Necromon - my pet project (need feedback and suggestions!)

[Scythemantis]

......Should this go in the games forum, or the art forum? A mod can move it.

I've been developing this for quite some time now. The concept, world, plot and almost all monsters/characters are by me with some special contributions by some friends in the art community.

I know it sounds like some generic parody, and it IS a horror-themed pet monster game, but I'm putting quite a bit of effort into making it unique and the name "necromon" is only temporary (any good title ideas?). Right now it's just conceptual work, graphics and music. I know a few decent programmers but we need a lot more (please e-mail bogleech@hotmail.com or message me as "scythemntis" on AIM if you think you can tackle it). This will not be RPG-maker stuff or a rom hack. We're aiming to build this from the ground up. When completed (let's be realistic - it'll probably take a couple years) it will be a free, stand-alone download with online battling and a patching system for expansions. I'm posting about it now because I want opinions, ideas, and (constructive) criticisms before any of the real programming starts.

First, some sprites. All spritework is being done by a talented friend of mine (saving them as gifs on my computer messed the colors up...his originals look quite a bit better):

http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/necsprites1.gif
http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/necsprites2.gif
http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/necsprites3.gif

Here's some of my monster sketches. Keep in mind that there WILL be some alternate, non-creepy monster types available (albeight rarer than the undead) as well as human minions (with a character class and ability system totally different from that of monsters)
http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/necsample.jpg
Most of the ones I've drawn are up at my deviantart gallery (scythemantis.deviantart.com) along with their names. I have a text file of the names and abilities for over a hundred finalized monsters already. No, they don't evolve. Unless you really, REALLY think some of them should...

Quick rundown:
"Necromon" (again, we'll probably change the title sometime) takes place in a post-apocalyptic future earth that has been divided into a human side and ghoul side. Lying on the border between these two worlds is a vast city where humans and the undead live in harmony for the noble cause of world domination. Players will construct monsters from body parts (ala Frankenstein), equip them with various ultra-violent weapons (like the Chainzooka) and carry out missions for the factions of their world including their city's villainous overlords, the human resistance force and the zombie mafia (hooray for disorganized slow-moving crime!)

Proposed features and stuff:

-Online 2-player battles are the top priority. I doubt we'll be able to pull off an entire MMORPG sort of world, but players should be able to interact in certain small areas.

-Stat balance, elemental strengths and weapon specialties should be fully customizable (good idea or no?)

-Teams will consist of up to ten. Monsters will be able to carry well over a dozen weapons each, plus a handful of spells and 1-3 unique abilities per species. Human classes will be based more on spells and abilities (for the most part).

-Your character, while unable to battle, will have his or her own stats, equipment and job options with a universal effect on your team members (or you can just leave it all neutral).

-You'll be able to plunder and terrorize the human world for blood (the currency of your city), new monster parts or the ocassional human hostage (to be recruited, zombified or fed to your monsters)

-Every monster species requires a specific set of components to be reanimated. Mistakes lead to pitiful deformities (that can only battle with a dynamite belt...) or rabid, uncontrollable mutants that can turn on you at any moment.

-That's about everything worth noting right now.

So anyways, what do you really want to see, gameplay-wise? I already have monsters out the wazoo but if there's anything you simply MUST see a monster based on, let me know.

[Razola]

I can always provide feedback in terms of balance of and gameplay...but I have no real programming skills. Though if you want any suggestions, I'm here to help.

Design so far is solid. Good idea and excellent sprites. I like what I see thus far. Just keep in mind that the big N likes to shut down many online pokemon games or online games that are close to pokemon.

[Scythemantis]

Thanks! Yeah, that is one concern, though the only thing that should bear any direct similarity would be the one-on-one setup of the battles. I don't think anything could be a more direct pokemon ripoff than the atrocious robopon, and that's even getting sequels. Of course, that's not online, and it at least has a real company behind it. There's others such as Demikids that have also snuck in unscathed.

At least I didn't go with my first idea of a neopets-style html game. Those guys are merciless when it comes to even the most insignificant competition.

I just have to fix the name, and make sure all the little things like controls and maps are as different from existing games as possible.

This here's a rough sketch of how a battle might possibly look:
http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/necbattle.jpg

[Razola]

Ever play Primal Rage? Because those the Health/Mana bars are almost straight out of it. (Though the brain isn't mana in Rage, since the game was fighting). Not a bad or good thing (I personally like it) in particular).

If it's an RPG, then makes sure numbers are listed for at least the player's ghoul's HP and MP. I'm sure this is just a concept sketch, but I'm a statistics fiend.

I like the fact that bees are a weapon. Shades of Worms there.

[The Muffin Man]

The fireball and skull look a bit too much like the Red mana symbol of magic, and Jack Skelington(sp?) of Nightmare before Christmas respectively. Other than that, what Raz said is also true.

[Scythemantis]

The first three icons don't really represent anything, just random doodles, though the other three are actual weapons. Yeah, I recently remembered primal rage (I think I was the only one who really liked that game at the time) ...might just use a heart and brain with numbers underneath. Numbers will be there either way, though.

[Yoh Asakura]

Originally posted by Raz
Ever play Primal Rage? Because those the Health/Mana bars are almost straight out of it. (Though the brain isn't mana in Rage, since the game was fighting). Not a bad or good thing (I personally like it) in particular).

If it's an RPG, then makes sure numbers are listed for at least the player's ghoul's HP and MP. I'm sure this is just a concept sketch, but I'm a statistics fiend.

I like the fact that bees are a weapon. Shades of Worms there.

Terrible game. When you lose a fight the heart explodes down the screen and the brain colapses.

I do like your designs, they look cool =D All you need to do is find a few peple who have a solid knowledge of C++/Vb and you'll be set.

Good luck to ya =]

[Razola]

Originally posted by YAMI YUGI™
Terrible game. When you lose a fight the heart explodes down the screen and the brain colapses.
Nuts to you. Primal Raged rocked.

Quick question: are weapons equipped like normal RPGs? Do they exist to bolster attack ratings or do they grant new powers and/or abilities?

[Scythemantis]

Weapons are equipped, then selected and used during battle like typical abilities. There's defensive items that just boost stats or have automatic effects but i'm considering the idea that you'de have to actually use them first to activate them for the rest of battle (and only so many could be "on" at once)

It probably needs reworking, but the current idea is that most equippable items have a weight value of 1-3 and most monsters can carry a total weight of 12, plus up to six "weightless" throwing weapons (bees, shurikens, stuff you can only use once) and each turn you'de be able to attack with any combination of 5 weapons, spells or abilities and any number of your lightweight throwing weapons.

[Razola]

Certain weapons (such as staves or rods) should offer a spell to the user, while other weapons should offer abilites (basically spells that don't deplete MP). There's many different ways to wield a wepson, after all..

This may be a uneeded complexity, but it's worh thinking about.

[Scythemantis]

There's a couple "vehicle" weapons (small tanks, undead mounts, etc.) that add abilities but require most or all of the user's carrying capacity, though normal weapons actually adding spells is something I hadn't thought about...the majority of monsters will be limited to learning around three spells with a few who get more and a few that can't get any, so that's a pretty good idea. Using up a weapon spot for an extra spell sounds pretty fair.

[daMoose52]

Well well, looks like we may have a match!

My group, Neo Productions, is working on a game called Genetisys : Evolution. We're REALLY in need of graphic artists on it for tiles and monsters and could really use a hand.

To be perfectly honest, I (I'm Design Lead for it) am modeling it more on Pokemon simply because I had started and had a really good Pokemon Online project going before NOA sent me a cease and desist (and were a lot of peeps mad about that).
The battle system I AM designing to be different however, more along the lines of Earthbound/Dragon Warrior, and monsters are fairly different too.
One major plus though is there is no hardcore setting and there aren't really any restrictions to the world design. Once the game goes online for Alpha/Beta testing, the players are going to have the ability to design the bulk of the world and a fair deal of the monsters, meaning you could have a nuclear wasteland region with no problems~
I also have a post in the General Discussion pertaining to the project, asking for help, so check that out for a little info or write me.

[Lezta]

Originally posted by Raz
Certain weapons (such as staves or rods) should offer a spell to the user, while other weapons should offer abilites (basically spells that don't deplete MP). There's many different ways to wield a wepson, after all..

This may be a uneeded complexity, but it's worh thinking about.

... wait? Haven't we seen this before?

[The Muffin Man]

Originally posted by Venusaur99
... wait? Haven't we seen this before?

80% of all RPGs?

[Yoh Asakura]

Originally posted by Raz
Nuts to you. Primal Raged rocked.

I really do hope that is sarcasm.

[Razola]

Originally posted by YAMI YUGI™
I really do hope that is sarcasm.
It wasn't Street Fighter, but it had its charm.