What do you struggle with in design?

[zacheatscrackers]

I consider myself an excellent writer and boss designer.

However, my biggest struggles are with mapping and puzzles. I can be good at both, if I have just the right idea what to do, but if I have nothing to work off of, and can't think of anything interesting... I'm almost a mess. Ugh.

To elaborate, I try to make maps as nice looking as possible, and add an even amount of detail (not empty-looking, but not clogged to the brim/having a bunch of random tiles that don't fit the style of the map), and I try to make puzzles as varied as possible so the player isn't doing the same thing every area. I'm fine with repeating previous puzzles every once in a while (harder variants or combining several puzzles), but regardless... yeah.

 

[CWells]

Maps and moving characters along the maps in events. The size of objects, given it's pixel art makes it difficult for me to tell floor from wall in some cases, or even bottles from books on some shelves. I just try to turn the objects into what I need them to be creatively, if it works. Default set up leaves much to be desired. Especially objects that can face all directions. We need more left and right facing objects.

 

[AngelGrace]

Depth.

No matter what I'm doing, I always put in just enough to accomplish the goal. The result is my worlds tend to come across as rather flat; simply point A to point B, rather a full world.

On the other hand, I have so many ideas for worlds that I could live a dozen lifetimes and never run out of stories to tell.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

I'm struggling with art related things...

 

[GammaVector]

I can't art to save my life.  But I realize that, so I mostly don't try, and therefore don't really "struggle" at it.

What I do struggle with is puzzles.  Even when I have ideas for them ("I'll put a rock sliding puzzle here."), I find myself having trouble coming up with an actual design that is both solvable and difficult enough.  Most of my puzzled can be solved by toddlers. orz

 

[Dark_Metamorphosis]

I tend to struggle with Character's personalities (more or less give them a personality from the get-go). Develop them over time Is another story, and I find it a lot easier. I also struggle with deciding how my battle-system should work, and coming up with spells that means something and that is useful.

I also want to make sure that the spells sync together well with eachother, and that every character in the party has a valuable asset to add to the team. So I guess I'm really bad at that part of the database.

More than that I think I have most things covered so far, even though It's in a early state and I'm still a big noob.

Oh and keeping grammar mistakes out of the game is something that I struggle with too. I tend to miss them a lot when I playtest, which is very bad.

Things I consider myself best at is:

Mapping

Dialouges (Even though I have problems with personalities, I think my writing is pretty decent).

Eventing

 

[Diretooth]

For me, it's making decent maps and scripting. However, I excel at storywriting and, given enough time, can make fairly exciting cutscenes.

 

[Alexander Amnell]

I used to have a lot of things that I struggled with, and for as long as I truly struggled with them I continued to work and improve. However I've noticed a pattern recently that is the better I get at doing something the less drive I tend to have to do it, and I move on to improving some other aspect. So, what I really need to work with the most I guess would be defined as 'follow through' or the ability to keep doing something after I've become competent enough at it to actually do a good job.

 

[PixelLuchi]

I'm an all-rounder ( jack-of-all-stats, master of none ). My strengths lie in my level=design/writing, visuals and writing ( whether its world-building, characterisation, dialogue etc. ). My weaknesses would be battle balancing but it should be a lot easier when using low number stats. I'm ok-ish at puzzles. A flaw of mine is I never give the player enough info to solve a particular obstacle, so I'm changing that. Eventing is ok too ( just don't tell me to event battles and stuff, but I can make character selection screens, visual guides/image galleries etc. ).

 

[Shinma]

Yeah, I would say you have the level design down VERY well!

I have a spreadsheet that may help you in balancing your encounters. I had planned to redo the layout and offer it up to everyone to use, but I haven't redone the layout. If you don't mind it in the it's current messy fashion, I can send it to you.

 

[Julien Brightside]

Could you send that spreadsheet to me as well?

 

[Milennin]

I struggle with coming up with a consistent story that's good or interesting and makes sense at the same time. I've never been good with stories, I find messing around with the characters I have a lot more fun.


Ignoring the story writing, I don't consider myself particularly strong or weak in anything. I'm doing ok with anything, ranging from pixel art, eventing, dialogue, mapping, battle balancing.

 

[zacheatscrackers]

I can't art to save my life.

AAAH, ****, yeah, I can't draw very well either.

Like, I can draw decently if I really put effort into it, but I'm far more used to a more simplistic style. It'd likely take forever for me to draw anything presentable, lol.

 

[Shinma]

Could you send that spreadsheet to me as well?

Sure will.

I will work on organizing it a bit this week and host it up for everyone. In the meantime, I will PM you (and anyone else that wants it) with a link to download the messy version.

 

[GammaVector]

Sure will.


I will work on organizing it a bit this week and host it up for everyone. In the meantime, I will PM you (and anyone else that wants it) with a link to download the messy version.

I'd also like a copy of that, please. Battle balancing is something I've been trying to get a handle on for a while now.

 

[Dark_Metamorphosis]

Yeah, I would say you have the level design down VERY well!

I have a spreadsheet that may help you in balancing your encounters. I had planned to redo the layout and offer it up to everyone to use, but I haven't redone the layout. If you don't mind it in the it's current messy fashion, I can send it to you.

Would love to have a look at that as well

 

[Zoltor]

Ever since I got Ace, I haven't been running into problems with scripting or event, and I've been doing some pretty complicated things with eventing too, know what I have been having a problem with, is making graphics cooperate when I import them.

I sware this engine has a mind of its own, and unless you're importing stuff from resource packs(that you're paying for, so the artists who made them is probally using some custom made art program that formats everything perfectly for this picky as all hell program).

I mean come on, It's faster to locate a single world buried in a 4k line script, then to try importing your custom stuff(and get it to display correctly) at times.

Well anyway, I'm off to create more awesome systems through eventing

 

[Aceri]

Strengths:

Writing, databasing, eventing.

Weaknesses:

Mapping. Art. Naming things.

 

[SLEEP]

i have fun writin its kinda hard for me to gauge how good i am at it. im my own worst critic so i tend to think on the side of "OH MY GOD WHAT AM I DOING" (lol and i still have fun XD)

music, i just cant music. gonna have to hire somebdod to do it for me. musicians in the future be ready 4 my $$$$

scripting, i use rpg making cuz i h8 coding. well thats not entirely true but complecated codes make my head spin, i'm a programming noob who doesnt know where to begin, HOWEVER eventing is the level of complexity i'm comfortable with. So eventing = good.

databasing is boring my current project doesn't use turn-based combat 70% so i can stay away from the worst parts of databasing that i hate.

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere]

I'm an all-rounder ( jack-of-all-stats, master of none ). My strengths lie in my level=design/writing, visuals and writing ( whether its world-building, characterisation, dialogue etc. ). My weaknesses would be battle balancing but it should be a lot easier when using low number stats. I'm ok-ish at puzzles. A flaw of mine is I never give the player enough info to solve a particular obstacle, so I'm changing that. Eventing is ok too ( just don't tell me to event battles and stuff, but I can make character selection screens, visual guides/image galleries etc. ).

From a third-person point of view, having played your games, I can say that you are not an all-rounder, but you are certainly not a "master of none". You're one of the best creators of visual atmosphere and beautiful maps that I have seen on this site. Your balancing of battles is actually quite good, and you have a good sense of crafting character and plots. You struggle with interesting dialogue though - a lot of it seems rather bland. Plus, pacing is not your strong point. But you are a master of polishing games, and are one of the best developers out there. You still have room for improvement, but you are certainly an elite.

Edit: Forgot to talk about myself.

I'm not-so-strong with mapping and visual stuff. I am good at audio.

I am horrible at creating cutscenes.

I'm very strong at puzzles (this is definitely my strongest point I have to offer), and creating interesting gameplay. I am fairly OK at story.

I have moments where I am weak and not productive at all, and others where I can belt out quite a lot of content in a night.

Therefore, for Quincy and Amber, I decided to focus almost solely on puzzles, and it's working like a charm. I can safely say that this is my favourite game I have created yet, and the only one I am truly proud of. Development is slow, but it will speed up when I have real-life things done.

Soon.