Inspiration Behind Merchant Manager Series

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Introduction

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


Merchant Manager Volume 1

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The Merchant Manager Series Volume 1 begins the new branch of plugins focused around shop keepers. Not all games would benefit from having out of the norm shop keepers, but for those that do, it's important to understand the inspiration behind them. Read on for more information.


Shop Common Events

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ArisuAvatar2.png This is an article written by Arisu.


Visual Gold Display

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ArisuAvatar2.png This is an article written by Arisu.


Fluctuating Shop Prices

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ArisuAvatar2.png This is an article written by Arisu.


Merchant Manager Volume 2

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Merchant Manager Series Volume 2 continues the trend of out of the norm shop keepers. With the second volume, the plugins mainly focus on providing the experience of feeling like you're in a different place. Not all shops are uniform in style and these plugins help add to it.


More Currencies

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Yanfly.png This is an article written by Yanfly.

The More Currencies plugin was originally created in Yanfly Engine Plugins for RPG Maker MV. It allows the usage of items, weapons, armors, and variables for the purchase of items found inside of shops.

This flexibility allows game developers to create unique shops that require different types of trade, adding depth and variety to the shopping experience. By breaking away from the traditional gold-based economy, special shops with their own unique currencies can be introduced, enhancing the game's immersion and realism. The plugin draws inspiration from various MMORPGs that feature special events with unique currencies. In these games, events introduce temporary currencies that allow players to participate on an equal playing field, regardless of their accumulated wealth in the standard currency, such as gold. By implementing a similar system in RPG Maker games, the More Currencies plugin offers a challenge to players, encouraging them to engage with events and diversify their resources beyond gold accumulation.

It is also inspired by games like Super Mario Odyssey, the More Currencies plugin aims to enhance immersion and create a sense of regional identity. By introducing currencies specific to different regions within the game world, players can feel a deeper connection to each area. This immersion is reinforced by the ability to purchase special items unique to each region using these specific currencies. With differentiating currencies based on regions, the plugin adds depth and realism to the game's economy, making each area feel distinct and memorable.

The More Currencies plugin provides a way to limit the availability of certain items by tying their purchase to specific currencies. By making the acquisition of these currencies limited in some form, such as through rare drops or completion of specific quests, the plugin introduces strategic value to the player's decision-making process. This limitation forces players to consider how they spend their resources, adding an additional layer of depth and tactical planning to the gameplay experience.


One Time Purchase

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Yanfly.png This is an article written by Yanfly.

The plugin draws inspiration from the concept of peddler NPCs having limited supplies of items. Not all merchants or peddlers in the game world are equipped with infinite inventories. By implementing a system where item entries can only be bought once in a store, the plugin adds a sense of scarcity and resource management to the gameplay. This encourages players to carefully consider their purchases and spend their resources wisely, making each transaction more meaningful and strategic.

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, NPC merchants offer a limited selection of items at a given time and restock their inventory periodically. This feature encourages players to revisit areas and NPCs, creating a sense of exploration and discovery. By incorporating similar mechanics, the plugin adds depth to the shopping experience and encourages players to return to locations for restocking or to discover new events or developments.

One of the inspirations behind the plugin is to introduce a feeling of scarcity within the RPG world. When items are readily available in large quantities, the sense of urgency and decision-making surrounding their usage diminishes. However, by limiting the availability of items and creating a situation where players must choose between using an item immediately or saving it for later, the plugin adds a layer of strategic decision-making and tension. This scarcity enhances the player's immersion and makes each purchase and use of an item more impactful.


Randomize Shop

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ArisuAvatar2.png This is an article written by Arisu.


Merchant Manager Volume 3

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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

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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

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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

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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!


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