Well, doing a little thinking about what I'll be needing if I decide to go ahead with that platformer-RPG. Making a game of the level I have in mind is no small undertaking. So, tell me if I'm missing anything from this list:1. Characters: Still need a fair supply of them. Would like each PC to have some useful specialty in the typical Mario-ish platformer weapons. Bombs (covered), fireballs (covered privately), hammers, stomping, kicked projectiles, and anything else I might think of. Would also like one or two "off" characters, like one with limited or no jumping ability, for new twists.
2. Setting: There's going to be some world hopping, so some suggestions for themes would be appreciated, along with various races. Suggestions for subversions of world and race tropes would be nice. Would also like to come up with some different method of world-travel.
3. Plot line: I'm going to be including multiple paths, so it'll be more like a plot flowchart.
4. Game creation engine capable of handling this stuff or a sufficiently devoted programmer. The underlying system I have in mind involves an inventory for various one-use items, and equipment: Clothing, Accessory, and weapon expansions. Each character will have the ability to attach certain expansion items to their signature weapons to enhance them in various ways. Example: Bomb + Fire Spirit = Napalm. Different configurations can be assigned to different buttons. Most of the action will be a diverse platformer with the occasional town scene with conversation. Would like to be able to do a lot of the zany tricks with the text that Paper Mario loves to do.
5. Music and sound: I can probably find a lot of public domain sound effects, though it'll probably involve me doing a lot of digging through countless .wav files. Music might not be so easy. Unlike Ryan, I have no musical ability whatsoever, so I can't compose. Suggestions and contributions would be greatly appreciated.
6. Animation: I think I've got a style in mind I can do in Adobe Illustrator for individual frames. Just need to convert those into a format the engine can handle once I have them.
7. A name: A working title would be nice.
1 comment:
World hopping is always a favorite theme of mine - coming from my days as a DM. (I mixed D&D with Call of Cthulhu.)
Most world hopping is done though portals of various types. Alien Gates ("Wildside" & "Stargate") Mirrors ("Mirror of her dreams") closets & wardrobes & pools of water ("Narnia"). In the "His Dark Materials" series world hopping is accomplished with a knife that can cut the fabric between worlds, or by the energy of a sacrificed soul.
I've always been partial to the use of common items. Cardboard boxes ("Phantom toll booth") Computers ("Tron") Refrigerators ("Ghostbusters") Doorways and arches have already been used.
What about chalkboards? Magic chalk that the player uses to draw a world gate. Sort of like a pentagram, but it has to be vertical to work. (Horizontal portals on the ground just lead to otherworldly dirt.) The runes required for the portal are actually formula.
Buckets, barrels, wishing wells, aerosol spray (Universe in a can!).
Whups. I'm rambling. It's late. It is just a fun idea to play with.
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