Hello everyone! Thank you very much for you patience on this new demo. It has been a lot of work bringing this all in line with a lot of my older maps being redone and changed to reflect all the new things I have learned this last year. I have taken all the feedback from previous versions and attempted to implement many of the suggestions. The result is new demo, which provides more of a deeper story, background and greater game play which has become a 2+hour demo.
I have updated the first post with new images for the Characters section so you can all get a look at who they are!
Before I get on to the DEMO link and the change log there are some points I want to discus which are mainly for me but I feel I should share. Some are development topics and others are tips for the game.
1) My demo change log has been jumped to version 2.0.0. I am going to be using this standard from now. The first digit will change when a major update is done. So a version 3.0.0 will appear when a lot of new content has been added. The second digit will change if its just a fix update. So for example a 2.1.0 means that something has been fixed. The final digit will change if its just a very small amount of content added (like a new item) or just a bunch of tweaks, not necessarily new content have been made (i.e re-balancing, adjusting item prices). So for example 2.0.1 means something small has changed. This is just easier for me to keep an eye on older versions and see what changes worked/did not work. It also allows me to know what version people are playing
(NOTE: I might had a version number to the menu or something)
2) This game project started off as a bit of fun then I really got into it and suddenly I found it a little overwhelming with real life stuff that also needed doing. While I am not very well known on the forums, I have to say that popping in every now and then to ask stupid questions has made me realize what a great community this forum is. Everyone has been really helpful and my motivation to release this new demo was helped by the fact that when I hit a stumbling block and I posted a thread about what I needed/wanted someone always pointed me in the right direction. So thank you. This is as much your demo as it is mine.
3) This is just a demo and things can and possibly will change. I am not claiming to be a great story teller or game designer but I really hope that you guys enjoy this. Please please please do tell me what you liked, what you did not like and more importantly don't be afraid of hurting my feelings. Honesty is best when it comes to game development. How else am I supposed to learn?
4) I have been thinking of doing some google sheets about the items, locations and creatures you can find in game to help players who become stuck or wish to know more about certain skills or items. Do you think this is a good idea?
5) I claim 2+ Hours on the Demo but this is based on my play through. I know where all the secret areas are so I have a little bit more to explore and wander around. It is possible to blast through the demo in 2 hours or less but you would have to be taking some major short cuts.
6) Talk to everyone and search everywhere. NPC's can point you to secret areas, offer game play advice or tell you something you didn't know! Also search everywhere. I love old school RPGS and as such there are many hidden areas and items. Some items are plain to see with a little "star" shinning on them. Others might just look like static objects. Found a rusty key? Think: Where did you last see a locked door? An item looks out of place? Interact with it. Seriously, there's lots of mini rewards to be had by just interacting with stuff. Back to NPC's: I don't have a quest system but some NPC's will ask you for favors if you talk to them.
Anyway, my mini rants over! To the demo.
DEMO:
The demo can be
found here. First post has also been updated.
So whats new? Well a lot! Here is a breakdown of whats changed in case anyone here who played the old demos is curious:
New in Version 2.0.0:
Characters:
- Gizmo has been completely redone. She no longer uses "claw" weapons but instead focuses on Pistols and gadgets. She can equip a "side arm" that allows access to a double shot; some pistols unlock new elemental skills too.
- Fletch has had some balancing worked done, with damage and skill costs adjusted. He became very powerful at a very quick pace and these changes have been made to reduce that power play.
- Fletch can no longer wear shields, but he can now equip quivers which affect his damage output.
- Rhul had some tweaks done and now starts with a skill. His skill costs have been re-done and has access to a few new skills
- All playable characters have a "bust" in the menu now. This was to make the menu stand out a bit more.
- Greyback now has a skill. When his FP is high enough he will use that skill randomly.
Menus:
- The main menu has a slight update, mentioned above. It will show characters busts, thanks to Galv's menu script. It just provides a different menu screen to make the game a little bit more unique.
- Equip menu has changed and uses Yanfly's More equips. This is so Gizmo and Fletch can use their new equipment.
Items:
- Most items have been re-balanced both in effect and cost.
- Potions are harder to obtain outside of shops. Before nearly every enemy dropped a potion guaranteed. Most now don't drop them and those that do have a lower drop rate than before.
- New "drinks" have been added. The starting Inn will sell Ale but not Elderberry Wine. Elderberry Wine can still be obtain through other means until you reach port town where it will be sold. (NOTE: Port Town is not accessible in the DEMO.)
- New status healing items added to cure things such as blindness, paralysis and what not.
- New weapons, armor and accessories added to the game.
Enemies:
- All enemies have been re balanced.
- Flowering Vines reduced in Forest areas.
- Vines reduced in non-forest areas.
- Vines and Flowering vines have new skills and skill animations.
- Orcs tweaked to provide more of a challenge and loot levels decreased.
- New Ogre boss added to Orc Hills
- Many other small tweaks.
- Bisdan soldiers have a bit more of a presence in the Orc Hills.
Maps:
- Most maps have had a refresh with more detail added.
- Some smaller maps have had expansions making them more worthwhile exploring.
- New secret areas.
- Most chest found in maps have been tweaked to provide a more balancing game play. High powered items completely removed.
- New areas
Quests:
- Bluefoil quest has been tweaked. Mostly dialogue stuff
- Chasing Rabbits quest added.
- Tutorials added for: fighting, save crystals, barrels & urns, Inns.
- Skip option added for Opening Cut Scene and Fighting Tutorial.
- Orc Skull quest added. Find three orcs performing a ritual, interrupt it and chase them down. Decide if you want to finish their ritual.
Dialogue:
-Many many spelling and grammar fixes.
- Mayor dialogue expanded
- More background for Rhul, Fletch and Gizmo in various dialogues
- NPC's now give useful information
- Many books in Vendale provide information.
- Some NPC's have different dialogue depending on whats happened.
Other stuff:
- Mini game added to the Tower.
- Barrels and Urns rewards tweaked. Harder to get stuff now.
- Interaction with more objects/people.
- Skill animations tweaked.
- Music for different scenes tweaked.
- Extended opening cut scene.
Plus many more tweaks, fixes and additions!
