Support NeoGAF

[thomasmahler]

Hey guys,

I've been sitting on a small prototype for a while now... I'm playing around with a Zelda / Diablo'ish thing, but more based on resources, crafting and - since there's resources - I've been thinking about how building like Minecraft could be done... And I don't really see a proper way. So I wanted to ask here if any of the Gaffers know of any top down games that actually tackled that aspect.

Right now, the most straight forward solution are ruins, destroyed structures that the player has to spend resources on for some NPC to go in and 'fix it' - But that's not really building, that's just unlocking.

Have there been any Action Adventure or RPG games that tackled this problem in a smart way?

 

[NervousXtian]

Well, all the SimCity games were topdown.

Of course "top down" doesn't mean straight down either... typically these days they are more 3/4.

 

[bomblord1]

You could have blocks with predefined heights (aka this is 3 blocks tall and this is 1) in order to get around the obvious issue of trying to stack stuff.

Going with this you could also have blocks that are predefined as ceiling floor and stair tiles which should make multilevel construction possible.

 

[thomasmahler]

Sure, but I don't just mean building something (that's easy), I mean building a structure that you can actually enter, etc.

 

[Santiako]

The Sims did building wonderfully, but that was more isometric than top down.

 

[pastrami]

Maybe something like Terraria, except instead of a side view, you are using a top down view.

So you would have to have a floor (with implied ceilings) and enclosed walls to define a room, with doors as entrances. You could even have window blocks that don't block LOS, assuming you have a system in place.

 

[D4Danger]

Sure, but I don't just mean building something (that's easy), I mean building a structure that you can actually enter, etc.

The Sims and RollerCoaster Tycoon are good examples

 

[epmode]

It's more of a strategy/simulation game than an RPG but Prison Architect might have some answers for you:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/233450/

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

Make a circle around the character that makes every part of the building inside the circle semi-transparent when they walk inside/behind a building

 

[PsionBolt]

Not RPG or action/adventure, but I'm a fan of Rampart.

 

[MNC]

Top down from an angle or actual top down? ALTTP is also "top down"

 

[Sini]

Castle Story has Minecraft like building.

 

[samuraidino]

Dwarf fortress seems to do things alright.

 

[Kazerei]

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but you mentioned Zelda, which made me think of A Link Between Worlds and the way it handles verticality while being top-down.

The world is fully rendered in 3D, and with the stereoscopic 3D on, you can clearly see the different layers at different depths. But even without stereo 3D, you can figure it out as you move around and the camera angle adjusts to show the sides of walls and how layers line up with each other. It's kind of hard to explain, but makes sense if you see it in action. I think there's some other subtle effects, like other layers being darkened compared to the layer you're currently on, and layers close above you may appear semi-transparent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miFSGlsmEXI&t=1m20s

 

[BibiMaghoo]

Well, all the SimCity games were topdown.

Of course "top down" doesn't mean straight down either... typically these days they are more 3/4.

That is isometric, a rotation of 45 degrees. That is not top down.

 

[Bl@de]

Don't know about Action or RPG. Fallout 3 Real Time Settler Mod wasn't really top down.
In terms of strategy = Banished has great balancing/difficulty

 

[Bl@de]

That is isometric, a rotation of 45 degrees. That is not top down.

Ok

 

[KDR_11k]

Yup, Factorio does it right.

The difference between isometric and top down is irrelevant when your game does not use a Z-axis for gameplay. I'd guess "top down" is mentioned here to distinguish it from sideview.

 

[Huw_Dawson]

Dark Chronicle, AKA Dark Cloud 2.

No easy images on Google, but it's an Action RPG with an entire build-a-town game built on the side.

There is also a SNES game where you're a God and you build a town on a place and there's a temple which is your hub and each level has several sidescrolling action game parts where you come down and fight through to defeat a boss. And I can not remember the damn game's name.

EDIT: Oh, building stuff you can enter? Hmm.

Play Dark Chronicle anyway. That game is sweet.

 

[3rdamention]

Loaded did it right. I loved Loaded on PSOne! I am not a huge PC gamer, so I dont have much experience with Top Down games. But I remember in loaded when you walked up a little hill, your character walked slower, when you walked down a hill, he walked faster. It blew my mind, lol.

 

[Jachaos]

For building interior, how about having the tools to build the interior à la RPG Game Maker but in gameplay form (think Animal Crossing), and placing stairs automatically adds a floor.

Then you have the exterior tools and building the outside of the house/building, the perimeter if you will, encloses the house (and if it is isometric, automatically adjusts the height to how many floors there are).

 

[HGStormy]

Ultima.

Teudogar and the Alliance with Rome.

Crackdown. (The Sega Genesis game, not the 360 game)

Iter Vehemens ad Necem. (IVaN. It's a rogue-like with gory, frequent perma-death.)

And plenty of others.

 

[Jachaos]

I made these so you could get a clearer idea of what I was trying to say

Edit: D'oh, door shouldn't be here yet in this first image so ignore the dark brown rectangle.

Basically, an inventory like in Sims/Animal Crossing/Minecraft/etc. of tools the user can accumulate. Then, if the user places some of them (in my example, 22 bricks) in an arrangement that creates an enclosed space, then the user can select a portion that should become the door. When entering that door, the user is now inside. You could make the inside bigger, say 12 bricks wide if outside 6 are used. Inside, the inventory is different and you can place furniture, etc. like in Animal Crossing, add walls, counters and a staircase like in the Sims, RPG Maker, etc.

You could also let the user modify the size even once the building has been created, by pushing and pulling walls. Pushing the wall to the extent shown in my example would require the 4 extra bricks shown on the outside view.

I imagine you could have the user craft items for interior/exterior building, or have a shop that sells them, I'm just throwing an example based on the games I listed (Sims, Animal Crossing, RPG Maker, Minecraft)

 

[NervousXtian]

Ok

Yeah, exactly.. who wouldn't call that top-down.

I guess the OP means top-down as in STRAIGHT down... but yeah it makes doing height kind of a pain.. you need to tilt the camera at least a little.. but that SimCity1 makes it only a slight angle (I know it's not really at an angle, just drawn that way).

I'd go that route.. you need to show height at least somewhat.