Jay's game thread (The Towers of Trembolon)

[Jay]

it has been a bit quiet here lately. This is because i was working on balancing, conversations and quests. There is also a new feature, which allows you to plan the fights better, as it should become vey important how you organise the fights.
It is...enemy healthbars!

First you have to choose the enemy with right click. This is only possible with enemies. A triangle pointing at the enemy will appear, like will an enemy healthbar, showing the name of the enemy, as well as it's health (graphically, i don't like numbers):



And then as you attack it, its health bar decreases:




about the recipes: indeed those thinghs are planned, but there are only very few, for very special items, and the items needed to make them only drop from the bosses of the game. I am also planning certain items that can be improved. You get it somewhere at the beginning of the game, but then you can get it improved by master craftsmen, so you can still use it at the end of the game (this applies, for example, for the sword of Dioran, the main character). For this, of course, you then need special ingredients that are only dropped by rare monsters(bosses and boss groups).

[Juutis]

Looking good! I had some serious issues with enemy health bars in my RPG project (if anyone happens to remember it... a year ago or so), and it's great to see you've managed to create a working one. Great work! And yeah, it's been quiet but that doesn't matter much. I've noticed that even if you work on a RF project regularily, there ain't gonna be something new to show every week. Slow but steady, that's the way to go.

[Jay]

Thanks for the nice comment! I am going into holiday in a few hours, so it's going to be quiet for around 2 weeks.

The thinghs i have been working on the last few days are the trainers and the shops (you can still go to the npc if you want to buy something. This is also the only way to actually sell thinghs.). They are made so that you select an answer in the conversation, then the conversation is ended and a screen pops up in which you can select the thinghs to learn or to buy/sell.
I want to point out that RF has such an AMAZING flexibility when it comes to what can be done game-wise (not graphically, in the way you can). The ability to call orders of a script in another script (even conversation scripts!) is so awesome!

Sadly, i have to wait for the DirectX9 renderer to make the really interesting places like Triodon. I have a problem with the framerate, and that is WITHOUT ANY PROPS, AND WITHOUT ANY PAWNS. And the city isn't even finished one half on its ground level! (Triodon has 'levels' and 'islands', as it is built into the sky: ground level, canalisation, govermental and military islands, which are above the ground level, mage tower, and some more). I really hope the DirectX9 renderer will solve this problem.

until then,
Jay

[Jay]

Back again, i have today finished work on the trainers and shops, and the 'class system':

As we know, many rpgs have a class system where you can select a class at the beginning or even make one yourself(like in morrowind). Problem is, the class is hard coded into your gameplay, you are not able to change it, and if you find out in the middle of the game that you don't like the class you must either live with it, or start a new game. Also, a warrior could never heal, and a priest may never be able to do good damage at the foes.

Because of this i won't implement such a class system into the game, BUT there is something similar:
Characters don't have classes, but they can receive 'trainings'. Right now there are 17 trainings:
(DEX=Dexterity, STR=Strenght, WIS=Wisdom)

KNIGHT
Squire Training: +2DEX, +2 STR when fighting against undead
Knight Training: +4DEX, +4 STR when fighting against undead
Paladin Training: +8WIS when fighting against undead, +10 light resistance, +10 shadow resistance

PRIEST
Priest Training: +15% mana reserve, +5 light resistance
Templar Training: +4DEX, +4STR when fighting against undead or demons, +3 resistance to all

BARBARIAN
Brute Training: +3 resistance on fire,ice,electricy,earth, energy
Barbarian Training: +4 resistance on fire, ice, electricy, earth, energy, +3 resistance on weapons

THIEF
Thief Training: +30% Defense with Dodging

MISC
Arctic Training: +10 ice resistance
Seaman Training: +10 water resistance
Demonhunter Training: +10 shadow resistance

MAGIC
Scholar Training: +25% mana reserve
Mage Training: more damage done by spells according to your magic ability
Wizard Training: more mana reserve according to your magic ability
Shadowmage Training: transforms your magic into shadow magic, may also result in totally different bonusses from the other trainings

SOLDIER
Soldier Training: +20% Attack
Trophy Hunter Training: +60% damage on bosses
Guard Training: +20% Defense when using a shield


Some of the trainings are dependant on each other. If you want to become Paladin, you have to be Knight and before that you have to be Squire. Some others, like the Templar, can be accomplished in two different ways:
Squire->Knight->Templar
Scholar->Priest->Templar

But a Priest-Templar is totally different from a Knight-Templar, because even if you 'change' your class, the bonusses of the classes you had before are still in effect. In this case it would be like this:
Knight-Templar: +10STR, +10DEX when fighting against undead, +4STR,+4DEX when fighting against demons, +3 resitance to all
Priest-Templar: +40% mana reserve, +4STR,+4DEX when fighting against demons or undead, +8 light resistance, +3 resitance against eveything else.
A Priest-Templar is more balanced than a Knight-Templar and will be more enduring in most cases. But if there are undead to be fought, the Knight-Templar is way stronger because he makes much more damage and can hit the undead more often.

The number of trainings you can receive is restricted to 4, and you can only receive the trainings at very special places and by doing special quests, and most certainly not at the beginning. If you want you can unlearn them, but the exp you invested are lost.

Ok, now to the other stuff i have been working on:
Shop screens:


The shop screen is similar to the inventory screen.

It is already possible to buy...


and sell thinghs.



The trainer screen looks similar too. Right now you cannot learn anything because i just wanted to see if it works so far:


On the left are the character's abilities, and on the right will be the thinghs you can learn.

So that was it for today. What do you think?

[Juutis]

I think its great! The class system is definately different from the most RPGs. I like it. One question though: Will the different "classes" have unique abilities? Like if you get a thief training will you be able to steal stuff or pick locks?

I also think that there should be more trainings that give attack power. I mean, right now only the soldier training gives +20% attack. The rest give attack bonuses only against undead or in templar's case demons. So when fighting a normal (non-undead/demon) enemy, it doesn't matter much whether you have a priest training or a knight training. Anyway, that's just my opinion and you can ignore it if you wish.

Great work. Can't wait to see more progress.

[steven8]

Jay, that all looks fantastic! You guys are doing wonders with these menus and training screens and stuff. Back in 2003, when I last did serious work with RF, we had no idea how to do this stuff.

This is what the RF community does. It builds and builds and builds. Just great!!!!

[Jay]

hm Juutis you're right. The Magic trainings, especially the priest training are coming a bit short. The idea is that when you have more mana, you will use more spells, rather than using weapons.

I have thought and it would be better to make the trainings more attribute-related:
(STR=Strenght, DEX=Dexterity, STA= Stamina(=>health), INT=Intelligence, KNW=Knowledge(=>mana),WIS=Wisdom)

Knight training: +10% armor from equipment, +4DEX/STR against undead
Paladin training: +4WIS all the time, +10 light resistance, +10 shadow resistance
Priest training: +7KNW all the time, +5 resistance against light (together with the Scholar training => +10KNW)
Thief training: +25% defense with dodging, +6DEX against humans
Scholar training: +3KNW all the time
Mage trraining: +12INT against elementals
Wizard training: +5 INT all the the time
Brute trainin:+3 resistance on fire,ice,electricy,earth, energy, +3STA all the time
Barbarian training: +4 resistance on fire, ice, electricy, earth, energy, +2 resistance on weapons, +5 STR all the time

This way it should be better.

The trainings will not give special abilities(despite of the shadowmage training), this would go too much for a 'class system', which the trainings system should be not.

EDIT: Oh and thanks for the compliment, steven8, you cannot imagine what is possible when you truly unlock the power of RFs scripting language. I am beginning to think that there are absolutely no limitations what can be done gameplay-wise.
But lol, my main script in which is basically everything is done, has grown to a size of 210kb and has over 7200 lines all in all. Well now that's big.

[zany_001]

wo. can i say that again?wo.

[steven8]

wo. can i say that again?wo.

Yeah.

You're welcome Jay. Yes, folks have proven that with scripting, almost anything is possible with RF!!

[Jay]

hm. I just packed the current version with InstallCreator, and it's 45MB! So i want to ask you if anyone can host the file when the demo is finished? The demo is not going to be biggger than 50MB

[QuestOfDreams]

You could upload it to http://www.snapdrive.net/
I can also put it on the realityfactory filefront site ...

[Destron]

Nice.
You have some breathing room, though. Although I'm guessing you want to keep the size down because it's going to be available through download, games nowadays are exceeding 5gb+

[benshelmars]

I too eagerly await your release. I am extremely interested in much of your work, many of the concepts mimic those that we would like to implement. Your work is masterful.

[Agentarrow]

Wow, I skimmed the topic, it looks great. The guy in the pics looks a little like Itachi Uchiha

however they are rather small and I need to clean my glasses so correct me if I'm wrong...

[Jay]

Well, at the moment not much is happening because of various school tests (we had one on thursday with 3 time-hours!).

But i think i can no longer hide the story from you. Here is the raw story of The Towers of Trembolon I - Red Cape:

First 'level' is Vally, where you find the old artifact and get thrown out of town. The characters you play are dioran (the one that looks a bit like Itachi Uchiha, the pics i use are yctually 3d pictures taken from the characters faces in milkshape3d) and Diorans best friend, Kriston. You are also hunted by Tharn, who is angry that you took the old artifact, throughout the whole game. Another reason to quickly move away from Vally.

Next is a switch in views and you discover the relation between Dioran's uncle (no name yet) and Tim. Tim is his assistant and both live in Triodon. The main character in this part is Tim. You will sneak into the great library of Triodon and get an old book Dioran's uncle needs for his studies (he's archaelogist and inventor in one, he builds machines that tap into the natural flow of magic and can also change it. He fights with his hellfire rifle, which does shadow and fire damage in one). After that the two depart for the endless hills, because Diorans uncle must confirm something. An elemtal compass (points to large quantities of an specified element) of air (which normally points to north, but nobody in Trembolon knows why. Scientists say there must be a huge quantity of air energy north of the montain ranges Ograt Pyr, Ograt Achan, and Ograt Vatio (which build up a barrier to north togehter with the 'Big Wall')) helps them to not get lost.

Then you get back to Dioran and Kriston, who both are stuck in the endless hills. At the same time Tim and Diorans uncle are also wandering around there, the elemental compass has run out of energy and they are searchin for a skycrystal to refeed its energy hunger (like a battery). You will meet them in the Zornium mine, shortly before the boss fight, who is 'John the Mad', the first miner who broke through to the Octnium. If you're lucky (and search long enough), you can also see them before wandering around in the endless hills. After the boss fight, Diorans uncle translates the runes in the Octnium part, and he sees his theories confirmed. He just needs one last proof.

So you are going to Triodon again. And you must sneak into the library again, this thime you must find the 'Lost Library'. In this you find the book 'The seventeen wonders of the world - a travel story' which was written long ago, and contains the place of all important ancient places. Dioran pulls out the artifact-part and his unlce identifies it as the primary, middle part of the Akslet, an old artifact that is alone able to merge the four elements water,earth,fire and air. It was used to empower the most advanced technologies of the people of Odon, which was approximately 1700 years ago. It was broken into 5 pieces, the four outer parts which represented one element each, and the middle part made of panor, which merges the 4 opposing elements. Diorans uncle also identifies you cape, the so called 'Red Cape', which has been given to him by his mother. It is, essentially, the key for the missing parts. Only one with the Red Cape can open the doors to the towers where the four missing parts are. Your new task is to go to the towers and retrieve the parts. The book will give you the directions.

And so you wander to the east, where the easiest to access tower, the water tower, lies. You get to halt in Evaton, and then go into the swamp where the tower stands. But the characters cannot get in. Diorans uncle eplains: Seemingly it does not only need the Red Cape, but also a mage of the element to get in. At this time you have the elements moon (Dioran), earth(Kriston) and air (Tim, Diorans uncle is a sage, but no mage, if at all, he has air). No water mage, no entry. But your failed attempt to get in has caused a trap. Dark clouds are rising, and rain is pouring down. The characters nearly drown but then are saved when they are unconscious. And they are brought to... the convent of Asurra! There you will meet Fia. You have to persuade her a bit, but now you can finally enter the tower.

Inside the tower are many puzzles to be solved, and there is also a boss at the end. In this boss fight, Diorans uncle will die. When you have the water part, another thing kicks in: you try to puzzle the two parts together, but it does not work! They just don't fit to each other. The middle part seems to be somehow damaged. A desaster! Regardless, you still have to find the other parts first and then you can deal with that later. (You will go to a master smith in The Towers of Trembolon II - Family Tragedy and fix the broken part)

You go to the southwest, where the earth tower lies. It gets winter, and you have to encloth yourself differently because of the strong winds around Ograt Igrat ('mountainrange of rocks'). You also need a guide, because in winter it can be dangerous to walk to the top of Ograt Igrat. This is how Sarah comes to the group.

Shortly before you arrive at the earth tower, The White Wolf, a famous powerfull frost/wind (=air) shaman appears and says you must 'prove your worth'. The Towers of Trembolon I - Red Cape ends on this cliffhanger.


You see, if i even finish the first game, i can be proud. I have ideas for five (!), it's all planned out in my head:
The Towers of Trembolon I - Red Cape ->see above

The Towers of Trembolon II - Family tragedy ->you complete your quest for the 4 parts, but it gets stolen by Foran, your real ememy. He already awaits you at the top of the last tower. Tharn turns out to be good and was not hunting you, but Foran all the time. Foran kills Tharn in a duel at the top of Tos An, the tower of air. Before that, Tim has fallen from the tower during the boss fight, Kriston was not able to get in the tower at all, and at the end Foran casts a powerfull spell on you which kills all of you who are at the top (Dioran, Sarah, Kia, Fia, Xavier) instantly and steals the now completed Akslet. In the outro you see how Kriston gets hit by a falling rock and is knocked out. After that you see how Foran summons the demon Brodak and kills him wiht the help of the Akslet. He inherits the power of the demon, and with this he gets very powerfull, he can now control all elements - water,earth,fire,air through the Akslet, light through his own element (moon), and shadow because of the demons powers. So after all, the second game end with a complete catastrophe.

The Towers of Trembolon III - Captain Duke Sky -> Tim has somehow overlived his fall and is stranded in another land, where he, memory lost, is hired by the famous pirate Captain Duke Sky for his crew. And he will sail over the 'Seven seas'. Seven? You thought there is only one? You are wrong, because C.D.S.'s ship can not only sail on water, it can even sail under water, in the air, on lavalakes, through light-corridores, his current addition makes it even possible to go trough solid objects, or to navigate through complete darkness. Why you ask? Well, C.D.S. was bored. Trembolon was too easy to rob and get treasures. And so he hired the most famous scientists in Inodon to make his ship even better. Now he wants to explore the paralel-worlds of Trembolon also. In Trembolon, the elements are balanced. But in the paralel-worlds there is always one element stronger than the others. Because of that C.D.S. needs a ship which can sail through/in even the unthinkable places.
Meanwhile, Kriston gets brought to Otos Lom, the city of the moon. There he finds Kelini, who is the sister of Dioran. At this point i must explain something: The world inside and around the towers has its own rules, and every tower has different. This is because they are really sub-dimensions. But something they all have in common: The time in the towers is different from the time outside of the towers. The towers are infact OUTSIDE of the normal timeline! That means for example, that they don't age. Everything repeats itself endlessly. Kriston and Kelini use this feature of the towers to get into the time before Dioran and the others were killed. You must be carefull that nobody sees you (remember, for example old Kriston is waiting outside of the tower, and Foran lurks around too somewhere), because you would destroy yourself/your own past with this. Then after Foran has killed Dioran and the others, Kelini and Kriston revive them with a special artifact and take them to Otos Lom.
Now Foran takes away Kia, and you have to save her. He says a one-on-one duel with Dioran, but in truth he does not want to kill Dioran, he wants to know how you fight (And he WILL remember how you fight, what spells you use, etc. when you meet him next time). Suddenly, Tim and Captain Duke Sky interfere in this duel, and Foran escapes. At the end of the third part all are together again, and Tim gets his memory back trough the help of the others.

The Towers of Trembolon IV - Illahar -> To defeat Foran, you must go that far that you actually have to summon the demon Illahar and make a pact with him. This way you can weaken Forans power. Well, that's it in short.

The Towers of Trembolon V - Prophecy -> Begins with a prophecy: 'Six must aid one, one will persist, six will be gone. The power of light breaks on a new day.' The prophecy can be completed in different ways: The six can be the six friends of Dioran. Six could also be the number of the chosen guardians, which can together summon the legendary 'Rainbow Mage', who will help you defeat Foran.
You discover the ancient moon temple, add its power to your own. And you will meet the guardians (again). I said again, because many of them you already know: There is The Mirror Man from part II (moon), The White Wolf from part I/II (air), Captain Duke Sky (water), Ruby from part I/II (a non-human guardian, fire), Xavier's Paladin teacher Threon from part II (sun) and the half-golem Magneton (earth), whom you could meet by accident (not in the main story) in part II.
But at the same time, Foran unholys the sun temple and taps into its nearly limitless power. What now. The guardians must summon the Rainbow Mage. With his help, Foran temporally looses power over light, air, fire, water and earth. that leaves only shadow, and now you can defeat him.

Note: the game might have a light atmosphere on the outside, but the story will give it a dark/sad 'background feeling'.

Oh and yes, those ideas are copyrighted by me.

Yes i am finished now.