CAG Amateur Developer's Thread

CheapLikeAFox

CAGiversary!
Feedback
1483 (100%)
Hey guys,

With the recent bundling of a few of these software programs, figured it'd be a good time to start a thread where us wanna be devs can talk to each other, discuss things, float ideas, help each other, etc.

 
I'll go first, I got RPG Maker to mess around with, but I don't really play too many RPGs, so my question - what makes a good RPG?  What makes a good combat system?

 
boobs and hipster themes like autism 

also add characters with horn rimmed glasses....make them unemployed writers too..

that should be a good start

 
you take what i said...a large breasted girl with Autism, that's an unemployed writer...call it To Uranus and you'll be featured in indie bundles with people singing praises here

you dont even need combat...just a shitty story

 
I'm going to make an RPG about making an indie game, getting it bundled in order to garner Greenlight votes, then change my game and claim that because it is new, no steam keys for you! The final battle will be with the internet nerds raging at me.

Coming to a bundle near you in 2014.

 
Make sure there are no relevant choices to make. Everyone just picks the choice that lets them see boobies anyway.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I'll go first, I got RPG Maker to mess around with, but I don't really play too many RPGs, so my question - what makes a good RPG? What makes a good combat system?
My suggestion is to completely ignore things like mechanics, sound, graphics, etc. Come up with an overarching plot, then slowly fill in details, storyboard, then dialog. Once you have that, then it should be easy to decide on the combat system (traditional JRPG, ARPG, tactical RPG, etc) because it will be the one that most seems fitting.

 
TRPG/SRPG usually features a bigger cast, due to it having more party members. Normal turn based RPGs usually only has 3-4 members in a party. That might play a role in what you pick, since there's a lot of CAGs.

 
I would say if you're going to make an RPG, the best thing would be to play a few and take away what you felt was the best part of the game you played.  For me, my absolute favorite is Final Fantasy 4, and the best thing about it is the storyline.  I've never been much of a big fan when it comes to combat, I'm more of the "Press X to Jason" type:  Battle starts > tap X to keep attacking until battle is over > Continue game.

I've been using RPG Maker on and off for almost a year now.  I feel it's a great tool to be able to make the type of RPGs I fell in love with, particularly old-school NES/SNES types like the Final Fantasy/Dragon Warrior series.  My only setback, and the reason I haven't put out a game yet, is because my art skill have dropped off drastically since I finished high school all those many years ago, and I'm not a composer.  I'm more of a storyteller, so creating the actual adventure is my thing.  And far as I'm concerned, stock graphics and music are nice if all you strive for is a game your friends are going to play, but custom graphics and music are what will differentiate your game from all the others.

But really, a storyline filled with creativity, humor, and even drama goes a long way.  And more than anything, perfect spelling and grammar is key in a game where 95% of it is reading.

 
I would say if you're going to make an RPG, the best thing would be to play a few and take away what you felt was the best part of the game you played. For me, my absolute favorite is Final Fantasy 4, and the best thing about it is the storyline. I've never been much of a big fan when it comes to combat, I'm more of the "Press X to Jason" type: Battle starts > tap X to keep attacking until battle is over > Continue game.

I've been using RPG Maker on and off for almost a year now. I feel it's a great tool to be able to make the type of RPGs I fell in love with, particularly old-school NES/SNES types like the Final Fantasy/Dragon Warrior series. My only setback, and the reason I haven't put out a game yet, is because my art skill have dropped off drastically since I finished high school all those many years ago, and I'm not a composer. I'm more of a storyteller, so creating the actual adventure is my thing. And far as I'm concerned, stock graphics and music are nice if all you strive for is a game your friends are going to play, but custom graphics and music are what will differentiate your game from all the others.

But really, a storyline filled with creativity, humor, and even drama goes a long way. And more than anything, perfect spelling and grammar is key in a game where 95% of it is reading.
i dont think you understand the point of this thread

 
Have an evil spirit make a game that makes even less sense than the average Final Fantasy fan game. Anyone that plays the game will then recieve a phone call from the evil spirit in real life. In this phone call, the spirit will state that the player has 7 days to live.  It is then the goal of the player to solve the mystery of why the evil spirit made the game and why it wants to kill anyone that plays the game before time runs out. Failure will result in the death of the player. A real unfortunate event for the hikikomori that played the game in the first place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTIXR29l3WE

 
Last edited by a moderator:
i dont think you understand the point of this thread
I see what the thread has turned into, of course, but considering I've seen Fox using RPG Maker on Steam, I figured his idea as originally posted was genuine. If it was truly in jest, then I stand corrected.

 
I see what the thread has turned into, of course, but considering I've seen Fox using RPG Maker on Steam, I figured his idea as originally posted was genuine. If it was truly in jest, then I stand corrected.
nah i was joking just based on how everybody responded. i actually would be interested in seeing what different people value in rpgs

 
Just because Fox started it as a joke doesn't mean people can't use it to talk about making games with other CAGs.

I see what the thread has turned into, of course, but considering I've seen Fox using RPG Maker on Steam, I figured his idea as originally posted was genuine. If it was truly in jest, then I stand corrected.
I actually didn't start it as a joke and was serious about it, not that I mind the humor in the thread, but the original intent of it was serious since I saw a lot of people who got the RPGMaker from the recent Humble and the GameFactory from Bundlestars.

 
In all seriousness, there have been articles written on rpg maker.net on this topic by a man named Ketona. Here's the link:

http://rpgmaker.net/users/kentona/articles/ . Part 1 decribes several motivations of why people play rpgs. If you are interested, you can read the articles, although I would read them with an open mind because it is too easy to get locked into a one track mind on how to do things after reading how to guides, reducing your natural creativity.

 
I actually didn't start it as a joke and was serious about it, not that I mind the humor in the thread, but the original intent of it was serious since I saw a lot of people who got the RPGMaker from the recent Humble and the GameFactory from Bundlestars.
Oh, in that case, I am actually making a game in Unity. It is tough at first, but once you learn what most of the stuff does, it is a great tool. I am experimenting with mazes in first-person and just about to add melee and zombies.

If anyone is unable to pick up this Humble Weekly for some reason and wants RPG Maker VX Ace, let me know.

 
Oh, in that case, I am actually making a game in Unity. It is tough at first, but once you learn what most of the stuff does, it is a great tool. I am experimenting with mazes in first-person and just about to add melee and zombies.

If anyone is unable to pick up this Humble Weekly for some reason and wants RPG Maker VX Ace, let me know.
I'm interested in Unity, but I think I'll play with Game Factory first since it uses Unity and then see about transitioning. Is there a full access demo for Unity or do you have to purchase or subscribe to play with it?

 
To expand my posting further, you should probally start by making a fairly short game. 1-3 hours long, possibly. With this short amount of time, not only will you have a higher chance of completing your game, but your game will be higher quality because you can focous on a few high quality maps, characters, puzzles and combats instead of a large ammount of dull ones.

 
Expanding on DragonClaw's above post about short games; not only should your first game be short, but don't try to create the best possible game in your first attempt.  In most cases, your first game is going to be the "I'm really just learning how to use the program" game.  I made about six RPGs back in the late '90s/early 2ks.  Although people still loved it, the first one was incredibly short, and the knowledge I gained making that one helped me make my subsequent longer ones.

For learning VX ace, I suggest following the tutorial linked on this page.  It's extremely good and the game creation walkthrough will teach you most everything you need to know to create a basic game.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Who's to say you can't make a game and do some satire at the same time? I love DLC Quest exactly for this reason. It takes a ridiculous situation in the gaming community and pokes fun at it.

 
I'm interested in Unity, but I think I'll play with Game Factory first since it uses Unity and then see about transitioning. Is there a full access demo for Unity or do you have to purchase or subscribe to play with it?
You can use the free version until your game makes $100,000 a year. The free version has most of the features the pro one has. Game Factory is more just for building assets for your game and then putting it in Unity, which I am going to look into next. Right now, I am just running around a world with a bunch of cubes.

 
Who's to say you can't make a game and do some satire at the same time? I love DLC Quest exactly for this reason. It takes a ridiculous situation in the gaming community and pokes fun at it.
The problem with something like DLC Quest is it's only good as a parody; as an actual game there's no substance to it. I think it's definitely possible to find a good middle ground between satire and something serious, but generally people go entirely toward one side or the other because it's easier. About the closest thing I've seen to striking a good balance would be stuff like the parody ads in Guacamelee, or NPCs that are obvious riffs on classic gaming cliches (which you can see in a lot of games). It's a pretty hard balance to pull off though, so I'd definitely advise up and coming developers not to try to force it (which I've seen far too often fall completely flat).

 
The problem with something like DLC Quest is it's only good as a parody; as an actual game there's no substance to it. I think it's definitely possible to find a good middle ground between satire and something serious, but generally people go entirely toward one side or the other because it's easier. About the closest thing I've seen to striking a good balance would be stuff like the parody ads in Guacamelee, or NPCs that are obvious riffs on classic gaming cliches (which you can see in a lot of games). It's a pretty hard balance to pull off though, so I'd definitely advise up and coming developers not to try to force it (which I've seen far too often fall completely flat).
Not sure if you'e played it yet, but I think South Park does a really good job of making fun of video games and being a fun game at the same time.

 
Ideas ideas ideas. I'm full of ideas. Stuff I'd absolutely love to do.

Then I get home and decide that I've got games I'd rather play instead and everything goes on the back burner.

WTB free time.
 
HujTbLC.png

First screenshot from my platforming game. Working title is Ding Dong Jump Jump.

 
I didn't even notice this linked from the Humble bundle page:

Indie Game Maker Contest

I saw that, but less than a month to make a game?
Yeah, a month is not much time at all. How long do those Mojang bundle/game jams last? They have a team working on things for 2-3 weeks and still come out with shitty games. I'm barely learning everything so no chance for me.

HujTbLC.png

First screenshot from my platforming game. Working title is Ding Dong Jump Jump.
Nice legs. E-Peen Leapfrog Platformer?

 
Yeah, a month is not much time at all. How long do those Mojang bundle/game jams last? They have a team working on things for 2-3 weeks and still come out with shitty games. I'm barely learning everything so no chance for me.

Nice legs. E-Peen Leapfrog Platformer?
Ummmm... yes?

Is that ding dong jumping right there?
Ding Dong is a state of mind! Jump! Jump! is what Kris Kross'll make ya.

 
Some good advice in here. I'll echo the "keep your game short and simple" thing. The game I worked on for a month or so (spent loads of time on it, then sorta got burned out) is going to be part of an episodic series for that very reason. When you set your sights so high as a new developer, it's easy to get lost and burnt out.

Keep things simple, and that means keeping your events simple. We all know how nice it is to see elaborate scenes where lots of things are happening, characters moving around and lots of special effects and what not, but I'd strongly advise going for something closer to the original Dragon Warrior/Quest game, where you basically just set off on a quest and get stronger, move further into the world and fight new enemies, find new shops and equipment, etc. It's simple and yes, it can be boring, but your first game doesn't need to be amazingly fun, it's a stepping stone. The problem is when you make the game more complicated with lots of things going on, making it more "cinematic", you're going to need to bone up on using a lot of complicated switches, which are difficult to deal with at first.

Anyways, I should really get back to my game... Like Kain said, I also keep my games simple as far as mechanics go and put a lot of work into the dialogue and story. I make a lot of my own art resources too, and have a friend who I might hire for character art if I ever have the money for it... It would be nice to have money to make things great.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have 3 weeks before starting my new job out of college. Just enough time to learn enough to make a rudimentary game in RPGMaker I hope. Seems pretty easy so far, but I've barely touched anything beyond making characters and basic maps. 

 
Spent about 20 hours working a game so far. They are really easy to make, but time consuming. My play testers have been able to finish the current released build after about 30 minutes (not including side bosses). Still have to add a lot of stuff. After I finish this "tutorial game", I want to make something that's actually good and not full of friendly inside jokes.

Anybody elses' games have a large file size? Almost up to 500mb without RTP. With RTP it is even bigger. Would deleting all the crap in the database that I'm not using lower the size? The last version took forever to upload (little over 500mb). The next release will have at least 3x more content and I'm not looking forward to that upload. Are there any tricks to making it smaller?

I think the file size is also making the game take a long time to save. 30-60 seconds every time I save, which can be annoying when testing a new feature because the game needs to save every time you test a change.

EDIT: I will be back with questions.

EDIT2: Is it possible to turn off encounters for an area after the boss in that area has been defeated? (Side/Hidden Quest) I have a garden filled with rabbit guards/mages and 1 elder rabbit boss. The quest is to stop the rabbits from eating an NPC's crops by killing the rabbit elder and bringing the head to him. The elder has a 1% chance to spawn He gives you a staff when you bring him the head. I got the quest working up to where you get the staff. Now the problem is making it so the rabbits stop attacking in that area.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
The last game that I made was 'Just Shoot' which is more of a mod of CUBE 2.

https://justshootgame.wordpress.com/

This was really me and some friends fucking around and we made an update to it but it's not ready for the masses.

I am now learning HTML 5 and Python. Working on a run and gun platformer which I am doing the art for.

 
EDIT2: Is it possible to turn off encounters for an area after the boss in that area has been defeated? (Side/Hidden Quest) I have a garden filled with rabbit guards/mages and 1 elder rabbit boss. The quest is to stop the rabbits from eating an NPC's crops by killing the rabbit elder and bringing the head to him. The elder has a 1% chance to spawn He gives you a staff when you bring him the head. I got the quest working up to where you get the staff. Now the problem is making it so the rabbits stop attacking in that area.
Easiest way to accomplish this... After defeating the elder rabbit boss, add an event to turn off all random encounters. You can find this on Event Commands tab 3. Under "System Settings" > " Change Encounter..." Simply disable it.

On your transition from that garden to a different map, simply add the event to enable encounters again. On your transition from other maps to the garden, call a Conditional Branch check to see if the elder rabbit has been defeated. If so, Disable Encounters, if not, Enable Encounters.
 
Easiest way to accomplish this... After defeating the elder rabbit boss, add an event to turn off all random encounters. You can find this on Event Commands tab 3. Under "System Settings" > " Change Encounter..." Simply disable it.

On your transition from that garden to a different map, simply add the event to enable encounters again. On your transition from other maps to the garden, call a Conditional Branch check to see if the elder rabbit has been defeated. If so, Disable Encounters, if not, Enable Encounters.
Thanks, I'm trying it out now. I'll edit with my results in a few minutes.

EDIT: Previously I thought disable encounters was only for that 1 square. You should've seen the stuff I was trying a few days ago. There were events all over the place.

I wasn't able to do exactly what you were suggesting, but I was able to do a little more complicated variation with your help. I didn't see any enemies in the dropdown menu when I went to "Conditional Branch > 3 > Enemy ..... is > State 001: Death Inflicted" then disable encounters, which is what I think you were suggesting. However I was able to make 2 events. One that said if head is in inventory then disable encounters and one that said if staff (quest reward) is in inventory then disable encounters.

A few minutes turned into almost an hour with all the saving and testing. I hate how long it takes to save.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
bread's done
Back
Top