FREE REQUEST - [MZ*] The Sworn Blade [Medieval Fantasy] - Recruiting

Hello RPGMaker boards

Having fiddled about with RPGMaker for about a year on my own now, I am more or less ready to dive into the deep end of things and start the production of something more "final" than my other random and personal projects.

I know my strengths and I am only all too aware of my limitations, and that is why I have come to the conclusion that if I want to take things anywhere, I need to step out of my comfort zone and seek likeminded allies. Thus I turn to you.

I have a rudimentary understanding of the program. I can write and work with various editing programs (like photoshop). I also have tons of ideas, both for plots and worlds and general game concepts, and game mechanics on the drawing board. But so, I am sure, do you - and nothing is set in stone, nor am I married to anything to the point that I cannot file for an immediate divorce if something better pops up.

What I am looking for is talented and driven people - people who, like myself, want to create something grand but find that two heads are better than one and three are better than two (unless they are placed on the same body - that is just a recipe for disaster). And should the stars align and the omens be good, then I hope we can someday develop a grand piece of fantasy together.

Edit: After a couple of productive talks with some great gents a rough synopsis has appeared. It is not final yet, and we've only just scratched the surface of world building. I've added it below

Engine: RPGMaker MZ (*Once it releases. Working in MV currently)

Progress: less than 2%

Synopsis (or prologue more likely):
After losing a battle that sees a Caledonian patrol gravely wounded they are forced to retreat and set up camp in a nearby forest. Due to the severity of the wounds taken, the patrol cannot move on so the MC sets out to scout the surroundings. During this scouting mission the MC comes across a place with a few scattered broken walls and strange murals belonging to an ancient civilisation. Not much, but a good place for a last stand.

As the MC returns the camp comes under attack by the enemy's vanguard. The attack is repulsed but it becomes clear that they have to move before the rest of the enemy forces arrive. Carrying their wounded the soldiers retreat once again - they go to the spot MC found and prepare to sell themselves dearly.

During the ensuing fight the MC falls down a hole to an underground ruin filled with strange runes.

Desperate to get back, MC manages to activate a strange orb and at the same time opens a path to the topside world once more. The MC crawls back to the surface with this news only to find that the enemy has won and his comrades are all ended or missing.

Following the fight and discovery, the MC makes his way to the capital to meet the king. There MC is rewarded for bravery and discovery.

Six months later, the MC is knighted and sent to take charge of the lands that formerly belonged to their mentor. There they are to set about building a settlement under royal orders.

But events from all those months ago return to plague the MC and the lands they come to hold dear - one way or another.

Features in the game would include:
- A settlement that grows from a camp to a bustling city, complete with shops and a church where the player gets to decide which shop types and religions he wants and unique questlines tied to each choice (for added replayability)
- Large scale combat (armies against armies). Mainly as mood-setting cutscenes, with strong narrative and conditional branches - unless we find an efficient way to do more.
- Low magic world. Magic is a forgotten thing but by searching ancient and dangerous might just uncover things that can aid you against your enemy or improve upon your way of life.
- Diplomacy and trade. A settlement needs an influx of goods to grow, engage in trade with other nations to get the resources needed to improve your men and your city. You are also not alone in wanting the secrets of the ancient ruins and your lands may find themselves targets of outside forces, so keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
- Dungeon delving and spelunking. In the ruins of the ancients powerful secrets rest. And powerful things guard these secrets in turn.
- Companion quests and development. Learn more about the men and women that serve under you. Help them and ensure their undying loyalty, or don't. Your choice really.
- More jousting than you can throw a stick at.

Positions/Roles Needed (in order of importance):

• 
  
  • Programmers: (Plugins/Scripts)
  • Artists (Skill Animators, Pixel Artists, etc.)
  • Mappers

My Role(s)/Position(s): Lead Dev, Lead Writer, Mapper, Scripter, Motivational Speaker, Organizer, Whatever else may be needed.

Did any of the above interest you? Then send me a PM and lets see where we can go from there.

Teaser from the game's current progress and state:


Characters:

I'm in! Can't wait to start working on some content ^^

Due to RL and being involved in helping two other projects at the moment not able to commit to anything. But always open to bounce around ideas and just talk :cutesmile:

Tempting, really tempting, especially since amongst your roles you put writer/world building and the main reason i have trouble sticking to just one idea is that i'm constantly brain storming by myself, so having finally an outlet for all those concepts might be nice. Unfortunately, aside from me still learning the basic of the program, i'm still doing uni and trying to work on a written project on top of that, but if you just need someone to hear your thoughts out or give an input i'm always ready to find some time to unleash some creativity.

Brainstorming is one of the most fun parts of designing something new. All the possibilities bouncing back and forth. In my previous jobs we had a lot of editorial meetings where everyone got to place their ideas on the table and then we'd discuss them in unison and pick out all the stuff that would make for great stories as well as choosing what perspective we wanted or what approaches we'd want for a particular piece.

I'd welcome anyone who just wanted to talk and bounce ideas. I plan to make a discord server for this group-project and hash out our thoughts there, so if you want to hang out with me and whoever ends up joining you'd be most welcome.


I have no qualms about bringing someone on who's only learning - I am learning things myself and trying new stuff out all the time. For example, I only started parallaxing a couple of months ago.

I've always hated when you get told that you don't have enough experience to get a job, but you cannot get the experience because no one will give you a job. Screw experience - learn while you work. It's how you become better at things.

We'll need to come up with a concept, world and story before we can start building anything. And you are welcome to join us for that. And if you only have a little time but still wish to be part of the future project, we can always figure out some way to bring you in that doesn't take up all your time. You could design and write a series of side-missions, perhaps, or work on some lore for the world that we could implement along the way. The main thing I ask for is a motivation to work on something new alongside us and a drive to make something awesome from scratch.

Cheers
- FN

Today has been a rewarding and exciting experience.

After a couple of hours of brainstorming a lot of ideas have been thrown on the table, and while some of them were scrapped (mainly because they were too complex for us to sink our teeth into as a starting project), in the end there's still a rough concept and a couple of interesting game mechanics starting to take shape here. It's also been decided that fantasy is the setting of choice for us.

It's *definitely* not too late to join in (especially if you want to take part in the process of creating a world and project from scratch). Even if you just feel like brainstorming or adding ideas to the melting pot. Throw me a PM, let us have a virtual cup o' tea and chat to see if we mesh and come join us in our little Discord group.

We can do great things together. I am sure of it!

Shameless bump.

I've added a rough outline of the synopsis/prologue that was discussed and a few game mechanics we'd love to implement to the first post.

We're one man down (leaving me with just BlueWulf to keep me company on the long cold nights) but oh so many ideas up. World building is starting to get underway, the first rough sketches of a world map (we're going to use Celianna's World Map Maker and pair it with the World Map Pluggin for overland travel) is starting to take shape.

I have also updated the first post with a few more features we are planning to include in the game.

I would *love* for someone to else to join in while we are still in this planning and pre-production stage before too much is set in stone and everything is hashed out. Come December is when my current contract ends, and I have time to invest myself much more into this project, and I plan to have as much of the world-building, lore and character backgrounds in place before that time.

Cheers,
- FN

If only you had someone bouncing around ideas with you, I bet that would help :p:guffaw:
Joking aside I hope someone joins cause there are some prettige good ideas in this project.

You have been a joy to talk with and bounce ideas with, Finn. Anytime you want to step in and help out (with more than ideas), I'll welcome you with open arms :p

Sounds interesting. Count me in if you don't mind editor-only mapping. Although I do not have too much spare time to dedicate into this, I would like to help.

Sounds great, Vinedrius. I'll send you a pm shortly :)

Life goes on and so do people. I am thus looking for others again to help with this (still unnamed) project.

The project is still very barebones, with only the first 5-ish minutes of the prologue added in using unfinished assets, but it *is* moving (even if it is at a snail's pace).

I have commissioned bust art for various characters in the game from a talented young woman in Russia, and she has delivered some amazing stuff so far (look in first post) with more to come and I've been fiddling with lore, mythology and dialogue as well as hunting for music to set the right mood for the scenes but getting things into the game and running smoothly is (and I think many will agree here) a process that takes time - especially when doing it alone. I need backup if I am ever to get anywhere with this.

So if you have interest in this project as it stands I have interest in you. Mapping, writing, scripting, music, art, whatever. PM me, join me on discord and let us see if we can't figure out something together!

Hello dear sir,
I think i could be of some use to you. Currently I'm a bit busy with work, but, nevertheless, I think I can add some value to your project.
I've read plenty of stories to the date and I've read a couple that sound similar to yours.
I like the backbone of it, personally I would change some of it, maybe make it less convenient...(MC falls through a hole to a massive teleporter).

Anyway just saying I could add something of value as an idea-bouncer and world builder.

I'll need a couple a days to take your Synopsis and give it a twist of my own

I scratch a bit of paralax too and I can also do a bit of GIMP.

Cheers

If you're looking for a colab, I can offer you a spot of mapper/puzzle creator on my team for a limited time (people come on and off the team depending on what needs to be done and personal prefference). I don't know how far you are in planning your own game and if things are comming along for you or not but you seem to be dedicated and it would be a waste if you are just waiting around for the team to fill up. You could see this offer as a 'in between' thing till you found your own team to work with.

You can contact me through pm if you like and see my project in my signature if this proposition picks your interest.

Hi Paz
I'll throw you a PM and we'll see where we take it from there, no? :)


Thank you for the offer. I believe I actually looked at your game some time ago but never got around to play more than the intro. I feel that if I was to create maps and puzzles I would be better off doing so in the game I am currently creating to get a uniform feel.

It's not that I am waiting for the team to fill up, as much as I am just moving at a snails pace on my own. Splitting my attention to multiple projects is probably not the best decision for me.

I will get around to play your game eventually though. Perhaps when I am in a rut and need a break from yanking my hair out :)

Hi there!

I'm somewhat new at JS Programming and Scripting, pretty confident in my eventing skills.

I basicly have the knowledge to make things work but dont have any good ideas and overall I'm not that creative, so I'm looking for a team or someone who is basicly my counter part :x Thought it's worth a try to join you on your team, if something like me is still needed.

Kinda want to work on a real project to practice my javascript and MV knowledge ;)

Hi there

Thanks for the response. Scripting and eventing is somewhere I know I am severely lacking and could definitely use input. I'll throw you a PM and we can see where we go from there :)

Steadily chipping away with this. Now with fresh blood and at least one second set of eyes to look through events and scripting (so that part can be tightened up and become less sloppy). Huzzah!

I am very much hoping for a wild mapper to appear. Especially someone who likes to make medieval cities or would like to try their hands at puzzle dungeons. If you read this and feel that this applies to you, then I have plenty of things for you to sink your teeth into.

Back to just me. Concept has solidified somewhat and I am in the process of commissioning character art (see first post).

If you have an interest in this and want to join up, send me a pm.