Castle Paradox

DukeofDellot · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 32

OK, so "evolution" may not be the word for this, but picture this...

You start out the game by choosing one of 28 prospective main heros, shortly after you're accompanied by a summoner, a dwarf (three selectable classes) and a small fox-lady (Also three selectible classes). Alright, at this point the prolog is finally over and you're able to just venture about whereever you want.

Suddenly, for seemingly no reason at all, one of the other heros starts a conversation with you. Depending on how you respond to questions, they creat a disposition for you that could range from romance to deep hatred.

...And thus enters my frist question. Would you want to play a game where at seemingly random points in the game, the heros start talking with one another and what is spoken of could change the course of the plot?

After a while you start getting pissed off at your Troubadour who's songs aren't helping much and keeps dying. So every time she opens her mouth you react coldly to her. After a while, she gets so mad that she decides to return to her former life, leaving you with only three heros. Not that the she helped out that much anyway.

...Now for the more important question. If I included that whole emotion thingy, and backstory sidequests for all the heros, would it be cool if your heros could leave your team on there free will? I mean of course there would be a new hero to take the empty place, but wouldn't that be cool?

Jack · **the fool** Joined: 30 Jul 2004 Posts: 773

this would seem pretty cool, and would have a lot of replay value if it affected just about everything in the game. would this be like knights of the old republic and how if you talked to them and got to know more about them and you go on sidequests like that, cause that would be interesting. heh, im sure this would take a LOT of work to do this too
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Hachi-Roku · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: hero emotion/evolution

Before I answer your questions, I have one of my own. Of the 28 starting heroes, do you mean that each one of them would have their own identity and style, or is it more like 28 classes? Either way, you're treading on ground you might spread yourself too thin on, rather: the former suggestion is potentially dangerous as having 28 different people as major main characters in their own right may end up with 28 weakly developed characters, while the latter idea is much the same, only with classes being too similar/undeveloped (though that's sometimes because of the OHR limitations). Don't let me stop you on either one if I happen to be right, but I'm just throwing out a caution about clones.

To answer your first question:
The "emotion events" could work well, though I think the main problem with them right now is that they'd be placed at "seemingly random points." Now, I'm sure that you don't mean for these conversations to actually be random, as per your "seemingly" lead-in, but I'm curious as to what would trigger them. Would they occur after a quest would be completed? After so many game days have passed? Slightly branched off of the topic question, I know.

To answer your second question:
I could see this as being effective and a nice touch in a large-scale, freeformed game. I'd recommend adding weight to the coming and going of the heroes, for a small example: when a person leaves, you could end up visiting them later (wherever they'd go), and possibly convince them to return to the group. I'll leave it at that for now.
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SunsOfFlame · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 139

Cool and good luck.

And I agree with Hachi-Roku, you gotta be careful, since one well developed character is much more worthwhile than 28 undeveloped ones.

This sounds tight and let everyone know when you got a demo.
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Setu_Firestorm · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 5:06 am Post subject:

Well, ya know, something like that would take a lot of tags, and you would probably have to set off tags depending on choices you make. I was going to do something like that with Mia in Neo Krysta 2, but I never really got around to having a full-blown-out compatibility thing.

Actually, Azure Dreams used a lot of that whole interactivity where you could develop frienships and foeships (if that's not a word...it is now Raspberry!

) based on your reactions.

As far as your idea goes, I think that'd be a great idea, if your patience and focus is good enough for it (`cause that would drive me crazy). That way, it would seem very much realistic.
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DukeofDellot · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 32

... Yeah... I did say 28 heros didn't I? I meant 28 possible appearances for the main dude. You know the whole 3 races and eight classes plus gender select. Wait that adds up to 48... Oh well...

So that leaves me with two questions... right? Anyway...

No matter which main hero you choose, you will always play as the semi-passive stater-of-the-obvious, Creole, so don't worry about the whole too many heros thing. I thought about that a while back so I fixed it on the go.

About the whole "seemingly random" thing. I meant something like... If you arn't on one of the major quests, the scripting would count how many steps you have taken until they have reached a semi-random number, then, blamo, whichever hero's counter ran out will strike out a conversation with you... see since you wouldn't notice the whole countdown it would appear random.

Although, there are two thing I may have left out. Unlike KOTOR which I am spawning the idea from, the main story will be optionable (don't question that one), and there will be two charictors that are constantly in your party... Creole and Agora (summoner).

... Well anyway, the whole idea is based on global variables, so I want to know if anyone can tell me if global variables are kept when you save the game, or if they are reset when you quit and load back?

SunsOfFlame · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 139

I'm pretty sure Global Variables save when you save......they must, I'd think.
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Moogle1 · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 4:12 pm Post subject:

They do.
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DukeofDellot · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 32

Seriously? ... It would make sense, but I wasn't sure... anyway, thanks.

junahu · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 2:46 am Post subject:

Question(s): how do you plan on doing this? Will it be just one global variable per character to represent their overall attitude with a few tags for gender and race. Or will you use global variables for each aspect of the character's personality? Will the stats affect the character's max stats? Will there be characters that become stronger the more they hate you? Are you thinking this all through BEFORE starting? etc etc.
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DukeofDellot · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 32

DDDUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDEEE!!!!

I started this project during Spring Break of last year!!!
Of course I've thought it through... most of the way.

There will be tags for gender of Creole(main hero), but as for everyone else, the gender is decided by the fact that each hero is a charictor in itself... You know if I used too many possibilities it would take two more years to finish.

The whole thing is very, very simple. Every (base number(random (25,50) steps the heros will either talk to one another or one will speak with Creole and Agora (both mandatory heros). They might ask you a question during the conversation, and depending on your answer they will add or subtract points from a "dispostion meter".

Each hero's disposition will be based on a number from -3 to 5, -3 being when they hate you enough to stomp away in anger, and 5 being the love/rivalry status. Simple, yes?

... I'm currently working on the list of heros. I wouldn't want there to be too many, but I also wouldn't want to many of the same type of hero... this brings up the problem that I'm better at thinking up mage-styled charictors... oh well.

Oh yeah, and just to tell ya', this project already has about an hour of playable story, and I've already maped out some of the free-ranging area. Not much to show for half a year of work, but you know, whatever progress is there, is good enough for me.

RPGCreations · **E Pluribus Unum** Joined: 18 May 2003 Posts: 345

Except without the 23 classes.

sword rain alpha
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junahu · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 3:30 am Post subject:

DukeofDellot · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 32

Restrictive? ... ok, ok, My original idea was -5 to 5 with some able to reach 8... but the thing is this isn't a professional game, nor is it my main priority. I work on it little by little, and besides, I wanted it to be a small enough number that I could finish the damned game by the time I graduate highschool. I also wanted the player to see more than just the two heros you start with...

So my awnser is: Yes, it is desirably restrictive... If you don't like it, then don't play it, two years from now when it comes out.

DukeofDellot · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 32

Yo Admin! Can I request that this topic be closed or deleted or something so I can just forget about it, please?