Math based RPG

A few weeks back I posted a blog about creating an RPG game for the NES with math based combat and puzzles.  Kind of like a Dragon Warrior or Final Fantasy with Math questions as your challenges.

I got some feed back from some friends on my 64digits site and have teamed up with Harrison Lee who has been very helpful in working out the story and dialog.  Also added in a few good ideas to improve the story and general game play.

In the mean time I've been converting graphics and creating some tile sets based off Mr. Frost's various useful documents on working with NES resources.  So far I believe everything converts correctly, although I'm sure there will be further work to do when actually creating a NES version.

As it stands I'm limited on my personal time for this project, so I'm not quite ready to delve into nBasic and learning all the commands needed to interface with the NES.

However to make things easier I've begin to use Game Maker to create a very rough prototype and recreate the maps that will be needed.  Thankfully I'll be able to extract the maps from GM and use them in the future NES version.

Although I've decided that I'm not going to actually make the prototype in GM, just the maps and map testing to make sure everything lines up correctly.  After I extract all the maps I'll be using GLBasic to create a complete version which the NES version can be based on, taking in the various graphical and logical limitations.

One reason I'll be using GLBasic is due to its ability to port to various systems.  For example I can create demos for Windows, Linux, OSX and various mobile devices.

After a complete version is done, developing the NES version will be easier with a working example to go by.  It's always easier to clone an existing game then from scratch.  Of course this would be more of a replication or porting.

Progress wise, I've currently complete 9 maps, 2 map tile sets, and some partial sprite tile sets.  Harrison has written up a rough draft of the first scene's dialog and we're are working on further details to advance the story.

As for the math part, it is broken down between puzzles and combat.

Generally puzzles, unless they are optional special ones, would be restricted to simple questions like addition and subtraction.  Puzzles would tie into blocked areas that require items.

For example one area is blocked of by a magic fire that requires a pendant to be found, and also a question to be answered to complete it.

The question, prior to find the item would be incomplete, like " 2 + __ = ? "  which generally would be difficult to solve, but finding the item would reveal the second part of the question.

Someone had suggested I do the combat a little different, having it break down like this:

Attack - addition (weak = 1 digit, medium = 2 digit, strong = 3 digit)

Talent/Magic - multiplication/division

Item use - subtraction

Run - random question

Story wise, the world is broken up into four areas, originally just a desert, forest and swamp, but Harrison suggested adding an arctic section which I'll talk about later.  There are two dominant races who share a continent but pretty much have there own lands.  A race of water based creatures and people made of sand.

Neither one is comfortable in the other's environment so they had pretty much left one another alone until a stranger began to meddle in their ways.  Conflict began when the people of water learned irrigation and began taking over the desert areas, causing sickness to the sand people.

The arctic section is a place were neither race would go, which I felt was a good place for the final conflict.  Or at least the true final conflict as there are several ways to end the game.

So the RPG is not just a Math based game but also has lessons on respecting one's neighbor and being mindful of the environment.   And what may be fine for you is not always fine for another.

Resource wise, graphics and story are pretty covered.  It shouldn't be too much trouble to create a completed playable game in GLB, but I can't quite say when.  

First thing is I need someone skilled in ASM who can understand how to use nBasic.  Personally I know of three people who have worked with it that might be able to help, but yet to have asked.

Secondly I need to find someone decently skilled at creating NES music and sound effects.  And possibly to convert them into wav/ogg/mp3 formats for the GLB version.

Feel free to add any suggestions or ask questions.

This is from the GM mock up I'm using the test/design the maps.  Also demonstrating the combat layout.

Current Map progress as of 8/28/10