Game development 101 (discussion and idea thread)

[lantzblades]

I actually own a copy of VX Ace.

No need to buy it at present, lantz.

as in the full physical copy? cause that's what i'm getting

i'm buying it this project aside.

Yeah, that seems fine to me.

alright well then we need to decide how many branching paths there should be, it's important to decide now.

[Xamusel]

I actually bought it before it came in a box.

As for you buying it, very well, won't stop you.

[Cherry Lover]

alright well then we need to decide how many branching paths there should be, it's important to decide now.

Really? Why?

Surely we should work out the plot and then define the number of paths accordingly.

[Xamusel]

I agree with Cherry on this.  Plot first, lantz, then paths!

[lantzblades]

Really? Why?

the number of paths we want largely influences the way the story is told, it also determines how much of a work load we have in total. it's a method of gaining a soft perspective. We need it, badly.

[Xamusel]

Okay, if you're so dead-set on this, I'll offer a number from the Random Number Gods.

*one minute later*

Okay, got a number.  It should have 4 paths with 4 ends each, lantz.

[lantzblades]

a soft perspective can change Xamusel, we simply need a basic set of limits and objectives to build the foundation of the game

4 paths with 4 ends each makes 16 ends. decent soft goal.

with that in mind do we do alignment based paths or character based ones?

[Cherry Lover]

Really? Why?

the number of paths we want largely influences the way the story is told, it also determines how much of a work load we have in total. it's a method of gaining a soft perspective. We need it, badly.

I think we at least need an outline of the basic plot before we can give any sort of useful answer to that question. How many paths we want depends on what a path actually is, and how the paths differ from one another.

a soft perspective can change Xamusel, we simply need a basic set of limits and objectives to build the foundation of the game

I think we need a plot (or, at least, some basic idea of what the hell the story will be about) before we start pulling numbers out of thin air.

with that in mind do we do alignment based paths or character based ones?

What do you mean?

[lantzblades]

What do you mean?

focused on a character in particular or focused on a certain kind of character development.

[Xamusel]

Depends.  On the one hand, I want us to do something like DnD's alignment style, but on the other hand, I don't want this to be a rip-off of Shin Megami Tensei, which this could even accidentally fall into.

I'll have to vote for character-based.  I mean, we could easily make characters to fill the gaps for each ending, but it would have to be pre-approved before we got to work on it.  For example, I was thinking each path would involve one of the founding families of the Grail War and a family that originally had nothing to do with the Grail War in canon.  Each end would be because of a romance between the MC and a female from each of the families.

Of course, if you guys don't like the idea, you can overrule me if needed.

[Cherry Lover]

What do you mean?

focused on a character in particular or focused on a certain kind of character development.

Ah, I see.

Well, again, I don't think I can usefully answer that until I know who the characters in question are. We need more of a plot idea before we can make decisions like this.

Depends.  On the one hand, I want us to do something like DnD's alignment style, but on the other hand, I don't want this to be a rip-off of Shin Megami Tensei, which this could even accidentally fall into.

I'll have to vote for character-based.  I mean, we could easily make characters to fill the gaps for each ending, but it would have to be pre-approved before we got to work on it.  For example, I was thinking each path would involve one of the founding families of the Grail War and a family that originally had nothing to do with the Grail War in canon.  Each end would be because of a romance between the MC and a female from each of the families.

Of course, if you guys don't like the idea, you can overrule me if needed.

Well, I don't think this should be an OC-based game. If we're going to do a game with solely or mostly original characters, we might as well just do a game that has no connection to the Nasuverse whatsoever.

[Xamusel]

Er, no, I was thinking that the MC should be Shirou.  Shirou would somehow romance any of the 16 girls (four from each family) as part of the whole path thing.

Fact is, I only have a vague idea of how to continue that idea's line of thought, so you'll have to excuse me for not knowing how to elaborate.

[lantzblades]

Well, again, I don't think I can usefully answer that until I know who the characters in question are. We need more of a plot idea before we can make decisions like this.

in a fate fan game one would assume the characters are the ones in fate stay night.

presumably the main character is shirou.

and the paths basis determine the plot.

[Xamusel]

Okay, for some reason, I thought the game would be a general Nasu fan game.

My mistake.

[Cherry Lover]

Er, no, I was thinking that the MC should be Shirou.  Shirou would somehow romance any of the 16 girls (four from each family) as part of the whole path thing.

Fact is, I only have a vague idea of how to continue that idea's line of thought, so you'll have to excuse me for not knowing how to elaborate.

I am not at all fond of the idea of having Shirou and then a bunch of OCs, particularly OCs from the same family as his canon love interests.

in a fate fan game one would assume the characters are the ones in fate stay night.

presumably the main character is shirou.

Yes, that figures, but FSN has a lot of characters....

and the paths basis determine the plot.

In detail, yes, but not necessarily in outline.

The point I'm making is that we don't even have a basic concept of what the story behind the game will be yet, so it's very hard to make any of the decisions you're asking us to make in a meaningful way.

Okay, for some reason, I thought the game would be a general Nasu fan game.

My mistake.

Even if it were, that still wouldn't mean it was a good idea to have basically everyone be an OC. Not to mention that having multiple members of one family around would be odd, since magus families don't tend to have more than one heir....