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Posted: Mar 05 2010 01:23 am

So, I have been working for the last 2 weeks on a RPG game, that is a throwback to the glory days of the SNES. The game is called "Teymourna: Legend Of Knyte" (No, I am not in it. The name "Knyte" was originally a character from my fantasy stories, which this game is based on.)

After about 30 hours of work, I have about 30 minutes of playable game. But, then again, I am Writing, Scripting, Designing, and doing some of the game's Artwork and Sprites.

The game is being written in Ruby, and uses the RPVX engine. (RPG Maker VX) The game does not take itself too seriously, and makes nods to other games in it. I am trying to keep the writing simple, much like the simple translations of the SNES' Final Fantasy games. Though, for plot reasons, the dialog can drag on in spots.

I would love for you guys to try it out, and tell me what you think. What I am looking for from you guys:

1. Is the game fun?

2. Is the game balanced? Are there enough encounters? Are they too hard/easy? Is it too easy to level and make money?

3. Are there any bugs? Anything seem out of place or wrong? Where? What happens?

4. Does the story seem intriguing? Should a scene be changed? Does something need to be added or removed?

Notes: This is an ALPHA build. Known issues:

I changed the Main Characters' face graphics recently (Instead of 1 for each character, I made 4, so the characters can have more expression while talking. I still need to go back and replace some of the earlier scenes with the updated faces.

The game will end after the boat ride to Dravoria. You will arrive at port, and there is nothing else you can do. This is the stopping point I chose for the Alpha release to guys, as it was kinda like the close of the 1st chapter.

If you want to give it a try:

You can download it here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TACN72LJ

It is a self installing file. It is 42.2MB in size.

System Requirements:

Minimum
Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 2000 / XP / Vista
1.0 GHz Intel(R) Pentium(R) III equivalent or higher processor
256MB of system RAM
640x480 or better video resolution
50MB available hard disk space
Sound card (necessary)

Recommended
Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP / Vista
PC with 2.0 GHz Intel(R) Pentium(R)4 equivalent or higher processor
512MB of system RAM
1024x768 or better video resolution
50MB available hard disk space

Once the game starts you can hit "F1" to change settings and see the controls. Also, hitting "SHIFT+ENTER" will make the game full screen.

Thanks!

Posted: Mar 05 2010 02:03 am

Well, can you reduce the random encounters in any way? It's nice, but every two steps makes me want to stab my computer in what passes for its eye. I'm on a laptop that doesn't believe the F keys should do anything else than tell you things, so I can't use the settings or know the controls. so I'm flying blind. I know enter and X, so I think I'm okay.

Holy fuck I think I love this game.

No bugs so far, but I'll update when I find one. For now, GAMING!

When your sister meets you, it should be "nice to finally meet you, not final.

During the speech about what happened, advantage, not advangtage.

It's good. I really like it. Very well done. Money's pretty easy to get, yeah, but mostly because of the encounters being every step.

Posted: Mar 05 2010 02:13 am

Basically there are only the arrow keys and 3 buttons:

SPACEBAR / Z / ENTER = Confirm / Select Button
X / ESC / Numberpad 0 = Cancel / Open Party Menu
SHIFT = Run

Posted: Mar 05 2010 02:26 am

LowEndLem wrote:

When your sister meets you, it should be "nice to finally meet you, not final.

During the speech about what happened, advantage, not advangtage.

It's good. I really like it. Very well done. Money's pretty easy to get, yeah, but mostly because of the encounters being every step.

"final" to "finally" = Fixed.
"advantage" = Fixed.

Which areas does there seem to be too many encounters? World Map, Forest, or Tower? Or all 3?

Posted: Mar 05 2010 02:51 am

I'm going to try this out. By the way, you need any music? I know a guy...

UsaSatsui's Youtube Channel · Posted: Mar 05 2010 10:23 am

Rycona, you're still supposed to be working on something for Fernin and me. :p

I'll take a look at this thing later.

Joined: May 22 2008 Location: Goshen, VA Posts: 6544

Currently downloading it. Stoked to check it out, Knyte.

Posted: Mar 05 2010 01:30 pm

The too many encounters were in the first part. I didn't get much further than your family joining the party, I had to go do shit for people.

Posted: Mar 05 2010 02:26 pm

So far, the encounter I agree the ratio is too high.

The dialog is a little cheesy and cornballish but it has a charm to it.

I might have found a glitch, I went to the castle right after I met the first woman. I talked to the king and got the quest to find Bogart or something like it. With in it there were four party members. If possible can you do a time event to prevent an early quest activation like this?

Posted: Mar 05 2010 03:03 pm

I think instead of the summoner saying he keeps a dagger hidden, he could say 'Taste the blade of my dagger.' Or Rose could just say 'Look out!'

When Kalen attacks the demons, the battle animation appears over Kalen.

Dialogue: "You slain one my daughters."

Dialogue: "Even then they only had the posisitions as something to do.

I don't think barrels and boxes should disappear when you find something in them, but that's just my opinion.

You probably shouldn't carry over your gold from 800 years ago. I was able to buy all the best gear in the first town right away.

Dialogue: "So we a couple of the other boys just charged right in to attack." "There's a leason there lads."

Dialogue: Salantra: "Not only that, but you are all capible in your skills." "It just needs to be controled."

A lot of this dialogue by the mother is unnecessary. We just watched it all take place. A simple "Holy warrior was angered when his goddess took his wife so he tried to kill himself... angel and demon blood mixed...." The immortal stuff is news to us, so it can stay.

Vargas stole the feathered hat I equipped him with! That bastard!

Lastly , I agree that the opening scene has too many encounters. Seeing as they are just squashes anyway, I think one or none would be better. And they shouldn't award any gold. I don't want to be rich at the start if I'm some backwater guard.

I just left town with my family, so there will be more to come.

Posted: Mar 05 2010 04:35 pm

Thanks guys, this is a great help!

I made a note about the gold carry over issue, and forgot to correct it. Just need to go into the Intro Script and strip all items and gold before transfering control to Artanious.

I had a feeling that Sal's story would become redundant. It was in first, and then I had the idea to have you witness it, by making it a playable intro.

Got lot's of spell checking still to do, I see.

Posted: Mar 09 2010 03:21 pm

Some of these points are just tihngs that stood out to me. If they are deliberate, please ignore.

Spell description: "Sleep - Sleeps all enemies" If that's on purpose, it's kind of funny.

Descriptions of Chain mail, Magic water, Dispel herb need to be capitalized.

Magician's ring description says it increases "Mind".

Overlap of armor in the two stores in Crownport.

Piano player: "I like a nice tune, if yer forced too." ... huh?

The middle barrel to the left of the magic shop disappears when clicked on, but doesn't say anything.

King: "I hope you find, Bomart." Superfluous comma.

After a successful Body Attack, it says "[character] has stunned"

I feel battles occur too often in the forest before the tower. I entered at levels 2 and 5, and got to the tower at levels 6 and 7.

We need some dialogue telling us that Salantra holds the party back from intervening with Bomart.

Salantra: "And, then, when the time is right..." I don't think you need the first comma.

After the cut scene with Bomart, the Magic water and the Potion in the box and barrel came back. To see if they came back each time I reentered the room, I went back into the library. All the sprites except for hero and villain were just standing there. And yes, the items do respawn every time.

Enemy encounters could be a little more frequent inside the tower.

More to come at a later time.

UsaSatsui's Youtube Channel · Posted: Mar 09 2010 11:48 pm

I'm just outside the castle there, I'll play more later, but my comments so far...I think it has a ton of potential. The story is VERY interesting, and I like the game. There's a few things that I would change that I think would make it a better game.

Everyone else is right, the random encounter rate is WAY too high. If you want more encounters going from place to place, increasing the size of the world map may help.

I would completely rework the prologue. You're playing the super-character, so the random encounters just slog things down. And his only having one command sucks. I'd flesh him out a bit...give him a couple of kick-ass moves, preferably some that the main characters are going to get later on, and turn the prologue into a semi-tutorial. Take away the random encounters, and instead use a couple of fixed encounters, and use them for an excuse to show off the game. Examples: "Hmm, there's an orc up ahead. Should be easy. *slash*" "Now here comes a bunch of imps. Time for my Hit Everything Special". "Ah, Ice Weasels. I should get my fire spells ready". "I'm falling behind. I should hurry up by sprinting (press SHIFT)".

Make the Darklord a bit more dangerous, maybe with a special attack of his own. Give Kalin a healing spell or two to compensate. It should be easy, but not a cakewalk, and certainly not entirely up to luck (it seems like a string of misses, and game over). And by all means if we fight the demon, we should also be able to fight the angel.

Consider cutting the prologue off after the suicide, maybe after a some sort of power-surge "What is happening?" moment. You want the player to know -something- happened, but giving too much away too early on is a bad thing.

Vargas joins, does nothing, then leaves. If you're supposed to be on "patrol", why not go patrol something? That dwarf had a cool story about an ogre in a cave. It sounds like the perfect place for two young bored warriors to check out, gain some items and XP...in other words, a quick newbie dungeon. When you finish it, then the rest of the family can show up when you get back to town.

Wandering NPCs need more useful things to say.

Vald said it, but I have to repeat it: WAY too much exposition from Mom. I'm talking Kojima-type levels. And we just played through it too. I don't see any reason for Salantra to tell the whole story...in fact, it's probably better that she doesn't know the whole story herself. Again, giving too much away now hurts your ability to throw in surprises later.

Magic is too cheap, though I admittedly haven't gone into a dungeon without easy access to recharging. I'd consider adjusting the amounts, cheap magic can ruin a game (see FF Dawn of Souls).

Poison enemies? Two different kinds? Right off the bat? Seriously? If you're gonna do that, at LEAST give one of the sisters a poison-curing spell right off the bat. Poison is annoying.

That's all I can think of. The system is pretty solid, the enemies were enough of a threat, it doesn't look like grinding will be much of an issue. I'll play around with it more when this headache goes away.

Posted: Mar 10 2010 12:06 am

UsaSatsui wrote:

Vargas joins, does nothing, then leaves. If you're supposed to be on "patrol", why not go patrol something? That dwarf had a cool story about an ogre in a cave. It sounds like the perfect place for two young bored warriors to check out, gain some items and XP...in other words, a quick newbie dungeon. When you finish it, then the rest of the family can show up when you get back to town.

This... I spent a bunch of gold on Vargas only to have him leave. Take suikoden for example: you've got Ted who you will never have for the rest of the game aside from the first two dungeons. You give him equipment because you know he is going to use it.

I have to agree with the Ogre in cave story, since it was just as intriguing as some of the other parts. Blank my head from the prologue and getting a story like that would be a good launch off point. Say go into the woods and find the cave there...

Also, what is the little wooden stuff across from the castle?

Posted: Mar 10 2010 09:49 am

Valdronius wrote:

Piano player: "I like a nice tune, if yer forced too." ... huh?

Monty Python - Cheese Shop

Shop Keeper: "I though you were complaining about the basuki player."
Customer: "Heaven forbid, I am one you delights in manifestations of the tarpsincarean(?) muse."
Shop Keeper: "Come again?"
Customer: "I like a nice tune, if yer forced to."
Shop Keeper: "So he can keep on playing?"
Customer: "Most certainly. Now then, some cheese please my good man."

Title: Pretty Sweet Guy Joined: Oct 21 2009 Posts: 139

Dialogue is a tad cheesy. Too many random encounters in the starts. Needs more variations in the character portrait (Kalen has happy portrait at inappropriate times.) I know these are points that have already been pointed out and its still in alpha. Overall I enjoyed it.

EDIT: It's almost like cheating!

Joined: Aug 04 2009 Posts: 2515

Right i had a stab at it. I'm not done playing yet but i have a few comments to make so far.

Like people have already said there are too many encounters - in the dungeon at the start and the overworld later on, the forest wasn't too bad.

Yeah the dialogue is a bit cheesy but i lol'd when the angel was attacked - "good thing i keep a dagger handy".

I found a spelling mistake i don't know if it's noted - "posisitions" - after the 800 years later and vargas is just mentioned that spelling mistake is there.

Some sort of nit-picking things now,

Why in reedport is there an inn when you can rest in your own room.

It seems a bit too easy to get poisoned. In my first battle both Artanious and Vargas were poisoned nearly instantaneously. It would be good at the start if items to cure could be readily available.

The prices of items in the shop could maybe be balanced? Stimulant is 250g, potions are 50g and heal 500hp - which is nearly all your hp - could this be made less for more challenge? You could even say you don't need stimulant when the towns are so close and you can heal there for 10g?!

At the start i thought that the Crownport was that village to the south of "actual" Crownport the castle and i couldn't get in. Maybe some explanation of why you can't go there instead of being able to stand on top of it and not get in.

Also in the shops all the items seems to be able from the start i.e. the expensive armor is available to be bought - why does it need to be? Can you introduce it later on since you can't really even afford it at the time anyway. Maybe introduce the more expensive stuff in and phase the cheaper weaker armor weapons etc. out.

When you first meet the mage in Crownport castle the mage and the other person walk into you looking like they are in your party.. but they aren't in your party so there is no explanation as to why i should be going to the tower and fortress = it isn't made really clear why i am going there.

At the start of the game as well it wasn't really clear where to go - maybe i was to busy looking for spelling mistakes to notice!

Here's a big problem, maybe you haven't implemented it yet but there are no items for use in the battles. I was stunned - no way to heal stun - no item menu to use cure even if there was a stun heal.

I was fighting wisps which were overpowered as hell. One of my characters was stunned and i couldn't heal it and then the other one was killed and i was left with the stunned one - sort of a trap really.

I bought some stimulants but what use are they to me if one of them dies in battle and i can't revive them? All i could do was stand there and die. The odds are automatically against you if you lose one person and you can't revive them.

Yeah i hope i'm not being too harsh. I think it's a good concept and the story is intriguing but above where my first impressions in the game.

Title: Sonic Boom! Joined: Apr 21 2010 Posts: 30

I can't even find Bogart Sad

Joined: Nov 03 2006 Posts: 763

"You may want to spare me demon, but i will not spare you."

Anyway I liked it all was intriguing and intersting... I went to the town and went straight to the king, and it magically looked like I had 4 people in my party when i only had 2 (me and vargus). I saved at that point, and I didn't leave town to try and find Bogart yet. I realized I shouldn't have spammed escape on all those encounters on the start, if the gold carries over lol... couldn't buy much in the new place.

Posted: Jun 25 2010 10:57 am

I would really like to continue on this project, but I am finding that the bigger the game gets, the time and effort multiplies greatly.

The alpha demo that I released was about two weeks of work. (roughly 40 hours) And, that was for what? 30 minutes of play time?

I need to find a team or something to help me.

Posted: Jun 25 2010 01:55 pm

Knyte wrote:

I need to find a team or something to help me.

I've never programmed in Ruby before, but I have done BlitzBasic, C#/XNA, and C++/OpenGL, so I imagine learning the capabilities and syntax wouldn't be difficult. I'm good for ideas too. If you want some help, let me know. I don't have too much going on right now.

Posted: Jun 25 2010 03:12 pm

All you really need to do is buy a copy of RPG Maker VX.

90% of programming the game is done through it, with ruby scripts added in to change the battle system and such.

Joined: Nov 03 2006 Posts: 763

If you post dialogue scripts on here as you update the game... I'd probably be willing to give suggestions, on scenes or dialogue, or minor story line thoughts. It'll be your story, but i'd give you feed back.

A site like Addictinggames.com might be able to use it or somethign i don't know... For me those games are a tough sell if you want a lot of people to play it, since so much crazy stuff out now. But as a fun project that perhaps friends will enjoy i think it could do well.

1. Is the game fun?
Fun, so far very straightforeward, but that's fine create the "ideal path" first.. then you can add depth, and side quests... and other things.

I would say planning out a move list would be good, that will affect what encounters you can have, and when. (And trying to get creative with what moves do might be nice, and of course giving them unique graphics but that come secondary.)

2. Is the game balanced? Are there enough encounters? Are they too hard/easy? Is it too easy to level and make money?

I think the game could ause a little less encoutners, and tewak so that there is the potetnial fo rchallenging fights... make it so you can grind for people who wnat to just get trhough them.. but dont' make everythign super easy.
4. Does the story seem intriguing? Should a scene be changed? Does something need to be added or removed?

Good basic story.. always good to have a lot of events happening to keep the story involved, realistic.... and so your audience doesn't get bored. Person X can get pissed at PErson Y yadda yadda yadda... not everything will need ot focus on the gmain plot. Looks like you have a good start though.

Posted: Jun 26 2010 04:52 pm

Your comments are welcome, but please refrain from the generic obvious suggestions. We want to know what YOU think about the game, not what "people generally think about games" or "how games should generally be made." That's how games get stale.

Joined: Nov 03 2006 Posts: 763

I'll try to give more specific suggestions, I think those aboce qualities are close to essential to have in a successful rpg game of this type. But how you execute it is what makes it your game.

If you get a chance to post dialogue even in a "movie script form" be happy to give you feed back there. And maybe if you have boss fights, have saves so we can just load that save and face the boss be helpful in giving quick feedback. Or if you can give testers an option in-game to turn off random encounters so we can just explore for you.

Maybe have a move called Feint: Next attack does 1.5x it's normal damage.

Strategic/Technical reason for the move: So maybe here there is a healer, who sucks at doing damage, but if there is no one to heal the character can do the move feint, and one of the damage doers can hit hard next turn.

RP reason: The in game idea would be this character pretends they're going in for an attack, so it draws the enemies attention and leaves them open for the next attack to hit them without them expecting it.

Graphic representation: Character pulls out weapon, holds it up, it gleams then they put it back.

Gives off the impression "Omg i'm about to hit you"

Maybe make it resemble an actual attack another character does.

I realize the move list is kind of small importance in contrast to game story, but they'll matter a lot for the types and difficulties of encounters you have. The more synergy in the move sets the harder you can make encounters, if you just have basic moves then it'll be a basic fight.