School for Witches and Wizards -- RPG-centric

Hosted Games Works In Progress
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@817819 The school encourages inter-college friendships. :slight_smile: A bit of rivalry is healthy, but in the end, we want people to work together.

I meant “consequences” in a more social sense. If you’re in Azanell, and you’re seen hanging out with Gemini scum all the time, then people in your college will get suspicious.

And truthfully, I have no idea when the demo will be ready. So far I’ve been writing the main plot/quest, which is massive because of all the potential choices involved. There are 5 ways to obtain the quest (e.g. you can get it from the headmaster, or from your friends, or from an infamous rogue in the city of Tarant, etc), and over 7 ways to end it, which means lots of contingencies to write for.

After I’m done writing the main quest, I’ll begin writing the earlier portions of the game, and then release a WIP demo so you guys can see how the game works and give feedback.

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@evaporate I don’t mind that too much I’ll probably go for valhern first then azanell. The two colleges in which i most belong, and ironically in which I would seek the least freinds.

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I am enthralled by such a minutely detailed and epically interesting word, but, as always, I have a few questions (I have examined all posts by @evaporate and will try not to be redundant).

-how much will the sociopolitical situation affect a student (who, if I remember correctly, is thirteen, the primal state for sociopolitical situations)?

-how much effect does the character have on the world? For example, what is the likelihood (this coming from someone who believes that worldly affect is measured in mental capacity, thus a thirteen-year-old can still effect the world and are not restricted on physical age) that anyone will *trust* a thirteen-year-old with a task of crucial importance?

-how much scheming can the character take part in, or is the character almost consequentially forced to “do the right thing in the end.”?

-how in-depth are the romantic interests?

-what are the various backgrounds a student can choose?

Thanks, and looking forward to it,
–someone you wouldn’t know.

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@adjppm1227 Interesting questions. I’ll do my best to answer them.

Although the students live in a ‘bubble’ (the school is fairly closed off from the rest of the island), students will have many opportunities to get off school grounds and explore the city. Therefore the politics and economic situation of Tarant does affect them.

How much impact you have on the world is your choice. You can spend most of your time in school and with friends, and make choices that only impact these microsystems. However, your choices during the main adventure will impact the outside world. And who says 13 year old wizards don’t matter? :slight_smile: You do things that directly or indirectly affect the outside world, and your actions have unforseen consequences. Think of it like the butterfly effect: even a 13 year old can cause ripples in the pond.

Scheming: to put it simply, a LOT. There are different ways to approach every problem. Obviously, if you’re in Gemini, your professors will encourage you to do the right thing, but you don’t have to listen to them. Similarly, even if you’re in Azanell, you have the option of being an honest, goody two-shoes. The only restriction I place on evil actions is that you can’t get caught. If you do, you risk expulsion.

Romances: I try to make each romance unique and fitting for that student’s personality. You’ll spend time together on important events, holidays, and whatnot, and each character has at least one romance ‘adventure’ or ‘quest’. Your romances also have dialogue injections during classes / adventures / mini-scenes, but the same goes for your friends (clique members).

Backgrounds: here’s a list of the categories, and an example for each.

Astrology: when were you born (“Midnight”, +1 to Sneak skill)
Heritage: your hometown. (“Tarant”)
Family: “Estranged.” (You will never get any allowance money)
Station: “Wealthy - Old Money” (+200 silver, +1 composure)
Aptitude: skills that you’re good at (“Beguile”)
Talents: type of magic you’re gifted at (“Primal”)
Deeds: “You stole your friend’s favourite toy, hid it, then helped him find it.” +1 to Plot

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Game sounds so cool, I will enjoy it even im thinking in try Transfiguration only for you. The background has a great vibe to old roleplaying games . So i want to give you a request. Allow a random dice background and stats. With that option Choicescript gives player a random mixture of attributes background… Adds tons of replay value to further plays because people tend to follow determined combos. The rand command is already in CS so it’s not a great extra work . Also help when player has tons play to skip all status choices simply picking random reroll

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@evaporate

Oh, goody! I do love juggling a microsystem and macrosystem containing the microsystem in a sociopolitical situation.

And I never meant to imply that a thirteen-year-old *couldn’t* have an affect; I meant to say that no one would *think they could.* Then again, those who doubt the small will often leave will broken shins. XD

Who ever said I had any intention on getting caught? While still on the topic of scheming, will your fellow schoolmates (is that the term?) scheme more at say Azanell than at Gemini? (Curious, because I’m torn between Azanell and Eramis, and if Eramis is easier competition . . .)

And a romance sculpted to the player? You realize, I trust, how many variable players there are? Choosing a school gives six different character types; choosing the varying backgrounds will probably launch you into the fifties, and the player hasn’t even started *playing* at this point. I hope I misinterpret you . . .

The personal backgrounds seemed positively interesting. (I’m a clinically insane rabid dog for character history.) I’m loving the background, but I notice one thing is not there: siblings. Are you, by default, any only child?

And I believe this was brought up before, but I don’t know if you answered it–what are the schools relations? A diagram-ish-thing:

Azanell likes only Eramis.

Eramis likes Azanell and Sylvanus.

Gemini would have liked Eramis if they hadn’t liked Azanell, but does like Ragnar and Valhern.

Ragnar *really* likes Gemini because of their rejection of Eramis, and also likes Valhern, and they despise Azanell for their liking of Eramis.

Sylvanus likes all other schools except Valhern, and disregards the factionship [not a word] each has against the other.

Valhern has no likes or dislikes of schools, and leaves it to the student to form their own opinions.

Your thoughts?

Thanks, and really looking forward to it,
–someone you wouldn’t know.

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@evaporate i agree with adjppm The romance thing does sound a bit difficult to pull off personally I think it sounds like a better Idea to make say 2-6 well thought out romance options, and (if you are planning on expanding later) expand later

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Will there be magic duels for sporting purposes? : D

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@adjppm1227 @817819

LOL Oh god, no, that’s not what I meant! The romances are different depending on which student you choose to romance. They all have different personalities and motivations, and thus, different scripted dialogue – that’s what I was getting at.

About the school relations, the colleges are all fairly neutral towards each other (except towards their rivals). I wouldn’t say that all Ragnar students like Gemini students, or that all Sylvanus students are nice and open-minded. Each student is different and interprets the college system differently.

For example, one Azanell student may feel contempt for every college that isn’t Azanell. Other students may be more open towards other colleges. Even still, there may be students who feel that the Azanell/Gemini rivalry is stupid and unnecessary.

Scheming: Your fellow schoolmates have their own motivations and agendas. Some of them are fairly benign, others are veeery crafty. You could attend Eramis instead of Azanell if you want, but trust me, the competition definitely won’t be easier. :wink: Besides, just because you’re in another house, doesn’t mean you’re under Azanell’s radar. You’re all attending classes together, after all.

@817819

There are 14 first-year students in each college. 84 students in total. How many of those should be romanceable?

@Ninjasplaycardgames2

There is a dueling club. You can join it and duel students for sport.

You can also duel your rival if your relationship score is low enough. However, this is definitely not officially sanctioned. :wink:

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Aw yeah :v

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The number of students that are present in Academagia is utterly insane. I would suggest having far, far less than that. You could try to employ the same tricks Academagia uses to have a large cast, it will be tricky in this format of game though.

I’d also suggest sticking to one college first, just so you get used to coding and writing in choicescript. I know what it’s like to start with a huge game and get overwhelmed.

I would suggest starting with 2 characters for each college, one male, one female. There will, of course, be other members, but it’s just two that you flesh out. Like Ron and Hermione. It’s better to fully flesh those out, to include them in your various adventures, then it is to have a lot of shallow characters.

If you then want to include a bully or rival as well do that. I’d start with one of each gender, and their gang, and of course they don’t need to be in your house.

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Wait, am I getting the gist of this right, someone is arguing that transformation is useless for poisoning when, unless I’m mistaken, transformation could turn a handful of dirt or sand into poison, or transform drinks into poison, or turn the air itself into a chemical weapon?

Because I’d imagine that a mastery of transformation means that the character has access to every chemical trick in the book at their fingertips at all times: explosives, poisons, drugs, every chemical, available at all times, unless your opponent throws you into a matterless void, and if they could do that they could kill you.

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another time not @stsword transformation is the magic transform OTHER thing you can t
Transform yourself. And is temporal . If transformation were so badass why only minor character use it and is the lame magic in all rp I played than you always fail use it… Why I could expend magic in transform a stick in a sword if I could use a real one or a bold of fire. You will end fight without mana and with a stick. Because transformation cost is so damn high…
The cost to transform something like air is astronomical same as destroy a entire city with fire magic I’m reading one of my game master rules so to kill one guybi have use same magic to destroy a city How useful!!!

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So what if it’s temporary? That just means the evidence dissapears on its own.

Only minor characters?

You mean like every alchemist in Full Metal Alchemist? In which people were set on fire, frozen solid, turned into bombs, given animal powers, blades turned into diamond, granting immortality, healing from certain death, or grew tanks bristling with guns around their own bodies.

Or Shirou in Fate/Stay Night? Who can practically summon every hand to hand weapon that has ever existed to rain down certain death on his enemies? Or if worse comes to worse turn himself into basically a living terminator formed around a sword golem?

Or Teitoku Kakine from a A Certain Magical Index?  The second scariest psychic in the  setting because he can summon "dark matter" out of thin air.  And what can he do with it?  Fly by growing wings, enhancing strength by augmenting his muscles, fry people alive by emitting 2500 forms of radiation at people by summoning radioactive material, turn himself into a one man army by creating duplicates of himself, healing from any injury by creating replacement organs, creating shields to protect himself, create explosives, and invulnerability by augmenting his skin.

So if you’ve found the ability to transform one thing into another/conjuring things literally from thin air unimpressive, than someone was doing something wrong.

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stsword Anime is not a rpg lol. This is a rpg not a japanese anime. If you need the energy of five city to change a atom of air in poison what don’t use real one. If you transform a guy in a fontain five minutes . he return to his form and you are without mana and with a very pissed guy. Author has admit the energy to transform things is high you are student 13 years you are not a superhero . In low levels. transformation is useless in all rpg and table rpg I play sometimes so infrapowered than manuals don’t advice to use transformation focus character to newies because is a nightmare difficulty, I love the transfiguration concept but noone until now used it right. And I’m tired to try use it and being killedwith a 20 levels , for a level five fire caster y transform a door in a wall of fire to block their pass using 50 mana he pass drink a potion and kill me with afire enchanted sword game over. That’s a example , its cool in anime but in games don’t , I hope it would be cool , I like concept I try to do systems for transformation in my rp sessions , but as is normaly used in rpg its not useful. If the author wants to know my system to make transformation useful and power as same level at rest magic I’m here.

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I don’t understand the hate/dislike of any of these spell types. All of them are useful and can be used in many different ways. The only real limitation to yhe use of “magic” is ones own imagination.

Sure Transfiguration isn’t the most straight forward of spells, you have to put some thought into it. If I wanted to be casting fireballs and such things this is definately not going to be high on my class list but it is a lot more powerful and versatile than the other types.

The school of magic I am most interested in is one of the most straight forward and limited of them, Negation. The point of this school is to counter and/or negate the effects of other spells, which makes it practically useless in certain situations but a powerhouse in another.

One of the classes that I despise the most in magic related things is Potions. Now I know potions can be awesome but I believe the hassle of finding ingredients, preparing the potion, and needing to create them with forethought make potions an annoying ability when you are on the fly and have no time to prepare.

But they are all usefull and powerhouses in their own right.

Oh and moving on my favorite houses/schools so far are Gemini and Valhern. I love the freedom Valhern gives you and the mandatory classes ascociated with Gemini are ones that I had already decided to take.

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I love transfiguration I hate how it’s made in game cost of cast fireball 5 cost to transform a water vase in fire and throw it in somebody faces 30. It’s not fair , it’s not practical. I want have same cost of energy, to not be crush continuosly. I love potions and gather potions to use in my blades I steal a potion shop kill the shop owner or put sleep. steal ingredients use it to more potions sell the potions only conserve poison. repit again

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@evaporate personally I’d go with six each one in a different college, and each one embodying the values of their college (3 male 3 female)

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@817819 then if you are straight and want romance a concrete house you have become bi or gay? or the contrary? that’s not fair at least one each gender per college.

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@MaraJade well obviously this would only work if you were able to romance outside of your house