Ok, so I've gotten pretty familiar with 2D graphics programming and I want to start a good project for a 2D game. I'm thinking of making an 2D RPG but I can't make up my mind of the mechanics of it and what would be the easiest way to do it. My main dilemmas are choosing between graphic styles and the battle system. For the graphics I was thinking about doing either Isometric/2.5D or Top-Down. would think Top-Down would be the easiest, since i got simple x/y coordinates to deal with and would be easier animations and sprites. For the battle system I was thinking either real time like (Titan Quest and Diablo), Turn Based Strategy (Final Fantasy Tactics, Fire Emblem), or Turn Based like most Final Fantasies. I really like the real-time fighting in Titan Quest but I feel it would be more boring in a top-down RPG. Keep in mind that I'm going to do this alone, so 3D is out of the question for anyone that will suggest it. I want to plan this out good before I start it or I will probably give up from being unorganized so any advice would be appreciated. Cheers!

Top-down action RPGs aren't boring, have you played Secret of Mana, Zelda, or any of the Ys games? I'm curious, how much experience do you have, and what's the scope of the RPG (how large?). Content in any of those is going to be the limiting factor, I think, so maybe an RPG isn't the best choice if it's your first time.

And even a top down click-fest (like Diablo) could still be fun, as long as you have a variety of skills.

I haven't had much experience really but this game I want to make is more for fun than anything else so it doesn't have to be really good. If anyone will play it, it will probable just be me and my friends so I'm not concerned about making it too professional. Mostly I've done 2D programming with simple physics and I made a little game where you have a tank and you need to aim and power to hit the other tank, just simple stuff. I think I can do this but it will just take time and I'm good at problem solving so it shouldn't be impossible.

All genres can be good, it's the implementation that makes it fun or not. However, if you lack graphics (which is the case for most people here since this isn't an art board) I wouldn't use real-time combat because it requires more sprites. In the old Final Fantasies, the monsters weren't even animated, and if I remember correctly, in Fire Emblem the animations were really the minimum.

Old 2D RPGs with action-based combat, like "Secret of Mana" and "Soulblazer," were certainly fun, so that's a viable option. (Check out "Seiken Densetsu 3" -- Secret of Mana 2 -- and "Terranigma" if you can.) The trouble with that is that you need AI for targeting and avoiding characters in a free-roaming world. If you just want simplicity, a straightforward system like that in most "Final Fantasy" games is best: just start a battle every so often and have characters lined up and swinging at each other, barely animated. The reasons I don't like that option are that it tends to encourage mashing the "Attack" button over and over, and you end up fighting hundreds of pointless, repetitive battles you can't avoid. I like tactical combat games like "Final Fantasy Tactics" and "Disgaea: Hour of Darkness," so it'd be fun to see a battle system like those games'. The trouble with those is that they work best with an isometric display so that you can show heights -- although the "Shining Force" series used pure 2D. I recently built a 2D tactical combat demo without too much trouble.

Do you have any special features in mind for this game, or is it meant to closely follow the style of console RPGs? And do you care mostly about the story or the mechanics? For quick, decent-looking sprites (if you scale them up), I suggest this site.

Quote:Original post by Kris Schnee
Old 2D RPGs with action-based combat, like "Secret of Mana" and "Soulblazer," were certainly fun, so that's a viable option. (Check out "Seiken Densetsu 3" -- Secret of Mana 2 -- and "Terranigma" if you can.) The trouble with that is that you need AI for targeting and avoiding characters in a free-roaming world. If you just want simplicity, a straightforward system like that in most "Final Fantasy" games is best: just start a battle every so often and have characters lined up and swinging at each other, barely animated. The reasons I don't like that option are that it tends to encourage mashing the "Attack" button over and over, and you end up fighting hundreds of pointless, repetitive battles you can't avoid. I like tactical combat games like "Final Fantasy Tactics" and "Disgaea: Hour of Darkness," so it'd be fun to see a battle system like those games'. The trouble with those is that they work best with an isometric display so that you can show heights -- although the "Shining Force" series used pure 2D. I recently built a 2D tactical combat demo without too much trouble.

Do you have any special features in mind for this game, or is it meant to closely follow the style of console RPGs? And do you care mostly about the story or the mechanics? For quick, decent-looking sprites (if you scale them up), I suggest this site.

Right now, I haven't thought of the story or any special features because I wanted to figure out the graphics and combat first, and then build the story and stuff on top of that. It could be anything really, like I said, I'm not aiming for perfection.

And wow! This website is awesome for sprites, thanks.

I think one of the best CRPGs was Sword of the Samurai ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_of_the_Samurai - also note who designed the duleing mini-game in it. Yes it is that Sid Meier). It tends not to get labled as a CRPG because it doesn't follow the cookie cutter trend of dungeon hacking. But as a game it has more "Role" play in it that a lot of the dungeon hacers.

I woudl say stere clear of the dungeon hack style rpgs as they are a dime a dozen now days, along with the Japanese style RPgs as well (yes I know that Sword of the Samurai has a Japanese theme, but that is theme, not style).

If you add more character interactions and give a greater ability to express a persona, a Sword of the Samurai inspired game could make an excelent RPG (and if they could do that in Ye Olde DOS days, we should be able to do it now days, but with better graphics).

Quote:Original post by Edtharan
I think one of the best CRPGs was Sword of the Samurai ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_of_the_Samurai

is that this game?

Quote:Original post by NateTheGreat
I haven't had much experience really but this game I want to make is more for fun than anything else so it doesn't have to be really good.

i like this dude's attitude. and hey man, if it's just for fun, then it will be really good. if it's only for yourself, then you might be able to get away with using a professional sprite sheet.

Quote:is that this game?

Yes.