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Post by The Smurf on Oct 21, 2005 19:37:03 GMT -5
okay, before anyone says anything...i KNOW i'm doing like three different projects at once here, and now i'm bringing a fourth into the mix. KC is basically done and upgraded, so i don't *really* have to worry about that anymore. Spirit Saga is on hold, and i'll get back to it whenever i feel motivated. Spirit Saga II currently has about 2% worth of progress, and probably won't be touched until 1 is finished. so, now i have this, which will be worked on periodically from now until however long it takes. Chronicle Series, Spirit Saga Series...this belongs not to either. this mammoth of an idea is on its own. if everything goes right...i may have a classic commercial RPG coming out. i'm planning to make this the biggest and baddest game i've ever made...hopefully long and complicated (plot wise). [glow=red,2,300]S E R A P H I M[/glow]Satan, King of Hell, is in the mood for a bloody war. he has decided to take over the kingdom of Heaven for his own. His mission is to capture Heaven and dethrone the queen, Lady Seraphim. obviously, Seraphim does not want her kingdom to be taken by the King of Hell, so she sends three (maybe more, probably more) Knights of Heaven to the Overworld in order to stop some of the coming attacks. you are a boy named Logan and are wandering around town one day when you meet Melkior, a self-proclaimed Knight of Heaven. he is hesitant about his new quest and asks if you'll assist him in finding the other Knights. you agree, and the quest begins. this all i've created so far, and i plan on making this a crazy RPG with plot twists and stuff. i'll post more when there's more information to give, and even i don't know the ending yet. we'll see how it goes. oh, yeah, this game is being created on RPG Maker XP (the legal version, bought it on (i think) tuesday, legally, so don't yell at me) -the smurf
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Post by Neo Samurai on Oct 24, 2005 19:44:16 GMT -5
Sounds like a good idea to me. However, I think maybe you should explain more why the Knight of Heaven wants Logan's help. Otherwise, great idea.
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Post by The Smurf on Oct 25, 2005 16:00:49 GMT -5
I think maybe you should explain more why the Knight of Heaven wants Logan's help. ah...i, too, have felt that this needs to be expanded. um, i still gotta make some ideas, so... but thanks for showing interest. i'll have to work extra hard on this one for all my fans out there who am i kidding? -the smurf
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Post by The Smurf on Dec 24, 2005 11:07:19 GMT -5
Got some screens for the game (which I just recently started to work on again). They're not even on my site yet... beginning of the game... the second town... the kingdom of heaven... Lady Seraphim. Doan or Ves, if this is too many screens for one post or something just tell me. -the smurf
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Post by Doan the Nado on Dec 24, 2005 16:25:51 GMT -5
We don't have any kind of restrictions on that. It looks fine to me, especially since they aren't too wide or anything. The game looks good so far. I assume you're making this with RPGMXP?
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Post by The Smurf on Dec 25, 2005 14:59:36 GMT -5
yep, it's on XP. i do not expect it to be finished anytime soon, but i want to make it a really big, complex game with a ton of story and characters. but i do need to get to work on SS2, at least until i put out a second demo...then i can slack off and work on this. -the smurf
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Post by The Smurf on Dec 27, 2005 22:35:43 GMT -5
i've assembled some character bios and descriptions for the nine characters that are definitely going to be in the game. i have about 20 characters made, but don't know if i'll use them all. well, here we go. Logan: Logan is a boy from the port town of Hamstead, the town where the adventure begins. His personality is very passive, and he’s not arrogant or cocky in any way. He meets up with Melkior early on and is eager to learn about Satan’s attack on Heaven. Though he seems to be a useless character at the beginning, his story unravels and begins to change his life forever. Class: Swordsman Hometown: Hamstead Weapon: Sword Age: 18 Melkior: Melkior is a Knight of Heaven, and has been for a long time. His sole objective as a Knight is to protect the Queen of Heaven. He meets Logan in Hamstead and journeys with him from the very beginning. While he often lets his teammates walk all over him, he is one of the strongest characters in the game, and proves it in battle. With Melkior behind you, there’s nothing you can’t do. Class: Knight of Heaven Hometown: Heaven Weapon: Sword Age: 29 Serenity: Serenity is one of Melkior’s co-workers. Though she often abuses him, they’re still good friends and work well together in combat. She has a short temper and gets frustrated quickly, but her loyalty to her cause is second to none. She is and always will be a faithful companion, and she is a strong asset to your team early in the game. Class: Protector of Seraphim Hometown: Heaven Weapon: Lance Age: 26 Celeste: Celeste is a friend of Serenity, and consequently also enjoys beating up on Melkior’s flaws. Though she is actually a very kind-hearted person, her true passion is shown in combat. She has an affinity for spell casting, and as a result doesn’t have strong normal attacks. Though she doesn’t remain in the party for very long, her abilities will help you in the beginning of the game. Class: Guardian of Angelicus Hometown: Heaven Weapon: Rod Age: 25 Brutus: Brutus is not nearly as dense as he looks; he is actually the brains of the group. When the party finally meets up with him in the valley, he eagerly joins the team, hoping to see more action than he previously had. Because he’s so smart, however, he tends to seem like an egotist and an assertive leader. His main goal is to emulate his father Hygel, Lady Seraphim’s old second-in-command. Class: Knight of Heaven Hometown: Heaven Weapon: Sword Age: 28 Neko: Neko belongs to the Cat Warrior Tribe that lives in the Southern Woods. Her people have recently been threatened by Satan’s underling. Because of this she seeks help from Logan’s team, who just happens to be passing through. Though she seems unfriendly to the Knights, she takes a liking to Logan. Even though she’s only in the party for a short time, she still provides a good deal of strength when fighting Satan’s minions. Class: Feline Swordswoman Hometown: Nekomura Weapon: Sword Age: 17 Valerie: Valerie is an apprentice spellcaster just old enough to start training as a Guardian of Angelicus. While her skills aren’t fully developed, her devotion to learning is pure and authentic. While she is the youngest character in the game, she is still strong in her own right. Like Celeste, her strength is limited, but she can cast some incredible magic that will leave the enemy running for mommy. Class: Guardian of Angelicus Hometown: Heaven Weapon: Rod Age: 15 William (only cause the name suited the model ;D): William is a veteran Knight and knows all the tricks of the trade. His experience from battle is a blessing when he joins later in the game. One of his major character flaws, however, is his arrogance. Because he has experienced so many battles and fights in the past, he feels like he’s better than some of the newbie Knights. However, if you can deal with this one idiosyncrasy, he proves to be an invaluable member. Class: Knight of Heaven Hometown: Heaven Weapon: Spear Age: 42 Raven: Raven is of the Angelicus order; in other words a direct underling of Seraphim. Her angelic abilities will come in handy during your trip through the Kingdom of Hell. Though she is only a member of your party at the very end of the game, you’ll wish you had her from the beginning. She possesses abilities that no other character can perform, and as a result is very unique. Although she is a woman of few words, her power is incredible. Class: Angelicus Hometown: Heaven Weapon: Sword Age: 24 so that's what i've got so far. i'm working constantly on this game and SS2, so keep looking for more info on the games. oh and i'll take feedback on my characters if you'd like to give any. -the smurf edit: oh, i guess maybe i should include info on the classes... (members in parentheses are characters that may or may not be included in the game) Swordsman: self explanatory...one under this class uses a sword and can use sword skills. they usually have less magical ability and fewer spell points, but higher strength. Members: Logan, (Freya) Knight of Heaven: similar to the Swordsman, only a Knight of Heaven has more spell points and can use more angelic type skills. Knights of Heaven use either swords or spears. Members: Melkior, Brutus, William Protector of Seraphim: this class, like the Knight of Heaven, only consists of Heaven-based characters. Protectors are fast on their feet and have higher agility, and a lot of strength. they have less angelic ability and more physical skills. members of this class fight using lances. Members: Serenity, (Derek), (Jeanette) Guardian of Angelicus: Guardians specialize in spell casting. they're strength is fairly weak, but their abilities are enormous. they have a ton of spell points and intelligence, and their skills are much better than the average swordsman or mage. Members: Celeste, Valerie, (Rothgar) Feline Swordswoman: only female members of the Cat Warrior Tribe are mambers of this class. their agility and dexterity are very sharp, and their strength is high, too. abilities aren't the best, but aren't the worst either. Members: Neko Assassin: the name says it all. intelligence and luck get a boost from this class, and strength is not as high as swordsman or Knight. only assassins that cross your path in the game will have this class. Members: ( ), (Luna), (Nestor) Yeoman: Yeoman the bowman. archers and hunters belong to the yeoman class, and can cast some good magic, but have high luck and evasion as well. if you meet anyone who weilds a bow, they'll be in this class. Members: (Duncan), (Carlee) Cleric: intelligence, magic, and luck will get a boost from the cleric class. if you meet anyone in the game belonging to this class, then you should treasure their time in the party. their abilities are great, and their strength isn't bad, either. Members: (Candi) Futuristic Assassin: see assassin. the only difference is the futuristic assassin uses firepower. Members: (Rodney) Angelicus: the order of angels directly beneath Lady Seraphim. the Angelicus are high-class angels, and prove their worth with insane angelic magic and dexterity. though you only get one Angelicus character once at the end of the game, you'll appreciate having them around. Members: Raven -the smurf
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Post by Doan the Nado on Jan 3, 2006 0:30:36 GMT -5
The characters seem quite varied and make up a quite diverse party. Most of your classes fit well with the Heaven theme, but I don't understand how any assassins would fit into a "Heaven team". Aside from that, you mentioned several characters that come and go from the party. Just be sure that their reasons for both joining and leaving make sense, and you will be fine. This game sounds good, and I wish you the best of luck in eventually completing it.
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Post by The Smurf on Jan 4, 2006 16:30:04 GMT -5
The characters seem quite varied and make up a quite diverse party. really? that's good, i actually thought they were too similar... ;D Most of your classes fit well with the Heaven theme, but I don't understand how any assassins would fit into a "Heaven team". well, Logan and Melkior are always in the party (for now, anyway) but as you travel you'll meet people who may need your help. one person you meet demands if any minions of Satan are in your party, and then explains why she detests them...at this point, she joins your team for a bit until she needs to go. she happens to be an assassin. i have another character who is currently an assassin, but may not be for long. He has a really good backstory, but i don't know if "assassin" fits him or not. of course, if you meet someone who tries to kill you but winds up joining your team, they'll be an assassin. there are multiple characters who aren't "heaven" based, but they aren't main characters either. i'll make it all work... ;D Aside from that, you mentioned several characters that come and go from the party. Just be sure that their reasons for both joining and leaving make sense, and you will be fine. i hope its not too difficult, and i can always cut characters that don't work. This game sounds good, and I wish you the best of luck in eventually completing it. thanks. hopefully it'll be as good as i plan for it to be, and i won't release it until i feel its the best it can be. when that is, i have no idea, though. ;D -the smurf
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Post by The Smurf on Jun 29, 2006 12:48:55 GMT -5
so i've been working on this for quite a while, and have developed the meat of the story a bit more. however, i've reached a dead end in my creativeness. basically, i have the main plot and the three main involved parties (Logan, Heaven, Hell) and then a fourth party that will come into play later. i'm thinking about plot twists and secrets now, and am coming up with nothing. at all. i can't think of any sort of "hidden plot" or story twists outside of the main story. it's irking me quite a bit. so, if anyone has any tips as to how to develop sub-plots, secrets, plot-twists, etc...feel free to let me know. meanwhile, i'll ask this: how important to a story are plot twists and the like? is a story without them lacking? or can a story survive without them? -the smurf
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Post by Dungeon Warden on Jun 29, 2006 19:18:01 GMT -5
One way to develop hidden story lines is to "talk" to your characters. Find out who there are and why they do the things they do. What was life like growing up? Who where their friends and family? What family secrets are they hiding? Another thing to do is to steal plots from games, TV shows, movies, and/or books. Since they are subplots and you'll be altering them to fit your characters, you can probably get away with it without most people even noticing - especially if your tastes are different then most Subplots are good for character development (getting to know the characters better), plot development (explaining some loose ends), and game play value (giving the player something easy to do, if the game is getting hard, or something hard to do to challenge them). Extra stuff isn't really necessary, but it can help the player feel like he has some control over where the story is going. If you can't think of anything extra to add, that's fine. Don't put in a bunch of pointless stuff just because you think you should. Focus on the main story and make it the best it can be. After the game is finished, you can worry about if it needs some extra stuff to fill it out or not.
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Post by The Smurf on Jun 29, 2006 21:35:55 GMT -5
i was thinking about doing that, so i guess it's a good idea. i'll see what i can come up with. ...i'll see what i can do. i do want to incorporate the now famous "decisions affect the story" at various points. ex: out of a possible three characters that can permanently join the party, your prior relationship with each determines who actually joins. eh, i'll eventually work it out. thanks, DW. -the smurf
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DYRE
RPG Making Novice
Posts: 61
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Post by DYRE on Jul 15, 2006 19:27:48 GMT -5
About your question regarding "plot twists and the like," I would say that they are very important. If a story is too predictable, people won't enjoy it as much, beacause they'll have already "seen it coming."
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Post by realitybites on Jul 15, 2006 23:13:26 GMT -5
Nice screenshots Smurf! ;D I like how you took Character pics from gaiaonline.com to make little avatars for characters ;D
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DYRE
RPG Making Novice
Posts: 61
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Post by DYRE on Jul 16, 2006 7:58:10 GMT -5
Actually,, he got the pictures from tektek.org, if I'm not mistaken. Much easier than making an avatar on Gaia (since tektek has all of Gaia's parts, it's for, well "Your Dream Avatars" [It's called the "Dream Avatar Creator" {w00t, curly braces!}]).
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Post by The Smurf on Jul 16, 2006 22:40:39 GMT -5
yes, they were from tektek, but i've since changed the character portraits from gaia avvies to the rtp battlers. in other news... the first Seraphim demo has been uploaded to chroniclegames.com!! Get the demo right here!even though i've gone far beyond in the making, it plays up to meeting Lady Seraphim in Heaven. the best news is that you don't even need RPGMXP to play the game! just make sure you download the rtp... here. otherwise, enjoy...and please post feedback. i'd love to know what you guys think. edit: an invisible cookie to whoever can name the game that the overworld, dungeon, and common battle music placeholders were ripped from... edit again: since you may not have the fonts the game uses, (Cataneo BT and Footlight MT Light) you might not be able to see any text. if that's the case, then do the following and it'll magically appear: go to the script entitled Window_Message and scroll down to line 68. it should read: self.contents.font.name = ("Footlight MT Light") change the font to something that you will be able to see. this changes the font for the text boxes. go to the script entitled Scene_Title and scroll down to line 37. it should read: Font.default_name = "Cataneo BT" change the font to something that you will be able to see. this *should* change all of the text in menus, shop windows, anything that isn't a message. in the future, i'll try to change the font to something more common, yet still fancy... enjoy for real. -the smurf
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Post by realitybites on Jul 17, 2006 23:13:06 GMT -5
You can only change it if you have RPGMXP, Review: I liked it, the story was well, and the people where even better, I loved the names very original. Umm I didn't see anything wrong with it, but next time warn people about the font
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Post by Dungeon Warden on Jul 18, 2006 14:22:50 GMT -5
I found several problems with the game:
1 As you already pointed out, the main text doesn't work unless you have the proper fonts. In the future, do a web search for standard fonts so you know which ones all uses should have.
Even after changing the fonts as mentioned above, I found that the menus also need to have there fonts changed. I couldn't see the characters stats or equipment (or anything else for that matter) until I changed the font for all the tables.
2 I had no idea how to leave town. If you walk on the edge of the screen you are prevented from leaving. It is standard practice to put up fences/ land-marks (hills, brooks, etc.)/ or building to prevent people trying to leave anywhere except where you say they can leave.
But that isn't the real problem. The problem is that you can't leave at all unless you stand on the correct square and press the action button! I only found this out by editing the file and "fixing" the event. You don't need to press a button to enter a building, so why do you have to press a button to leave town! Especially then there is only one place you can leave.
3. After fighting a few battles, I decided to check to see how much more experience I needed to go up a level. None of the characters had any experience! This is a major flaw that makes the game unplayable. Do you check to see if the characters were getting experience or does this have something to do with the font change? Either way it needs to be fixed.
4. A minor point, but since the characters are wearing armor in the pictures, don't you think they should actually have armor? Every RPG starts the main character with some equipment. You could easily pump up the damage enemies do and give the characters some simple armor.
I got as far as the enemy strong hold, but since I couldn't level up I figured there was no point in entering. Get this fixed, okay.
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Post by The Smurf on Jul 18, 2006 14:43:19 GMT -5
1 As you already pointed out, the main text doesn't work unless you have the proper fonts. In the future, do a web search for standard fonts so you know which ones all uses should have. yes, in my edit above i stated that future releases will have common fonts as opposed to rarer fonts. Even after changing the fonts as mentioned above, I found that the menus also need to have there fonts changed. I couldn't see the characters stats or equipment (or anything else for that matter) until I changed the font for all the tables. i was afraid this would happen...like i said, i'll fix this up for future releases. 2 I had no idea how to leave town. If you walk on the edge of the screen you are prevented from leaving. It is standard practice to put up fences/ land-marks (hills, brooks, etc.)/ or building to prevent people trying to leave anywhere except where you say they can leave. i can do that, but i figured following the path would have let the player know where the exit was. But that isn't the real problem. The problem is that you can't leave at all unless you stand on the correct square and press the action button! I only found this out by editing the file and "fixing" the event. You don't need to press a button to enter a building, so why do you have to press a button to leave town! Especially then there is only one place you can leave. ew...i didn't change the leave town to player touch?! i honestly thought i did...it should be a player touch event, not an action button. my bad... 3. After fighting a few battles, I decided to check to see how much more experience I needed to go up a level. None of the characters had any experience! This is a major flaw that makes the game unplayable. Do you check to see if the characters were getting experience or does this have something to do with the font change? Either way it needs to be fixed. there is no experience in the game. the characters level up upon defeating boss enemies. i do want to get rid of the exp thing in the menu, but haven't gotten around to it yet. should i explain this at the beginning so the player isn't confused? 4. A minor point, but since the characters are wearing armor in the pictures, don't you think they should actually have armor? Every RPG starts the main character with some equipment. You could easily pump up the damage enemies do and give the characters some simple armor. i haven't made armor for any game i've ever made. DEF is always set at 0 for every character and enemy. i was thinking about having armor in this game, since i have customization shops, but haven't decided yet. I got as far as the enemy strong hold, but since I couldn't level up I figured there was no point in entering. Get this fixed, okay. you're fine. the enemies are meant for you to be at level one, and you'll level up after defeating the first boss. using skills is a good idea, though. thanks for playing. i will try to get the font thing fixed asap, and the exit town events too... . everything else should work perfectly, though... looks like i still gots some work to do. -the smurf
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Post by Dungeon Warden on Jul 18, 2006 16:49:50 GMT -5
Okay, I guess the main reason I wanted to go up a few levels is that the enemies are hard to kill without using skills. This means you either need to avoid enemies, carry a lot of SP recovery items, or run back to town every time you need to get SP back (which means fighting the same enemies over again).
It's not too hard to avoid the enemies in the dungeon, but this kind of makes the enemies pointless. Why fight the enemies when they only give you money which you use to get items to help you recover from fighting monsters? Something to think about.
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