Pokemon Carnage

[Matt_]

Introduction

Hello! I'm Matt, and I am currently solo-developing a fan game with Pokemon Essentials on RPG Maker XP. I have been planning the game for quite a while, but recently started getting into very early development stages. In terms of coding and programming, I am really new as well. I pretty recently got into Ruby, and and starting to pick up. I already had some basic knowledge on concepts and basically how things work, and I have always been pretty good with computers. In terms of RPG Maker, I know the basics, and can use it pretty well, but I am still working on it. Anyways, as you can tell I am a newbie to all of this, but I plan on continuing in this field and working at it. On the Pokemon side, I have been a fan since I was pretty little, and always been really into it. I started getting into Pokemon fan games and rom hacks about a year and a half to two years ago, and I have loved them ever since. I have played way more than I can think of, but only a few really stood out. The ones that stood out above all though, were definitely Reborn, Rejuvenation, and Desolation. They are probably what made me really want to make a game, and sparked a few of my ideas. My game will have several similarities, such as a darker atmosphere, and a story-driven game. I know a few people are not fans of games similar to Reborn, but I plan to send my plot in a very different direction, and just follow the general atmosphere and use similar features. One last thing, the protagonist will be an established character with dialogue. I know many people are not a fan of this as well, but I really think it will benefit the story, which is my main focus. Anyways, let's get to the plot.

 

 

Story

Pokemon Carnage follows three sisters, Sofia, Sara, and Eva. Sofia, the protagonist, and Sara, her twin, are both 16 years old. Eva, their younger sister, is 8 years old. They live in the Cerros Region, a region under constant radical assault from terrorist groups throughout the region. One day, Sofia is forced out of her home and separated from her family when their city is attacked by terrorists. Soon, Sofia realizes that not all people are born equal. A select few, including herself, were born with a unique ability to telepathically communicate with Pokemon close to them, making them "Mystics". But why did the terrorists target her city? And where do these "Mystics" fit into the puzzle? Sofia is forced to juggle finding the truth, defeating the terrorists, and protecting her loved ones all at the same time. Can she do it? Only time will tell.

 

 

Features

- 18 gyms 

- Elite 8

- Level cap

- Field effects (most likely)

- Alolan Vulpix as starter

- 21 original starters available soon after

- Gen 1-7 Pokemon

- Mega Evolution

- A little romance

- Supernatural abilities (Mystics)

- Custom shiny pokemon (Many from Reborn)

- Story-driven game

- Many well developed rivals and friends with distinct personalities

- A few custom megas

- Hidden abilities on wild pokemon 

 

 

 

Help

Looking for help primarily with spriting. I am a very weak spriter, so anybody to help me with characters, tilesets, etc. would be extremely helpful. Any help is welcome, extra people working is always a bonus. Even if you just have some cool ideas of feedback for the game, don't hesitate to pm me or post here. Also, I am debating over the names Pokemon Carnage, based on terrorism side of game, or Pokemon Mystic, based on the supernatural side of game. If you think one is better, tell me. 

Edited September 29, 2017 by Matt_

[Zander]

Two things:-

1) The story should make sense and not have the protagonist know stuff but don't do anything about it.

2) I think I'm not the only one who feels like this, but I'm boxing the Vulpix the moment I get another starter. It just doesn't fit into the grass/fire/water type which are always the essential types in a Pokemon game. Maybe an easy event would be better instead of just one starter.

[Matt_]

On 9/28/2017 at 10:49 PM, Zander said:

Two things:-

1) The story should make sense and not have the protagonist know stuff but don't do anything about it.

2) I think I'm not the only one who feels like this, but I'm boxing the Vulpix the moment I get another starter. It just doesn't fit into the grass/fire/water type which are always the essential types in a Pokemon game. Maybe an easy event would be better instead of just one starter.

I am vaguely confused on what you mean with the protagonist knowing but not acting on it, which part are you referencing to? I may have phrased it wrong, since Sofia is only supposed to know that she can communicate telepathically with her pokemon, and that she is not the only one with the ability. Also, I see where you are coming from with Vulpix, so I will think a bit more. Do you have any suggestions? Preferably one with a sort of opposite pokemon, such as Vulpix and a-Vulpix, since I plan on giving the other to Sara, Sofia's twin. I want to have a single starter that she supposedly grew up with to be her partner that she can communicate with. 

Edited September 29, 2017 by Matt_

[fjnfkwdnf]

Spoiler

With all due respect Matt. I think you should've waited to introduce this game, because take a look at the game. Besides the new storyline, what are you even bringing to the table. Reborn brought Field Effects, Rejuv brought an elite 8 and a more colorful world, Desolation brought choice based gameplay, Spork doesn't make any sense at all, Reborn hardcore brought party systems, and insurgence brought deltas and multiple evil teams (3+ teams). Honestly, it looks like you played a few fangames, snagged ideas from all of them, and put them together in one big broken blender. I'm really not trying to come off as rude, so I quickly made a new account so we don't get off on a bad start, but this is like, basic fangames these days. Basically: "ok, so the game is really hard, oh oh, and there's a mature storyline, that means death and stuff, oh and theres an elite 8, AND multiple teams. how bout dat.) Not only does the game sound really long, but I could play Rejuv, Reborn, and Insurgence and probably get a better experience and be less bored then I would playing the game you presented. 

TL;DR: Bring something new and creative. I think a lot of us are tired of seeing the same cookie cutter Pokemon fangame formula. 

EDIT:

Spoiler

If you're going to rip the cult aspect from Insurgence, then could you find something more interesting then terrorist? In a world where a dog with a clock frame on his back is God, the word terrorist doesn't really strike fear into anybody and isn't remotely intimidating. (I get maybe this wasn't your intention, but you have to research things like this when doing a fangame so you don't get reviews like mine about an hour into introducing it.)

Sorry to have to do this about an hour after your introduction. But I hope it will help you in the long run. Rejuv is a game that basically saw Reborn and took everything, and I doubt most people could do that better then Rejuv while still adding an interesting spin on the game. 

Edited September 29, 2017 by fjnfkwdnf

[Dante52]

Hey Matt. First off. GOOD FOR YOU! I admire anyone who has the dedication and skills to even get a feasible start happening to a fan game. Good luck on your game and when the first episode comes out, I'll give a whirl. Hope you enjoy it, I'm sure you'll learn a lot. No matter what you make or do, it won't be perfect and there will be people that bash on it, so don't worry about that too much. As long as you're enjoying it, it doesn't matter too much if players complain about their free game  
- Good luck again!! 

[ssbCasper]

Hey Matt. So I spent a long time debating how to do starters in my own game. Many people are going to dislike the the forced starter idea because they either don't like the Pokemon given or just prefer the original element triangle. I decided to not take the forced starter approach but it seems like it will work well for the direction you want to take your game. Insurgence and Desolation found success without using the standard type triangle so don't be deterred by everyone's opinions. On a side note, before making this post you probably should have had an idea for a never before seen feature in a fan game ( or else people will tear you apart for being unoriginal ). With that being said don't stress it if you haven't thought of one. People overrate this aspect of fan games by a metric ton, if having a unique feature was the most important selling point people would have overlooked Rejuv entirely. Wish I could offer you help but spriting is my weakest point as well, however if you ever want someone to bounce ideas around with feel free to reach out.

-Good luck and cheers!

Edited September 29, 2017 by ssbCasper

[Swamp King]

While I understand some people saying that your game should have something original in order to stand out, I don't believe that if you don't have a feature unique to your game, it will not be enjoyable. In our world in order to make something we get inspiration from our surroundings which in this case are the official Pokemon games and the fan made ones. By combining the things that you enjoyed while playing them and adding your own character in the storyline, I am sure something unique will emerge! I really wouldn't mind playing a game with similar features as previous ones if the story is different. 

This is what happens in the official games too! I have played leaf green, soul silver, diamond and black2 and despite all of them following a similar script (8 gyms, elite 4, champion, evil team), all of them were a fascinating experience to me!

If you put enough work and polish your game, it will probably become a good one! Of course, if you manage to find a unique feature never seen before in any other fan game and manage to make it fit in well with the rest of the game, then the result would be even better! But this is just a bonus, it is not a must.

 

As far as the story you have presented goes, I really like it! I think it has great potential to become awesome. All the mystery surrounding the evil organization and the difficulties our hero will have to face will definitely keep me on my toes while playing the game. Usually I don't like the idea of a forced starter but in this case it makes sense since the twin sister will have the other vulpix. There is one problem though. As I have understood, the a-vulpix will have a major role in the story as Sofia will be emotionally tied with it. So what if someone decides to deposit it into the box? Will it not have an effect on the plot? When you said that the twins will be having the two vulpixes and then you said they got separated, in my mind came a scene where the twins reunite and so do their starter pokemon. You might not be planning something like this but if vulpix is to play a role in the story, you will have to be extremely careful not to allow the player abandon it.

[Busti]

Good luck with making your own fangame. Whether you plan it all out at the beginning or just explore every part of the program while doing it, it's going to be great!

 

I'm a little disappointed with the harsh criticism flying at you so quickly. You deserve a chance. It's really easy to bash a beginning developer, but it's really hard to start a good fangame.

 

If you stick with it and you have something cool to show, you would probably get more positive response, and then still people will bash you. I would only suggest right now you not ask for advise/ideas from others until you have a rigid framework you want to work with, that's all you! This includes especially the name of the game, haha.

Edited September 29, 2017 by Busti

[Commander]

First off, I'm really appalled how vocal people have suddenly become. It's possible my COGA's are causing a bit of a stir, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. My biggest advice would be to just do what you want and not focus on the other stuff because ultimately the hardest part of a game is to stay motivated and if you aren't passionate about it, you won't finish it. There are a couple things that I suppose I could give a little heads up and clearing up what it means:

 

16 hours ago, Zander said:

1) The story should make sense and not have the protagonist know stuff but don't do anything about it.

 

This is fancy for: don't let the protag be a dumbass. Nothing is more frustrating than watching a protag who clearly understands the situation and even people around her are warning her to be careful or not do something (*cough* Celica *cough*) yet they still do it and something bad becomes of it. In reality, it ain't what they do that's the problem, but usually a horrible way of displaying or showing it. A lot of people fall head first on this element when they are beginning writers so don't fret if you fail at a plot point or two. You are a greenhorn after all.

 

Now I'm going to explain originality by taking this and crossing out what you really have for features:

 

16 hours ago, Matt_ said:

Features

- 18 gyms 

- Elite 8

- Level cap

- Field effects (most likely)

- Alolan Vulpix as starter

- 21 original starters available soon after

- Gen 1-7 Pokemon

- Mega Evolution

- A little romance

- Supernatural abilities (Mystics)

- Custom shiny pokemon (Many from Reborn)

- Story-driven game

- Many well developed rivals and friends with distinct personalities

- A few custom megas

- Hidden abilities on wild pokemon 

Now I'll explain a couple that I crossed off. Some of them are just minor features that most, if not all, use such as Mega Evolution and Gen VII Pokemon. Seriously what difference does it make anymore if all the Pokemon are available since you can't use them all anyways (we're getting closer and closer to a thousand). You don't really need to put the E8 in the feature because you could decide to flip it and make it 4 again and it's not going to make or break a game for people. The odd one I did cross out is a story driven game. I have a hard time believing that with the 18 leader system as you have at least 18 characters who are going to be part of the story one way or another. Working with a lot of character is very difficult. It requires a lot of planning not to have oversights, but hey if you want to do an 18 gym leader game, do an 18 gym leader game. The reason I crossed off story driven is that story driven have a heavy focus on constantly moving the plot and progressing which often cut back on exploration to compensate. Reborn isn't story driven while Rejuv kind of is.

 

Getting rid of that bloated feature stuff does help narrow the focus of what differentiates your own game from the rest. Focus in on explaining those things instead. You tease of a little romance. Is it something we can control or is it an element in the story? As for the whole forced starter....seriously why are people complaining? It's not a big deal if your first Pokemon is the same for everyone because gee I don't know...it could help establish the character. Colosseum had Umbreon and Espeon as starters and you don't see people complaining about that (or even using it for an example).

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is one thing I would suggest doing which is basically a sales pitch. Pick up an RPG game case you have floating around somewhere (if you somehow don't have that, go to a used video game store) and turn the game case around. Game devs have little space to attract and sway consumers who are on the edge and this is often what they do to sell it to them. It's not as big of a thing nowadays due to game reviewers and the whole internet thing but back in the 90s and early 2000s that was the way to do it. I'm telling you this because I don't want you telling me a little bit about the game, I want you to sell it to me. Do that and you'll knock the whole "you're unoriginal" thing off the table like it's nothing. It's also a way to improve your writing skills. Don't do it now, but closer to when you are making a beta or the first segment is released.

[Sceptilespy]

16 hours ago, fjnfkwdnf said:

  Reveal hidden contents

With all due respect Matt. I think you should've waited to introduce this game, because take a look at the game. Besides the new storyline, what are you even bringing to the table. Reborn brought Field Effects, Rejuv brought an elite 8 and a more colorful world, Desolation brought choice based gameplay, Spork doesn't make any sense at all, Reborn hardcore brought party systems, and insurgence brought deltas and multiple evil teams (3+ teams). Honestly, it looks like you played a few fangames, snagged ideas from all of them, and put them together in one big broken blender. I'm really not trying to come off as rude, so I quickly made a new account so we don't get off on a bad start, but this is like, basic fangames these days. Basically: "ok, so the game is really hard, oh oh, and there's a mature storyline, that means death and stuff, oh and theres an elite 8, AND multiple teams. how bout dat.) Not only does the game sound really long, but I could play Rejuv, Reborn, and Insurgence and probably get a better experience and be less bored then I would playing the game you presented. 

TL;DR: Bring something new and creative. I think a lot of us are tired of seeing the same cookie cutter Pokemon fangame formula. 

EDIT:

  Reveal hidden contents

If you're going to rip the cult aspect from Insurgence, then could you find something more interesting then terrorist? In a world where a dog with a clock frame on his back is God, the word terrorist doesn't really strike fear into anybody and isn't remotely intimidating. (I get maybe this wasn't your intention, but you have to research things like this when doing a fangame so you don't get reviews like mine about an hour into introducing it.)

Sorry to have to do this about an hour after your introduction. But I hope it will help you in the long run. Rejuv is a game that basically saw Reborn and took everything, and I doubt most people could do that better then Rejuv while still adding an interesting spin on the game. 

While I wouldn't put it in that way, I somewhat agree. 

Games don't NEED to have anything unique in order to succeed, but having a unique or somewhat original aspect that you don't see in a lot of other games (18 gyms (When it was new), choice based gameplay), will definitely make people want to play it. While I wouldn't refer to your game "cookie cutter", nothing really draws me in. " 18 gyms? Seen that. Elite 8? Rejuv's gonna do that, but could be good. Custom Megas? OOOOOOH. Story driven gameplay. I mean, that's basically every fangame on the reborn forums"- a summarized thingy of what I thought going through this. I like the idea of multiple evil teams. But frankly, between 18 gym leaders, probably 2 rivals, some other important people, and +1 evil team, there's no way I'm going to remember anything. I think a good idea for your game would be to switch perspectives at some point. Like, you play through maybe 2 gyms as one sister, and then switch to the perspective another sister with a set team. That would definitely be cool. You could also do a little bit better with the superpowers. I mean, if we combine all above average and popular Pokemon fangames, at this point 20% of the world population can speak to Pokemon. I think some more creative abilities would be cool, like maybe sister 1 (lmao forgot her name), can manifest certain moves and aspects of Pokemon she's bonded with. Like being able to survive in toxic substances and breathe under water would be a result of a bond with Toxapex. Just something to think about. Regardless, good luck, and I hope you take what I and the dude I quoted into consideration, because there has to be at least an ounce of truth in there somewhere.

 

Also @fjnfkwdnf

What you said didn't make much sense. You'd get more enjoyment out of playing games with much more experienced developers, and have had YEARS to fix their mistakes than a game that doesn't even exist yet. 

Edited September 29, 2017 by Sceptilespy

[Noctelis]

In order to have a unique game, new features aren't really necessary, what is necessary however is a unique story, which you obviously have already thought about.

I do like the idea of having the MC and the twin have different versions of the same pokemon, but what I don't like as much is the forced gender, as it will make it harder to get into the role of the MC as male player, this is also why I never cared much for Pokemon Full Moon version, which I actually DID try, but the forced gender really put me of, which is a problem that probably more people had.

Also, as to what people were saying about not wanting a MC who knows stuff and doesn't do anything with it, they were probably also referring to situations where, for example, the MC knows that a certain person is behind something but doesn't think about sharing it with their friends who are saying that they have to find out who's behind it.

[Matt_]

23 hours ago, fjnfkwdnf said:

  Reveal hidden contents

With all due respect Matt. I think you should've waited to introduce this game, because take a look at the game. Besides the new storyline, what are you even bringing to the table. Reborn brought Field Effects, Rejuv brought an elite 8 and a more colorful world, Desolation brought choice based gameplay, Spork doesn't make any sense at all, Reborn hardcore brought party systems, and insurgence brought deltas and multiple evil teams (3+ teams). Honestly, it looks like you played a few fangames, snagged ideas from all of them, and put them together in one big broken blender. I'm really not trying to come off as rude, so I quickly made a new account so we don't get off on a bad start, but this is like, basic fangames these days. Basically: "ok, so the game is really hard, oh oh, and there's a mature storyline, that means death and stuff, oh and theres an elite 8, AND multiple teams. how bout dat.) Not only does the game sound really long, but I could play Rejuv, Reborn, and Insurgence and probably get a better experience and be less bored then I would playing the game you presented. 

TL;DR: Bring something new and creative. I think a lot of us are tired of seeing the same cookie cutter Pokemon fangame formula. 

EDIT:

  Reveal hidden contents

If you're going to rip the cult aspect from Insurgence, then could you find something more interesting then terrorist? In a world where a dog with a clock frame on his back is God, the word terrorist doesn't really strike fear into anybody and isn't remotely intimidating. (I get maybe this wasn't your intention, but you have to research things like this when doing a fangame so you don't get reviews like mine about an hour into introducing it.)

Sorry to have to do this about an hour after your introduction. But I hope it will help you in the long run. Rejuv is a game that basically saw Reborn and took everything, and I doubt most people could do that better then Rejuv while still adding an interesting spin on the game. 

I understand what you are saying, I probably did rush the idea out before planning enough about it. I didn't put enough effort into selling my game, and I do need some more originality. Also, don't feel deterred or sorry about constructive criticism, I understand you are trying to help me out, and won't take it the wrong way. I am gonna spend a lot of time thinking of some unique element to make my game stand out, and I will try to cleanse the game of a few unoriginal features. Honestly, I think that the only new or for the most part unexplored feature is the more supernatural side of my game, so I am going to try to focus the game more on that. . Your post really got me out of the mindset that an interesting Reborn-like game will attract attention, so thanks for that and your other advice. I honestly think your post is going to help me a lot.

 

22 hours ago, Dante52 said:

Hey Matt. First off. GOOD FOR YOU! I admire anyone who has the dedication and skills to even get a feasible start happening to a fan game. Good luck on your game and when the first episode comes out, I'll give a whirl. Hope you enjoy it, I'm sure you'll learn a lot. No matter what you make or do, it won't be perfect and there will be people that bash on it, so don't worry about that too much. As long as you're enjoying it, it doesn't matter too much if players complain about their free game  
- Good luck again!! 

Thanks a ton for the encouragement, this really made me smile. If I ever need the motivation to continue, I'll just check back on this post.  

 

21 hours ago, ssbCasper said:

Hey Matt. So I spent a long time debating how to do starters in my own game. Many people are going to dislike the the forced starter idea because they either don't like the Pokemon given or just prefer the original element triangle. I decided to not take the forced starter approach but it seems like it will work well for the direction you want to take your game. Insurgence and Desolation found success without using the standard type triangle so don't be deterred by everyone's opinions. On a side note, before making this post you probably should have had an idea for a never before seen feature in a fan game ( or else people will tear you apart for being unoriginal ). With that being said don't stress it if you haven't thought of one. People overrate this aspect of fan games by a metric ton, if having a unique feature was the most important selling point people would have overlooked Rejuv entirely. Wish I could offer you help but spriting is my weakest point as well, however if you ever want someone to bounce ideas around with feel free to reach out.

-Good luck and cheers!

Yeah, I was pretty worried about the forced starter and what people would think, but I can't really think of a way that works with my game very well. I will keep at it though. With new features, I now see it was definitely not a good idea to post without anything that stands out. I agree that fan games don't need new features to be great, but I am only now really seeing how much my game is lacking in originality. Also, with spriting, I saw in your post on Pokemon Empire that you recently started spriting. I expect I will have to learn quite a bit as well, so how did you go about learning? Anyways, thanks for the help and encouragement!

 

18 hours ago, Swamp King said:

While I understand some people saying that your game should have something original in order to stand out, I don't believe that if you don't have a feature unique to your game, it will not be enjoyable. In our world in order to make something we get inspiration from our surroundings which in this case are the official Pokemon games and the fan made ones. By combining the things that you enjoyed while playing them and adding your own character in the storyline, I am sure something unique will emerge! I really wouldn't mind playing a game with similar features as previous ones if the story is different. 

This is what happens in the official games too! I have played leaf green, soul silver, diamond and black2 and despite all of them following a similar script (8 gyms, elite 4, champion, evil team), all of them were a fascinating experience to me!

If you put enough work and polish your game, it will probably become a good one! Of course, if you manage to find a unique feature never seen before in any other fan game and manage to make it fit in well with the rest of the game, then the result would be even better! But this is just a bonus, it is not a must.

 

As far as the story you have presented goes, I really like it! I think it has great potential to become awesome. All the mystery surrounding the evil organization and the difficulties our hero will have to face will definitely keep me on my toes while playing the game. Usually I don't like the idea of a forced starter but in this case it makes sense since the twin sister will have the other vulpix. There is one problem though. As I have understood, the a-vulpix will have a major role in the story as Sofia will be emotionally tied with it. So what if someone decides to deposit it into the box? Will it not have an effect on the plot? When you said that the twins will be having the two vulpixes and then you said they got separated, in my mind came a scene where the twins reunite and so do their starter pokemon. You might not be planning something like this but if vulpix is to play a role in the story, you will have to be extremely careful not to allow the player abandon it.

You have a similar take on fan games as me, I have always thought uniqueness is not a necessity to make an entertaining game. Despite this, after reading all the posts I am still going to add in much more unique features and story elements to make my game better. Thanks for your support to the story, my actual plot events have a lot of planning to it, and I don't think it will end up being very similar to other fan games. On the outside, it seems really unoriginal, and I have to admit I did not really present anything new, but I think it will turn out pretty well with editing. As you mentioned, I plan to keep the player and protagonist in the dark and looking for answers a lot of the time. I have always liked being kept on my toes and trying to find answers as a gamer, so I wanted to include that. With a-vulpix, although she is Sofia's partner and will often communicate with Sofia and play a part in certain events, she will not necessarily have to be a Pokemon that Sofia fights with to work with the plot. A-vulpix is more of a friend or companion then a trump card for winning battles. So, even if the player deposits her into the box, she is still supposedly with Sofia throughout her journey, and will start take part in certain events, she just won't fight. I think if I forced a-vulpix to stay in the player's party, they would not be thrilled, since players will want to create their own team. 

 

13 hours ago, Busti said:

Good luck with making your own fangame. Whether you plan it all out at the beginning or just explore every part of the program while doing it, it's going to be great!

 

I'm a little disappointed with the harsh criticism flying at you so quickly. You deserve a chance. It's really easy to bash a beginning developer, but it's really hard to start a good fangame.

 

If you stick with it and you have something cool to show, you would probably get more positive response, and then still people will bash you. I would only suggest right now you not ask for advise/ideas from others until you have a rigid framework you want to work with, that's all you! This includes especially the name of the game, haha.

Thanks for the encouragement, and I agree, it's is very difficult to start up a game. I am always realizing how little I know, but at least I am learning in the process. Hopefully by the time I release a beta, I will have a much better idea on how to stand out and please a crowd with all different opinions. Also, I suppose you are right, I need to show off a bit more of me before I ask for too much help from other people. Thanks again for the encouragement and advice!

 

7 hours ago, Commander said:

First off, I'm really appalled how vocal people have suddenly become. It's possible my COGA's are causing a bit of a stir, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. My biggest advice would be to just do what you want and not focus on the other stuff because ultimately the hardest part of a game is to stay motivated and if you aren't passionate about it, you won't finish it. There are a couple things that I suppose I could give a little heads up and clearing up what it means:

 

 

This is fancy for: don't let the protag be a dumbass. Nothing is more frustrating than watching a protag who clearly understands the situation and even people around her are warning her to be careful or not do something (*cough* Celica *cough*) yet they still do it and something bad becomes of it. In reality, it ain't what they do that's the problem, but usually a horrible way of displaying or showing it. A lot of people fall head first on this element when they are beginning writers so don't fret if you fail at a plot point or two. You are a greenhorn after all.

 

Now I'm going to explain originality by taking this and crossing out what you really have for features:

 

Now I'll explain a couple that I crossed off. Some of them are just minor features that most, if not all, use such as Mega Evolution and Gen VII Pokemon. Seriously what difference does it make anymore if all the Pokemon are available since you can't use them all anyways (we're getting closer and closer to a thousand). You don't really need to put the E8 in the feature because you could decide to flip it and make it 4 again and it's not going to make or break a game for people. The odd one I did cross out is a story driven game. I have a hard time believing that with the 18 leader system as you have at least 18 characters who are going to be part of the story one way or another. Working with a lot of character is very difficult. It requires a lot of planning not to have oversights, but hey if you want to do an 18 gym leader game, do an 18 gym leader game. The reason I crossed off story driven is that story driven have a heavy focus on constantly moving the plot and progressing which often cut back on exploration to compensate. Reborn isn't story driven while Rejuv kind of is.

 

Getting rid of that bloated feature stuff does help narrow the focus of what differentiates your own game from the rest. Focus in on explaining those things instead. You tease of a little romance. Is it something we can control or is it an element in the story? As for the whole forced starter....seriously why are people complaining? It's not a big deal if your first Pokemon is the same for everyone because gee I don't know...it could help establish the character. Colosseum had Umbreon and Espeon as starters and you don't see people complaining about that (or even using it for an example).

 

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There is one thing I would suggest doing which is basically a sales pitch. Pick up an RPG game case you have floating around somewhere (if you somehow don't have that, go to a used video game store) and turn the game case around. Game devs have little space to attract and sway consumers who are on the edge and this is often what they do to sell it to them. It's not as big of a thing nowadays due to game reviewers and the whole internet thing but back in the 90s and early 2000s that was the way to do it. I'm telling you this because I don't want you telling me a little bit about the game, I want you to sell it to me. Do that and you'll knock the whole "you're unoriginal" thing off the table like it's nothing. It's also a way to improve your writing skills. Don't do it now, but closer to when you are making a beta or the first segment is released.

Yeah, I can already tell that staying motivated to complete the game will be difficult, I ended up having no motivation to continue, or do anything, for quite a while after binge watching Your Lie in April. (Completely tore me to pieces inside) Anyways, I am passionate about my game, and I am pretty good about not giving up on tough challenges, so hopefully I will be able to finish my game eventually. Thanks for clearing up the stupid protagonist comment from before, but I completely agree. Whenever characters don't act on obvious information, it really frustrates me as a gamer, so I will do my best to make my protagonist not stupid. I see where you are coming from with originality, the crossing out really cleared things up. After reading all the posts, I definitely plan on focusing more on my game's differences. I am going to make the supernatural side the primary aspect of the game, since I think it differentiates me game more from others. With the romance, it is not a choice by the player, as it will be a pretty core aspect of the plot. Thanks for the sales pitch idea, it I will definitely look at a few for other RPGs, and hopefully I will be able to sell the game better next time. Thank you so much for the help, you shed light on several problems and sent me on the path to fix them, which will really help.

 

6 hours ago, Sceptilespy said:

While I wouldn't put it in that way, I somewhat agree. 

Games don't NEED to have anything unique in order to succeed, but having a unique or somewhat original aspect that you don't see in a lot of other games (18 gyms (When it was new), choice based gameplay), will definitely make people want to play it. While I wouldn't refer to your game "cookie cutter", nothing really draws me in. " 18 gyms? Seen that. Elite 8? Rejuv's gonna do that, but could be good. Custom Megas? OOOOOOH. Story driven gameplay. I mean, that's basically every fangame on the reborn forums"- a summarized thingy of what I thought going through this. I like the idea of multiple evil teams. But frankly, between 18 gym leaders, probably 2 rivals, some other important people, and +1 evil team, there's no way I'm going to remember anything. I think a good idea for your game would be to switch perspectives at some point. Like, you play through maybe 2 gyms as one sister, and then switch to the perspective another sister with a set team. That would definitely be cool. You could also do a little bit better with the superpowers. I mean, if we combine all above average and popular Pokemon fangames, at this point 20% of the world population can speak to Pokemon. I think some more creative abilities would be cool, like maybe sister 1 (lmao forgot her name), can manifest certain moves and aspects of Pokemon she's bonded with. Like being able to survive in toxic substances and breathe under water would be a result of a bond with Toxapex. Just something to think about. Regardless, good luck, and I hope you take what I and the dude I quoted into consideration, because there has to be at least an ounce of truth in there somewhere.

 

Also @fjnfkwdnf

What you said didn't make much sense. You'd get more enjoyment out of playing games with much more experienced developers, and have had YEARS to fix their mistakes than a game that doesn't even exist yet. 

I definitely see where you are coming from, I need something that stands out better. I am not sure on the changing perspectives, since it won't really work with my plot. I can't explain more without spoiling, but it is an interesting idea. I really like the idea about manifesting abilities from the partner Pokemon. After reading the posts, I have decided I won't keep the supernatural side at just telepathy, but I do not know exactly what I will do yet. I am thinking of something that will add to the story and will catch peoples interest. Thanks for the ideas and advice!

 

 

 

 

Ok, so I have definitely be making some edits after all this feedback, I want to thank all of your for your advice. Also, I do not have a problem with people bashing on my game, since I understand everybody here is posting for the purpose of helping me make my game as best as possible. I want the feedback as honest as possible so that I can create a game that as many people as possible can really enjoy. I will take in all the feedback, make edits, and present my game again in the future. So, in a way, this presentation of my game was a rough draft, and I you all were my peer editors. Now that I have my feedback, I will make my edits and turn in or present an updated version. For now I will be focusing primarily on originality, expanding the features that differentiate my game from others, and features that catch eyes and stand out. Thanks again everyone!

 

5 hours ago, Noctelis said:

In order to have a unique game, new features aren't really necessary, what is necessary however is a unique story, which you obviously have already thought about.

I do like the idea of having the MC and the twin have different versions of the same pokemon, but what I don't like as much is the forced gender, as it will make it harder to get into the role of the MC as male player, this is also why I never cared much for Pokemon Full Moon version, which I actually DID try, but the forced gender really put me of, which is a problem that probably more people had.

Also, as to what people were saying about not wanting a MC who knows stuff and doesn't do anything with it, they were probably also referring to situations where, for example, the MC knows that a certain person is behind something but doesn't think about sharing it with their friends who are saying that they have to find out who's behind it.

Sorry, I hadn't seen this post when I made above post. I don't know how to put a quote into edit, so I hope I can double-post in this instance. 

Anyways, I agree with you on unique story, I have always preferred a good story to specific features. I think my story has a fair amount of originality, but I plan to add more by focusing more on the supernatural side of the game. I understand the forced gender, and knew this would be a problem with some people, but it can't really be helped for my game. A male-protagonist really just wouldn't work for my game, since I have so many events and essential parts of the plot dependent on the protagonist being a girl. I understand it is harder to get into the role of the MC, but I suppose my game focuses more on telling a story than role-playing. Because of this, I know this game may not be for everyone, but hopefully I can make up for the lack of role-playing with an enticing story. I totally understand the frustration of that king of MC, I have played a couple games that made me pretty annoyed with the protagonist because of their lack of solving problems and such. Anyways, thanks for the feedback!

Edited September 30, 2017 by Matt_

[Noctelis]

3 minutes ago, Matt_ said:

Sorry, I hadn't seen this post when I made above post. I don't know how to put a quote into edit, so I hope I can double-post in this instance. 

Anyways, I agree with you on unique story, I have always preferred a good story to specific features. I think my story has a fair amount of originality, but I plan to add more by focusing more on the supernatural side of the game. I understand the forced gender, and knew this would be a problem with some people, but it can't really be helped for my game. A male-protagonist really just wouldn't work for my game, since I have so many events and essential parts of the plot dependent on the protagonist being a girl. I understand it is harder to get into the role of the MC, but I suppose my game focuses more on telling a story than role-playing. Because of this, I know this game may not be for everyone, but hopefully I can make up for the lack of role-playing with an enticing story. I totally understand the frustration of that king of MC, I have played a couple games that made me pretty annoyed with the protagonist because of their lack of solving problems and such. Anyways, thanks for the feedback!

So instead of an RPG it's going to be more of an interactive novel game?

Interactive novel games, unlike RPG's, are more like reading a book with a few choices, so people don't have to relate to the MC.

In that case I guess the fixed gender can't be helped.

I'll definitely try this game when a demo is released, so I'll be looking forward to it.

[Matt_]

On 9/29/2017 at 9:47 PM, Noctelis said:

So instead of an RPG it's going to be more of an interactive novel game?

Interactive novel games, unlike RPG's, are more like reading a book with a few choices, so people don't have to relate to the MC.

In that case I guess the fixed gender can't be helped.

I'll definitely try this game when a demo is released, so I'll be looking forward to it.

I would say it is a mix of both an RPG and interactive novel game. It is not to the level of a game like Pokemon Academy Life in terms of interactive novel games, but it is definitely going to be more focused on telling the story than other fan games. The actual gameplay will not be like an interactive novel game, it will be like most other fan games, but there is less room for role-playing because the protagonist will be almost constantly swept up in story arcs and events. I hope I didn't confuse you with this post, I am having a bit of trouble putting the concept into words.

[Noctelis]

1 minute ago, Matt_ said:

I would say it is a mix of both an RPG and interactive novel game. It is not to the level of a game like Pokemon Academy Life in terms of interactive novel games, but it is definitely going to be more focused on telling the story than other fan games. The actual gameplay will not be like an interactive novel game, it will be like most other fan games, but there is less room for role-playing because the protagonist will be almost constantly swept up in story arcs and events. I hope I didn't confuse you with this post, I am having a bit of trouble putting the concept into words.

I understand what you mean.

It's quite a bit LIKE an RPG, but not quite the same as it's really story based instead of just doing whatever you want.

In that point of view it's going to be a very unique fan game.

[Enigma Shot U]

I wish you the best, making a fantasy is hard work but if you constantly keep at it then it'll all work out. Your story seems interesting, very interesting in fact. Can't wait to see how you go about creating it.

 

And don't let the harsh comments discourage you. Honestly, if you enjoy making it and put enough time and effort into it then it's almost impossible for the game to be bad.

 

Anyways, looking forward to more updates.