Other [Legacy] Project Sandbox

[Deo]

Welcome to the Project Sandbox!

The concept of this thread is simple: post something for feedback, and or give feedback to others. If you want to get some quick feedback on plot ideas or game design elements before you even start your game or if you have a thread, this is the place to do so. If you're thinking about starting your own thread for your project but need some help determining if your first post is up snuff, this is also an ideal place for you to do that too.

Please keep the following in mind while using this thread:

• If you notice something that has been posted but hasn't received any feedback, please consider providing the poster with some form of feedback before you move onto later posts.
• Put some thought and effort into your feedback. While not all short feedback is bad, generally you want to make sure you're offering something worthwhile to the person requesting feedback.
• On a similar note, make sure what you're requesting feedback on has some substance to it. You don't have to provide multiple paragraphs explaining your idea, but don't be vague and leave nothing for anyone to comment on!
• Be respectful and civil. This thread isn't an excuse to be rude to another person or to tell them their idea is bad, be helpful instead.

While this thread is meant for general feedback, Relic Castle also has other threads for feedback on screenshots, maps, and such. If what you're seeking feedback on is more suited there, please post it in the appropriate thread:

• Screenshot Showcase
• Map Showcase
• Fakemon Feedback
• Pixel Art Lounge

 

[Lunavis]

snip

Ok for the second one you do have a point thank you. But for the first one, i will not let you down

 

[Djaco75]

Just some random things for mah fangame that i would like some criticism on.

some city names

#1 razeé city
#2 kalava city
#3 graden city
#4 spiriton city
#5 damago city
#6 umbrana city
#7 telaphia city
#8 sparkon city

and gym leaders to go with corresponding cities

#1 gregory
Water type
#2 foclore
Fire type
#3 arden
Grass type
#4 ghalania
Ghost type
#5 sturdon
Steel type
#6 silencar
Dark type
#7 kilaria
Psychic type
#8 ferrectus
Electric type

Try and find ways to improve them as well. Thx

Hmmm. I really like them. I feel like they suit the Gym Leader's element as well, which is good. I'm not a big fan of silencar or ferrectus, because they sound a bit weird to me. One thing I would advise you to do is to look up the origins of names. They don't just have to sound like the element - they can just have some connection with them.

 

[Hematite]

If it helps, a common naming scheme used by Game Freak is flowers or plants in general, which they've been using progressively more often throughout the Generations (Generation I started it with the professors, then Generation IV also began using it for Frontier Brains, and everyone important was a plant by Generations VI and VII). For some examples:

Kiawe, a Fire-type specialist, is named for a kind of firewood. This is an example of naming directly after a relevant plant.
Clemont, an Electric-type specialist, contains lemon, which can be used to conduct electricity. This is an example of deriving a name from a relevant plant, but changing it around a little to better suit a name - Clemont is Clemont and not Lemon, as you can see.
Drasna, a Dragon-type specialist, is named after Dracaena, a plant genus with a name that sounds like dragon. This is an example of having the obvious type puns Pokémon is used to having (for a non-plant example, see Brock = Rock! XP) but still sounding the same as a plant (I may be incorrect, but I think Dracaena is pronounced like "dra-see-na," which is very close to "drasna!").
Gladion and Lusamine, neither specializing in any one type, are still actually corrupted plant names (gladiolus and balsamine) and aren't names used in the real world, but they still sound like totally real names and feel right for the characters in question. Gladion coming from gladiolus reflects his character even if not a type association, because the gladiolus is also known as the sword lily, and... well... his sister is Lillie!

I had a bunch of more arbitrary names for my own game (anything from mythical figures, like "Gail sounds like Gaia," to basic type-sounding names, like "Corran sounds like corrosion"), but I recently adjusted to a plant naming scheme and really like the names that came up. Because of the sheer diversity of plants, there are still a ton of type-related puns to be made this way. For some of my own examples:

Landin, a Ground-type specialist, is named after celandine, but the first thing you notice is "land," not that he's named after a flower.
Angelo, a Ghost-type specialist, is named after angelonia, but again, "angel" stands out a lot more obviously in his name.
Nemo, a Water-type specialist, is named after the flower anemone, but their name is also a reference to sea anemone and the regularly-marine-associated name Nemo as in the cases of Captain Nemo from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and the clownfish Nemo from Finding Nemo.
Thaliana, a Frontier Brain, is named after the flower Arabidopsis thaliana, and she's an example of a name like Gladion or Lusamine that really isn't a name at all, but could pass as one, and it fits her because it sounds like "Talent," her facility's theme.

So hopefully those examples get my point across as far as how flower names can work! I used this resource a lot when naming them, so it might help you! Really, though, I actually really like most of the names you have right now! You definitely don't have to follow this advice, and it's honestly more of a crutch for me than anything; I like having a naming scheme because it feels more organized from a developing standpoint and gives me a place to work from if I need to think of a name, but from a playing standpoint, the majority of players aren't going to notice (especially with something as broad and often obscure as flower names - they usually just end up sounding like other words more obviously), so I would absolutely not say you have to enforce this. XP I just thought it might be a helpful tip that a lot of real-sounding names can be attained just by taking flowers and chopping off letters!

Buuut you seem like you mostly have "real-sounding names" down for the most part anyway, though (your Ghost-type Leader, Ghalania, isn't a real name, but it sounds like one and I think it's actually a really lovely name, as an example!), so I wouldn't stress about this or rename everyone - I'm gonna agree with Djaco here and say that the only ones that stand out are Silencar and Ferrectus, and the rest of them all seem wonderful already!!

Did you know I can't offer basic advice without rambling? I can't offer basic advice without rambling. I'll stop. OTL

 

[TheGamingPaladin]

Just some random things for mah fangame that i would like some criticism on.

some city names

#1 razeé city
#2 kalava city
#3 graden city
#4 spiriton city
#5 damago city
#6 umbrana city
#7 telaphia city
#8 sparkon city

and gym leaders to go with corresponding cities

#1 gregory
Water type
#2 foclore
Fire type
#3 arden
Grass type
#4 ghalania
Ghost type
#5 sturdon
Steel type
#6 silencar
Dark type
#7 kilaria
Psychic type
#8 ferrectus
Electric type

Try and find ways to improve them as well. Thx

cant say that i'm very good with names either, so i think what you got there is fine.

 

[Dragonite]

Drasna, a Dragon-type specialist, is named after Dracaena, a plant genus with a name that sounds like dragon. This is an example of having the obvious type puns Pokémon is used to having (for a non-plant example, see Brock = Rock! XP) but still sounding the same as a plant (I may be incorrect, but I think Dracaena is pronounced like "dra-see-na," which is very close to "drasna!").

Its common name is also "the dragon tree." Also I've always pronounced it "drah - cane - aah." ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Lunavis]

And here is the new and improved list

City names (improved)

#1 razeé city
#2 kalava city
#3 alchemos city
#4 spiriton city
#5 damago city
#6 umbrana city
#7 telaphia city
#8 sparkon city

gym leader names (improved)

#1 gregory
#2 foclore
#3 arden
#4 ghalania
#5 sturdon
#6 dianthus
#7 kilaria
#8 helainos

 

[Dawn Bronze]

@Lunavis In my opinion, it's batter when the city names and gym types are independent of each other. It doesn't really make sense to me when the whole identity of the city is entirely dependent on one aspect of it. It makes much more sense when the city name is based around the geography of the surrounding area, of is just a made up name. I also prefer it when the names of the gym leaders are actually real life names. It's kind of cool when the gym leaders name reflects what type they train, but I also think the gym leader should have a real life name and not just a made up, fictional one. Fictional, made up names can work soemtimes, but I think they should be used sparingly and not for every gym leader. I understand that this stuff is pretty subjective and not really too important, so you shouldn't take this advice too seriously :P

 

[ocean]

Unova has the best city names if I'm being honest (they're named after clouds.) The theme is interesting enough to provide unique names while not focusing on the city's 'major aspect'.

 

[TechSkylander1518]

This is a ramble like everything else I post, but if anyone took the time to read it, what are your thoughts? Would a system like this be less intrusive than forcing a specific move on players? Would it encourage team diversity to cross obstacles, or would it just be frustrating to have to change your team to get a hidden item? And do you agree with making all Ride Skills(/HMs) optional but rewarding, or do you prefer having optional areas accessible and think HMs should be used more as roadblocks for the main story than to gate off optional content (which I would also totally get)?

(Hope you don't mind this being moved to the sandbox!) I think this is a really cool idea! It gives players much more freedom while still keeping the idea of using a Pokemon's skills, and since it's all optional, I don't think it'd be a hassle to change a team and get something-it's more the player's choice whether or not they want to check out a sidepath or to just save it for later. I honestly think using them as story roadblocks would be a bit more troublesome (given that obvious blocking ones like Surf would be harder to keep out of the player's hands), but I can see how it could still be used!

 

[Pokébook]

Hello. Many of you don't know me, I'm the developer of Pokémon Deluxe, I wanted to put it as a thread
but as I saw this I first wanted to ask questions about my fangame:

The Idea is a demake of X and Y with all possible features that I can do with Essentials, all other XY features that aren't possible in Essentials, like Pokemon amie, Supertraining, PR, Pokemiles etc are left aside, waiting for my skills to grow by learning even more, Tilesets are still a mix of 5th gen mixed together with 6th gen and 3rd gen, recolored, due to not finding those useful tiles of vanilla essentials tileset but made in other gens.
aside from that, I called my fangame Deluxe, because in the end you may have your own house, job earn money (a system like in real world)
and the vilain Team Flare, about that I'm still not sure of making it exactly like in the original games.
I changed the beginning tho', you start in Vaniville Town in the left is a little path with a Trainer School and a Lab included, there you receive your Kalos starter. Route 1 has grass.. Flower Shop and Pokémon Center in Aquacorde Town etc.
so main questions:
Team Flare, shall they be like in the anime? the game? or do you have another idea?
What did you felt were missing in X and Y?
How should I make a reasonable price for Pokéballs, Potions and Items, tm's
Sycamore will give you 1 out of 3 starters from...? (I made Kanto, but I can change it)

HMs will be exchanged with switches, events or Pokémon that let fly you away where you want. It's a big project...

 

[Sparta]

so main questions:
Team Flare, shall they be like in the anime? the game? or do you have another idea?
What did you felt were missing in X and Y?
How should I make a reasonable price for Pokéballs, Potions and Items, tm's
Sycamore will give you 1 out of 3 starters from...? (I made Kanto, but I can change it)

-I'd make Team Flare different. How, I don't know. Try to give them your own spin while keeping true to what they stand for. That way it wouldn't feel like the same thing all over again for people who have played XY.

-I haven't really played XY, so I can't really make a suggestion as to what was missing.

-I think the default prices are pretty reasonable, to be honest. I don't think they need to be changed.

-Well, if it's going to be a Kalos demake, then why not stick with the Kalos starters? I mean, that kinda makes sense in my mind.

 

[Pokébook]

I really liked @Hematite’s point in the New Types thread about having a special “gimmick” attached to a new type to make it more entertaining than just another type to learn. I think that’s a really great thing to include in a game! As I read it over, I realized that I had fallen right into that cliche when I tried to make a Light type, so I should probably try to rethink it a bit! (I have to thank you for being so kind, too, Hematite-I never got the idea that you thought a Light type was cliche while you were helping me with it! Thanks for being so nice to a beginner!)

My current idea is this-what if Light-types gained an extra boost of some sort during the daytime, and if Dark-types gained that same boost at night? (Probably just something like STAB of that type increases to 2.0x-don’t want it to overshadow every other type, after all) Right now, the points I see on it are:
Pros

• For players that play in both day and night hours, it could encourage alternating between a Light and Dark type rather than keeping one ace at the front.
• Could give me a reason to include trainers that only show up at night/in the day, to give people a reason to revisit places.
• Connects the type of a Pokemon to battle besides just STAB and defenses. (a bit like how Rock-types

Cons

• Easily exploitable-if you’re not happy with the current boost, just change your clock.
• Might not be felt as strong if the player doesn’t have a Light or Dark type. (unless lots of trainers use those types, but I think that’d be a bad idea balance-wise)
• People don’t always have time to play games and usually set some time aside. If they tend to play at the same hour, the difference won’t be seen at all. (this could be fixed with a sped-up day/night cycle, but then there’s the puzzle of how much time is a good amount...)

Does this sound like an idea worth pursuing? Or should I try for something else?

Your idea is really worth pursuing, think of our real world first before making it, because as my knowledge:
Plants need to be watered during night, elders tell me that all the time! + During day they absorb the daylight, sun and rain.
now in Pokémon:

1. do that what the move "growth" do to grass types during night, as a boost. I think it's Attk and sp Attk
2. during day time grass Pokémon may gain another type of boost that represent in rl plants, flowers.. i.e Venusaur uses Solarbeam with the power of the move Sunny Day.
In rain some Grass types and Water types can with abilties gain speed during rain. You could make your own abilties.

3. Fire types needs sun to get their STAB moves boosted. so do that boost to fire types during day, the same boost-effect as Sunny Day
I don't know much about fire in rl, just that fire melts any metal, that it doesn't exist any metal material that "survives" the fire. As an 50-year old friend working as a blacksmith told me that as I questioned it. But the answer was obvious though, netherthanless you could do the same boost effect that Sunny Day does to fire types during daytime.
During night, I don't know much about that, maybe they could get another type of boost.

4. Water types can also gain some other boost power more as Weather than actual Day and Night time. Make your own abilities that Water-types can benefit from it.
So I hope I could help you with that.

Other than that I wish I could know about the Light type. It isn't official, so someone invented it, but Idk about that, which types are strong and weak against Light?
Wish you the best of good with everything you do.------------------------

-I'd make Team Flare different. How, I don't know. Try to give them your own spin while keeping true to what they stand for. That way it wouldn't feel like the same thing all over again for people who have played XY.

-I haven't really played XY, so I can't really make a suggestion as to what was missing.

-I think the default prices are pretty reasonable, to be honest. I don't think they need to be changed.

-Well, if it's going to be a Kalos demake, then why not stick with the Kalos starters? I mean, that kinda makes sense in my mind.

Thank you for your answer, so fast I wasn't expecting :D as of Team Flare...Initially I planned on doing the same story for people who never played that because of not having a 3ds or and having the game..

and I'm always annoyed by the fact that Game Freak (Nintendo) makes always bad Teams that want to conquer the world, and don't explain the Pokéworld in more detail in their games. Ok so I'll try to do this:

Spoiler: Story of "Team Flare"

They initially are scientists that works to know more about zygarde (I'll implement the feature of 7th gen of collecting the cells)
they'll do fieldwork and collect the cells as they discover the core form, you'll catch it and they call you to help them in their work
so a show choices will be implemented there, that you can decide where you wanna be, good or evil.
I'll try to do this, even if it will take years to complete the game.

so if you go bad you turn a scientist and later with the story a Team Flare member (need to do charsets for that)^_^
then you get bad missions that you need to do to conquer the world (ok I sticked with this idea .-.) in order to be executive member or admin (like a ranking system, badges you still be able to earn though)

If you decide to go good you have to fight against them, they have more powerfull Pokemon as in the original then

Yeah, maybe you're right with the prize, then just making a job-system to work and earn money as a second way than defeating Trainers?
In Vaniville Town you receive 1 of 3 Kalos starters (I changed that Event, I made a Trainer school with a Lab encorporated left to Vaniville Town, still Vaniville Town though)
In Lumiose City you receive another starter (as in the original games XY) 1 out of 3 from Prof. Sycamore a Kanto starter (but I can change this to be another gen starter)
If someone has any feedback, critique I'm open to receive it, thanks.

 

[TechSkylander1518]

Plants need to be watered during night, elders tell me that all the time! + During day they absorb the daylight, sun and rain.
now in Pokémon:

1. do that what the move "growth" do to grass types during night, as a boost. I think it's Attk and sp Attk
2. during day time grass Pokémon may gain another type of boost that represent in rl plants, flowers.. i.e Venusaur uses Solarbeam with the power of the move Sunny Day.
In rain some Grass types and Water types can with abilties gain speed during rain. You could make your own abilties.

3. Fire types needs sun to get their STAB moves boosted. so do that boost to fire types during day, the same boost-effect as Sunny Day
I don't know much about fire in rl, just that fire melts any metal, that it doesn't exist any metal material that "survives" the fire. As an 50-year old friend working as a blacksmith told me that as I questioned it. But the answer was obvious though, netherthanless you could do the same boost effect that Sunny Day does to fire types during daytime.
During night, I don't know much about that, maybe they could get another type of boost.

4. Water types can also gain some other boost power more as Weather than actual Day and Night time. Make your own abilities that Water-types can benefit from it.
So I hope I could help you with that.

Those are all really cool ideas! I don't know if I'd include those boosts for every Pokemon of those types-Light is a fantype and Dark undergoes a lot of changes, but other types aren't really altered, so remembering those perks might be tough. But I think these could all work really well as abilities for certain lines of Pokemon, and they're all really fun concepts to mess around with! (I love the idea of flowers that only bloom at night, like the Delta Budew line in Insurgence) Thanks again for the inspiration!

Other than that I wish I could know about the Light type. It isn't official, so someone invented it, but Idk about that, which types are strong and weak against Light?
Wish you the best of good with everything you do.------------------------

The Light type's a common fantype, so there's a lot of different ways people decide to have it interact with other types. My current plan for it is this:
Light-type moves are super effective against Dark-type Pokemon. (Dark-type is altered to be more of a literal darkness, compared to the canon type's being the evil type)

Light-type moves are not very effective against Steel-type (Steel reflects Light, keeps Steel in its defensive niche), Grass-type (Plants consume light like they do water, also gives Grass a little defensive help), and Light-type Pokemon.

Light-type moves do not affect Ice-type Pokemon. (Ice is transparent, and Ice-types really need some defensive love. Water doesn't get this perk because it's already doing pretty well for itself defensively, and not affecting two types-especially a common one like Water-would be a tad crippling`)

Light-type Pokemon resist Fire, Electric, and Light-type moves. (all three give off light, so they're probably not hurting it that much)

Light-type Pokemon are weak to Steel and Grass-type moves.

Light-type Pokemon are not affected by Dark-type moves.


I might add Ghost to the types Light is super effective on, but I feel pretty good about it for now.

Wish you the best of good with everything you do.------------------------

Thank you very much! I hope your projects go well, too!

Yeah, maybe you're right with the prize, then just making a job-system to work and earn money as a second way than defeating Trainers?

A job system sounds good! Lumiose even had a hotel the player could work at, so it wouldn't be out of place for the game!

 

[KaratGaming]

I am willing to develop a new Pokemon fangame.

 

[Sparta]

I am willing to develop a new Pokemon fangame.

Do you have any ideas in mind that you want feedback on? Or are you looking for some ideas to get started?

 

[Jephed]

Is this also the place where I can ask you guys' opinion on the process of game development itself and the use of social media?
I have a very specific question regarding this topic so I was wondering wether or not I should ask it here or make a new thread.

 

[Aki]

Is this also the place where I can ask you guys' opinion on the process of game development itself and the use of social media?
I have a very specific question regarding this topic so I was wondering wether or not I should ask it here or make a new thread.

A 'Question that needs its' own thread' versus 'Question that fits in the Sandbox' usually boils down to how specific it is. If it's something that would only apply to your project, like uhh, "Hey guys does my twitter banner look good, or can you improve it?" would be very specific and should be in the Sandbox. If it's something more general that can spark a discussion, let's say, "Hey guys any tips on how run a Twitter for my game?" then it's totally worth it's own thread.

If you're really not sure then it's probably okay to go ahead and make a thread, since discussion threads have to be approved before they're published someone on staff will see it and figure out where it belongs.

 

[Jephed]

A 'Question that needs its' own thread' versus 'Question that fits in the Sandbox' usually boils down to how specific it is. If it's something that would only apply to your project, like uhh, "Hey guys does my twitter banner look good, or can you improve it?" would be very specific and should be in the Sandbox. If it's something more general that can spark a discussion, let's say, "Hey guys any tips on how run a Twitter for my game?" then it's totally worth it's own thread.

If you're really not sure then it's probably okay to go ahead and make a thread, since discussion threads have to be approved before they're published someone on staff will see it and figure out where it belongs.

Okay! Thanks. :)

 

[KaratGaming]

Do you have any ideas in mind that you want feedback on? Or are you looking for some ideas to get started?

I have some ideas that I'd like feedback on.

 

[Aki]

I have some ideas that I'd like feedback on.

Go ahead and post your ideas in this thread then, you've found the right place for them! n_n