New indie RPG

[Tigranes]

Yeah, watching it in youtube works.

I should think that the biggest opportunity here is a custom-built engine, so it's a way to really introduce the kinds of rules and mechanisms that often get left behind. If we just have a bunch of dudes walking around squares firing projectile spells, we have games that already do that really well.

So from a pipe dream standpoint, I'd love to see meaningful elevation modifiers; opportunities to break down walls; treating corpses as physical things, so that you could potentially fell a big giant to block the path and run away; things like that.

 

[hello friend]

Climbing, destructible environments, maps that make use of z-level. Environmental interactions such as things catching fire from fire dmg, freezing the surface of water thus turning it into passable terrain with cold dmg etc. Modular spells - modifiers that determine whether something does dmg, or has an aoe effect, is a summon, jumps to multiple targets etc

Oh and please consider using a deterministic system instead of RNG.

 

[Wayward Son]

Just when I though I couldn't get any more pumped tonight I see this. You have my support comrade. May Franz Josef find you well.

 

[udm]

> Consistent rules
> Environmental effects
> Extensive spells and abilities
> Good encounter/level design

Fuck, I don't even need C&C or a mind-blowing storyline (although that'll be nice to have). Just gib gud mechanics and encounter design first plz.

I hope the rules will be consistent, there is an element of chance with things though. Environmental FX, like rain, snow?
Yeah I'm wanting to have a lot of spells, I'm not quite sure of how to gain new spell abilities though, either leveling up or my finding a new scroll and learning it, not sure what ppl prefer
Can't promise anything about the level design, its just me and I already work a fulltime 48 hour week job, so don't have a lot of time to work on this, plus I record music also in my spare time.

Consistent rules as in, no wonky line-of-sight issues, no "it looks like you should have been able to move there, but you can't cuz waist high obstacle, too bad", etc. Basically, mechanics should be logical and consistent.
On abilities/spells, I think any solution is fine, so long as it allows for players to engage in different character builds.
When I mentioned environmental effects, I was referring to interactive ones, things like oil puddles being able to catch fire, water being able to conduct electricity, etc.

Good luck with your game!

Oh and please consider using a deterministic system instead of RNG.

What deterministic system are you thinking of?

 

[hello friend]

I don't know, something like telepath tactics. Too few games have done this, it's always dice rolls or damage ranges and whatnot.

 

[Haba]

So if a shield/sword is broken, then thats it, its useless or does it just operate at reduced capacity? Do ppl like this, I was reading in the latest zelda game, this is one of the major complaints ppl had with the game.
Characters catching fire is certainly possible, dismemberment etc would be too difficult to do, as I'm the only one working on this game and that sort of stuff is very time intensive

You can just make it apply to enemies. It just makes it feel like your attacks have an effect. I think many of those things can be done relatively cheaply. They don't need to be perfect mocapped animations.

 

[Bester]

Why are you asking us for key gameplay elements? You must be passionate about what kind of game you want to make, right? You can solicit our feedback, but do you not have preferences on major issues like story focus v. combat, turn-based vs. real-time?

Fair enuf, though I did say it was a turn based game, its not going to be story based as those games tend to not interest me. I like games more for the gaming aspect and not so much the story, this is with all types of games not just RPGs

I don't mean to shit on you, just genuinely curious as to what level of feedback you're looking for. (Also, the OP video no longer plays.)

I agree, and I'd say some more on the subject. You know how writers have an "ideal reader" that they imagine when they write, and try to gauge their reaction in their imagination. Who's your ideal player? Yourself, your wife, anyone you know or can imagine?

I have a feeling you don't have one, which I think may be resulting in you not having any cohesive vision of the game at all. Hence these weird questions you're asking here.

Decide upon who you're making the game for, what that person would like to see in the game, and then just do it all. What do you think?

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

So from a pipe dream standpoint, I'd love to see meaningful elevation modifiers; opportunities to break down walls; treating corpses as physical things, so that you could potentially fell a big giant to block the path and run away; things like that.

Elevation modifiers, like if someone attacks from a higher point they get a better attack strength? I have it now that attack values are altered depending on from where you attack someone, thus if you attack them from behind eg by sneaking up behind them and stabbing them in the back, thats twice as effective as from the front, side is 1.5x etc. Im not sure about the corpse blocking the path etc, #1 its extra work #2 but I can see issues what ahppens if a path is blocked and you cant exit a building etc, or access to treasure is blocked etc, could be frustrating for the player

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

Oh and please consider using a deterministic system instead of RNG.

Yes I prefer deterministic also, but how would you handle , weapon A has 90% chance of hitting, weapon B 95% etc Do you make it that each weapon always hits 100% of the time?

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

Just when I though I couldn't get any more pumped tonight I see this. You have my support comrade. May Franz Josef find you well.

Yeah been to Franz Josef, not much to see mate

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

Consistent rules as in, no wonky line-of-sight issues, no "it looks like you should have been able to move there, but you can't cuz waist high obstacle, too bad", etc. Basically, mechanics should be logical and consistent.

If you see the video at ~0:30 you'll see when the character casts a spell you'll see where they can see, donated in light blue, so you can visually see if the person has the ability to cast the spell there, or shoot a projectile there, i.e. nothing is blocking their line of sight

When I mentioned environmental effects, I was referring to interactive ones, things like oil puddles being able to catch fire, water being able to conduct electricity, etc.

Yes I will add this in, ta, it was on my to do list [/QUOTE]

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

I don't know, something like telepath tactics. Too few games have done this, it's always dice rolls or damage ranges and whatnot.

thanks I've never heard of this I'll look into it

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

You can just make it apply to enemies. It just makes it feel like your attacks have an effect. I think many of those things can be done relatively cheaply. They don't need to be perfect mocapped animations.

So their attacks become less effective over time, a war of attrition but when you kill the enemy and gain their weapon, its back to full working order

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

I agree, and I'd say some more on the subject. You know how writers have an "ideal reader" that they imagine when they write, and try to gauge their reaction in their imagination. Who's your ideal player? Yourself, your wife, anyone you know or can imagine?

I have a feeling you don't have one, which I think may be resulting in you not having any cohesive vision of the game at all. Hence these weird questions you're asking here.

Decide upon who you're making the game for, what that person would like to see in the game, and then just do it all. What do you think?

The thing is mate, this may sound blasphemous to some but nowadays I don't even really like playing games that much, I like the mental challenge of making them though.
So who am I making this game for, perhaps my past self from many years ago, something I would of liked to play when I was younger, the thing is games have no doubt evolved a lot since then in ways Im not up to date with. My favorite game of the last 20 years is Warlords Battlecry 3, its not a true RPG but does have RPG elements, but I like its just purely a game theres no real story at all. Im trying to be a sponge ATM an soak up other ppls ideas and convert some into the gameplay of this 'unnamed game'

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

OK added attack height modifiers, first picture both at same height, 2nd the hobgoblin is at a lower height

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

Added abilitiy to add poison clouds and lava and also fire

 

[Bester]

Biggest problem I see: make pain animation only play on the lowest spine bone and above if velocity > 0, but not on legs.
Minor stuff: blood particle looks weird in connection with poison damage. Suggestion: make a cough animation instead of pain animation for poison damage. And no blood particle.
For fire damage, try fire particles instead of blood particle (not sure where to attach them, though). Pain animation is fine for this.

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

Cheers mate for the feedback

Biggest problem I see: make pain animation only play on the lowest spine bone and above if velocity > 0, but not on legs.

Unfortunately I'm using someone elses generic models so have to make do with what they are, ideally I would pay someone to make models specially for this game but I'm just a guy doing this myself not as a business

Minor stuff: blood particle looks weird in connection with poison damage. Suggestion: make a cough animation instead of pain animation for poison damage. And no blood particle.
For fire damage, try fire particles instead of blood particle (not sure where to attach them, though). Pain animation is fine for this.

OK cheers I'll change both of these, I'll remove the blood from poison damage, also I'll come up with like a burst of flame from the fire damage

 

[Bester]

Unfortunately I'm using someone elses generic models so have to make do with what they are, ideally I would pay someone to make models specially for this game but I'm just a guy doing this myself not as a business

I don't see what's it got to do with models. I'm just talking about the way to play animations. What engine are you using, Unity? It surely must have an option to play animation only on certain bones if certain conditions are met. I'm saying if you're moving and want to play pain animation, only play it on spine01 and all bones above it (so all bones above pelvis), that is all... This way, legs don't slide when you go into a poison/fire grid.

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

Thanks mate, yeah I will look into this, I'm not an expert in unity, I've done a lot of programming with my own engine which is a lot more flexible than unity, I assume I can do something like this with unity
I'll look into it

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

hmmm don't see the post edit button: so I'll append this here
Looks like the above is possible but looks to be quite a lot of extra work, work the model maker should of actually done when they made the model, so perhaps not the best use of my time to mess around on that

 

[Bester]

Looks like the above is possible but looks to be quite a lot of extra work

In UE4 you do it with these nodes, it's that easy:

I'm having doubts it's much more difficult in Unity.

work the model maker should of actually done when they made the model

I doubt that they should have made all possible combinations of animations with and without feet going in all kinds of directions. This is why it's done through blending.

 

[Lagi]

excellent music choice
with this foot steps reminds me of Counter Strike

 

[SiegfriedsTod]

I'm having doubts it's much more difficult in Unity.

Oh its prolly not that much more difficult, but it does take time and then you have to do that for each character, so multiple that by 30 times. I'm really a programmer not an artists so its prolly not the best uage of my time, maybe if I have some spare time I will look into implementing this
Cheers mate

 

[Bester]

Oh its prolly not that much more difficult, but it does take time and then you have to do that for each character, so multiple that by 30 times.

Each humanoid character has a different animation controller? Why?