Aether Chronicles: Key to Heaven (Demo Available)

[Kes]

After the first skill in every skill group, the descriptions become quotes from various sources. I like adding to the lore like this, but it's a bit strange when in combat instead of seeing "deals fire damage to one enemy" you'll see some bits about the world.

Except that in battle I (and I think most players) do not want to know about world lore.  Neither do I want to have to consult some note or other that I had to make to remind myself what the hell this skill does.  I want to be able to select the precise skill that fits my strategy and available resources, not have to try and guess whether this is the one that hits all enemies or may inflict burn or has a cool down period, or whatever.

So not merely "a bit strange" but positively unhelpful, imo.

 

[Mushinronja]

Yea it was weird in battle tests.

I'll just add that in elsewhere.

 

[Oddball]

Yea it was weird in battle tests.

I'll just add that in elsewhere.

How about a book in some magic shop that has it. For an incentive for the player to buy it, it could give hints to Easter eggs and hidden items

 

[Mushinronja]

Hey all, back from the dead, as it were.

Made progress on the new intro to the game and then scrapped half of it and am making it better, lol. Added some more dialogue and a couple of characters to flesh out the scenes and maybe draw out some feels. Don't have any screenshots for ya cuz I'm on another computer and in class atm, but stuff is going on for sure.

The internals are cleaner now, so the basic workings underneath the game are all nicely set up and should be for the rest of this long-ass game, lol.

 

[CrazyCrab]

Eh, annoyed at my game so I decided to give your demo a shot.

I'll write down things as I notice them - hopefully you'll find my comments useful.

- Hmm the 1st map is a bit barren - some flowers and stuff would be nice.

- It's kinda weird for me that all characters walk when standing still.. I know its a design choice, but still. Not used to it.

- The animation is nice, but again, a large room with somewhat random detail this time. I'd suggest reducing it in size or adding more complex architecture - another semi room in the side for example or something, same applies to the previous room. It's just unrealistically large. 

- I like the conversation spot idea and the characters are cool as well, so are the facesets.

- I like the characters so far as well, but I kinda already forgot who's who when it comes to the empire stuff - I guess were the magic guys? 

- Heh, ''I'll be the one waking you up'' - I like your writing so far. Informative, without being preachy or straight forward. Good stuff.

- Your stairs section in the Sanctuary looks really weird. I'd put them in front of the wall, not on it.

- Nice that I can enter the buildings, but man, those walls are really high in the residences, 4 tiles... they dont match the rest.

- Hmm I like the learn skill system and the fights were quite fun. Glad youre actually starting with skills.

- ''It's gross, sell it'' - haha, more good writing. Youre good at this ^^ 

- Random TP at battle start makes some battles really easy and some much harder. I think there is a way to change it to something concrete in the main script.

- Dont I live in the town? I think Id rather sleep there than in the inn ^^'.

- Interesting items, I like that it's not +Stats but also more effects.

- I fall for that spooky spider every time xD.

- Heh, the plant in the 3rd room took its vitamins for the day, huh?

I'm running out of intelligent things to say, I'm just really legitimately impressed with the game so far. Yeah, there are some rough edges (especially indoor mapping) but other than that it's great. I've got to stop playing for now but I'll come back to it.

Keep it up, it's really good!

 

[Mushinronja]

Thanks for the feedback, crab. I'm currently reworking the intro to the game to make it stand out more (and hopefully be more memorable).

Characters walking in place shall be changed, to make them all still (unless I suppose they're doing something particularly active).

Interiors, I'll look at more closely, but I made the houses so big because I just made em kinda fit the size of the smallest I could make the areas, lol.

I'll look into the TP fixing at the start of fights and maybe stick another rest spot in the house. I like having multiple options, the inn costs money, the house is free, and the sanctuary one comes with a lecture, lol.

 

[Mushinronja]

Yooooo, who's got two thumbs, is playing a ton of Bloodborne, and despite that managed to actually do some work on his game? Me. It was me. The new intro is very nearly done, just gotta do a few playtests of it. Then I'll start on the "remastering" of the game already out, like all the standing in place changes and perhaps making the houses smaller. I'll add some screenshots in a bit, as I am currently in a class while I'm posting this, lol.

 

[Mushinronja]

Some images of the new intro, with new characters too. 

Spoiler

 

[Oddball]

Did you at least keep the old intro scene? If not, that's ok. But I thought that your intro was the best part of the game

 

[Mushinronja]

The one with the basically still images with dialogue? Nah, scrapped that part, lol. Now it's a bit of a gameplay sequence that should more smoothly present some of the facts about the world.

 

[Oddball]

The one with the basically still images with dialogue? Nah, scrapped that part, lol. Now it's a bit of a gameplay sequence that should more smoothly present some of the facts about the world.

Oh ok. Looks like you didn't scrap it completley then

 

[Mushinronja]

Finally changed it so that the battle backgrounds will fit the screen completely, lol.

Now I guess I should find out how to change the game over screen....

Fixed a few issues that would involve the player becoming invisible when going back into places after the story kinda pushes you forward. Anyways, a few more playthroughs and I think I'll be actually done with this first 1/9th of my game.

 

[Mushinronja]

Decided to add the gab script to add more character dialogue when wandering around, or i guess show what a character is thinking during dialogue without them saying anything. A minor addition, but I like it. 

*cough* 

.... typo in that 2nd image...

 

[Jdcobra]

This honestly looks like a really well made game, it looks like it could be a real, official game... Keep working! I can't wait to see more of it!

 

[Mushinronja]

Thanks! Not taking summer classes, so I should definitely work on it more





should...


*cough*

 

[Mushinronja]

Although I probably kinda shouldn't have, I decided to start some of Part 2 of my game going before the final playtests and fixings of the first part. Wanted to work on something new, lol.

Finally introduced the 4th main party member, but realized that her skills haven't been made and set at all. Along with that, I think that in order to make it so you can take save data from the first part demo thing into the rest of the game, I'd need to set the skills for the characters for the whole rest of the game too. Got me some more behind-the-scenes work to do now, lol.


EDIT: Deciced "It doesn't have to be finished until it's finished", so won't need to complete the skill list now or anything like that, lol. onwards to working on part 2!

 

[Jdcobra]

Do you use the Yanfly Battle Script? Cause it seems like I'm the only one who does making games XD

 

[Mushinronja]

Yea, tho I'm only 95% sure cuz I'm not home right now to check, lol.

 

[Mushinronja]

Just one more... just one more forest and from here on out the areas will be something different, lol. I will be making this next one more unique however. The place is called Garrot's Forest, and it will be filled to bursting with poison. Will also make it so you'll have to walk under tiles of pure trees to get to the patches that you can see. Simple and often used, yea, but still something different. 

 

[Mushinronja]

I learned a much easier way to make paths in a forest that you can walk through the trees of in the second half of it, lol. 

Spoiler