Arcanum Fan-Sequel with RPG Maker? (Seriously)

Now that I learnt how to use well the RPG Maker engine. I think it's possible to create Pen and Paper-based RPG's like Arcanum on it. My idea was to do a fan-sequel, set 45 years after the the IFS Zephyr crash (1930), before starting to create the storyline I want your opinion on the endings I'm using to create the sequel: Arcanum's PC was an half-orc thief/smooth talker, his party would be Virgil, Sodd, Magnus, Jayna, Franklyn, Arronax and Dog. The endings I'm planing to use are: Shrouded Hills prospers and Doc Roberts lives, Donn Throgg becomes president of Tarant, PC gets the neutral wandering god ending, Magnus finds his clan, Black Root conflicts. The plot mostly expands on the

Spoiler

Gnomish conspiracy.

what do you think of it? The backstory is important because the player can find Virgil's journal, and he explains all these events, similar to the Vault Dweller's memories in Fallout 2, only that Virgil's journal is actually in the game.

 

Welcome to the forum, Klaz.

It sounds like you've got a pretty good baseline there. Go for it!
I'd love to see this when it's finished.

 

Why use RPG Maker instead of making it an Arcanum module? Is it easier to use than WorldEd? :???:

The conspiracy is probably the coolest plot in Arcanum though. It really should've been the main plot, and maybe it would be suitable for a main plot for a sequel, though it feels a bit too late, and a bit too much of a repeat. It was already 'after the fact' in Arcanum, so 45 years later even less evidence would remain. Or were they still doing it? I don't quite remember. I think they wanted to jumpstart the population though, and then rely on them to sustain their numbers the way everyone else does. But I could be wrong about that.

 

Yes, RPG Maker is easier to do, you don't have to script anything, just add variables and use the add conditions button, the graphics must be smaller though.

This time, the player reaches Arcanum by a zeppelin that actually makes it into Shrouded Hills (A big city now, following with the ''Shrouded Hills prospers'' ending) a typical package delivery quest coming from one of the rich gnome merchants starts the main plotline.

Yes, the quests ends with the gnome telling you that you can't do nothing about it, and you can sell the journal to an imposter disguised as the Caladon newspapers editor. Donn Throgg probably stopped the conspiracy, but, he's dead now, and there are still gnomes...

 

Bah, too much happiness, too little blood! After King Farad's assassination, Caladon fell to a state of corruption. Now, Caladon is divided into two, with former king's son trying to control the city. However, Thieves Underground has the real power...

 

Don't worry, there's a new hitmen faction in the game, and Caladon is part of the United Kingdom now but you can convince almost all the powerful factions to attack Tarant. Which NPC's would you like to see again in the sequel? They can be joinable party members too, the ones that are already reapearing are elderly Doc Roberts, Magnus, Raven, Jayna, Jormund, Geoffrey and Jongle Dunne.

 

If it's easier and with no script, then it's probably a lot less powerful too isn't it?

 

What have you got? An undead dog?

 

What I mean is, nothing that bad happened in the time of Arcanum the game. The "Living One" can not save the whole world! Besides, I don't think Donn Throgg would lead Tarant for long. Racism isn't easy to erase...
Undead Mutt would be interesting...

 

Emm, Dog is dead, he won't appear in the game.

It has all I need, you can do a lot of branches (consequences for quests, stats, etc.) also it supports millions of variables and switches.

He didn't, the endings that I posted are only some of the ones I'm going to use.

I can tell you already that Donn didn't exactly die of old age...

 

Well, I did say Undead Mutt...
Why didn't you mention any bad things?

 

Just some corrections

Actually, only 30 000.

For RM2K(3): The resolution is fixed at 320*240 (256 colors), chipsets (preset tile groups) contain chips (tiles) of at most 16*16, charsets (preset groups of critter pictures) contain charsprites (critter pictures) of at most 32*24. Without custom systems you can compare games made with it it to FF:VI.

But it is easy to do much with it. Like implementing CBS (custom battle systems), CMS (Custom Menu Systems) and a whole lot more.

For RMXP: This does contain script (Ruby) but the standard resolution is set at 640*480 (16-bit colors) and I don't know the specifications of the rest.

It's far weaker then RM2K(3) in it's basic form, although you can use scripts to make very impressing systems, problem is, it's more difficult then solo-ing Arcanum as a Halfling negotiator.

And I could go on, but to stay a little on topic:
"45 years later? Then which date? I once ended the game at year 2030."

 

:lol: That was an exageration.

I'm focused on finishing New Shrouded Hills area first so that I can show some screenshots.

Actually, the game starts at the 3rd of February, 1930. The game isn't going to take into account every possible path through Arcanum, think of the game as a possibility.

 

To RTP or not to TRP, that's a stupid question.

Are you using RTP, or custom-made graphics?

If you're using RTP, I can reccomend you NOT to show any screenshots.

 

Custom, although some NPC's use RTP sprites. RTP only has human, I can't use them.

 

RTP has dragon sprites for Burnowars and stuff.

And also a zombie for Zombies.

And a reaper for Liches.

And the RTP addition has probably also got some nice stuff (that I can't be buggered to remember).

 

It doesn't have elves, dwarves, halflings, etc...

 

It has some elves

RTP has: 2 Elves
(the guy and girl with a feather in their hair, look at the ears RM2K: Chara2, the rightmost two of the lower line; RM2K3: Hero2, same),
and 1 Dark Elf
(the tanned guy with the white hair, RM2K&RM2K3: Monster2, second from the right, upper row RM2K has got a monster sprite of him with a scimitar/scitimar/tulwar monster sprite name: Darkelf).

Anyhow, RPG Maker would be more suited for a fan-game then a real sequel.

 

2 Elves aren't enough, I can't make them change armor.