I'm planning on introducing Solarus to my middle school coding classes. But I need some help in RPG game planning. I need help finding some resources on how to plan an action RPG. Any books, YouTube videos or articles would be a great help!!

Also, when you start designing the levels(outside) do you create one large map or do you create smaller levels and link them together? If you create one large level which would be the best size?

Thanks

Richard

[20degree]

Hi Richard

If i can suggest you, you could also enter to your mid class the software Futurepinball. I have created many free pdf guides on the subject. This include how the software Futurepinball work and the programming. I still have an email from the creator of Futurepinball that have givin me the rights to do printscreens of the software to create guides. This beside other softwares that i have created free pdf guides.

Why also enter to your mid class the software Futurepinball? Well its the "basic" game creation. One screen and a ball that hit objects, then do points and others. I can say its (POO) "Programming Oriented Object".

A RPG Game is very (much more) than a ball that hit 3D model objects and make points. RPG is so much more advanced. There is the player that move around that is controled by the keyboard/gamepad. The player do some actions. The player interact with some sprites (ennemies/friends). The player have some goals. The player have its own environment and its world limits. There is many things into.

For the software Solarus, there is many videos tutorial and online documentations. Here is a link of some documentations about Solarus made by a member here. But dont know if he is still a member of here, also the infos has been dated very long time ago. Its at:
https://zelphor-solarus-book.000webhostapp.com/Solarus-ARPG-Game-Development-Book_2.html

I plan to create trough time pdf guides on Solarus also, but i must learn it much more.

If you are curious about the software Futurepinball, you can have it at: www.futurepinball.com
Futurepinball is compatible with Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 10 i can say. Mostly suggested to run as Administrator.
If you want to see my free english pdf guides about the software Futurepinball, you can have it at:
https://sylvain.heliohost.org/creations/futurepinball/guides.html
Its possible trough time i change my free personnal website, but i have created an auto-redirect page of Futurepinball at:
sylvain.heliohost.org/futurepinball

In my futurepinball free pdf guides, there is not only guides about the software Futurepinball.
There is a guide about the software Milkshape3D. A guide about the software Mamewah. A guide about the software BforArtists, that is a software based on the popular 3D software Blender.

There is many free pdf guides i have created on diverses softwares beside the one mentionned, with the permissions and authorizations to do printscreens. Once i begin to familiarize my self with Solarus, i'm gonna create nice free pdf guides about Solarus also. The peoples here are great peoples. I'm sure they could help you also.

A+

wow cool a coding class. I wish i had that when i was in middle school

I personally think solarus is a little much a middle class, unless you keep it really simple. I dont think they can make any complex enemies with actual sprites and stuff? Maybe just make it really simple with basic maps.

I personally create smaller maps than i can combine. Its simpler for planning. Typically 32x32 or 64 areas than i match within a larger map. Though it also depends on how large your objects are. How big is a tree or house on your map? 2x2 or 4x4 blocks?

[20degree]

Hi Dianthus

My free pdf guides about the software futurepinball, i indicate how the software work and the programming. But it's not LUA it's more Visual Basic programming. But i do think its possible that maybe LUA and Visual Basic might have common points.

It's been long time ago i have created theses guides about futurepinball.

I also have created a guide about modeling with Milkshape3D, because into the software futurepinball; you can import your own Milkshape3D models into the pinball. Mete Ciragan from Milkshape3D also have authorized me to do printscreens of Milkshape3D

I also have created a guide about an other modeling software that is called BforArtists that is based on the popular 3D software blender. Blender is a software that have started with the founder and chairman Ton Roosendaal. Long time ago ive told him a joke that he have put on his twitter account. If you are curious to read this joke on his twitter account you simply write:
Ton Roosendaal and my full name. I dont know him, but i have writen him long time ago.

Ive also writen a free pdf guide long time ago about the software TemplateToaster with there permissions. Also a free pdf guide about the website Muses.org, i have created a radio stream skin, that he have put on his website. The software MameWah wich is a software to create some interface menu to play games, i also have created a free pdf guide about it related to the software futurepinball. I always ask for permissions that i can do printscreens.

A+