Features Feedback

Hello,

My game is in an early stage of development and I would like to get some feedback as I move on. The first dungeon and boss is completed, so far there is a decent 1:30 to 2:30 hours of game play depending on how fast you move through it. I have a couple of concepts at work in this piece. For starters there are no random encounters, battle are fixed, most must be completed to progress through the game, though there are a few optional fights. No random encounters means a fixed number of EXP, though I worked it out so if you do or do not take the optional fights you will still be the same level for the boss fight. Another game mechanic I am implementing is refillable potions, this particular potion is strong and heals based on % MAX HP so it will scale into all levels. Upon using the potion an empty bottle is placed in your inventory and visiting certain locations will fill them. Finally, I have added an armor call Emblems, these emblems when equipped will give that character a new skill plus some stats. As of now that is all Emblems are for, however in the future I plan to use Emblems as a way to permanently change class, which means the emblem will become bound to that character as well.

I believe that covers the unique features in my game so far. Now what I am looking for is general feedback. This is my first time using RPG maker engine ever and my first time making an RPG. I want to know what people think about the game mechanics, progression, and content. For example opinions on items, difficulty, characters/classes. I want to hear criticism good and bad, tell me what sucks, tell me what works, let me know what will keep you playing and interested. Even if you have 5 words to say about my game let me hear them. Thank you, I appreciate any feedback.

My game can be found at his google drive link:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzskuEiFK3gGOXNtRDc0amZXX0k

I uploaded a video of me play testing the game, with a little bit of commentary, if you are interested. The mic volume is very low in the begging but you can still see everything.




Edit: I put together a site for my game and other general video game projects I will work on. Check it out if my game does strike you interest https://ahrtfuhl.wordpress.com/.

The original post is in the spoiler, I will move that later as I did not originally post the right thing in this area. So keeping with a broad spectrum question:

What are your thoughts on games with a New Game Plus or Time travel?

I don't think this is in the correct place, particularly as you are looking for feedback on your specific project.

I'm going to ask to have this merged with Features Feedback. Unfortunately I am having to do everything by phone while my internet is down, and that's one function I can't do on it. It may take a little time until another mod is around to do it.

My apologies, I just figured this was a game mechanic, and wasn't 100% sure where to put it.

Not a problem. It is a game mechanic, but this particular forum is for discussing general mechanics design in general, not a specific project. That's why it is being merged.

Okay, I was interested in this for multiple projects in the long run. Time travel is my favorite Genre. So for making mechanics that follow that base line for multiple projects I should post in Features Feedback?

Should I have just posted something more general here like: "What ideas do you all have for a game that revolves around time travel?"

Yes, something more general which can generate different ideas and approaches. As it is a very specific mechanic that you are interested in (so precluding a wider discussion) for a specific project, it's focus is too narrow for here.

I am now offline for a few days, but I expect other mods will be coming online soon (oh the complications of differing time zones) and this can then be merged.

I like the time travel concept and how it easily blends with a New Game+ feature. A couple questions would be, is the time travel involuntary (does the player choose when to go backwards), how is this mechanic fit into the story, and what will separate a time travel from a New Game+. When you time travel backwards (non New Game+) and your character is a higher level will the enemies be a higher level too? As for programming I can offer some assistance with that, I can conceptualize some scripts you'll probably need to get the game to work but we can discuss that more if you want the help.

@Heislerdinger Awesome. I will post something on it when I get to that point. But I was thinking some things may force you back in time (like the first time you learn of it) and possibly using said special items, to allow a character to go back, but risk having to get another of said special items. I will get back to this concept on a later date. (Most of my work is time travel, Paradox, alternate reality, etc... orientated).

I'm working on a rather complex game with a wide range of stats although its concept is still in the works.

Note, that it will use the ATB Battle system.

The following stats in my game are as follows...

First off, Max HP, Max MP and TP will still be around.



Determines the actor's ability to wield heavier equipment, deal damage with melee attacks and how much weight he/she can carry (if an Actor-based inventory system

ever gets made). Similar to how a Tabletop RPG works, Strength will also influence the course of events. For example, an actor with a high Strength value could shove aside an obstacle in the way or force open a jammed door.

Weapon Power

Separate from Strength. It measures the attack power of an equipped weapon that will be augmented by either the Strength or Perception stat (If it's a melee or ranged weapon respectively).

Dexterity

Determines the ATB Charging speed for using weapons and technical skills (i.e. Using items, Stealing, Special Attacks, etc.). Could possibly also determine the accuracy of melee attacks, though I'm still thinking about it. It would also determine the chance of succeeding in events like pickpocketing an NPC or anything involving careful handwork and quick reflexes.

Endurance (Defense)

Determines the amount of damage taken from attacks and harmful status effects as well as mitigates stat penalties incurred from carrying excess weight in an actor's inventory.

Armor

Similar to Endurance, the Armor stat lessens the amount of damage taken from attacks and is added purely from worn equipment.

Would it make sense if wearing heavy, highly protective armor could somehow also make you more resilient to poison and allow you to carry heavier payloads?

Also, in case you're wondering, this is how I'm considering the default damage formula: a.atk * 4 - b.def - b.arm (for Armor) * 2 as opposed to the original a.atk * 4 - b.def * 2.

Agility

Determines ATB speed, evasion and escape rate.

Perception

Determines the accuracy and attack power of ranged attacks. Also determines the likelihood of critical attacks and the success rate in events where an actor could spot and observe something in distance or catch an enemy ambush before the party gets dropped on.

Note: The Evasion, Hit Rate, Critical Chance and other sp-parameters are still used but are all 0 by default and used as bonuses for the actors. 

My formula for the accuracy rate goes something like this:

user.hit + user.per * 2 - target.eva - target.agi for melee attacks

and user.hit + user.per * 2 - target.eva - target.agi / 2 for ranged attacks.

The Critical rate formula goes like this: user.cri + user.per / 2 - target.cev - target.def

So when an Actor uses an Aiming skill, it would raise the Hit Rate and Critical Rate as opposed to the Perception stat.

Intellect (Magic Attack)

This won't be used to determine the damage rate of Magical attacks. Instead it will determine the smartness of an actor, mainly in influencing the course of certain events or opening up dialogue choices.

Psyche (Magic Defense)

This combines the use of both the mat and mdf parameters. In my game, Psychic powers take the place of magic and while damage from most powers are mitigated by the Endurance and Armor stats, the Psyche stat mitigates damage from powers that directly target the mind. This stat also influences the charging speed of Psi powers. I feel it's justified not only from a logical standpoint but from a gameplay one as well in that Psi powers are rare and dangerous to use so excessive use is discouraged. Even non-psychic party members can at least benefit from the resistance against telepathic attacks, even though psychics can be far more resilient.

Charisma

This stat determines the chance of persuading NPC's in conversations. I'm also planning an in-battle talking system similar to Shin Megami Tensei, in which you can negotiate or interrogate human enemies but also talk to party members to provide moral support. The Charisma stat could determine not only the success rate in conversations in battle but determine the results from success. For example, if an actor with a high Charisma stat cheered up his team mate, that team mate could receive a much higher stat buff than he would if someone with a lower Charisma stat did the same thing.

So does any of this sound like it could work? Could it use a little more tweaking?

Thanks.

 

I've been pondering something for my current project. Ever since Final Fantasy VII Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals, it seems like most RPGs have some kind of "Limit Break" mechanic. I have an idea for something of the vein, but implementing it in my current project would require rewriting the functionality of spells and more rebalancing, so I figured I'd get feedback on it.

In this system, the TP meter builds solely by using spells. The amount of TP gained is [√(MP cost) x 4]. A spell that costs 4 MP gives 8 TP and a 12 MP spell gives 14 TP; higher-cost spells still give more TP, but lower-cost spells are more cost-efficient TP-wise. Once the TP meter is full, the character can Overcast a spell they have learned, enhancing its effects. Healing spells give HP regeneration for several turns afterwards, damage spells inflict more damage, buff/debuff spells affect an entire side. Overcast still consumes MP, and uses up the entire TP meter.

So,

1. Does this sound like an interesting mechanic?
2. Does the TP gain seem too low or high? Should TP also be gained via standard attacks or only magic?
3. Should the Overcast spell's MP cost remain the same as normal?

Any thoughts are certainly welcome.

I think its a good idea Lilywhite, and the player has now to make a choice about whether to build up the gauge the most efficient way possible vs use the more expensive skill that exits the battle quickly but isn't as efficient.

I say stay with magic for building the gauge for now. Maybe in testing it will prove needed for attack as well, but go with it as-is and see how it tests out.

hey guys, I've been wanting to post some of my busts art for the game I'm doing, should I post them here for feedback? Is it ok to ask for art-in-game feedback here? Thanks  :)

Hi! Right now i'm working on the different features of my project before starting to actually design the game, as I need a new (and better) computer. These last few days i've been trying to focus on the gameplay aspects, and I have a feature that I'm unsure of introducing. Instead of magic, my game uses aura as a Skill Currency, and in the world, aura is, essentially, vital energy. So I thought about making a state that activates when your MP/Aura gauge gets to a certain percentage, let's say...20%, for example. When this happens, the character would suffer the effects of lack of Aura, and his/her stats would be reduced. If you pass the 20% mark, the state disappears and everything is normal again. Some enemies and bosses would play with this concept by stealing Aura to your characters and trying to trigger this state. I think it would be something interesting, as it would add depth to the combat system and force players to think carefully how to spend their Aura to avoid this state. But at the same time, I'm not entirely sold on the concept. I feel like it's one of those ideas that sounds good in paper but in practice ends up being a disaster if not balanced properly.

Hey folks.


I'm looking for some general feedback on the magic system of my project. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do, and then I discovered one of Galv's plugins that opened up an alternative that I had always considered but never had the coding prowess to implement.


Now, I have two potential systems to choose from. I'm interested in A) hearing which one you would like better if you were playing the game; 2) suggestions for improvements to either system; C) suggestions for alternatives; or D) literally any comments on the information provided. Everything helps in these early stages.


I typed out a Google doc for another friend who is not associated with these forums, so rather than leave a gigantic 4-page wall of text here, I shall simply provide you with the link to that document here. Comments are enabled on the document; you are welcome to leave them there if you feel like it. Please note that the screenshot in the document is from Galv's demo for his MV Magic Shards plugin.


If you desire any additional information about the project's lore or systems, I will be happy to provide it at your request.

I actually like this concept a lot. When you say Skill Currency, do you mean that characters would procure equipment and items with their Aura as well?


Either way, it adds a depth to the ability system of your characters, amplifying the risk vs. reward of their skills. In addition, if Aura is also the traded currency for stuff'n'things, then it becomes even more important to think about how it's spent. Do I buy this new sword, or do I save that Aura for the next boss? Items that restore Aura become very precious (although it will be important to avoid making them so rare or so good that they become part of the Too Good to Use Club, as HCBailey would say).


You're right that it would require a lot of testing to ensure balance. Especially with enemies that can actively steal Aura, as you suggested. It would be easy to accidentally gimp your players so hard that they cannot progress.


There's also another direction of depth for abilities or states that require the Low Aura state and the diminished attributes that go with it. Do I risk letting my team fall into that state in order to gain such and such a benefit? That kind of thing.


All in all, I'd be excited to try it out.

It sounds like magic is an important part of your world, so you should stick with gaining TP solely through magic attacks. The specific TP gain sounds spot-on, although you should still experiment with formulas to find the exact one that gives you the desired results, and test your formulae thoroughly with all kinds of numbers to see what kind of behaviour it displays. For example, at exactly 625 MP cost (and above), the character gets a full TP bar to Overcast the next turn. You may never program a spell that costs so much, and perhaps your characters will never obtain that much base MP, but that's the kind of thing you want to keep track of and a reason to test the formulae with all kinds of numbers.


Given that the Overcast spell requires a build-up and then complete discharge of a character's TP, I believe the MP cost of the spell should remain the same--the additional cost of the additional effects is already achieved through the time and resource cost of the TP bar. Casting low-level spells may take an entire fight--or multiple fights--to access the Overcast, and high-level spells will put a lot of stress on the character's MP for the few turns it takes to build up.


Oh, and yes, this sounds like an interesting mechanic. Very much so.

Hopefully this is the right topic to post in (using this site can be rather overwhelming). I'm starting work on a VX Ace game (your standard medieval fantasy RPG), and I want players to be able to see their characters in some way. Basically I'm missing the XP battle system where you could see attacks on your characters rather than the faster paced, more confusing VX method of briefly tossing a line of text up.


But I'm not sure how to go about altering the battle system, both in terms of choosing what style to go with and choosing one of the bewilderingly many scripts I should use. I recall that the last time I was active on this site most people favored side-view battles, but I'm not sure I want to go with that since it seems like it would be more work, and if I recall correctly the resources are more limited. Using front-view battlers or faces/busts seems more likely. Does anyone have any recommendations to make regarding what style and script to use?

wow everytime I come back I slowly get back into the epic groove I once had... ;)


Now im making a weird skill system I just don't have the ui for it.


I need a setup for a skill page where there's a couple of bars one bar is the general skill xp bar which gives skill points and the other is the specialized skill bar for an individual skill... still staying by rmxp though....

Heya, a friend and I are working on our first game, based on an already existing world. Unfortunately I'm having trouble resolving one of the rules of that world with RPG-style gameplay. This wasn't so much of a problem when we were planning something more visual novel-ish with minimal combat, but we're doing a short side-story first with a lot more combat and now this needs to be resolved. So I'm wondering what you would think of this.


Context first...


The RULE - magic is dangerous. It upsets reality, and can cause terrible accidents. So should someone screw up in the act of casting magic, due to haste, fury, exhaustion or just carelessness, they 'overload' and are banished to a dead alternate dimension called the Hollow. In the past this meant certain death. These days the emergency services can lead rescue expeditions into the Hollow to bring back anyone trapped, but the survival rate is still not high at all.


This rule is non-negotiable. It's the backbone of the plot of the game, in many ways. But it conflicts with mages throwing around fireballs in heated combat, because you'd think that would lead to someone overloading at some point.


So here's my idea...


Characters have MP as usual, and spells cost MP. However characters can continue to cast spells even if they do not have the MP for it.


This would bring them into negative MP. And when you are in negative MP, each time you cast a spell, there is a chance to overload based on how far into -MP you are.


MAYBE: This will be displayed as a % chance instead of the MP cost in the menu. Currently thinking it's simply 0% at 0MP, and 100% at -MaxMP.


MAYBE: The party gets one "near miss" per battle, where an overload will be averted.


MAYBE: Certain status effects increase or decrease the chance of overload.


If a character does overload, it's instant game over. The story does not support mounting a rescue, it's just not possible, and the story cannot continue without all the characters.


PROBABLY: If a character overloads, the player is given the choice to load a save or immediately restart the battle.


I would mostly likely attempt to balance the game around characters never needing to overspend their MP.


Instant game overs are kind of a crummy mechanic, but I can't think of any other way it could work. I really do want overloading to be a part of combat, or it won't make sense to me, but I don't want to be overly punishing toward the player.


Do you think this gives the player enough chances to avoid overload?


Does it sound like something players might risk taking a chance on, if they're in a tough spot?


Thanks.