Yuoaman
I don't know who I am either.
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Game Developer's World
The PokéCommunity's Game Developer publication~!
The PokéCommunity's Game Developer publication~!
Issue 8 - January 23rd, 2010
Developed by: YuoamanWelcome! Welcome to GDW!
I really don't have a prepared topic for this section here... so prepare yourself for some world class rambling.First I want to mention that the podcast for this issue (which will be posted in the thread at a later time, whenever Mono finishes the editing <_<) was an incredibly complicated affair. Probably far more complicated than it had any right to be. The others who participated can attest to that fact.
Seriously, I thought I had the entire thing planned out, but the first scheduled day of the podcast Neo and AR would pop on at alternating times, leaving me and Poeman to spend most of the day sitting on Skype just praying that they would both be on together for enough time to do something. XD The second day however we were finally able to all get together, and completed the podcast, though of course that was after several hours of waiting, random conversation, and a couple of false starts...
I hope you guys appreciate the work we all put into it, and Neo wants to know if you can understand his accent. (He has quite the Irish brogue ;))
Now, I want to talk about something briefly before I get on with the actual issue. You, the readers, may be wondering why it is that Raptor hasn't been reviewed for GDW as of yet. And I, my good people, have an answer for you. I've waited so long to review Pokemon Raptor because after the EX version was announced I decided to wait until that was officially released, so people could get a more accurate picture of what was in the game. And then, after I continued my LP of Pokemon Quartz - in the Rom Hacking section - I came up with the idea of doing an LP of Raptor EX.
I asked O.G. Duke whether he would open to the idea of an LP for Raptor, and he seemed pretty open to the idea, and with the release of Raptor EX set for February 5th, I hope to have the LP posted soon after, for your pleasure. :D
tl;dr: Didn't matter much anyway.
(I also wanted to mention that my 'update database' article won't be posted, because of the 50,000 character limit.)
[a id]rhn1-reviews[/a id]
Reviews and Previews! Checking out this game!
Pokemon Red Sand Preview by Yuoaman
THREAD
Spoiler:
Background:: Pokemon Red Sand, posted by Rydenio in the Drawing Board on the 7th of January, differs from nearly all the other games posted on the boards by being developed in something other than the standard RPG Maker engines – Multimedia Fusion 2, to be exact. The game also is unique in the fact that the game is being built to emulate the feel and appearance of Pokemon's first generation. Whatever your feelings to the first generation you have to admit that this project is highly ambitious. Despite the systems used being rather primitive when compared to those used in later generations, all of these features will have to be custom built for the platform, as Rydenio hasn't the luxury of a starter kit, like most fan games posted.
Read on to find out whether these factors will help or hinder the project.
You might find the game familiar...
Graphics: The scenery in Red Sand will be incredibly familiar – unless you are among the few who haven't played the original Red and Blue versions of Pokemon –; despite this, however, I have to admit that these relatively old tiles adds a bit of charm to the project. A game who's visual style would be filled to the brim with nostalgia and good memories is – not precisely ruined – but tarnished a tad due to a one glaring error. Rather than using the font used in the original Red and Blue versions, the developer has opted for the smoother font used in the newest iterations of the franchise. While this isn't one of those things that will absolutely ruin a game, it is pretty jarring. When playing in black and white I want my ugly, blocky, fonts!
Sony is invading Nintendo properties! Man your stations men, we can't allow this atrocity to continue!
Audio: There isn't much to say on this front. Remixed versions of the original Red/Blue music is used, and while not necessarily bad, I would prefer to see some originality here.
I'm secretive.
Gameplay: This aspect of the game, much like the graphics has had little change from that of the first generation. I do like the fact that one can stand behind buildings, like in later iterations of the franchise, I feel that it doesn't detract too much from the classic gameplay, as I was always annoyed to find myself bumping into a building's roof... I also have to mention that heading into the game you are given no indication as to what the controls are, even though the controls are rather simplistic I would have much preferred to have the control scheme shown.
Wild Texts are incredibly rare, I'll have you know.
I guess I also have to mention the battle system, eh? The battle system, while incomplete at the moment, isn't bad. It emulates the feel of the original games very well, and I feel that once finished it will be almost like playing the original games themselves.
I was talking to the PS3, Ralph!
Plot: Plot...? Yeah, there is next to no plot in this demo. The game has no introduction like most Pokemon games, which makes me feel oddly out of place, not being able to name myself, or even know who any of the characters I am to meet are. There is mention of an 'adventurer' in the demo, though the 'Oak' event isn't completed and after initiating it your character will automatically turn left whenever you stop moving, which makes thing a little aggravating when you try to move on.
Pictured above: purgatory.
Everything said, however, Red Sand isn't a bad game, it just needs some minor tweaks to improve the experience of playing...
Final Score: 6.0/10
Read on to find out whether these factors will help or hinder the project.
You might find the game familiar...
Graphics: The scenery in Red Sand will be incredibly familiar – unless you are among the few who haven't played the original Red and Blue versions of Pokemon –; despite this, however, I have to admit that these relatively old tiles adds a bit of charm to the project. A game who's visual style would be filled to the brim with nostalgia and good memories is – not precisely ruined – but tarnished a tad due to a one glaring error. Rather than using the font used in the original Red and Blue versions, the developer has opted for the smoother font used in the newest iterations of the franchise. While this isn't one of those things that will absolutely ruin a game, it is pretty jarring. When playing in black and white I want my ugly, blocky, fonts!
Sony is invading Nintendo properties! Man your stations men, we can't allow this atrocity to continue!
Audio: There isn't much to say on this front. Remixed versions of the original Red/Blue music is used, and while not necessarily bad, I would prefer to see some originality here.
I'm secretive.
Gameplay: This aspect of the game, much like the graphics has had little change from that of the first generation. I do like the fact that one can stand behind buildings, like in later iterations of the franchise, I feel that it doesn't detract too much from the classic gameplay, as I was always annoyed to find myself bumping into a building's roof... I also have to mention that heading into the game you are given no indication as to what the controls are, even though the controls are rather simplistic I would have much preferred to have the control scheme shown.
Wild Texts are incredibly rare, I'll have you know.
I guess I also have to mention the battle system, eh? The battle system, while incomplete at the moment, isn't bad. It emulates the feel of the original games very well, and I feel that once finished it will be almost like playing the original games themselves.
I was talking to the PS3, Ralph!
Plot: Plot...? Yeah, there is next to no plot in this demo. The game has no introduction like most Pokemon games, which makes me feel oddly out of place, not being able to name myself, or even know who any of the characters I am to meet are. There is mention of an 'adventurer' in the demo, though the 'Oak' event isn't completed and after initiating it your character will automatically turn left whenever you stop moving, which makes thing a little aggravating when you try to move on.
Pictured above: purgatory.
Everything said, however, Red Sand isn't a bad game, it just needs some minor tweaks to improve the experience of playing...
Final Score: 6.0/10
Pokemon Ryen Preview by Yuoaman
THREAD
Spoiler:
Background: Posted back in the summer of 2008 Ryen has been one of the few projects to stand the test of time and almost two years later is still being developed. Among the most graphically impressive games currently posted on PC, Ryen's graphics have been continuously changing and evolving since the project's inception, resulting finally in the current demo, which I will review here.
Graphics: The first thing graphically that I noticed in Ryen was that the "Continue" screen, rather than being blank, had a nice scenery image, while not groundbreaking it was nice and set the game off on a pleasant note. I have to comment, however, on the stance of the male player character while selecting your gender. I can't really explain why I find the stance odd, not being an artist, but the positions of the limbs is just unnatural. I can't make any comment on the female character's sprite, as it is not implemented in this demo.
I told you that it was a little odd...
Another small gripe I have with the demo is that the rival character shares the same sprite of the rival from FireRed/LeafGreen. I know that this is supposed to be sort of a 'sequel' to FR/LG, but I would have preferred the rival to get a redesign like the player character.
You disappoint me, rival...
I have to say that I like the look and feel of the cruise ship interior, though I do feel that the hallways are a tad to large, five people abreast could walk through them as is! While it isn't a really big problem, I believe that it couldn't hurt to condense the hallway by a tile or two... The region map is, despite using the DPP graphics, pretty well designed. All of the towns and landmarks are spread out pretty evenly, and overall the region looks like an interesting place to traverse.
iz a mapp
Upon leaving the ship and emerging in Citrus Beach my eyes were almost immediately drawn to the Wingul which flew about the map. Funny how such a small detail really added depth to the world.
The little guy didn't want to have his picture taken.
I have to admit that I like the overworld design of Oak's lab, not the most amazing piece of tile-work I've seen, but I believe that it fits nicely. The scene art for Oak's Garden, however, has to be one of my favorite things about Ryen. I'm not an artist – as I've said multiple times – but I feel that it suits the area very nicely.
I have one problem with the upper floor of Oak's lab though... Even after I've taken my starter the machine still appears to have three Pokeballs from the second floor. :\
Why must you lie to me, machine!?
Alright to wrap up the graphical review of Ryen quickly I'll group the rest of my comments in this paragraph... First of all, the Capital Park is impressively mapped, not too open and not too closed in, kudos to shinylugia on this one. The battle system is... well quite frankly not particularly nice looking. Graphics from both FRLG and HGSS are mixed, and the result just doesn't mesh well, in my opinion. Route 47, which follows Capital Park , isn't as well mapped as earlier areas, I have to admit. There seems to be far too many tropical trees growing along the route, while in reality there would probably be fewer trees, and they would be more spread apart.
My final comment on Ryen's graphics deals with the mapping of towns in general. While I like the style that shinylugia is trying to go for, it doesn't seem to work very well, as I found myself getting lost in the towns, because of their incredibly boxed in nature...
Audio:: Upon starting the game you'll first notice the title screen music is a little more slow and sombre than that usually used, but still manages to be interesting. I have to admit though, that the music which plays during the intro sequence isn't very original... I would have much preferred an original piece over the remixed FRLG intro music that is used.
When the game itself actually begins you will be presented with music which I frankly do not like. It's not that the music is bad, it's just – in my opinion – quite a bit too fast... I really enjoy the music of Citric Beach though, it is a relaxing tune, yet still manages to be a little upbeat.
When you enter the Capital Park, however, the music which plays is incredibly eery, I have to admit. I doubt that that was the feel aimed for, but the music sounds like it would fit well in a haunted forest, or some such...
(I apologize for the lack of in-depth review for this section, I'm not an audio guy...)
Plot: When Ryen begins, the reasons for being on the ship headed to the Ryen aren't adequately explained by Professor Oak.
What successes, exactly?
After the intro, however, you will find yourself on the cruise ship heading towards the Ryen region. You are in your private cabin, a long with your Pokemon, which for inexplicable reasons your character will not pick up... :\
Well... what if someone comes and robs you of them?
In order to reach your destination you have to enter the theater and watch a 'movie'. This is a very interesting idea, though it doesn't make a lot of sense... since you could just wait in your room until you arrived. Another nitpick I have with this is you have take an SS Ticket from the library – which may or may not be yours – and then present it to the guard... shouldn't there be a different ticket for the movie?
Movies are fun. :D
Upon the movie finishing, however, there isn't a very clear idea of where to go to, though you know that you are to go to Oak's lab, though the town is quite a bit larger than the average first town, and it is very difficult to figure out where it is... Once you do find the lab you are ambushed by your rival and required to backtrack to the ship and get your Pokemon, which is very frustrating as I had several chances to get them before then... When you get to the ship however there is... a small twist which makes you unable to retrieve them... Upon returning to the lab you are presented with the traditional choice of three starters, all three of which will be very familiar to veterans of the Pokemon franchise.
Skipping ahead to the next city, I have to mention that the inclusion of a sidequest that early in the game is a very welcome addition. It helps to keep the game from becoming to formulaic.
Gameplay: Most of Ryen's gameplay is what one would expect from a Pokemon game, though there are a few original additions. I'm not sure if the first of these is a feature, or something just not implemented yet, but the doors to houses (and private quarters on the ship) aren't able to be interacted with, which is a welcome change (I have to note, however, that this gets old fairly quickly...). Being able to barge into any and all buildings with impunity was always a little odd.
There is the occasional spelling and grammar errors, though that is to be expected in a demo, though none of these are so glaring that it detracts from the gameplay. Another problem I have relating to dialogue is that the NPC dialogue aboard the ship doesn't change once you have arrived in Ryen, which doesn't make sense in context... since one of the passengers continues asking when they will arrive, even after they have arrived...
I have two final comments to make on the gameplay of Pokemon Ryen. The first is that the demo – borrowing the icons from the HGSS menu – combines the HGSS menu very well with the on-screen menus of previous games. And my last comment is one small problem I have with Citric Beach... why are there no Pokemon Centers? Why, in a port town of this size, should there be no Pokemon Center built? It makes no sense, considering the nearest one is a ferry ride away, and you would have to face wild Pokemon to get to it...
All in all, I have to say that I enjoyed what I've seen thus far in Ryen. The originality in the overworld is enough to commend this game, though there are a few things which could use tweaking...
Final Score: 8.0/10
Graphics: The first thing graphically that I noticed in Ryen was that the "Continue" screen, rather than being blank, had a nice scenery image, while not groundbreaking it was nice and set the game off on a pleasant note. I have to comment, however, on the stance of the male player character while selecting your gender. I can't really explain why I find the stance odd, not being an artist, but the positions of the limbs is just unnatural. I can't make any comment on the female character's sprite, as it is not implemented in this demo.
I told you that it was a little odd...
Another small gripe I have with the demo is that the rival character shares the same sprite of the rival from FireRed/LeafGreen. I know that this is supposed to be sort of a 'sequel' to FR/LG, but I would have preferred the rival to get a redesign like the player character.
You disappoint me, rival...
I have to say that I like the look and feel of the cruise ship interior, though I do feel that the hallways are a tad to large, five people abreast could walk through them as is! While it isn't a really big problem, I believe that it couldn't hurt to condense the hallway by a tile or two... The region map is, despite using the DPP graphics, pretty well designed. All of the towns and landmarks are spread out pretty evenly, and overall the region looks like an interesting place to traverse.
iz a mapp
Upon leaving the ship and emerging in Citrus Beach my eyes were almost immediately drawn to the Wingul which flew about the map. Funny how such a small detail really added depth to the world.
The little guy didn't want to have his picture taken.
I have to admit that I like the overworld design of Oak's lab, not the most amazing piece of tile-work I've seen, but I believe that it fits nicely. The scene art for Oak's Garden, however, has to be one of my favorite things about Ryen. I'm not an artist – as I've said multiple times – but I feel that it suits the area very nicely.
I have one problem with the upper floor of Oak's lab though... Even after I've taken my starter the machine still appears to have three Pokeballs from the second floor. :\
Why must you lie to me, machine!?
Alright to wrap up the graphical review of Ryen quickly I'll group the rest of my comments in this paragraph... First of all, the Capital Park is impressively mapped, not too open and not too closed in, kudos to shinylugia on this one. The battle system is... well quite frankly not particularly nice looking. Graphics from both FRLG and HGSS are mixed, and the result just doesn't mesh well, in my opinion. Route 47, which follows Capital Park , isn't as well mapped as earlier areas, I have to admit. There seems to be far too many tropical trees growing along the route, while in reality there would probably be fewer trees, and they would be more spread apart.
My final comment on Ryen's graphics deals with the mapping of towns in general. While I like the style that shinylugia is trying to go for, it doesn't seem to work very well, as I found myself getting lost in the towns, because of their incredibly boxed in nature...
Audio:: Upon starting the game you'll first notice the title screen music is a little more slow and sombre than that usually used, but still manages to be interesting. I have to admit though, that the music which plays during the intro sequence isn't very original... I would have much preferred an original piece over the remixed FRLG intro music that is used.
When the game itself actually begins you will be presented with music which I frankly do not like. It's not that the music is bad, it's just – in my opinion – quite a bit too fast... I really enjoy the music of Citric Beach though, it is a relaxing tune, yet still manages to be a little upbeat.
When you enter the Capital Park, however, the music which plays is incredibly eery, I have to admit. I doubt that that was the feel aimed for, but the music sounds like it would fit well in a haunted forest, or some such...
(I apologize for the lack of in-depth review for this section, I'm not an audio guy...)
Plot: When Ryen begins, the reasons for being on the ship headed to the Ryen aren't adequately explained by Professor Oak.
What successes, exactly?
After the intro, however, you will find yourself on the cruise ship heading towards the Ryen region. You are in your private cabin, a long with your Pokemon, which for inexplicable reasons your character will not pick up... :\
Well... what if someone comes and robs you of them?
In order to reach your destination you have to enter the theater and watch a 'movie'. This is a very interesting idea, though it doesn't make a lot of sense... since you could just wait in your room until you arrived. Another nitpick I have with this is you have take an SS Ticket from the library – which may or may not be yours – and then present it to the guard... shouldn't there be a different ticket for the movie?
Movies are fun. :D
Upon the movie finishing, however, there isn't a very clear idea of where to go to, though you know that you are to go to Oak's lab, though the town is quite a bit larger than the average first town, and it is very difficult to figure out where it is... Once you do find the lab you are ambushed by your rival and required to backtrack to the ship and get your Pokemon, which is very frustrating as I had several chances to get them before then... When you get to the ship however there is... a small twist which makes you unable to retrieve them... Upon returning to the lab you are presented with the traditional choice of three starters, all three of which will be very familiar to veterans of the Pokemon franchise.
Skipping ahead to the next city, I have to mention that the inclusion of a sidequest that early in the game is a very welcome addition. It helps to keep the game from becoming to formulaic.
Gameplay: Most of Ryen's gameplay is what one would expect from a Pokemon game, though there are a few original additions. I'm not sure if the first of these is a feature, or something just not implemented yet, but the doors to houses (and private quarters on the ship) aren't able to be interacted with, which is a welcome change (I have to note, however, that this gets old fairly quickly...). Being able to barge into any and all buildings with impunity was always a little odd.
There is the occasional spelling and grammar errors, though that is to be expected in a demo, though none of these are so glaring that it detracts from the gameplay. Another problem I have relating to dialogue is that the NPC dialogue aboard the ship doesn't change once you have arrived in Ryen, which doesn't make sense in context... since one of the passengers continues asking when they will arrive, even after they have arrived...
I have two final comments to make on the gameplay of Pokemon Ryen. The first is that the demo – borrowing the icons from the HGSS menu – combines the HGSS menu very well with the on-screen menus of previous games. And my last comment is one small problem I have with Citric Beach... why are there no Pokemon Centers? Why, in a port town of this size, should there be no Pokemon Center built? It makes no sense, considering the nearest one is a ferry ride away, and you would have to face wild Pokemon to get to it...
All in all, I have to say that I enjoyed what I've seen thus far in Ryen. The originality in the overworld is enough to commend this game, though there are a few things which could use tweaking...
Final Score: 8.0/10
[a id]rhn1-interviews[/a id]
Interviews and Podcasts! Hear what they have to say!
Interview with Avatar by Yuoaman
Spoiler:
GDW: Avatar, first I'd like to thank you for participating in this interview.
My first question for you is: What was it that first attracted you to game development?
Avatar: I've always been interested in video games since I got my first computer (an Amiga) back when I was a kid. I like creating stuff so it was rather natural for me to move into development.
GDW: What obstacles did you encounter when you started with game development, Avatar?
Avatar: One of my main problems is the lack of time to get anything significant done. There are the occasional difficulties with getting a specific system working right but I've found that these just require some perseverance.
I tend to do things at my own pace so sometimes a project simply won't get anywhere at all.
GDW: What were some the first independent games that you played?
Avatar: Are we talking indie games in general?
GDW: Yeah, anything not produced by a large studio or company.
Avatar: I think one of my first games was Cave Story. It's an amazing piece of work by Daisuke 'Pixel' Amaya which is a perfect example of what one can achieve with enough patience.
GDW: Hmm... I haven't heard of that game, I'll have to try it sometime.
What is it that inspires you for your projects?
Avatar: I get inspiration from everywhere I can find. Generally if I find something interesting there's a possibility that I'd consider incorporating something similar to it.
Of course since you can't include everything you want a lot of stuff won't make it.
A major inspiration is Norse Mythology, as I've always been interesting in the past history of Scandinavia.
GDW: I feel similarily about Roman history, which I've implemented in different ways in past projects - all long dead of course.
Anyways: What sort of changes have you seen in the community since you have been a part of it?
Avatar: I think the biggest differences are the shift from RM2k/3 to RMXP as the main program being used to develop in (along with the Essentials kit), some tighter rules over the years and the focus on graphics being more similar to Diamond and Pearl than Ruby and Sapphire or FireRed and LeafGreen. Of course, we see new faces all the time in the section, and the departure of old faces.
It hasn't always been the size it is today. It used to be a sub-section to ROM Hacking.
GDW: I have to admit that I've seen a similar effect, though I completely missed the days of RM2k3 and Ruby/Sapphire graphics.
My next question for you Avatar is: Which projects currently posted on PC do you consider your favorites?
Avatar: I don't have a favorite. There's a lot of games that look good visually, but, they don't have any playable releases.
I tend to judge games based on how they play.
I do follow the development of projects. The MMO Kyledove is working on, for example, is a project I find interesting.
GDW: What feature - or features - do you find immediately turn you either on or off of a project?
Avatar: I'm rather open minded on this aspect. I'm well aware that the general consensus among members is that the addition of Fakemon is the feature most likely to turn someone off a game.
In my case, they have to be designed really horribly to make me dislike the project. My biggest gripe with fangames is when a person mixes different styles of graphics together. I dislike looking at games that use R/S/E graphics along with FR/LG.
GDW: I also agree, it looks very unprofessional when two clashing graphical styles are used... Now, what are your opinions on the use of starter kits, like Poccil's Essentials?
Avatar: I don't mind. What a lot of people forget that it's not the tools you use that matter, it's how you use and expand on them. A mathematician, for example, does whatever he/she can to save time. The same applies for a developer.
You can argue both sides if you want but there's really no need to. People will do what they want, how they want.
GDW: I can't argue with you on that one, Avatar. Is there anything that you would like to see more of in the community?
Avatar: I'd like to see some more variety in games. Don't get me wrong, I like Pokemon games, but there are just so many of them. I'd also like to see more variety in the programs and/or languages used to develop games in.
Avatar: Of course, both things won't happen in the near future but that doesn't mean you can't hope that they do.
GDW: Alright, Avatar, my final question to you is:
What was it that made you decide that the forum restructuring was needed?
Avatar: I felt that it was necessary. There are a lot of projects in the section that, while they might meet the thread requirements for the Showcase, are still in the beginning stages of development in addition to a lot of threads that were really lacking in quality. I wanted to address this by adding a tier system to the section that addresses this as much as possible.
I also wanted to expand the scope of the section. So it doesn't cater to RPG Maker exclusively. I can't do that alone as it requires community input, but we have seen a slight increase in members that use something else other than RPG Maker.
GDW: Alright, Avatar. Thank you, once again, for taking part in this. I'm sure that the members of the community will be very interested to read your comments.
My first question for you is: What was it that first attracted you to game development?
Avatar: I've always been interested in video games since I got my first computer (an Amiga) back when I was a kid. I like creating stuff so it was rather natural for me to move into development.
GDW: What obstacles did you encounter when you started with game development, Avatar?
Avatar: One of my main problems is the lack of time to get anything significant done. There are the occasional difficulties with getting a specific system working right but I've found that these just require some perseverance.
I tend to do things at my own pace so sometimes a project simply won't get anywhere at all.
GDW: What were some the first independent games that you played?
Avatar: Are we talking indie games in general?
GDW: Yeah, anything not produced by a large studio or company.
Avatar: I think one of my first games was Cave Story. It's an amazing piece of work by Daisuke 'Pixel' Amaya which is a perfect example of what one can achieve with enough patience.
GDW: Hmm... I haven't heard of that game, I'll have to try it sometime.
What is it that inspires you for your projects?
Avatar: I get inspiration from everywhere I can find. Generally if I find something interesting there's a possibility that I'd consider incorporating something similar to it.
Of course since you can't include everything you want a lot of stuff won't make it.
A major inspiration is Norse Mythology, as I've always been interesting in the past history of Scandinavia.
GDW: I feel similarily about Roman history, which I've implemented in different ways in past projects - all long dead of course.
Anyways: What sort of changes have you seen in the community since you have been a part of it?
Avatar: I think the biggest differences are the shift from RM2k/3 to RMXP as the main program being used to develop in (along with the Essentials kit), some tighter rules over the years and the focus on graphics being more similar to Diamond and Pearl than Ruby and Sapphire or FireRed and LeafGreen. Of course, we see new faces all the time in the section, and the departure of old faces.
It hasn't always been the size it is today. It used to be a sub-section to ROM Hacking.
GDW: I have to admit that I've seen a similar effect, though I completely missed the days of RM2k3 and Ruby/Sapphire graphics.
My next question for you Avatar is: Which projects currently posted on PC do you consider your favorites?
Avatar: I don't have a favorite. There's a lot of games that look good visually, but, they don't have any playable releases.
I tend to judge games based on how they play.
I do follow the development of projects. The MMO Kyledove is working on, for example, is a project I find interesting.
GDW: What feature - or features - do you find immediately turn you either on or off of a project?
Avatar: I'm rather open minded on this aspect. I'm well aware that the general consensus among members is that the addition of Fakemon is the feature most likely to turn someone off a game.
In my case, they have to be designed really horribly to make me dislike the project. My biggest gripe with fangames is when a person mixes different styles of graphics together. I dislike looking at games that use R/S/E graphics along with FR/LG.
GDW: I also agree, it looks very unprofessional when two clashing graphical styles are used... Now, what are your opinions on the use of starter kits, like Poccil's Essentials?
Avatar: I don't mind. What a lot of people forget that it's not the tools you use that matter, it's how you use and expand on them. A mathematician, for example, does whatever he/she can to save time. The same applies for a developer.
You can argue both sides if you want but there's really no need to. People will do what they want, how they want.
GDW: I can't argue with you on that one, Avatar. Is there anything that you would like to see more of in the community?
Avatar: I'd like to see some more variety in games. Don't get me wrong, I like Pokemon games, but there are just so many of them. I'd also like to see more variety in the programs and/or languages used to develop games in.
Avatar: Of course, both things won't happen in the near future but that doesn't mean you can't hope that they do.
GDW: Alright, Avatar, my final question to you is:
What was it that made you decide that the forum restructuring was needed?
Avatar: I felt that it was necessary. There are a lot of projects in the section that, while they might meet the thread requirements for the Showcase, are still in the beginning stages of development in addition to a lot of threads that were really lacking in quality. I wanted to address this by adding a tier system to the section that addresses this as much as possible.
I also wanted to expand the scope of the section. So it doesn't cater to RPG Maker exclusively. I can't do that alone as it requires community input, but we have seen a slight increase in members that use something else other than RPG Maker.
GDW: Alright, Avatar. Thank you, once again, for taking part in this. I'm sure that the members of the community will be very interested to read your comments.
Interview with shinylugia249 by Yuoaman
Spoiler:
GDW: First, shinylugia, I would like to thank you for taking part in this interview.
My first question for you is: How did you first discover game development?
shinylugia249: No problem, GDW has always interested me and it's an honor to be interviewed. Now let's see that was a while back, 2007 maybe? I came across project platinum, a GSC remake, and soon discovered that one of it's members had suggested RPG Maker (along with Essentials) be used to work on the fangame. I was just someone strolling by so I downloaded essentials, experimented with it but failed since I knew nothing about RPG Maker and its works. It wasn't until I discovered PC that I really made any progress.
GDW: Alright. Now, what projects inspired you to work on Ryen, if any?
shinylugia249: Well I'd have to say Pokemon the Lost World. it was the first game I encountered when coming here to PC. Actually I came across it accidentally. The thread somehow appeared while I was looking around Rom Hacking area. It was then that I reopened RPG Maker XP and started working on something worthwhile. I've also come across some other great games such as Pokemon Raptor, Amethyst, and Neo Eras that inspired me to keep on working on my fan game.
GDW: Nice story you have there. :D Now, what job for Ryen do you enjoy the most?
shinylugia249: Now everybody knows how much I love to sprite. My favorite job has to be making tiles and designing the maps for Ryen. I've made so many tiles for Ryen that you'll find it almost impossible to find anything from Nintendo in Ryen. 44tim44 and I work on Ryen's tiles and it really is a time consuming job; yet Ryen's tiles really have to be what make it so unique from other fangames which is what pushes our team to work to make Ryen as visually appealing as possible.
GDW: I am sure that all members of the community can see quite easily the work that you and your team have put into your tiles.
For my next question I have to ask, What made you decide on using your new style of battle, rather than the one traditionally found in Pokemon games?
shinylugia249: Aw you must've seen my signature a week or two back. Well I'm not really sure on whether I'm actually going to keep that battle system. It's still a WIP. I'm trying to incorporate a way in which uses both Pokemon sprites and OWs. So for now I'll be using the regular battle system, but don't worry I have some surprises up my sleeve. Oh didn't answer your question. Well even though I found the battle system in the original Pokemon games appealing what I really wanted for Ryen was something more. I've heard people mention a few times that since we, game developers, have so much freedom in which direction we could follow for our fan games that we should really take advantage of that and try to incorporate as many custom systems and extras as possible. I really want Ryen to stand out from other regular essential fangames, I actually love to see when other fangames steer from the original style of Pokemon and there's no doubt you'll be sure to see that in Ryen.
:laugh:
GDW: Phew... after sending the question I tried to find the images of the battle system, and thought that they may just have been a figment of my imagination. O.O
Anyways... What projects posted on PC - other than Ryen, of course - do you you draw the most inspiration from?
shinylugia249: lol Yeah, I change the pics in my signature every two weeks or so. Well on to you question... It's always some of my close friends of PC that inspire me to do certain thing in Ryen along with projects and of course some of my favorite hacks. If you played Ryen then you'd notice that there are no marts, instead there are just stands that serve the same purpose as mart. I came up with that idea after playing one of my favorite hack, Pokemon Naranja. Actually, know that I think of it Pokemon Naranja also played a large role as an inspiration for Ryen. As you know much of the Ryen region is tropical environment and Ryen actually started out as a game based off the orange Isles. Unfortunately due to a computer crash I had to start all over but decided to make my own custom game and region, what you recognize as Pokemon Ryen today.
GDW: What town or area in Ryen is your personal favorite?
shinylugia249: Hmm.. it would've been easier if you had asked me what me least favorite area was, but my favorite area. That would have to be Veraville city. It was the first city which I began when I decided to completely revamp Ryen. I just loved the design so much that when Ryen went through it's 2nd revamp, I decided to keep its basic structure. The other thing I just love about it is its name. I don't if it was a stroke of genius but it just popped into my head and the name stuck. It's also kinda a personal thing because the motto of the city is "The city that never sleeps" and for those of you who know me, I live close to NYC and just love the place so I wanted to make a cameo in the city's motto. Another favorite is a route I'm working on right now which is going to be a huge route, a desert paradise, route 54. I'm planning to have the Chrono Trigger theme play there and I really hope it becomes one of the game's big attractions.
GDW: Haha, sorry for not making it easy on you. And, the Chrono Trigger theme, you say? Sounds interesting...
Anyways, I wanted to ask you what part of the game development process you find most difficult?
shinylugia249: I'd have to say coming up with ideas. I always need people to help me with ideas for Ryen. I find it that the ideas for a game such as dialogue, storyline and features are what one needs to pay more attention to and it is always difficult for me to do so.
GDW: Hmmm... Is there anything that you've wanted to implement in Ryen, but were unable to?
shinylugia249: I really wanted to have a game corner like slots mini-game but was unable to because of my low scripting abilities. Hopefully one day when I improve I'll be able to implement in the game.
GDW: Shinylugia, what skill do you believe is most important when developing a game?
shinylugia249: Now a game developer needs a decent enough of skills to start out with a game. I'm sure many people will agree with me that it's really annoying when people post terribly put together threads asking for help when they aren't doing anything themselves. You can have people on your team doing different things such as spriting, story writing, etc.. but you, the developer needs to work on a few aspects of the fan game as well. So to answer your question I'd have to say eventing/scripting. The person who has the game in their possession, the developer, is the only person who I believe should work on the eventing and scripting or at least the eventing. Or maybe that's just me :p. I like being the only person working on the game's events (storyline in-game events). I don't mind help every now and then with scripting though :D.
GDW: Alright then, my final question to you is: What can fans expect from Ryen in the near future?
shinylugia249: A lot's in store for Ryen in the future. Now that I have a set path or style for the game I can now just breeze through the mapping and the eventing. Expect another demo in months to come and faster progress. Thanks for hearing me out Yuoaman. Like I said it's an honor to be a part of this interview!
My first question for you is: How did you first discover game development?
shinylugia249: No problem, GDW has always interested me and it's an honor to be interviewed. Now let's see that was a while back, 2007 maybe? I came across project platinum, a GSC remake, and soon discovered that one of it's members had suggested RPG Maker (along with Essentials) be used to work on the fangame. I was just someone strolling by so I downloaded essentials, experimented with it but failed since I knew nothing about RPG Maker and its works. It wasn't until I discovered PC that I really made any progress.
GDW: Alright. Now, what projects inspired you to work on Ryen, if any?
shinylugia249: Well I'd have to say Pokemon the Lost World. it was the first game I encountered when coming here to PC. Actually I came across it accidentally. The thread somehow appeared while I was looking around Rom Hacking area. It was then that I reopened RPG Maker XP and started working on something worthwhile. I've also come across some other great games such as Pokemon Raptor, Amethyst, and Neo Eras that inspired me to keep on working on my fan game.
GDW: Nice story you have there. :D Now, what job for Ryen do you enjoy the most?
shinylugia249: Now everybody knows how much I love to sprite. My favorite job has to be making tiles and designing the maps for Ryen. I've made so many tiles for Ryen that you'll find it almost impossible to find anything from Nintendo in Ryen. 44tim44 and I work on Ryen's tiles and it really is a time consuming job; yet Ryen's tiles really have to be what make it so unique from other fangames which is what pushes our team to work to make Ryen as visually appealing as possible.
GDW: I am sure that all members of the community can see quite easily the work that you and your team have put into your tiles.
For my next question I have to ask, What made you decide on using your new style of battle, rather than the one traditionally found in Pokemon games?
shinylugia249: Aw you must've seen my signature a week or two back. Well I'm not really sure on whether I'm actually going to keep that battle system. It's still a WIP. I'm trying to incorporate a way in which uses both Pokemon sprites and OWs. So for now I'll be using the regular battle system, but don't worry I have some surprises up my sleeve. Oh didn't answer your question. Well even though I found the battle system in the original Pokemon games appealing what I really wanted for Ryen was something more. I've heard people mention a few times that since we, game developers, have so much freedom in which direction we could follow for our fan games that we should really take advantage of that and try to incorporate as many custom systems and extras as possible. I really want Ryen to stand out from other regular essential fangames, I actually love to see when other fangames steer from the original style of Pokemon and there's no doubt you'll be sure to see that in Ryen.
:laugh:
GDW: Phew... after sending the question I tried to find the images of the battle system, and thought that they may just have been a figment of my imagination. O.O
Anyways... What projects posted on PC - other than Ryen, of course - do you you draw the most inspiration from?
shinylugia249: lol Yeah, I change the pics in my signature every two weeks or so. Well on to you question... It's always some of my close friends of PC that inspire me to do certain thing in Ryen along with projects and of course some of my favorite hacks. If you played Ryen then you'd notice that there are no marts, instead there are just stands that serve the same purpose as mart. I came up with that idea after playing one of my favorite hack, Pokemon Naranja. Actually, know that I think of it Pokemon Naranja also played a large role as an inspiration for Ryen. As you know much of the Ryen region is tropical environment and Ryen actually started out as a game based off the orange Isles. Unfortunately due to a computer crash I had to start all over but decided to make my own custom game and region, what you recognize as Pokemon Ryen today.
GDW: What town or area in Ryen is your personal favorite?
shinylugia249: Hmm.. it would've been easier if you had asked me what me least favorite area was, but my favorite area. That would have to be Veraville city. It was the first city which I began when I decided to completely revamp Ryen. I just loved the design so much that when Ryen went through it's 2nd revamp, I decided to keep its basic structure. The other thing I just love about it is its name. I don't if it was a stroke of genius but it just popped into my head and the name stuck. It's also kinda a personal thing because the motto of the city is "The city that never sleeps" and for those of you who know me, I live close to NYC and just love the place so I wanted to make a cameo in the city's motto. Another favorite is a route I'm working on right now which is going to be a huge route, a desert paradise, route 54. I'm planning to have the Chrono Trigger theme play there and I really hope it becomes one of the game's big attractions.
GDW: Haha, sorry for not making it easy on you. And, the Chrono Trigger theme, you say? Sounds interesting...
Anyways, I wanted to ask you what part of the game development process you find most difficult?
shinylugia249: I'd have to say coming up with ideas. I always need people to help me with ideas for Ryen. I find it that the ideas for a game such as dialogue, storyline and features are what one needs to pay more attention to and it is always difficult for me to do so.
GDW: Hmmm... Is there anything that you've wanted to implement in Ryen, but were unable to?
shinylugia249: I really wanted to have a game corner like slots mini-game but was unable to because of my low scripting abilities. Hopefully one day when I improve I'll be able to implement in the game.
GDW: Shinylugia, what skill do you believe is most important when developing a game?
shinylugia249: Now a game developer needs a decent enough of skills to start out with a game. I'm sure many people will agree with me that it's really annoying when people post terribly put together threads asking for help when they aren't doing anything themselves. You can have people on your team doing different things such as spriting, story writing, etc.. but you, the developer needs to work on a few aspects of the fan game as well. So to answer your question I'd have to say eventing/scripting. The person who has the game in their possession, the developer, is the only person who I believe should work on the eventing and scripting or at least the eventing. Or maybe that's just me :p. I like being the only person working on the game's events (storyline in-game events). I don't mind help every now and then with scripting though :D.
GDW: Alright then, my final question to you is: What can fans expect from Ryen in the near future?
shinylugia249: A lot's in store for Ryen in the future. Now that I have a set path or style for the game I can now just breeze through the mapping and the eventing. Expect another demo in months to come and faster progress. Thanks for hearing me out Yuoaman. Like I said it's an honor to be a part of this interview!
GDW Podcast 1 - Guests: Neo-Dragon/Atomic Reactor/Poeman
Spoiler:
Podcast time!
Because yuoaman didn't wait for me to finish it... Boo!
Download: [FileFront] | [Rapidshare]
Length: 19 minutes, 46 seconds.
File Size: 36.2 mb
Notes: I did the best I could with editing. x3
I mostly edited out silences, I wanted to keep it as natural as I could. And we all love poeman's repeating mic... huff huff...
Also, it was recorded on Monday, January 18th. I was studying for exams, and I would have edited it sooner, but I had to go some where on short notice so... Yeah.
Enjoy!
And if you need another mirror, don't be afraid to ask me in a private or visitor message!
Update: Neo-Dragon has kindly hosted the podcast on the Calis Projects website.
https://www.calisprojects.com/pcpodcast/GDW-Podcast-1.mp3
Because yuoaman didn't wait for me to finish it... Boo!
Download: [FileFront] | [Rapidshare]
Length: 19 minutes, 46 seconds.
File Size: 36.2 mb
Notes: I did the best I could with editing. x3
I mostly edited out silences, I wanted to keep it as natural as I could. And we all love poeman's repeating mic... huff huff...
Also, it was recorded on Monday, January 18th. I was studying for exams, and I would have edited it sooner, but I had to go some where on short notice so... Yeah.
Enjoy!
And if you need another mirror, don't be afraid to ask me in a private or visitor message!
Update: Neo-Dragon has kindly hosted the podcast on the Calis Projects website.
https://www.calisprojects.com/pcpodcast/GDW-Podcast-1.mp3
[a id]rhn1-sneakpeaks[/a id]
Sneak Peaks and Developer Announcements! Info on your favorite projects!
Pokemon Asphar Sneak Peak by the 00Vampire
Spoiler:
LINK
"It's a feature in my game which I haven't revealed in my thread yet - The Pokemon Trade Market (PTM). It's a feature which basically lets you buy and sell Pokemon with trainers across the region. Good way to make a profit and an incentive to save up money - because there will be a lot more you can do with money in Asphar."
^Quote From 00Vampire^
[a id]rhn1-tips[/a id]
Pro Tips So that's how you do it.
Fakemon Review by Zephyr+
(To be edited with more graphicall-y stuff by Zephyr in the future... probably... maybe...?)
Spoiler:
Zephyr's Fakemon Review
Rating Scale:
Normal – Great – Ultra – Master
- Riceeman's Woodlice [Isopoly/Fortracean]
Well-sprited and decently-designed, these things are fairly run-of-the-mill as fakes go. They're not bad by any stretch, but then they're not very risky, either. And they're both part-steel, that ever-versatile type that is nowadays added to any Pokemon that might have higher defenses than attack, regardless of whether or not it actually has metal on it. Admittedly, you informed me that they ARE in fact made of metal (…red metal?), but besides that, there's nothing on it to indicate that it's steel-type. If it was green, it could be a grass-type. If it was brown, it could be a ground-type. There's nothing in the design to indicate that it's steel specifically; there is, of course, a workaround. It could be shaded to look more metallic, or could have blades or spikes added, that makes it pop out as a steel-type at first glance. Of course I am being a bit of a hypocrite, too, because when you go too far in showing a Pokémon's element, you get people that think all fire-types need visible fire, all grass-types need to have leaves on them, etc. Everything in moderation.
Rather than having the steel-type tacked on, though, there are multiple other secondary types that this thing COULD have been that would have changed the design to make it more interesting. What if they were bug/grass, to play on the "wood" part of "woodlice"? They could even be made bug/ground or even bug/rock without needing much more than a recolor, since ground, rock, and steel are so similar. You know what I would do? Drop the second type altogether. Make them pure-bug. So many people go out of the way to give a second type to their fakes, when they really don't need it. It can still learn moves like Iron Head or Iron defense without it seeming too out-of-place, plus this means you can broaden its movepool to stuff that steel-types wouldn't normally learn, like-- well, I dunno. Point being, don't be afraid to just give your fakemon one type. And easy on the steel-types there, pardner.
Overall score: Great
- Wichu's Sundril
(Grass-type)
Sundril, to me, seems pointless. While the gimmick of a plant that lures Pokemon into danger is somewhat interesting, this ignores the fact that it's been used multiple times with existing grass-type Pokemon (Gloom and Victreebel, for starters). And not only is it not original, it's not really cute, either. Okay, so it's a walking head. It's essentially a brown hoppip with a cleft lip (which, by the way, doesn't do it any good at that angle.)
Although this isn't a sprite review specifically and this is an old sprite that you will be revamping, I gotta say: there's lots of elements of this sprite that make it much less visually appealing. The dithering, for one. It's utterly unnecessary, especially at this scale, and makes it look amateur. More distinctive Pokemon sprites, such as Riceeman's above, have contrast between their shades, which makes 'em pop out to the viewer. Yours—and your style in general, I suppose—doesn't. This IS continuous throughout your game, though, so I suppose I can't advocate a switch to the bright-and-shiny now that what you've got is the foundation on which all of your graphics are built. But eh. Just know that it's not as visually appealing as it could be.
Overall score: Normal
- Wichu's Tungrasp
(Normal-type)
Well, it's a Lickitung prevo that's basically a smaller lickitung with a bow on its head. But WHO CARES IT'S CUTE. Seriously, this thing is adorable. It makes me just want to pick it up and cuddle it. Blueguy did a great job with the sprite on this one. While it still fits the muted tones of Amethyst, it's a lot sleeker than Sundril. And the design… meh, I don't have any beef with it really, since Lickitung is simple to begin with, and a reasonable Pokémon to give a preevo to (none of this Growlithe preevo business). So most Lickitung preevolutions are the same, with different ratios of head to body. I don't really have a problem with this. One thing I DO have a problem with is the name, though: it's definitely not cute enough for a baby Pokémon. Plus, does it actually grasp anything with its tongue? Name it Tungy or something else ending in –ie or –y.
…That being said, I don't know how this would function in-game. Baby Pokémon are decidedly useless, yet the procedure for evolving them is obnoxious (…friendship? Honest? That takes freakin' forever). But nobody raises Lickitung, since they're mostly rare, late-game, and a pain to catch, so Tungrasp would help with that. But… well, you can see the problem. It's too weak to be useful when you catch it, the evolution process is slow (unless you speed it up), and the result is only a moderately powerful normal-type. Which all adds up to it being dumped in the box at the first opportunity. Shame, because it's so cute.
Overall rating: Great
- Ty101's Shelmet
(Water-type)
What worries me is that this is apparently the best fakemon in your game. If that's the case, I really think you need to start trying harder, because what I'm looking at is ANOTHER water-type crustacean. That is, if you were keeping track, the third so far: Krabby and Corphish, remember? Made even worse by the fact that it looks like a Kingler edit. I'm all for edits, but when they barely change what the existing Pokémon is, what's the point of it?
Not only that, it's unimaginatively designed. Okay, so it's got a helmet-like head and a lobster-like tail. At least it's not orange like the other crabs, but now it's just your generic water-type ™. The sprite is decent, although you have trouble with the outlines. But why the heck would you want to make a Pokémon that's functionally an exact duplicate of an already existing one? I mean, sure, people do parallels in their regions (electric mice, three-stage bird and bug lines, etc.) but at least these try to put a new twist on it. Or at least use a new species. But, seriously: if you need a water-type, two-staged crab, use Kingler! Really now.
Overall rating: Normal
Pokemon Switching System for RM2k3 by darkarceus
(The first article submitted for this issue. :D)
Spoiler:
RM2K3: Pokemon Switching System
Hi! Today I am going to teach you the fundamentals of making a Pokemon Party Switching System in RM2K3. I am going to use
a New Project file but you can just incorporate this into your project file.
For this since it is supposed to teach you the basics I am going to only use 3 Pokemon without stats.
Firstly, make 4 variables named:
Pokemon 1
Pokemon 2
Pokemon 3
Pokemon A
Your variable interface will look a bit like this, only with the variable numbers different.
Secondly, make a map called Switch Party and make it all filled with 1 tile. Now create an event somewhere on the map and make the graphic anything. Just like this:
Then edit it so it has 3 pages, tick the variable box and choose the variable to be Pokemon 1 for all of the pages. Finally, on event page one
choose equal to one and on the other 2 pages do subsequently equal to 2 and 3. You should then erase the graphics on event page one and two.
Your pages should look like this now:
Now copy the event and paste in two more places and for each different event change the variable ticked just check the picture and you will get it.
Just remember to change all the other event page's variables to the right one too or the whole thing will mess up! Now you have probably been waiting for this… it's the time to make the switching project! First you need to make a new event and add a key input and set it to numbers. Then follow my lead with this code. (Don't forget to set it to auto start!)
Now layout your map like this:
Now playtest! Just press 2 or 3 to switch that pokemon or in my case, monster to switch it with the active pokemon/monster.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and implement it into your own project.
PLEASE NOTE: There are a couple of bugs lying around I think as I may have seen one…
Cheers and have a Happy New Year!
darkerarceus
Hi! Today I am going to teach you the fundamentals of making a Pokemon Party Switching System in RM2K3. I am going to use
a New Project file but you can just incorporate this into your project file.
For this since it is supposed to teach you the basics I am going to only use 3 Pokemon without stats.
Firstly, make 4 variables named:
Pokemon 1
Pokemon 2
Pokemon 3
Pokemon A
Your variable interface will look a bit like this, only with the variable numbers different.
Secondly, make a map called Switch Party and make it all filled with 1 tile. Now create an event somewhere on the map and make the graphic anything. Just like this:
Then edit it so it has 3 pages, tick the variable box and choose the variable to be Pokemon 1 for all of the pages. Finally, on event page one
choose equal to one and on the other 2 pages do subsequently equal to 2 and 3. You should then erase the graphics on event page one and two.
Your pages should look like this now:
Now copy the event and paste in two more places and for each different event change the variable ticked just check the picture and you will get it.
Just remember to change all the other event page's variables to the right one too or the whole thing will mess up! Now you have probably been waiting for this… it's the time to make the switching project! First you need to make a new event and add a key input and set it to numbers. Then follow my lead with this code. (Don't forget to set it to auto start!)
Now layout your map like this:
Now playtest! Just press 2 or 3 to switch that pokemon or in my case, monster to switch it with the active pokemon/monster.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and implement it into your own project.
PLEASE NOTE: There are a couple of bugs lying around I think as I may have seen one…
Cheers and have a Happy New Year!
darkerarceus
[a id]rhn1-staff[/a id]
Credits Who are you people!?
Here we list those who've contributed something to GDW, maybe you could be here someday?
Yuoaman - Editor
I hate the fifty thousand character limit... -_-
Vampire://Krimm - CSS Designer
Still love the design.
Zephyr+ - Tip Writer
Thanks for submitting an article again, Zephyr.
darkarceus - Tip Writer
Thank you for submitting so early, darkarceus.
Neo-Dragon/Atomic Reactor/Poeman - Podcast guests
It was an honor being unorganized with you three.
Mono - Podcast Editor
I want that podcast, Mono!
**All opinions expressed in articles published in GDW are the opinions of the author of said article, not GDW as a whole, or other writers.**
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