What do most people write in the Gear Description window ?

[Hikitsu 31]

So, I started working on armor and weapons in the Database of one of my games. However, I was just curious. What do most of you put in the Description Box in weapons and armor ? Do you insert only the Stat numbers ? Do you add only the Gear Description ? Do you add both - Stats & Description in different lines ? Do you make it into something fancy ?

 

I just have mine done something like this, With only raw stat numbers :

(It's supposed to be a Powerful endgame Amulet in the game)

 

Edited March 14, 2015 by Hikitsu

[VanillaCube 14]

I usually try and add two things

a quick description of what it does and a bad joke, pun or reference.

 

like for the above Item I might go with this.

 

Atk is increased by 13 but you can't evade enemies.

They say that with great power comes great stupidity.

 

or for an antidote in my game I went with this...

 

Cures Poison.

You will never find the antidote... wait you already have it?

 

or for say an Ice Spell.

 

Throws a ball of Ice at the foe.

Ever put a snowball in the freezer? same thing.

Edited March 14, 2015 by VanillaCube

[HumanNinja 144]

I guess it would depend on the how you want the game to feel. If you want it to feel lighthearted and fun then VanillaCube's idea is a nice one. If your game is more serious or straightforward then I would avoid the puns and stick to necessary information. As a general rule I would suggest that simpler is better.

[Aria1573 21]

I say keep it simple for simple weapons and items but throw in a bit of lore for the items, weapons and armor that adds more to the story as an example here are two weapons from my game

 

Brother Flames

"A dagger infused with the power of fire"

 

Oblivion Dagger

"A dagger used by members of the black dawn"

 

It may not seem like much but by the time you are able to wield the Oblivion Dagger you will have faced off against the black dawn a few times so with that context you will now what some of the members have been using against you.

[Gallade 32]

For a "serious" game, I just go with one line of description, and one for stats/special traits of the item (which are described in the actor's profile)

Edited March 16, 2015 by Gallade

[Hikitsu 31]

 

 

 

 

That's a cool way of using the Description Box, with Icons..  

Edited March 16, 2015 by Hikitsu

[Aria1573 21]

Huh, I didn't even know you could do that Gallade

 

Learn something new everyday.

[Gallade 32]

It's just a cantrip. In Window_Help, line 41, replace the line with:

 

draw_text_ex(4, 0, @text)

And you can use icons, variables and actor names (For instance: "This is \n[1]'s favourite sword")

[HumanNinja 144]

Btw modern algebra has a script that allows for some major customization to be done with description fields.

[Kayzee 4,032]

I usually write bad puns. But then again I have other scripts to take care of actually showing what an item does.

[TheCaliMack 22]

I write the stats the skill/item uses, then a description, which varies on the game. My game's light-hearted, so it deals bad jokes.

 

e.g.

Jump

[ATK] I have the copyright.

 

(Final Fantasy Reference)

[Whiona 310]

If you can fit it in, I really like to see bits of lore in the description of a weapon. I think it's neat if the weapon can be connected to the world of the game somehow - it makes the weapon feel more important, somehow, and I'm more interested in wielding it. If you don't have room in the description, you could always try to fit it into the name of the weapon, too. Just indicating that it belonged to a particular person or group can be interesting enough.

 

Also, I think it's fun if starter weapons are described as being ridiculously terrible. I feel more powerful at the end of the game if the sword I started with was held together with duct tape and the one I ended with belonged to a god, regardless of what the actual difference between them is.

[TheoAllen 830]

I second to killo.

Description is for puns, and there's another window tell you about the detail about the equipments.

 

If not then...

First line is for pun

Second line is for effect

[+ TBWCS 953]

If its a serious RPG, this is what I do.

 

Name:

Nibelungen Ring

 

Description:

It is said that this ring symbolizes the love of Platina to Lucian.

Effect: Destroys all monsters on the field.(9,999,999 DMG)

 

or something like this:

 

Name:

Soulpour Magatama

 

Description:

The symbol of a hero's dignity.

Effect: +2 STR, +6 AGI

 

It is always what the item is about, not unless you have some other scripts that deals with extra things.

[Point08 219]

Given that the description window only holds two short lines of text, the simple answer: not much.

 

As other have said, if a game is lighthearted then a pun or joke is always nice, and if serious then perhaps some lore. I'm also a fan of some sort of indication as to the equipment's effects, whether it is as blatant as "+3 AGI," or simply suggested through something like "increases the user's speed in battle," is a personal choice. Leaving out the description of an item's effects is fine however, if it is supposed to be unknown, or it's obvious (e.g. a non-magical sword, obviously it allows you to attack things with a sword and the amount it increases your damage is shown in the windows already).

[TheCaliMack 22]

There's always the scrolling help window script to extend your point, but it looks awkward on two lines stacked on top of each other.

 

You need to get your point across the most efficient way. Shorthands like No Evade, +13 ATK and other stuff like that does help.

Take the disgaea series, for example. They cram good descriptions and make the game feel light-hearted, despite some serious parts. (Though it was truly only a serious game in the first game. It got more light-hearted, relatively, as the series went on)

[+ EraYachi 180]

I go the 'Tales of' route and make funny descriptions for gear and items. I'll put in the stats too, if there's room, but it's been so long since I've made an RPG (been working on a horror/adventure for so long) I forget how I fit it all in. But even in the horror game, my item descriptions are meant to be funny--it injects some lightheartedness into the creepy, frightening atmosphere.