Castle Paradox

[Blazes Battles Inc.]

Well, it's me. I disappeared a long while ago, and I don't expect anyone noticed. I never really released a game or anything. I would like to say a few things though. I'm hoping some of this may help newbies, but I can't even assume that much.

I started work on Destiny's Cruelty with a serious intention to finish it. Interest in it just sort of disappeared for me. I had intended to make something new, and different, with some never before seen feature... but the more I made of it the more generic it seemed to get. The mini-games were simple, and field abilities didn't develop or work like they were supposed to. The graphics were all horrendously poor, with the possible exception of some maptiles I made later on, but maptiles are ridiculously easy to make anyway, so not a big accomplishment. Looking back, I'm glad I didn't finish it... I wouldn't have enjoyed it, and if I couldn't enjoy something I made, I doubt other people would have been able to. Still, I'm not really sure why I stopped working on it then. I started work on another game, this time a fully plotscripted one. It was called Rune Plate, or something, I honestly don't remember what.

The game was based around a (at best) mediocre system. Players would put elemental stones into slots, and based on the input, different spells and effects would be cast. I managed to balance out the system. I made some character graphics I was really proud of (I deleted the game long since, so I can't say anything about it now). The actual coding turned out to be increasingly difficult to manage, however. I'm sure some of the plotscripting geniuses could've done everything I did in under 10 lines, but by the time I quit, the plotscripts took over 45 pages, and I was only about 60% done with the basic engine. I just stopped working on it, about the same time I left the community. I wasn't even planning it. One day I just stopped. So here's my advice to newcomers:

Games can take a long time to make, especially if you're planning on having a lot of extra features. The OHR is user-friendly, but not nearly as easy to quickly whip up a game with as some other engines out there. And if you try to utilize everything at once, you're going to get bored and frustrated and quit like I did. I knew how to use the system very well, since I have a knack for programming. But, other than the two huge projects I planned, DC and the plotscripted game, the only game I ever made was Cheese Penguin. That game was a hunking pile of garbage. I was young then, but still. I didn't have the experience to hold together a large project. So whatever you do, don't try to add too much stuff at once. Make simple games. Sure they may be cliche, but you don't even have to share them with the community. Find out ways to balance gameplay correctly and improve your graphics to a point where people won't mock them (so much, anyway). With each game, make it bigger in some respect. Say if your first game had four heros, add 2 in the next one. Make all the heros equal enough in ability that there's actually player choice involved in who they want to use, but don't make them completely interchangable like FF7 characters (made completely of materia). By the time you're work your way up to do a large project, you'll have the experience needed to finish it.

As for me, I'm mourning the death of the Kid Radd comic, which ended not too long ago on comic 401 (I still love webcomics). I'm also still learning how to make games, but not using an engine. I'm taking several courses in Java (though slow, it's become better than C++ in many respects) and Assembly, and once I have a grip on the languages I'll be able to design something I can be proud of. I've also been writing a lot... I'm trying to become an author, so I need all the improvement I can make concerning my work (if you don't know what I'm talking about, look up statistics on how many authors even ever manage to get ANY piece of work published). I have english teachers and a real author critiquing my work, and I've come a long way in terms of style and cohesion.

Anyway, I'm glad to see the community is still growing. I check back every once in a while to try some new games, check for updates, etc. I'd also like to apologize to anyone I've been an ass to in the past. I'm more mature than I used to be, and I'm sure I wouldn't agree with a lot of what I've said before.

Hope you all keep having some good times with the OHR; this is the best online communities I've had the pleasure of being in ever. Good luck with your current projects, and 'bye.

[Uncommon]

I noticed. Bye.

[MultiColoredWizard]

I was wondering what happened to you. You were always pretty cool.

See you next mission, I suppose.

[Setu_Firestorm]

Actually, I wondered what happened to you.

It's a shame you're leaving, but hey, at least you're moving on with your life unlike most of us hear.

/me can hear MCW's response to that one: "Speak for yourself."
_________________


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/georgerpowell
Newgrounds: http://setu-firestorm.newgrounds.com

[MultiColoredWizard]

"unlike most of us hear."

HUR HUR LISTEN FOR YOURSELF

[Cardcaptor Stacey]

Good luck! Bye bye!
_________________
My Websites!
http://members.lycos.co.uk/cardcaptorstacey
http://members.lycos.co.uk/sointokoda
http://members.lycos.co.uk/youthfuldays
http://members.lycos.co.uk/nobodybutboa