My RPG Project Update. Pics too.
by Cinder Games · 01/03/2006 (4:20 pm) · 10 comments
It's been awhile, and i haven't had time to work on it either, but i figure i'll post what i'll done so far for those interested.
I'm writing the base for a Console Style RPG. All characters except the ORC, were modeled by me, Same with the textures. I think i made all of them :)
Recent Additions include...
- A merchant NPC which sells and buys items. Simple menu navigation get's you thru what you need to do. Money is deducted or added accordingly. Each NPC merchant can have their own unqiue item list.
- Turn-Based RPG battle system. Actions available are Attack, Magic, Item, and defend. Each action pretty much does what you'd imagine it does, which each step of the way a menu will be dynamically generated with the proper actions. It features a target cursor which you can cycle thru targets for magic, attacking, and item use. Currently set for 4 Party members and up to 16 enemies. It features a very basic targeting camera system using the Advance Camera Resource. At the end of the battle you are rewarded Money and EXP from each enemy.
- Character Stats. Each character has various stats from strength, speed, and a few other popular ones. Stats are affected by Equipment. Of course the stats play a part in how much damage you receive and deal and what not.
- Wandering AI monster. I spent about 15 minutes and wrote a simple seek-and-destroy script for wandering monsters on the play field. I currently have it so the monster wanders around slowly, if he sees your character, he will try to move to your location, if he touches you, it is the trigger for starting battle.
- Dynamically displaying dungeons. Hmm this one is still in the works.... But my dungeons are planned to consist of rooms connected together by hallways. I wrote a system to keep track of what room/hall the player is in and determine what other rooms/halls should be visible. The point of this is to help increase FPS by not drawing what's not needed and to keep players from possibily seeing into rooms they shouldn't be able to.
- Camp Menu. Pressing a button opens up the main menu, from which you can use items, equip stuff, change party member arrangement and other stuff like saving and loading. the Save load only saves stats and items and what not for now. For a picture.
- NPC Dialog. I also wrote a system for conversing with NPCs. It's similiar to the RPG Dialog Resource.... i wrote something more customized for my needs. It supports various "senario" flags. so they say different things based on these flag variables that can be set even thru talking. Also it supports multiple sayings for each senario. So basically you can keep talking to them and they may say something different. Don't have a current pic of this... but you can probably imagine what it looks like.
- Other Items. I got working treasure chests, doors, and a few other misc things.
Questions comments?
::edit:: I should mention i'm using DTS for my dungeons and what not, So my goal is to create something similiar to portaling. Without using triggers or anything else like that.
I'm writing the base for a Console Style RPG. All characters except the ORC, were modeled by me, Same with the textures. I think i made all of them :)
Recent Additions include...
- A merchant NPC which sells and buys items. Simple menu navigation get's you thru what you need to do. Money is deducted or added accordingly. Each NPC merchant can have their own unqiue item list.- Turn-Based RPG battle system. Actions available are Attack, Magic, Item, and defend. Each action pretty much does what you'd imagine it does, which each step of the way a menu will be dynamically generated with the proper actions. It features a target cursor which you can cycle thru targets for magic, attacking, and item use. Currently set for 4 Party members and up to 16 enemies. It features a very basic targeting camera system using the Advance Camera Resource. At the end of the battle you are rewarded Money and EXP from each enemy. - Character Stats. Each character has various stats from strength, speed, and a few other popular ones. Stats are affected by Equipment. Of course the stats play a part in how much damage you receive and deal and what not.- Wandering AI monster. I spent about 15 minutes and wrote a simple seek-and-destroy script for wandering monsters on the play field. I currently have it so the monster wanders around slowly, if he sees your character, he will try to move to your location, if he touches you, it is the trigger for starting battle.- Dynamically displaying dungeons. Hmm this one is still in the works.... But my dungeons are planned to consist of rooms connected together by hallways. I wrote a system to keep track of what room/hall the player is in and determine what other rooms/halls should be visible. The point of this is to help increase FPS by not drawing what's not needed and to keep players from possibily seeing into rooms they shouldn't be able to.- Camp Menu. Pressing a button opens up the main menu, from which you can use items, equip stuff, change party member arrangement and other stuff like saving and loading. the Save load only saves stats and items and what not for now. For a picture.- NPC Dialog. I also wrote a system for conversing with NPCs. It's similiar to the RPG Dialog Resource.... i wrote something more customized for my needs. It supports various "senario" flags. so they say different things based on these flag variables that can be set even thru talking. Also it supports multiple sayings for each senario. So basically you can keep talking to them and they may say something different. Don't have a current pic of this... but you can probably imagine what it looks like.
- Other Items. I got working treasure chests, doors, and a few other misc things.
Questions comments?
::edit:: I should mention i'm using DTS for my dungeons and what not, So my goal is to create something similiar to portaling. Without using triggers or anything else like that.
About the author
#2
I think I read that you were using a radial search of some sort (I'm an artist) for the sake of collision checks, is that right? How is it working out for you?
01/03/2006 (6:26 pm)
Fantastic, looking good.I think I read that you were using a radial search of some sort (I'm an artist) for the sake of collision checks, is that right? How is it working out for you?
#3
01/03/2006 (6:28 pm)
Yeah, i do a circular array of points to raycast for clear paths. it works for the most part, but they still sometimes bump into eachother. It is good for now. i'm not a "programmer" so until i either become one, or find some help... it'll have to stay like that. The characters can push eachother around too... so they just don't come to a halt on collision. it's not the best method either, but keeps it from just stopping. I may figure out A* pathfinding and see if that works better. 
#4
Ramen, you are making it happen. I'm particularly impressed with the efforts you are making WITHOUT being a programmer. You aren't letting anything stand in your way.
My hat is off to you! Keep going!
01/03/2006 (6:58 pm)
Some people just dream about doing this kind of thing.Ramen, you are making it happen. I'm particularly impressed with the efforts you are making WITHOUT being a programmer. You aren't letting anything stand in your way.
My hat is off to you! Keep going!
#5
01/03/2006 (7:00 pm)
Thanks. i can manage with torque script... i find it eaiser to work with then something like C++.. i get totally lost with syntax and just how... overly complicated it seems. i find torque script to be VERY easy to work with. I've wrote LOTS of lines in torquescript. though it's ugly code, it works.
#6
By the way are you doing this in the RTS Starter kit? I seem to remember reading that somewhere, which was why I ask about the collision method, Its a problem I have run into on my project.
01/03/2006 (7:46 pm)
Ramen, I have to echo what Jay said. I am really impressed.By the way are you doing this in the RTS Starter kit? I seem to remember reading that somewhere, which was why I ask about the collision method, Its a problem I have run into on my project.
#7
01/03/2006 (8:42 pm)
This it's based of the FPS starter kit or whatever. I just copied the directory, renamed it and went from there. My code is a giant mess. I would like to find a way to release all or some of what i have to help others. But i'd need to clean it up some. 
#8
01/04/2006 (2:34 am)
Looks like it's starting to come together! Us RPG developers got to stick together :)
#9
Quick question - Do you have the camera locked at the 45 degree (50, 60?) and then zoom it in to the over the shoulder look for actual combat? Do you move the camera from shoulder to shoulder depending on who is attacking?
01/04/2006 (11:37 am)
Ramen - great job!Quick question - Do you have the camera locked at the 45 degree (50, 60?) and then zoom it in to the over the shoulder look for actual combat? Do you move the camera from shoulder to shoulder depending on who is attacking?
#10
01/04/2006 (3:29 pm)
Hmmm the camera is pretty much "locked" at the moment. I haven't got around to implenting dynamics with the camera just yet. it has some groud work for it.. but just haven't got around to it due to jittering bugs with the advanced camera resoure.
Torque Owner Matt Vitelli