bah people making engines only for console-style.

Make me an engine for Fallout-style, or Quest for Glory style! (Okay, each entry into that series had a vastly different combat system, but I played all five of them, I could put up with any of them. The system from IV would be my preference - strategy mode, please!)

Fallout might be a leetle hard for one person to replicate (I plan to poke around with the fallout editor once Charm School is finished) but surely the old sierra games aren't *that* hard...

Basically, I'm just sort of tired of console-style. :)

DrunkenCoder · Demon Hunter Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 559

Well the hardest part would be finding something that don't look totaly horrible to use as placeholder graphics to test stuff.

That's why I mainly do 2D console style things, there's an abundance of tilesets and charsets floating around to playaround with.
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Jocke The Beast · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 6:21 pm Post subject:

I've tried OHRRPGCE, RPgToolkit,ZeldaClassic and RM2k... the one I most liked was OHRRPGCE since it was easy to use and had a steady growing community.

I really think it's best to make a rpg-maker that is specified on say DragonWarrior styled games or Zelda styled games. Personally I would love to see a roguelike-gamemaker similiar to the original 'Rogue v1.0' by Jon Lane. But that's just me ;)
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grenideer · Wandering Minstrel Joined: 28 May 2002 Posts: 149

A specialized engine is a good idea. Trying to be too much of a catch-all a) gets really complicated and b) tends to unfocus/lose the community. Verge is a great example. The first one was a simple Phantasy Star maker - the second could make anything, even non-rpgs (side scrollers, puzzlers, etc.). That excited some people, but the community members who didn't want all the complications necessary for this leeway felt abandoned. Still, it's hard to argue the engine isn't more powerful.
Take my game, Diver Down, for instance. I love the verge 2 engine and couldn't have done most of what I have with something simpler, like v1. Also, because of the complexity I can still get a unique feel. When playing my game, there's really nothing that'll tip you off to the fact that it's made with verge. So it's a trade-off. I don't have any problems with it.
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