Game Development Team (Thread 2)

I like the job idea, but I didn't like how it was executed in FF5. Effectively, every character was the same but with different names. I think each character should only have a few choices of jobs that correspond with their background and initial class. This is so they don't all end up having the same ultimate abilities and being, generally, the same character.

For example, and I like this, but the titles may need some rewording:

- Raphael (main guy; Black Mage) - Elemental Mage (fire, water, lightning, earth type spells), Undead Mage ("summons," poison, decay type spells), Death Mage (doom, death, vanish type spells)

- Cecily (main gal; White Mage) - Holy Mage (damage to evil or undead spells), Cleric (heal spells), Augmentor (buff spells)

- Azrael (second main guy; Swordsman) - Knight, Samurai, Ninja

- Kirma (party member; Red Mage) - Time Mage (stop, slow, haste type spells), Destruction Mage (damage spells), Heal Mage (heal spells)

- Kara (party member; Thief) - Assassin (knife specialty, throw, etc), Super Thief (specialty in stealing rather than damage)

- Leonardo (party member; Animal Tamer/Trainer) - Water Tamer (water creatures), Earth Tamer (earth creatures), Wind Tamer (air creatures)

Sub Kara for Sylian if I get my way.

Okay, sorry I haven't been on in a while, but i've had some other important issues (money) and have gotten that pretty much squared away. I am going to try to still be the Animator, and am going to start the opening thing.

The job system is going to be like in FF Tactics? For those of you who don't know how that goes, let me explain. You start out with only 2 or 3 classes, and as you "level-up" the class, more become available. Such as, Ninja, which you need to have level 8 of 3 other classes that related to that class. The 3 were Thief, and 2 others I don't remember right now.

The playing of each sepereate character, from the way it was described, would be like that of Dragon Warrior 4 (NES). I know many of you have never played that game so let me give a brief summary. You first start as the hero. You get orders from the king to handle some evil dude in a tower, and so you go handle it. I mean, you are the hero. But, in Chapter 2, you play as a princess and must do something for her. Then you play as a merchant (best part in the entire game) and you do a little shopkeeping, then you need to get supplies from another town, and so starts his journey. Eventually, all the characters meet up, and find that they have to help each other to complete the BIG journey. Anyways, yeah. It kinda sounds like that.

I have just gotten Yahoo! Messenger thingy, and my SN is NeoDraco2K3, because Draco2003 was already taken. DAMN YOU OTHER PEOPLE WHO TAKE MY NAME ON PURPOSE!!!!

And finally, I heard that Wed-G is no longer the head honcho. Then he gets the inspiration again. I think maybe he just needed to relieve some of the stress. As for the new master of bladestar, I jes wanna say, CONGRATULATIONS!!!


P.S. Character Names! I almost forgot. I have worked some on my ability to come up with names. I ain't perfect, but here's what I got: Kura-san-Gurimai, Hiroriku, Rygerth, Gertanma, Byth, Retunmus, Veritus, Yeligur, Kolminar, Kergull, Vutirael, Nikogasa, Asynber, and lastly Hakusage. If you decide to use some, ask me how they are pronounced. Some of these could also be names of towns, or whatever. That's 14 names, so hope you could use at least one....hopefully......

As for the names...you'd be happy if at least one is used...yes?? How about most of them?? There are definately some in the list that can be used as names for people...Vutirael is one that will be used for someone in the army of Southern Monterrassat...any not used can be made into town names...

Got any more??

I'm fine with whatever system we end up with as long as it's not like that of FF5. That's because of the sheer fact that all characters were exactly alike. Yes, I think upgrading to the next tier class requiring a certain level in lower tiered classes is a good idea, but we'd have to come up with a good number more classes.

For instance, one character would have 4 options, then when he got to level 5 in 2 of them, a new class would open up. That would require three 2nd tier classes. Assuming we only have two tiers, that's 7 classes for each charater. While some of them may overlap (in the case of the red mage), I'm very adamant in the idea that classes should be mostly (if not entirely) character-specific. We want difference in our characters. They need to be useful in different ways (or at least in different styles).

I think, if this is what we want to do, that I can sit down and see if I can pump out seven or more classes for each character type and then try to organize them into some rational sort of progression. If I'm not busy today, I'll see what I can come up with.

Okily Dokily.

Note about the Red Mage, he could have watered down versions of some of the Black and White mages jobs, and the Swordsmans jobs...but not all of them. With another 7 classes for each person then the red mage would have somewhere around 30 classes, and maybe some specific to him...so...we'd need to do something about him...maybe give him only a few of each persons classes and one or two of his own...

If, maybe, you could "pump out" a few example abilities for each character job (one or two would be enough - something like: Black Mage - Job: Elemental Mage - Fira, Firaga) then I'll be able to create a list of abilities and describe them so Aurvian can make them...

First of all, the red mage should have no more jobs than the other classes. He's the perfect example of the jack of all trades master of none philosophy. He's a combination of their powers, not a body able to gain all of them.

Secondly, and damn this took a long time, how's this?

Most spells will have variable levels of power. In this way their damage or effectiveness will increase. That's why the higher rank spells with the same effect have different names (Soothe, Heal, and Recover all heal, but there will be Soothe, Soothe II, and Soothe III before Heal is acquired.). Some spells will only have the one level (such as Life).

For example: If Raphael is a level 3 Elemental Mage, a level 2 Undead Mage, and a level 1 Poison Mage, he will have the following:
Fire III, Water III, Lightning III, Earth III, Summon Skeleton II, Summon Zombie II, Summon Wraith II, Poison, Decay, Drain

- Raphael ( Black Mage)
Rank 1: Elemental Mage - Fire, Water, Lightning, Earth
Rank 1: Undead Mage - Summons Sketon (strong melee attack), Summon Zombie (attack and poison damage), Summon Wraith (attack and small chance of death)
Rank 1: Poison Mage - Poison, Decay, Drain (steals life and gives it to the caster)
Rank 2: Death Mage (requires Undead and Poison) - Death (low chance of instant kill), Doom (sure death with timer), Demi (half life)
Rank 2: Destructo Mage (requires Elemental and Poison) - Burst, Poison Nova, Bio
Rank 2: Summoner (requires Elemental and Undead) - Summon Fire Elementa, Summon Earth Elemental, Summon Water Elementa, Summon Air Elemental
Rank 3: Dark Magi (requires all three rank 2's) - Meteo, Flare, Ultima

- Cecily (White Mage) -
Rank 1: Holy Mage - Flash, Holy Water
Rank 1: Priest - Soothe (heal 1), Regeneration, Revive (life with low or medium hit points)
Rank 1: Defender - Magic Mirror, Protection (wall), Spectral Armor (less effective combination of the two)
Rank 2: Cleric (requires Defender and Priest) - Prayer (cures status ailments), Haste, Slow
Rank 2: Purist (requires Holy Mage and Priest) - Unsummon, Convert Undead
Rank 2: Faith Healer (requires Holy Mage and Defender) - Raise (life with full hit points), Rejuvinate (regen 2), Heal (heal 2)
Rank 3: Light Magi (requires all three rank 2's - Life (precastable life 2), Magic Symbol (prevents status ailments), Recover (heal 3)

- Azrael (Swordsman)
Rank 1: Knight - Guard (protects another party member), Cleave (multiple enemy damge), Shield Bash (slows enemy and does damge)
Rank 1: Samurai - Slash (bleeding damage - like poison), Whirl (multiple enemy damage)
Rank 1: Ninja - Jump (exactly like jump in FF4), Throw, Stealth (increases evade)
Rank 2: Master Swordsman (requires Knight and Samurai) - Frenzy (multiple hits on one enemy), Power Strike (increased damage strike)
Rank 2: Assassin (requires Samurai and Ninja) - Backstab (triple damage with lowered hit rate), Poisoned Blade (strong poison damage)
Rank 2: Dojo Master (requires Knight and Ninja) - Sure Strike (never misses), Disarm (attack that lowers enemy's damage)
Rank 3: Blade Master (requires all three rank 2's) - Berserker Cleave (multiple hits to all enemies), Concentrate (increases damage and defense), Decapitate (chance of instant kill), Has dual wield ability.

- Kirma (Red Mage)
Rank 1: Black Mage - Fire, Lightning, Poison, Summon Skeleton
Rank 1: White Mage - Flash, Soothe, Revive, Spectral Armor
Rank 1: Swordsman - Slash, Cleave, Stab
Rank 2: Dark Blade (requires Black Mage and Swordsman) - Lightning Sword (like spire in Chrono Trigger), Poison Slash (damage to all with poison inflicted), Dual Sword (summon and attack beside skeleton)
Rank 2: Light Blade (requires White Mage and Swordsman) - Holy Impale (stab with holy damage), Banishment (chance of instant death to undead)
Rank 2: Grey Mage (requires White Mage and Black Mage) - Blur (group haste), Lethargy (multiple enemy slow), Heal, Burst
Rank 3: Sword Magi (requires all three rank 2's) - Undead Bane (stab with banishment), Scourge (multiple enemy attack and Doom), Rejuvenate Technique (group rejuvinate)

- Sylian (Thief)
Rank 1: Thief - Steal, Sneak (rasises evade)
Rank 1: Thug - Bash (damage and slows enemy), Intimidate (lowers enemy damage)
Rank 1: Rogue - Stab, Swift (increases chance to hit)
Rank 2: Mugger (requiers Thief and Thug) - Mug (steal and attack)
Rank 2: Prowler (requires Thug and Rogue) - Assassinate (low chance of instant death), Temple Shot (either miss or triple damage)
Rank 2: Kleptomaniac (requires Thief and Rogue) - Pickpocket (steal money), Purloin(multiple enemy steal)
Rank 3: Shadow (requires all three rank 2's) - Swindle (multiple enemy steal currency), Pounce (multiple enemy mug)

- Leonardo (party member; Tamer)
Rank 1: Water Tamer - Summon Dolphin (high damage water), Summon Fish (chance of double damage), Sea Speak (chance of banishment of a water creature - 'ask them to leave')
Rank 1: Earth Tamer - Summon Bear (high damage earth), Summon Monkey (attack and slow effect), Earth Speak (chance of banishment of an earth creature)
Rank 1: Wind Tamer - Summon Eagle (high damage air), Summon Hawk (chance of double damage), Wind Speak (chance of banishment of an air creature)
Rank 2: Amphibian Tamer (requires Water Tamer and Earth Tamer) - Summon Aligator (high damage and chance for critical), Summon Toad (poison and slows enemy), Summon Siren (chance of banishment of multiple earth and water creatures)
Rank 2: Monster Tamer (requires Water Tamer and Wind Tamer) - Summon Giant(high damage attack), Summon Harpy (high damage magic attack)
Rank 2: Beast Tamer (requires Wind Tamer and Earth Tamer) - Summon Boar (high damage and chance to confuse), Summon Elephant (chance of instant kill)
Rank 3: Supreme Summoner (requires all three rank 2's) - Summon Demon (fire damage), Summon Seraph (holy damage)

That's perfect! Thank you. I'll get down to the abilities as soon as I get home. You're a star Mr. Bob......


Well there's no way I'm gonna write all that by hand into my notebook...time to get out the printer...

You are gonna get your way...Kara is now Sylian. I like the idea of each person having their own jobs. And I like Draco's idea that as the person levels up they are able to "access" new job types (which become available as you level up).

I've gotta start writing all this down, my printer is on it's last legs now......

As for Khirma's jobs, Red Mages are supposed to do a bit of everything (I haven't the faintest idea, I'm a going with what BC said), so Khirma must have jobs from each of the three main classes - Black Mage, White Mage and Swordsman.

Which level-up-to-get-jobs thingy is gonna be used? I read your (Draco's) post as being when the characters level goes up, but on re-reading I found it actually said when the character gets to a certain level in a job...I have no idea which one we are gonna use...anyone??

Edit:

Another idea...instead of getting new jobs as you level up, you get new attacks and abilities within each job...but only when you level up that job...take the job system in FFX-2...something like that...and maybe you can get a new job when your character reaches a certain level...

----------

As for Yahoo!Messenger, good to see you've joined up Draco. A little proble I've found with the online version of it (e-messenger), it won't allow you (or at least me) to add any new buddies...I'll have a few more tries on it today, if it still doesn't work, then I'm sorry, but those without it will have to download the Yahoo! Messenger program...

----------

Right, where was I...oh yes, notebook to write everything down...

Right, screw editting an old post and making it too full of detail, here's a brand new post...

Another idea, to do with jobs etc. Each member starts off with a basic job thingy (Eg Raphael - Basic Mage; Cecily - Basic Heal; Azrael - Basic Swords skills) and as they level up then the other three or two jobs become available...let's try and make it 3 other jobs, then each character has 4 jobs to choose from...

Also, each member who isn't really a weapon-weildr can have their own weapon (excludes Azrael) to start off with that they can upgrade (Eg Cecily - Staff; Leonardo - Whip; Sylian - Knives; Kirma - Spear??; Raphael - Hand type things -- such as Iron Fist, or Brass Knuckles)...