Old school Isometric RPG hardship

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

Just when you thought the hardship was over. It has only begun! I have overhauled the UI yet it is only the very beginning.

All base features are now done. Its bug fixing now. And there are a lot of bugs.

The trading/inventory window is done, fully functional.

Talent trees added. Fully done.

And character screen. Done.

Scripting system.

The script system is very basic but scripts can be combined and chained together. Scripts can also be embedded in conversation trees, which may be called from scripts and also the other way around.

There is also a map and questing system, linked together which all work with the scripting system. (not shown)

A level editor has started, lots of work to do here, along with save/load which is postponed until design is finalised.

I have also setup a discord channel to share info, developer demos, and most importantly get free QA valuable feedback.

Certainly nothing is finalised but we are closing in on an insider private demo. We are getting really close to a baseline engine which means a playable demo is also getting a lot closer. I am really looking forward to putting the engine to bed for a while and creating some content.

 

[Tavernking]

So this all goes back to some years ago when I had been wanting to make an isometric rpg for ages - similar in art style to Baldurs gate or perhaps Spiderweb's rpgs, something like that. I had been dreaming up this idea (over many bathtub sessions) where I would create a small open world with complex factions and where choices have true meaning and so on.

How's the writing going? Please don't underestimate how long it takes to write complex factions where choices have true meaning, especially if you want it to be good writing. I'm learning that it takes ages and it's easy to get burnt out.

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

So this all goes back to some years ago when I had been wanting to make an isometric rpg for ages - similar in art style to Baldurs gate or perhaps Spiderweb's rpgs, something like that. I had been dreaming up this idea (over many bathtub sessions) where I would create a small open world with complex factions and where choices have true meaning and so on.

How's the writing going? Please don't underestimate how long it takes to write complex factions where choices have true meaning, especially if you want it to be good writing. I'm learning that it takes ages and it's easy to get burnt out.

Pretty much any creation worth appreciating take a great deal of time to develop. After the initial work, most of remaining time used is often spent on going over the work, again, again, again. Building up layer by layer, refining. The writing aspect of course will be more of the same.

The truth is the story, imagined over 12 years, is vast but is all in my head, nothing is written down. Because of this I expect lots of blind spots to come up that will need filling in. The story is also far too big to fit into one game alone, it will need several to tell the story. Or at least this is how I imagine it.

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

I ought to have spent yesterday bug fixing yet instead I got side tracked and started work on some basic environmental effects.
https://rumble.com/v2vwuxm-june-23-2023.html

I now am wondering what to do about "regular" weather. I do not wish to take things to far but perhaps I missing something when the weather is clear?!

 

[d1nolore]

Just when you thought the hardship was over. It has only begun! I have overhauled the UI yet it is only the very beginning.

All base features are now done. Its bug fixing now. And there are a lot of bugs.

The trading/inventory window is done, fully functional.

Talent trees added. Fully done.

And character screen. Done.

Scripting system.

The script system is very basic but scripts can be combined and chained together. Scripts can also be embedded in conversation trees, which may be called from scripts and also the other way around.

There is also a map and questing system, linked together which all work with the scripting system. (not shown)

A level editor has started, lots of work to do here, along with save/load which is postponed until design is finalised.

I have also setup a discord channel to share info, developer demos, and most importantly get free QA valuable feedback.

Certainly nothing is finalised but we are closing in on an insider private demo. We are getting really close to a baseline engine which means a playable demo is also getting a lot closer. I am really looking forward to putting the engine to bed for a while and creating some content.

Whats the discord channel?

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

Just when you thought the hardship was over. It has only begun! I have overhauled the UI yet it is only the very beginning.

All base features are now done. Its bug fixing now. And there are a lot of bugs.

The trading/inventory window is done, fully functional.

Talent trees added. Fully done.

And character screen. Done.

Scripting system.

The script system is very basic but scripts can be combined and chained together. Scripts can also be embedded in conversation trees, which may be called from scripts and also the other way around.

There is also a map and questing system, linked together which all work with the scripting system. (not shown)

A level editor has started, lots of work to do here, along with save/load which is postponed until design is finalised.

I have also setup a discord channel to share info, developer demos, and most importantly get free QA valuable feedback.

Certainly nothing is finalised but we are closing in on an insider private demo. We are getting really close to a baseline engine which means a playable demo is also getting a lot closer. I am really looking forward to putting the engine to bed for a while and creating some content.

Whats the discord channel?

https://discord.gg/Hz6S4P7n

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

Large refactor where I made some updates to the editor. I discuss on discord.

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

The refactor has paid off, allowing for:-

-Saving, loading complete.
-UI restyle.
-Editor complete.
-Prepared mod capability (build assets without code base).
-Updated 2 talents, bow, fireball.
-Bug fixes.

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

 

[CryptRat]

Looks cool.

 

[J1M]

I would rather have one spell that creates an interesting localized weather effect in combat than an entire game with dynamic weather that is just cosmetic.

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

I would rather have one spell that creates an interesting localized weather effect in combat than an entire game with dynamic weather that is just cosmetic.

That could be done, but why?

 

[J1M]

I would rather have one spell that creates an interesting localized weather effect in combat than an entire game with dynamic weather that is just cosmetic.

That could be done, but why?

I think it is fine for each area to have weather to flavor it and little is gained by it raining/snowing sometimes at random.

 

[CryptRat]

I would rather have one spell that creates an interesting localized weather effect in combat than an entire game with dynamic weather that is just cosmetic.

That could be done, but why?

I think it is fine for each area to have weather to flavor it and little is gained by it raining/snowing sometimes at random.

One full map where movement during fight is limited/protagonists take damage during fights/range attacks are limited/spells don't work/some damage types are increased or decreased/whatever can be fun too and a weather effect is a cool way to both justify and materialize that, no?

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

I would rather have one spell that creates an interesting localized weather effect in combat than an entire game with dynamic weather that is just cosmetic.

That could be done, but why?

I think it is fine for each area to have weather to flavor it and little is gained by it raining/snowing sometimes at random.

One full map where movement during fight is limited/protagonists take damage during fights/range attacks are limited/spells don't work/some damage types are increased or decreased/whatever can be fun too and a weather effect is a cool way to both justify and materialize that, no?

Its a suggestion I agree with. I had not intended for the weather to be purely cosmetic. In darkness(non lit areas or daylight) you can sneak more easily.
As for rain and snow I have not really considered what the impact would be. Probably it will slow down movement a little.

I guess range spells would be less effective in rain & snow, and ranged in general would be less effective and melee weapons would be slightly preferable. The impact would not be large though. I am thinking less than 10%.

That sort of thing seems reasonable to me.

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

I would rather have one spell that creates an interesting localized weather effect in combat than an entire game with dynamic weather that is just cosmetic.

That could be done, but why?

I think it is fine for each area to have weather to flavor it and little is gained by it raining/snowing sometimes at random.

I can see that it would provide a tactical advantage to make use of snowing conditions to do a battle against a large ranged force.

 

[J1M]

I would rather have one spell that creates an interesting localized weather effect in combat than an entire game with dynamic weather that is just cosmetic.

That could be done, but why?

I think it is fine for each area to have weather to flavor it and little is gained by it raining/snowing sometimes at random.

One full map where movement during fight is limited/protagonists take damage during fights/range attacks are limited/spells don't work/some damage types are increased or decreased/whatever can be fun too and a weather effect is a cool way to both justify and materialize that, no?

I suspect you skimmed over the word "cosmetic" in my post.

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

Side node, I am now putting developer videos and builds in discord as I don't want to spam here too much.

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

I am in the UI doldrums (https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/doldrums.html).

I am going round in circles. Everything else there is a way forward but this.

Its mainly the HUD I don't like. Its just not right. But what is?

I like the layout and functionality of the menus but there is no style, its still placeholder. I could literally swap this out once I get a theme.

Maybe I need a theme...for inspiration?

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

Making some prototype mockups of a new UI.

Its at odds with the current visuals. However all assets will be remastered again be more gritty and textural, the scene will have more detail too. Thats the intention of where to take it at least. So a kind of dark UI I think will fit. Maybe. I'm not sure actually.

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

As I come to the UI, I wonder what resolutions need to be supported?

I am developing in 1920x1080, 1366x768, 1280x720. What other preferences are there?

 

[ds]

Ideally, any resolution. We already moved from 4:3 to 16:9 with ultrawide ~21:9 slowly becoming more popular.

If you are looking for what you can get away with then the Steam hardware survey is probably what you want to base your decisions on - see Primary Display Resolution.

But if you can, make sure to scale to fit and at least letterbox/pillarbox for arbitrary resolutions.

 

[The_Sloth_Sleeps]

Updated HUD. Its more the look I want but needs some refinement as theres a bit of empty space. The entire UI has been updated to this new style.