Project Valenguard: A retro MMO with a Chrono Trigger live action Tech combat!

[unenergizer]

Everything is looking great! Obviously one of Triggers selling points is the OST.  What kind of music do you have planned for the game?

That's a good question. I have done a lot of research on this particular topic.  Their are several different approaches to bringing music into a game.

Some are..
Let the music in your head inspire the graphics and the game writing
Let the graphics of the game establish a mood and create music to match/enhance the mood

Since I am not a musician it is difficult to think of a piece of music first, then create an atmosphere around it that ties into it.  So I will take the later approach and build environments and then have someone compose music to enhance the mood of the environment.

However, if I had a piece of music first, then I could imagine a setting and create around it.

So it is kinda difficult topic to manage because it is very important.  I have been in touch with a few musicians and prices for original composed music is pretty expensive. On the low side, I have been quoted $500 USD a minute.  Because of these prices, I have to create the environment first, then request composition.

That is where I am currently at, but I am confident that no matter what way music comes into the game, that all of it will be original, and all of it will serve a purpose.  Create and establish a mood, invoke emotion, and suck the player into the experience. That is my goal!

I get what you are saying, and you're not wrong....music is one of the more expensive areas of media, but it's also one of the most important. Often times people won't always remember the soundtrack, but they almost always remember how it makes them feel.  It's a huge part of story telling, and can definitely influence how you feel during important events down to simple ambiance.

What kind of music are you interested in for the project? I'm an orchestral composer if you're interested in that kind of music, it would be interesting to talk about your vision for the project.

Send me an email to unenergizer (at) gmail (dot) com

Or.. preferably send me a message on Discord “unenergizer#2872”

[unenergizer]

Creating a combat system similar to Chrono Trigger is no easy task. But if you break down each of their systems into smaller pieces of tech, it can be much easily achieved.

My approach to build a similar system is to break up each tech or technique into several smaller parts. Some parts would be, screen flash, shape drawing, character animation, speeds, etc.

Here is a small video of me getting some very very basic things up and running. The video doesn't show a full tech, but a few smaller parts that I am working on currently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=undU3aMmYm4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taty-Ei8WA8 (seizure warning)

In the video you will find 4 simple effects.

• Map black flash
• Map white flash
• Basic line draw
• Basic circle draw

The four examples are heavily used in CT techs. Although they are much more polished in CT. But hey you gotta start somewhere.

EDIT: Extended the effects manager to be able to play more than one effect at a time. Added a second YouTube video link. Seizure warning!! I binded the effects to my keyboard and just spammed the crap out of them.

[CptOvaltine]

Happy to chat through Discord, however I'm to dumb to figure out how to dm someone not on my friends list...   If you would like to send me a message through Discord I'm happy to chat there, or I can send you an e-mail if you'd like.

Discord: CptOvaltine

[unenergizer]

Happy to chat through Discord, however I'm to dumb to figure out how to dm someone not on my friends list...   If you would like to send me a message through Discord I'm happy to chat there, or I can send you an e-mail if you'd like.

Discord: CptOvaltine

I think your discord name is missing a hashtag and four numbers.

[CptOvaltine]

Argh!  Nothing makes me feel more like an old man then discord.    I can't figure it out to save my life...

CptOvaltine#5574