Huge Undertaking

[pirodaggar]

it would be significantly easier to use an array to do something like this, with the help of a fastloop object. The basic premesis would be something like this:

When you need menu - Start loop "load items" X times (where X is the number of types of items in the game total)

On loop "load item" + Array at <X,Y> (where X is the ID number for the items number list, and Y is the loop index of "load items") > 0 ==> add line to listbox of Array <X,Y> (where X is the name list for the items, and Y is the loop index) - Array <X,Y> (Where it's the ID number and loop index)

Alternately, you can do it with the INI if you make the group/item the number use the loop index to ID it, but it's a bit tougher IMO

[Nifflas]

Create a smaller game, something that's within your limitations. The things you ask are often easy even for a semi-decent programmer. When you're ready to program something like that, you shouldn't have to ask how to do it.

Start out with something easier, like a platform game. 99 out of 100 MMF2 RPG's fails, and most of those are started by people with more programming skills and determination than you who let your projects die when you can't figure something out. Statistically, there's an 1% chance to succeed, and everyone believes that they are magically one of those people who belong to that 1%. I had to spend 7 years on projects I could never finish before I found out that I wasn't one of them either.

Now I realize how pointless my attempts was, as it took me 6-8 hours of work per day over a period of 10 months to create Knytt Stories which is ten times as small as I planned my RPG's to be. When I started KS I had nearly 10 years of experience with the IMSI & Clickteam products, and worth to mention is that the hours I worked on KS was all productive time. I created material all of the time. I didn't even have to spend time on finding out how to program certain features; I knew how to do it already.

I'm not saying that it's impossible for you to do this though, but right now it is. The answers to the questions you ask should be completely obvious to you if you want to stand a chance, and you should be able to think of several different ways to implement each feature, and consider which one that works best in your case.

[Brandon]

Create a smaller game, something that's within your limitations. The things you ask are often easy even for a semi-decent programmer. When you're ready to program something like that, you shouldn't have to ask how to do it.

Start out with something easier, like a platform game. 99 out of 100 MMF2 RPG's fails, and most of those are started by people with more programming skills and determination than you who let your projects die when you can't figure something out. Statistically, there's an 1% chance to succeed, and everyone believes that they are magically one of those people who belong to that 1%. I had to spend 7 years on projects I could never finish before I found out that I wasn't one of them either.

Now I realize how pointless my attempts was, as it took me 6-8 hours of work per day over a period of 10 months to create Knytt Stories which is ten times as small as I planned my RPG's to be. When I started KS I had nearly 10 years of experience with the IMSI & Clickteam products, and worth to mention is that the hours I worked on KS was all productive time. I created material all of the time. I didn't even have to spend time on finding out how to program certain features; I knew how to do it already.

I'm not saying that it's impossible for you to do this though, but right now it is. The answers to the questions you ask should be completely obvious to you if you want to stand a chance, and you should be able to think of several different ways to implement each feature, and consider which one that works best in your case.

Well, Nifflas basically just came out and said what I was thinking (and hinting at), which is to get some more experience under your belt, and call us back in a couple years. RPGs especially are very very tough to program because of the immense amount of variables, and coding for all different types of fighting. I'd imagine that the RPG you want to create would be at least twice the size of Knytt Stories. And you've just heard from the creator himself that it would take over a year to do even as an experienced programmer. My (continued) advice would be that if you are absolutely set on making an RPG, start off very small. See if you can complete a very basic, fully-functioning RPG on your own, with minimal help. That would give you an idea on just how prepared you are to take on a larger RPG, that would be much more time-consuming. As Nifflas said, and as I know from seeing people try it, once you spend a little time with Clickteam products, you can get a god-complex for game making, thinking no game is too big. Unfortunately, most of these games are too big, and whatever work they had done goes to waste.

[KingToast]

Ah well, maybe you're right. (I say maybe, but you ARE.) Well, the planning was fun- making all the guys and stuff, but I will shelf it for now.

I had an old game from which I get my user name. Maybe I should resurrect that old platformer from way back in my early gaming days.

[Nifflas]

Well, the thing is, a lot of people on the internet like small and simple games. If you manage to create a small quality game that:

* Is easy to learn to play (tutorial?)
* Feels solid
* Is not glitchy
* Have a consequent graphical style without an "amateur" feel (This is not the same thing as graphical detail, even minimalistic graphics like the ones in N are often considered to look good).

...it's likely that it will be featured at jayisgames.com or something, and you'll get many thousands of downloads - even if your game only takes like 20 minutes to complete. The causal gamers aren't often that interested in the size of your games, and yet a lot of people often doesn't dare to create something really small with great quality, despite that those games are often appreciated most.

The moment when I really started to make progress as a game developer is when I decided to create games with less content, but that the content would really express something.

[Chaos]

THIS is an example of a good MMF2 RPG (still in the making) - http://www.projectrhapsody.com/

These guys (it's just 2 guys if I recall correctly) have been working for a few years now on this game using MMF2. So yeah - don't expect to be whipping out anything hyper-amazing unless you plan on spending a LOOOOOT of time on it. RPG's are never an easy task. There's plenty of room for errors and data not linking properly and whatnot. >.<

[Tuna]

If you must attempt such a large project, here are some tips:

1. Break it down into smaller pieces.

Don't dash in and try and create the entire game at once, because you will become instantly overwhelmed. Instead, focus on single aspects individually (level design, movement system, battle system, etc.), and when you complete one, move onto the next. At the end, just put it all together. This will keep it organized and much easier to handle.

2. Plan it out.

This is a crucial part of any large game, especial ones of this nature. Before you even touch your mouse, have a detailed idea and plan of everything you need to do. This helps to cut down on issues that entail you having to make major renovations to your game that require changing hundreds of objects or lines of code. Also, if you plan it out on paper first, it makes it much easier to put into the computer, and you can work out all of the major kinks before you actually have to experience them.

3. Don't go over the top.

I know I already showed you the Big Game Fever article, but I need to make this clear. You aren't making a huge production that you are selling to the masses. Those type of things require teams of people, thousands of hours, and loads of money. Stay within your bounds. This ties into the previous point about planning it out before you start, because if you don't, you might get the urge or the inclination to add more and more features and things into your game and as I said before, it will overwhelm you.

4. Lastly, make sure you have everything you'll need.

RPG's are very heavy on graphics and sound and coding. If you feel you have all of the necessary graphics, sounds, as well as coding ability and patience, then you're ready to go. If you don't have things like the time or capacity to complete a project of this nature, I suggest you don't do it.

With all of that said, if you think your ready for your "Huge Undertaking" and you think you have all of the bases covered, then go out and do it. I'd love to see it when it's done.

[color:#3366FF]Well said Brandon.[/color]

This is probably the best response I've seen to this kind of question in any forum I've ever read. This applies to EVERY game you develop, large or small. The result will be a significantly higher quality product. Planning and structure shouldn't be an after-thought!