Cambridge Series, [Veront Ashk] Chapter 1 (1/3) Demo Out! (5/18) MOVE TO PD! Options

[m4uesviecr]

UPDATE!

Major progress is being made!

- Achieved a breakthrough in eventing a bounty minigame. It is 60% finished!
- 2/6 quests are more than 70% done.

I hope to have the event heavy quests done by at least tomorrow, that way I can quickly finish the other three, since I still have music to make.

Music themes left to make:

- Battle theme
- Factory music.
- Small village/town (perhaps 2 of these)
- Boss Battle
- Victory theme
- Underground Ruins
- World Map
- Cutscene music (at least 3 of these)

Sometimes I don't know what music I need until I have finished eventing a place. I can either use an already made theme that fits the mood, or I have to make something new. It all depends.

So, at the least, I'll need 11 tracks.

And I'm SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.

Wooteh McWooot Woot!

[m4uesviecr]

It's an update kind-a-sorta-not-really, but I think it is pretty important for those interesting in playing the game!

- So I did a quick run-through of the game (play-testing it from beginning to end), and before I was able to finish a key quest that leads to, ultimately, the end of the demo, I saved the game at an hour and 47 minutes worth of gameplay, not including all of the side quests and hidden items you can find in certain areas!

So, it will definitely be 2 hours long, if not more, when I include the final cut-scenes and the final task or quest thing-amagummy.

[m4uesviecr]

Downdate.

*tear*

As much as it pains me to say this, I am definitely in no position to release my game on the due date I proposed.
With college courses, and preparing for my final year of college, I don't have nearly as much time to devote towards my project.

I'll keep posting updates, and I'll save a demo announcement for when I am, without a doubt, sure it is on the horizon.

Or maybe even next door!

[m4uesviecr]

UPDATE!

Added two new tracks for you to listen to!

(You can find them by clicking on the link provided in the Features spoiler in the main topic)

[m4uesviecr]

This game is still being developed. It has been put on the backburner since my schoolwork has started to take off.

Expect a big update the following week!

This post has been edited by m4uesviecr: Apr 2 2012, 05:55 AM

[m4uesviecr]

UPDATE!

I made fairly decent progress over Easter Weekend!

I have basically finished all of the quests needed to progress the game (debating whether to implement the optional ones before or after the demo).

All I need now are a few touch ups, and I'll be able to work on the last part of the game! (Not to spoil the fun, but it includes holes, ropes, and older women... OMG, SUSPENSE.)

Anyway, I have a couple of screenshots from two places you will venture when taking on bounties in the game.

They are in spoilers, for those of you who wish not to look (which is none of you).

Once school ends, I'm hoping to have the demo out in at LEAST two months. Definitely before summer vacation ends though. That I can guarantee.

[Show/Hide] Spoiler alert.

Underground Cave! ... Of Sorts


Tilemachine Minigame (That I evented on my own, that I am SO giddy about).

I know it may not seem like it, but this is a VERY BIG UPDATE.

This post has been edited by m4uesviecr: Apr 10 2012, 04:28 AM

[m4uesviecr]

Unfortudate.

This is, again, at a pause. Due to unfortunate circumstances, and a little bit of domestic violence, my computer is out of commission and I am in the need of another one.

I didn't lose the data (thank the heavens) but I will definitely have to buy a new computer. (Which is happening today!)

Since summer is rolling around, I will have much more time to devote to this game (and I'm getting closer and closer to a release date for a demo).

Keep your eyes peeled!

[m4uesviecr]

Unfortudate - 2 ... With A Ray Of Hope!

So it seems that I HAVE lost my data. I didn't lose all of it, but I lost nearly 2/3 of progress... (painful to admit, let alone say).

That being said, my end of the summer release date, for the first half of the game, with school, and a month long visit with the beau, is possible, but with such a huge loss in my project, my morale has dropped significantly.

What I am posing, so that people can play the game, is that I will distribute the first half in a set of 3 installments:

Chapter 1:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

And then, once all three parts have been released, I will work on the final half of the chapter, and release it once the entire game has been finished.

I really want people to play this game, and give feedback and insight on the story and the mechanics within.

I am at the point where I can easily distribute Part 1. (Before the loss, I could have distributed both Part 1 and 2... *sigh*)

I'll do a run-through of the story-line, battles, etc., and have it up for you all to play (a.k.a that one guy who has actually been paying attention to the development of this game.) by, I'm shooting for, the end of this week, or the middle of next week!

This post has been edited by m4uesviecr: May 11 2012, 06:32 AM

[m4uesviecr]

UPDATE!

I am in the final edits of the demo!

Once I finish the Battle Theme/Boss Battle Theme, and a quick cut-scene piece, Cambridge: VA - Chapter 1 (1/3) will be ready for release tomorrow!

[m4uesviecr]

Alright. So I literally spent the entire day playing and re-playing through my game.

My perfectionist instincts took over, and now I'm a day behind.

Anyway, I will have it uploaded early today to make up for my insolence.

Sorry for the delay folks.

Edit:
Sorry about that Amerk!

This post has been edited by m4uesviecr: May 18 2012, 09:44 AM

[amerk]

Please remember to wait 72 hours before bumping your post with new info if you were the last one to post previously. If it's less than 72 hours, you can use the edit button. Other than that, congrats on reaching your goal of getting a demo out. I know you've been working on this for quite awhile now.

[m4uesviecr]

The demo is out and I have yet to get any feedback on the game.

Any constructive commentary is useful!

This post has been edited by m4uesviecr: Jun 8 2012, 08:47 AM

[m4uesviecr]

The final boss battle is bugged. I will update the link, with the fix, ASAP.

[amerk]

I gave this a test run for you and here are my thoughts:

It's certainly different. A bit on the confusing side in terms of where to go and what to do, but a nice paste from the way most rpg's start. This one promises to deliver more in game play and puzzles, and less so on the typical standards of battle and grind. The mapping, while primarily using RTP, is done very well, and the music offers a sort of ambiance that helps set the mood.

There was a glitch in one of the stealth puzzles, the one with the guard shouting "Earth" and changing the dolls into rock. If you stand where you are at the entrance, you wind up in a bug that freezes the game. The guard realizes he left a hole in the floor and runs towards the entrance, which is his exit. You're blocking his path, and he's blocking yours, and you can't move to leave the room, and the scene just freezes.

I didn't play on to any combat, but the overall mood of the story, the atmosphere, and the puzzles all point towards a challenging yet fun game.

[m4uesviecr]

I gave this a test run for you and here are my thoughts:

It's certainly different. A bit on the confusing side in terms of where to go and what to do, but a nice paste from the way most rpg's start. This one promises to deliver more in game play and puzzles, and less so on the typical standards of battle and grind. The mapping, while primarily using RTP, is done very well, and the music offers a sort of ambiance that helps set the mood.

There was a glitch in one of the stealth puzzles, the one with the guard shouting "Earth" and changing the dolls into rock. If you stand where you are at the entrance, you wind up in a bug that freezes the game. The guard realizes he left a hole in the floor and runs towards the entrance, which is his exit. You're blocking his path, and he's blocking yours, and you can't move to leave the room, and the scene just freezes.

I didn't play on to any combat, but the overall mood of the story, the atmosphere, and the puzzles all point towards a challenging yet fun game.

Ah! I know what you're talking about. I'l find a way to edit that glitch. Thanks for taking the time, even if for a little bit, to play it! I will work on the development of the story so that it isn't as confusing or vague.

[amerk]

Unfortunately, with way too many demos to test for, it's hard for me to play through for any length. I prefer to view the demo as a test of what's to come, offer feedback, and wait for the finished product. But I can certainly see options with this one.

The only one that seemed to stand out as a bit one-sided was where you had to get the key. You sneak past the guard who is looking for you, get the key, but then it's too late to leave, so you have to intentionally get the guard to see you to get out.

Perhaps a more interesting design would be to have the guard walk around the bookshelf twice, giving you ample time to get the key and get around him. Of course, to make it challenging, you could have it so that if the guard does catch you, you lose the key and have to try it again.

[m4uesviecr]

Unfortunately, with way too many demos to test for, it's hard for me to play through for any length. I prefer to view the demo as a test of what's to come, offer feedback, and wait for the finished product. But I can certainly see options with this one.

The only one that seemed to stand out as a bit one-sided was where you had to get the key. You sneak past the guard who is looking for you, get the key, but then it's too late to leave, so you have to intentionally get the guard to see you to get out.

Perhaps a more interesting design would be to have the guard walk around the bookshelf twice, giving you ample time to get the key and get around him. Of course, to make it challenging, you could have it so that if the guard does catch you, you lose the key and have to try it again.

Actually, if you wait a little bit, he starts to move again. I do give you two chances to move!

[Show/Hide] Don't read if you intend to play

- When you first walk in, he moves to go see who is there, etc, and by the time, the player should have noticed the shining event and proceeded towards it. By the time the player gets it, the guard is already seated, or at his seat.

- The guard sits for a while, then gets up to leave once more. That is the player's second opportunity to escape. If you wait any longer, then you have no choice but to get caught.

I will definitely implement a reset of the mini-game, so that the player has to attempt to get the key a second time. Thanks again for the feedback Amerk.

[BrettUltimus]

You've been working on this game with dedication, even though you aren't receiving much feedback, so I figured I'd give it a try.

The game is fairly decent. I was able to sneak by the guards with a few attempts, although I would recommend maybe involving some scripts so guard don't reappear in certain areas? (When I snuck by the guards with the model table the first time, and got caught..it was slightly frustrating to wait through that again). Also, they tend to catch you if they aren't further down the hallway...felt a little weird, but I adapted.

When you knocked out the captain and took his clothes...only to switch to someone wearing normal soldier clothes (I guess a different character?), I was confused for a moment with the transition...I felt at first you had used the incorrect sprite.

I liked the idea you had with the optional Mage Key swap, but felt the reward was meh for doing something out of the way. (All I got was 50g...unless I missed something?)

Other then that, my menu/cancel button wasn't work...which I have no idea why, made things difficult at the Qit fight (albeit fairly easy).

After Qit passed out...game froze, so I wasn't able to continue.

With that said...your use of sound effects are pretty awesome. Your mapping is decent (which says a lot, considering you used the default RTP, which can be pretty difficult), and I especially liked the music you used...it may not be something I'll be humming to myself, but it set the mood for all the scenes.

Overall, well done. I can see the hard work you put in this. I only hope you will receive more feedback, and more of a following in the future

[m4uesviecr]

You've been working on this game with dedication, even though you aren't receiving much feedback, so I figured I'd give it a try.

The game is fairly decent. I was able to sneak by the guards with a few attempts, although I would recommend maybe involving some scripts so guard don't reappear in certain areas? (When I snuck by the guards with the model table the first time, and got caught..it was slightly frustrating to wait through that again). Also, they tend to catch you if they aren't further down the hallway...felt a little weird, but I adapted.

When you knocked out the captain and took his clothes...only to switch to someone wearing normal soldier clothes (I guess a different character?), I was confused for a moment with the transition...I felt at first you had used the incorrect sprite.

I liked the idea you had with the optional Mage Key swap, but felt the reward was meh for doing something out of the way. (All I got was 50g...unless I missed something?)

Other then that, my menu/cancel button wasn't work...which I have no idea why, made things difficult at the Qit fight (albeit fairly easy).

After Qit passed out...game froze, so I wasn't able to continue.

With that said...your use of sound effects are pretty awesome. Your mapping is decent (which says a lot, considering you used the default RTP, which can be pretty difficult), and I especially liked the music you used...it may not be something I'll be humming to myself, but it set the mood for all the scenes.

Overall, well done. I can see the hard work you put in this. I only hope you will receive more feedback, and more of a following in the future

Awe! Thanks so much for your feedback! I had my sister play and she wasn't too fond of waiting for the guards to pass by. I am trying to see how interesting I can make this game with a minute amount of scripts, so please bare with me. The next series installment will have more, and the next one will have more than the one before that, and so on.

When you knocked out the captain and took his clothes...only to switch to someone wearing normal soldier clothes (I guess a different character?), I was confused for a moment with the transition...I felt at first you had used the incorrect sprite.

Alright. It seems I will have to find a way to make that transition a bit clearer. Perhaps some opening dialogue before switching to the character. If it seems to pose even more of a problem for people playing, I will try to make it a bit more obvious. But, if you were unable to open your menu, this spoiler may have been the problem:

[Show/Hide] SPOILAH

You were unable to see the faceset picture of Veront, the character you saw during the opening cutscene. If you were able to open your menu, you would have seen it. That was probably why you were so confused about the switch.

I liked the idea you had with the optional Mage Key swap, but felt the reward was meh for doing something out of the way. (All I got was 50g...unless I missed something?)

No, you didn't miss anything. Thanks a lot for that! I'll see to it that I make the reward more... rewarding!

Other then that, my menu/cancel button wasn't work...which I have no idea why, made things difficult at the Qit fight (albeit fairly easy).
After Qit passed out...game froze, so I wasn't able to continue.

Poop! I'll see to that. I was able to fix the bug with the final boss. I'll figure out what is wrong with this part in particular.

Thanks for the kind words and the helpful feedback Brett! I'll make sure to play through to catch more of the bugs and also clear up a few loose ends.

[BrettUltimus]

For the transition between the captain and the soldier, fade bgms, along with dialogue will work wonders. In addition, instead of changing the faceset to reflect the sprite they changed into, maybe you can keep the faceset of the original characters? Since you are using facesets all the time (no matter how minor the character is), it can get a little confusing, especially with dialogue.