Am I being overly ambitious?

[Ross M]

This will be my first project in RPG maker which I will be making alongside studying Unity and Unreal.

I have hidden all the lairs of my completed (for obvious reasons) and just show the pathing and maps themselves (each small block represents a single map (towns, caves, areas in between towns etc), each big block represents an area in the game (like a city or dungeon) that is made up of multiple maps.

Is this too big? I want it to be epic, lots of areas will be revisited in the main story and some areas have just been put down as something extra to do if the player feels the need to explore a little.

What are your thoughts? Is there anything I can add?

 

[bgillisp]

Well...it's about the same size as my game ended up being in the end (I had 22 towns to give you an idea), and the game took me almost 3 years to finish. So, it can be done, but prepare to spend a LONG time on it. And prepare to redo a few of your earlier areas as well, as you will be learning how to use the engine and such as you go.

To give you an idea, my game went through 5 reboots. Here is how it went:
Version 1: Lasted 4 days. Started over as I didn't use switches/variables right the first time.
Version 2: IGMC2014 Version (and yes, this means I did start over in the middle of the IGMC, as version 1 was started when the IGMC was announced). Made it to midway Chapter 2 (about 3 hours of playtime). Some really ugly maps (90 x 90 house anyone?)
Version 3: Lasted 3 months. Made it to middle of Chapter 3, realized some Chapter 1 maps no longer worked and had to be redone.
Version 4: Lasted 5 months. Made it to end of Chapter 4. Restarted to make the earlier maps better, and to rebalance things.
Version 5: Current Version. Started in February 2015. Did do a version 5.1 where I added a few scenes that were texted over, but been on this version since.

So basically, if you prepare to start over a few times, and to spend 3 - 6 years to make the game, it can be done. But if you want a game done sooner than that, then yes, you are being too ambitious for a first project.

 

[Ross M]

Also, heres my first parralax map

 

[Ross M]

Well...it's about the same size as my game ended up being in the end (I had 22 towns to give you an idea), and the game took me almost 3 years to finish. So, it can be done, but prepare to spend a LONG time on it. And prepare to redo a few of your earlier areas as well, as you will be learning how to use the engine and such as you go.

To give you an idea, my game went through 5 reboots. Here is how it went:
Version 1: Lasted 4 days. Started over as I didn't use switches/variables right the first time.
Version 2: IGMC2014 Version. Made it to midway Chapter 2 (about 3 hours of playtime). Some really ugly maps (90 x 90 house anyone?)
Version 3: Lasted 3 months. Made it to middle of Chapter 3, realized some Chapter 1 maps no longer worked and had to be redone.
Version 4: Lasted 5 months. Made it to end of Chapter 4. Restarted to make the earlier maps better, and to rebalance things.
Version 5: Current Version. Started in February 2015. Did do a version 5.1 where I added a few scenes that were texted over, but been on this version since.

So basically, if you prepare to start over a few times, and to spend 3 - 6 years to make the game, it can be done. But if you want a game done sooner than that, then yes, you are being too ambitious for a first project.

Great response, yeah I don't mind it taking as long as it takes. I could spend as much time as needed. This is a side hobby, so its just for fun.
Thanks for the house size advice lol

 

[RetroBoy]

You seem organized and talented. Stick with it and you will do fine.

 

[bgillisp]

One thing...please edit your previous post next time. Posting below yourself is what we call double posting, which we do not allow. Figured I should mention it since you are new after all.

One other suggestion I do have is to get a demo up after a few months to get some feedback on the early areas and story. This way if you need to change things, or your maps are as ugly as can be (mine were) you can learn this and know what to fix while it is still fixable.

 

[Ross M]

You seem organized and talented. Stick with it and you will do fine.

Thank you

One thing...please edit your previous post next time. Posting below yourself is what we call double posting, which we do not allow. Figured I should mention it since you are new after all.

One other suggestion I do have is to get a demo up after a few months to get some feedback on the early areas and story. This way if you need to change things, or your maps are as ugly as can be (mine were) you can learn this and know what to fix while it is still fixable.

Yeah, will not do again.

More great advice, thank you. I will definitely take note. I'm probably going to do the first chapter and demo that itself. Making some of the later areas of the game first is a part of my plan (well, not eventwise, but mapping wise) as I have chosen themes/factions for specific areas and will probably find it easier to copy and paste many things (with a couple of custom sprite flags here and there).

I actually had to redo that parralax (that is the 2nd version) because characters heads were poking out above the middle of trees.

 

[Kes]

@Ross M Please note that this particular forum is not for getting feedback on individual, specific projects. It is meant to be more wide ranging in both subject matter and responses than that.

For the sake of clarity, here is the opening of the Discussion Rules

1) Discussion should be general, not project-specific.
While you're welcome to use your project as an example, please try to keep the conversation broad. Feedback that's only specific to your project should be posted in your project thread. If it's too early in planning to have a project thread, you can use the Plot and Character Feedback thread.

 

[Ross M]

@Ross M Please note that this particular forum is not for getting feedback on individual, specific projects. It is meant to be more wide ranging in both subject matter and responses than that.

For the sake of clarity, here is the opening of the Discussion Rules

Ah, ok. Eh, where do I post about feedback for non 'plot and character' feedback?

 

[Kes]

Features Feedback for aspects of game play and Game and Map Screenshots for maps. If you start creating your own resources, then in Resource Support, either in the WIP thread or in your own thread. So, for example, your parallax should be in Game and Map Screenshots.

 

[Ross M]

Features Feedback for aspects of game play and Game and Map Screenshots for maps. If you start creating your own resources, then in Resource Support, either in the WIP thread or in your own thread. So, for example, your parallax should be in Game and Map Screenshots.

Ok no problem

My reasoning for posting in here was that the board said this board was for three different subjects so the wording should probably be changed. to just "plot and character feedback" rather than what it is now, screeny below.

Sorry, I don't want to sound rude, I respect what you have told me. But it should probably be renamed from 'General Discussion' to 'Character and plot feedback' as well.

 

[XIIIthHarbinger]

I would say that whether or not you are being "too ambitious" is entirely dependent upon a couple of things that only you can answer.

Primus, how much time are you willing to invest in this project.

Secundus, how soon you wish to complete this project.

Tritus, how dedicated you are to the project.

My current project I have been working on for a good bit of time, Steam tells me I have more than two thousand hours invested in it. But Steam only counts when I actually have MV open, & not when I am brainstorming on a notepad, or working with gimp, so it's probably closer to three thousand hours. I have more than four hundred maps so far, in various states of development, & I still have to add various dungeons, as well as minor maps like building interiors.

Right now the project weighs in a 2.97 GB, it's a monster that devours my weekends & off time. & it won't be complete for at least another year. Have I been too ambitious, absolutely not.

Because the answer to the above three questions for me are as follows; as much time as required to do it right, when it's done right, as dedicated as I have to be to get it done right.

 

[Kes]

@Ross M I don't think I've entirely understood your point. I can already see 'Character and Plot Feedback' in the description. If ever you're uncertain about where something should go, each forum has a pinned topic of Guidelines/Rules which can help. Also a quick glance down the titles of already posted threads should help make it clearer.

 

[Rayhaku808]

Just throwing some quick advice your way, use the monthly progress and goals thread. It's stickies up top in here somewhere. Helps people stay on track having a public journal with some discussion.

 

[rpgmakerxp]

Huge yes. Not gonna lie, usually you want to start small then move up to something like that as you improve.

And by small I mean something you can finish in around 3 months or less.

 

[Ross M]

I would say that whether or not you are being "too ambitious" is entirely dependent upon a couple of things that only you can answer.

Primus, how much time are you willing to invest in this project.

Secundus, how soon you wish to complete this project.

Tritus, how dedicated you are to the project.

My current project I have been working on for a good bit of time, Steam tells me I have more than two thousand hours invested in it. But Steam only counts when I actually have MV open, & not when I am brainstorming on a notepad, or working with gimp, so it's probably closer to three thousand hours. I have more than four hundred maps so far, in various states of development, & I still have to add various dungeons, as well as minor maps like building interiors.

Right now the project weighs in a 2.97 GB, it's a monster that devours my weekends & off time. & it won't be complete for at least another year. Have I been too ambitious, absolutely not.

Because the answer to the above three questions for me are as follows; as much time as required to do it right, when it's done right, as dedicated as I have to be to get it done right.

Well, I'm an ex osrs player who played on 4 accounts at the same time for most of my day. Now 60% of that time is being put into Uni, 10% social life so I'd say I have 5 hours a day to work on it.

Eh, I don't have a time frame. I just want to create something big that tells a story.

Maybe I am being too ambitious. I could definitely shrink down the number of areas by half. I guess if I put planned areas of the stories in areas I can re use big maps that have multiple destinations, hmm.