Interview Chronicles of Ny Q&A at RPG Dot

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Chronicles of Ny, The

<a href=http://www.rpgdot.com>RPG Dot</a> posted an <a href=http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=930>interview</a> with <b>David LaRocca</b>, founder of <a href=http://www.clownkeep.com>ClownKeep</a>, and <b>Bruce Muncher</b>, game writer and designer of <a href=http://www.clownkeep.com/ny_main.htm>The Chronicles of Ny</a>, a <i>turn-based game that can be <u>paused</u> to set up attacks</i>.
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<blockquote><i>Finally, your press release says you want to “bring back roleplaying”. What does this mean to you? How will TCoN achieve this?</i>
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Bruce: In this world you are interacting with the party members as much as with the world around you. In every game I have seen or played, the other people that are not played by a real person are very cardboard. They are either opponents, information sources, or tools to be used. Instead of adding party member to your group like you would the latest and greatest weapon you find, they will be people that travel with you. Some people that you take in might not fit for a variety or reasons, but you won’t know until you talk with and adventure with them. Your control of them is through your dialogue and effectiveness of leadership. Your control of them will be through dialogue and not point and click. There will be easily accessible and tailor made commands that you have, but some people don’t listen well or just have their own ideas about how to accomplish things. Getting the right mix for your style of play will be important. Do you like a group that goes in like gangbusters and kill anything that moves or maybe or more subtle or magical approach suits you. Maybe some have great skills but are hard to manage, can you adapt to their style? You’re in charge of who comes and goes, but once they’re in can you forge them into an adventuring party that will become a legend?</blockquote> Easier said then done, but I'll be curious to see what they would come up with.
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[Limorkil]

Doesn't sound that original to me. The Baldur's Gate series had interaction between the NPCs in your party and BG2 had quests that opened up some background on each character. I found it particularly tough to put together a party that did not eventually come to blows, although putting a lawful good paladin with a neutral evil drow and a chaotic evil dwarf was probably not the cleverist idea.

Although if we are to learn anything from the NPC interaction in the Baldur's Gate series it is that the game should have the option to switch annoying NPC interruptions off (for fuck's sake shut up Jaheira).

 

[Country_Gravy]

Re: Chronicles of Ny Q&A at RPG Dot

<a href=http://www.rpgdot.com>RPG Dot</a> posted an <a href=http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=930>interview</a> with <b>David LaRocca</b>, founder of <a href=http://www.clownkeep.com>ClownKeep</a>, and <b>Bruce Muncher</b>, game writer and designer of <a href=http://www.clownkeep.com/ny_main.htm>The Chronicles of Ny</a>, a <i>turn-based game that can be <u>paused</u> to set up attacks</i>.

Sounds to me like David LaCrocka crap and Bruce "Rug" Muncher are building a real beauty with this one. I think I will pass.

 

[Dhruin]

I figured that combat description would come in for criticism - and rightly so. At any rate, they're spending their own money sans publisher so I'll continue to give them the benefit of the doubt until I see the product.

 

[Araanor]

ClownKeep... that tugs at my memory. I recall someone spamming about their game way back on the BIS boards.

I remember it because I went and complained at their fora and they in turn banned me.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

How do you "pause" turn-based combat?

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

How do you "pause" turn-based combat?

By not doing anything? >.>

 

[Dhruin]

No, their description is incorrect. It's a BG-style real-time-with-pause. I believe the "turn-based" bit is a reference to the underlying rounds.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I think that David LaRocca aka THE_Dave is about to explain that to us.

 

[THE_Dave]

Hello

Hello everyone, I am David LaRocca. I was just looking around and I found this site. It's nice to see that you are discussing our project. I see that some of you have concerns about the battle system, etc, so I would like to give you the opportunity to ask questions to me directly. I'm never too busy to talk with people about what they would like to see in our games.

Questions/Comments about our battle system:

It was mentioned in the article that the battle system will be turned based with the ability to pause the action. We are all big DnD players and some of the terminology we use comes from that. Dhruin was right when he compared it to Baldur's Gate, the fighting is real-time that can be paused. When we referred to it as turn-based it was in more of a DnD sense. Technically it is turn based because the player will attack, then the enemy will attack, and so on. Some modifiers might come into play where you attack twice before the enemy can attack or maybe you do a power move that takes two rounds to pull off. Each turn will last around 1.5 seconds. In the Dnd world this is called turn based, in the gaming world the fighting would be considered real-time. Once you play DnD for so long it is hard to quit using the terminology heh.

I welcome more questions! We have been working very hard on this and I would like for everyone here to see where we are trying to go with it.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Re: Hello

I'm never too busy to talk with people about what they would like to see in our games.

That is the quality we admire in game developers. We'd like to see turn-based combat, without the pause, please

I welcome more questions! We have been working very hard on this and I would like for everyone here to see where we are trying to go with it.

1. Why did you decide to go with a RT system instead of a TB one. What are the benefits of that? In what ways TB mode failed to meet your expectations?

2. You talked a lot about improving party-based mechanics. Some games like BG and Arcanum have featured some of the elements you mentioned. What's your opinion on that? If you're going to handle that differently, why and how?

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Welcome, David

I have some questions.

How will skills be implemented? No doubt we'll have several opportunities to use them, but how is their use actually implemented? I was reading trough the interview and noticed you will include skills like Lock Pick and Listen. Will Lock Pick just be based on the standard increase of the skill to tackle harder locks, or will we be able to use temporary skill-aiding tools (like, well, lock picks themselves) as well, or possibly a more physical way of dealing with the locks (such as the possibility to dabble in a 'minigame' of sorts, like that of Wizardry 8 or Splinter Cell, to unlock them, although still having the particular lock picking skills to determine success in the game)?

As for Listen, how does it work? Is it possible that you consider using audio techniques for it, such as a higher skill allowing you to listen conversations from relatively safe distances? It'd be interesting to have the player decide if he wants to get closer and risk being caught just so he can listen better, or if he can raise the skill and be able to hear from a longer, safer distance.

As for NPCs, the concept, has pointed before, has been somewhat used in the past, but its always a good idea to use it. Although, is it properly balanced? Will NPC conflicts arise due to different opinions? The example of the dwarf that lives to fight; will that cause problems with an NPC that might prefer stealth, or more cautious approaches to problems? What of more personal aspects, such as good and evil characters possibly clashing? How dire will this be? Is there the possibility that characters will attack each other and possibly kill each other? This might leave the player in a tight spot.

Also, again in the dwarven example, if he decides to attack those one hundred orcs, will he do so of his own will and leave the party? If so, will he return to the party, or will he join up reluctantly because you did not follow him?



Just for kicks, any chance there will be a band of knights calling themselves "The Knights Who Say 'Ny'?" :D

 

[Elwro]

Re: Hello

Maybe I'm stupid, but I don't understand Dave's paragraph on the combat system.

It was mentioned in the article that the battle system will be turned based with the ability to pause the action. We are all big DnD players and some of the terminology we use comes from that. Dhruin was right when he compared it to Baldur's Gate, the fighting is real-time that can be paused. When we referred to it as turn-based it was in more of a DnD sense.

'DnD sense' of turn based is imo this: when it's my turn, I get all the time of the world to choose my action, and the world freezes when I'm thinking. Then I can perform my action, and the world still stands still (aside from Attacks of Opportunity). I can walk 10 metres and no one will simultanously move a single inch. I don't see any of this left in the game's combat system, as it was depicted.

Technically it is turn based because the player will attack, then the enemy will attack, and so on. Some modifiers might come into play where you attack twice before the enemy can attack or maybe you do a power move that takes two rounds to pull off.

But if the game is real time with pause, why bother with fake turns? This way you can't have two people simultanously bashing their heads, which is a sad thing to be omitted.

.Once you play DnD for so long it is hard to quit using the terminology heh.
.

Sincerely, I don't see any resemblance between your 'turn based' and 'DnD turn based'.

BG was real-time and no one tried to call it turn based. What is the difference between your game and BG that would justify such a move?

 

[THE_Dave]

1. Why did you decide to go with a RT system instead of a TB one. What are the benefits of that? In what ways TB mode failed to meet your expectations?

We are going for fast and intense combat that flows and looks natural. A RT system fits that perfectly. If it gets too fast then you can pause the action so you can set up your attacks. I compared our system to that of Baldur's Gate earlier but keep in mind that we are adding a lot of cool features that will set it apart from BG and other CRPGs.

When you talk about a "Turn-based" system I am assuming that you are referring to something more along the lines of a Final Fantasy system. I am a big FF fan and we plan on adding elements of that type of battle system in ours. For instance, we will have something similar to limit breaks, summoning, and magic spells that are extravagant, etc. A lot of us really enjoy console RPGs(my favorite game of all time is Chrono Trigger) and we are trying to bridge the gap between them and CRPGs in a lot of ways.

2. You talked a lot about improving party-based mechanics. Some games like BG and Arcanum have featured some of the elements you mentioned. What's your opinion on that? If you're going to handle that differently, why and how?

I haven’t played Arcanum but I have obviously played BG, we are taking what they did to the next level and then some. In BG, if you had party members of opposite alignments they would bicker every now and then. Some party members left if you didn’t do anything about their mission. In “The Chronicles of Ny” it is possible that you will have party members that hate each other, they may even try to kill each other. That’s where you, the party leader, choose to step in and sort it out or let them duke it out and you take the winner of the fight.

Another thing that is unique about The Chronicles of Ny is that the main character leads the party into the fight and tells the members what they should do. They may or may not obey you. The more skills you take in Leadership the more likely they will listen to you. We are trying to make them as real as possible and if they don’t believe in their leader then they might be reluctant to listen to him in the heat of battle.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

I believe Vault Dweller will choke on that Final Fantasy comparison We usually take turn-based references from PC games, like Fallout, Temple of Elemental Evil and Jagged Alliance 2 (and the recent Silent Storm).

 

[THE_Dave]

Oops...sorry heh.

 

[Elwro]

[Another thing that is unique about The Chronicles of Ny is that the main character leads the party into the fight and tells the members what they should do. They may or may not obey you. The more skills you take in Leadership the more likely they will listen to you. We are trying to make them as real as possible and if they don’t believe in their leader then they might be reluctant to listen to him in the heat of battle.

Sounds great. Keep in mind, though, that even if you manage to correctly implement this option, the game will get horrible reviews made by people who didn't bother to invest in Leadership. They'll say that interface is crap and how they would like to fully control the party.
Not that you should care, of course.

 

[THE_Dave]

How will skills be implemented? No doubt we'll have several opportunities to use them, but how is their use actually implemented? I was reading trough the interview and noticed you will include skills like Lock Pick and Listen. Will Lock Pick just be based on the standard increase of the skill to tackle harder locks, or will we be able to use temporary skill-aiding tools (like, well, lock picks themselves) as well, or possibly a more physical way of dealing with the locks (such as the possibility to dabble in a 'minigame' of sorts, like that of Wizardry 8 or Splinter Cell, to unlock them, although still having the particular lock picking skills to determine success in the game)?

How skills will be implemented will be based on what the skill does. I'll use the lock pick example: At the start of the game the main character will have very basic skills and you will be able to assign a few extra skills wherever you like. Lets say you didn't put any skills in lock pick. Anyone can buy a lock pick and attempt to open a lock but if you don't know what you are doing you probably wont be able to open it. The more you try to open locks the better you become at it and every once in a while you might receive one skill point in that area. That will give you pluses to your attempt at picking a lock. You could also be taught how to open locks by someone with a higher lock pick skill than you; afterwards you might gain two or three skills because you now know a new technique. As for how you will open locks, I haven't thought of having a mini game, I like that idea. We might do that. See, that's why I feel talking with you guys is important heh.

As for Listen, how does it work? Is it possible that you consider using audio techniques for it, such as a higher skill allowing you to listen conversations from relatively safe distances? It'd be interesting to have the player decide if he wants to get closer and risk being caught just so he can listen better, or if he can raise the skill and be able to hear from a longer, safer distance.

You hit the nail on the head.

As for NPCs, the concept, has pointed before, has been somewhat used in the past, but its always a good idea to use it. Although, is it properly balanced? Will NPC conflicts arise due to different opinions? The example of the dwarf that lives to fight; will that cause problems with an NPC that might prefer stealth, or more cautious approaches to problems? What of more personal aspects, such as good and evil characters possibly clashing? How dire will this be? Is there the possibility that characters will attack each other and possibly kill each other? This might leave the player in a tight spot.

Some of these questions were addressed in my last post. We plan on balancing it out so that they aren't fighting all the time, that would get annoying.

A person that is stealthy would have a big problem with a dwarf that just runs into the action and starts chopping without thinking. The person that is stealthy might feel that the dwarf's fighting style is endangering their life and they aren't willing to continue to be in the party if the dwarf stays.

As for good and evil, if someone in your party does evil things then obviously a good person will have a problem with that. That is why you have to make sure all your party members are compatible.

Also, again in the dwarven example, if he decides to attack those one hundred orcs, will he do so of his own will and leave the party? If so, will he return to the party, or will he join up reluctantly because you did not follow him?

He will run off and attack the orcs on his own if you don’t follow. If he is still alive he might return to the party, it depends on how much he believes in you as a leader.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Thank you for the answers, i'll ask some more if i remember anything I'll be keeping an eye out for the game.

 

[THE_Dave]

Re: Hello

Maybe I'm stupid, but I don't understand Dave's paragraph on the combat system.

It was mentioned in the article that the battle system will be turned based with the ability to pause the action. We are all big DnD players and some of the terminology we use comes from that. Dhruin was right when he compared it to Baldur's Gate, the fighting is real-time that can be paused. When we referred to it as turn-based it was in more of a DnD sense.

'DnD sense' of turn based is imo this: when it's my turn, I get all the time of the world to choose my action, and the world freezes when I'm thinking. Then I can perform my action, and the world still stands still (aside from Attacks of Opportunity). I can walk 10 metres and no one will simultanously move a single inch. I don't see any of this left in the game's combat system, as it was depicted.

Technically it is turn based because the player will attack, then the enemy will attack, and so on. Some modifiers might come into play where you attack twice before the enemy can attack or maybe you do a power move that takes two rounds to pull off.

But if the game is real time with pause, why bother with fake turns? This way you can't have two people simultanously bashing their heads, which is a sad thing to be omitted.

.Once you play DnD for so long it is hard to quit using the terminology heh.
.

Sincerely, I don't see any resemblance between your 'turn based' and 'DnD turn based'.

BG was real-time and no one tried to call it turn based. What is the difference between your game and BG that would justify such a move?

I'll try to be more clear, our battle system is real-time, not turn based. Sorry about the turnbased confusion.

But if the game is real time with pause, why bother with fake turns?

We aren't making an attempt to fake turns, that is just how the system works. You could also compare it to the way Knight of the Old Republic did it.

 

[Elwro]

It's good that you plan to release it for Linux, too.

EDIT: thanks for your reply, somehow it managed to appear after my post

 

[Vault Dweller]

When you talk about a "Turn-based" system I am assuming that you are referring to something more along the lines of a Final Fantasy system.

*chokes* When people talk about a TB system they usually refer to a ... TB system. You know, the ones with turns. Frankly, I'm somewhat surprised that you asked to clarify that after mentioning that you're a long time DnD player.

In “The Chronicles of Ny” it is possible that you will have party members that hate each other, they may even try to kill each other. That’s where you, the party leader, choose to step in and sort it out or let them duke it out and you take the winner of the fight.

I'd guess that most people care about party members and would choose to step in. How would that work? Would you convince the dwarf to give everyone a break, or push everyone to follow the dwarf, or just tell them to shut up and follow your lead?

Another thing that is unique about The Chronicles of Ny is that the main character leads the party into the fight and tells the members what they should do. They may or may not obey you. The more skills you take in Leadership the more likely they will listen to you. We are trying to make them as real as possible and if they don’t believe in their leader then they might be reluctant to listen to him in the heat of battle.

Can you give us an example? What would they do if my leadership is lacking? Would they still fight? If yes, what are the benefits of having some control over them?

Edit:

He will run off and attack the orcs on his own if you don’t follow. If he is still alive he might return to the party, it depends on how much he believes in you as a leader.

What his belief is based on? My past decisions? If yes, in what ways, i.e. success in battles, actual decisions I take, etc. Or is it based on my leadership skill alone, i.e. the more points I invest the higher his faith in me?

 

[THE_Dave]

I'd guess that most people care about party members and would choose to step in. How would that work? Would you convince the dwarf to give everyone a break, or push everyone to follow the dwarf, or just tell them to shut up and follow your lead?

You could do any of the above.

Can you give us an example? What would they do if my leadership is lacking? Would they still fight? If yes, what are the benefits of having some control over them?

Say you go into a cave that is known to have flesh-eating spiders. One of your guys hates spiders...he can't stand them. You tell him that you all have to go in there to get the hip bone of the enchanted pig-dog that was eaten by the queen spider 25 years ago and that if you don't, the witch in the next town can't make little Timmy's "get better" juice.

After you finish talking he will make a decision whether or not to go with you. If you had taken a few skill points in leadership then your speech would have been a lot more effective. Problem is, you didn’t, and he still wont go in, so you tell him to wait outside while you and the rest of the party go and do it yourselves. Now you have no magic user to aid you in your quest for the hipbone.

When all is said and done, the hot chick you were starting to like got her face ripped off, that big dwarf we have been talking about is paralyzed and is now being chewed on by baby spiders and you are currently being digested in the belly of the queen. Not to mention little Timmy’s leg is rotting off because the witch can’t make his “get better” juice. BUT, the magic user is sitting pretty outside the cave all because you decided to put all of your extra skill points in fighting instead of leadership.

What his belief is based on? My past decisions? If yes, in what ways, i.e. success in battles, actual decisions I take, etc. Or is it based on my leadership skill alone, i.e. the more points I invest the higher his faith in me?

It is based on all of the above. All your answers cover it.

 

[Vault Dweller]

because you decided to put all of your extra skill points in fighting instead of leadership.

What about balance? If I choose to focus on my fighting skills instead of leadership, would I get an edge in battles that would allow me to survive with smaller party or do I have to invest in leadership to ensure reasonable odds in battles

Can you tell us more about skills, especially about non-combat ones. You mentioned that dialogues would play an important role, where each choice counts. Do you have any dialogue related skills, attributes, and abilities?

You also mentioned that you "want the player to feel that his character is what he decides to make him into ". Does that mean that we can play a purely diplomatic character (the one who talks his way through)? Can you tell us what kind of characters player can develop?

 

[THE_Dave]

What about balance? If I choose to focus on my fighting skills instead of leadership, would I get an edge in battles that would allow me to survive with smaller party or do I have to invest in leadership to ensure reasonable odds in battles

Yes, if you invested all your points in fighting it would give you an edge in combat but doing more damage isn't all you need in a fight. It is really up to the player how he wants to control his party. Just because you don't have a lot of skills in leadership doesn't mean that everyone will quit the party, most of the time it will mean that when it is time to fight they will do their own thing. You don't need to put all your points in leadership but its a good idea to allot a couple here and there.

Can you tell us more about skills, especially about non-combat ones. You mentioned that dialogues would play an important role, where each choice counts. Do you have any dialogue related skills, attributes, and abilities?

The Chronicles of Ny is not centered around combat, It is a role playing game. A lot of the skills you can have wont have anything to do with combat. You asked about dialogue related skills, I can't go into specific details but I will say that there are some skills that will strictly be dialogue related.

You also mentioned that you "want the player to feel that his character is what he decides to make him into ". Does that mean that we can play a purely diplomatic character (the one who talks his way through)? Can you tell us what kind of characters player can develop?

The character will start with set stats but where the character goes from there is up to player. If you wanted to have a diplomatic character then you can just choose skills that will move your character in that direction. You wont be able to talk yourself out of all situations but you could avoid conflict here and there. In later episodes you might even be able to avoid major combat. As for different characters, we don't have specific classes but you can tailor your character to be really good in certain areas. Magic, stealth, fighting, diplomacy, and religion are just a few areas you can lead your character in.

Sorry if some of my answers seem vague but I can't give everything away