How Robots Subjugated the Planet

[Kevin R Brown]

This is more or less still strictly in the 'hazy envisioning' stage, with a few bits of conceptual artwork done. I'm wondering about the difficulties in implementing some of the gameplay ideas I have, however, so I thought I'd post up what I have in mind so far to see how feasible much of it sounds.

Thematically, How Robots Subjugated the Planet I would like to feel like a comedic Lovecraftian horror story. The world is in a post-apocalyptic state following a brutal all-out attack by enigmatic automatons that appear to have originated from somewhere within the United States. The plot of the game is moved forward as the player begins piecing together what happened via 'De-motivational Data Cartridges' left throughout the world by the 'Jorgunway 001 Mass Assembly Unit'.

The main protagonist is Stephen Vandal, a survivor in the Canadian interior who leads of team of 'Dump Jumpers'; people who volunteer to go out and gather-up supplies & food for communities, courier messages and parcels and scout the activity of any automatons in the vicinity of any community. I'm not sure how many supporting characters will be featured.

In terms of 'overworld' / exploration gameplay, I want the game to be largely like Final Fantasy Tactics. The player simply moves from location to location, watching cutscenes and engaging in battles (mostly plot-oriented). I'm not sure how easy this will be to accomplish (cutscenes are easy enough, but I don't know how troublesome a 'point and click' travel interface is to implement?), but I feel it would streamline the game (I despise 'filler' sequences in RPGs where you're either unsure where to go/what to do or have a long way to walk and are constantly interrupted by random battles). It would also be nice to give each location on the world map a Fallout-esque sub-map (say, for the ruins of a larger city, there are various districts to be visited).

In terms of combat gameplay, I would really like it to resemble a (prettier, and much better explained) version of 'Conflict' for the NES. I want to add certain levels of interactivity with player actions as well; things like 'swing meters', for example (the sort of extra little inputs that were put into, for example, Paper Mario). Recruiting, losing and building-up 'red shirts', as well as gathering ammunition and various other supplies to keep yourself going, will also (hopefully) be a big part of the game.


Anyway, does anyone know how feasible it is to implement things like button input interactions (like the Paper Mario mechanics) in RMXP?

 

[dadevvtsvre]

This is a really nice idea, and there's a lot of things about it that stand out and appeal to me. I guess there's not a whole lot to comment on in the way of story or characters since this is after all still in the early stages of development but I encourage you to go on with this because what you have is good. I'm curious how you plan to make the battle system. When you say "I want the game to be largely like Final Fantasy Tactics", do you mean the tactical battle system as well?

Anyway, does anyone know how feasible it is to implement things like button input interactions (like the Paper Mario mechanics) in RMXP?

As far as I know it's feasible, but probably difficult. You'd most likely need the help of scripting. This has been something I've also looked into and thought about, because it would add a nice twist to battles and keep the player engaged more easily.

 

[Kevin R Brown]

I'm curious how you plan to make the battle system. When you say "I want the game to be largely like Final Fantasy Tactics", do you mean the tactical battle system as well?

Well, yes and no. What I intended to reference when I said Final Fantasy Tactics was specifically the world map; not the gameplay itself. But, yes, I do intend to implement a tactical battle system. I don't suppose you've played a game for the NES (or perhaps you know it as the Famicon?) called 'Conflict'? Or any of the Super Robot Wars games? That's sort-of the base idea for what I would like combat to look like. Perhaps I'll sketch-up a concept interface tonight to provide a visual idea of what I mean.

s far as I know it's feasible, but probably difficult. You'd most likely need the help of scripting. This has been something I've also looked into and thought about, because it would add a nice twist to battles and keep the player engaged more easily.

Oy. Fearsome.

I'm giving Action Game Maker a look see as well, though I'd need to give it the most recent English patch before I can really play with that one and for some reason I can't currently download it from Crisis RPG (though I suppose that's neither here nor there).

And yes, for the sake of my own entertainment, I'd say I simply must be able to implement some kind of in-battle interactivity beyond just choosing attacks. Paper Mario spoiled me, I guess; after I finished playing that, standard RPG battle just seem so dull.

Anyway, thanks for the interest and input.