Does a Sonic RPG sound good?

[MetalShadowOverlord]

I've been working on a Sonic-based RPG called Final Fantasy Sonic Quest.

Storyline:

Basically, it's just another lazy day when out of nowhere Knuthole is under attack. The enemy forces are clearly Robotnick class robots, but these kinds of robots have not been seen for ages. (Old school Sonic 1 and some Sonic 2 enemies) Eggman's robots are much different (Eggrobos of all sorts). The battle style is just like a Final Fantasy RPG, and you fight off the robots with Sonic and Tails. As you progress, many will join the party including some old villians. Once I get the battle system working (I'm still looking for some Sonic character sprites in RPG form.) I'll be able to post a screenshot.

Note: I'm not asking for anything other than people's opinions.

[Rael0505]

We can't exactly give opinions if you don't show us anything.

[BlazeHedgehog]

Sonic is about action. Speed. Style. RPGs, especially Final Fantasy RPGs, contain very little of this. RPGs are about slow, strategic planning. Standing around and fiddling through menus.

It'll be passable, but it won't really be... Sonicy.

[ila]

It depends on how you do things. You have to do more than just change potions to rings and mp to... well something. You actually have to put some thought into it. Example: what kinds of attacks would Sonic have? Would he have any support skills? I always thought that the classic "haste" or speed up spell seemed like something Sonic might be able to do. As for Tails, maybe give him some chemist like abilities where he combines some badnik scraps into some goofy 1 use weapon? Knuckles is your generic monk, and Amy could be whatever you wanted her to be.

Battles themselves would have to be a little different than the classic turned based stuff. But not an action RPG either. I just think the battles would have to somehow still feel kind of fast... I'm already getting a vision for a great idea in my head but unfortunately it hards to describe, and impossible to do without a pro.... still. You have to think how Sonic would work in an RPG and go from there.

[DimensionWarped]

Sonic wouldn't work well in the classic RPG style, but he could work wonderful in the action RPG style. Even an RPG with timed attacks ala SMRPG would work well.

[Guest Shadix]

I think that Sonic would work great under a Kingdom Hearts styled realtime combat system. That way you are still controlling Sonic but you have more options. (Of course I would personally go with a more PSO-esque method of selecting what you are doing.)

[ila]

I don't think total real time would work... just imagine what it would turn out like. And if you can't imagine allow me to say the forbidden name: Sonic Heroes.

[Clwe]

Sonic Heroes was in 3D. Most of us still make our games in 2D. That's that problem solved, methinks =P. Seriously though, the 'Tales of' RPG games prove that real-time 2D combat works brilliantly, if done right. Something like that would translate well to Sonic. However, the supporting AI would be difficult to program, no two ways about that. They would have to be competent, but not too clever - you can't have them doing all of the work for you, after all.

Another solution would be to have some kind of hybrid battle system - think Valkyrie Profile (a bit hard to explain in simple terms, but it definitely has untapped potential) or maybe Legend of Dragoon (performing combination attacks via precise button taps). They're both turn based, but they give the player more 'interactivity' when their turn comes round.

There's my two cents, anyhow. If you're confident with your game-maker-of-choice (even basic RPGs are quite difficult), then go right ahead.

[Blue Frenzy]

Sonic is about action. Speed. Style. RPGs, especially Final Fantasy RPGs, contain very little of this. RPGs are about slow, strategic planning. Standing around and fiddling through menus.

It'll be passable, but it won't really be... Sonicy.

I think the same. Sonic is not made for rpgs. If you wish to make an rpg, use original characters.

[Zonar Games]

There are already some Sonic rpgs in action as we speak on sonic stadium forums. Sonic needs action unless you're going to make him run fast as hell in the rpg. And rpgs is known for having long cutscenes so not that much of a good idea.

[Professor-J]

The 50,000 or so Sonic RPGs on the Sonic Stadium are all using an illegal program called RPG Maker 2003, also RPG Maker 2003 can't make decent games, because its a very basic and limited program. It's basically "look tiles teehee!, I can drop them to make a map! I'm so awesome, I'm making a game!".

[LarkSS]

You can't give a link saying this is what a RPG should be like if there's no demo or nothing. >.>

[BlazeHedgehog]

RPG Maker isn't any more illegal to use than MMF, assuming you paid for it.

[LarkSS]

True, I didn't get that part of the post, so I said nothing.

[Zonar Games]

RPG Maker is illegal? Why?

[Professor-J]

Once upon a time, there was Don Miguel. Him and a team of friends translated RPG Maker 95, 2000 and Sim RPG Maker, and Fighter Maker 95, and distributed them for free, even though they were commercial programs in japan. Due to their obscurity, no-one knew they were illegal, even I assumed they were free to begin with. Until Enterbrain issued a cease and desist order. Don Miguel then urged others to stop using it (and the newly illegally translated 2K3), but no-one cared anymore. Many great communities were born, and I guess Enterbrain must thank Don for introducing the makers into the english world. if it wasn't for them, there wouldn't be such a high demand for an official XP translation (which we got in the end, plus ONE legally translated demo game which can be downloaded from the official site). Don Miguel has since then dissapeared, but there are still RMXP illegal translations and hacks (e.g Postality Kinghts translation and RMXP ENHANCED) floating around the net, but now the majority of the community have the legal version, either because they're new to the community, or because they wanna show their support in hopes that Enterbrain will translate more programs

[ssbfalcon]

Sonic can work in an RPG... I have some plans for a non traditional Sonic RPG I'll do after Sonic's Vacation is done... (probably won't be until december...)

Of course, both over world and action stages, but not in the way you'd expect. I won't say any more than that...

Let's just say I finally found good use for the Coconut Hunter engine...

[USC]

Sonic MAdventure was a pretty good blend of RPG, relying more on good bosses than long dungen levels. Admittedly, it wouldn't have been as good if you didn't know certain things about SFGHQ...But MAdventure 2 showed promise. Too bad it never made it past that demo...

[Professor-J]

Sonic MAdventure

WTF?

[Enlyzer]

In you the case you don't know, Blitz, Sonic MADventure is an old Sonic game that possess RPG Maker-like graphics and some really nice humor.

And I sincerely think that, if correctly done, an Sonic rpg would be nice. ThirdScape, for exemple, is not an RPG but its storyline is surely dense enough to fit in a roleplaying game.

[USC]

Blitz, the game's on the main site.

http://sfghq.emulationzone.org/view_info.php?sec=1&id=40

[Zonar Games]

oh i see now.

[MetalShadowOverlord]

Thanks to everyone for your input. Many of the factors mentioned, like Ila's character type advice (Knux = Monk, Tails = Chemist, etc.) have long since been taken into account. I will admit that I did not even think about having Tails combine parts, like Rikku's Overdrive Mix from FFX. BTW, Ila, I wasn't going to change the names of items like you suggested (I.E. Potion = ring) but it does sound like a good idea. Magic, of course, would be named after abilities from SA2, Sonic Riders, and my imagination since there aren't enough abilities in SA2 or Sonic Riders to satisfy one RPG. (I.E. Slow = Chaos Control, Death = Asura's Wish, etc)

In regards to RPG Maker 2003, it can't be illegal because I heard a rumor that Square Enix used it to create FF1 & 2 Advanced and FFIV Advanced. Then again, it WAS just a rumor. Unfortunately, I forgot where I heard it.

The reason I did not post a screenshot is because I lack the approprate sprites. I've been trying to find good custom sprites of Sonic and Co in RPG format, but, since I cannot locate any at the moment, I am just better off using Sonic Crackers sprites like in Sonic MADventure. Although I'd hate to copy someone's work like that, it seems like the only alternative. Once I do aquire the necessary sprites or decide to use Sonic Crackers sprites, I will post an image on page 1 of this thread.

[USC]

Well, good luck with it. If you do decide to use Cracker sprites, mail me a list of what characters you need. The style is sort of my specialty, and I have a lot of unfinished ones sitting on my hard-drive, so I might be able to help you.

[Professor-J]

Ah, I see, I'll play it if I get the chance.