I still think it's unneeded to have that Battle/Explorere Mode gimmick, at least for this initial project.
I concur.
But whatever, the end result is the same, you guys don't like it. As a matter of fact, I kinda wish you'd just said that. It's less aggravating.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to aggravate you. XD
When I said I "agree" with not using the "gimmick" (in Acacia Sgt's words), I know I could have elaborated on
why I did so. It's not because the idea was a gimmick (or wasn't). It was because it may be technically difficult to pull of. Not the programming -- that's easier -- but I'm talking about the sprites-creation (unless we go the 3D route).
I personally have no problems with this. But there's also an art to keeping things simple and enjoyable, while using minimum resources.
That said, because I'm from a different culture, I actually take the word "gimmick" not by connotation but definition. Basically something creative and unique, but may not exactly be
relevant to the gameplay (and hence your idea that it's only a gimmick if it isn't put to use properly, so I'd like to know where you're going with this). But no worries; we can always make adjustments to the gameplay later to include this, if it's needed. Currently, we're only going for the
bare essentials.
So, perhaps the stat work can be shoved off onto equipment, thereby reducing total stats to just HP, Attack Damage, and MP. Or, in other words, three equipable classes of items. Armor grants any and all HP, a weapon (including items that allow for magic attacks) produce the damage stat only (probably in the form of a range of damage, like 2-8), and some other item that grants MP in the same manner as armor grants HP (that is, permanently lost when used). To hit, damage reduction, speed, resistance, etc. can all be tossed as interesting but ultimately unnecessary sophistication of the basic conflict resolution system.
I actually like that idea, but when taken into account of "Few-but-Crucial" inventory that we've got going here, this idea becomes nearly useless... unless we can somehow refine it to fit into the core idea.
Alfador, would it be a far-fetched idea to have a FF2-style stat-system, where you gain stats based on what you go through in battle? Such as taking much damage would equal to gaining HP, or attacking more would make you gain more Attack stat? How complex is it compared to contemporary stats-system?
To add a level of customization, though, perhaps each character has an ability list that is developed through story points. For example, find Robin of Scherlocksley and she'll train one person how to use Longbows. The player gets to select who learns that ability. Or the player find the Magic Johnsmith and he'll teach one person the "repair armor" spell. And so on.
We can go a step further with Quests. Ordinarily you'd have to teach yourself how to use a skill / weapon from Level 1, but Quests would help any character quickly master it to Level 5 and begin the real game from there. However, while quests give you "quick-learning", taking it the hard-way -- by teaching yourself -- you gain some "extra bonuses". It's not too different from how Pokemon Emerald handles it: You can level your characters with Rare Candy, but you don't get the bonuses that they get by actually battling it out.
Additionally, I'd propose going with a slightly Metal Gear Solid view of enemies: they are things to get past, but not necessarily defeat. If the party is trying to sneak into a factory, you can do this through fighting the guards, if you wish, but you can also do so through sneaking by, and both are valid. If we add in a time travel component, some of this sneaking could be done by shifting through time periods or the sort.
This could go hand-in-hand with not only CT-style system, where most enemies can be avoided, but also the fact that you gain "nothing" (but a couple of stats) by involving yourself in meaningless duels, when you've got a giant bomb to deactivate. This would not only amplify the
need of stealth, but also prime our gamers' brains to
not procrastinate when handling an important pressuring task.
In other words, our game would be a psychological tonic for those who play it. Something like what Zen and contemporary Buddhism teaches. "Don't get involved in meaningless battles; focus your energy, and keep your eyes on the prize."
...I was trying to offer a simpler system idea than what Tush was coming up with (which is creative and ambitious, but I think far more complex).
You've lost me there... I'd like to know what about my suggestion was more complex, because I put a lot of thought into making this as simple as possible. Primarily, it may or may not be difficult to have pixel-based 8-directional movement (with Lua, not Ruby) and I think Alfador can correct me or support me here on that. Also, the mouse-target may not be too difficult either, since all we're planning is clicking on an object, DOTA-style, and the character attacks. It's not too different from button-press to attack on keyboard.
But maybe you've seen something I haven't. So please elaborate.
Basically if it's supposed to be like Trigger/Cross and it's not an rpg, it'd better be super fun.
Indeed. It's the
fun we're aiming at, not the Nods-and-Winks and definitely not a rip-off, but we're definitely not anxious of influence either.
Think of it this way: The original Sherlock Holmes was a simple Mystery genre with its own flare, and nothing more. Pastiches since have tried to "capture every bit of that flare" without actually getting innovative, save for a few out there, and because of this the
pinning influence like insects began to slowly kill the literature classic simply because they were trying too hard to create spiritual successors to Doyle's classics.
But then came
Young Sherlock Holmes (by Andrew Lane, not Spielberg). It had nods-and-winks, but those were actually relevant to the plot and hence ingeniously used. It had the flair of intelligence from the originals, but without being entirely bound by the classics. Instead of a Mystery, this new pastiche was a
Thriller -- an entirely different genre, but still one of the truest spiritual successors to the canon.
Even if we get into the context of gaming, we could agree that
Radical Dreamers put off gamers as a sequel due to being non-RPG, but wasn't actually bad -- quite the contrary! It was a rightful spiritual successor despite being entirely different, despite being eclipsed by Chrono Cross. And if RD could do it, why can't we?
Also, I'd implore people not to take my statements to mean that
I don't want an RPG. I actually do want an RPG! But my preference and bias won't restrain my creativity when coming up with something entirely new or better. I'm the kind of fellow who ditches the anchor of focus to be able to fly with limitless spirit (though I agree this has its own shortcomings). In other words, I'm simply
adapting to make sure wherever we go we actually end up succeeding.
