The Epic of Gilgamesh, An rpg adaptation of the oldest story on earth with Final Fantasy art Options

[rewells]

Scroll to the bottom for download information



"The Epic of Gilgamesh" is one of the oldest known recorded myths. For the first time in history, the epic is retold as a role-playing game using Ancient Sumerian scholar Danny P. Jackson's translation and artwork from the popular Final Fantasy video game series.

The original epic is the oldest known significant piece of literature to exist, with the oldest manuscript dating before 2000 B.C. (for comparison, the oldest manuscripts of the Old Testament date to 100 B.C.). The game was built using Enterbrain's RPG Maker VX and uses the tilesets that come with it for maps and some character sprites. All enemy graphics and music are taken from the Final Fantasy series, namely FFIV, V and VI. See the credits for the full list of contributors.


The Story

A ruler with impossible strength, the famous King Gilgamesh of Uruk, has started abusing his subjects. The villagers of Uruk call up to the Annunaki, the seven highest gods who watch over Sumer, to help them. They decide to send Gilgamesh a companion, Enkidu, a creature who is neither human nor beast. But is Enkidu a friend or foe? Their meeting is just the begging of a story which necessitated the invention of the word "epic". Transverse the Great Desert, pillage the Cedar Forest, descend to the Netherworld, climb the mountain to the highest eagle's nest, meet the unisex scorpion people and finally visit Dilmun, the home of the gods.


The Characters (see website for full list):



Gilgamesh is the king of Uruk, the largest city in the region of Sumer. He is the son of Lugalbanda, a god and former Sumerian king, and Ninsun, a human woman who lives in Larsa. His unparalleled strength and lack of fear have made his name known throughout the continent. While his subjects respect him for these qulities, he has recently begun to abuse his power, demanding that every new-bride in the city spend their wedding night with him. He is favored by the sun god Shamash and Ishtar, the god of love and fertility.

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Enkidu is neither man nor beast. He is a product of Aruru, the godess of creation, who brought him into existance to be King Gilgamesh's companion. Up his birth commanded unimaginable control of the elements, but his abilities dwindle after making contact with humans. Nonetheless, he remains a strong warrior and loyal friend whose temperance counterbalences Gilgamesh's wreckless tendencies.


Features

- a timeless story about coming to terms with the human condition
- graphics and music from Final Fantasy IV-VI and the rpgvx RTP
- a unique "sacrifice system" that allows player's to exchange spoils from battle for equipment and skill upgrades
- learn factoids about the real Ancient Sumer and experience their stories as never told before
- several optional bosses and side quests with more under developments
- more than 200 maps to explore
- 3.5 - 5.5 hours of gameplay


Screen Shots









Credits

Directed by Robert Wells
Main Story Script adapted from Danny P. Jackson’s translation of The Epic of Gilgamesh
“Prologue” based on translations by Samuel Kramer and Diane Wolkstein
All other text and dialogue by Robert Wells
Developed using RPG Maker VX
All music taken from Final Fantasy IV and V downloaded from midishack.net
All enemy character graphics taken from Final Fantasy IV, V and VI downloaded fromvideogamesprites.net
Gilgamesh sprite inspired by studiomasquerade, adapted by Robert Wells
Bull of Heaven Sprite by Matsuo Kaito
Battle backgrounds from Final Fantasy V Advance, ripped by Valoc Darkmyre and Final Fantasy I and II: Dawn of Souls, ripped by Ryan914
All tiles, battle animations and sprites taken from RPG Maker VX unless otherwise noted
Variable-Item link script my Mithran
Side-Battle Script by Claimh translated into English by Elemental Crisis
Custom Battle Background Script by Claimh translated into English by Elemental Crisis
Show slip-damage Script by Cozziekun
Flash Light effect by Jacklo
(If I left something out that belongs to you, please let me know)


Special Thanks:
Wikipedia
RPG Maker Forum at Neoseeker.com
Enterbrain
RPGRevolution.com
Caffeine
For my Enkidu, Jimmy


Download


The game is currently in beta mode and I am seeking testers. Everything should run smoothly though there may be a few mistakes; please let me know if you find any (email me at rewells318@gmail.com). I intend to make three bonus dungeons, and the items to access them are already in this version of the game. When you click on the download link you will need to enter a password: gowombats. The zip file contains the rtp.

http://www.mediafire.com/?xb06g6o35ky6jb9

[Penguin]

This looks AMAZING. I'm downloading right now.

[Mal]

I think it looks really good

[rewells]

**UPDATES**

New download url: http://www.mediafire.com/?ppq79ziih3tlm5p

Bugs found by testers over the past few weeks are fixed. The only remaining bug that I know of and can't fix is that when you use the spell "confuse" on a group of three enemies, some of them may randomly fly off screen and the game will freeze. Don't use the spell on more than two enemies.

My website is up now and I have complete walkthroughs and tutorials: gilgameshgame.com

I'm working on three optional dungeons and am welcoming any suggestions:
1) Anu's temple, where you will fight dragons from Final Fantasy IV-VI and learn about the real-life mythological creatures they derive from (I'm thinking of offering Kain as new party member)
2) The Rift, which will be a hodgepodge of FF universes and meet Exdeath (my idea is the create a link between my game and the FF universe by telling the story of how Exdeath and Gilgamesh become friends)
3) The Tower of Babel: I'm thinking of making this one more puzzle oriented and educational than the others.


Please let me know if you have any feedback!

[kraz007]

@rewells, it's a good idea to make your website a link

As to Rift, keep in mind that this is word is in a bit of a trademark dispute around it and you may get into hot water. Google the RIFT MMO. You should change it to something Rifty like The Dark Rift of Shadow!

[rewells]

http://www.gilgameshgame.com/

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't really follow MMO's (perhaps it's my only child syndrome). The idea for "The Rift" comes from "The Interdimensional Rift" in the Final Fantasy multiverse. The rift first appears in FFV (the first game that Gilgamesh appears in) and has been accepted as the link between the different Final Fantasy worlds. Gilgamesh appears in more FF games than any other character, and it's implied in the series that the rift allows him to travel through dimensions.

My idea is to take the concept of the rift to the next level. Final Fantasy uses mythological characters from all over the real world, so fitting with my game's theme of blending the mythological with the real (Gilgamesh was the ruler of the real Ancient Uruk, and all of the locations in my game were real places), my idea is to connect the FF rift to our world.

My current plan for Anu's Temple and the Rift is this: When Gilgamesh enters Anu's temple, he will see the Tablets of Destiny (the symbol of the gods' power in Sumerian mythology) and try to remove them. This will open the rift. A bunch of dragons from the FF universe who are based on "real-life" myths will spill out, as will Kain from FF IV. Kain and Gilgamesh will have to round up the dragons by fighting them and also learn the history behind them. The dragons I'm using are:

-Leviathan from Hebrew mythology
-Chaos from Greek mythology
-Tiamat from Sumerian mythology
-Bahamut from Arabic mythology

The goal by the end of the dungeon is not just to beat the dragons, but also to know their mythological history (for example, the Arabic Bahamut was a giant fish, but the Dungeons and Dragons series made him a dragon and the brother of Tiamat. Final Fantasy took both of the D&D characters and adapted them for their series. Tiamat, Leviathan and Chaos are all very similar historically in that they are monsters who are said to pre-date the creation of the world and are killed by gods.)

I'm thinking of requiring a quiz of sorts to be able to pass. My next idea is that after sorting out the dragons, Gilgamesh will enter the rift with Kain to help him find his comrades from FFIV. In the rift they will have to fight the main parties from FFIV-VI (i.e. Cecil, Rosa, Rydia and Edge; Bartz, Lenna, Farris and Galuf; Terra, Locke, Celes, Edgar). Finally, Gilgamesh will meet Exdeath, the main villain from FFV, and the two will become friends, explaining how they met before the FFV story begins.

As to trademark issues...I'm already using tons of FF artwork in my game. Square-Enix has a reputation for not appreciating fan-made games (see the proposed Chrono Trigger remake, "Chrono Resurrection", which they shut down), but this is just a hobby, I'm not making any money from it and, if anything, I'm promoting them. I'd argue that everything I'm doing falls under "fair use" policy (which allows authors to pull from other people's work as long as they give credit and are ultimately making something new out of it), but if Square-Enix actually came after me for being a threat to them - well, what higher honor is there?

@rewells, it's a good idea to make your website a link

As to Rift, keep in mind that this is word is in a bit of a trademark dispute around it and you may get into hot water. Google the RIFT MMO. You should change it to something Rifty like The Dark Rift of Shadow!

[DrDhoom]

i didn't see any screenshot
i'm downloading it right now...

[Horror]

Stuck. Everytime I try the northern exit of the town through which I need to go to get to the Great Desert, it keeps knocking me back to the oasis on the main map. Help!

[rewells]

Hmm no one else has had that problem, so thanks for alerting me! The only thing I can think of is that somehow a mandatory event on the world map was skipped, meaning when you go to the map, the game is trying to autoplay another event. I'll shuffle through my eventing and see how that could have happened. The only thing I can suggest is to start a new game :-( I'm sorry.

Stuck. Everytime I try the northern exit of the town through which I need to go to get to the Great Desert, it keeps knocking me back to the oasis on the main map. Help!

[zachman57]

I cannot get into the tower of babel even though I beat the omega weapon. How do i use the key?
EDIT I know now. I just read up on your site. Also, you don't need the kings sword to win against the optional bosses. I won with a lvl 2 dragon sword. You just need a lot of high potions and a couple of elixers and keep going for confuse and paralyze attack and you will win and use slow and that was for omega weapon who is the hardest in the game.

This post has been edited by zachman57: Sep 24 2011, 09:31 PM

[rewells]

Thanks for the alternative method, and congrats on beating omega without the king's sword! As you saw on my site,
the tower of babel is a side-quest that I plan to make later. I'm currently putting together the first bonus dungeon, anu's temple,
and am trying to incorporate the samurai expansion set. Fingers crossed, i'll have that done by the end of october and the tower done by the end of the year

I cannot get into the tower of babel even though I beat the omega weapon. How do i use the key?
EDIT I know now. I just read up on your site. Also, you don't need the kings sword to win against the optional bosses. I won with a lvl 2 dragon sword. You just need a lot of high potions and a couple of elixers and keep going for confuse and paralyze attack and you will win and use slow and that was for omega weapon who is the hardest in the game.

[Souji]

i think you shouldn't use FF design of Gilgamesh, it look way too chinese-like to be a Babylonian king!

how about this design of Gilgamesh, it from the fate/series

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Gilgamesh and Enkidu

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[amerk]

Locked, please see the following link for a more current topic:

http://www.rpgrevolution.com/forums/index....c=54044&hl=