Due to the number of maps planned for the game (probably somewhere around 200-300), and the theme of exploring, we need to have event systems on our maps that increase player interactions. The most basic and well known of these is simply adding chests in hidden/out of the way locations where the player can gain more powerful equipment and better items by simply exploring. Other common systems are running/jumping, psynergy (Golden Sun), puzzles, fishing, trading quests, etc. Start thinking about both individual/specific systems that would be used at single locations as well as systems that would be used across many maps.
You should incorporate a day and night system into that. Having some things appear only during day/night or being able to do certain things only day/night will definitely add more gameplay value like this.
yes, that's actually a very good idea, especially since it has an exploration component. There's also a system I made for one of my old projects that goes like this: There are 5 random variables that determine things such as treasures, enemies, quests, NPC locations, etc. These change every time you go to the world map screen, thus making many possible permutations of each area with different events and such. Of course, this could also be done non-randomly by the time system.
Well, I said I wouldn't be contributing my eventing, but screw that.
Perhaps we should try to do thieving? It should be unavailable with Will in the party, but if there's any time when he isn't there, it should be.
give me a rough explanation of how it might work. Also, from the sound of it, Will is always in the party, so...
I'm not sure. Maybe we have a sneaking system and if you walk up to people, from behind, naturally, you can steal from them.
No, like how it would be a part of the game. Steal keys from the cult members to escape, or what?
Sneaking up form behind and stealing virginity, now that's my sort of thing.
*from
Umm...Robin's a klepto? I suppose your idea works.
I really like winkio's random variables idea. That would give the player reason to go back and visit areas over and over again in order to make sure that they've found everything. We shouldn't make anything vital to the main story progression depend on these variables, of course; being forced to visit a map over and over again isn't as fun as doing it of your own accord.
Chapterization. Game should have about 5-6 chapters, and every chapter should bring changes to the game world. That would definitely make going back to places we've already visited interesting. What should "respawn":
- side quests (so the player knows when the new chapter starts, that he can go back to town A for new, more demanding quests)
- enemies (situation gets more dramatic with the story, so the road to our little A-town may be less safe now)
- traders (hey, traveller, remember me? I've got new stuff)
- treasures (with the random-variable system, the incrementation of the chapter shall increase the value of available prizes)
- overall - story (some little changes that show the player the passage of time, like an old NPC dying, NPC moving to another town, etc.)
That really helps making the game world consistent and not a one-direction train route from start to end.
Excellent ideas.
I don't really like the idea of Chapterization. I think that would make the game seem more fragmented. I think it would seem larger and more complete if we had it in a single piece, especially considering the sense of adventure and exploration that we're trying to achieve. If we had it in Chapters, people who wanted to experience the entire game would have to play each chapter to completion (beating all of the side-quests, exploring every area, etc.) before moving on to the next, which would get old really fast, and would really drag down the story.
New chapter only unlocks new features, it doesn't have to replace the old ones. Chapterization is a great way to make the game progress influence the enviroment.
Good game story should remind a book, that's the best way if you make a non-sandbox RPG. Look at the Witcher and Gothic games.
Like I said, the main purpose is to make game don't look like a railway and increase the reality of the world.
I don't see the need for chapters at all. The storyline is fluid, the game should be as well. I'd say it should remind you more of a dream than a book.
We don't have to call it chapters and mark their appereance, just the idea of the game world developing with the course of events might work.
Yeah, I see nothing wrong with that, there will definitely be things that change in accordance with the plot, in addition to things that change randomly.
Outside-battle skills that allow you to reach places you couldn't reach before (pokemon style)?
One step (bumper-jump) ahead of ya ;)
This is an excellent idea.