After not having much time to work on Reclamation and spending a fair amount of time thinking about systems and whatnot, I came to the realization that I wasn't going about this project in the most rational way. Plus I started reading Yanfly's excellent comics about making games in RPG Maker MV (especially the first one) so I've decided to step back and refocus. I got caught up thinking about how to make combat interesting or unique and got really bogged down in how to make classes and such, which I could feel dragging me to a halt. So, refocusing!
I want to start with the structure. What kind of game do I want Reclamation to be? It'll be something of a JRPG, partly because I've got RPG Maker but also because I like those games, so that gives me a lot of stuff to work with right there, a lot of tropes that I can use or subvert, but that's still getting a little ahead of myself. That way lies distractions, like how I want to put a witch character in there because the new Netflix Sabrina is so good.
The example Yanfly uses, in order to nail down the basic structure of the game (from which he argues that the story should flow) is a basic dungeon crawler, which I don't want to do, but did get me thinking about the town-plot-dungeon-rinse-repeat model he proposes. I wanted to do something with base-building, because I enjoy having a place I can return to in a game, and a place that is mine. So I figure I can pretty much use that structure, except that instead of going from one town to the next for each plot hook, you'll be returning to the same town, which will get bigger and more interesting as the story unfolds.
I think it'll start with the party having to clear out the area where the town will be build, which allows them to build an "inn" so the party has a base of operations where they can at the very least rest and recover. From there plot events, dungeons and the like will allow them to build up the town with shops and other cool stuff. Maybe they get a blacksmith who can make weapons and armor, and eventually an enchanter, who can take those items and make them cool and magical. Maybe class trainers or the like. I think the idea of buying spells you see in Final Fantasy I (which is very reminiscent of D&D) seems like a neat idea, so I might put in something like that. But I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, so for now I'm going to work on that structure and figure out what maps, dungeons, and NPCs I'll need to flesh this out.