Hello! My name is Edgar, I go as Redgar or "Red". 

My passion for videogames comes from my love for living stories other than my own. You see, I had a sickly childhood, and whatever took me out of my own skin, was very much welcomed. And so, I met Role Playing Games. 

Today, I'm no longer a child nor sickly, but RPGs are still what I love playing and making. I have many favorite games, for many different reasons. But I've decided to try and make a videogame that would be in a way, a homage for "Final Fantasy Tactics" Released back in 1997.

As I've mentioned before, I was a kid that enjoyed narrations (comics, books, movies, whatever could narrate an interesting story), either written by me or other's, because they would bring me into other worlds, so, when I learned about Isekai animes, watching those also became an obsession of sorts.

I'll use this post to talk about the game I'll be developing.

FAIR WARNING: I won't talk about the story because that'd be spoiling the fun, but I can talk about the mechanics and other stuff here. I'll make a roadmap based on my Game Design Document (which by the time I'm writing this, its unfinished, but you can read it here.)

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What is "Isekai Chronicles"?

So, answering the main question here, Isekai Chronicles is a prototype (for now) of a game designed for mobile devices. It'll have some isekai elements to it, like manufacturing your own story, in a way. But it will also have heavy references from RPGs. If you find this answer short and lacking, keep reading, I'll explain the roadmap for the firtst three months. I'll just make a short pause to explain  some progress indicators I'll be using through the roadmap, 

Progress Indicators:

🔳 [PLANNED] - Means it has been planned, but it is still at risk of being cancelled.

❌ [CANCELLED]  - Means It has been cancelled and won't be produced.

🟧 [NOT STARTED]  - Means I may now start production, but I haven't started it yet.

🟨 [IN PROGRESS]  - Means I've started working on this, but the work is not finished.

🟦 [TESTING]  - Means the feature may be somewhat functional, but I don't consider it complete.

🟩 [COMPLETE]  - Means the feature is complete, but I may tweak it a bit more to perfect it.

✅ [DONE]  - Means I will not be working on the feature no more.

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1st GOAL - SHORT TERM ROADMAP (1-3 Months)

CURRENT PROGRESS: [░ · · · · · · · · · ] %

I am well aware, this may not be a correct way to create a roadmap, but I'll make sure to update it accordingly as time goes by. Also, I may not produce everyhing displayed in the roadmap. The idea is that by the end of the third month. I have produced something that can be somewhat playable. Meaning. It would need to have a title screen, a new game button, a load button and (if really necessary) a settings button. Also, a minimalistic version of the core gameplay loop (available in the game design document inside the link I posted in the "fair warning" above). Here's a screenshot of the gameplay loop, the colors you'll see in the screenshot are not related to the "Progress Indicators" previously:

As you probably see, the gameplay loop has 4 stages (I've merged 1 and 5 into 1). I'll now explain what each stage and the main menu are supposed to be like by the end of the third month of production:

1. TITLE SCREEN

This will be the first screen of the game that should have a few buttons, maybe an animation, and that's it.

🟨1.1 Title Background, an image to be displayed at the main menu.

🟨1.2 Animated image, hovered over the background, something like a character or a portal.

🟨1.3 Legend saying "Touch to Start", to let the player now this is a touch screen enabled game.

🟧1.4 Start Journey Button, that woud let the player begin a new story.

🟧1.5 Load Journey Button, to load a saved game.

🔳1.6 Setting Button, to change language or possiby other elements of the game.

2. OUTFITTING

I need to divide this screen into three tabs. It's supposed to be used so that the player can prepare for the coming battle or quest.

2.1 STATUS 

Will contain a screen with the player's recruited friends. If the people recruited are more than five, this is where the player decides who is part of his party. In the event he doesn't select anyone here, then the player will have to win combats alone. This screen also let the player dismiss members (meaning they will be lost forever).

🟧2.1.1 A background, for the Status window, divided in two sections, the smallest is the top, while the larges is the bottom.

🟧2.1.2 A frame, for character's portraits on the top, along with space to show the character's equpment and status.

🟧2.1.3 Portraits, for 6 types of characters.

🔳2.1.4 Icons, that will represent the character's status.

🟧2.1.5 Icons, to represent classes (beginer, melee, ranged and mage)

🟧2.1.6 A frame, to represent a member has been added to the party.

🟧2.1.7 Two buttons, one to accept and the other to cancel selection.

2.2 NEEDS

Some party members will have needs or quest to provide. This tab provides a space for the player to "chat" with its party members and see if he can get quest from them but also solve their needs.

🟧2.2.1 A background, dividided in threesecions, the top is to select a chracter, the middle is the the larger part, it will show something like an inn or a camp, depending on the location. The lower part will be for chat or messages to appear.

🟧2.2.1 A pair of larger portraits, one to represent the player's main character, and the second one to represent other characters

2.3 LOCAL SHOPS

The player may visit local shops. 

NOTE: Shops will change or disappear depending on where the player is on the map. Say for example, if the player is at a mayor city, there'd be high chances to get different types of shops, but if the player is currently at a dungeon or the wild, it'd be a miracle to find a shop or vendor at all.

🟧2.3.1 A background, to display either a town, the widerness or some other region.

🟧2.3.1 A button, for each available shop.

🟧2.3.1 A list of items and its cons, to display when a shop has been selected.

🟧2.3.1 Two buttons, one made to buy and other made to sell.

3. EXPLORING

This will be a screen with a map, showing the different regions that the player can visit. Should there be any landmark that is greyed out or unavailable, it would mean there's nothing to visit or there're some pre-requisits to visit said place. Once the player selects a new location, a pop-up will display different exploring sites from the region. Upon selecting one, a cut-scene, a dialogue or a battle may be prompted.

🟧3.1 A background, to show the map.

🟧3.2 An icon, to be used as a landmark and display where the player's party at.

🟧3.3 A frame, to display a portrait in case it is neede.

🟧3.4 Another bakground, to display text if needed.

4. COMBAT

Battles will not necesarily define the story. But they are important to progress the player's abilities. Winning a combat may bring rewards,but losing one may also produce a reward of sorts. If the player decides so, he can order his party to flee the combat scene. Keep in mind this may produce penalties.

🟨4.1 Procedural gnerated arenas, for random combats. There will be also pre-created arenas or maps for specific combats.

🟧4.2 3D world elements like: walls, trees, rocks, etc.

🟧4.3 2D entities like: playable characters, enemies neutral entitie.

🟧4.4 Combat System, Tactic per turns.

• 🟧4.4.1 Menu with available actions per turn.

• 🟧4.4.2 AI Pathfinding that lets the character move a specific number of tiles from its original position.

5. REWARDS

When a battle ends, the player will receive rewards, but also notifications if a party member was killed in battle or if a defeated enemy wishes to join your party. If the player decided to end combat when the victor wasn't decided yet, this screen will also show some penalties, like your party members may express discomfort or some may even leave the party, depending on their specific situation.

🟧5.1 A background, divided in two sections. The top section will be shorter and used to display text.The second part to dispay recevied rewards or requests to join the party.

🟧5.2 A button, to accept all.

🟧5.3 Another button, to only accept loot.

🟧5.4 Another button to move to skip and go to the next screen. (2. OUTFITTING)

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 For now, this is my envisioned road for the first three months. Feel free to comment, criticize and provide any feedback. If you've reached this line in the post, I thank you for your time.

If you have any comment, suggestion or feedback related to the game, please, make sure to post it here. I have all related to the game condensed in a Milanote Board.

Here are some links and sites you may find interesting since they are related to the game "Isekai Chronicles: Argus"

Discord: Join our Discord Server.

Milanote: You may look at my game dev process through my notes and game design posted in milanote.

I've used your background for a scene I did in blender. Good work. 

Thank you!

Hey!! Nice Avatars!! I've used them for a Game JAM:
https://redgarcs.itch.io/minesofdestiny

Thanks!, I did the art, I really appreciate your feedback. The idea to see the mines as they grow deeper is a sweet one, I'll see how to adapt it, thank you so much.

I used these assets for a Game JAM (Game) :D

I appreciate the comment, I will keep working on it until I'm satisfied with it. A few things to look forward to:

• Battle System Upgrade
  • The battle is super slow, so I'll make it go faster and have some other options like using spells or skills (once I add the mana/skill system).
• Intentory system
  • Players will be able to loot containers and get items to use later
• Quest system
  • The player will encounter other adventurers and will get quest like, to defeat monsters or get a specific item.
• Boss Room System
  • As seen in the old school rpg games(like Legend of Zelda), there will be a boss room that'll spawn a particular strong enemy.

Once I have more time, I'll upload my GDD on the itch site, so that you know what else to expect. :D

So, I want the game to be mainly focused on solving puzzles, and because of that, I am not planning on adding any enemy soon (at least not the ones that damages the player). For the time being, I'll dedicate my time on implementing the main mechanics of the puzzle-solving part of the game. So, my interest lays on developing:

• Implement the other playable characters and their mechanics

Adding the archer who can shoot at a distance, a monk or someone who can move boulders or heavy stuff and a witch who can alter the magic items in the map.

• A way to be able to switch between characters. 

The game will start with just one character, and as the player moves forward, more characters are unlocked if they are encountered in the game. I want to make it so that at each floor, the party will start at a "safe room" or a room that the party has made their own. I want it so that once the player enters a room with another character, the player can switch between these characters. So, eventually, the player may have the whole party scattered through the level in order to solve the puzzle and move to the next level.

• A way to add difficulty to the game.

Since enemies won't be added (not sure if ever),  I'm looking for another way to add tension or a sense of danger that doesn't necessarily involves defeating enemies. I've come up with two ideas which may or may not be awful:

1. Sanity. If you have played "Don't Starve" you may know what I'm talking about. In this particular case, when sanity is lowered, the player will not loose health, nor dark enemies appear. Instead, I'm thinking there will be two consequences: The first being that the characters the player isn't controlling, will start to wonder around the level, acting on their own accord, activating or deactivating switches and making it more difficult to solve the level.And the second consequence is that, for the character the player is controlling, the light will become dimmer and dimmer until there's complete darkness all around.
2. Captured. In a way, this would involve enemies, but not the fighting part, which is what I am looking to avoid, this would be a mechanic often seen in the Zelda games, where link is captured as soon as he is seen (no fight involved). If one of the members of the party gets captured, that would increase the difficulty of the game. You would need to either rescue the captured one or find another solution.

I still not have decided between 1 or 2, because both seem harder than what I could (probably) achieve. Then I also want to add:

• A way to communicate without using letters.

I've been thinking I want to make a game that doesn't need to be translated, hence, I have been thinking on how to make it easy for people to understand some instructions or communication between characters. I'm thinking I'm going to be using some sort of emoji-like method to communicate ideas. Like for example, if there is a room that has some sort of timer before the door are closed, there would be an npc that would warn you by showing a globe above his head with a clock on it. Or maybe there would be a tablet or old wall with emoji-like inscriptions showing some piece of information. I still need to think this through but I think I like the idea and I'll give it a shot.

So far this what I'll be working on. Please, share your thoughts and let me know if there's any other mechanic or thing I could add to the game that would make it better. Thank you.

hello, I tried to send you a message through discord, I sent you a friend request so that we can talk.

• There’s a health bar on top of the red square in second 10. Why would you add a health bar when you already have a big one in the top area of the screen?i 
• I also think I’d like to hear more of the sound effects from the game.
• It has a smash bros vibe, specially with the random weapons.
• I would strongly recommend changing the name for something more attractive or appealing . (Like “Square Brawl”)

i would recommend posting some of your work friend. I’m actually in the same position as you, and I’m doing a lot of tilesets and some animations to showcase my style and make an attractive portfolio, when talking about art it’s right when they say a picture speaks louder than a thousand words…even if your art is “weird” as you called it, there may be someone out there who is looking for just what you got to offer.