Platform - RMVX

Story
This is a story about a world, Elucia, that has many secrets, just like any other. Human is the only creature that tries not just to live in this world, but to understand it and has the power to change it. Every scientist dreams of understanding The Flow, the substance of the world. It would give the power every ruler dreams of. Taru, a young man living in a small mining town called Grot, will be dragged into a political intrigue that will change the way the world should be, disturbing The Flow, and will learn all of it's mysteries.

Characters
Taru - a smart, but timid 16 years old young man from the mining town, called Grot. He lost his father when he was 11.
Asael - a mysterious creature from another world.

Features
-Sideview battle system
-Equip and skills systems
-Synthesize system
-Interesting puzzles
-Interesting battles
The difficulty of battles in this game is high. You will not defeat monsters just attacking them. I want the player to think, to count turns, to count hp. You will guard, heal and use skills very often. I tried to balance it so that you will have to SURVIVE every battle, being very cautious about enemy's actions.

Screenshots
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Download
Without RTP (20 mb):
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?x19q832p0w0xdfy
Including RTP (52 mb):
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?5dgl11qs314okup

Progress
15%

Gameplay Time
About 2 hours

Comment
The project is open. I hope you'll find something new and helpful in the project.

UPDATE
11.03.12 - graphical
Added lightmaps, torches etc. Looks much nicer now =)
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PLEASE, COMMENT! YOUR CRITICS WILL MAKE THIS GAME BETTER!!!

Looks like a nice, basic game. The mapping isn't too bad either. Is your emphasis story or gameplay? (Or priority at least)

Both. I've put much effort in the story (but you won't see much of it in the demo), and even more effort in the eventing. You'll jump, you'll push boxes on switches in puzzles, you'll throw a rock on a monster, you'll button mash to push a monster off the cliff. I did my best so that gameplay doesn't get boring. I think all aspects of a game should be of high quality and I tried to do that

I didn't spend too much time with the demo, but I'm liking this game so far.
The mapping is well done, and game-play is nice.
I was entertained for quite a while,
and while trying to make all aspects of a game
"high quality"-like can be challenging....
In my time with the demo, I think you did a good job in that aspect.

I just started playing and I'm stuck in the field where I'm supposed to be hunting four wasps. I killed the two in the upper-right corner but couldn't find the other two. I opened up the game file in VX and saw that the other two wasps have a switch attached to them (62, I think). Did I somehow miss that switch?

This looks pretty good so far. I like that it starts off with exploration instead of just combat or story. I hope to see some good puzzles! The dialogue is well-written and the mapping looks nice. I like the little jump that Taru does at the end of battle. Please let me know what to do about those pesky wasps so I can keep playing :-)

rewells, they're in the down left corner (you can jump over the narrowest part of the river). Kurt told you that when he briefed you about the hunt. Read the dialogues!

Oops. Thanks! I'll keep playing and let you know what I think.

Does this require some special font? I'm getting no words on the screen on the title page and when I start the game.

Check to see if a font was included in the game files and if so upload that to the computer. I have tried this yet, so I can't comment on what the font should be.

Correction; spoke too soon.

Even after installing the font: nothing has changed and the game is still bare of any text.

Don't know. Seems to work for everyone. The font is Lucida Calligraphy and it's in the dir of the game. It should work if you installed the font correctly. Just drag and drop the font in the C:\Windows\Fonts dir.

Sorry to derail the topic, but somebody indicated to me they couldn't see the screenshots. I can, but not sure if that's because I'm a mod or not, or if it's just their own computer. Could a few of you please shoot me a PM and let me know whether or not you can see the OP's screenshots for this game? I'm trying to eliminate the possibility that it's funky settings within the forum.

Thanks!

Back on topic... Somewhat:

lethitax, what operating system are you using? If it's older than Windows7, it should work just installing the font as fin2fan explained, but you would still need to restart the game. If it's Windows7, I've heard that you need to completely restart the computer in order for the fonts to take effect. I don't know for sure, but you could try restarting the computer regardless.

This was the only thing I found in the "Fonts" folder of the game:

http://s426.photobucket.com/albums/pp341/X...=Font_Error.jpg

Is this the correct font?, because from what fin's post is implying: it isn't, yet this is the only thing in the folder.

I've also tried restarting my computer already, but that's had no effect what so ever.

Anywhere I can get the Lucida Calligraphy font?

Open "The Flow" folder. There should be a file called "LCALLIG.TTF". This is the font you need.

The issue with viewing/downloading screenshots has now been fixed!

On the very beginning town. Next to the Mayor's house. That ledge where you can jump down and get to the chest next to the bridge? You can walk on top of that rock. And I have played this game for an hour now and I like it alot (: lol

Thank you =) Checked through the town for 100 times and still missed that rock =\ I'm happy you enjoy it =D

Finally got the text to show up, thanks fin, and might I suggest adding that font into the actual font folder? I don't see why a different font was in there, but the actual font I needed was just in the general folder.

The game itself is indeed challenging, and I ended up using most (about 90%) of all the freebie potions you were given by the end of the demo. You also had a good ambiance throughout and I liked how you worked in those different lighting elements.

Concerns -

You have a lot of puzzles in the demo, personally, I'd of liked a way to reset the puzzle without having to re-enter the area, as you don't walk very fast in caves.

There was a puzzle that glitched on me when I messed up on it and tried to re-do it, it didn't hinder me from finishing the game, but I will have a screenshot showing where I had the problem: there was a moveable object that was no longer pushable after I re-entered the area to retry it.

http://s426.photobucket.com/albums/pp341/X...rrent=Flow1.jpg

I found Asael to be a bit under-whelming, in the sense that he did good damage, but his only skill used up too much mana. Of course you have another skill that regains mana when used, but I rarely use it, since enemies deal a lot of damage to him and to have him waste a turn for 10-12 mana isn't a good alternative. Maybe if you could have him recover mana outside of battle or maybe a passive regen per turn? I don't see the current mana recovery skill you have in place to be something I'll use often or become very viable if he has to take 80 damage in exchange for such a low amount of mp gain.

Most of the puzzles are in darkened areas, although it fits the mood: I was playing in full-screen mode, so it sort of became hard to see; maybe if later on you could add in some of those torches like in the starting mines?

Overall - The puzzles are a little harder than what most RPG's start you off with, but not too bad. Everything else, besides the usual grammar/spelling issues seems to be in order. And you have a pretty good start from what I can see. Good luck on the rest!.

Thanks, lethitax! I'll fix the puzzle issue, and I'll add the "reset puzzle" function =)
About darkness: your screen tells me you don't have a glowing stone in inventory, it gives some light around the character. That would help. Further on, it won't be a problem as you will have more effective ways to light your path =)
About Asael: the idea was to make the player keep the balance between health draining and MP recovering, I don't plan to change that. But I plan to add MP and HP recovery for Asael OUTSIDE of battle later on. I hope that will be enough for you =)
Thank you again for such constructive critics! You are a big help =D

Er, I had 2 glowing stones...I guess I didn't know that they were to be used while in caves (yes, common sense was thrown out the window). I was busy with going back and forth to crystals for heals, and must not have realized to check my inventory and use a stone. As for Asael: yeah, having some form of out of battle potions for him will greatly help, since he can't really rely on in-battle skills to regain anything without losing a good chunk of health.

PS - Are we only able to use Alchemy in certain places? I noticed that I could only bring up that menu when I was in his own house/room.

Now that's a problem... The thing is the glowing stone shouldn't be used to give light. The game checks if it's in inventory... You sure you had the glowing stone on that screenshot? It works as far as I tested.

PS: Yes, you need the alchemy table for that.

Hrm, just went through some parts of the game again, forget I said anything about the glow stones not working. I had a long day it seems >_>.

PS - I also forgot to mention that when you get Asael and are able to travel to the new area: there's an npc next to 2 Flaro's straight-ahead of you; after you enter, but he doesn't react when you try talking to him.

oops... Now I get it. The npc takes away your glowing stones. Made it to test the caves... and forgot to delete it. How shameful of me =(