RPG Campaign

Ripples of Destiny

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Long ago, before the time of Order, Chaos reigned. People lived in fear of all forms of demons and other foul beasts; and other dangers, some worse still.

But a hero arose with the power of the Gods, or so it seemed. His powers were great, enough to challenge demons, and armies of angels flocked behind him. Chaos was driven from the lands, and Order was restored.

Then, a Seal was set, securing the world against the Chaos. But slowly, surely, the Chaos has been returning. However, the Monastary, set up shortly after the bringing of Order to guard against it, has become decadent, and their leaders unwilling to act.

The world lies at a crossroads, with the tides of Chaos rising. It is on a knife edge - even a single person could change it. What path will you take?

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Overviews:

A single player RPG campaign. You play, mostly, as Halazar, a monk of the Monastary. Shortly into the game, you get the quest to recover the shards and crystals required to reforge the Seal.

However, there are going to be several twists (which you may or may not discover before the end, depending on how vigilent you are and who you speak to), and also multiple endings.

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Classes:

Each of the three main characters have 3 classes, and 6 abilities in each class. Abilities and stats can be increased by ability and stat points from level up, and possibly special events. There are also basic classes, which can't fight, but can carry anything (and may have abilities like pick lock in future).

Each class also has a proficiency rating, which is increased by special events, such as training with masters in that class. Most of the best equipment will require a high proficiency.

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Items:

Each class has 4 different equipment slots, for different sorts of items. Most equipment is limited by proficiency, class and level. However, the basic classes can carry anything (but they cannot fight).

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Combat:

Basic WC3 combat system, with 1-3 heroes and 3 classes for each. However, many abilities have a casting time, and most enemies have a % chance to interupt and reset the casting time.

On the world map, every few steps there is a chance to be attacked, and then you go to a combat map area (which will be a random one from a set available, and will scale up in strength with your characters).

On other maps, they will be either preplace, or randomly preplaced. Boss fights will have a large element of thinking involved, as well as scripting.

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Menu:

Based on dialogue boxes, and allows changing of party leader, increasing stats/abilities or changing class of party members, and also saving the game (which is via cache).

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Characters:

Halazar (PC) - A monk of the Monastary, dispatched to try and find out what is happening with the rise of Chaos. He wants to do what he can to help.

Tanja (party member) - A half-elf, it appears that she has joined to try and achieve something, though what is not immediately clear. Her half-breed status, which is a very rare thing in these times, sets her apart from most people, and she is shunned by both humans and elves.

Ioden (party member) - Undisclosed.

I'm probably going to make an influence system for your party, as well.

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Progress:

Item System - Done
Save/Load - Done (I hope; in such a way that I can easily add new variables on just the starting map and have them carry throughout).
Heroes - Done
Combat System - Mostly done; need to do scaling enemy strength, and more enemies and maps.
Menu System - Done

Maps (terrain, cinematics, story, etc.) - Very little.

ok

Sounds cool ; ). So do you actually control all 3 characters, or just control Halazar and then the other two follow you around and help you?

Well, you won't have a full party of 3 all of the time. However, when you do, then you control all of them the same, with one of them being designated 'leader' at any one time, and his/her position decides the cameras, the triggers going off, etc. etc.

However, you still control all of the members of your party, with the normal WC3 system (apart from on the world map).

I should have a demo up soon, just the save/load system is being a bit annoying, and I'm having some difficulty with getting a part of it to work. It appears to be doing something very wierd, which I am trying to track down the source of.

Nice! Good job so far. I'll be looking forward to this one.

Hum, sounds interesting.

I would like to try it once it is ready.

Hrm, sounds pretty good. But the terraining, cinematics and story are almost always the most... grueling part.

The whole combat sounds final fantasy like in the random encounter way, I toyed with a similar idea too. A multiplayer version though, where if allies were close enough to a random encounter they'd encounter it together.

However, the rest of your system sounds like ff12's new system. Where you walk around and fight the enemies in a wc3 style, taking time to charge up attacks instead of using the ATB system; and where combat doesn't stop and pause but rather is on going and fluent like warcraft.

After playing ff12's demo I've been thinking of how to emulate the combat's casting time system and slowness of combat... but I was only thinking in a multiplayer method, yours is fairly different. I'll be interested in seeing how yours turns out...

Maybe I should explain the combat system a bit better...

One the world map, you get put down in an area which contains around 20 (not decided on that yet) enemies, and you can either fight your way out, or just run out. Nothing is forcing you to fight.

Rather like Summoner.

Thanks for all the interest. Just trying to track down why the saving system to save variables by a system (so that I don't have to update every map with new variables) isn't working.

If I can't find out today, I'll release the demo anyway (it works fine unless you save/load, and even then everything works except anything based upon your position in the story line or what you've done). I just need to add a few areas of combat (already got where in mind).

PS: Oh, by the way, everything is going to be unprotected, and everyone can see my rather primitive and poor triggering (in places, it can be poor). Basic WE, and all GUI.

EDIT: Fixed it last night, it appears, but I didn't get a chance to test it. Anyway, beginning work on the non-random combat part of the demo.

Great idea I really like it.
Are you going to use 3 person camera?
I hope you don't intend to put to many enemies, because you want the player to enjoy the environment.

There are two camera modes used, with different ones for different places.

One mode is where the camera has set points for small areas (like FF). The other is where it follows the party leader, and can be rotated with the arrow keys.

As for enemies, there will be quite a lot in some areas, and none in others. Also depends upon where you are in the story (and who you manage to annoy).

The demo is now made, apart from testing (no testing at all done). Doing that now, then I'll upload it somewhere.

The demo is now released!

Available Here

I'll probably update it tomorrow or some time with the custom loading screens.

I Tested you map the story have a good potential but there are some problems.
You have to work on your terrain there are many mistakes.
One it the conversation between the paladins and the monk master (I think) if it is supposed to be a room make it look like a room.
Your trees are floating and too small.
English is not my language (I know you new it by the way I write) and I couldn't read everything you wrote.
Every line in transmition from unit should take about 5, 6 seconds.
I couldn't use the arrow key in the monastery area it was frustrating.
And in my opinion the monk is too far at the chapter after the monastery.

dude, the story was fine with the orcs suddenly using the magic and all that, but theres some really critical stuff you need to fix.
First of: Comprimize it!! I cant stand changing map every 10 sec, tested for like 6 min and had to change map 10+ times. You know you should use the terrain thats not used.
And you really need to fix up the terrain, use much MUCH more doodads and add some tile variation and height.
Also its a bit buggy that I managed to get out of the town without getting some kind of weapon.

Fix those things and the Campaign is pretty nice
good luck

It's called a demo for a reason...

And yes, the loading times are an issue, but later one you'll be spending more time in each map.

As to the terrain, I'm no terrainer. Look at the capital city terrain and the cave terrain - those were done by the terrainer (Marz). The other terrains will be patched up in time.

The camera in the monastary isn't supposed to have the arrow keys involved (it uses set points).

Thanks for the feedback!