- Joined
- Jul 1, 2014
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- Reaction score
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I will discuss the elements and mechanics found in different popular SRPG that I played.
I will update as it goes
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance..
The MAP is 2.5D, there's height elevation.
There's job class, and skills are learned by filling up combat points from weapons.
There are only 3 main characters, and several hidden characters.
All other playable units are generic
Job Class selection dependent on Race.
Job points are earned through battle
There daily missions, and some random PvP
The world map is custom and has amazing combination to unlock rewards.
All units have a custom graphic when inflicted with frozen, berserk, zombie, petrify, when in water tile
There's only like 14 monster enemies, 10 bosses, and the others are actor enemies..
There's only 38 maps.
There's 20 states, and the revive countdown for zombies undead
Two cool mechanics, are the blue mage which learn from the monsters, and the beast master which tames and summons beast monster in battle.
There's the judge too. That forbids skills and sends violators to jail. There's also the mission and deploy stuff to get more rewards. The calendar system too.
The weapon and armor database are easy to populate. The skills too. I think one of the difficult part here is units have primary and secondary jobs. The primary being the growth level up job, and the second for the additional skill.
Making each skill effect and graphics is a bit tedious. The Growth job determines the stat gained of the units.
I remember to make the play easy is getting the steal weapon skill early in the game. Unlocking secret characters is also fun. it boosts interest in 100% game completion. You can get special items too from you map combination.
FFTA is prolly one of the best srpg to remake here in rpg maker even if its not 3d. just the gameplay itself.
There existing plugins for srpg
TM_SRPG - no support
Lemon Slice srpg_converter - most active
arleq1n Tactics System
Lecode Tactical Battle System
SRPG Converter is sole for Fire Emblem
TM_SRPG by tomoaky is basic. seems to follow that of Jeanne d' Arc in PSP.
FIRE EMBLEM SERIES
About the Fire Emblem Series.. SRPG Converter can do this! though the latest versions by the author is not yet released, the community has been active in updating. here's what mine looks like now
Fire emblem usually just have a few main characters units that have permanent death
It has the complexity of units staying together in battle.
It also has weapon proficiency and weapon breakage, so you need to re-equip weapon to you advantage
The extra attack and critical hit animation are also great
Events haven on the map, like entering villages, opening chests, occupying forts.
There's very few generic units. The maps 20+ to 30+ish
Units level at an RNG! exciting
Now there's Fire Emblem Heroes in Mobile, Fire Emblem Three Houses, Fire Emblem Engage. For simplicity, i'd rather evolve the UI of srpg converter to that of Fire Emblem Engage.
As we can observe, we do not really need much of variety of units, skills, items to make a successful game. Most likely it's the delivery of the story line. It's not like we are making a gacha game for profit, but more on the art of story telling.
For me now, the most important feature i look for is the Auto Combat Mode, just watching my units fight. Making sure the AI is smart.
I did not yet discuss they're story telling mechanics. But those games worth mentioning are
Front Mission 3, Jeanne d Arc, Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy
Those that did not make the list because they were too simple
Ragnarok Tactics (PSP), Legend of Ixtona (Android KEMCO)
Other games worth noting are
Agarest, triangle strategy, disgaea, ADvance Wars, Valiant Force 2
In conclusion
1. Find a plugin for the battle system to use
2. Get your story done, make 20-30 chapters. Map them out
3. Make the tutorial maps, about 5 for the different mechanics
4. Populate your main characters, Add generic characters
5. Populate the equips, see database of other games
5a. Apply cheese like equip set bonus, equip upgrade
6. Populate skills. Keep it simple. Now adays its like 1 active, 1 passive, 1 ultimate
6a. Think how skills are acquired, but CP, buy them from shop, mix them, learn as you level unlock, skill trees?
7. Determine debuffs that will affect difficulty - poison sleep paralysis mute burn frozen etc
8. Determine the buffs that will affect difficulty
9. Use a Test Map
10. There's always 3 maps - Intro Cutscene Map, Battle Map, Outro Cutscene Map
11. Keep Play testing, and have other test it, set different goals for each map, defeat all, protect, capture, survive, etc.
12. After you layout maps, add easter eggs, treasure chest.
I will update as it goes
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance..
The MAP is 2.5D, there's height elevation.
There's job class, and skills are learned by filling up combat points from weapons.
There are only 3 main characters, and several hidden characters.
All other playable units are generic
Job Class selection dependent on Race.
Job points are earned through battle
There daily missions, and some random PvP
The world map is custom and has amazing combination to unlock rewards.
All units have a custom graphic when inflicted with frozen, berserk, zombie, petrify, when in water tile
There's only like 14 monster enemies, 10 bosses, and the others are actor enemies..
There's only 38 maps.
There's 20 states, and the revive countdown for zombies undead
Two cool mechanics, are the blue mage which learn from the monsters, and the beast master which tames and summons beast monster in battle.
There's the judge too. That forbids skills and sends violators to jail. There's also the mission and deploy stuff to get more rewards. The calendar system too.
The weapon and armor database are easy to populate. The skills too. I think one of the difficult part here is units have primary and secondary jobs. The primary being the growth level up job, and the second for the additional skill.
Making each skill effect and graphics is a bit tedious. The Growth job determines the stat gained of the units.
I remember to make the play easy is getting the steal weapon skill early in the game. Unlocking secret characters is also fun. it boosts interest in 100% game completion. You can get special items too from you map combination.
FFTA is prolly one of the best srpg to remake here in rpg maker even if its not 3d. just the gameplay itself.
There existing plugins for srpg
TM_SRPG - no support
Lemon Slice srpg_converter - most active
arleq1n Tactics System
Lecode Tactical Battle System
SRPG Converter is sole for Fire Emblem
TM_SRPG by tomoaky is basic. seems to follow that of Jeanne d' Arc in PSP.
FIRE EMBLEM SERIES
About the Fire Emblem Series.. SRPG Converter can do this! though the latest versions by the author is not yet released, the community has been active in updating. here's what mine looks like now
Fire emblem usually just have a few main characters units that have permanent death
It has the complexity of units staying together in battle.
It also has weapon proficiency and weapon breakage, so you need to re-equip weapon to you advantage
The extra attack and critical hit animation are also great
Events haven on the map, like entering villages, opening chests, occupying forts.
There's very few generic units. The maps 20+ to 30+ish
Units level at an RNG! exciting
Now there's Fire Emblem Heroes in Mobile, Fire Emblem Three Houses, Fire Emblem Engage. For simplicity, i'd rather evolve the UI of srpg converter to that of Fire Emblem Engage.
As we can observe, we do not really need much of variety of units, skills, items to make a successful game. Most likely it's the delivery of the story line. It's not like we are making a gacha game for profit, but more on the art of story telling.
For me now, the most important feature i look for is the Auto Combat Mode, just watching my units fight. Making sure the AI is smart.
I did not yet discuss they're story telling mechanics. But those games worth mentioning are
Front Mission 3, Jeanne d Arc, Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy
Those that did not make the list because they were too simple
Ragnarok Tactics (PSP), Legend of Ixtona (Android KEMCO)
Other games worth noting are
Agarest, triangle strategy, disgaea, ADvance Wars, Valiant Force 2
In conclusion
1. Find a plugin for the battle system to use
2. Get your story done, make 20-30 chapters. Map them out
3. Make the tutorial maps, about 5 for the different mechanics
4. Populate your main characters, Add generic characters
5. Populate the equips, see database of other games
5a. Apply cheese like equip set bonus, equip upgrade
6. Populate skills. Keep it simple. Now adays its like 1 active, 1 passive, 1 ultimate
6a. Think how skills are acquired, but CP, buy them from shop, mix them, learn as you level unlock, skill trees?
7. Determine debuffs that will affect difficulty - poison sleep paralysis mute burn frozen etc
8. Determine the buffs that will affect difficulty
9. Use a Test Map
10. There's always 3 maps - Intro Cutscene Map, Battle Map, Outro Cutscene Map
11. Keep Play testing, and have other test it, set different goals for each map, defeat all, protect, capture, survive, etc.
12. After you layout maps, add easter eggs, treasure chest.
And like the true gothic girl she is, she had to alter the designs a bit, to make them more creepy and dark haha
