[Role Playing Game] Acheron

[Vinz]

That is awesome! Rep PROXY, y'all.

Also, a weird question, but will the game progress through such book?

 

[Heinvers]

Thank you for your tears, GunSlinger.

PROXY completed a model request concerning the texture quality of the book and he did a truly good job. He also made another animation for the book to make turning pages more realistic. Here is the new cover comparison with the old one.

Book Cover Comparison

It looks quite good. Great job PROXY and APproject

 

[A Void]

Thank you for your tears, GunSlinger.

PROXY completed a model request concerning the texture quality of the book and he did a truly good job. He also made another animation for the book to make turning pages more realistic. Here is the new cover comparison with the old one.

Book Cover Comparison

Something is a little odd about the new version. Maybe the wrap?

Edit: The book personally looks worse, it looks stretched out to the bottom. I would have liked the old version with more quality. Anyone notice? The book has the wrap stretched out to the very bottom/top thus making it sloppy.

 

[Vinz]

Imo those parts improved (not in sharpness or so); in terms of being aligned to the edge of the book.

 

[APproject]

It is a little scretched, because PROXY wrapped the texture not vertical as in the old version, but horizontal, making rectangle texture stretch into opposite direction and force another rectangle, but horizontal, not vertical. That's his mistake, but I am actually fine with it, because you will be able to see the cover for short time, just before book opens. Texture is better for pages as well. I am satisfied with the work despite mistake made.

I am not sure, I am thinking about how the book should work. Should it update constantly, or should it not, or should there be more books. What would you guys want?

 

[Vinz]

A "Book Of Lore" which either lists done adventures of the player or objectives/prophecies.

 

[A Void]

It is a little scretched, because PROXY wrapped the texture not vertical as in the old version, but horizontal, making rectangle texture stretch into opposite direction and force another rectangle, but horizontal, not vertical. That's his mistake, but I am actually fine with it, because you will be able to see the cover for short time, just before book opens. Texture is better for pages as well. I am satisfied with the work despite mistake made.

I am not sure, I am thinking about how the book should work. Should it update constantly, or should it not, or should there be more books. What would you guys want?

Since books are not common in the Underworld/ Tartarus, Olympus[spirits don't need to read or learn anything], they are pretty much useless. So I think it would be best if it was like a diary of the player sort of- Update Constantly. The player character will always carry the book to list notes and information.

 

[APproject]

That would be cool indeed, yet still I would have to add a tremendous amount of voice recordings for that. The thing is, this book was found at the lying dead body that was alive in Erebus and then slaughtered (the guy entered Erebus the same way as your character, so living beings there are rare) and the book will give an optional quest, that's its primal origin, but of course book concept can be used in many ways.

 

[PROXY]

Just noticed that mistake too. Didn't pay attention to that, sorry. I can of course take a look at that again, but not in the next time unfortunately.

 

[APproject]

If you are willing to switch the texture from horizontal to vertical, then it would be cool. But I think I can do it myself, will see.

 

[Wayshan]

20/10

Amazing! Can't wait for another screens And can't wait for playing it

 

[Vinz]

Woah, been over a month since an update. How is the project, AP?

 

[APproject]

It is on hold, because I was participating in the terraining contest and right now I am participating in the cinematic contest. Will come back once these are done. Only if other contest is not going to catch me.

 

[Vinz]

I see, wish you well with the contest business.

 

[Yrk]

Ohhh , That's why

 

[Zwiebelchen]

aaaaand APproject strikes again.

 

[DUTY OF RS]

Looks very epic man!
Hope you all luck in creating of it!
Will be stayed tuned for any updated of this!
Good luck!
-DUTY OF RS

 

[neven1]

any new for this project any updates?

 

[Shanghai]

this is so fucking good! +rep the screenshots r so detailed and perfect. it was so nice when i belived i stod on the palace looked over the earth.

 

[APproject]

Thanks.

No updates yet, but I may come back to this soon.

 

[Shanghai]

I love the screens mate. It looks so realistic and the summer feel into it aswell. Iceborn is to cold for me lol But when i see some videos of iceborn it does actually look like another game then wc3 because you did make so the terrain make the graphic looks better.
Keep up the work bro.

 

[APproject]

Started working on the project a while ago, since I finished my entries on both contests, terrain and cinematic ones. I have been working on Vendor system lately and finally got a firm grip to it. Adjusted some items, removed some. Upper window is for the main items that can be acquired only once with a determined cost and demand for level (soulrank). At the bottom there is a description window for selected item and a window for misc items, such as to gain skill points, talent points, convert resources as well as buying a bag with additional 6 slots. These misc items are limitless, except for the bag and so their cost varies depending on hero's level. Costs at the right shifts when you have a different selection, also a neat selection square to highlight your selection. Right now hero is only level 6, so accordingly a certain amount of items are being displayed, cost for the rest of items is not determined yet. Oh and also added some background images as insisted. Buying function will be applied if having enough of resources when item is selected again after being selected.

Vendor Updated

 

[sonofjay]

Damn it looks so cool. Keep it up!

 

[Yrk]

So cool, and darky

 

[Vinz]

It looks so awesome. <3

How I wish every kind of shop was like this.

 

[APproject]

Thanks guys.

Currently working with items, talent tree system and not long ago finished a terrain by request, so nothing really to show at the moment and I guess it will be so for a while.

Well here is something minor, a quick Lich King model edit, changed head and weapon getting somewhat unique looking character due to unusual head piece for plate carrier and oddly shaped weapon.

 

[sonofjay]

Ghad, the weapon looks too HQ making the everything else looks LQ. But meh, I doubt it will be that noticeable in-game.

 

[APproject]

Agreed. It may emerge during cinematics though, but not a big deal I guess.

I wonder what to do with items that are not needed anymore. There will be no vendor to sell, shop area is far away so it can not be dropped. Some system could be made of course, for example, forcfully removes item from inventory and sells during shop window, but that is not something I would like to go with. Or is there a way to drop item far away on damand (triggers)? I was thinking about a spell, because all of spells are / will be multitasking, so one spell could somehow absorb the unneeded item and gain something minor in return, but then again, it would take space in tooltip and due to that player would need to wait long time before getting it, because current spells are too busy already.

Any ideas what to do with unwanted items?

EDIT: Nevermind, I came up with a neat item dropping system.

 

[sonofjay]

Hmm if the item is drop then it should be remove or just move in a place so you can pick it up again? If its the latter then you can just drop the item then send it to the next shop/safe zone.

• Actions
  • Hero - Drop Item from Unit
  • Item - Move Item to Loc

You can make the item clickable so you can use the "Item being manipulated" function

EDIT:

EDIT: Nevermind, I came up with a neat item dropping system.

Lulz. A minute to early.

 

[APproject]

That's exactly what I did. When item is dropped, it moves to hero, because drop range is unlimited, but when dropped into certain area which is in vendor menu, item is removed and sold.

 

[Vinz]

The model looks very good.

 

[APproject]

Thanks Mythic.

Currently working with items and talent tree, all this require so much time while gameplay itself doesn't progress at all. I will be going with something different than it was before in my RPGs this time from item point of view. Also going with extremely strategic talent system that demands lost of thought and coding. I will share some ideas of this:

Items. There will be NO artifacts or super good items, all items will be almost equally good, of course some may demand more resources to be purchased, so it will automatically be better than some, but there will be no leading items, because I try to learn from my mistakes. I guess every RPG maker should consider this for several reasons. First of all, if there are super items, these are a must and it will take space in your inventory no matter what, it will be there. Secondly, if these items are a must, it destroys any chance for interpretation and different set up of items due to taken space in inventory, it kills variaty and thought process of a player. Equalized items opens a way for decision based experience, for example, 6 slots for free interpretation with no slot taken by some must-have-item. Of course there will be items that will be a must, but these will be coded in a way that it works in a second bag without carrying it in the main inventory leaving it for your chosen item setup only. I'm pretty sure this is a problem in many RPGs, so super items in my opinion should be eliminated or at least active in another bag.

Talents. Another thing I want to talk about is talent system. Project's talent tree system will be very familiar to World of Warcraft old school (Wotlk) talent tree, except with something that brings better decision based experience. As it is seen from screenshot, there are 3 trees, in a traditional way you need to climb it all with certain amount of points spent for certain talents. This time it will be familiar, but I am thinking of allowing all talents to be chosen when certain level is reached from every tree. If you stack points for Shadows talent tree, you still can easily jump through first talents of another tree and have it applied without climbing from start. Or at least you would need 1-2 points spent for a row in order to go forward with a another tree. This way player is presented with vast variaty of set ups not forcing player into one specialization only or one specialization with a bit of another one. This way player can easily merge two talent trees or go completely pure one tree or even merge all trees to some extent. Of course talents will be equalized as much as possible so that a great variaty would be at hand.

These are my two ideas for game mechanics, what do you think? From my past experience I believe these methods would eliminate many limitations of the gameplay even though it demends LOTS of time. This way game might be more replayable as it brings many variations in both, item setup and talent trees.

 

[Yrk]

NO artifacts or super good items

Hmmp, okay.

 

[Zera22]

Is it possible to make an inventory system that looks like baldur's gate? i saw it already in Shadows of the Past v0.9.3.0, it's amazing.

 

[APproject]

It is possible indeed, but i don't think I will be going into that. I prefer simple 12 slot bag system, but perhaps I could do some minor inventory system just for the main items such as armor or weapon, but other skill improving items may stay in a regular inventory system.

 

[APproject]

Currently working with a very nice puzzle, took me lots of time to come up with this idea though. Hints on how to solve the puzzle will be placed in the Book. Each of 3 difficulties will have slightly modified puzzle, the harder difficulty, the harder puzzle. Here is the book with a hint drawing showing how puzzle works, this screenshot is taken from Master (hardest) difficulty, as other difficulties will have slightly different schematic display and puzzle's working principle. Book's text will be voice acted as well having a bunch of pages.

Book's Hint

 

[PROXY]

Looks great, although I disklike the font with the shadow (?), a more defined and clear one would be great. Also, more space between the lines and less space between the actual passages would look better too.

 

[APproject]

Thanks. Yeah, text itself doesn't look any good, but it is readable. I am planning to change font of entire map when map is completed, I will have to learn how to get interface structure not ravaged though.

 

[A Void]

Thanks. Yeah, text itself doesn't look any good, but it is readable. I am planning to change font of entire map when map is completed, I will have to learn how to get interface structure not ravaged though.

A major improvement on the book texture. The font is very undefined, you could always improve it I hope. It would look quite professional if the background of the book would be transparent. The interface and art(yellow arrow, pyramid) is really simplistic, you should request an artist on devian art or improve it yourself.

Good luck.

 

[APproject]

Thanks to PROXY for this texture improvement. Hmm, transparent background? Sounds really complicated to do, because I use a bunch of units and regions for this book system. Simplistic indeed, perhaps I will go for a change of that in the future. What concerns the text, I could go with HQ texture representing text and use dummies for that instead of using floating text, this would be even better in terms of looks.

 

[A Void]

Thanks to PROXY for this texture improvement. Hmm, transparent background? Sounds really complicated to do, because I use a bunch of units and regions for this book system. Simplistic indeed, perhaps I will go for a change of that in the future. What concerns the text, I could go with HQ texture representing text and use dummies for that instead of using floating text, this would be even better in terms of looks.

For the text you can use additional .mdx - model with transparent text texture. To put it simply a plate file with text texture (your text). Or.. you can go with traditional fade filter and use only the texture .TGA.

But if you already use the fade filter for something then I highly advise using the first method. I also have some UI modification advice, please go see my album for examples.

It's a little trick that could be useful.

 

[APproject]

That's exactly what I did with MDX file, works really well. Only 7 pages for current book, so it wasn't hard to deal with it. New screenie below. Adjusted some of the text as well. Will check that out, A_Void.

New Book Text

Thank you guys for this motivation and criticism, without you I just wouldn't be able to push it to the max.

 

[A Void]

That's exactly what I did with MDX file, works really well. Only 7 pages for current book, so it wasn't hard to deal with it. New screenie below. Adjusted some of the text as well. Will check that out, A_Void.

New Book Text

Thank you guys for this motivation and criticism, without you I just wouldn't be able to push it to the max.

I don't think the font is right. It just puts me off.. Maybe a handwritten font? Surely there were no printing devices back in the BC.

Also I just noticed that certain elements of the book look - repeated. The blue(black one too) feather just repeats itself at the other cover of the book twice in the same area.

Ps: 7 pages for a single acquired book? I taught that this was a single page per book. Interesting. You remember that voice acting tough?

 

[APproject]

This font is used for all menus and stuff so it fits basic theme of the map. It doesn't look handwritten indeed, but I went for printed version just for convenience, because some people might complain when map is released that they can't read, I barely can read those hand written texts myself, hehe.

Feathers? Hmm, these are probably UI's, not book's elements. And yeah, screenshot is showing only the last page of 7. Book will be found near the dead body with his notes telling dead one's story and experience in the underworld. Of course, all of it will be voice acted. I am not certain about pages yet, I may add more of the text as I am willing to go deep in detail. Oh and I changed arrow's color into complete black, it looks more fitting now.

 

[Vinz]

The ink might be too pure, otherwise looks awesome, the font.

 

[sonofjay]

Nah, the fonts looks fine my problem is that it looks newly written.

 

[Heinvers]

Nice font.

I agree with jayjay though, the text could be more estompated, even partly erased to give it an old look.

 

[APproject]

But book is not going to be old. I mean book is old by its looks, pages are rather old. But text and drawings are newly written / drawn, because book will be found nearby freshly butchered body and not a skeleton. Making things blurry, trasnparent and really old would just make it hard to read. However this gives another idea for puzzles, things that are hard to read are tempting, hehe.

 

[Heinvers]

Alright then

Also regarding the text, it's just one creature, isn't it?
Well then 'The creature....' would be correct.

 

[APproject]

I was thinking about The thing, because my english is not the finest. This character does not really understand what that creature is, there are however more creatures such as skeletons, but this one is different, yet skeletons also can be called creatures, so what makes it right?