Forging items would be more interesting if the time spent to forge the item was taken into consideration and was important. If the passing of time in the world matters, and it takes say 3 weeks to forge that new sword or suit of armor, it becomes a decision between say saving a town from destruction or letting the enemy army invade it while you are busy getting that sword forged instead. Course the player could be off doing something else while the item is being forged for them, but they'd have to ensure that they are able to return to collect it and have enough time for it to be forged before it can be used. Otherwise, you're just replacing coin currency with currency of various random component items.
The skill of the smith you hire could also determine the speed the item could be made, the quality of it, whether or not they are even capable of making it (some might attempt it anyways and screw up instead of flat out refusing initially), and of course how much they charge for their services (and convincing a master swordsmith that production of your sword is a top priority could be even more expensive).
With time as an important gameplay element, faster means of transportation and healing become that much more important as well.
RPGs: Services instead of Shops
Author
I can remember distinctly 2 examples of games where forging used 'time' as a limiter... and in both cases, it turned out to be a very bad gameplay experience. Most players, including me, would seek the 'shortest route' to time advancement, knowing fully the game did not revolve around real time.
Besides, I think its yet one more thing to keep in mind for the player which has already plenty of stuff to think about, and possibly not the most worthwhile thing for him to have to remember (since this is essentially some form of powerup).
I try not to gate content of the game behind artificial time constraints whenever possible. Let's be honest, RPGs are at fault for gating content behind artificial time boundaries either in the form of mindless grinding or other similar activities (talking to all npcs of a certain area for example). If given no other choice, I'd rather have the player grind than wait.
As for the skill of the smith, I've already intended to use that as a content limiter. Most smiths are average, and can do average work, but as soon as you find rare materials that they have no experience with, they'll send you on this sidequest to find the 'master smith' which, essentially, is nowhere to be found... and as you'll essentially be saving his butt, he'll be more than willing to help out with any smithing thta needs hammering!
While I didn't like the idea of 'waiting' I do like the idea of playing with time itself. I used to plan making a day/night system which wouldn't bring much more gameplay. Additionnally, I've devised a self-balancing system that would have monsters grow in number and power over time* (Time, in the game, is defined by the amount of time you sleep at an inn, how long you spend playing, as well as various other smaller things).
I've also added a system for transportation that replaces save points (you can save anywhere, but these shrines help you teleport around known areas, a bit like Castlevania's teleport devices).
What did you specifically mean by 'healing over time'?
I wanted to include such a system where potions didn't instantaneously heal the characters, but had to remove it due to the fact the game works with encounters and players would just wait 'in their spot' for the healing to resolve, which would lead to 'waiting' which, as you now know, I am formally against. Did you have a different system in mind?
Besides, I think its yet one more thing to keep in mind for the player which has already plenty of stuff to think about, and possibly not the most worthwhile thing for him to have to remember (since this is essentially some form of powerup).
I try not to gate content of the game behind artificial time constraints whenever possible. Let's be honest, RPGs are at fault for gating content behind artificial time boundaries either in the form of mindless grinding or other similar activities (talking to all npcs of a certain area for example). If given no other choice, I'd rather have the player grind than wait.
As for the skill of the smith, I've already intended to use that as a content limiter. Most smiths are average, and can do average work, but as soon as you find rare materials that they have no experience with, they'll send you on this sidequest to find the 'master smith' which, essentially, is nowhere to be found... and as you'll essentially be saving his butt, he'll be more than willing to help out with any smithing thta needs hammering!
While I didn't like the idea of 'waiting' I do like the idea of playing with time itself. I used to plan making a day/night system which wouldn't bring much more gameplay. Additionnally, I've devised a self-balancing system that would have monsters grow in number and power over time* (Time, in the game, is defined by the amount of time you sleep at an inn, how long you spend playing, as well as various other smaller things).
I've also added a system for transportation that replaces save points (you can save anywhere, but these shrines help you teleport around known areas, a bit like Castlevania's teleport devices).
What did you specifically mean by 'healing over time'?
I wanted to include such a system where potions didn't instantaneously heal the characters, but had to remove it due to the fact the game works with encounters and players would just wait 'in their spot' for the healing to resolve, which would lead to 'waiting' which, as you now know, I am formally against. Did you have a different system in mind?
What did you specifically mean by 'healing over time'?
I wanted to include such a system where potions didn't instantaneously heal the characters, but had to remove it due to the fact the game works with encounters and players would just wait 'in their spot' for the healing to resolve, which would lead to 'waiting' which, as you now know, I am formally against. Did you have a different system in mind?
You could use a system similar to the Tales series where you put food in a container and it gets consumed with each step you take. In your case, you drink a potion and it heals you for X HP/step for Y steps. Just got to make sure it does not become an annoying feature that ends up slowing gameplay. If potions are abundant and encounters hurt you enough that you need to be full health to survive, it will become annoying.
Author
I agree that this can be an annoying feature for realism's sake.
Besides, RPGs are generally already based around attrition (having to face several small battles is not a threat of its own, but it grows into one over time as you measure you journey home by the amount of damage you can take from each battle and the amount of battles you estimate). I feel like this built-in attrition mechanic is enough of its own accord, and I'm not too sure a food-based system really adds something to it, hence perhaps the reason why you feel it could be annoying (and I concur that it would).
I do not, however, reject the idea of supplies carried by the player altogether, I just feel that a constant burndown leaves little gameplay or player strategy opportunities. Having potions has the advantage of letting the player choose when to use them, and the more expensive they are, the more important this decision becomes.
For example, potions (herbs) play a much more crucial role in the Dragon Quest series than they do in the final fantasy early games (1-6). The reason for that is that they scale differently to the micro-economy of the game.
In final fantasy, you'll be able to bring 99 potions, 99 high potions etc. Which means you can pretty much choose to heal after each battle, and decide its time to turn back when you run low on potions.
In Dragon quest, you may end up with about 8 potions. Having to use them in-battle to survive will mean you won't be able to use them outside of battle, and you can only use so many that you need to know when you are 'too low'. The theory here is that, after each battle, you need to think 'do I have enough HPs to survive the next battle?' The reason for that is that, for a fair amount of time, the herbs = full healing and you have to minimize the waste of your assets while ensuring you do survive each battle.
I feel like the food system doesn't quite bring that element. But any variant is greatly welcomed!
Besides, RPGs are generally already based around attrition (having to face several small battles is not a threat of its own, but it grows into one over time as you measure you journey home by the amount of damage you can take from each battle and the amount of battles you estimate). I feel like this built-in attrition mechanic is enough of its own accord, and I'm not too sure a food-based system really adds something to it, hence perhaps the reason why you feel it could be annoying (and I concur that it would).
I do not, however, reject the idea of supplies carried by the player altogether, I just feel that a constant burndown leaves little gameplay or player strategy opportunities. Having potions has the advantage of letting the player choose when to use them, and the more expensive they are, the more important this decision becomes.
For example, potions (herbs) play a much more crucial role in the Dragon Quest series than they do in the final fantasy early games (1-6). The reason for that is that they scale differently to the micro-economy of the game.
In final fantasy, you'll be able to bring 99 potions, 99 high potions etc. Which means you can pretty much choose to heal after each battle, and decide its time to turn back when you run low on potions.
In Dragon quest, you may end up with about 8 potions. Having to use them in-battle to survive will mean you won't be able to use them outside of battle, and you can only use so many that you need to know when you are 'too low'. The theory here is that, after each battle, you need to think 'do I have enough HPs to survive the next battle?' The reason for that is that, for a fair amount of time, the herbs = full healing and you have to minimize the waste of your assets while ensuring you do survive each battle.
I feel like the food system doesn't quite bring that element. But any variant is greatly welcomed!
I didn't suggest that to copy the food system used in Tales, but to fix your issue where players would sit in place waiting for the potion to kick in.
Both systems(FF and DQ) have advantages and disadvantages. For FF, it's the necessity to drink potions after every fight, but that allows you to explore at will. In DQ, if you decide to explore and fight too many random encounters, you will come to a point where you're out of healing and need to go back to town. It can also be harder to balance since you not only have player strength vs dungeon level, but also have to take into account the number of random encounters between 2 towns.
Both systems(FF and DQ) have advantages and disadvantages. For FF, it's the necessity to drink potions after every fight, but that allows you to explore at will. In DQ, if you decide to explore and fight too many random encounters, you will come to a point where you're out of healing and need to go back to town. It can also be harder to balance since you not only have player strength vs dungeon level, but also have to take into account the number of random encounters between 2 towns.
In our Project we will not have a currency, in real-life money would be worthless in a SHTF situation, so a Barter system.
Author
SHTF?
And how is your barter system working? is it very permissive? (inherent unknown values for each item to determine what is an acceptable trade) or very drawn (this item against this item, nothing else)?
And how is your barter system working? is it very permissive? (inherent unknown values for each item to determine what is an acceptable trade) or very drawn (this item against this item, nothing else)?
I would also suggest the 'Formula' approach.
Meeting to talking to a particular npc would give you en entry in a journal of how to craft or what is needed to craft a particular weapon or create a particular option. This can be done in several ways.
Meeting to talking to a particular npc would give you en entry in a journal of how to craft or what is needed to craft a particular weapon or create a particular option. This can be done in several ways.
- Instead of NPC giving you a formula and using it to be able to craft you have 'books' to teach the player. Or Item drops from certain monsters etc.
- Instead of always having a npc crafting , you can add a skill set for you character which enables him/her to use a forge which will remove the 'weird' times when a random smith in village X made the best sword in the game etc.
This seems to me like the shops would be replaced by side quests. Bring me this and that and I'll forge you a Sword of Doom. You could apply the same principles to the rest of the shops. Bring some rare materials only found in dangerous places and they will craft you appropriate items for you like potions, scrolls of teleportation and a bunch of other stuff.
The downside of this is you lose the simplicity of gold. With gold, you have a simple wealth acquisition mechanism. With components, you need to fetch the appropriate components and if you can't find the one you need, even though you have tons of others, you can't progress. You could always fix that with a marketplace that buys and sells common components, but all that did was introduce inventory management and an extra step. You would need to have good gameplay mechanics relying on this system or the added complexity won't be appreciated.
Well at the very least it would give you an explanation why your game includes grinding (not that it would necessarily be fun).
Author
@HopelessMT
I really considered having one of the characters inherit the forging ability, but in the end, I resorted not to for various reasons not intricately linked with this.
However, I like the formula approach you have been describing. I believe it could be employed in a series of documents on how to treat certain material or alloy. You bring that back to the smith, and he learns new ways of shaping weaponry. Add to this the material rarity system already in place, and voila, you've got a recipe for crafting. I just hope it won't be 'too much'.
I really considered having one of the characters inherit the forging ability, but in the end, I resorted not to for various reasons not intricately linked with this.
However, I like the formula approach you have been describing. I believe it could be employed in a series of documents on how to treat certain material or alloy. You bring that back to the smith, and he learns new ways of shaping weaponry. Add to this the material rarity system already in place, and voila, you've got a recipe for crafting. I just hope it won't be 'too much'.
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