Where to start? (turnbased rpg)

Development Getting Started & Setup
1

Hey folks!

I’m new to the engine and I wanna use this thread first to get some starting advise and maybe later I’ll be back with specific questions.

I wanna start by explaining where I’m coming from/where I’m at and then where I wanna go.

Where I’m coming from:

I got some experience as a gamedev, since I developed the 2D rpg DEEP 8 in RPG Maker. This took around 17 years, so I’m not shy of doing the work. I did pretty much everything myself, including 3D artworks in Blender, so I got in touch with some 3D stuff as well, which certainly will come in handy switching to a 3D engine.
My worst enemy is probably programming. My brain is just not specifically made for that, although I did program a battlesystem, menu etc. for DEEP 8. So I’m sure with some work I’ll be able to do it in unreal too. Maybe it’s just not gonna be the most elegant code. :wink: I can live with that, as long as it works.

Where I wanna go:

My plan is now to develop an ambitious 3D rpg with maybe a retro touch to it, possibly limited resolution or so, I’m not so sure of that yet. I wanna use fixed cameras and optionally tank controls. Dynamic cameras will appear, but when they do, you know something special is happening. Graphic wise I don’t plan for it to be photorealistic or anything, yet not super stylized either. Maybe roughly something like PS2 graphics, assets. Maybe slightly higher resolution, 720p or so, but not HD, so I don’t get overwhelmed with creating detailed textures.

Once again I wanna build my own ambitious turnbased battle system yet with only one playable character this time. Moreover an elaborate equipment and developing system and up to 10 enemies that can be targeted with skills that have different AOE (area of effect), maybe a little similar to Chrono Trigger.

Where to start?

I did a lot of writing and drawing concept stuff so far but recently I decided to take look at the engine and do some first tutorials. I did for instance some blueprint tutorials which in theory I understood and reproduce but I feel like I’m still very far of using them to my own needs, which is kinda normal at the start, I guess.

I just watched a video of someones 6 months journey in UE.

There tip was mentioned “do what is most interesting to you first”. In general I would agree, since I moved from blueprint tutorials to landscape etc I find it much more enjoyable. On the other hand I’m thinking I can’t avoid the unpleasant things to the bitter end. I gotta plan all this somehow together. I can’t do all the modeling and build cities, without an idea how to put them in function. Also I feel there’s still a good chance of building complex systems in a ■■■■■■, unfavorable way.

What I currently do for instance is writing down stuff from tutorials that seems useful, for instance: Using Master-Materials sounds like a nice idea, I thought it should be possible to control all the materials of a certain map or character and thus manipulate the roughness for when it’s raining for instance. Maybe even depending on whether the topology is facing up.

So if you have any further recommendations on where to start, how to plan or what tutorials to use, let me know.

As a little thank you for reading/helping me out, here’s a concept artwork I did for the game I’m planning to do.

Intro Assault Meling kl
Intro Assault Meling kl1000×1285 141 KB

2

My only advice is: don’t make that game.
We all have a dream, ambitious game we’d like to make, but it’s almost certainly impossible to make it as your first game, especially if you’re not very good at programming.
I know you’re not going to listen to me and I understand, 5 years ago I wouldn’t have done it either.
In any case, I wish you good luck with your project and I hope you manage to pull it off.

3

Hello,

Okay. This was A LOT.

Anytime you have a question, you really should condense it. Asking multiple questions is fine, but trying to solve them all in one place gets messy very quickly. So, ask one thing first, and then move on to the next (in a different thread).

What is the first thing you want/need to do?

If you want people here to sort through your ideas and organize them for you, then you’ll very likely need to hire a programmer. If you do not want to do that, I HIGHLY suggest you buy @unreal_sensei 's class. He’s extremely organized, and you’ll learn how to think like a programmer, and not just an artist.

4

The reply saying ‘don’t make that game’ is valid most of the time as people usually come here with no clue just an idea. But if even half of what you wrote above is true, you definitely have enough resilience to make this happen. A proof of concept prototype anyway. So go for it. Start by reading beginner threads like the one below and take onboard any advice that helps.

Blueprints are programming and yet they aren’t. They’re certainly the easiest form of ‘NOT’ programming ever. Overall, BP may or may not be enough to ship a full game though (its an unknown at this point). But you can definitely build a high quality prototype that gives you options later, such as hiring or bringing onboard extra skills to complete a production game.

But don’t worry about any of that right now, especially as there are 100’s of Marketplace packs to help support your programming weaknesses. Achievement at something is work-put-in times natural ability. So as long as you’re resilient you’ll finish a prototype at least. And if you’re really determined you’ll get a good quality prototype done. After that who knows… 80%-90% of indie games fail anyway. As most games are really just passion projects (not a viable business). So a bit of good luck / timing / relevance / providence is an essential part in all of this. :wink:

5

Thank you guys for all those replies! I feel like I already gained a bit of orientation.

Well, this sounds a bit like a weak argument. :wink: Especially considering the context I described.
However in general I would agree with you. This is a mad task, and I’ve seen a lot of devs fail in the rpg maker scene. However I succeeded before against so many odds, I don’t see why I couldn’t do it again.

Technically I did only ask one thing: Where to start? I just gave it some context. :wink:
But thanks for the recommendation. I’m already subscribed to UnrealSenseis YT and completed his landscape/castle tutorial, which helped me a lot. I feel like I’m going to to a lot of his tutorials in the furture.
Btw: Saying I can’t program at all would be a bit understated. After all I programmed a relatively complex battlesystem in rpg maker, consisting of a few hundred “events”. I just need to learn to translate that into UE. Also there’s probably opportunity for improving the workflow a lot.

Thanks. :slight_smile:

Could you elaborate on that? In which case do you sense they wont be enough?

This is a passion project as well, of course. I’m not expecting any commercial success. My first game was a personal achievement, yet a financial catastrophe, but that’s okay.

I actually read the thread you mentioned and I read your comments in it. I found it a bit odd, to not recommend YT, although I understand that there’s a lot of BS flying around there. So you have to sort out of course and take whatever is useful and if you follow tutorial of a diversity of people, you will probably get the best of all of them and what fits your need.
But I actually tried to follow your advise for a second and checked out the Learning section. I clicked on a random video and it was … a YT-link. :smiley: Okay, I will still visit this section from time to time, if I’m looking for something.
However am I blind or is there no search bar to enter tags …?

Okay, this time I also got a concrete question:
I stumbled across how to create “blend materials” from multiple material instances. However the way to do this seems overly strange to me. You can only open that menu when you are on a specific material in quixel bridge. Is this really the proper way to do this?

Also it seems weird to be, that this is limited to 3 materials.
Blending materials is kinda mysterious to me and I’m planning on educating myself with this rather lengthy video:

6

Not sure what the wink is for.

You may think you asked one thing, but you didn’t. And I answered that anyway.

Here, you do precisely what I suggested. This is clear. Stay on this track on you’ll get whatever help you’ll need.

Anyway, good luck to you.

7

Ok, here’s some examples: Gameplay features you are insisting on for your RPG:

A. Aren’t exposed to BP at all right now. So without C++ you’re dead in the water.
B. Features needed do exist, but run slower and so the code is performing badly.
C. BP version has bugs / needs tweaks / customization done to fulfill RPG wishlist.
D. A Plugin exists, but its not being maintained / has bugs / may be discontinued.
E. Its possible to make BP-only games ofc but often compromises must be made.

You control your own destiny here a lot more than you realize maybe. Theoretical example… You have a master list of features that you think must be in the RPG. Turns out several of those require C++ (not unusual). But as it turns out, game testers only rate these MUST HAVE features 6 out of 10. Later on in a moment of late night serendipity, you’re inspired to come up alternative features that work in BP just fine and don’t require C++. Testers come back raving about these new features, rating them 9 out of 10. Now the other ideas seem much less important and so you put them on hold. See where this is going??? So you are actually in control of everything, so long as you remember to stay flexible and listen to early feedback… Be open to coming up with better ideas, even in mid-development where things may seem fixed. Art of Sun Tzu and all that… You are more nimble than big studios and can adapt quickly. :wink:

You’re smart enough to read between the lines. The advice there is really just saying: don’t get too chained to YT (because it can become a crutch). For starters, learning too much or everything off YT is often way slower than just experimenting… It also kills spontaneity / serendipitous discovery (read on)… So use YT if it helps in places. Survival guide… The sooner you learn where the bugs and performance limits of UE are (and benchmark things for your particular game) the better position you’ll be in. You won’t get that level of insight from YT.

Also, remember, you get conditioned by how you learn… YT may subconsciously program you to just rehash existing games (reinvent the wheel). But new innovations in games is still really important. So, what unique selling points does your game offer… See where this is going?

BTW:
Post new questions in new threads as this helps the forums.
Its also far more likely to offer more relevant specific replies. :wink: