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

 

[Taq]

Thanks for the compliment, I still kind need more species to fill the slots with, I am with fine any generation because I atleast have one of each.

 

[PokeNerdMatt]

Hi. I'm am new to Relic Castle and Pokemon Fan Games in general. I've been coming up with ideas all by myself and have an idea I would personally like to share and maybe get some feedback. To me, this seems like a really cool idea. The topic I would like to be talking about is the Evil Team, that almost every Pokemon Game has. So my idea is........

Team Bloodstone
My team is based off of a gem theme. I plan on making the admins, and the leader named after gems. The way I have it right now, the Team Leader of Team Bloodstone is Jasper. To me, this sounds like a menacing name for a character. Along with the team leader comes admins. For male admins, I have Ruby, Sard, and Topaz. To me, these sound like masculine gems that could be implemented into characters. For female admins, I have Jade, Amethyst, Larimar, and Amber. To me, these sound like feminine gems that could be implemented into characters. Each character's design would be based off of the colors that those gems are. This would also go for the team colors. My inspiration comes from a TV show called Steven Universe, which I am a BIG fan of. Just an idea, and I would love to hear any feedback and additional comments. Thank you for taking the time to read my post, and have a wonderful day.

 

[TechSkylander1518]

Hey, another Steven Universe fan! *high fives*

It's a little hard to form an opinion with just names, but I think the idea of a color themed team is really cool! Depending on what Pokemon you include in your game, their teams could have a variety of types (so the player doesn't just sweep them with one Pokemon that's super-effective) while still maintaining a clear theme!

 

[Sparta]

Hi. I'm am new to Relic Castle and Pokemon Fan Games in general. I've been coming up with ideas all by myself and have an idea I would personally like to share and maybe get some feedback. To me, this seems like a really cool idea. The topic I would like to be talking about is the Evil Team, that almost every Pokemon Game has. So my idea is........

Team Bloodstone
My team is based off of a gem theme. I plan on making the admins, and the leader named after gems. The way I have it right now, the Team Leader of Team Bloodstone is Jasper. To me, this sounds like a menacing name for a character. Along with the team leader comes admins. For male admins, I have Ruby, Sard, and Topaz. To me, these sound like masculine gems that could be implemented into characters. For female admins, I have Jade, Amethyst, Larimar, and Amber. To me, these sound like feminine gems that could be implemented into characters. Each character's design would be based off of the colors that those gems are. This would also go for the team colors. My inspiration comes from a TV show called Steven Universe, which I am a BIG fan of. Just an idea, and I would love to hear any feedback and additional comments. Thank you for taking the time to read my post, and have a wonderful day.

Well, as stated above there's not much to really critique, as it's just a theme and names, really. But, I do like that you've actually got a theme. That's a lot more than I see out of most fan-games. I think my only comment about it is that it looks like you have seven admins, which might be a bit much if you ask me. Again, there's not much to go on, so there's really not much to say.

 

[PokeNerdMatt]

Well, as stated above there's not much to really critique, as it's just a theme and names, really. But, I do like that you've actually got a theme. That's a lot more than I see out of most fan-games. I think my only comment about it is that it looks like you have seven admins, which might be a bit much if you ask me. Again, there's not much to go on, so there's really not much to say.

Yeah, that was one thing I was looking at when I came up with this. I couldn't really come up with another male admin. I was thinking about Spinel or Onyx or Agate for another male admin, making it 4 and 4. But again, 8 admins seems like a lot considering most games have about 2 or 3, sometimes 4. I kind of don't want to get rid of any of them because I like them all so much. I'm torn on what to do.

 

[Sparta]

I'm torn on what to do.

You don't have to get rid of them if you don't want to. I've grown attached to many of my own characters as well. One thing you could do is have them operate in pairs, or some could be a higher rank than others, like Archer and Ariana in Team Rocket. Or maybe you only battle each one once - depending on how often you encounter the team. Maybe some admins don't fight at all. Or are option fights. Things like that.

 

[PokeNerdMatt]

You don't have to get rid of them if you don't want to. I've grown attached to many of my own characters as well. One thing you could do is have them operate in pairs, or some could be a higher rank than others, like Archer and Ariana in Team Rocket. Or maybe you only battle each one once - depending on how often you encounter the team. Maybe some admins don't fight at all. Or are option fights. Things like that.

Thank you @Sparta for the ideas and feedback. Much appreciated. :D

 

[Pokébook]

Thank you @Sparta for the ideas and feedback. Much appreciated. :D

Your Idea is really fantastic, nothing more to say too, just think about a story for your fangame, just don't make your story much like the original Game Freak evil teams, make the story have an unique feel to it, so that people see that you've made the story.

Answer questions about:
What is the ultimate goal of Team Bloodstone?
Think of Events that could happen

best is write your story on your computer or some papers, draw your characters on your paper, and put that story with Events, Maps later in rmxp
I've never seen steven universe, but if you want to implement more of that into your game, you can actually do it!
It's nice to see how we can inspirate us, by just watching TV, going outside etc. :D

 

[leilou]

Hey guys i'm making a fangame right now. I'm not good in naming things ... so there's no name yet ...

It is a remake of pokemon emerald edition. The tileset , maps and npcs are mostly the same as in emerald edition. The story will be near the original story(the difference becomes bigger as the story progresses). I want the player to have a nostalgic experience.
The evil team isn't Team Aqua nor Team Magma but Team Regula(the name isn't definit yet). Their goal is to reign the world. Their looks are based on Team Aqua/Magma and their color is green. They've watched the failtures of Aqua/Magma and now try to recreate history to a certain point, where they will walk a different path than their predecessors.(This is really cool but would spoil to much)

some ideas i have:
-Mauville City of ORAS with a WALTER musee. It will have a 4D glass which let's you explore 3rd gen Mauville City(inclusive Casino of Course)
-secret bases are all occupied by others (if i find the time to map them all ... mabe only a part of the original ones will be there) ... there will be special events and possibilities to get special pokemon.
-the main bases of Team Aqua/Magma will still belong to them ... those bases aren't important for the story though. Team Regula has their own base.
-some Little eastereggs for people who search the maps thoroughly(like beeing able to obtain all 3 starters at the beginning or obtaining a special pokeflute which plays the gen1 route1 music which will let you encounter only rattatas and pidgeys)

Things I would like to get feedback on:
-general feedback on my ideas(weaknesses, strengths)
-anything you missed/didn't like while playing the original emerald/saphire/ruby
-ideas for a good name ... it would be optimal if the name itself suggested that this is an emerald remake ... but that needn't be
-I'm always open to new ideas that could make my game more spicy

Thanks in advance for your feedback
leilou

 

[kirlial]

Hey guys i'm making a fangame right now. I'm not good in naming things ... so there's no name yet ...

It is a remake of pokemon emerald edition. The tileset , maps and npcs are mostly the same as in emerald edition. The story will be near the original story(the difference becomes bigger as the story progresses). I want the player to have a nostalgic experience.
The evil team isn't Team Aqua nor Team Magma but Team Regula(the name isn't definit yet). Their goal is to reign the world. Their looks are based on Team Aqua/Magma and their color is green. They've watched the failtures of Aqua/Magma and now try to recreate history to a certain point, where they will walk a different path than their predecessors.(This is really cool but would spoil to much)

some ideas i have:
-Mauville City of ORAS with a WALTER musee. It will have a 4D glass which let's you explore 3rd gen Mauville City(inclusive Casino of Course)
-secret bases are all occupied by others (if i find the time to map them all ... mabe only a part of the original ones will be there) ... there will be special events and possibilities to get special pokemon.
-the main bases of Team Aqua/Magma will still belong to them ... those bases aren't important for the story though. Team Regula has their own base.
-some Little eastereggs for people who search the maps thoroughly(like beeing able to obtain all 3 starters at the beginning or obtaining a special pokeflute which plays the gen1 route1 music which will let you encounter only rattatas and pidgeys)

Things I would like to get feedback on:
-general feedback on my ideas(weaknesses, strengths)
-anything you missed/didn't like while playing the original emerald/saphire/ruby
-ideas for a good name ... it would be optimal if the name itself suggested that this is an emerald remake ... but that needn't be
-I'm always open to new ideas that could make my game more spicy

Thanks in advance for your feedback
leilou

Okay, so you'd like your game to be heavily based on Emerald. You've largely highlighted what will be similar but what's important is how it will be different. If it takes place a few years later then don't be afraid to change things around. In Gold and Silver when you revisit Kanto there had been a volcanic eruption which had destroyed the Cinnabar mansion and made the Seafoam islands inaccessible (a convenient way to cut them out, granted.) additionally, Janine has taken over the poison gym from Koga. Bw2 is also a sequel game and it brings a revamped team plasma under different organisation as well as a few new cities to explore. My advice would be to keep your game fresh with changes. Does the player need to start in Littleroot or could the game be tackled in a different order?
Oh and as to what might be changed;
-include the day and night system
-find ways to make HMs less frustrating
-a way to catch the Regis that doesn't involve Braille.
- something in the many water routes, extra islands or something to make them a little less aggravating.
-villain motives that make sense.(power isn't so much a goal as a means to an end. What does your team wish to do with their power?)
-more exciting elite four teams

Anyway, good luck with your project!

 

[Hawky]

I've played a lot of fan games, all of them were great in their own ways, and I've even thought of making my own (though I don't have the slightest idea where to start hahaha) But regardless, I had an idea the other day about the main character of the game being able to change into a pokemon (though which one and how I've yet to fully shape but I was thinking the player could take a quiz and be able to narrow it down from there, or maybe just pick from a list) and there could be moments where they had to be a pokemon to do missions, and other sort of cut scenes, just an idea I had that I thought I'd share and that I might implement in a fan game if I ever make one :) thanks for taking the time to read this huge chuck of text hahaha

 

[TechSkylander1518]

That sounds like an interesting idea! Is your game going to be focused more on how the player stands out among humans as a person who can transform, or how they interact with Pokemon as a Pokemon that's not really the same as them?

Also, if you're looking for a starting point, check out Pokemon Essentials and RPG Maker! It's got a lot of great resources!

 

[Hawky]

That sounds like an interesting idea! Is your game going to be focused more on how the player stands out among humans as a person who can transform, or how they interact with Pokemon as a Pokemon that's not really the same as them?

Also, if you're looking for a starting point, check out Pokemon Essentials and RPG Maker! It's got a lot of great resources!

Well my idea was, at least at first, the character being unaware of their ability to change shape, but flashbacks hinting at them being able to do it in the past with an (at the moment not figured out) event making them unable to do it, until they have a run in with the antagonists of the game and a device in their possession effects them along with nearby pokemon, making them change, but where would I find those things exactly? And I'm glad you like the idea :3 I was a little worried about posting it, I don't post my ideas online very often hahaha

 

[TechSkylander1518]

That sounds very interesting! I can't wait to see where it goes!
RPG Maker can be download at http://www.rpgmakerweb.com/products/programs/rpg-maker-xp
Pokemon Essentials can be downloaded at http://pokemonessentials.wikia.com/wiki/Downloads
Aw, don't worry about posting ideas here! This is the place to tinker around with them!

 

[Hawky]

That sounds very interesting! I can't wait to see where it goes!
RPG Maker can be download at http://www.rpgmakerweb.com/products/programs/rpg-maker-xp
Pokemon Essentials can be downloaded at http://pokemonessentials.wikia.com/wiki/Downloads
Aw, don't worry about posting ideas here! This is the place to tinker around with them!

Oh no, I'm sure this is a lovely place, I've only been here for a few days but I like it, I just in general have anxious feelings about sharing anything ha

But yea I was hoping that even if I COULDN'T do something with it, it'd just be an interesting idea, cause I've seen you play the character's pokemon before in some games but never the character BEING the pokemon before, and I thought that it could be an interesting avenue to explore though I don't think I will be exploring it unless the demo for RPG maker doesn't have a limit XD

 

[leilou]

I've played a lot of fan games, all of them were great in their own ways, and I've even thought of making my own (though I don't have the slightest idea where to start hahaha) But regardless, I had an idea the other day about the main character of the game being able to change into a pokemon (though which one and how I've yet to fully shape but I was thinking the player could take a quiz and be able to narrow it down from there, or maybe just pick from a list) and there could be moments where they had to be a pokemon to do missions, and other sort of cut scenes, just an idea I had that I thought I'd share and that I might implement in a fan game if I ever make one :) thanks for taking the time to read this huge chuck of text hahaha

I really like that idea, too. Would there be dungeons like in pokemon mystery dungeon? (big fan of pokemon mystery dungeon)

Okay, so you'd like your game to be heavily based on Emerald. You've largely highlighted what will be similar but what's important is how it will be different. If it takes place a few years later then don't be afraid to change things around. In Gold and Silver when you revisit Kanto there had been a volcanic eruption which had destroyed the Cinnabar mansion and made the Seafoam islands inaccessible (a convenient way to cut them out, granted.) additionally, Janine has taken over the poison gym from Koga. Bw2 is also a sequel game and it brings a revamped team plasma under different organisation as well as a few new cities to explore. My advice would be to keep your game fresh with changes. Does the player need to start in Littleroot or could the game be tackled in a different order?
Oh and as to what might be changed;
-include the day and night system
-find ways to make HMs less frustrating
-a way to catch the Regis that doesn't involve Braille.
- something in the many water routes, extra islands or something to make them a little less aggravating.
-villain motives that make sense.(power isn't so much a goal as a means to an end. What does your team wish to do with their power?)
-more exciting elite four teams

Anyway, good luck with your project!

Thanks for your opinion! It did give me a lot of new ideas.

• I'll change some Citys(e.g. Mossdeep City will be more modern, Pacifidlog Town will have a Harbour similar to sun/moon Poni Island, Sootopolis City is going to be adjusted so you can no longer softlock yourself there)
• I'll change some NPCs pointing out how it was some time ago ... another example Wally is now Henry and the name of his father is Wally... I'll change the fathers and Walters gym(I don't like the normal gym at all ... I really like Walter ... but he has to be sacraficed for the story)
• The start of the game will be exact the same as in emerald for two reasons:
  • The nostalgic feeling when I started playing Alpha Saphire was so good ... it really brought me back to my childhood
  • I don't believe I can introduce a new player to the world of pokemon better than Game Freak (I'm totally aware, that 99.9%-100% of people playing this game will know how pokemon works ... I still want newbes to be able to play this)
• I plan to include day and night System(there are already events that only trigger at nighttime/daytime ... they are not main story events ... e.g. a party in Slateport City every saturday night)
• I kinda like HMs and kinda don't ... I think I'm gonna have more pokemon be able to learn them. Plus I'm changing them so they can be forgotten anytime.
• I actually like the way the Regis are cought ... I'll have the Braille alphabet show up once you obtain a certain item though. I'll also have NPCs/TV point out the locations.
• your right with the water routes ... I kinda wanna add a water fun park on a route
• the motive comes from their name (regula = rule in latin). It is subject to change but I don't have a good idea yet ... so for now they are just purely evil trying to ensclave the world. I just thought Regula would fit to Aqua and Magma soudwise ...

 

[Djaco75]

I've played a lot of fan games, all of them were great in their own ways, and I've even thought of making my own (though I don't have the slightest idea where to start hahaha) But regardless, I had an idea the other day about the main character of the game being able to change into a pokemon (though which one and how I've yet to fully shape but I was thinking the player could take a quiz and be able to narrow it down from there, or maybe just pick from a list) and there could be moments where they had to be a pokemon to do missions, and other sort of cut scenes, just an idea I had that I thought I'd share and that I might implement in a fan game if I ever make one :) thanks for taking the time to read this huge chuck of text hahaha

That sounds good, I think. It's quite original and creative, which I like. I think you should make the player involved in the story, though. Maybe his ability to shapeshift was passed down by his father, and his father was the leader of the evil team... etc.

Whatever you do, it sounds like a cool idea - can't wait to see where you go with it!

 

[Hawky]

I really like that idea, too. Would there be dungeons like in pokemon mystery dungeon? (big fan of pokemon mystery dungeon)

I was thinking it could be a something like that, like the player character could explore an area that they couldn't go to before because they were to large as a human and maybe, say they rescue a group of pikachu, one of them could be like 'hey bro' (excuse the manner of speech) 'you helped me out, so now I'm going to help you out' and they'll stay with the player until the end of the area, as a 'team member' so that any sort of battles the player might do they won't be the only one to fight

That sounds good, I think. It's quite original and creative, which I like. I think you should make the player involved in the story, though. Maybe his ability to shapeshift was passed down by his father, and his father was the leader of the evil team... etc.

Whatever you do, it sounds like a cool idea - can't wait to see where you go with it!

Oh I planned on making the idea deeper than it seems, I only just came up with it a few minutes ago before I posted so I hadn't gotten the change to think about it deeper yet, but I'm writing down a list of ideas as I come up with them I'm thinking about it a lot though, don't worry :)

 

[Hematite]

Hi! I've found a point in my game where I could reasonably make Zygarde available, which I'd really like since it's my favorite canon Legendary. Since I love its alternate forms and don't intend to let them be shafted again, I've been redoing its form mechanics because Sun and Moon were pretty inaccurate about those and Zygarde is really cool. I have most of it down, but I was wondering what everyone thinks of it, and this is the thread to spitball ideas, so:
It's confirmed that the Cores are the brains of Zygarde. In Sun and Moon, the five Cores equate only to the five moves that Zygarde can be tutored, and, once collected (and once the move is recorded), are not at all different from Cells - this creates the error that one can conceivably create a 10% or 50% Forme construct with 10 or 50 Cells and no Cores, or, conversely, a 10% Forme made of 5 Cores and 5 Cells even though it canonically requires 10% of the available Cells. Additionally, once created, a Zygarde is totally unique, and once deconstructed, a Zygarde is totally lost - this makes no sense with the Cores as individuals, because why would they be completely different if they're using the same Cores?
My solution: Zygarde Cores are stored as Pokémon once created, and the 10%, 50% and Power Construct variations are all form changes of the Cores. They're still stored in the Zygarde Cube when they aren't used in a construct, so you can't battle with a Core on its own, but they are saved like Pokémon (like this) so that any time you do create a Zygarde, you can pick one of your Cores, and previous traits like Ribbons, EVs and IVs can be carried over.
You can give and take Cells from a Zygarde so that it has 0 (goes back into the Zygarde Cube as a Core), 10 (10% Forme), 50 (50% Forme), or 100 (can be 10% or 50% Forme). In addition, however, you can add any of your other Cores to a preexisting Zygarde (think of this like Kyurem fusion - it's not permanent, but the Core is temporarily gone until you take it back off). Individual Cores have different moves; each is associated with one of Extreme Speed, Dragon Dance, Thousand Arrows, Thousand Waves and Core Enforcer, like in SM, and adding a Core to a preexisting Zygarde instead of building a new Zygarde out of it is like the tutoring with the Zygarde Cube. Meanwhile, removing the Core makes Zygarde forget the move but lets you use that Core again so it's not gone.
Finally, if you add all five Cores to one Zygarde, and that Zygarde has all 100 Cells attached, the Zygarde gets Power Construct and can be in either 10% or 50% Forme (depending on your preference). Removing any Cells or Cores from the Zygarde will put it back to Aura Break.
I really like that it has this degree of customization to it - you get five distinct individual Zygarde to raise (five Cores off of which to construct), and then by adding Cells and combining Cores, you can teach them moves and change their Formes and Abilities, but all of those can then be taken back and redistributed so that you can experiment with different moves and distribute Cells among your five Zygarde however you want. I didn't really like how SM had such permanence with the forms (you could go up from 10% to 50%, but not back down and you could never get those Cells back; once you got Power Construct, you couldn't get rid of it or deconstruct the Zygarde; if you did deconstruct a Zygarde, it was lost forever instead of the same Core equating to the same Zygarde and so on), so I think this would be a more engaging way of dealing with its forms that I feel is truer to the canonical ways they work.
... So!! Thoughts on this? Does it seem too confusing (it probably makes more sense in-game, seeing it all applied at once, but still), and is there anything I'm missing about its forms that I should cover?
Can you tell I like Zygarde? It's so well-designed and so fun to use!!

 

[TechSkylander1518]

I think that sounds like a great idea! Making cores their own Pokemon makes a lot more sense (it always rubbed me the wrong way that a Zygarde could just disappear like that), and having the cores function more like their own Pokemon sounds like it'll be fun to mess around with!