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New idea concept for an RPG "Active Turn Based Battle System"

Started by June 27, 2018 03:34 AM
24 comments, last by Gnollrunner 6 years, 5 months ago

Since the end of high school, I’ve bean trying to think of a good alternative to the Japanese turn based RPG Battle System for controlling multiple characters in a battle. 

Watching the characters move forward to attack, then move back to their original place just looks ridiculous.
the battle environment almost always are not the same as the location where the player is in the world of the game (this dose not bother me too mach).  How ever, I feel that the environment should have at least have different effects and variables on the battle.

During my time in the military I had an epiphany that the solution was looking for was already out there in another type of game and was never applied to an RPG.  In addition, i believe that this idea is something "Square Enix" and other Japanese game developers have bean looking for with their new final fantasy series and etc.  So, I'm thinking by changing the conceptual rules and adjective scripts in one those other type of games that one can make a new type of "Active Turn Based Battle System" for controlling multiple characters RPG's.  Or maybe, build one from scratch... however my point is that the next step of "Active Turn Based Battle System" for RPG's is already bean done and as far as i can tell no one sees it.

currently I'm put this idea into power while looking into how i can maybe copyright it; in doing so, I'm also looking for help and pointers in the right direction, and seeing if anyone wants in the idea.

In addition, I'm sorry for the lack of info however since that I feel that this is one really good idea that i have i'm doing my best not to lost it.  So something like; what is that other type of game might be?  I realize could be the thing that allows me idea to be stolen.

11 hours ago, sailorduck77 said:

however my point is that the next step of "Active Turn Based Battle System" for RPG's is already bean done and as far as i can tell no one sees it.

There is hundreds of JRPG games that do use more complex battle systems than the Hit And Return system, you just don't see them because Players actually react poorly to them.

JRPG fans like the Hit And Return system, and will rebel against games that move away from it. Selling a Active System Turn Based System to JRPG fans is like selling Marshmallows to a Vegetarian; wrong audience.

 

A good idea would be not to call it a JRPG or even to mention the game was inspired by JRPGs; that way the fans won't attack it. Instead allow players to decide what the game is.

 

11 hours ago, sailorduck77 said:

Watching the characters move forward to attack, then move back to their original place just looks ridiculous.

Looks silly but is a large part if the success of these games. When players play games where they control more than one person, they will try to ghater there units into a group. A JRPG just does this for the player from the start.

By having the game move Units to different positions, the game no longer provides the instant feedback it does. So normally the games that do this also provides a cycling selecter; allowing players to cycle the camera between controlled characters to see the battlefield. From here it is only one or two steps and the game is a Tactics game, instead of a RPG

Remember to keep testing the feedback as you make this system. Some JRPG's only allow 3 characters when using more complex systems like this; to counter the feedback problem.

 

11 hours ago, sailorduck77 said:

I'm also looking for help and pointers in the right direction

Start by making Pong, then after that try one of the older RPG games. After you have made a few, you will have the skills needed to lead a small team.

Making games is just like anything else; it takes years of practice to make something.

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thanks so much for your input Scouting Ninja, and trust me i hear you on the way players can and will react as well as the rejection they could give to something new.  being one of those players I've done a lot of thinking over years looking at various other games to try and find something more unique yet familiar to people and as well as player like myself.  I believe i found finally found it and when i did it so conceptually simple I could've slapped my forehead for not seeing it much earlier.  I'm proposing this idea because the solution i see is in a game mechanics that is already very popular ("very" being an under statement) even among those that aren't so bright, and if it could re-purposed in to an RPG battle system we then i believe we would have the next step in turn based RPG battle systems.

But, again thank you so much for your input, I would like talk more about it if you are interested.

In addition, i'm always studying...

16 hours ago, sailorduck77 said:

currently I'm put this idea into power while looking into how i can maybe copyright it; in doing so, I'm also looking for help and pointers in the right direction, and seeing if anyone wants in the idea.

Just to add onto this, you cannot copyright ideas. The idea itself hasn't materialized. If I had an idea to paint a picture of tigers sitting on a log, I cannot own the copyright for 'tigers sitting on logs in paintings', but I can copyright the painting itself that contains 'tigers sitting on a log' as it has become materialized.

You would be copyrighting the expression of the idea, not the idea itself.

If you're looking at getting into Game Development, feel free to ask more questions about getting started. There are many fields people are involved in, and depending on your skill and ability you may be able to overlap some of the roles. (Programming + Designer, or Programming + Audio, ect...)

You can also look into joining other hobbyist groups for experience.

As a bare minimum I would suggest looking into GameMaker Studio.

https://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker

 

Programmer and 3D Artist

Yeah, I kinda thought so, but I felt it might a good idea to try or find some alternative way of owning it such as maybe putting it in some kind of GUI form (like "RPG-Maker" and sell the idea like that or maybe not).  how ever, right now I just looking into maybe a contract of confidentiality in which would come with one time initial payment.  However, I'm not sure yet on how much that payment should be, but as i said I'm looking into it...

2 minutes ago, sailorduck77 said:

Yeah, I kinda thought so but I felt it might a good idea to try or find some alternative way of owning it such as maybe putting it in some kind of GUI like RPGmaker or not.  how ever, right now I just looking into maybe a contract of confidentiality in which would come with one initial payment.  However, I'm not sure yet on how much that payment should be, but as i said I'm looking into it...

If you take the idea of your combat system and put it into a game your copyright is for the expression not the idea itself. Your source code, and graphics in your combat system would be copyright-able. Even if you have two people that are across the world and by chance have the same idea and program the same code line by line, each person would hold a copyright for their own expression as it was independent of one another.

Anyone can take your idea and copy it as long as they implement it separately from you. You have to understand that you cannot lock down someone's expression when dealing with ideas. I would suggest you sit down with a lawyer regarding copyright law if you're still unsure.

We all benefit by having ideas free from copyright restrictions. How would you feel if you couldn't even make an RPG because it wasn't your idea from day one? We all pull from other people's ideas, and many of us have similar ideas anyhow.

If you're looking at sharing your idea with other people and/or developers, then you need to create a non disclosure agreement, but keep in mind that if you're unable to enforce a breech in the agreement then the paper is worthless.

Programmer and 3D Artist

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Yes, you are absolutely right... I think I used the wrong word being "copyright" or just used it the wrong way do to my lack of experience (because i am also coping from another game and implementing it differently). Still, in the act production one must be able to produce an idea first before being able to call it their own.  Because, in the light of history there were many inventors before Thomas Edison who came up with ideas for the "light bulb" but in the end he was the only one to come up with the working one that people could actually use and afford, give him the right to call it his own.  I guess my point is that, I still need to at least protect their Idea before someone else takes it and comes out with it before I do. 

Or, at least me and whoever helps me in the development of this concept.

38 minutes ago, sailorduck77 said:

I guess my point is that, I still need to at least protect their Idea before someone else takes it and comes out with it before I do. 

This can branch out into a very long and big topic so I'll try to keep it as short as I can.

Just an example:

Assuming I've thought about creating a game that was based on drifting cars, how would I protect this idea? Well you really cannot when dealing with copyright in itself. On the business side your goal would be to create a game that builds a reputation in the game industry and among players that your studio was the originator of the first drift racing game, and also the best at implementing this system. The problem is that once you've become popular and other businesses see the money in copying and building on your concept, you will have to fight to retain players. This means you need to be pro-active in many aspects to maintain a top position. You see companies all the time fighting for that spot.

Remember all the WoW clones that came out when WoW was a big hit? There is nothing you can do to stop competition, but you will have to work through different situations and figure out how to retain your player base (following) when other companies start implementing your idea into their own games. This type of competition is also good, it allows either you to improve and build even greater games, or someone else to take the idea and branch out into new and interesting concepts for future combat systems.

Programmer and 3D Artist

Understood, and competition doesn't bother me at all as long as I can be the first one to pull it off.  That's why I'm so protective of this concept of mine.  knowing that i could or might change the way turn based RPG's are played is almost good enough me, and i have a lot other ideas for features to add the system mechanics.  So, as far as staying on top goes;

if I (/we) can stay top? then we do...

if I or we can't stay top? then we don't...

That's the nature of business.

Because being the first to come up with a real solution for an Active Turn Based Battle Multi Character System, would be rewarding in and of itself.

But, I do hear your words and I thank you for your advice and input.  I absolutely need to read and consider all of it and more.

5 minutes ago, sailorduck77 said:

Understood, and competition doesn't bother me at all as long as I can be the first one to pull it off.  That's why I'm so protective of this concept of mine.  knowing that i could or might change the way turn based RPG's are played is almost good enough me, and i have a lot other ideas for features to add the system mechanics.  So, as far as staying on top goes;

if I (/we) can stay top? then we do...

if I or we can't stay top? then we don't...

That's the nature of business.

Because being the first to come up with a real solution for an Active Turn Based Battle Multi Character System, would be rewarding in and of itself.

But, I do hear your words and I thank you for your advice and input.  I absolutely need to read and consider all of it and more.

If you're going to go all out on this idea for an actual game, you will want to think commercially. The game itself will need more than just a good combat system to make it. You will need good story writers, level designers, artists, programmers, marketing associates, pr managers, ect... There is a hefty cost to all of this, and you will need a good chunk of money for marketing.

Otherwise just keep it under wraps until the time is right.

I wish you the best in whatever you decide to do.

Programmer and 3D Artist

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