I''m making a text based RPG (like so many other people) and I was wondering what other people though of my design so far. I''ve been reading Gamedev.net forums about other people''s RPG''s, and everyone I have read has something like: Do you want to fight ninja or run away? You fight him, and he wins but you get lucky and doesn''t kill you, and other things like that. The way I''m making mine, is where it has a branching story line, and a battle system that is used in every fight, so you can fight, use items, magic and run away. The strength of the monster is started at 1, then has 5 added to it for each of the player''s level. Bosses start at different levels, then are incremented the same way. The battle starts out with you choosing to attack, magic, items and stuff. If you use a magical attack, he will use a physical and vise versa (I''m in the process of writing an algorithm that will choose his attack based on the monster''s and player''s health). Plus there is a shop, but right now you can only buy 4 healing items. There is also in the works a very simple town editing feature that is unlocked at the main story branch (if you don''t unlock it there, you won''t be able to do it) and basically, thats where you can buy everything (after you build the right buildings) and change the citizen''s taxes, which will get you money, but may also cause some of the population to leave, reasulting in less money. Well, thats about it for now. If you can find the time, please reply and tell me what you think.

Here''s what I got out of that: "I''m making an RPG with a battle system and a town that''s somewhat user defined."

What''s your battle system going to look like? Does it have magic? Stats? Weapons? Armor? Special abilities? Strengths? Weaknesses?

What all can you do in/to the town? Can I go to a bar? Can I rob someone? Can I destroy buildings? Can I build roads? Can I hire guards?

And what''re the goals? Do I travel the countryside on a quest to kill some oddly defined evil menace thats ''somewhere over there'', and while doing so encounter NPC''s from all over the world to join my town?

I think you don''t have enough to comment on. It''s all about information, and just now, I don''t have much.

I see what your saying, so here is some more info:

In a battle, you can use magic (or skills if you want to call them that since you have to level up to get them) do a normal physical attack, use items, equip different weapons and armor that you happen to come across or buy, healing items that you buy, you can run away, and check your stats (using items and checking your stats do not cause the monster/boss to attack).
The battles are turn based, and each monster/boss has different stats as your level goes up. Plus you can save in battle, or out of battle, whenever you can choose to do something.

The town all depends on how you build it. If you have a bar, you can go into it. If you have a weapon shop, you can buy from it. Some buildings include item shop, weapon shop, bar, hotel, apartments, and anything else that might be found in a city. You can build different things like roads, parks, and other things to get more people to come. The town starts out at nothing. No buildings, no people, nothing. The more you build, the more people come. Different buildings get more people to come. Like you''ll get more people if you make an apartment building and a grocery store than if you build a bar.

The story starts off as the main character (a prince) wakes up in a castle, and over hears his father (the king, obviously) talking about going off to war with a rival nation. The main character (who the player names) is concerened, and decides to help by finding a legendary cave, which might give him the answers on how to defeat the other nation.

Alright, you''ve had enough of the story. I don''t want to spoil it, but if you need more I can post it.

This sounds a bit like a text-based god game. Do you build towns or do you quest?

You quest. The town part is just a mini game on the side that can get you money and stuff. You can buy items in other towns along the way, it''s just playing the mini game will allow you to buy things more often.

Still need more detail on the battle system. I also heard you mention somehting about leveling up. How''s that work?

And how do I put down a building? Say I really want to do that, and I just picked up the game, and it''s saved at that part. What happens?

At the end of the battle, if your hp is still over 0, and you have enough experience points (based on your level, not really innovative, but time tested) you will get a level up which gives you a boost in your defense, max hp, money, and I''m still deciding if I should make items randomly appear at the end of battle.

Ok, lets see... When a battle starts, the game checks to see if it''s a monster, or a boss. Then it sets the base stats, depending on which it is. Then the monster''s stats (health, power, defense, money) are increased for every level the player has, so high level players can''t dominate every fight. After thats done, the actual fight begins. You are given 5 choices (physical attack, magical attack, use items, run away and look at your stats). If you choose magical or physical attack, you deal damage, the game pauses until a key is pressed, then the monster deals it''s damage (it may either do a magic attack or a physical attack, depending on the player''s and monster''s health).

To place a building, you would have to save the game, then exit and restart the game, load your previous game, then from the starting menu, choose build your town. Placing buildings is pretty straight forward, choose the building, adn if you have enough money for it, you buy the building and it goes in your town.

Right... Now, why might I choose magic over a physical attack, or the other way around?

What sorts of spells can I get?

Really, in the beginning it all depends on your prefrence since the starting magic attack does the same as a physical attack (without a weapon), but as you get stronger, the magic attacks take up alot more mp, but do considerably more damage.

Notice a little sorta pattern to the questions I''ve been asking? It''s your job to do that from here on out.

Good luck, hope it turns out fun.