Minecraft Clone Dragon Quest: Builders Releases Next January
I know calling something a "GAMENAME-clone" is a bit lame, but Dragon Quest: Builders is really making it difficult.
At Tokyo Game Show today, Square Enix showed off its latest Dragon Quest spin-off: Dragon Quest: Builders. I know calling stuff a "GAMENAME-clone" dates all the way back to Doom, but there really is no better way to describe this game than a Minecraft-clone. While the cinematic reveal trailer you can check out here [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1hcnuHP6hc] doesn't make it quite so obvious, once you start to see the actual gameplay (as in the video to the right), well. I'll just let you decide for yourself if it's worthy of the "Minecraft-clone" descriptor.
The game returns players to the original Dragon Quest's kingdom of Alefgard, and tasks players to restore the ruined kingdom by literally rebuilding it. Just like traditional Dragon Quest titles, it will be primarily an RPG with plenty of character building elements, and a single-player story.
The game will be exclusive to the PS4, PS3 and the PS Vita, and will arrive in Japan next January. There is a playable version of it on the show floor at Tokyo Game Show, which we can hopefully check out, so stay tuned for our hands-on preview of the game. There has been no word of a western release as of yet.
To be fairly honest, minecraft in itself is a clone of infiniminer, another game, so I'm not mad about dragon quest doing their own clone, so who knows, maybe i'll try it out!
I've found that I'm not hugely fond of the "build it brick by brick" style of games. The combat would have to be pretty engaging for me to give it a second glance. Frankly, I'd rather have games that let me design a blueprint for a structure that I then hire workers to build for me.
Well if it has better combat then minecraft it allready won in my book. Sadly no mod support cause you know... asian companies hiss at the very thought of people adding stuff to THEIR games.
It's funny as a Long Time Dragon Quest fan they didn't seem to do a lot to make it look like Dragon Quest. From the little I've seen the only real thing that separates it from the basic Minecraft mode is that it's 3rd person. I mean It's hard to gather from that all Japanese trailer so maybe theirs more going on, but as it is I don't really get a Dragon Quest feel from it.
I would of called it another Cuboid game but whatevs.
I prefer its art style over minecraft so that's a plus, too bad I don't own any nex-gen sony consoles.
To be fairly honest, minecraft in itself is a clone of infiniminer, another game, so I'm not mad about dragon quest doing their own clone, so who knows, maybe i'll try it out!
Except Infiniminer has jack to do with Minecraft and the only thing they share is "building with cubes" - with Infiniminer it being a tool in a competitive mode to find an item hidden somewhere. That's like saying that Mario Kart is a GTA-Clone. Yes, both have vehicles, but that's it.
Karadalis said:
Well if it has better combat then minecraft it allready won in my book. Sadly no mod support cause you know... asian companies hiss at the very thought of people adding stuff to THEIR games.
Well, Update 1.9 is called "The Combat Update" - and beating the current combat isn't hard when it was never a focus of improvement and served its purpose of "kill monster" just fine until then.
I've found that I'm not hugely fond of the "build it brick by brick" style of games. The combat would have to be pretty engaging for me to give it a second glance. Frankly, I'd rather have games that let me design a blueprint for a structure that I then hire workers to build for me.
Space Engineers is interesting in that regard. You can copy something, then use a projector to show the template.
As long as you have the parts, you can build a copy of it without having to manually specify each block all over again.
But as several people have demonstrated, it's also possible to build an entirely automated construction system that does it for you.
Still, the fundamental problem does remain, you have to design the thing first. Which... Works by placing individual blocks. XD
I've found that I'm not hugely fond of the "build it brick by brick" style of games. The combat would have to be pretty engaging for me to give it a second glance. Frankly, I'd rather have games that let me design a blueprint for a structure that I then hire workers to build for me.
Space Engineers is interesting in that regard. You can copy something, then use a projector to show the template.
As long as you have the parts, you can build a copy of it without having to manually specify each block all over again.
But as several people have demonstrated, it's also possible to build an entirely automated construction system that does it for you.
Still, the fundamental problem does remain, you have to design the thing first. Which... Works by placing individual blocks. XD
Not necessarily. There's no reason why that needs to be the case. Hell, I can name one game off the top of my head where it isn't. The Sims. The simplest way wouldn't be brick by brick, but rather by placing shapes and then designating materials, placeables, and the like. Maybe a simplified CAD-like system. If you want to get real fancy on the development end, allow for procedurally generated buildings based on player-designed templates. Once the blueprint is complete, a materials quote is issued, and you contract workers to gather and build.
EDIT: The way I would do it would be a simple drawing program that generates a color coded image + data that the game then interprets in order to build a structure. That would allow people to design buildings in game or use a more robust art software package that they're already familiar with if they so choose. It would also allow for easy sharing of designs between players.
Even if a clone, it already looks better than Minecraft.
And it's really sad to see that people call things Minecraft clones when Minecraft itself is a clone from InfiniMiner.
I've found that I'm not hugely fond of the "build it brick by brick" style of games. The combat would have to be pretty engaging for me to give it a second glance. Frankly, I'd rather have games that let me design a blueprint for a structure that I then hire workers to build for me.
Space Engineers is interesting in that regard. You can copy something, then use a projector to show the template.
As long as you have the parts, you can build a copy of it without having to manually specify each block all over again.
But as several people have demonstrated, it's also possible to build an entirely automated construction system that does it for you.
Still, the fundamental problem does remain, you have to design the thing first. Which... Works by placing individual blocks. XD
Not necessarily. There's no reason why that needs to be the case. Hell, I can name one game off the top of my head where it isn't. The Sims. The simplest way wouldn't be brick by brick, but rather by placing shapes and then designating materials, placeables, and the like. Maybe a simplified CAD-like system. If you want to get real fancy on the development end, allow for procedurally generated buildings based on player-designed templates. Once the blueprint is complete, a materials quote is issued, and you contract workers to gather and build.
Mmm. The sims system is just 'blocks' by a different name though.
They're also basically limited to placement on a 2d plane. (with rather heavily restricted placement at that)
They may not be cubes, but then neither are many of the parts in Space engineers.
Many of these systems can do more complex geometry in one go and then work out the individual pieces involved, but for some reason they don't typically expose that functionality directly.
Procedurally generated buildings would interesting I guess. Though how would you design the templates in a meaningful way that actually results in something worthwhile?
Going full-on CAD style would be considerably more complex than the block based systems that seem to be popular.
I mean, sure, it could be attempted I guess. But it's not the most usable of systems.
The learning curve for the average 3d modelling or CAD system is absurdly steep.
I've found that I'm not hugely fond of the "build it brick by brick" style of games. The combat would have to be pretty engaging for me to give it a second glance. Frankly, I'd rather have games that let me design a blueprint for a structure that I then hire workers to build for me.
Space Engineers is interesting in that regard. You can copy something, then use a projector to show the template.
As long as you have the parts, you can build a copy of it without having to manually specify each block all over again.
But as several people have demonstrated, it's also possible to build an entirely automated construction system that does it for you.
Still, the fundamental problem does remain, you have to design the thing first. Which... Works by placing individual blocks. XD
Not necessarily. There's no reason why that needs to be the case. Hell, I can name one game off the top of my head where it isn't. The Sims. The simplest way wouldn't be brick by brick, but rather by placing shapes and then designating materials, placeables, and the like. Maybe a simplified CAD-like system. If you want to get real fancy on the development end, allow for procedurally generated buildings based on player-designed templates. Once the blueprint is complete, a materials quote is issued, and you contract workers to gather and build.
Mmm. The sims system is just 'blocks' by a different name though.
They're also basically limited to placement on a 2d plane. (with rather heavily restricted placement at that)
They may not be cubes, but then neither are many of the parts in Space engineers.
Many of these systems can do more complex geometry in one go and then work out the individual pieces involved, but for some reason they don't typically expose that functionality directly.
Procedurally generated buildings would interesting I guess. Though how would you design the templates in a meaningful way that actually results in something worthwhile?
Going full-on CAD style would be considerably more complex than the block based systems that seem to be popular.
I mean, sure, it could be attempted I guess. But it's not the most usable of systems.
The learning curve for the average 3d modelling or CAD system is absurdly steep.
The difference in The Sims is in the method, not the result(the result is also different, but that's just a matter of degrees). You certainly can place each individual panel or tile one at a time, but because the game has dedicated building tools and isn't accomplished from a character perspective, there are far better and quicker ways to get a building designed.
It does seem you missed the edit I made after I replied. CAD has a fairly steep learning curve, but Paint doesn't. Or in the case of a 3D version(though I'd make a 2D game, personally), something similar to what The Sims does, but with less limitations since you'd be making a 3D blueprint rather than the building itself.
So let's say you want to design a very basic lighthouse(I'm going with the 2D example). You draw the basic exterior layer using line and curve tools. Or maybe you use a rectangle and a couple of circles for the base and top, erasing any unwanted lines then you're finished. Takes less than a minute. Then you either design windows and doors or use pre-made versions(either stock or player created) and place them where you wish. Another minute gone, tops, if you use stock designs. Place a light source at the top or design one custom.
Now you go to the interior layer and designate floors and any rooms if needed with a few lines. Or if you want to make sure everything looks neat, you can use the exterior shape as a bounded area and have the game automatically place evenly spaced floors of whatever number you choose. Place stairs and furniture. Or skip the furniture if you don't want that to be part of the template.
Now simply designate materials for different layers and/or rooms, and the game color codes the image appropriately. You now have a building template.
I've found that I'm not hugely fond of the "build it brick by brick" style of games. The combat would have to be pretty engaging for me to give it a second glance. Frankly, I'd rather have games that let me design a blueprint for a structure that I then hire workers to build for me.
Space Engineers is interesting in that regard. You can copy something, then use a projector to show the template.
As long as you have the parts, you can build a copy of it without having to manually specify each block all over again.
But as several people have demonstrated, it's also possible to build an entirely automated construction system that does it for you.
Still, the fundamental problem does remain, you have to design the thing first. Which... Works by placing individual blocks. XD
Not necessarily. There's no reason why that needs to be the case. Hell, I can name one game off the top of my head where it isn't. The Sims. The simplest way wouldn't be brick by brick, but rather by placing shapes and then designating materials, placeables, and the like. Maybe a simplified CAD-like system. If you want to get real fancy on the development end, allow for procedurally generated buildings based on player-designed templates. Once the blueprint is complete, a materials quote is issued, and you contract workers to gather and build.
Mmm. The sims system is just 'blocks' by a different name though.
They're also basically limited to placement on a 2d plane. (with rather heavily restricted placement at that)
They may not be cubes, but then neither are many of the parts in Space engineers.
Many of these systems can do more complex geometry in one go and then work out the individual pieces involved, but for some reason they don't typically expose that functionality directly.
Procedurally generated buildings would interesting I guess. Though how would you design the templates in a meaningful way that actually results in something worthwhile?
Going full-on CAD style would be considerably more complex than the block based systems that seem to be popular.
I mean, sure, it could be attempted I guess. But it's not the most usable of systems.
The learning curve for the average 3d modelling or CAD system is absurdly steep.
The difference in The Sims is in the method, not the result(the result is also different, but that's just a matter of degrees). You certainly can place each individual panel or tile one at a time, but because the game has dedicated building tools and isn't accomplished from a character perspective, there are far better and quicker ways to get a building designed.
It does seem you missed the edit I made after I replied. CAD has a fairly steep learning curve, but Paint doesn't. Or in the case of a 3D version(though I'd make a 2D game, personally), something similar to what The Sims does, but with less limitations since you'd be making a 3D blueprint rather than the building itself.
So let's say you want to design a very basic lighthouse(I'm going with the 2D example). You draw the basic exterior layer using line and curve tools. Or maybe you use a rectangle and a couple of circles for the base and top, erasing any unwanted lines then you're finished. Takes less than a minute. Then you either design windows and doors or use pre-made versions(either stock or player created) and place them where you wish. Another minute gone, tops, if you use stock designs. Place a light source at the top or design one custom.
Now you go to the interior layer and designate floors and any rooms if needed with a few lines. Or if you want to make sure everything looks neat, you can use the exterior shape as a bounded area and have the game automatically place evenly spaced floors of whatever number you choose. Place stairs and furniture. Or skip the furniture if you don't want that to be part of the template.
Now simply designate materials for different layers and/or rooms, and the game color codes the image appropriately. You now have a building template.
I admit I'm not up to speed on the Sims. The original is the only one I know much about, and that was pretty limited.
The thing is, these kind of tools do exist. As I said already.
Minecraft has an external editor with extensive tools for geometric shapes, boolean operations, copy/paste, terrain smoothing, forest placement, etc.
It just isn't part of the standard game, or embedded into the game modes that way.
Space engineers has voxel manipulation tools (though they're for making asteroids mostly), and you can paint things after the fact.
As well as copy/paste of large blocks of shapes. (I've seen someone do it).
Much of that kind of stuff is only enabled in creative mode, but it does exist.
Still, I guess it's a choice made.
Going back further, I always felt the way Transport tycoon handled building was kinda frustrating. I'd rather design a network, correct any mistakes, then build it after.
For some reason, no game I know of has ever taken that path though.
The sims doesn't do it. (Whatever you might say about the building tools, anything you build is immediate)
I suppose it would be possible to wonder why not.
It's clear that even taking the fundamental concept of a block-based world (eg. Minecraft), there are other kinds of tools you could introduce.
The 3rd party world editing tools that exist for Minecraft make that blatantly obvious, given what kind of tools they allow.
If you watch sjin build a mountain here, you'll note the kind of tools I'm referring to.
Not only is he placing a bunch of large spheres of blocks, but he then uses a smoothing tool on them.
This is all standard extrapolation of 2d drawing tools into 3d space...
So I guess the question becomes... Why are tools like this not a standard part of any such game?
And for that, I have no real answer. XD
I've found that I'm not hugely fond of the "build it brick by brick" style of games. The combat would have to be pretty engaging for me to give it a second glance. Frankly, I'd rather have games that let me design a blueprint for a structure that I then hire workers to build for me.
Space Engineers is interesting in that regard. You can copy something, then use a projector to show the template.
As long as you have the parts, you can build a copy of it without having to manually specify each block all over again.
But as several people have demonstrated, it's also possible to build an entirely automated construction system that does it for you.
Still, the fundamental problem does remain, you have to design the thing first. Which... Works by placing individual blocks. XD
Not necessarily. There's no reason why that needs to be the case. Hell, I can name one game off the top of my head where it isn't. The Sims. The simplest way wouldn't be brick by brick, but rather by placing shapes and then designating materials, placeables, and the like. Maybe a simplified CAD-like system. If you want to get real fancy on the development end, allow for procedurally generated buildings based on player-designed templates. Once the blueprint is complete, a materials quote is issued, and you contract workers to gather and build.
EDIT: The way I would do it would be a simple drawing program that generates a color coded image + data that the game then interprets in order to build a structure. That would allow people to design buildings in game or use a more robust art software package that they're already familiar with if they so choose. It would also allow for easy sharing of designs between players.
Well, Sims is ALSO "brick by brick" - as you still need to place every wall, every door, every window, every single other object, every wallpaper, carpet and so on. It's just that Sims "bricks" aren't block-shaped.
BiH-Kira said:
Even if a clone, it already looks better than Minecraft.
And it's really sad to see that people call things Minecraft clones when Minecraft itself is a clone from InfiniMiner.
Again, could you guys stop with that bull by claiming Minecraft is an infiniminer clone when the ONLY thing in common is "remove and set blocks"? That is NOT a clone, that's one basic mechanic. Or is every platformer now a Call of Duty clone because CoD allows you to jump? Seriously, LOOK UP WHAT INFINIMINER IS FIRST BEFORE YOU SAY IT'S THE SAME AS MINECRAFT!
I've found that I'm not hugely fond of the "build it brick by brick" style of games. The combat would have to be pretty engaging for me to give it a second glance. Frankly, I'd rather have games that let me design a blueprint for a structure that I then hire workers to build for me.
Space Engineers is interesting in that regard. You can copy something, then use a projector to show the template.
As long as you have the parts, you can build a copy of it without having to manually specify each block all over again.
But as several people have demonstrated, it's also possible to build an entirely automated construction system that does it for you.
Still, the fundamental problem does remain, you have to design the thing first. Which... Works by placing individual blocks. XD
Not necessarily. There's no reason why that needs to be the case. Hell, I can name one game off the top of my head where it isn't. The Sims. The simplest way wouldn't be brick by brick, but rather by placing shapes and then designating materials, placeables, and the like. Maybe a simplified CAD-like system. If you want to get real fancy on the development end, allow for procedurally generated buildings based on player-designed templates. Once the blueprint is complete, a materials quote is issued, and you contract workers to gather and build.
EDIT: The way I would do it would be a simple drawing program that generates a color coded image + data that the game then interprets in order to build a structure. That would allow people to design buildings in game or use a more robust art software package that they're already familiar with if they so choose. It would also allow for easy sharing of designs between players.
Well, Sims is ALSO "brick by brick" - as you still need to place every wall, every door, every window, every single other object, every wallpaper, carpet and so on. It's just that Sims "bricks" aren't block-shaped.
Rather than type it out again, I'll just paste the answer to that claim that I posted a mere two posts down from where you quoted.
Me said:
The difference in The Sims is in the method, not the result(the result is also different, but that's just a matter of degrees). You certainly can place each individual panel or tile one at a time, but because the game has dedicated building tools and isn't accomplished from a character perspective, there are far better and quicker ways to get a building designed.
So maybe closer to Dark Cloud, then. Well I hope not, nothing sucked harder than having my uber sword break irreparably because I didn't pay attention to the durability.
I am definitely looking forward to this, in any case. I enjoy the occasional Dragon Quest.
Looks neat for sure, but then we do have 500 other Minecraft-ish games so it's not exactly the most exciting thing at the moment. On top of that PS only for me means I won't have more interaction with it then trying it at a friends house, and you most certainly won't be putting any mods in there to improve missing pieces.
I'd say the doors are still open for someone to make a superior Minecraft, one that not only comes with bare necessities but improves the biggest flaws. Particularly combat and structured content.
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