My RPG game

[Neph]

I think if we had a better idea of the storyline/setting we'd have a better grasp on what kind of characters you're looking for. Either way, keep it up, your art rocks.

[OhSeven]

Originally Posted by Millie

I kind of agree with the idea of not making the game too much of a "who's who on fohguild.org" type of thing. A normal RPG that happens to have the occasional board reference is preferable, IMO, to a nonstop fohguild.org shout-out list somehow in the form of an RPG.

Perhaps a better way to make references to people is through itemization? Naming items after certain people will prevent you from having to drag the game's storyline down with nonstop board-based characters.

Blazin' Bat of Fury?

But this and Neph's post go hand in hand. If we had a better grasp of what direction the game was taking, if its even known right now, we could give higher quality suggestions.

But I stand by my Tuco concept.

[Grave]

Originally Posted by Millie

I kind of agree with the idea of not making the game too much of a "who's who on fohguild.org" type of thing. A normal RPG that happens to have the occasional board reference is preferable, IMO, to a nonstop fohguild.org shout-out list somehow in the form of an RPG.

That's why I tried to make my character have something to do with the story at least. I think it's okay for lots of board members to be characters as long as they fit somewhere. For example, Sean joked about being a sage in a tower or something. I think that would actually work, if the protagonist needed to seek out the Sage of the Scaled Claw or something, we would know who it was.

Itemization idea is also good.

Club of Blazing Fury
Chance on hit: encave the enemies skull for 348-434 dmg

:/

[Millie]

Originally Posted by OhSeven

But this and Neph's post go hand in hand. If we had a better grasp of what direction the game was taking, if its even known right now, we could give higher quality suggestions.

I hear ya. Ultimately, it's Lala's game, so I have no better idea than you guys do about the storyline. But he has said before that this is mainly a "proof of concept" game -- something he's making more or less to prove to himself that he can. He has said that this isn't going to be a massive, epic masterpiece or anything like that; it's mainly a testing ground for his art, sprites, programming skills, etc.

I could be way off base, but that's just the impression I got from reading his various posts on the subject.

[GrobbeeTrull2.0]

Kugbok, Eduardo and I as the Tin-Foil Hat Brigade who supplies Millie with her liberal, feminine agenda? Hrm... even subtle humor like an 'agency' (TFHB) with 'agents' 2.0, Eddy, and Kugbok? I want to be in ur game.

[Vatoreus]

lulz

[Josh]

Originally Posted by Vatoreus

lulz

I think every shot of Millie needs to have a creepy dwarf named Blarney Blackstone in the background...watching...stalking.

[Laladilya]

Well I'm sort of doing it backwards and coming up with many of the characters first. I like drawing more than writing, or hell even game making. Its mainly just my bias causing that, not some guideline I'm following to a T.

I basically have some "scenes" of various events I'd like to put certain characters through. Some sad, some humorous, etc. I don't have much for a plot yet though. I've been reading little stories and history things online to try and find something I can drive inspiration from or even flat out steal. =P I tried a few "how to write a good story" tutorials but they all seem sort of "what NOT to do type guides." The hardest part on the story is that I have to come up with a way/reason for Millie (or whoever the main character is) to actually go off on a journey or something. Get her to go places to run into the other characters and endure the different situations... I can't think of the "carrot" to get her to get her ass moving yet though. I don't want to do something super cliche like getting 4 crystals to save the world, but it doesn't have to really be some completely original super complex plot that makes everyone think "how did he even think of that?" It just needs to be entertaining. I want something more than she's going to buy a puppy, and on her way to the shop all these crazy things happened even though I the cutesy art style could warrant it. I just can't picture people actually liking to play through that much. Soon as I figure out the carrot(s) to get it moving it'll be easy to pile up layers, side arcs, that kinda thing cause it'll have a base or whatever. I don't know what I do want, but I know what I don't want type of thing.

That all said, when I do figure the storyline out, I probably won't spoil it here anyway I'll probably get my nerdy work friends to bounce it around with rather than you guys. I want to keep some things a secret.

Its actually not hard to impliment the references without screwing up the story, I was just trying to be clear that I'm not just naming sprites after people here and allowing you to fight them and stuff, and some of those sugguestions on how to use them won't make it. They're still completely useful cause they *might* work out just fine, and more importantly the more vocal people are about them the more I'm aware that if they're not in the game somehow it'll be a disappointment. I just meant that I plan to keep it from becoming something like:

"Mytoss is going on his famous epic battle with the sun, but this time he has Blaezenfury's bats to do it. The odds are totally in his favor now but before you get a chance to see the epic battle Requiem sends you a message telling you he's going to have to reboot the server really quick so you better log out to make sure you don't get rolled back to a previous save without the Fury bats. THE END."

My ultimate goal would be something just as good as Final Fantasy 6, since that happens to be my favorite RPG (although I still perfer some of 4s game mechanics since it doesn't water-down classes like the Espers tend to do =P). However, I'm pretty realistic and honest with myself about my abilities, and know that I can't actually make a game just as good as FF6. But hey, neither can Square apparantly. ^_~ The plan is to make an entertaining game though, not the most stupidest game ever conceived by humanity just for the sake of having FOH meme's in it. The sprites take too long for me to make to do something like that with them.

The trivia stuff is just for extra entertainment value for those that get it. Similar to WOW's LOS/Nameless Server/Pop Culture References. Its there, it's often very easy to spot, but they didn't twist Warcraft lore to fit it in, and it doesn't matter if you miss it. If you catch them, they're just little extra things that make you go heeeey.

The difference is, I don't already have any preconceived "lore" to work from so can make a man and name him Sam Deathwalker. He is the leader of a cult whose 20 members refer to themselves as "The Sons of Sam." Everyone here would get it, if my brother played it, he'd associate this Sam guy with someone like Jim Jones, David Koresh, or Fred Phelps. He's a believable character for those who don't know Sam, but the reference is there for people who do, and he doesn't completely morph the world around to have him make an appearance. Then to make him actually seem like he's a part of the in game world various npcs would have varying opinions on them. Some would think they're probably dangerous, others harmless, and so on. Thats how I plan on including the references.

Believe it or not, I'm actually putting alot of thought into everything, not just making a cutesy graphic game that I can let people manhandle Millie for a couple hours of playtime. >_<


Btw I'm at work, and had to keep bouncing back and forth between this and actual work, hopefully it came out coherent. By all means don't stop suggesting things though. ^_^

[xilsharn]

a cutesy graphic game that I can let people manhandle Millie for a couple hours of playtime

Sounds like a surefire DS success IMO. Port it to handhelds and you'll sell 1million+ easy.

[Menoz]

I want to be the obligatory traveling merchant guy that's shady and kills people but has the best deals on [stolen] goods.

[Faille]

Why not start out with a series of comic strips? Might help flesh out the characters and storylines more.

[Himeo]

Have it take place in a dream; you will have access to all of the genres of fiction for the game and it will also explain the cutesy graphics and whimsical designs.

Pick one or more of the following for the main storyline:

1. Quest
2. Adventure
3. Pursuit
4. Rescue
5. Escape
6. The Riddle
7. Rivalry
8. Underdog
9. Temptation
10. Metamorphosis
11. Transformation
12. Maturation
13. Love
14. Forbidden Love
15. Sacrifice
16. Discovery
17. Wretched Excess
18. Vengeance
19. Ascension
20. Descension

That list is from the book "20 Master Plots and How to Build Them". Here is a cliffnotes version of the book posted on a forum.

Toss in a group of mini-arc plots from here and if you have any problems working with transitions then use the tried-and-true "Oh I just woke up, boy I'm tired, back to sleep!" excuse to skip ahead to the middle of the next adventure.

Pro-tip: always start in the middle of a story and explain "the what and the why" while you're doing it. Good luck Lala, I look forward to playing your game!

[Himeo]

Remember: every tale has been told. Good writing is all about looking at old material in new ways and injecting your style into the story.

[Vatoreus]

not sure if you want, but I could give you a hand in fleshing out the story, I'm a pretty decent writer. You've got a lot of other stuff to worry about w/o that on top I'm sure.

[Moontayle]

Originally Posted by Himeo

Remember: every tale has been told. Good writing is all about looking at old material in new ways and injecting your style into the story.

Deserves quoting.