Difference between revisions of "Inspiration Behind Merchant Manager Series"

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== Introduction ==
 
== Introduction ==
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This article aims to explain the mindset and inspiration behind each of the volumes in the Battle Technician series.
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== Merchant Manager Volume 3 ==
  
 
[[File:MerchantManagerVol3.jpg|600px|link=]]
 
[[File:MerchantManagerVol3.jpg|600px|link=]]
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== [[Hospital Shop VisuStella MZ|Hospital Shop]] ==
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=== [[Hospital Shop VisuStella MZ|Hospital Shop]] ===
  
 
[[File:VisuMZ.121.jpg|600px|link=Hospital Shop VisuStella MZ]]
 
[[File:VisuMZ.121.jpg|600px|link=Hospital Shop VisuStella MZ]]
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== [[Recruiting Board VisuStella MZ|Recruiting Board]] ==
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=== [[Recruiting Board VisuStella MZ|Recruiting Board]] ===
  
 
[[File:VisuMZ.122.jpg|600px|link=Recruiting Board VisuStella MZ]]
 
[[File:VisuMZ.122.jpg|600px|link=Recruiting Board VisuStella MZ]]
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== [[Skill Shop VisuStella MZ|Skill Shop]] ==
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=== [[Skill Shop VisuStella MZ|Skill Shop]] ===
  
 
[[File:VisuMZ.123.jpg|600px|link=Skill Shop VisuStella MZ]]
 
[[File:VisuMZ.123.jpg|600px|link=Skill Shop VisuStella MZ]]
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== Ending Statements ==
 
== Ending Statements ==
  
[[File:MerchantManagerVol3.jpg|600px|link=]]
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And that's it for this article!
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Happy RPG Making!
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And considering how gold is now a more limited resource with more gold sinks available, there becomes a strategic component to using gold.
 
Players have to figure out where their budget goes to get the most bang for their buck.
 
Do they splurge on new skills?
 
Or do they save their gold in case they need to make a hefty trip to the hospital?
 
What about acquiring new party members, too?
 
When it's no longer about spending on items and equipment, gold suddenly becomes a much more intrinsically valuable resource available to your players.
 
  
 
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Revision as of 14:28, 30 May 2023

Welcome to the wiki! This is where you can find resources from Yanfly.moe, Ækashics.moe,
VisuStella, Caz Wolf, Fallen Angel Olivia, Atelier Irina, and other affiliated content creators.


Introduction

This article aims to explain the mindset and inspiration behind each of the volumes in the Battle Technician series.


Merchant Manager Volume 3

MerchantManagerVol3.jpg

Merchant Manager Volume 3 had a lot of plugins that focused on providing alternative uses for gold. Usually, gold is a resource that's mainly used to purchase items, equipment, and a place to sleep with nothing else in mind. This plugin adds three more gold sinks for players to dump their hard earned digital gold into.


Hospital Shop

VisuMZ.121.jpg

Yanfly.png This is an article written by Yanfly.

The hospital system was originally created for Yanfly Engine 6, one of the many Yanfly Engine's from the RPG Maker VX era. It was originally inspired by Disgaea, though not all aspects of it were replicated. The reason why I opted to create such a system for RPG Maker at the time was because gold really had no other value at the time other than to buy consumable items and/or equipment.

At the time of its original creation, players had a hoarding mentality. They would not use items (namely Elixirs) that they found because "Who knows when you need them" and JRPG game design was often made that you did not have to use consumables to get past hurdles. Inns were another potential gold sink, but because of how cheap they were in comparison to everything else, resting at an inn might as well be free and it did not make a dent in player gold. That would leave equipment as the sole target of spending your money. Except there was a problem. JRPG's at the time would often litter dungeons with powerful equipment to make sure the player does not fall behind. This equipment would often trivialize what's being sold in shops at the time, too.

So in other words, there's just really no reason to use gold at all. It became a resource that just piled up over time without any real purpose. With that in mind, I started seeking ways to make gold always relevant. That's when I came across Disgaea, a Nippon Ichi Software game that is all about numbers. There were no inns in that game that gave full healing for a flat cost. Instead, hospital costs would scale upward depending on how much damage was taken.

This ended up causing the following effects in player mentality:

  • The more damage taken, the more gold has to be spent to heal.
    • If there is not enough gold to heal, that means some party members will remain damaged.
  • Players started paying attention to how they played the game.
    • They would not carelessly position their party members in places that would allow them to take unnecessary damage.
    • In turn, players would start looking for ways to improve at combat to minimize damage and how to maximize battle efficiency.
  • If players did take damage due to a large battle and there was limited amounts of gold to heal with, players had to prioritize certain characters to heal.
    • This meant that players started to understand which units were key to their success and helped them win at the game.
    • This also allowed players to know where their weakest link was and learned of which unit to train.
    • Players became more self-aware of their own progression.

The hospital system adds so much engagement when used correctly and properly balanced. It becomes a tool for indirectly teaching the player what and where they are lacking.


Recruiting Board

VisuMZ.122.jpg

IrinaAvatar.png This is an article written by Irina.

The Recruiting Board was a plugin I originally made for RPG Maker MZ. The Recruiting Board plugin enables players to have control over their party composition. They can handpick the actors they want to join their group, allowing for a highly customizable and personalized gameplay experience. Players can assemble a party that suits their preferred playstyle, strategies, and character interactions. With the ability to recruit different actors, the plugin adds variety and replayability to the game. Players can experiment with different party combinations, exploring the unique abilities, skills, and personalities of each actor. This feature encourages players to engage in multiple playthroughs, each with its own distinct party dynamics.

By incorporating a gold cost for recruiting actors, the plugin introduces an additional layer of resource management. Players need to consider their available funds and make strategic decisions about which actors to recruit based on their budget. This adds a financial aspect to party building, making gold acquisition and expenditure an integral part of the gameplay experience. The Recruiting Board plugin encourages players to think strategically when selecting new party members. They can analyze the strengths, weaknesses, and roles of each actor, considering how they complement or synergize with existing party members. This fosters a thoughtful approach to party composition and encourages players to consider the overall balance and effectiveness of their team.

The plugin empowers players with the freedom to choose the actors they want to join their party. This element of player agency enhances the overall game experience, as players feel more invested in their party and the outcomes of their decisions. The ability to select party members aligns with the RPG genre's core principle of player choice and fosters a sense of ownership over the game's progression. The plugin streamlines the process of recruiting new party members by providing a centralized system, such as the Recruiting Board. Instead of relying on chance encounters or convoluted recruitment methods, players can efficiently browse through a list of actors and make their selections. This improves the overall flow of the game, reducing frustration and providing a more streamlined and intuitive user experience.


Skill Shop

VisuMZ.123.jpg

Yanfly.png This is an article written by Yanfly.

Skill Shop is another script that was created long ago in the RPG Maker VX era. It was during an era where people were tired of only being able to learn skills through leveling and wanted an alternative way of doing so. Since I was looking for gold sinks, why not have skill shops, too?

Skill shops were available long ago in JRPG form. Even as early as Final Fantasy 1 by Squaresoft. Later on, even the popular Final Fantasy 5 had it, too. The idea was simple. Find a skill you like? You can buy it for the target ally to learn. Do you have a limited amount of gold? Well, then, it's time to make a strategic choice.

Skill shops are great in that they allow for a non-linear way of acquiring skills. Not only that, these skills can vary from region to region, too. In Guild Wars, another game I often take inspiration from, skills available from skill shops would often be themed to what would help out in the region. If a place was full of monsters that had fast movement, there were some skills that were available from the shops that would reduce their movement speed. If a region contained lots of monsters that were vulnerable to ice, ice spells would be present, too.


Ending Statements

And that's it for this article!

Happy RPG Making!


End of File