The VG Resource

hi there, I'm John.. I've been frequenting TSR (why am I reminded of D&D..) for a while but haven't posted on this forum.

I was really into the old Shadowrun games for SNES & Genesis, although 2 very different games. The vibe & atmosphere of them has always hit the right note with me. Actually I've spent a lot of time over the years trying to create a cyberpunk RPG game that was on the same level since for years...

If you've ever worked on a game by yourself, you know it's a lot of work. I've been editing sprites from RPGmaker tilesets, using whatever tileset & world graphics will work, etc. I'm not sure, there just always seems to be something missing..

Anyways, was just wondering if anyone else was as into cyberpunk, and in particular Shadowrun. I imagine I'll be trying to bring this project into fruition until the day I die but I'm wondering if there's anyone else that has even a remote interest in such a project.. Even if it's just talking about it!

That and I've got to be honest, I really don't care for the generic medieval fantasy setting in RPGs, it bores me to death.. the real reason shadowrun has always been one of my favorite games..

Although I also really like the Fallout games, X-com, Odium, Arcanum, Planescape, etc

So yeah anyone else into dark science fiction & tactical RPGs.. eh?

uh


Gamedev isn't a place where you go 'yo, I want to make a x game, but I don't even have an idea of how it should be. Let me post here so I may find someone to do the work for me'. You need to have ideas of gameplay, characters, setting, etc. to make a thread here. Give a look on other threads around here.

locking this. Consider this a verbal warn.

slight nazi-modding going on here but that's cool, people on the internet can be annoying I guess.. No need to be a cocksucker though..
Don't. Just don't.

Anyways, I've been developing this game for a number of years, but it has gone through numerous revisions due to a number of factors involved with the creative process. One being learning more about software & implementing new ideas. And also computer crashes and losing several years of work.

The basic idea, as previously mentioned, is to make a game in the same vein as the Shadowrun games on SNES & Sega, with a few differences. Primarily that it won't be 'Shadowrun' because microsoft or FASA are really protective of that brand (which doesn't explain that last SR game....).

On Sega, the view was overhead like in many RPGs. The SNES version was Isometric. The versions that I've made have been side-scrolling, and similar to the older side-scrolling Legend of Zelda game for the NES.

Screens from an earlier version:

^^^Map screen. I've already changed this, partially due to not wanting to use those particular graphics. But the concept is still there.. In the game you have to find another way to get around the city than walking, which is usually the monorail. I actually programmed that, still working on making other passengers board the train, loiter around the station, etc..


In a way I want to make the combat turn-based, in a way I don't.. At any rate, the way it plays now, you have to pull the gun out of your jacket before firing. And also wandering Lone Star agents will arrest you for wandering around with a drawn weapon. I haven't programmed that yet, still trying to figure out the line of sight code in GML..

I also was debating about how to do the inventory system.. Again I'm still learning about programming & array tables, but it also crossed my mind to borrow another idea from the Zelda games & make the inventory items set, rather than being able to pick up lots of useless shit...

One big 'mistake' in the Genesis version of SR was that there was character classes.. In the P&P SR game, there was just a lot of skills.. and also getting implants, a datajack, etc would make it really difficult to learn about magic (and also increase damage taken from magic) due to diminished life essence. I wanted to do something similar to the 'perks' system in fallout.. just again, different. I don't have the knowledge of programming to parallel the infinity engine.

Oh yeah... concept music. Most of it is moody & atmospheric stuff but in certain instances, you really need something with a pulse.. like these tracks:
http://soundcloud.com/hellscion/hellscio...-version-2
http://soundcloud.com/hellscion/dark

Much of this is subject to change.. Some of it already has. I'll try and get a demo of one of the most recent rendition of this later. That is all for now, I bid you a good day!

I'm just gonna merge this with the other thread and reopen it since it's got content now

Seriously, how did you miss putting all of this in the first thread?

(01-10-2012, 04:27 PM)Proton Wrote: [ -> ]Seriously, how did you miss putting all of this in the first thread?

I don't know..

I do admit though, Shadowrun always had fun ideas for characters and environments.



There's always the "Mystery Dungeon" way of doing things.
Whenever you take a step, enemies do to.
Whenever you make an attack (if enemies are in your range), enemies do to (if they're in range of you).



Some other game most likely does this to, but Dungeon was the first I encountered, so that's my example.



It should really focus on the idea of customization, something renowned in games like Shadowrun.


I think isometric view would be neat if you pull it off to not be cluttered or distracting.

I played the hellscion out of Shadowrun on genesis when I was younger.

The dark gritty atmosphere and mercenary missions were a great combo, even though half the time I just ran around shooting/looting people or randomly breaking into jails to free people who wouldn't leave.

One thing that was great were the random events that would happen on the street, you should definitely incorporate those somehow. Random muggings, or vampire attacks, police raids, people selling you black market goods on the corner, etc.

(01-10-2012, 05:22 PM)Proton Wrote: [ -> ]I do admit though, Shadowrun always had fun ideas for characters and environments.



There's always the "Mystery Dungeon" way of doing things.
Whenever you take a step, enemies do to.
Whenever you make an attack (if enemies are in your range), enemies do to (if they're in range of you).



Some other game most likely does this to, but Dungeon was the first I encountered, so that's my example.



It should really focus on the idea of customization, something renowned in games like Shadowrun.


I think isometric view would be neat if you pull it off to not be cluttered or distracting.

Delayed response, you'll have to forgive me I'm a little bit slow. Or distracted by real life or something.

I think I've played Mystery Dungeon, or a game with similar mechanics on the Sega Genesis. I had actually been experimenting with something similar. Although it was more like everything was done in precise actions and times. Like in battle when you stepped left or right, it would be aligned to a grid of 32pixels or so.. And when you attacked, it would take a specific amount of time (that would decrease when you put points into a fire-arms skill)

Ultimately I scrapped that idea because being able to move more freely, like in an oldschool side-scrolling game kinda, allows for a lot more interesting enemy AI..

Definately with you on the customization. Just deciding how exactly that will work.. I've already got a system for basic RPG attributes like Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Charisma, etc. Simple use of variables.. But I also wanted to put something similar to the 'Perk' system of the fallout games.. Although that be a slight deviation from the AD&D rules that Shadowrun is based on. I don't know though.. ultimately i make a lot of changes for the sake of making the game better as a whole..

Isometric view, like in the SNES shadowrun game. heh, I don't quite have the skill to program that yet. i did recently learn how to program the battle system from that game, and where you could control the aiming cursor with a mouse (that the character would face). It's just everything else that's an issue...

---

(01-11-2012, 09:58 AM)Altrez Wrote: [ -> ]I played the hellscion out of Shadowrun on genesis when I was younger.

The dark gritty atmosphere and mercenary missions were a great combo, even though half the time I just ran around shooting/looting people or randomly breaking into jails to free people who wouldn't leave.

One thing that was great were the random events that would happen on the street, you should definitely incorporate those somehow. Random muggings, or vampire attacks, police raids, people selling you black market goods on the corner, etc.

Yeaah, it has always been one of my favorites. Really disappointing when Microsoft attempted to reboot it as a clone of Unreal Tournament or something. If they had made it anything like the old ones, it would've been awesome.. :\

Definately plan on incorporating the random events from the Sega version.. Except making it where there's actually people on the streets rather than it all being 'implied', but the way you could get a fake permit for your illegal weapons, or be stopped and fined by Lone Star. It was great! I was also working on adding elements of the GTA games, like having a room in different parts of town. but perhaps making it where you have to do jobs and pay rent. I've been told by some people that would suck, but I don't know..

I also took out the option of randomly killing innocent civilians! I don't support random & senseless violence. For profit, sure, but anyways.. I'm making it where when you pull a gun on someone or attack them, they'll scream and run away. It's actually more amusing.. maybe a perk or character trait system that enables you to mug people. Or be a vampire that has to bite people to regain health? Still working out the details, of which there are many!