Can this be done with Torque 2d?

#1 Torque2d has been used to create Penny arcade's Rainslick Precipice of Darkness. Being an obvious tribute to the SNES-era Final Fantasy games, I think it proves that T2D is more than adequate!

However, it requires you to write the logic, create the battle system, scene transitions, inventory system, etc. : Torque 2d is a general-purpose 2d engine, allowing you to create anything from shooters, platformers, RTS as well as RPGs.

If this sounds too daunting, you might prefer to take a look at RPGMaker, which is custom-built and specifically geared towards creating old-school RPGs. You won't have to create the systems, as they are already included in the software. It might be easier, but less versatile.

#2 Interesting, i will have to take a peek at that game.

I have used RPGmaker in the past on the PC and it was a lot of fun creating my game then (it was called The Last Leviathan, but i never finished it).

Ill take a look at RPGmaker again, see if its changed at all since i last used it, but knowing now that Torque 2d is possible of creating something i envision in my head, im brought back to the hint of excitement.

Thanks, Simon!

#3 Just a minor correction. The Penny Arcade game was a 3D game made in Torque 360. A couple of examples of 2D RPG's made with Torque are here

#4 Thanks David! Always a big help, you are!

#5 My bad! Thanks for the correction, David.

The game's aesthetic and systems could be easily achieved with Torque2d, though.

#6 @Simon
Are you thinking of Episode 3 of Rain Slick Precipice? That one was built with some other engine and is a 2D game with retro aesthetics. I can't recall if it was an off the shelf solution or if the team they had make that one built it themselves. Episode 1 & 2 were done with Torque360, as David mentioned.

#7 Yes, speaking of Episode 3.

Just saying that Torque2d could handle that kind of look and feel.

#8 Ah, yes. Episode 3 was made in RPG Maker.

#9 The only problem with RPG Maker is that from what I hear it's not considered a "Legitimate" software for development. I was in the middle of making my game upon hearing this. I wonder if it's true.

#10 @David : Info is hard to find, but most of what I was able to dig up points to Zeboyd games using an in-house game engine built on XNA (Breath of Death VII, Cthulu saves the world and PE3).

@Eric : I think that's debatable; RPGMaker seems to produce an executable file and it states in their FAQ that users can distribute the results commercially or as freeware.

It is not a 'full' engine, for sure, but might prove to be more than enough for some projects. Of course, programmers will always feel the constraints of such systems.

In my opinion, it doesn't make the engine not 'legitimate' but does severely limit your options in terms of platforms, engine modification and so on.

On the same topic, check out 3stepstudio.com : it's torque2d/itorque2d with modifiable templates.

#11 @Simon, you're right. I think it was prototyped in RPGM for the pitch, but they used their own engine for development and the final product.

EDIT:
I think it was in a pitch article on Gamasutra or #altdevblogaday. I can't recall which. It was one of several references in the article, but I think it was on pitching for contract work.

Of course, since memory is fallible, I might be completely wrong on this!