Just implemented. Now it shows “✔/✖” instead of “yes/no”, also now the order executed is default -> alternative -> choice. I chose to change the executed order instead of the buttons, because that feels more logic than changing the buttons, since the alternative dialogue can be a direct sequence of the default dialogue if the default toggles the variable that triggers the alternative.
Great suggestions, but theres one problem with the disappearance of NPCs happening in the “last” dialogue: there’s no way to know what is a “last dialogue”.
Suppose you have an NPC with default and alternative. The alternative happens when variable X is true. You’re assuming that once X is true and alternative is read, thats the last dialogue, but variable X can be set back to false (via lever for instance). What is someone wants to make a game where you have to set X back to false to read default again? In that case, default should be last and this developer would complain that they want the NPC to disappear after reading default the second time.
Or even yet, what if there’s an NPC with default, choice and alternative, where alternative is set by X being true, but the developer wants the NPC to disappear if the player talks to NPC while X is false, right after the choice. That would not happen if I consider alternative the last dialog, even if alternative is not triggered.
Or even: what would happen if we introduce unlimited ammount of dialogues (as has been suggested by the community)?
I think that by limiting disappearance to the first dialogue the engine just caps all divergent scenarious of “when should the NPC disappear”. It also caps possibilities, but (I think that) for a minimalistic engine, possibilities should emerge from creative workarounds, not by features.
I was considering one “disappear” checkbox per dialogue, but I also do not want the engine to look bloated and scare new users. (to me it already looks kinda intimidating, we’re actually thinking of ways to improve the UI).
Thank you very much, I implemented your excelent suggestion as a post jam update.
Come join our small community of Tiny RPG Studio devs!
Its a great little engine, awesome both for prototypes aswell as fully complete games like this one!
Oooh, I see your point. It’s a bit tough to make cause our engine generate games that are compatible with mobile out of the box, and I’d have to account for that too, but it’s doable.
Question: would’t it be annoying if the text box had different heights for different ammounts of text?
One more thing, could you maybe post this here so that the community can also participate in the discussion?
This is so charming, I love your art style, the game has so much personality, I really enjoy the music and sfx aswell. The gameplay is fun but brutal (poor rats). I think this could really use an in-game tutorial, would lead to a much smoother experience than having to read the description. Still, great game!
This is actually really well made, the visuals are charming, music and sfx are amazing, gameplay is super fun, I only had an issue with the “type” and “press” minigames, nothing happens, I keep typing 0 and X (and everything for that matter) but nothing happens. Anyways, amazing game!
edit: oh my god, just read through some comments and now I get it: ITS A MICROWAVE. Damn this is 5 stars for creativity for sure
Thank you so much! Just to clarify, the engine wasn’t made in 4 days, just the game xD Engine is being developed since november and we have been growing quite a nice community arround it. Come be a part!
Thank you very much! I don’t really understand the textbox adjustment you suggested, could you simulate it on paint and post it here? Also, if you’d like, you can suggest all kinds of improvements for the game engine here!
Thanks a lot for the revew and kind words! I agree, I should have made floor tiles with arrows to indicate where there’s a door or passage. Thank you very much, also, come join our community, we’d love to see new games made with TRS!
Thank you so much for playing all the way to the end, and thank you for the kind words and understanding my direction in realation to the theme. I know it can be underwhelming for people when the theme is not gameplay based, but that’s what I managed to do with my engine, and I really wanted to make the game using my own engine. Also I’d be really happy to see you again making games with Tiny RPG Studio. If you do, post it on a thread and I’ll be sure to check it out
The theme was definitely approached more through the story than through the gameplay. Mark Brown mentioned that the jam theme could be interpreted in a very open and flexible way, so I decided to follow that direction. Also, my engine does not have any built-in countdown system, and I really wanted to use it to make the game, so I focused on the narrative interpretation instead.
I completely agree with your criticism of the puzzle level design. It was not clear enough where passages or doors were located, and I also should have visually differentiated doors opened by keys from doors activated by pressure plates. Those clues should have been communicated much better through the pixel art itself.
As for speedrunning the game after removing the wall, that is one way to finish it again—but theoretically, you could even reposition the player in the editor so the game starts right next to the bomb, hahaha.
Thank you again for the thoughtful feedback and for the kind words about the narrative, the engine, and the final gimmick. I really appreciate it!
Also, I’d be super thrilled if you came back to Tiny RPG Studio. Our community would love to see some new people and new games!
Makes me really happy to read these kinds of reviews! Reassures that I really did something right :) I hope you liked the engine aswell and come back to Tiny RPG Studio, our community would be happy to see some new users and games made with it!
Thank you very much! Yes, my implementation of the theme was more story based than mechanics based, but I guess it works for the jam. Really glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you very much! I know, the theme was more lore based, than mechanic based, but since Mark said that the interpretation and use of the theme can be broad, I went with it. I hope you come back to Tiny RPG Studio, our community would be happy to see some new users and games made with it!
Thank you very much! The engine has been in development for quite some time now (since november), I just used it to make my game for the jam (the engine wasn’t made in 4 days, but the game was). I’m really glad you liked it, maybe your next prototype, or even finished game, could be made with Tiny RPG Studio!
Thank you so much. I’m really passionate about my tiny engine and I felt like I could both contribute to GMTK while also showing what my engine is capable and inviting people to check it out without it feeling lame, or too forced. Your feedback makes me really happy because it reassures I did it in a fun way rather than annoyingly spamming my project. Also, I invite you to come join our small but thriving community of Tiny RPG Studio users! Maybe your next prototype, or even finished game, could be made with it!
Thank you so much, I’m really really glad you enjoyed, I was afraid people might find it lame, but to my surprise many folks liked it. And since you did, come join our small but thriving community of Tiny RPG Studio users!
Thank you very much! It’s a key card (should’ve made this clearer xD). I agree, I should have made custom floor tiles with arrows that indicate doors, or entrances, will definitely add that after the jam. Really glad you enjoyed the engine, come join our community of Tiny RPG Studio users!
Thank you so much for commenting. I know, just placing the game engine in your hands with no explanation or tutorial might be a bit overwhelming. I’m really glad you enjoyed the puzzles, I did them in a rush but turned out actually better than I expected. It may have been confusing at first, but I invite you to give the engine another try and join our small but thriving community of Tiny RPG Studio users!
Exactly! Once you have the engine in your hands, you can just place your starting position right next to the bomb xD Thank you so much for playing all the way to the end! I invite you to come join our small but thriving community of Tiny RPG Studio users!
Yeah, I might have made the last dialogue way too obvious xD I’m really glad you played all the way through tho, thank you so much! Also, I invite you to come join our small but thriving community of Tiny RPG Studio users!
