4k simple RPG

[Master_Programmer]

Aside from some polishing, 1 or two bugfixes, a title victory and game over screens, and some very simple sound and music, this game's almost done.

 

I dub it for the time being, "Radiant Force".

 

basically, you're a little dude, trying to kill evil robots.

 

the controls are the joystick moves you around the map.

 

during battle, fire attacks, joystick right defends, and joystick left runs(so long as you aren't fighting the boss.).

 

in the battle, when you see the enemy turn white, you should hold block until the enemy changes back to normal color, to reduce any damage you take to 1 point.

 

You can't block, and attack at the same time

 

 

the way the game works, is you run around the world, looking for the boss to kill.

 

when you're within 16 screens of the boss screen, the background color changes to a brownish color.

 

the boss's screen location is random, being any number for both x, and y, from 0-255.

 

so yeah, huge map...I'll make an easy mode sooner or later, that makes it around like...128 instead, or 64.

 

when you're at the boss screen, it turns red.

 

moving around counts down a timer

 

when the timer hits 0, a random number is made, and depending on the number, you'll go into a random battle.

 

when you're on the boss(red) screen, you can't fight any enemy other than the boss.

 

 

after the battle, if you won, there's a chance you'll pick up a weapon.

 

you're always healed 1-8 hp, every time a battle is won, with two exceptions.

 

#1, your hp is at 90

#2, you beat the boss.

 

 

when you're dead, or won against the boss, you can't do anything, and have to reset the game with the reset switch

 

 

you know you're going into a battle, because the screen will flash different colors before the battle.

 

 

your character is always the color of the weapon you have, and each weapon has a different strength.

 

the colors and weapons, are as follows

 

 

Dark yellow - Power of 1 - base weapon

White - power of 2 - Machine gun

kinda brownish - power of 3 - Bazooka

blue - power of 4 - Laser

light yellow - power of 5 - Radiant Sword

 

weapons weaker than the one you have will never show up after a battle, so you can't lose your hyper strong sword, to a machine gun.

 

 

there is one bug I know of, and it's that the enemy hp is always a bit garbled.

 

I was originally going to try to do this in 2k, but I couldn't, so yeah.

 

 

expect a completed version within a day or two.

 

If i remember anything else I might have forgot, then i'll add it later.

default.bas.bin

[Master_Programmer]

by the by.

 

battles are real-time.

[Master_Programmer]

I think, I'm going to make it so that the left difficulty switch toggles a boss radar, and the right one toggles wither or not you can pick up weaker weapons that the one you have, as you're forced to gain a weapon after winning a battle, provided the enemy drops one.

[Master_Programmer]

Okay, switch left b, turns on the boss radar, and switch right a, means any weapon can be dropped by an enemy after battle, regardless of wither it's weaker than your current one or not.

 

the radar, is dots on the playfield...any direction there's a dot, is a direction you need to go to get to the boss.

 

so if there's 2 dots, one to your north, and one to your east, then you need to head northeast, until the dots change, or you get to the boss.

 

With any luck, that'll make the game able to be easier for everyone, who doesn't want to spend hours trying to find that damn red screen. XD

Radiant Force V08.bin

[Master_Programmer]

Also, I'll post screenshot when I actually have a finished game.

[Master_Programmer]

Okay, I found a pretty nasty goofup.

 

when you go to the bottom of the screen, you go up one screen on the map, instead of down, as I forgot to change a minus to a plus.

 

so here's a fixed version.

Radiant Force V08(Fixed).bin

[Master_Programmer]

Would anyone out there be willing to help me compose some very simple 1-channel music?

 

I'd like to have the following:

 

1 - Title Theme

2 - World Map Theme

3 - Normal Battle Theme

4 - (Final) Boss Theme

5 - Victory Jingle

6 - Ending Theme

7 - Game Over Theme

 

I need them all to be fairly small and simple, as to fit in around 1487 to 1024 bytes.

 

the music engine is going to be simple.

 

the variables for the music is as follows:

note

song

duration

 

So yeah, if someone could pitch in and lend a hand, I'd happily give credit.

 

 

(Edit)

 

I might need a Secret Final Boss theme too.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Master_Programmer

[Master_Programmer]

coming in the next update:

 

#1 - Critical hits for both you and the enemies.

#2 - First strikes, where you get a second or two where you can hit the enemy before their attack timer starts

#3 - Back attack...Like the above, except the enemy gets the first hits on you.

 

*MAYBE* coming in the next update

#4 - Pincer attack, Like in ff6 for the snes, where you're surrounded from the left and right sides.

 

If the battle is a back attack, or pincer battle, things just get even worse, because not only does the enemy get the first hit, but you can't run either.

[rockfistus]

I tried 2 of the versions and all I get is a little dude to control, I've played with all the switches and that's pretty much it... ? Am I missing something?

[Master_Programmer]

You haven't run into any battles?

It does take a little while to run into a battle sometimes...I made the battles a bit on the sparse side, so that you're not running into a battle every single flippin' step like in most RPGs. DX

 

And soon, I'll have the next version up, which will have more to it, including secrets hidden in fixed locations across the 255 by 255 screen world.

 

I tried 2 of the versions and all I get is a little dude to control, I've played with all the switches and that's pretty much it... ? Am I missing something?

[Master_Programmer]

How do you all like the test version of the weak battle theme?

 

Yes, this is the battle theme from Dragon Warrior 3, but don't worry, if someone helps me out with music, that'll be replaced.

 

 

this is more of a tech-demo of my sound engine.

music.bas.bin

[Master_Programmer]

I'll send the sound engine source-code to the guy/girl willing to be my main musician...Basically, it's a plain 1 channel note/duration/song engine, with 2 special characters for the sound data.

 

One which loops back to a certain spot, a specified amount of times, and one that restarts the whole song.

 

 

(EDIT)

Due to my utmost regrets, I might have to bump this up to 8k.

Edited May 23, 2012 by Master_Programmer

[Master_Programmer]

Okay, so my biggest question, is, is my music less....I dunno....ear-rape than in my game "split second"?

 

Has my musical talent actually improved since then?

[KevinMos3]

Okay, so my biggest question, is, is my music less....I dunno....ear-rape than in my game "split second"?

 

Has my musical talent actually improved since then?

 

I'd say it falls shy of ear-rape... maybe ear harassment.

 

Actually, it's not all that bad. Just make sure the volume is low, especially compared to any sound effects. A good example to look at for what the volume of background music should be like is Secret Quest. It's there, it adds to the atmosphere, but it's quiet enough that it doesn't distract.

[Master_Programmer]

Okay, so my biggest question, is, is my music less....I dunno....ear-rape than in my game "split second"?

 

Has my musical talent actually improved since then?

 

I'd say it falls shy of ear-rape... maybe ear harassment.

 

Actually, it's not all that bad. Just make sure the volume is low, especially compared to any sound effects. A good example to look at for what the volume of background music should be like is Secret Quest. It's there, it adds to the atmosphere, but it's quiet enough that it doesn't distract.

 

*nods*

 

I'm gonna bump this project up to 8KB, so that I have enough room for the tracks planned for the game.

 

 

Also, I have to ask, should I keep the battle music, despite it being from another game, or Should I take a "Leap of faith", and try to compose my own?

[KevinMos3]

...should I keep the battle music, despite it being from another game, or Should I take a "Leap of faith", and try to compose my own?

 

I didn't recognize it because I've never been into Dragon Warrior, but for some people it may be nostalgic. I say, go with what you like.

 

Also, what if you added some background graphics to break up the monotony a bit. I don't know how you have your code set up, but I would think you could add -- say for example: two playfield patterns that alternate each screen like a checkerboard -- without taking up too much ROM space. So screen 1 would use pattern A, screen 2 pattern B, screen 3 pattern A, etc. That would give more of a feeling of traveling to a different screen. As it is, it kinda feels like you're just wrapping around to the other side of the screen.

 

I've attached a mockup where I just kinda randomly darkened certain blocks on two screens, then checkerboarded 16 screens together. Of course you could do something much better... this was just a quick example to illustrate what I'm saying.

[Master_Programmer]

Okay, i've taken a huge blow to my will to continue any of this.

 

I lost the best friend I've ever had, over a stupid misunderstanding, that could have easily been prevented by talking to me.

 

So now that friend cut off all contact, and hates me.

Over nothing.

 

I'll try to continue, but I can't guarantee anything.

 

 

Also, that's a great idea, KevinMos3.

[Master_Programmer]

True friends to the rescue!

 

 

Also, KevinMos3, and his awesome idea to the rescue. XD

 

 

I implemented it, and I think there's a bugfix or two in there.

 

I still need to fix an HP rollover bug for the enemies though....not sure how that's still being caused, as I put safeguards up in case of that.

Radiant Force V092.bin

[KevinMos3]

Glad I could help. I like what you did with it. Good job!

[Master_Programmer]

I finally got an explanation to my friend, and am currently trying my damnedest to patch up this misunderstanding...

 

Sadly, this probably would never have happened if I had quoted different lyrics from the portal 2 ending credits theme, "Want you gone", in my status.... DX

[Master_Programmer]

Okay, Update.

 

I quieted the battle theme a tiny bit, made the game 8KB, and I added a final battle theme, that plays when you fight the boss on the red screen.

 

I'm also fairly confident I fixed the enemy HP rollover bug.

Radiant Force V094.bin

[KevinMos3]

The battle music is good. You'd done a good job with it. Enemy HP is still garbled. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, but it's extremely difficult. I used to be able to defeat several enemies before I got killed; now I die on about the second or third. I even tried using rapid-fire and I still get my butt kicked. Maybe you could adjust the difficulty a bit.

[Master_Programmer]

I'm trying to find that sweet-spot with the difficulty, and as for the hp being garbled, that's not the enemy HP anymore, the yellow number is your attack power.

 

I can't figure out why it's getting garbled though, as i'm not messing with it during the battle, or hardly at all.

 

I'll look deeper into it, and try to find the cause of the bugged number.

[Master_Programmer]

Okay, until such time as I can fix the number, i'm removing the garbled player1score.