how to start my game??

[monkeyman1188]

So i have been stuck and ever pondering over how i officially start my game, i didnt want to start it like others, I'm trying to go for a weird start.

I need some input from the members here.

My game will be told somewhat like a story, like the Never ending story, where a book is opened and the story or game truly begins, however i dont want to jump right to that part, id want to start it a few minutes before that official game start but am unsure of what to do.

I had a idea of starting it at the end of another story, maybe something linking to another game, either a sequel or prequel but i wont go into that now.

The hero in that book is finally defeating the evil person or escaping somewhere with his life, the end. (shall be better than that though)

then the boy wants another story before bed and thus the game begins.

what do you all reckon?? is that a good idea. But like i said, the very start is still a complete unsurity atm and ideas would be very welcome.

maybe something like, the boy and his grandad have returned from the market, they eat dinner and the boy gets a bed time story, which starts the game off.

but that seems almost a bit boring, i would like it to be action at the start.

many thanks and i look forward to all your suggestions and ideas.

I also think that if i get a really good idea from someone, i shall put your name in my ending credits for thanks lol

cheers

Rob

 

[Kes]

Although not directly addressing the specifics of your question, there is another thread about how to start a game here: http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/topic/31869-how-to-begin/

Some of the ideas and suggestions there may be of help to you.

 

[bluebird]

I don't have too much experience with rpgmaker games and what other people have done yet (new here!), but I will say that for any story, on rpgmaker or not, you need a hook.  You bring up the Neverending Story, and for good reason-  it also starts off with some action ie the bullies chasing Bastion into the bookstore.  Just from that moment, the audience knows who the main character is, some of their character traits, and starts the story off with a bang as well.

If you choose to reference a sequel you're already playing out, that might force you into playing out the story differently just to satisfy what actually happened.  A story within a story also requires you to be able to easily transition from that action scene and into oh-wait-it-was-just-a-story!  It also distracts us from knowing just who the main character is when it opens up with someone else- UNLESS you make the main character into the one in the storybook from the beginning, immersing himself in it.

All I have are suggestions sadly, I'm having my own issues with opening my rpgmaker game too!

Good luck though!

 

[whitesphere]

How about you start the game with the boy having a really vivid nightmare/daydream.  He wakes up, screams, and his dad or mom comes into the room and offers to read him a brand new bedtime story to help him sleep.

Of course, to make things a bit creepy, have things briefly glimpsed in the nightmare show up in the game proper. 

I agree though --- the start of the game is the hardest part to write, really.

My current game starts with some brief dialog, then the players end up in prison.  And, fairly quickly, a woman breaks them out, starting the story proper.  So the players are in the action probably within a minute.

 

[bgillisp]

When starting out, I just started the game, no intro. This was so I could test the opening area without sitting through my own intro every time. As I proceeded, I discovered what should be explained more, and what didn't, and after a week or so of this, I went back and wrote the intro.

Funny thing is, after writing an entire chapter of my game, I realized I needed more to the intro, and went back and added it. At least it is pretty easy to add to an intro!

 

[bluebird]

When starting out, I just started the game, no intro. This was so I could test the opening area without sitting through my own intro every time. As I proceeded, I discovered what should be explained more, and what didn't, and after a week or so of this, I went back and wrote the intro.

Funny thing is, after writing an entire chapter of my game, I realized I needed more to the intro, and went back and added it. At least it is pretty easy to add to an intro!

That's actually pretty clever!  I think I'll need to consider doing that for my own game so I don't get stuck at the start of it.

 

[bgillisp]

Just be careful with this method, as you will probably need to re-write a lot of the first week or so's work. Still, the learning alone will be worth it.