Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2005 11:20:25 GMT -5
Well, I have no story premise at all yet, but I know a few things storywise that I intend to do.
The only thing that doesn't give away too much story is that I'm aiming for 9 party members, teams of four, no one main character, all the characters are involved in the main story as well as their own (I always tend to have stories revolve around characters), the player will start out playing as a few different characters (probably 3-4) at different places in the world and their paths will intertwine till they eventually join together and such (it won't be that long till they meet up/join up with each other), and that the story will involve them splitting up or getting split up and going different paths temporarily (this makes it much easier to introduce a lot of characters and party members) (also, note that this will make a ton of the game be less than 4 party member teams and such).
All the places will be similar to Paladin's but smaller. For example, cities will be two screens worth and towns will be one. The dungeons will take about 7-10 battles to get through (the first time, event battles) and will not have as many enemies as in Paladin (probably will be around 6 normal enemies, and 1 boss enemy (not every dungeon will have a boss)), and thus are basically just on a smaller scale than Paladin. The shops will update, but there will only be one shop per place. Towns won't usually have an Equipment Shop but cities always will.
I expect a lot of characters to cross over into the new game with some changes (Nick, Kylie, Miles, Pip, Sammy, Sophia, Byron, and Isaac are some of the more likely ones). The names will change too. I decided to use semi-normal names and normal names, such as Aegir, Raizen, William, Byron, Sophia, but not Ikazuchi and Halbed (no offense intended!).
I've got a little bit of an idea for two nations in the world and one character's beginning too. It may have to boil down to trying to save something/someone in the end, but oh well, I'll still make it as good as I can.
Chrono Cross Level System: Party Members will level-up automatically upon beating a boss fight or completing a dungeon. Total, all the members will gain the same amount of times leveling-up (they'll be split up a lot). They do not have to be in the party nor alive to level-up.
Final Fantasy Tactics - Brigandine Class System: There are 27 Classes total. There will likely be 8 Abilities per Class, including the one 'Tribulation'. There are 7 'Class Trees' which involve 'Mastering' a class, and getting one or two more ones. Example: Squire -> Cavalier ->
and Squire -> Lancer -> . I will be running it manually and making a part in the custom menu for changing Classes and learning Abilities. By killing enemies your current party members gain Ability Points (AP), which is then used to learn Abilities. 'Mastering' a Class is simply learning all the Abilities it has to offer. Each party member will be able to choose/follow 1-3 'Class Trees' and will start as a certain one with moves already learned and whatnot reflecting their character.
Chrono Cross Magic System: Each character has two custom variables I control (always displayed under status in top-left corner in text boxes), a 'Skill Level' variable and a 'Magic Level' variable. Unlike Chrono Cross's, you don't equip the spells manually and you can use them infinitely per battle. 'Skills' are Abilities based on STR and 'Magic' are Abilities based on INT. Normally, every player always begins battle with a Skill and Magic Level of 4, and the max is 8. Fighters normally gain 1 to each when they do a normal attack and 3 to each when they defend, and mages normally gain 2 to each when they attack and 2 to each when they defend. Having two different ones encourages peple to use both types of abilities. Different Abilities cost different amounts of Skill Levels and Magic Levels, and reduce the variable by that much when they are performed. There is no such thing as MP. There are also 'Specials', which can be done anytime and add 2 to each for fighters and mages. Specials are usually stuff like a mage's 'Focus' type move, or a fighter's 'Cover' type move: ones that aren't too popular and wouldn't be used if they consumed something more than a turn. These normal numbers can change from equipment (and maybe other stuff?) though...
Tribulation System: Each Class has one Tribulation. The said character only has that Tribulation while they are that Class (automatically, no AP needed to be used). The twist is that Tribulations stay when moving up on a path of a 'Class Tree'. For example, in the said example of Squire -> Cavalier ->, a Squire will have the Squire Tribulation, the Cavalier will have both the Squire and Cavalier Tribulations, and the Class would have all three. Alas, in order to use a Tribulation, the party member must have at least been in battle for 8 turns (rank 1, Squire), 12 turns (rank 2, Cavalier), or 16 turns (rank 3, Class) and have/use 8 Levels of either the Skill (physically based) or Magic (magically based) Levels. Each Tribulation can only be used once per battle as well.
Quick Save System: Quick Save will temporarily save your data instantly until you turn off the machine, and thus you only have to do the slow real save once every time you play it.
Ability Info: Abilities remain on the Character all the time except for Tribulations. There will not be any Abilities that require a certain weapon to be equipped. Abilities will repeat a moderate to decent amount (not on the same path of a 'Class Tree' though) (no Tribulations are repeats either) because many characters will not be able to access the other Class(s) that share(s) some Abilities. Lastly, note that because of the way actions are entered in the DBS, the player will be responsible for choosing an Ability that that party member has enough Skill or Magic Levels for. Tribulations will only appear after the said turn amounts (8, 12, and 16) so the player is only responsible for having enough Skill or Magic Levels to use it. I will not say the exact % of STR or INT damage like I did in Paladin. Every Ability will say in their always-shown description 'X Skill Levels' or 'X Magic Levels' on the bottom line so the player will have no confusion in knowing what the requirements are.
Stat Info:
(default AGI) turn speed order = AGI (Agility)
(custom) physical attack power = STR (Strength)
(custom) physical defense power = END (Endurance)
(custom) magical attack power = INT (Intelligence)
(custom) magical defense power = MEN (Mentality)
(custom) physical/magical accuracy = ACU (Accuracy)
(custom) physical/magical evasion = DEX (Dexterity)
(custom) affects everything but turn speed order a little = CHA (Charisma)
Battle formulas will be much more simple this time around, because physical attack power is (2/3 STR + 1/3 END + 1/6 CHA), physical defense power is (2/3 END + 1/3 STR + 1/6 CHA)/2, etc. Total this gives the 7 stats others than AGI exactly 1 whole point (so-to-say) of usage, and arguably everything is perfectly balanced. Fortunately the set-up for this has already been done, and I just have some editing to do to make it. I'm not sure whether Abilities will only raise the STR and INT parts of the formula or the whole offensive power.
Element Info:
The elements are simply Fire, Ice (no Water, hard to make visuals for Water), Lightning, Wind, Earth, Holy, and Darkness; since from my experience planning Paladin those are the only easy elements for enemies to have moves for. There are also some other hidden 'elements' like Anti-(monster type) that are used for some abilities but are not counted as 'elements' to the player. Also, there is a Phys/Fire and Magic/Fire element (same with all the others), so that I can have physical fire moves too. Usually while the Magic/Fire would get, say, a 50% damage boost/reduction, the Phys/Fire would only get a 25% damage boost/reducation (since a big chunk of the pain is the weapon hitting them, where as with the spell all the pain is the element).
Equipment Info:
First, correct me if I am wrong in this method. If I use the equip script, find that the item to be equipped is a shield, load the members info and thus what weapon is equipped (or no weapon), then forcefully remove (or not) the shield, I can do this...
Shields - The three categories are Bucklers, Small Shields, and Giant Shields (progressively getting better). Giant Shields can only be equipped when no weapon is equipped and provide fantastic defense and evasion. Small Shields can only be equipped with no weapon equipped or a 1-handed weapon equipped. Bucklers can only be equipped with no weapon equipped, a 1-handed weapon equipped, or a weapon that is somewhat in the middle of 1 and 2-handed weapons. Lastly, no shield can be equipped with blatant 2-handed weapons.
Weapons - Each Class can equip certain weapons. The easiest way to explain is just to give an example: Squire -> Cavalier ->, Squire can wield a Short Sword, Cavalier can wield a Short Sword or a Long Sword, and the Class can wield a Short Sword, a Long Sword, or one other weapon type. Every Class Tree follows this trend (except for when Squire switches to Lancer and loses Short Swort but gains both Spear and Pike.
Head - Helms for armored Classes and 'Other' (Hoods, Hats, Caps, etc.) for non-armored Classes. Note that hoods that raise INT (mage hoods) can be equipped by Classes like Squire and hoods that raise other stats like DEF/DEX/etc. can be equipped by mages. This allows for more freedom as well as me being able to make less of these.
Body - Armor for armored Classes, Robes for mage Classes, and 'Other' (Tunics, Suits, Clothes, etc.) for the other Classes like Squire.
Accessory - The three different types are armored Classes, non-armored Classes, and all Classes.
Custom Camera System: I don't think I need to explain this again.
Custom Menu System:
+Abilities - Learn Abilities with the various party members, or just view the Abilities they have and have not learned and their current AP of/for various Classes
+Quick Shop - Automatically get the shop menu to buy stuff when in a town or on the world map near a town.
+Help - summarizes where they are supposed to go/what they're supposed to do and why
+Info -
- +Classes - View info for Classes of characters you have obtained such as Abilities to be learned, Abilities learned, Stat alterations, and Possible Equipment.
- +Systems -
- - +Character Stats -
- - - +(Different Characters) - View party members' stats that aren't viewable in the default menu
- - +Class System - Explains Class System
- - +Learning Abilities - Explains Ability System
- - +Using Abilities - Explains the CC Magic System said above
- - +Types of Abilities - Explains 'Skills', 'Magic', 'Specials', and 'Tribulations'
- - +Types of Equipment - Explains what I said above in 'Equipment Info'
- - +Row System
- - +Level-up System - Explains Level-up System
+Class Change - Change party members' current Class
+Row Change - Change party members' rows like in tons of other rpgs
+Map Music - Choose which custom song gets played while walking around the world map
+Save - Quick Save or Save your game
(pressing O cancels back a multiple until it closes)
(I use the default menu for the other stuff not mentioned here)
Custom Music: 7-9 custom songs made from the ground up by me, and possibly a 10th (I've been thinking it out in my head).
And you know my style of doing most things if you've played one of the latest 2 Paladin demos.
The only thing that doesn't give away too much story is that I'm aiming for 9 party members, teams of four, no one main character, all the characters are involved in the main story as well as their own (I always tend to have stories revolve around characters), the player will start out playing as a few different characters (probably 3-4) at different places in the world and their paths will intertwine till they eventually join together and such (it won't be that long till they meet up/join up with each other), and that the story will involve them splitting up or getting split up and going different paths temporarily (this makes it much easier to introduce a lot of characters and party members) (also, note that this will make a ton of the game be less than 4 party member teams and such).
All the places will be similar to Paladin's but smaller. For example, cities will be two screens worth and towns will be one. The dungeons will take about 7-10 battles to get through (the first time, event battles) and will not have as many enemies as in Paladin (probably will be around 6 normal enemies, and 1 boss enemy (not every dungeon will have a boss)), and thus are basically just on a smaller scale than Paladin. The shops will update, but there will only be one shop per place. Towns won't usually have an Equipment Shop but cities always will.
I expect a lot of characters to cross over into the new game with some changes (Nick, Kylie, Miles, Pip, Sammy, Sophia, Byron, and Isaac are some of the more likely ones). The names will change too. I decided to use semi-normal names and normal names, such as Aegir, Raizen, William, Byron, Sophia, but not Ikazuchi and Halbed (no offense intended!).
I've got a little bit of an idea for two nations in the world and one character's beginning too. It may have to boil down to trying to save something/someone in the end, but oh well, I'll still make it as good as I can.
Chrono Cross Level System: Party Members will level-up automatically upon beating a boss fight or completing a dungeon. Total, all the members will gain the same amount of times leveling-up (they'll be split up a lot). They do not have to be in the party nor alive to level-up.
Final Fantasy Tactics - Brigandine Class System: There are 27 Classes total. There will likely be 8 Abilities per Class, including the one 'Tribulation'. There are 7 'Class Trees' which involve 'Mastering' a class, and getting one or two more ones. Example: Squire -> Cavalier ->
and Squire -> Lancer -> . I will be running it manually and making a part in the custom menu for changing Classes and learning Abilities. By killing enemies your current party members gain Ability Points (AP), which is then used to learn Abilities. 'Mastering' a Class is simply learning all the Abilities it has to offer. Each party member will be able to choose/follow 1-3 'Class Trees' and will start as a certain one with moves already learned and whatnot reflecting their character.Chrono Cross Magic System: Each character has two custom variables I control (always displayed under status in top-left corner in text boxes), a 'Skill Level' variable and a 'Magic Level' variable. Unlike Chrono Cross's, you don't equip the spells manually and you can use them infinitely per battle. 'Skills' are Abilities based on STR and 'Magic' are Abilities based on INT. Normally, every player always begins battle with a Skill and Magic Level of 4, and the max is 8. Fighters normally gain 1 to each when they do a normal attack and 3 to each when they defend, and mages normally gain 2 to each when they attack and 2 to each when they defend. Having two different ones encourages peple to use both types of abilities. Different Abilities cost different amounts of Skill Levels and Magic Levels, and reduce the variable by that much when they are performed. There is no such thing as MP. There are also 'Specials', which can be done anytime and add 2 to each for fighters and mages. Specials are usually stuff like a mage's 'Focus' type move, or a fighter's 'Cover' type move: ones that aren't too popular and wouldn't be used if they consumed something more than a turn. These normal numbers can change from equipment (and maybe other stuff?) though...
Tribulation System: Each Class has one Tribulation. The said character only has that Tribulation while they are that Class (automatically, no AP needed to be used). The twist is that Tribulations stay when moving up on a path of a 'Class Tree'. For example, in the said example of Squire -> Cavalier ->
, a Squire will have the Squire Tribulation, the Cavalier will have both the Squire and Cavalier Tribulations, and the Class would have all three. Alas, in order to use a Tribulation, the party member must have at least been in battle for 8 turns (rank 1, Squire), 12 turns (rank 2, Cavalier), or 16 turns (rank 3, Class) and have/use 8 Levels of either the Skill (physically based) or Magic (magically based) Levels. Each Tribulation can only be used once per battle as well.Quick Save System: Quick Save will temporarily save your data instantly until you turn off the machine, and thus you only have to do the slow real save once every time you play it.
Ability Info: Abilities remain on the Character all the time except for Tribulations. There will not be any Abilities that require a certain weapon to be equipped. Abilities will repeat a moderate to decent amount (not on the same path of a 'Class Tree' though) (no Tribulations are repeats either) because many characters will not be able to access the other Class(s) that share(s) some Abilities. Lastly, note that because of the way actions are entered in the DBS, the player will be responsible for choosing an Ability that that party member has enough Skill or Magic Levels for. Tribulations will only appear after the said turn amounts (8, 12, and 16) so the player is only responsible for having enough Skill or Magic Levels to use it. I will not say the exact % of STR or INT damage like I did in Paladin. Every Ability will say in their always-shown description 'X Skill Levels' or 'X Magic Levels' on the bottom line so the player will have no confusion in knowing what the requirements are.
Stat Info:
(default AGI) turn speed order = AGI (Agility)
(custom) physical attack power = STR (Strength)
(custom) physical defense power = END (Endurance)
(custom) magical attack power = INT (Intelligence)
(custom) magical defense power = MEN (Mentality)
(custom) physical/magical accuracy = ACU (Accuracy)
(custom) physical/magical evasion = DEX (Dexterity)
(custom) affects everything but turn speed order a little = CHA (Charisma)
Battle formulas will be much more simple this time around, because physical attack power is (2/3 STR + 1/3 END + 1/6 CHA), physical defense power is (2/3 END + 1/3 STR + 1/6 CHA)/2, etc. Total this gives the 7 stats others than AGI exactly 1 whole point (so-to-say) of usage, and arguably everything is perfectly balanced. Fortunately the set-up for this has already been done, and I just have some editing to do to make it. I'm not sure whether Abilities will only raise the STR and INT parts of the formula or the whole offensive power.
Element Info:
The elements are simply Fire, Ice (no Water, hard to make visuals for Water), Lightning, Wind, Earth, Holy, and Darkness; since from my experience planning Paladin those are the only easy elements for enemies to have moves for. There are also some other hidden 'elements' like Anti-(monster type) that are used for some abilities but are not counted as 'elements' to the player. Also, there is a Phys/Fire and Magic/Fire element (same with all the others), so that I can have physical fire moves too. Usually while the Magic/Fire would get, say, a 50% damage boost/reduction, the Phys/Fire would only get a 25% damage boost/reducation (since a big chunk of the pain is the weapon hitting them, where as with the spell all the pain is the element).
Equipment Info:
First, correct me if I am wrong in this method. If I use the equip script, find that the item to be equipped is a shield, load the members info and thus what weapon is equipped (or no weapon), then forcefully remove (or not) the shield, I can do this...
Shields - The three categories are Bucklers, Small Shields, and Giant Shields (progressively getting better). Giant Shields can only be equipped when no weapon is equipped and provide fantastic defense and evasion. Small Shields can only be equipped with no weapon equipped or a 1-handed weapon equipped. Bucklers can only be equipped with no weapon equipped, a 1-handed weapon equipped, or a weapon that is somewhat in the middle of 1 and 2-handed weapons. Lastly, no shield can be equipped with blatant 2-handed weapons.
Weapons - Each Class can equip certain weapons. The easiest way to explain is just to give an example: Squire -> Cavalier ->
, Squire can wield a Short Sword, Cavalier can wield a Short Sword or a Long Sword, and the Class can wield a Short Sword, a Long Sword, or one other weapon type. Every Class Tree follows this trend (except for when Squire switches to Lancer and loses Short Swort but gains both Spear and Pike.Head - Helms for armored Classes and 'Other' (Hoods, Hats, Caps, etc.) for non-armored Classes. Note that hoods that raise INT (mage hoods) can be equipped by Classes like Squire and hoods that raise other stats like DEF/DEX/etc. can be equipped by mages. This allows for more freedom as well as me being able to make less of these.
Body - Armor for armored Classes, Robes for mage Classes, and 'Other' (Tunics, Suits, Clothes, etc.) for the other Classes like Squire.
Accessory - The three different types are armored Classes, non-armored Classes, and all Classes.
Custom Camera System: I don't think I need to explain this again.
Custom Menu System:
+Abilities - Learn Abilities with the various party members, or just view the Abilities they have and have not learned and their current AP of/for various Classes
+Quick Shop - Automatically get the shop menu to buy stuff when in a town or on the world map near a town.
+Help - summarizes where they are supposed to go/what they're supposed to do and why
+Info -
- +Classes - View info for Classes of characters you have obtained such as Abilities to be learned, Abilities learned, Stat alterations, and Possible Equipment.
- +Systems -
- - +Character Stats -
- - - +(Different Characters) - View party members' stats that aren't viewable in the default menu
- - +Class System - Explains Class System
- - +Learning Abilities - Explains Ability System
- - +Using Abilities - Explains the CC Magic System said above
- - +Types of Abilities - Explains 'Skills', 'Magic', 'Specials', and 'Tribulations'
- - +Types of Equipment - Explains what I said above in 'Equipment Info'
- - +Row System
- - +Level-up System - Explains Level-up System
+Class Change - Change party members' current Class
+Row Change - Change party members' rows like in tons of other rpgs
+Map Music - Choose which custom song gets played while walking around the world map
+Save - Quick Save or Save your game
(pressing O cancels back a multiple until it closes)
(I use the default menu for the other stuff not mentioned here)
Custom Music: 7-9 custom songs made from the ground up by me, and possibly a 10th (I've been thinking it out in my head).
And you know my style of doing most things if you've played one of the latest 2 Paladin demos.
(just there for show). A character cannot access nor learn any Abilities of their 2nd Title until they've learned all the moves of their 1st Title (and same with 3rd Title and 2nd Title). The default 'Exp' from the enemy is converted into Ability Points (AP) for that character, and the player uses each characters' AP to learn the new Abilities. Tribulations are learned upon learning all the Abilities of a Title. The characters also start out with one already. The Tribulation turn requirements are 8, 12, and 16, and using one consumes all 8 Vigor Levels (Vigor).