RMMV The Mask behind the Dream [+DEMO]

[coucassi]

New Trailer out!

 

[coucassi]

It's finally happening! We hired a translator to make the game available in english at last. We also created a totally new side story which takes place the night before the actual game begins and will act as a new demo version.

 

[ATT_Turan]

I saw your post for recruitment and didn't want to derail that thread:

Just a quick bit of feedback - I don't think the beginning of your logo works.

The middle strokes of the "M" are way too thin, so it's not easy to see them going along the edge of the banner. Then the sideways "the" gets lost in the background drawing.

It looked to me that the name of your game was "I Ask Behind the Dream." I didn't know it wasn't until you said the title under Roles Needed.

The version in your signature is better in terms of not overlapping the background art, but it still just isn't visually obvious that the banner is a part of an "M". Maybe if it were raised up a little bit? So it's in parallel with the center strokes but not actually touching them?

 

[Ms Littlefish]

I had a similar issue with the logo @ATT_Turan
I second this feedback OP.

The \ / of the "M" should be thicker or the mask should be incorperated a bit differently into the logo. Absolutely see what the design is going for but my brain definitely struggled to boot the word 'mask' when looking at the logo initially.

 

[coucassi]

Oops, yeah I see what you mean haha. Strange, we had this for so long and never noticed anything. Will see what we can do

 

[cradth]

Did you really make those action sequences and animations in RMMV? It's pretty cool!
Your maps look absolutely fantastic too! Love the color palette and the lighting, it blends
together beautifully. I'll make sure to give it a shot once the game demo is out.

 

[coucassi]

Did you really make those action sequences and animations in RMMV?

I did Though I use a lot of plugins to create action sequences. Also very happy you like the maps!
I hpe I can provide a demo soon!

 

[cradth]

I did Though I use a lot of plugins to create action sequences. Also very happy you like the maps!
I hpe I can provide a demo soon!

That's awesome! I'm still struggling to find the correct action sequences for my game through trial and error. I really admire fellow rm devs who accomplished the job and implemented it in their games really well. hats off to you!

When I said that I love your maps more than mine, I really mean it. Your maps have the consistency, lively elements and a pretty good concordance with the main theme, those are important things I often missed in my game. Even the lighting effects are done really well!

If I could correct some parts of it, maybe it's the overused tileset (like the shiny blue plants in the second image) and unbalanced wall height on some areas. But that's just minor issue, I think I'm on the same boat too since the engine itself offers limited tilesets in one single map.

Do you have a fixed date for the demo?

 

[coucassi]

Thank you so much
The Demo is actually ready, it just goes through the last bug tests right now! I do not have a fixed date, but it won't be too long

unbalanced wall height

yeah, I always note them, when it is to late and everything else is already done around them x.x

 

[coucassi]

Okidoki, I am happy to announce that there is FINALLY a playable english demo out!

Thanks to all of you who engaged in play testing, especially @ZombieKidzRule for writing down every single typo and translation mistake found and even providing corrections

The first part of the demo is not part of the Full Version, but tells a little side story instead made only to introduce the different features of our game and give an example of the gameplay.

The second part is a slighty tweaked version of the games first minutes. In total you can expect a playtime from 1-2 hours.

I also should metnion that the library section is still not translated due to our limited budget, but it only contains lore and character backstories - nothing that is really necessary to enjoy the game.

Alright then, have fun and let me know your thoughts!

Oh yeah, here's the download link ...
ITCH.IO

 

[ZombieKidzRule]

@coucassi Thanks for the kind words!

Playing through and testing the DEMO was very enjoyable and a great experience. I am going back to play the updated version to try choices that I didn't try while testing.

Congrats on getting the English version ready for everyone else to try!

 

[LiminalGames]

Look Amazing!

 

[coucassi]

Thanks!

 

[cradth]

Heya there! So, after some weeks of madness and bloodbath (I accidentally pulled out the rubber tube on my belly when I fell from bed. If you wanna know the teaser of this horrific story. xD ), I've finally gotten around to starting the ENG vers. DEMO and I thought I'd share my thoughts with you as I go along. That being said, let's not waste any more time and get this show on the road.

Welcome to the World Premiere of THE MASK BEHIND THE DREAM DEMO!!!




The game takes really fast to boot up, yeay! And after a milisecond, I'm greeted by a combination of beautiful and mythical title screen, accompanied by a magical score. It seems the game title itself already told the player the theme of the journey that awaits them. Nice! I also notice that there are website and social media icons as well on the right bottom of the screen, so I decide to click them all, and mann, I blown away. Your twitter, pat*eon and website looks professional. Way to make me feel even lazier than I thought I was, xD

Alright, fellow adventurers! let's dive in~

Episode 1: The Adventure Begins

The forest is really stunning! I can tell already, how much work put into that map, since mapping is what I enjoy most in RPG Maker. It's very detailed and has some hidden paths to get explored. And now, it's time to see the two protagonists : Ian and Rali! Though I can hardly recognized which one is Ian's or Rali's faceset at first impression, they have distinguish personality, they're appealing and charming as main casts. Plus, I really enjoy the dialogue, especially after Julyon enters the group. So, nice job on that!

2-3 minutes pass on, I notice which one is Ian's by her hair and accessories. It seems it's just their expression and facial feature that were look alike. A random suggestion, maybe you can make Rali smiling instead of giving her an O-shape mouth? especially her faceset in the main menu. Another thing to mention, after I turned off the night mode in my windows settings, I realize that the first map is quite dark. ...Oh, what's that? You thought I was just going to spend this playthrough rambling about how great your game and the journey is? xD kidding bro, the joke's on me since I had the same problem with the lighting effect too,haha! ^^

This game even has library you see in AAA western RPG. So much information is communicated to the players at once, but I can't give commentary any further since it hasn't translated yet. But I believe the lore is there, and you must have been creating a vast world building since items / plants synthesizer is part of theme. Well done! I open up the skill menu and...holy moly look at all these skill descriptions! It looks like there's going to be a lot of different ways to fight your enemies, different battle style with various skills that converge to each other. Even the first and second skill set makes me thinking for a while in how to execute them advantageously later, which I always enjoy~

Since this is the first map in the game and I was able to interact with some objects, I assume that there are plenty of interactable objects in the world, so I run around clicking everything in the forest. Oh cool, I got some mysterious ingredients everywhere. The only minor issue I've found : it's the collisions, sometimes the character can collide to some empty tiles, and it's quite hard to decide what route I should take in to reach an area.

Okay enough with the UI and graphic, fighting now!!!^^

Judging by Ian's and Rali's moveset, I can tell both are no novice, and their attack animations, especially that one that get stronger at night make it seem pretty powerful but I would like to note however, that their skills deal pretty low damage. Is it intended to compromise the battles tutorial? I should also mention that LP counter's color of the character when enemies are attacking seems amiss, the dark red/brown color makes it difficult to see how much damage character's taking. But overall, the battle is engaging, and it needs thoughtful strategy to become the victor. Such long battle is a double-edged sword since players are just getting into battles tutorial. But I love what I've seen so far.

Game story? For me, it is the highlight of the game. Each dialogue is well-crafted. The banter between Ian and Rali, about their feats/weaknesses, is hilarious and entertaining, and you're really great in connectiong them to the lore, root magic, root witch, academy, etc. But it seems the first 30 minutes is really a spin-off to showcase the game features.

Phew! That's a lot of writing and you're probably tired of reading by now, so I'll call it a day. I look forward to playing more, especially the second part of the demo where the "Real" game begins! See you on the next Episode!

 

[cradth]

Heya! Sorry for the super late feedback. Strap in tight and hold on to your frog claw, because it's time for another exciting episode of THE MASK BEHIND THE DREAM!

Episode 2: Supremassive Battles! Continuum to Infiniteness!

Spoiler: PART 2

+ = impressions
* = notes & questions

+ First things first, I really admire your effort in making the lore for the plants and potions in this game. They're all interesting and genuinely compel the player to learn so many things in a positive way. Since I played the demo that's not fully translated yet, it's a bit hard for me to delve deeper into learning and reviewing the crafting system. Even with such drawbacks, I'm still aware that they're carefully and knowledgeably written. Well done.

Alright, it's the second part of the same night, and Ian is ready to begin by doing some exploration. Let's see if we can discover our next objective in this beautiful forest!

SWAMP?WORM - BOSS FIGHT

I apologize for forgetting to write down this boss's name, but this monster demanded my full attention during the battle. And that's a good thing! This isn't just a random compliment; it's a testament to the fact that you've created an incredibly interesting battle system. It's evident that you've drawn inspiration from deep-battle mechanics found in RPGs, and it's executed brilliantly in your character's skill set. I had the opportunity to learn another unique battle style involving card stocks, which is somewhat similar to managing ammo or limited MP but taken to the next level. Thanks for the valuable lessons!

---

*Sometimes, I tend to click through the message options quickly, not giving me enough time to read the text thoroughly. This led to me spending a solid 10-15 minutes trying to grasp the message about visiting the house with the leaf-windmill. I have a small suggestion: perhaps consider adding a slight delay at the end of sentences to give players a moment to catch up. This would prevent accidentally missing message choices due to hasty ENTER presses.

ATURAN'S HOUSE

The expansive and beautifully designed mapping drew me in. I sincerely hope that in the next update, you consider brightening it up a bit so that players can fully appreciate the vibrant plants. As I explored every nook and cranny, I couldn't help but notice a cute plant in the corner of the room...

FLICKING TONGUE - FIGHT

This battle was another engaging one, even with just a two-member party. I did have to reload my save file because I wasn't adequately prepared for the fight. However, after a few minutes, I managed to figure out how to defeat him.

*Is it intentional to withhold a full-recovery spot for players?

My heart skipped a beat when I opened a chest on the 2nd floor and was greeted by a picture of a monster on the screen. The approach felt somewhat similar to a mimic boss fight, and I hadn't yet checked my party's HP / LP or saved the game! Thankfully, it turned out to be a dream sequence, and you executed the mysterious atmosphere in that scene quite effectively.

---

+ As I headed down into the southwestern part of the map, I eventually met Aturan. He's a funny character, and I had a good laugh at some of his "unintended" silly jokes. It's clear that you've given each character their own distinct style of humor. Additionally, I appreciate the inclusion of dialogue choices that can have consequences in the future. It adds depth to the gameplay. I also noticed that you've incorporated a penalty system into the relationships among the main characters, which is a nice touch.

CHIMERIC TILAESIA - BOSS FIGHT

Right when I thought you had awesome enemy skills in your arsenal, you continued to introduce more unique skills that left me in awe. Skills like "Gift of Life," "Mana Burn," and "Flame Attack" that can burn both allies and foes were both surprising and entertaining. The last one, in particular, was both funny and realistic, initially terrifying me but ultimately bringing a smile to my face as the Chimeric Tilaesia got burned.

After our hero teamed up with old friends/rivals to complete a "root" mission given to them by themselves, I finally had the opportunity to play as Lunee! It feels like the story of your game is about to really take off from here. I'd love to continue playing, but I've already written quite a bit of nonsense and random thoughts here. I hope you can bear with me, my friend. That being said, I'm going to call it a day for now.

Until the next episode!

 

[coucassi]

Man, thank you so much for these reviews. I am really happy that you can enjoy our game and also very impressed by your english writing skills :0 This reads so smooth and sounds very elaborate to a novice like me xD So additional thanks for the effort you put into writing this! Already made my day (and it's just still morning around here )