Harvest Moon project

[CosmicLoop]

So recently I had an idea for Harvest Moon DS......but the reality for it was a bit short-lived as I realized it would be a huge hack, and basically combining the two different versions (DS+DS Cute). Considering my experience level with this stuff, it looked pretty unlikely.

Until I found out I could do something in RPG Maker.


...credit to Emerald, Chris Fritz (http://harvestmoon.kurifuri.com/sprite-station/), and myself for the sprites seen here, btw. The boombox is an all-new custom, the green cushions are just edited from the brown ones.


(I tend to get embarrassed about ideas and then talk too much or too little so hear me out)


I know RPG Maker VX Ace pretty much like the back of my hand at this point; compared to messing with roms, at least. So I had made a test game and started messing around, looking up tutorials here and there, messing with variables....it's only been a few days and I already feel comfortable enough with what I want to do (then again I've had VX Ace for what feels like 3 years now....and before that I had 2003). I think now instead of trying to recreate HMDS, I could just make my own "entry" from here. I'm still testing with things, though.

Spoiler

The original idea was to replace HMDS sprites with custom/edited sprites of Smash characters in the FoMT/DS style. Because I'm a nerd with crap ideas, and this is for jokey fun. Anyway, this would call for a change of dialogue, and such....Also I had wanted a gender option for the player/no gender/play as Robin, or not have just one "eligible gender" or something like that....Originally I wanted to mess with the Japanese version of DS Cute; character decision at beginning, "Best Friends" system (like how Sailor Neptune and Uranus were "cousins", right?) , way less glitches/bugs, etc etc etc.

Ironically, the Harvest Sprites would've been the only ones who kept their original graphic sprites unless I made them Olimar/Alf/Pikmin rofl

Of course I was literally half-asleep when the idea popped up, so then upon waking up I realized it would be nearly impossible for me. Not to mention everything in the rom is a BIN file which I know almost nothing about, and finally editing the BIN with dialogue crashed the game. REST IN PIECES

okay but imagine replacing your dog with DHD or replacing Mukumuku with Donkey Kong, I'd die of laughter

I'm too ambitious for my own good.

I could follow through with the original wild idea, or just come up with an original [design] concept (new town, original characters, as if it was the next entry in the HM series)


So, things I got down so far/really working on are:

-relationship system (the basics of it)
-TV channels
-rock paper scissors game
-sprites (ripped and customs) I'm ripping from both HMDS and MFoMT, but I'm also using some things from Spriters Resource. I will credit for anything used. Any customs will be by me.

-sound effects and music (all ripped by me)

Spoiler

The TV thing i have goin on. Both TVs fit the channel/event. My goal is to rip (almost) every MFoMT TV sprite chchhchc

Things planned/sorta working on:

-custom character overworld+face sprites (for whatever idea I go with -- unless I end up reusing the AWL/FoMT bunch - but even then not every FoMT character has a DS face sprite, meanwhile everyone has an overworld sprite)
-properly loop songs (so there's no fading/cut-off)


Things I'll still need to add are days/time, weather, seasons, item gifting, and......uhh, anything that's a priority for a Harvest Moon game, really.


Also, if I could somehow mimic the "Thomas finding your dog ball and giving you a screenful of dialogue every day" thing from HMDS in VX Ace, that would be just grand. God dang, that dog ball.


So......assuming I continue with this....that means I'm then working on 3 games total. And if this idea splits itself to become two/more different projects....oh gosh......and if I ever revive older projects.....uhh



So yeah Harvest Moon. Good times


Posting this before my browser crashes

[puggsoy]

Neat idea! I've never really played any of the HM games (I think I gave a GBA one a spin once... maybe) but still cool. But yeah, modding ROMs can be a real task, especially if they're full of non-standard formats like .bin. Doing something like this is probably your best bet.

And yeah, I know the "too many projects" feeling all too well... I think there's about 4 things I've promised people I'll make. And I will. Eventually.

[Skyla Doragono]

Curious: is this going to be entirely evented or scripted?

[CosmicLoop]

It's coming along nicely so far! I found a script for the timeflow and tweaked it a bit to make it seem more Harvest Moon-y. Also I started making a list balancing HMDS/Smash character roles, so I can make sure everyone and everything fits. So far the numbers settle quite nicely; 51 HMDS characters without the playable characters Pete/Claire/Pony (or the kids), and 54 Sm4sh characters without Robin/Corrin (they'll be the player characters, interchangeable). I guess if problems occur I could always add past Smash characters.

I'm a perfectionist I'm sorry

Curious: is this going to be entirely evented or scripted?

A mix of both, actually. I myself only really know about events, so there's those; but I'm already using some scripts by others (and will credit them!) for the bigger things.

[CosmicLoop]

(merge posts if too early)

Things are still coming along! General life stress gets in the way sometimes, but it's coming along.

Here's work on the first few sprites!


-


It's M/F Robin! The purple chunk represents the body as i'll have different clothes too. So like when swapping appearance it'll go for example; Change appearance? yes/no > Robin/Corrin > and then go from there. idk.

FYI, I open up their Sm4sh profile pic in GIMP along with the blank base I made, and just use teardropper so I get their color palette spot-on. If they have no Sm4sh image,then i'll just use the image from whatever they were last in.

[supermariodx24]

You know.. I actually loved this series.. Uhm, since my MMORPG idea is a scrap.. would you wanna consider converting this game to a MMORPG? It can bring more power and options than RPG maker, as well as you have complete control over everything you create and it's... well multiplayer. I just thought I'd offer.. I can sure help you on that easy!

---

I have a clean base engine availible, and the knowledge to program basically anything you'd like feature wise.. so if you're interested let me know The graphics are formatted to fit RPG maker.. so you don't need many modifications to existing work.

[CosmicLoop]

You know.. I actually loved this series.. Uhm, since my MMORPG idea is a scrap.. would you wanna consider converting this game to a MMORPG? It can bring more power and options than RPG maker, as well as you have complete control over everything you create and it's... well multiplayer. I just thought I'd offer.. I can sure help you on that easy!

---

I have a clean base engine availible, and the knowledge to program basically anything you'd like feature wise.. so if you're interested let me know The graphics are formatted to fit RPG maker.. so you don't need many modifications to existing work.

Oh, whoa! That sounds pretty cool, thanks for the offer! I'll definitely keep it in mind! In terms of the multiplayer, I'm not too sure how this game (currently) could pull it off well, as I'm basing it off the two GBA/first DS titles. Not in a negative way, I'm just short on original ideas for this at the moment. (I'm still trying to plan the town layout!) But I have been wondering about also making a more original Harvest Moon game...

But I'll definitely think about it; and I actually have multiple game ideas/plans (that I didn't make threads for yet!), so maybe one of those would prove to be a better idea in the end? It would be cool if we ended up collaborating on a multiplayer game

[supermariodx24]

Yeah! Literally anything you can think of will fit into this engine. So yeah, let me know! If you need a better method of getting ahold of me you can email me, or hmu on facebook if you have. Harvest moon would be a collaporative title for an MMO if done properly.

[Skyla Doragono]

...wow, for serious?

Any chance you would share it with others? I bought a RM Humble Bundle pack awhile ago that came with a bunch of Harvest Moon style resources. I've been wanting to use them for more than just standard RPG Maker fare.

[supermariodx24]

Who me? or Cosmic?

[Skyla Doragono]

You, sorry. Should have specified.

[supermariodx24]

Well, shoot me a PM and I can probably work out a base copy for you. It's in vb6 if you're interested in coding.. but it is self sufficient enough to run a wide variety of games on it's own.

[Skyla Doragono]

Vb? The way you made it sound, it was in RPG Maker's Ruby. Nevermind.