Uniques United: Search for Lost Family

[Iavra]

If i may ask, what is it that Ace is missing in your opinion?

 

[Ms Littlefish]

Hey, Blinn. I know we probably can't keep you (ultimately) from moving to another engine. But maybe was has happened is the scope of your project has gotten too large. It happens to everyone. It's really easy to get great ideas and create complex and interesting mechanics that soon inflate themselves past our current skill level.

But, if you feel like you can no longer make the project in it's current form, maybe what you need to do is small project with a smaller scope that is within your current skills (of today) to make. And, of course you should create a few attainable challenges to continue growth. If something feels impossible moving to another engine won't fix it. Try making something, perhaps a side project, to see what your limits are and when you return to Uniques United, on whatever engine that is, you'll have already learned many more ways to solve the questions of your larger games.

 

[Blinn]

If i may ask, what is it that Ace is missing in your opinion?

Ace can only have one enemy attack at once. The combat system I want for Uniques United is based on that of Might and Magic VI: Mandate of Heaven, where it features an option to switch in and out of real-time and turn-based combat. The turn-based combat allows multiple NPCs to attack or take action during a single turn. Watch this video to get a better idea of what I'm referring to:

https://youtu.be/3gAUhA5Cem0?t=5m9s

Hey, Blinn. I know we probably can't keep you (ultimately) from moving to another engine. But maybe was has happened is the scope of your project has gotten too large. It happens to everyone. It's really easy to get great ideas and create complex and interesting mechanics that soon inflate themselves past our current skill level.

But, if you feel like you can no longer make the project in it's current form, maybe what you need to do is small project with a smaller scope that is within your current skills (of today) to make. And, of course you should create a few attainable challenges to continue growth. If something feels impossible moving to another engine won't fix it. Try making something, perhaps a side project, to see what your limits are and when you return to Uniques United, on whatever engine that is, you'll have already learned many more ways to solve the questions of your larger games.

I actually have a smaller-scale project planned in the meantime to help build up my overall proficiency in game development which will be using RPG Maker VX Ace. It's based on a Pokemon fanfiction I began back in 2009, which I will be opening to volunteers in the near future.

 

[Caz]

This thread is being closed by request of the owner. If for some reason you would like this thread re-opened, please report this post and leave a message why. Thank you.

 

[Caz]

This thread has been reopened by request of the owner.

 

[Blinn]

Guys, I know it's been a while, but I've decided to keep working on Uniques United as an RPG in RPG Maker VX Ace. The thread was locked for a while, but now it's open again, and I have some great news!

Uniques United was recently featured on NewGamingOrder! They are a group of gamers who do a podcast series about the latest happenings in the video game industry. One of the videos from Uniques United was shown during the stream, and here's the video on Twitch:

http://www.twitch.tv/newgamingorder/b/672585133

^ 39:40 - This is when the video is shown. The feedback they gave after the video was shown was also good, and they even offered to feature more videos and updates from Uniques United on their show, which means the game will finally get a little bit of exposure!

I believe there will also be a Youtube upload of this segment soon, so when that shows up, I'll post that link on the first post.

But yeah, the thread is open, and while not much has changed during the time it was shut, the game has progressed. I will be looking to form a team in the near future, not sure exactly when. I'll keep you guys updated when things happen. Great to be back!

EDIT: Here's the Youtube version of the podcast: (Uniques United is shown at 7:10)

 

[Blinn]

Here's a mockup and rough concept of what the UI for Uniques United will look like when implemented. I'm not the best artist in the world unfortunately so this was tough to put together.

Here's a quick overview of what everything does:

The bars next to the character portrait and the numbers above represent Hit Points (the bars on the left) and Spell Points (the dark blue bars). The turquoise-colored bars represent Resources, which is the equivalent of TP. Certain characters don't use magic, so they use Resources instead. Simon for example uses a lot of gadgets, bombs, electronics, and guns, so many of his moves cost Resources.

Skills are your standard spells and moves that use up either magic or resources.

Tools are items that grant extra abilities and combat options while they are in the user's inventory. Generally, they don't cost any energy or resources to use and they can do some pretty interesting things.

Combat is a list of actions that the party can take, such as escape from a battle, change equipment, and occasionally, an Idea may add a secret option on the menu.

Items are found in the inventory of the entire party that can be used in combat.

Ideas are essentially a list of potential actions a specific character can perform based on the conditions of combat. The Think button enables you to accelerate the bar on the left, which is your party's Thinking Bar. When the bar is full, someone in the party generates an Idea in the form of a skill, an attack, a particular use of an item, and others. Ideas only last until the battle is over before disappearing from the menu. Ideas can give you skills, spells, and items that you can use in future battles, so it's a good idea to pay attention to Ideas when they happen.

However, the creatures you fight also have a Thinking Bar, which can enable them to pull off very interesting things on your party during battle, so be prepared.

Strategies are basically a list of things that party members can use to alter the effects of their skills, items, attacks, and so on. Sometimes an Idea can actually add a new Strategy to the list that a particular character can use. For example, a person that uses bombs during combat may get an Idea that allows them to upgrade their regular explosive bombs to incendiary bombs, dealing extra fire damage. This strategy can be used again and again during future battles.

Finally, the Status button enables you to check up on the characters' stats, check if they have any adverse conditions affecting them, what their damage output is, and other information. Use this when something happens during battle and you don't quite know what it did.

Again, this is a rough draft, and it could take a while to have it implemented, but I consider this an improvement over the plain Final Fantasy UI that Uniques United currently uses. Hope you like it!

 

[Blinn]

Update: Uniques United is going to need funding soon if any further progress is to be made. I've done all I can on my own, but we're going to need help, and I don't know if a kickstarter is feasible this early. I've started talking to people on Twitch who run gaming talk shows on their channels. So far, the feedback has been great, and there is some interest in Uniques United and where things will go from here.

If you guys have any ideas, please share them. I'm ill-equipped to begin the next stage until I can get an artist and a scripter onboard.

 

[Blinn]

Here's a sneak peek at the story behind Uniques United. I did the voice acting for Simon, as well as all the sound effects, ambient, and even the music. What do you guys think?

 

[Blinn]

Some updates on the latest from Uniques United:

1: The new operating title is Uniques United: Search for Lost Family.

2: I've officially become the voice actor for Simon.

3: At some point before the next demo is released, I will go through each of the scripts I'm currently using to see which ones can be used commercially and which ones cannot. I also will put a list of credits together for each of the scripts that the game will be using when the demo is ready to be released. I haven't done that yet because I'm still adding and removing scripts from Uniques United.

4: Good news! An artist has volunteered to do some artwork for Uniques United! Many thanks to Amysaurus!

5: New Poll! Check the first post for details.

 

[That Bread]

Stuffs looking great Blinn!

I'm looking forward to further updates and that hud theres something about it that I love so much... maybe its because its reminisant to some computer games I played in the past.

 

[Blinn]

Stuffs looking great Blinn!

I'm looking forward to further updates and that hud theres something about it that I love so much... maybe its because its reminisant to some computer games I played in the past.

Like this one?

 

[Blinn]

Hey there boys and girls- I'm kidding.

I've started doing an audio series on Uniques United: Search for Lost Family, and you can find the first snippet here on Soundcloud:




I'm voicing Simon!

(Also, don't let my voice deceive you. Simon is 13, but I'm 23 in real life, so I can get away with it!)

 

[Blinn]

Bad news, everyone. The game is in development hell.

The game, in it's current form as we know it, might never be finished. It's been in limbo since March and now there are further complications regarding the original plans for the game's plot that is leading it to a stalemate.

There will be a Uniques United game sometime in the future, just in another engine, as Uniques United was never intended to be purely an RPG, but rather an adventure game with elements of mystery, stealth, and even horror. There will be RPG elements in it, but if you want the closest thing resembling what the future game will be, check out this video of one of my favorite stealth games of all time, Thief: The Dark Project:




Again, it pains me to have to halt this project after spending 7 months working on it, but it's not going anywhere, and I don't like how it turned out. But I promise you now, the next time you see Uniques United as a game, it'll be built on more solid ground and it'll look, sound, and feel much more exciting than what this RPG turned out to be.