Final Flamewar: Ex Libris Arcana - Development

[Dark Silver]

So while Final Flamewar: A New threat is in development hell (with no look at coming out anytime soon), and me just getting the newest version of RPG maker....I've decided to start development on a new game.

Enter;

Final Flamewar: Ex Libris Arcana

This new Final Flamewar game will take place a indeterminate number of years after the events of "The Fiver Menace" - on alternate version of You'zNet where history has occured slightly differently. The game will be a SNES style JRPG same as the previous Final Flamewar games, though not everything that occured or is present in the previous games may be referenced in this one. The world map - for one - will have several difference from the previous Final Flamewars, and some characters from the previous games may not be seen in this one.

That all being said, I'm doing this game on my own - no input from Steve or Doomriser, and it being a alt-verse, shouldn't affect their particular games.

The story thus far. . .

Final Flame: Rise of the Flamelord will take place in a indeterminate period after "The Fiver Menace". Peace has rained over You'zNet, the Fiver Flame War - a terrible and bloody conflict - a unpleasent memory. In the peace that has reigned, a new threat arises - a Flamewarrior ,and veteran of the previous Flame War, has taken to the Dark Path, and seeks to lay claim to legacies of the FlameLords so he might enact revenge upon those who slighted him. . .


For now, I won't spoil who the main villain is intended to be - but that is what the set up currently is.


The Setting


Cities
Many of the Boards/Cities of the previous FF games will make a return - SDnet, SB, BabTech, ASVS (though that may change)Other smaller villages will sprout around as well on the world map. LibArc will also be making a appearance as a major city as will another RP forum known as Utopia RP.

Other boards/communities to include can be suggested, as well as possible dungeons.

Religions
Religion will be present in the game similar as it was in "The Fiver Menace". The Major Fandoms will act as a "religion" for the followers - Trekkies, Warsies, Browncoats, Fivers, Acolytes of Dresdan, etc. It is just something that may factor in or become unneeded as development goes on.

Weapons & Items
what would a FF game be without weapons? The usual weaponry will be available in the game - along with the standard JRPG items (elixirs, potions, pheonix down, etc). there will, of course, be the Legendary Weapons - items of vast power and damage dealing that will be quest finds. I'm figuring the usual swords, axes, hammers, maces, mauls, crossbows, daggers, staffs, maybe some swordchucks......





This is all the very beginning Development phase - nothing is purely set in stone yet, and I haven't even begun work on the maps yet - so this may or may not be a thing that comes to fruition. But input and discussion will be appreciated and help me figure this out and get to working on it.


Edits:
1-3-2013: changed to a new name for the game as suggested by B4UTRUST.

[Dark Silver]

The idea is floating that this game not take place on You'znet at all - instead create a entirely new world since I will be bringing in some decidedly "Not Vs Debate" stuff into it - like the old Utopia board.....


Actually, now that I think of it.....You'znet won't work...though I may keep the Final Flamewar name (as a link) and there may be some references to the old games. . .

Just have to think of what to call the new gameworld. . .

[Batman]

Alpha seems to be working to the extent that can be expected from one. World map is pretty honking big. If possible within the limits of the engine, I suggest implementing a map feature.
Background music volume control. At the earliest opportunity.
Airship might be a little fast for some people's tastes. I personally like it, but reduced or preferably adjustable speed may be in order.
Diagonal movement would be nice but is apparently outside engine limitations.
Random encounter density is too high (and always two slimes) but this is an alpha.

[Dark Silver]

Added some new systems to the Alpha Build today. . . .

Added the ability to move diagonally on the various maps. Yay for Cardinal and Secondary Compass positions.

Added the ability for there to be Blue Mages (this oddly, was not a choice in the default engine). Just need to decide if this will be or not....

Going to add the "Steal" ability probably later today for the future Thief class.


Made some edits to the World Map geography.

Added a Systems Option Menu - you can change the color of the dialogue and menu boxes now if you want, as well as control the various volumes - turn off/on auto-dashing, etc.

Going to make some adjustments on the mob spawning in the first dungeon. . . .

[LadyTevar]

I think I came up with one of the enemy minions: SockPuppet.
A defeated AYVB unit has a %chance to summon one before he dies. Sockpuppet has less HP, but normal attacks. When it dies it's gone.

[Dark Silver]

Weapons

Weapon Categories supported by the game engine include: Axe, Claw, Spear, Sword, Hammer, Katana, Dagger, Bow, Gun (crossbow equiv), Staff

Quality Progression: Bronze, Iron, Steel, Silver, Gold, Mithril, Crystal, Adamantin (this may or may not remain..)
Elemental Weapons - "Element Enchanted" Silver & Gold base damage +20% Elemental Damage
"Element" Weapon - Mithril base damage + 75% Elemental Damage


Question falls, do I use material quality for everything, or do I start using different names for each weapon?

do I go
Swords:
Gold Rapier - Fast Attack, low damage
Gold Short Sword - Medium-Fast Attack, low-medium damage
Gold Long Sword - Medium Attack, Medium Damage
Gold Falchion - Medium-slow attack, Medium-High damage
Gold Broadsword - Slow Attack, High Damage

or

Silver Sword
Gold Sword
Diamond Sword
Crystal Sword
Adamantine Sword


And then can I honestly do that with each of the differing weapons classes...knowing I'd then have to do the same with the Elemental Versions of these weapons.

Legendary Weapons won't count, because they will be tied to the character - do they will always be of the type the PC can use (Tev, for example, would always have her LEgendary be the Ban Hammer, while Frigid's would be the Osprey [just throwing that out there Frigid])

[Dark Silver]

Upper Right Continent: The Wilds of Ehf'Bee, with the dungeons of Rhedat and Neinghag.
Lonely Mountin (sealed) and village of Dale

[Batman]

8-way movement works, as does volume control. Much obliged. None of these seem to be accessible as of yet. Still like the airship speed.
EDIT: In fact, I couldn't even find the dungeons?

[Dark Silver]

Their not there yet, going to be adding them in a future alpha build.

Right now I want to finish Esdee'Net and the continent it's on, then move on to the other to finish "Old You'zNet" landmasses.

[Batman]

Well that would explain that.
Looking good so far.

[frigidmagi]

Ugh, do we have to go with silver and gold swords? I mean I know it's traditional but it bugs me.

[Dark Silver]

We don't have to, no

It's all customizable - I know Gold is a soft as hell metal, makes no sense to make weapons and armor out of it.

Silver though, I may keep simply because it's always been shown to be good against the Undead, so maybe around as a magical weapon that's only really effective against Undead type monsters.


Seriously, I can customize damn near everything in this thing. I just need input.

[frigidmagi]

How about:

Copper, Bronze, Iron, Steel, Silvered Steel, Titanium, Mithril, Adamantin?

Because honestly Silver isn't that great of a weapon grade metal either and to get the effect it doesn't have to be pure silver as I understand it, a silver plating on the edge will do. You can even make it a plot point, have an army of werewolves or something attack one of the cities and have the characters go on a quest to get the smith and tools and what not...

[Dark Silver]

That can actually work, and is a good quality progression.

But what do I do about the weapon categories themselves? Do we use various types of weapons (the aforementioned shortswords, Falchions, long swords, Broadswords, Rapiers) each with their own characteristics? or do we just lump them all under "sword" "hammer" "shitty Ariel Combat Machine"

[frigidmagi]

Well, what are the characteristics? Reach? Damage?

[Batman]

And how complex a system does the engine actually support? For swords (the only weapon I really care about) my take would be break it up into three different sub-categories-straight, curved, and batshit insane, with each of those again broken down into three size categories-small, medium, and large.
Small would be daggers and short swords, medium ordinary swords through bastards, and large two-handed swords.
Size could then also be used to determine reach.

[Dark Silver]

I can vary the states on the weapons as much as I want to, and the weapons database is as big as I need it to be (or how much I want to code into it) so virtually limitless flexibility on this issue, same with skills and PC's

Damage
Basic Stat Alterations (if any)
Atk Speed
Atk Times (number of additional attacks)
Inflict Status Change
Elemental Damage (usually always physical unless in some way magical)


That's the most basic stuff - this if universal for all weapons.

Example is the Legendary Weapon I made last night with Havoc in mind (he's being Roman damn it...15th Legion Fulminatus)

Code: Select all

Fulminatus - Standard of the 15th Legion

Atk Element:  Thunder
Ex-Parameter [Hit] +75%
Atk Speed      5
Atk times+      2
Element Rate   100% Physical
Element Rate   100% Thunder
Atk State        Stun (75% Chance)

Atk: +20 to Damage
Def:  +30 Defense
Agi:  +15 Agility

If that helps any Frigid.

[frigidmagi]

Okay, so we have:

Damage
Speed
Time

as the most basic stats?

Well realistically speaking the biggest things is gonna be size and weight. A Claymore is heavier and slower then a Gladius, and in real life, I can stab you at least twice in the same time that it takes you to swing that Claymore into me. Of course if you hit me with that Claymore odds are good you won't need a second swing, those things kill horses you know.

So you would have small one handed weapons (dagger, shortsword, etc)
larger one handed weapons (Falchions, longsword, broadsword, hammer, axe)
Two handed weapons (bigger axe, bigger hammer, Claymore)
Fast two handed weapon (Staff, spear)

Small one handed weapons are frankly very fast, they should have the best odds of another attack. Larger one handed weapons are still fairly fast and do good damage, they're the good all arounders. Two handed weapons means giving up shields (less armor), likely no second attack but with alot of damage if and when you connect. Fast two handed means going at about the same speed as larger one handed, doing a bit more damage but still losing that shield.

[Dark Silver]

We can replicate weight and size by adjusting how fast the weapon is, and how much damage it can do.

I'm thinking it will probably be best to do (for the weapons that make sense) three classifications:

Light Damage but really quick speed
Medium Damage, Medium Speed
Heavy Damage, but slow attack speed

I'm not sure if I can break the swords down to two-handed and one-handed swords....I need to play witht he system a bit more in there. But I'd like the data handy and available just incase. I can do so.


Some weapons though, are just gonna be what they are - there's only so many ways to do staffs, or daggers.

Magical and Legendary weapons will not have the "fuck off insane" classification needed - they'll be relatively unique in naming (the base Elemental Weapons that can be bought from the stores will be regular named - Flaming Sword, Aqua Hammers, or whatever).

I need to delve a bit more to figure out the "handedness" that can be done with the weapons system though. . .

[Batman]

Erm-if that is in reference to my 'batshit insane' classification, that was intended to distinguish stuff like the Bat'leth of Trek infamy from swords that actually make sense.

[SirNitram]

Cut copper from the bottom, the top weapons being formed from such purified matter as TRUTH(The legendary Sword Of Truth being the only known weapon so far, but perhaps late-game sidequests for Ultimate Weapons?).

[Batman]

Is there any particular reason you need to use metals do signify quality to begin with? As others already mentioned, half of those seriously suck at making worthwhile swords. How about you drop that angle entirely and just go with quality? Sword, Enhanced Sword, Quality Sword, Exceptional Sword or something along those lines?

[Dark Silver]

We can call them anything we want (seriously, I name the weapons as I put them into the Database for the engine).

I merely defaulted to the "metals" because they are a common JRPG Trope for denoting the quality of the weapon.

I'm trying to stay relatively close to the JRPG/console RPG mentality from the NES/SNES era when it comes to the game - try to stay close to it's roots at least. Don't forget You'znet is a primarily Steampunkish-High Fantasy world, despite there being SciFi stuff present also to a extent.

[Steve]

IIRC the idea was you'd get the maps all ready and I'd start doing the scripts, when it came to ANT. Still, good luck with ELA!

Wait, what version of RPGMaker is this?

[Dark Silver]

A look at the Combat system in use in FF

It's Simple Sideview ATB like in FFVI (graphically the sprites don't get weapons animations though)
this is currently what I have set up in the game engine for combat - and it works, we just don't see weapon usage like in FFIV and VI

Sideview-CBS.png (411.47 KiB) Viewed 14571 times

This is a Screenshot of a more...robust...Side View Battle Engine, which allows a more FFVI style combat system - but it's not as versatile for addon scripts as it's gotten a lot of burn out in the development community (and I'm not near good enough in Ruby to make modifications). That and the script itself is in Japanese....so yeah, I wouldn't be able to make edits and fixes to it.

Tankentai-SideView.png (263.56 KiB) Viewed 14571 times

comments, suggestions, etc?