RPG storylines and advancement

Liazon · Post by **Liazon** » Fri 04 Nov, 2005 1:39 am

playing RPGs a lot, i've seen different methods of leveling up and advancement. I like the d20/DND class features and advancement thing. But recently i've also seen more passive methods of advancement where the more you use a skill/ability, the better it gets; if you don't use it, it stays rite where it is.

Wut do most of you guys prefer? Acutally, wut have you guys seen?

And i'm looking for a good storyline for an RPG/strategy RPG. Any ideas?

DigiTan · Post by **DigiTan** » Fri 04 Nov, 2005 1:59 am

I like that last one; the 'more you use it' level-up. 'Would probably encourage more battle strategy and less button-mashing. Of course, on the flip side the player is harder for you to predict which makes the rules tougher to balance. It also gives your prog lot more to keep track of. It could go either way.

Spengo · Post by **Spengo** » Fri 04 Nov, 2005 3:01 am

I like the first and bottom the best. I like being able to control what aspects of my character I'm levelling up.

It doesn't matter to me whether it's I get to choose more strength at the level up screen or I just my strength gets better when I use swords or whatever.

threefingeredguy · Post by **threefingeredguy** » Fri 04 Nov, 2005 6:45 am

I like the passive one. Use it or lose it!

Post by **L4E_WakaMol-King** » Fri 04 Nov, 2005 10:36 am

The passive method is more realiztic... but I prefer the first one. I have a penchant for old school RPG systems.

Liazon · Post by **Liazon** » Fri 04 Nov, 2005 10:49 pm

DigiTan wrote:I like that last one; the 'more you use it' level-up. 'Would probably encourage more battle strategy and less button-mashing. Of course, on the flip side the player is harder for you to predict which makes the rules tougher to balance. It also gives your prog lot more to keep track of. It could go either way.

By button mashing, i'm guessing you are reffering to an action RPG. I'm still a newbie at this ASM thing, so i think i might just start out with a "normal" FF style RPG or a tactical RPG.

DigiTan · Post by **DigiTan** » Fri 04 Nov, 2005 11:27 pm

That's right on target. I'm a big fan of any stick & carrot system that gives rewards for trying new strategies and staying alert. The last thing you'll want is an RPG where you can win any battle by repeating the same strategy. A few other non-RPG games like Smash Bros will actually penalize you for stale moves, and I think the same strategy could work just as well for RPGs--just as long as the scoring isn't too elaborate.

necro · Post by **necro** » Fri 04 Nov, 2005 11:43 pm

Why would you change strategy if it works...the designer has the obligation of balancing the game so that their must be diversity on the players part (thinks of cheap ring out wins in SC weapon master mode)

Liazon · Post by **Liazon** » Sat 05 Nov, 2005 12:01 am

@Digitan: I have to agree with you though. A lot of non-RPGs reward players for trying new strategies out. I heard Zelda: Windwaker for GC has a lot of bosses where you have to be real creative as to how you go about fighting them.

@necro: What's SC weapon master mode?

Anyways, I'm still a newbie at ASM, so I'll have to start simple. My first project will probably be some school/math class related program, just to get used to ASM programming.

As for storyline, my first idea was this turn-based tactical RPG where you can do a certain number of things each turn. The storyline is based on this rivalry between two different gangs from the future: the Energybladers and the Megatons.

So there's been a weird assasination of the Energyblader gang boss. Your character wakes up, and has no memory of his past. He joins the Energybladers to help find out who killed the gang boss.

You infiltrate the Megaton's base and find out that they also had their leader assasinated too. From the rest of the game, your character teams up with a member of the Megaton's, and you can control both of them in turn based tactical combat, battling a secret organization trying to bring both gans down.

I admit that the storyline would work so much better for an action game, but like i said, I'm a newbie. I think even this would be too great of a first game project.

DigiTan · Post by **DigiTan** » Sat 05 Nov, 2005 1:09 am

A little strategy changes now and then can boost the interest level for the game. Low variety is one of the top complaints I read for calc RPGs (though if you ask me, they're often exaggarated). It's cool to throw the player a curveball like this.

Liazon · Post by **Liazon** » Sat 05 Nov, 2005 7:31 pm

oh ya, btw how large can an ASM program be? I remember for the 86 there were limits.

gangsta · Post by **gangsta** » Sat 05 Nov, 2005 7:42 pm

~8000 nostub...
ram size for shell-exec...

DigiTan · Post by **DigiTan** » Sat 05 Nov, 2005 7:48 pm

The 86 forced you to use RAM paging for every 16kB in order to maintain 16-bit addressing. For others, you're only limited to your total RAM size, minus the size of your shell. Due to the 8.8kB limit on 83+, that limit is made even smaller, and the 83+ programmers here will probably elaborate on that some more.

Also, I'd definately look into using compression for your data. ZCP saved me 2.2kB on Robot War, and I'm expecting APack compression to raise this to over 3kB. Both can be found at ticalc, and don't take up much space.

Liazon · Post by **Liazon** » Sat 05 Nov, 2005 7:50 pm

why do ppl say nostub?

So far this poll just shows that ppl want customizability (i don't think that's a word). I think i'll choose 1 or 3 depending on appropriateness to storyline. I duno...

DigiTan · Post by **DigiTan** » Sat 05 Nov, 2005 8:05 pm

That's a noodle-scratcher. All I know is it lets the game operate independent of a shell. That can work for or against you.

MaxCoderz

RPG storylines and advancement

Which RPG advancement/leveling up method do you prefer?

RPG storylines and advancement