Forum Discussion
Grim Depths — A JRPG Prototype Made with Storyline 360
As an e-learning developer, I’ve always wanted to push gamification beyond “quizzes in disguise.” With that mindset, I designed and prototyped Grim Depths, a JRPG inspired by the genre’s classics, featuring a turn-based combat system with inventory, stats, dice-influenced modifiers, character sheets, and GAME OVER.
DEVELOPMENT NOTES
In Articulate Storyline 360, turn management is driven by a system of triggers and variables that control player and enemy actions, consumable item counts, and a pseudo-random ‘dice’ function that changes action outcomes.
JavaScript handles extensions and polish (for example, a custom cursor, audio fade-out, and animated pop-ups).
The visual assets are based on my illustrations (Instagram, Behance), refined with generative models; after slicing the sprites in Photoshop, I carefully animated them in Animate, producing GIFs and MP4s that form the core of the action.
Finally, the UI/UX aims for a balance between vintage aesthetics and contemporary solutions, for smooth, readable gameplay.
The attached video shows a sample playthrough.
To play it on a desktop PC (recommended), download the zip file from this link:
https://grimdepths.altervista.org/
Download the file and extract it to an empty folder. Double-click Grim Depths.bat to launch.
If your firewall prompts you, allow Mongoose to start—it’s a local web server that serves the game at http://localhost.
If you prefer the Review version (load times are long), use this link:
https://360.articulate.com/review/content/f60988b6-d798-4cc4-86cf-2aaf7325e01c/review
I’m very interested in your feedback on any aspect of the game. Have fun!
Note on sharing: This is a demo build. I’m not sharing the .story source or raw assets, but I’m happy to discuss the approach, show trigger/variable screenshots, and outline pseudo-logic for specific parts (turn order, dice/RNG, HUD states). Feel free to ask targeted questions below!
17 Replies
Amazing! How do you keep track of the logic and triggers? Do you have a spreadsheet to manage what controls what? And how do you test/bug fix?
Hi James, thanks!
I keep the logic lean: linear turns—party then boss—and game over when a character’s HP drops to zero. The trickiest part is damage calculation, with a hit check, base damage, small variance, and modifiers before updating HP. Triggers are organized by phase with guard conditions, and a small set of variables governs turn order, states, and inventory. I don’t use a spreadsheet; naming conventions and continuous debugging through repeated playtests are enough.Thanks for the insight! Yeah, I find naming everything clearly and early helps so much later down the track as things get more complicated.
Such a good question as this stuff can get so complicated when you have so many things going on!
EmilianoPireddu, This is wild (in the best way)! 👏 You mentioned balancing classic JRPG vibes with smooth readability. Were there any UI patterns you tried that you learned didn’t work well for this style of game?
Also, I wanted to let you know we’ll be sharing this in an upcoming ELH Weekly newsletter as an example of rethinking gamification. Be sure you’re subscribed if you want to receive that. 🎉
Thanks, Katie-Jordan—great question! I studied classic JRPG UIs (FFVII–IX), modern indies like Chained Echoes/Darkest Dungeon, and Atlus’s solutions (Persona/Metaphor). Among the patterns I dropped was the old-school text menu/submenu system: too deep and it slowed the pacing, especially on mouse/desktop. I also tried a radial command wheel (striking, but slower with a mouse). I ended up with a floating, slightly translucent UI with high-contrast command bands and clear icons that sit around the large sprites without covering them and integrate cleanly into the layout. Thanks for planning to include it in the ELH Weekly!
EmilianoPireddu particularly appreciative of how much context you shared about how you approached the logic of this build—it would be so cool to have you do some kind of "how I built this" if you're interested/there's appetite from others!
Sure, Noele—happy to! I can put together a “How I Built This” if there’s interest. Let’s gather a couple of preferences and, based on the response, I’ll prepare a first mini deep dive. Before I scope it, I’d love to know what would be most useful: a general overview or a focus on one or two areas? And what format would you prefer—a short write-up with screenshots, a small diagram, or a quick clip/GIF?
Hi EmilianoPireddu, I am going to email you so we can talk through these ideas more!
This looks so simple, but that's the best part. A game made by triggers that looks simple, but I can only imagine the checks and double checks for each character's turn. You've done an amazing piece of work, and it's great to see people push the basic trigger boundaries.
Thank you so much! My guiding principle was “simple on the surface, robust under the hood.” It’s also great to see that Storyline really is like a blank canvas on which you can paint almost anything.
EmilianoPireddu - glad to see so many people already hyping this! Just tried out the demo and it blew my mind. I've been trying to do that same "port over" of tabletop/turnbased gaming principals into tools for years but never made anything this pretty 😎 - thanks for sharing and giving your thinking process.
Nerdy question; do you have a favorite video game at current? Darkest Dungeon was too much for my speed (and the controls were wonky on the Switch), but I'm on my second run-through of BG3 and loving it all over again 💖Hi Rachael_Silvano —love nerdy questions :D
I’m a fan of every kind of RPG, and of course I devoured and loved BG3 with all my heart! You’re right about Darkest Dungeon—it’s really punishing and hardcore—but stylistically it was a big touchstone for me (the action zoom idea came from there).
Right now my current favorite is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: I just finished it and it left a huge void!
But if you asked for my all-time favorite, I’d say without a doubt: Persona 5 💘
This is brilliant work, and exactly like a project I’m planning. Any chance you’re in Boston for the summit?
Thanks so much! I’m based in Italy and won’t be able to make it to Boston this time. I’d love to follow your project—especially if it’s in the RPG space—so please keep me posted and let’s stay in touch.
