Anyone ever used any of the engines to make a game/dick around or have played any games made with them? I'm currently playing through Skyborn on Steam right now, and it's pretty good, although, like a lot of the "finished" games I've played in this realm, there are bugs here and there.

If anyone is interested in checkout some of the games offered (many of them are free), go here: http://rpgmaker.net/games/

EDIT: Also, some of the games aren't even standard RPGs or RPGs at all. There are a few great horror and/or survival games (Backstage comes to mind: http://rpgmaker.net/games/809/), murder mysteries, and I'm sure others as well. There's an Mario RPG game on there that's pretty damn well done. I haven't finished it, but it seems to be in tune with the Mario-RPG style of gameplay. The only thing missing is timed attacks.

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SLC Community Project RPG Maker Idea Board (Trello)

Other links have been removed and those boards made private.

@om*d wrote:

...I do think the ease of use of the program would make it perfect for a community experience where a bunch of people could share ideas and talents and make something fun. Maybe that could be something people on these forums might be interested in? I know I would be down for a community created game...

This is what I was suggesting in the 10th Year Anniversary thread. The interface is super friendly and moving data around wouldn't be too difficult. I've looked through the event scripting for some community/over-the-net made games and it should be very feasible. If we were to do something, I would think the best option is RPG Maker 2k3. It can be downloaded for free and it is expandable with the DynRPG SDK plugin, if we wanted it.

Valdronius wrote:

I had 30-60 minutes of gameplay created once, but I got frustrated trying to make a town with an elevated platform. When I walked under a building on the upper level, it would trigger the teleport to go in the building.

I imagine that could be avoided with variables. I can't recall ATM if you can assign a variable depending on your, what I'll call, "height position" (Below, Same Level, Above), but a variable could be set with arbitrary values to represent your current height, and then if that variable is mismatched on the event page for the teleport, it won't teleport you.

I'm sure this helps you out now. ^_^

LeshLush wrote:

I had the version that came out for PS1.

Oh yes. I remember my friend and I were so excited to get it, but we were young and didn't think it through. What a clunkfest.

The Gobli game was kind of interesting though.

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I would like to state though, if anyone else is interested in contributing to such a project in some way, let me know. I may come to define roles or possible contribution methods, as those interested and inexperience may find it a daunting premise.

I had started work on a game that takes place in a world where those who were not buried properly become wandering spirits. The main character don't realize it at first, but there are clues. They end up meeting other spirits that are whacked out (consider the types of people whose bodies would not likely be tended to), but some end up being trustworthy. Living folks cannot be interacted with, but you can hear what they're thinking, and I was thinking that physical objects would be immovable and impassable (requires contradictions in consistency that need to be worked out, maybe). Eventually, you would find a way to render yourself temporarily alive, as to interact with the living normally (being able to use what you learn as a mind-reading spirit) and be able to deal with real world objects. Also, I was thinking there may be some orphaned, quirky young girl/social pariah who is never believed about being able to see spirits who becomes very close and helpful to him. Also, this guy doesn't remember who he is and step-by-step uncovers his past... I'm sure you know the deal. In general, I was also thinking about having a lot of random chance events/happenings to increase replay value.

I feel like I had more ideas, but that's all I can recall right now. On the actual project, I just have a "phantom train" escape sequence involving clues to his situation with guards who will chase and attack you on sight (It evolved from me just dicking around with simulating line of sight). He stops the train and my next idea was to have him wandering through the woods trying to find civilization.

But I can hold onto this and begin anew with fresh and different perspectives and ideas or I would also be interested in any tweaks -> overhauls of my original concept.

That would be more relevant to the site. Luckily a lot of popular movies/cartoons were made into games, so the graphics are relatively already in place. Even that pop culture in only that span of around 15 years is such a huge well to draw from. If we developed a coherent enough plot, I feel like most of the game would write itself (and then destroy us after it becomes self-aware). A lot of the work would be implementation and presentation.

I'm going to spend the next week gathering resources for a pop culture project.

I'd also like to get started developing a plot of some sort. With a pop culture game, I can see a lot of the game mechanics being derived from the plot, so we can worry about those after.

I am officially greenlighting a BRAINSTORM.
That is, no idea is inappropriate. Just let 'em fly.

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To begin, I'll suggest that there be collectibles, as collecting is a staple of the pop culture experience. Now, as to what to collect?

- Cards representing pop culture items (like sports card, but with "Family Ties" on it and some background info and/or stats?
- Those items themselves (for shows, it could be "Family Ties Complete Series DVD")?
- Maybe the cards or items could have their own use outside of collection as well (like FFVIII/FFIX cards), perhaps a mini-game or something that effects in-game stats/events?

EDIT:
- The Forum, its memes, and us, its members, should appear in some way or another. I'd like to honor some of the "old guard" and other popular members who no longer frequent here as well. RegalSin and his dialogue would make a wonderful recurring boss/major enemy.

Syd Lexia wrote:

If I ever going to try again, and I might, I would probably design the game using placeholder sprites to build a sort of proof-of-concept alpha and then find someone more talented than I to come on board as art director.

That's what I plan on doing for a bit. I can do some basic pixel art stuff and I think I can do decent items, but people? Nope. Often if I begin drawing anything more than a stick figure on paper, it ends up having some kind of hovering device below the torso because I re-realize I can't draw people well, especially hands. I may be able to tweak assets good enough for some of this stuff.

Etch seems too have a talent for art. If he (I assume) is reading this, I'd like you to do some story screen akin to the style of a lot of the work you display on here. Maybe I should PM you to that effect. This wouldn't be until we have a story though.


And just so everybody knows, I'll also be listing these ideas on my computer to look over and begin assembling larger concepts as well. As we get more and more smaller ideas, we can begin fitting game mechanics together.

@om*d wrote:

An idea I had for collectibles is different game carts. The game carts would be based on actual games and you could get powers from them that relate to specific mechanics from whatever games you are currently holding. Or perhaps characters carry specific consoles (maybe one or two at a time) and you can only use games that work in those consoles, so that there is some kind of balance to the powers you could get. Maybe one handheld and one regular console at a time? That would limit characters to one or two powers at a time.

Perhaps part of a character's equipment would be media. Like you could equip a game, a movie, a book, an album, and then others and/or accessories. I can see logic for these in basic stats they generally affect:

Books -> Magic/Ability Attack: You can learn from books and increase mental perception and capacity
Album -> Magic/Ability Defense: Music can soothe the mind.
Game -> Physical Attack: Physical is left, and games are interactive.
Movie -> Physical Defense: Not interactive, and it's the last one.

Perhaps you could equip any combination of these and others (which would be more in line with choice in media), giving greater customization options for your characters. I think I would prefer this instead of traditional set slots. The logic behind set slots normally is just because the body has x places to cover. I like the idea that this lends toward pop culture-based fights apparently, possibly and back and forth over which items are cooler. The display of the fight would be more similar to traditional RPGs, I'm just talking about a possible view of what the battling represents (since your represented battle proficiency is increased by having these items of media)

Excellent, Etch. I look forward to your art once we get some story in line, but that won't be until we've worked out more of the basic mechanics.

- Maybe we'll have those willing submit x (x = ?) images for pogs.
- I was thinking maybe pogs could be repeating, except ones we deem rare, so enemies may drop pogs as well as as a reward for repeating quests.
- Merchants could accept pogs as a form of currency, most pogs being worth 1 and the rarer ones being worth more, a system like Frog Coins in SMRPG, except for the potential variations in value of a single pog.
- There would be a Pog Menu, where it tracks each type you've collected as well as totals.
- Certain pogs may be needed to unlock certain events.
- Maybe every enemy in the game has an associated pog to be collected. The enemy pogs could be randomly drop by their respective enemies, or the player could have to use a general or specific (Steal vs. "Pog Steal") action/item to get the pogs.

The Less You Know: I had to add "pog," "pogs," and "Pog" to my browser dictionary.

EDIT: My friend suggested Trello to me for use in communication and organization. I'm taking a look around it right now. If anyone else has any suggestions for this or a similar tool, please let me know. This kind of thing is a bit new to me, but I do feel it will be helpful for everyone involved.

EDIT II: I'm also considering who will have access to view our notes. While I love everybody here being involved, I also don't want to give everything in the game away to everyone... that will diminish the value of playing through the game. I think for now, as it's still very early, posting everything on here is fine, but at some point, perhap with Trello, I'd like to move primary notations off-site, again for the benefit of the end-users here.

EDIT III: I've made available on the initial post of this thread links to the boards I've set up at Trello with all of our ideas/info so far. I believe that non-members can comment on individual cards, so feel free to do so for support. Other ideas, for now, I would prefer in this thread.

Double post to bump awareness of added information.

Yea, I think I'd like to start moving things to Trello in general for now.

I'll still take move the ideas of SLC members from here to the boards, and of course, everyone will be credited. I'm keeping track of whose idea is whose; this is, after all, a community project. I will make a board with general concepts that everybody here can comment on, as well as the other public boards, though I will eventually remove those more specific boards from the public view to prevent spoilers and such. I believe anyone can comment on any cards on the links. I'm also going to add the links to my sig for greater convenience and accessibility. If anyone else believes they can make great contributions toward the project, I will consider membership to the board, which enables adding and editing of cards, but, as aforementioned*, everyone can comment on the public boards (those linked at the top and soon in my sig).

I want to appreciate everyone's patience with me, as I've never lead a project such as this before, but I'm excited to see the seeds being planted.


*that word doesn't seem right there

EDIT: Single Link to Idea Board = Success.

EDIT II: Not success, I meant . It seems that non-members of the board can't leave comments. For now, put any ideas in here, unless you think it's huge, and in that case, PM me. The board linked in my sig can still be viewed though.