Gunpowder and Dry Bones

[Doktor_Q]

I work full time, so progress might be a bit sparse.


The story


For a century, the land has been stricken with drought. No rain falls, the rivers run dry with dust, and day by day the land is consumed by the spreading Barrens. But rumors tell of a fertile land far to the west, across the harsh desert- Rainhold, the city of life, which stores up all the rains of the last hundred years. Under the patronage of the Eastbell Trading Company, your expeditions will have a simple goal- beginning from the town of Eastbell, establish a safe route through the Barrens to reach the mythical city of Rainhold and end the hundred-year drought.


If it could be crossed in a single voyage, it wouldn’t be worth doing. Each expedition has limited supplies, so you’ll need to carve a safe path through dangerous lands, secure routes between settlements, establish footholds, and improve your technologies and techniques to extend each new expedition and finally reach your destination.


About the game


Gunpowder and Dry Bones, or more simply Dry Bones, is a wild west / pioneer-themed dungeon crawler*, taking cues from Wild ARMs 3, the Etrian Odyssey series (especially III and IV), accounts of the Lewis and Clark expedition, and bits of early American folklore, among other sources.


*There’s a lot of world map, too.


Features

• Assemble your expedition party from 9 classes: Drifter, Marshal, Hunter, Chemist, Surgeon, Outlaw, Lord, Beastblood, and Automaton, with several portraits for each.
  
• Manage each character’s skill tree as they level up: Spend SP earned by leveling up to learn skills and improve them, unlocking more advanced skills.
  
• Discover new locations to expand the frontier: Be they new towns to embark from, oases to rest and resupply at, shortcuts to cross dangerous territories, or sources of new exploration abilities, each discovery is another step closer to Rainhold.
  
• Turn-based world and field maps with on-map encounters: Enemies are visible and only move when you do. Sneak up on them to claim the advantage.
  
• Exploration events: Small narrated events will happen while exploring. Depending on your party members and their abilities, you’ll see different outcomes, and can receive rewards or penalties. One of my favorite bits when playing Etrian Odyssey.
  
• Target Level system: ok so it’s really just a threat system for managing who the enemies target, but visible and with discrete levels, and abilities that leverage it.
  
• Cooldown-based skills: Choose your skills by the situation and timing, not by MP costs.
  
• Persistent effects: Status effects and skill cooldowns recover slowly on the map, and can carry over into your next battle.
  
• Not A Rogueliketm

Assets


My holy grail would be to use none of the default assets in the final product.

• As a relatively capable and stubborn pixel artist, I plan to draw map sprites, tilesets, icons, window skins, and possibly battle animations myself.
  
• Once the game is stable and I have a better idea of how many distinct resources I’ll need, I plan to recruit a better artist to do portraits and backgrounds.
  
• I plan to recruit a musician to do music, though I’ll likely use stock music in the interim.
  
• I might make an exception for sound effects and use a mix of stock sounds and default sounds, as they’re harder to get custom.
  
• Definitely changing the fonts, just need to pick more appropriate ones.
  
• I’m probably going to find an editor for my writing, however much there may be.
  
• I might need help with making good maps.
  

Classes


Each of the nine classes has their own traits, equipment options, and skill tree to master. The classes you choose form the basis of your party.

1. The Drifters. Gunslingers and gamblers, wanderers of the Barrens. Use Trick Shots to hit first and hit often, and their Gambits to enhance their actions and respond to the enemy's.
   
2. The Marshals. The iron fist of the law, enforcers of order. Use Guards to protect themselves and their allies, and their Grapples and Shotgun to keep enemies in line.
   
3. The Hunters. Denizens of the wilderness, wielders of wits, not might. User their Called Shots and Snares to set up for the kill, and their Camouflage to keep out of harm’s way.
   
4. The Chemists. Inventors and researchers unknown. Their Formulas manipulate and enhance the party’s damage elements, while their Neutralizers protect from the same.
   
5. The Surgeons. Coming soon!
   
6. The Outlaws. Coming soon!
   
7. The Lords and Ladies. Coming soon!
   
8. The Beastbloods. Coming soon!
   
9. The Automata. Coming soon!
   

Development artifacts


Screenshots

Spoiler

Events and Scripts


This is for plugins, scripted effects, or reusable event structures I’ve created during development. I’ll add links as I get them to a shareable state.

• Skill levels (extension to Yanfly's Skill Learn System)
  
• Battle UI (extensions to DreamX's Battle Status Extension)
  
  MP / TP as icons
  
• Status icon anchoring options
  
• Dummy window size control
  

Credits


Team:

• Just me for now
  

Plugins:

• Yanfly: Yanfly engine scripts
  
• DreamX: Battle Status Extension
  
• Himeworks: Party system, actor commands, and dialog choices
  
• Hudell: Orange HUD
  
• Galv: Too many small improvements and features to count
  
• Frysning: Lufia style event mover
  

Updates


Update 1 -  (12/31/16)

Spoiler

• World map with step limit and on-map encounters.
  
• Character creation and party management are usable.
  
• Very first drafts of the Drifter, Marshal, Hunter, and Chemist classes in game.
  
• Basic towns with basic services- shop, party management, save point.
  
• Basic oasis and dungeon entrance / exits.
  
• Skills can be learned and leveled up through the menu.
  
• Battle UI is heading in the right direction.
  
• Target Level works, but still needs a lot of balancing.