Chain Game Survey

[Fisherson]

Whelp folks as I'm stuck just playing Chain Games and Divinity to keep my mind off my latest terrible break up I suddenly realize its been a bit since we did one! So why don't we discuss, just discuss no need to start one yet unless we are all in agreement, what the next one should be. Personally, I was going to try and suggest we do one on another engine but since Steam locked me away from my other engines...Let's just assume it'll be on RM 2003 as always:

Thinking this go around we should either go back to fantasy (though not-European or JRPG styled Europe) or finally re-try a Steampunk. Maybe a gendef neutral or an option to choose between three lines? Dunno just throwing it out there.

As for when...Well, when works best? I'm totally open to anytime long as it's not Winter. Honestly, if I ever do finally make even "Merry Fishmas" or another Christmas Chain I'll start in summer and make the deadline July or something lol We have rotten luck with winter. Also only want to work on fun stuff that's not too epic even though I still have full plans to make milestone projects like a chain game sequel or stuff. Just wanna try something that is visual, musically and game mechanic pretty but wraps up nicely. Like Spring Valley. **Pleased Sigh**

So let's hear some suggestions! Remember this is all for fun and games so no idea is bad. ^_-

Oh and incase it wasn't clear I would be starting the first chapter unless anybody objects so don't worry about the awkwardness of being first torchbearer.

[Prpl_Mage]

Well it's 2019 so it makes sense to start thinking about it. We've been doing them every two years or so lately. I do think we should keep to the style of Spring Valley if possible, unless Momeka has something new cooking.

I have a list of ideas, but I also realize that most of them won't appeal to the rest of you for being too restrictive perhaps. I had a plan to finish a custom battle system but put that on hold for painting miniatures. It was planned to have battle transitions but instead of rpg battles you would fight enemies topdown like old school zelda in a (semi) random generated arena. The idea was to allow battles like that while not limiting space for puzzles and the like, also making it easier to code enemies. However, it's little more than an idea at this stage.

As for themes:
Post apocalypse
Super Heroes
Really grim and gritty sci fi
Really dark and gothic fantasy
More happy and colours than a nintendo game
Escape room
Murder mystery
Point and click adventure game
Western
Crime/mafia

don't worry about the awkwardness of being first torchbearer.

Also not sure if that was a reference to my contest game, if it was - cool. Otherwise, boo

[Momeka]

I'm always down for more chain games.

I do think we should keep to the style of Spring Valley if possible, unless Momeka has something new cooking.

Yeah, I can do more art, just as long as we settle on a theme and I get a week or two to grind some resources out. Maybe some help with making npc sprites would be nice too.

As for themes I do like the stuff we talked about in some other thread (I don't remember which) about mixing things up. There was some idea about a hub area and then each person designed the zones from that. Which I think could be fun but to make it work we would probably have to do away with leveling up heroes so you can visit each zone in any order.
Another was the idea of doing one based on world building, where one person makes a short game (the size of a chain game chapter) then the next person plays the games and make their own set in the same world. Maybe character crosses path or an npc from another game is the hero in this one etc. In the end we'll do a game selection screen and we'll have this library of games building on and showcasing various aspect of the same world. Should probably limit it somehow, like each game have to take place in the same city to make it more interesting and encourage crossovers.

Another idea I had for a chain game I never got around doing anything with is kinda in the same line as the world building one. But the setting is that a bunch of cowboys/adventurers in a weird west setting is sitting in a saloon telling tall tales. Here too each "chapter" is their own game and instead of being assigned a chapter you get assigned the name of a story like: "Dead Eye Jim and the devils riddle" or "Forlorn Jones in the cursed hollow" and you have to do your game based on the name.

More standard chain game ideas:

Time traveling. A group of time traveling weapon merchants has been traveling to the past and selling high tech weapons to older civilizations. You take the role as an agent of an organization that has to right the wrongs and get the timeline back on track. Could be some fun scenarios like having to help barbarians fend of laser gun wielding Romans or have to protect the coasts of England from vikings in fighter planes.

Prehistorical could be fun too. Playing a tribe of cavemen having to survive the harsh primordial earth. Maybe lizard-men are enslaving the human populations or the ice age is coming and your tribe has to relocate or something.

Super Heroes

Think this one could be fun too specially when it comes to designing skills and monsters. One pro with this is that if it's "modern" we don't have to remake as much resources.



Also I don't mind you starting again Fish, but I think it would be more fun if someone who hasn't started before did that. If anyone wants to that is.

[Prpl_Mage]

As for themes I do like the stuff we talked about in some other thread (I don't remember which) about mixing things up. There was some idea about a hub area and then each person designed the zones from that. Which I think could be fun but to make it work we would probably have to do away with leveling up heroes so you can visit each zone in any order.

I think this is a great idea, probably the simplest of the more "advanced" structures. This was along the lines of one of mine ideas, where stats are locked but sidequests and chapter progress would give you a few stat boosts, or at least hp boosts and skill books and such.

Another was the idea of doing one based on world building, where one person makes a short game (the size of a chain game chapter) then the next person plays the games and make their own set in the same world. Maybe character crosses path or an npc from another game is the hero in this one etc. In the end we'll do a game selection screen and we'll have this library of games building on and showcasing various aspect of the same world. Should probably limit it somehow, like each game have to take place in the same city to make it more interesting and encourage crossovers.

This is also a good idea since then we take some pressure of the participants.

Another idea I had for a chain game I never got around doing anything with is kinda in the same line as the world building one. But the setting is that a bunch of cowboys/adventurers in a weird west setting is sitting in a saloon telling tall tales. Here too each "chapter" is their own game and instead of being assigned a chapter you get assigned the name of a story like: "Dead Eye Jim and the devils riddle" or "Forlorn Jones in the cursed hollow" and you have to do your game based on the name.

Another great idea, seems like it would get more immersive than a chapter select screen, maybe it could also have an ending that way.

[Moosetroop11]

I like the idea of a western best - I'm really into the idea of having some cool classes if we go down the traditional rpg route. They had whips, pistols, cannon, swords, bows, knives, horses... I can see a cool gold rush type world where everyone's keen on exploring and exploiting the new land but who knows what dangers are out there.

I also like superheroes but I think that would require a lot more work! Individual characters would have to have a lot of unique stuff based on their power, and also it would possibly tread a little of the ground covered with 'The Dragon'. Still, well up for it.

Time travel would also be fun because it's time travel. Really exploiting the ability to go back and forth in time and giving the players some freedom to move around rather than restricting them to one path might be very fun.

Despite presumably being notorious for being late with my parts of the game, I am up for starting the chain as I haven't done so already, and it might be good fun. Particularly if we go with cowboys; I have plenty of ideas for that.

[Prpl_Mage]

I like the idea of a western best - I'm really into the idea of having some cool classes if we go down the traditional rpg route. They had whips, pistols, cannon, swords, bows, knives, horses... I can see a cool gold rush type world where everyone's keen on exploring and exploiting the new land but who knows what dangers are out there.

You sir, just made this idea far more interesting. Especially that horse-throwing class.

it would possibly tread a little of the ground covered with 'The Dragon'. Still, well up for it.

Hmm, yeah that's true. Maybe it will be difficult to avoid doing things we already did in the previous one.

Despite presumably being notorious for being late with my parts of the game, I am up for starting the chain as I haven't done so already, and it might be good fun. Particularly if we go with cowboys; I have plenty of ideas for that.

I'd say start working on those ideas for now, like Momeka I feel like it's good to pass along the Torch.
DB Started the 2013 game, Fish the 2015 and Momeka the 2017. I started the non-finished Steampunk game back in 2009 and would like to try again; but with a kid in my life I'm probably not the best choice for reliability. I managed my last chapter during the end of the pregnancy but life is a bit more chaotic now.

But let's see if anyone else shows up for the party with opinions and/or ideas.

[Momeka]

I think around 3+ is a good size for the chain games. I don't really see the point in them having to be these massive games, it's the process of making them and seeing how it turns out in the end that's the fun part. If it takes an hour to play it or 8 doesn't really matter that much (to me at least). And it won't take like over a year to finish it (hopefully).
Sure releasing them and having other randoms download and play them is fun too, but we'll never contend with the other games out there. If that was the end goal a chain game is probably not the way to go about it.

[Zoltar]

Wild Western RPG is a mondo rare title. The Big Kahuna Z wants a shot. Let me do chapter 1! Already got some ideas, brah.

Using Sir Momo's story telling around a campfire in place of the gnarly "linear rail" way of progressing the story. The player has to talk to the story teller who appears at the end of the chapter. It would all go something like this yarn:

-Four Roads to Sundown-

The player takes the form of a Husk from wrath of gaia. They are told to search for the Firelight or they will freeze to death.  They wander in darkness until they find a campfire with an old hooded man. He tells the player that they can sit by the fire if they would like to hear a story. It do so they must choose something to keep the fire burning. One of their stats based on their emotion

 No matter what they choose they are spun a tale of Wade McCalister and their story begins. They assume the role of Wade McCalister our hero.

Wade appears as a boy playing with his parents contentedly. Mysterious figures, four Riders, appear and murder them leaving Wade to cry out and attempt to fight them. His blows fail and one of the stranger Riders (depending on what was given to the campfire) cuts Wade down. He seemingly dies and there and passes into a spirt world meets a spirit who tells him not to lose heart because the Riders aren't invincible. Wade needs to learn their weakness and triumph to become the hero this fledgling land needs...

And then I would tell more but that's enough for a teaser, am I right brahs?

[Fisherson]

Zolty, buddy I'm gonna be blunt: you don't have enough experience to make an opening chapter. Granted your story sounds intriguing but I worry that because you have never even got a chapter under your belt you'll over estimate your skills abd join me on the list of people who have killed chain games in progress. =\ Trust me it's not a fun list. I still have that I killed the Steampunk Chain and recent lost even the few vits I made for my chapter during the move...

If I had to vote for a n00b with potential I say Donut who not only did his first chain game chapter but did it flawlessly I am recent reminded since I'm re-playing Spring Valley here again between catching up on my own projects. You shouldgo in for a chapter but take my advice abd dont volunteer your first ever one to be the first chapter of a brand new Chain, Z.

[Prpl_Mage]

Gonna agree with Fish here, rather we get someone who has participated to start it. But feel free to sign up for a chapter.

Also, not sure if Donut qualifies as a noob, he's done some amazing things. Just look at Tower or his microgame.

[Moosetroop11]

I know we're still debating this but I started something for fun anyway. I can already tell I'll have a lot of fun with the music if we stick to the western theme! Are we interested in doing Momeka's many stories in any order thing or something more traditional?

[Fisherson]

I know we're still debating this but I started something for fun anyway. I can already tell I'll have a lot of fun with the music if we stick to the western theme! Are we interested in doing Momeka's many stories in any order thing or something more traditional?

Maybe Moose should start it. Moose does meet all the qualifications: Never Started one, but has done one or more (awesome) chapters of a previous one. Besides if you have model already see if you can make it a  fitting chapter 1. Nothing says you have to but if you want it can be chapter 1.

[Fisherson]

....Mothing frakking piece of crap be glad I'm not a mod or I would so vaporize you for posting in this scared place to begin with.

[Momeka]

I know we're still debating this but I started something for fun anyway. I can already tell I'll have a lot of fun with the music if we stick to the western theme! Are we interested in doing Momeka's many stories in any order thing or something more traditional?

Id' say go with a standard chain game. Do you need art?

[Moosetroop11]

I'd love some cowboy type chars! Characterful gunslingers... I'll have a go at making a character myself but if you're interested in making an iconic main character in a cowboy hat then you'd do a lot better than I would. I'm considering changing things up by using the class system so a character does 'guns' and then has a battlechar with guns, and then gets to a certain level and learns the aim skill and then if they change to class 'knifes' they're able to aim with knives if they want, and their battlechar has a knife. Dunno if that would end up being unnecessary work...