[ian-reeds-games] Re: A more in depth update
- From: "Allan Thompson" <allan1.thompson@xxxxxxx>
- To: <ian-reeds-games@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:53:52 -0400
Hi Ian,
Thanks for the answers! Although I feel a need to clarify a bit.
When I talk about the items, I am talking about equippable items, primarily
weapons, in other words kind of like having an attack skill as an item and not
a skill, or connected to a skill that handles an attack.
So, if a unit equips a longsword, for instance, the longsword in and of itself
is the skill. it has no connection to an attack skill of any sort.
Right now, If I want to include diffrent weapons to a unit, like a ranged and
melee weapon, they have to have at least one skill, like attack. But if they
have diffrent costs, and diffrent chances and effects, then I have to make
diffrent skills for each equippable weapon, which can get confusing, since they
will show up as skills, but without being equipped the skill will do little
damage etc.
So I want to remove the connecting skill totally, and allow the equippable
weapon to determine all in itself whatever it needs to do. I hope that made
sense, and hopefully that is not a huge project.
I appreciate handling the drop items thing.
I also wanted to input a little on the fight sequences for the rpg maker.
I think the two diffrent fight types, number 1 and 2 each handling their
respective types of fights could work. But I was also thinking that maybe
random maps can be avoided, if someone wants to utilize the number 2 type alone.
What I suggest is this. Why not let the adventure creator create a few dozen
random encounter maps for each environment the player will find themselves in.
They don't have to be crazy detailed, the eight by eight or ten by ten map
would be fine. Then the program would just randomly select the various maps
from that environment.
For example, if you had dungeon random encounters, the map maker could have
four diffrent small maps already created and randomly choosen from, and there
you have it. All that would be needed is for the map maker to put markers where
the party should be and where the monsters would be. , That would be neat,
cause then the characters would not show up int he same place ont he same map
the same way, but could pop up accourding to where the markers were on a map.
Extra markers, in case of henchmen and the like might be a good idea if those
kind of things are allowed.
I did get to play suikoden games 1 thru 3 and so I know what you mean by
diffrent fight sequences. Those encounters where based not on type of
encounter, meaning random or whatever, but based on number of characters
involved. If you remember, all the normal encoutners/random encounters where
one type. The army fights were handled diffrently, and then there was the
individual fight with just one character against the bad guy.
So I would suggest that the random/normal encounters all be consistent.
Meaning that they should be all number 1, or 2 or 3 as a default. If the map
maker wants to change that,then that I have no problem with. However, forcing
the random/normal encounters to be diffrent would look sloppy. I really think
consistency is key on that particular issue.
As for the army and other like conflicts, then those kind of things could be
"forced" and I don't think that would be too huge a deal since they are
special circumstances. I hope you get my drift on this.
AS for your new game, I hope it all works out. It sounds like a cross between a
Mud and swamp lol.
al
"The truth will set you free"
Jesus Christ of Nazareth 33A.D.
----- Original Message -----
From: Ian Reed
To: ian-reeds-games@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 2:34 AM
Subject: [ian-reeds-games] Re: A more in depth update
Shaun, I too think the feature of the game updating itself would be nice.
And I think you are right that there would be 2 separate versions of the
self updating game, one for stable and one for dev.
Completing the download map packs feature gets me closer to that goal
but there are still a few tricky things about updating the game in place.
I do plan on implementing it at some point.
Allan, here are answers to your numbered questions.
1 Offf hand my guess is that the items do not make a large difference.
But ultimately the way I would determine that is to test with a lot of
items and see if it causes lag, so I could be wrong.
If the lag is only during the AI's turn then my best guess is that it is
due to the large number of tiles.
This is because the AI uses a search algorithm to determine where it
should move next.
I think the lag from this search algorithm can grow somewhat
exponentially based on the number of tiles.
2 I'm trying to do better about not committing to things that are
difficult to fulfill, smile.
Preventing items from being dropped should be a reasonably easy feature
so I will make it a priority to get that out in the near term.
Items as skills is somewhat bigger and I can't commit to where it will
fall in regards to other TB features.
Now, you mean that the item could be used as a skill when it is
equipped, correct?
Maybe I can get that in without as much trouble as I first thought, it
will just show up at the top of the skills list though.
We'll see.
3 I plan on including 3 combat systems in the final RPG Maker.
The 3 are:
1 Classic Final Fantasy or Entombed style.
2 Tactical Battle style.
3 A real time combat that does not remove you from the first person
dungeon exploration. It would feel like the combat in Alter Aeon, World
of Warcraft, or Final Fantasy 12.
I'm not sure at this point which will be available first.
Option 1 requires less thought for the player than TB but has been so
successful in many classic console RPGs that I think there is something
to it's simplicity.
On the other hand I only have some very basics of it implemented so it
would take a while to flush out, though many of the files used in TB
could easily be used by it instead.
Option 2 already exists and is very well tested.
My biggest concern with it is the generation of individual combat maps
for random encounters.
At a basic level I could always put the players units on one side of an
8 by 8 map and the enemies on the other, or scattered.
Or I could allow the RPG creator to make specific battle maps and
randomly choose between them based on the area that is being explored.
I expect people will want more than either of these 2 basic setups which
would make this option more difficult than option 1 that does not need
any generated maps or intelligently but randomly positioned enemies.
In other words, the fine tuned and interesting tactical experience you
get from a hand made TB map today becomes very dumbed down when you use
it for random encounters.
Option 3 is not implemented at all yet but it is also the combat system
I have chosen for my currently unnamed title.
It feels a little more arcade like and doesn't make an amazing single
player experience but does make a very good multiplayer experience which
is how it will be used in the new title.
While my motivation on the new title survives it raises the likelihood
of this one getting done sooner rather than later.
That said, the new title is no small task and is quite some time away so
I may take breaks and come back to easier to accomplish goals at times.
I also think that the RPG Maker could support both option 1 and 2 at the
same time.
For instance, using option 1 for random encounters and option 2 for
battles between armies or battles with a boss and his minions.
Some of the Suikoden games used this kind of double battle system.
I am pretty sure that I put Craig's most up to date scripts in, but it
was a while ago so Craig will have to check and tell us for certain.
Carlos, lol, sacrificing it to your God reminds me of Alter Aeon.
I'll add the destroy_item flag for skills to my list.
Ian Reed
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