Raising Monsters :D | August 21, 2012

by Joe

No, no, this blog post isn’t about raising my kid :D

Even though we’re in the middle of producing The Pocalypse Defense 2 (for those of you that can’t remember, we’re aiming for a December release), I can’t help but do a little researching on possible future game ideas. And by “researching” I mean playing :D

I’ve always been a huge fan of monster-raising games and I recently won an eBay auction for one of my favourite ones: Monster Rancher 2. I want to play it with a developer’s eye and see what made the game so enjoyable. I also really enjoyed playing with my Digimon as a kid. Remember those? I would get so attached to my tiny monochrome pixel creature that whenever I forgot the device at home, I would run back just to feed it and clean its poop. I think that it’s that attachment that makes these games so addicting.

Anyways, I’m sure you’ve figured out that I want to make a monster-raising game in the future :D Besides Pokemon, do you of any great monster-raising games (preferably on mobile devices)? I also really like how Monster Rancher and Digimon incorporate monster battles into gameplay. Any hidden gems out there that I don’t know about?

Enjoy Scene 26 – “Balance”!

Back to school! :D Who can you find in this Hammerston school lot? Vote to see! Please vote for The Pocalypse here everyday! I’m going to try coming up with a new incentive every update (or every few updates) :D Thank you for voting!

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snorri
snorri
11 years ago

amazing. cant wait for more

Frankie
Frankie
11 years ago

That was truly amazing, Joe! :D

Helix
Helix
11 years ago

Other than the original Digimon-Tamagotchis and the Digivices, the original Tamagotchi and all of its clones, as well as the Pokémon Pikachus (I still use my Pokémon Pikachu 2), I can’t really think of any other decent monster raising games. And the Pokémon Pikachus and the Digivices had really low direct interaction with them. The Pokémon Pikachus had a minigame that you could play but most of the interaction was the random animation Pikachu would do depending on time and mood. The Digivices had the battles and the story mode.

I would love it if you could develop some sort of Tamagotchi style Android app. I don’t know why a decent one hasn’t been made yet because it seems to obvious.

Oh, I just remembered that the Chao raising on Sonic Adventure 2 Battle was also very good. You could transfer them to the Game Boy Advance games and interact with them there on something portable as opposed to a console.

If you want to look more towards the RPG aspect of the monster raising, both the Dragon Quest Joker games and the Nintedo DS Digimon games are worth a look. While they focused on the RPG aspects, their monster raising also was more in depth than just raising battle stats and levels as in the Pokémon games.

Limepire
Limepire
11 years ago

I’ve actually been wondering about how the “ecosystem” of the pocalypse works. It’s probably more complicated that this, but it’s nice to have a rough overview at least. Excelent scene as usual. As for game suggestions, well tbh it’s kinda difficult to find a good “pure” monster raiser, but that might just be my taste. I do love raising criters, but if there’s nothing else to it that’s kinda boooring (unless, someone is actually looking for an alternative to having a pet I guess). You want to feel like raising your criters has a purpose, wether that’s having them battle or compete in skill or beauty contests or have them solve puzzles or play with them or whatever. It doesn’t matter as long as there is… something.

I think it’s mostly RPGs where you find monster raising as some sort of subelement, or actually main element. The “Dragon Quest Monsters” aka “Dragon Warrior Monsters” series (mostly handhelds I think) is probably worth checking out because it heaviely focuses on the monster raising aspect. Probably also “Jade Cocoon” (that one’s not portable though), and also definetly “Monster Tale” for the DS, which is actually a metrovania kind of game (and has super cute and high quality pixel art).

I think the most important part in any pet/monster raising game is probably to spice up the routine that comes with taking care of a critter.

Booieann
Booieann
11 years ago

Wow, how long have you planed this? I would have never thought of how each creature would triumph over the other. I guess I just figured that the smarter creatures had a sort of ‘base’ and the others roamed around, killing whatever got in it’s way.
Rosa is an amazing Zompire~ and I think she looks great as one too, she is defiantly turning out to be an interesting character. Good thing she is on the Humans side. xD

I used to have about 3 or 4 tamagotchis, I loved to watch them grow and be able to interact with each other. The games where simple yet entertaining, and I liked the little shop too.
I forget what it is called, but it was a Pokemon pedometer thing that you can carry around with you and have one of your pokemon in there at the same time. Anyhow, that was a fun little thing, I could take my Eevee walking with me and play some little games to get items for the DS game while I’m at it.

I would love to have a little pet plant monster! Haha, that actually sounds really fun.

The thing that I didn’t like about the tamagatchis was the constant need to check on it, and make sure it doesn’t die. The same thing is applied to FarmVille, if you don’t come back in time, your crops die, so I knew if I couldn’t find my mom, she was at the computer, clicking on virtual crops. So I really don’t like those sort of games anymore, they are nice for a time, but it gets old.
It’s nice to just play where you left off, but I know that is more for bigger video games. Dx And something like a small app game would need to make you keep coming back…

I think I like those game are addicting because it gives you a sense of caring for another thing, like parenting in a very miniature game.
Hey, what Pocalypse monster would your kid be? =D (I’m gonna say humans don’t count =P)

Jades
Jades
11 years ago

I dont know what to say but the explanation about the balance of the earth showed a lot of story and made me more intrigued on what will happen in the next episodes.

NeoWarrior
NeoWarrior
11 years ago

Monster Racers-> same conceptualization of raising monsters that differ in species, type, powers and appearances, but the overall reasons of raising is in order to race, not battle. Acceleration, Speed, and Stamina are the stats of the monsters in this game. Plot is avarage.

Fossil Fighters-> a game of same basics as many monster racing games, but with reviving dinosaurs from their fossils in order to do battle in teams of 3. As usual, many types,several attack, defensive, and supportive moves. The plot is also decent.

Pokémon series-> no need to explain. Most recent game is Pokémon Black2/White2.

Digimon series-> Especifically Dusk&Dawn versions. There are many Digimon raising games, though many of them remain in Japan indefinitely.

Invizimals-> PSP game in which capturing creatures is done through series of minigames using the provided camara. Plot is decent, graphics are outstanding.

NeoWarrior
NeoWarrior
11 years ago

Doc seems nervious around Rosa now… (A-ah)
Maybe he knows she can kill him if he gets her mad?

Not going to say
Not going to say
11 years ago

even doc knows not to mess with rosa

vampire super boy
vampire super boy
11 years ago

hmm maybe after the machine war they would make peace and then use scufflebeck to make peace with the plants,doc cures the zombie virus but ther are stil going to be the vampires and mutans

question for joe :

@joe what is you favourite pokemon version?mines diamond

Alivda
Alivda
11 years ago

For the ds there’s a game that’s a bit like pokemon called spectrobes. You go dig up fossils, awake them using your voice (So, the people on the public transports will look at you wierd… maybe that was the reason nintendo put mics on the ds…) and then raise the child form, elvove it to a adult/teen version which can fight, and there is a third stage that is a much bettter fighter. you use the creatures to fight an ailen menace that only the spectrobes can really do damage to. there is a lvling system, but to me, I felt that the digs to find the fossils and minerals to lvl the stats really made it diffrent from the pokemon games… that, and the whole thing is set in space.

Genome Robi
Genome Robi
11 years ago

Oh so the world’s structure is like a triangle. Whatever one is lost, the world is doomed.

Rasmus Nielsen
Rasmus Nielsen
11 years ago

Nice Scene!

Lucas
Lucas
11 years ago

wow nice scene! I hope Rosa won’t start thinking as a vampire (all that rejected thing the elder said at the end). @vampire super boy remember that scufflebeck is with his kind bt now.. so we can’t be sure if he is in our side.

Scott
Scott
11 years ago

It’s kind of odd how the suit seems to affect Doc — out of it he’s a kooky mad scientist, but in the suit he seems to talk a bit more like Bernie (at least in this ep), honestly.

kingjd
kingjd
11 years ago

there was a game called zombie infectinator that let you upgrade and control the zombie apocalypse.

hiei
hiei
11 years ago

Alright I am back with the fight. I will continue this for three more episodes.
Tied Doc and Rosa. their score is 1 vote for each of them.
Bernie and Andreus have 0 points.
(PLease note that Doc and Bernie are equiped with the suits.)
This is a Battle Royale, Not a team match.
The winner is decided by you!

illeatyourself
illeatyourself
11 years ago

It’s not really a game, but you can try one of the most popular monster-raising devices out there: Tamagotchi. Well, it WAS popular. I just turned mine back on recently. It’s more just a virtual pet though. You can also try things like Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. You KINDA raise monsters, though I don’t see much point in it since it doesn’t seem to do much, but you can also choose who to have in your clan and what class to make them as well as what they have equipped, right down to their options in battle!

illeatyourself
illeatyourself
11 years ago

AWESOME. Even Doc is scared of Rosa. And she just stabbed the Elder with a giant stone stake. Lol, being roasted on a stake at a barbeque. I see what you did there, Doc! XD

Meewec
Meewec
11 years ago

i enjoyed Jade Cocoon 2 on playstation2. it had a fairly interesting breeding and evolution method in it.

Reaver
Reaver
11 years ago

What I am really surprised is no one has mentioned the old Monster Hunter games for the gameboy I remember my brother used to play. About half the game was breeding and raising monsters, and the other half was fighting to test out the monsters you bred and to capture more powerful species to create even better breeds. The game was really in-depth, and my brother spent years playing it in an attempt to get the absolute best monsters and explore everywhere, but it has been even longer since I have last heard of it. I may have gotten the name wrong. I THINK (not fully sure) it was for the gameboy color. Anyone else remember such a golden-olde?

NeoWarrior
NeoWarrior
11 years ago

I remembered another one, though VERY different from Pokémon and the others mentioned in many areas, it is my aboslute favorite: Phantom Heart. It was remaded several times in PSP, PS2, Wii, etc… The custamization of the game is infinite, and by that I MEAN infinite. Take this into consideration:
-about 40+ humanoid and monster units to choose from.
-about 10 different colorations for each unit
-about 100 physical and magical skills to be taught (any unit can learn ANY 20 of them)
-about 100+ different weapons to choose from (from pumpkins to trees; from books to Blades, from torches to pillars)
-Weapons can level up and become stronger as well as learn the same ammount of magical or physical skills as units (which add to the skills of the wielder).
-The skills mentioned level up and become stronger with use.
-Affinity to different elements allow more consecutive use of said skills, affinitywhich increases infinitely with usage.
-Max level of units and weapons is Lv 9999 -> not a typo
-Max stat for units and weapons is Lv 999,999 -> not a typo
-Max level of Skills is Lv 99
-Max level of Affinity is “UNKNOWN”
-Units and weapons can be given tittles that alter their stats
-tittles CAN be leveled and strengthed through dungeon masters
-Fusion allows easy passage of skills, elemental affinity, stats, etc from units AND weapons.
-there are other things as well, but I already think I have made my point :P

Let me put it simply: Want a werewolf swordsman that can summon an army of dopplegangers, HealingFairies, cause Tsunamies, Storms, Volcanic eruptions, as well as steal your soul before you can even get your first turn? Yes it is possible.

Want a Dragon Sorceror that can heal your entire team and engulf the enemies in rottening darkness as well as stab them in the back? Not a problem.

There is a matter of the “turn-limit” though…

Immijimmi
Immijimmi
11 years ago

There is a weakness to the balance. If the machines are all destroyed, the leftover beings all still have opponents to keep them in check. Taking the machines out would be the starting point.

Geoff
Geoff
11 years ago

hahaha the elder’s impaling animation is so funny

Lil' T
Lil' T
11 years ago

Excellent, as usual. I LOVED the input of the Pocalypse ecosystem. It was probably my favorite episode ever!!! Thanks Joe!

D
D
11 years ago

I love those eyes.

weaslecrap
weaslecrap
11 years ago

i have always wondered what the Pocalypse balance was (i did notice that you hinted at it in earlier episodes) but now that you do, the zombies seem more inelegant and the mutants are a lot less over powered. same with the machines. (also overpowered zompire rosa is the best character now :))

rosedragon
rosedragon
11 years ago

Monster nursing by itself like tamagochi actually boring to play on digital. I made two monster nursing games: monster orchard piacorn and tealygochi, they are not popular despite that I like playing with them.

I played monster rancher and likes it, but I feel clueless of it without reading walkthroughs and feels the game too slow (too many repetitive animations that you cant skip). This is monster rancher 1 though.

jolt583
jolt583
11 years ago

you know, finding a cure for the zombie virus would actually help more then the elder says it would. not only could they cure it, but the actual virus could be used as an anti-mutant weapon. and burnie already has an anti-machine weapon that, if duplicated, could be used to destroy the machines, leaving only the plants. but without the mutants to “protect” them, the machines would be able to destroy the plants themselves. the the humans just need to deal with the machines

Jason
Jason
11 years ago

I’ve also wanted to make a monster raising game for quite some time. If you’re looking for inspiration, your best bet is Pokemon – ( Gain a following of its size and you’ll really have something…) Monster Rancher – ( 2 is my favorite as well, I loved how you could use actual CDs to get new monsters, I just happened to have two of the secret ones. Anyway, MR is great on the raising aspect. ) Dragon Warrior Monsters – ( DWM is a great mix of monster raising and battling, though the story line always seemed second rate to me. )

Acrontus
Acrontus
11 years ago

@Joe Play Dragon Quest Monster Joker, a lot of people like it.
Also in kingdom Hearts 3D you can raise a lot of monsters that interact with you in battles

biperfuture
biperfuture
11 years ago

Wow, pretty good scene, the balance and all.

By the way Joe I think u should explain the origin of the mutants, we know about the zombis, vampires, machines… but no idea about mutants. Plant monsters are another mistery.

Tom
Tom
11 years ago

OMG she almost killed the elder whitout any problem!!!if Rosa keep doing like that she will save the humanity!

NeoWarrior
NeoWarrior
11 years ago

biperfuture-> err… Where were you when Greybane told his story of how his friend transformed him into a full werewolf and the other one into the FIRST mutant?

Jon
Jon
11 years ago

Long time reader… first time commenter.
First… amazingly addictive web comic… spent a good chunk of my finals study time tryin to catch up on this.
also… my favourite monster raising game was Dragon Warrior Monster. I enjoyed the ability to breed monsters together of different types, and then figure out what the resulting monster would be. Also, you didn’t simply throw balls to catch them, but you had to convince wild monsters to join your team with food.

Tom
Tom
11 years ago

look NeoWarrior it tis okay what you just said but bug and greybane are NOT the first mutants if you see rigth there is a mutant in a water tank thing completly deceased also a Digimon style game whit the pocalypse characters would we awesome here is Joe his evolutions:
1-Joe
2-Powefist
3-“Inner Joe”
4-Normal Joe
5-More powerfull Joe
6-???(in the end we will see Joe his actual state)
what he needs to evolve:
1-Start the game
2-Must be at level 4,and see Jess get suited up for thew first time
3-Must be at level 15 and must go to the church and lose the first battle against the (not yet infected)elder
4-Must go back to New Hammerston and try to break free from “Inner Joe”his control
5-Must be at level 20 ,let Sam damage your body and also let “Inner Joe”give your powers back
6-???

Bhum Brahmavira
Bhum Brahmavira
11 years ago

fuck yeah!

biperfuture
biperfuture
11 years ago

@NeoWarrior you’re right, I almost forget about that :/

Buck
Buck
11 years ago

The Shin Megami Tensei games, such as Devil survivor and devil summoner. These are fun games that focus on raising, buying, and fusing monsters. Plus they have great stories.

Dyl
Dyl
11 years ago

I loved this. Amazing, how all the different apocolypses seem to compliment each other, hold each other in check. Intimidating speech from the elder, but then, the vamps rely on smoke and mirrors to maintain the illusion of their invincibility… all the same, incredible story

markd
markd
11 years ago

wow! just… wow. the relationships between all the races is fantastic. i love how you painted the big picture for us here. it’s a bleak one, to be sure, but it’s freaking exciting :)

Erin
Erin
11 years ago

TAMAGOTCHI!!!!!!!!