Cell Chamber [DEMO + YOUTUBE TRAILER]

[Jstreet]

@Skie
I'd write all of the information down. After you do that it's simple math just adding and a little bit of division.

Actually, I think the first chapter of the game focuses on escaping the house, and with the lack of battles the puzzles are what make the game worth playing. If they were absent you'd just have a straight line from point A to point B, and then chapter two. It would feel like you did no work at all.

@Calibre:
Fun so far, I've been at it for about 3 hours. I found 3 of those cards

 

[ImmuneEntity]

This game is VERY well done...it's kind of disheartening for those of us who are working on our own game

I just got past the first puzzle...which took me longer than I wanted it to, mainly because I'm partially colorblind...so I had a heck of a time...but I figured it out

 

[Geetach]

Wow.. Looks so incredibly good game, so I think that i will download this.

 

[Jstreet]

Ok, I'm sorry, but the mine cart thing is just ridiculous. There are way too many combinations for me to be randomly guessing about. Where is the hint, or what's the correct combination of switches?[/FONT]

 

[Calibre]

It is far from random...

Spoiler

The hint is if you stand on the ledge next to the minecart you can view the tracks, which change depending upon the switches you select are. The intersections are also matched to their corresponding switches in order.

 

[Jstreet]

Not possible?

Spoiler

I went through each individual switch and the last four took me to the exact same place. A bug maybe, I'll check it out again.

EDIT:
Just double checked and the last four take me to the same place. It goes passed the first 2 intersections, takes a left, goes down, and then left into that first miscellaneous room.

[/FONT]

 

[Calibre]

Not possible?

Spoiler

I went through each individual switch and the last four took me to the exact same place. A bug maybe, I'll check it out again.

EDIT:
Just double checked and the last four take me to the same place. It goes passed the first 2 intersections, takes a left, goes down, and then left into that first miscellaneous room.

[/FONT]

At least 15 people have got through it in the beta stages and I think lust dragon is past that stage in the released demo... But as you are worrying me lol I'll check first. I purposefully made it a bit cheeky with the eventual switch combination you need. I'll PM you the correct switch order so I can rule out the possibility of a bug. If there is a glitch I truely don't know how it would have got there. I haven't touched that bit in ages.

EDIT:

I tried it in the demo I released and it works fine for me, but let me know.

EDIT 2:

I heard from Panda and it is fine.

 

[Jstreet]

I'm going to be honest, when I first went into playing this game, my mind was set that there was no way it could live up to the hype. I'll admit, in this case, I was completely wrong.

I'll start by saying, the game has atmosphere, which is something so few games can accomplish. I never once felt that the character was out of place, because the setting was right on point. In the beginning, you do get the feeling that you'll be in for a horror/thriller ride, but the game changes up on you and begins to play out like an RPG.

The story was a bit of a blur for most of the beginning a little clarification came once you got to Rubel, but still some things seemed a bit "let's just throw this in to make things make sense." In those particular areas there could have been some better weaving into the plot. I also think a little more about how Koen was raised would be a substantial gain to the plot as well. Although he looks like some part emo, part badass, part girl-man, his role seems to be more that of a confused little boy. He also openly admits that he had a sheltered life, but I'd love to see some child hood flash backs. Especially ones expressing his relationship with his parents.

The characters were pretty good for the most part. You could tell each ones personality from the last. Personally, I enjoyed the love-hate relationship between Kenji, and Niko. I also was impressed at the fact that you were not afraid to put open sexuality into your game. The side of Niko that displays her as a drunken slut was probably the most interesting characteristic of all the characters. The problem with the characters came in with some of the dialog. There were far too many changes in how the protagonist reacted. Kenji often switched from having a grip on things to rambling like an idiot, and unfortunately Koen sometimes followed his path. Another thing about Koen was that there were times where, as I said, he was like a confused boy and the rest of them had to hold his hand, yet when you get in the mines he turns on this tough guy/leader/ego-trip role. Dynamic characters aren't necessarily a bad thing, but still I think that there should be some middle ground with them. I believe Niko was the best developed character, considering we don't get much time with the rest of the resistance.

The graphics were on point when it came to creating the scene. You did a perfect job in this department, not much for me to comment on. The level design showed patience to make it right and make it good. I enjoyed the detail you put into each map, and the way you made things so interactive. Also, I liked the conversation with the NPCs for the most part. There are always those few who you just have to give them something to say, but most of them had things worth reading, if not for the sake of the storyline, for a good chuckle.

The game play was without a doubt the strongest point of this demo. Dare I say, move aside MotW, Cell Chamber is coming and it's coming hard. The puzzles were the perfect integration of challenging, yet not overly difficult (although I had my trouble with the mine cart thing, I found out later on that it was a mistake on my observations. I saw how the tracks changed in response to each switch.), and this is coming from someone who usually despises the dungeon challenges of most RPGs. I enjoyed the box puzzle the most, because of the math it involved. The game's dynamics and interactive style kept my playing and the cinematic scenes were magical. I applaud the patience and effort you put into making the character animations to make things seem more alive. You did an excellent job in this department. My only complaint would be the battle pace. It's a little slow for my taste, but I'm sure with another party member or two, more skills and such, and gaining advantages over the enemies to be able to achieve those quick kills, and you'll be right on point.

The music was also a key factor in solidifying the games setting and atmosphere. The selection was good overall, but I wasn't a big fan of the battle theme. That's just personal taste. The boss theme I enjoyed, but I've always been a fan of Shizu's and Matt's work. I even heard that little tune I made for you a while back. ^_^ I found myself rapping a little tune to it narrating my movements while exploring the town. Good choices here.

All in all you did a pretty good job with this game. I'd play through it for 120 hours if I needed too. I'm very impressed.

I give Cell Chamber's Demo:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/ ... m/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]
5 out of 5 stars![/FONT]

 

[Petros]

Although I'm in agreement with you there J-Street, I think the part where you dislike the sudden change in the dialogue and personality of certain characters is my fault. Whilst Calibre wrote an original script, it needed some fine tuning and in the process I added a few lines here and there as my own personal touch, which obviously as you noted clashes with Calibre's. I hope to rectify this in the future. My apologies.

Although I am in complete agreement:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/ ... m/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]
5 out of 5 stars!

 

[Calibre]

I'm going to be honest, when I first went into playing this game, my mind was set that there was no way it could live up to the hype. I'll admit, in this case, I was completely wrong.

I'll start by saying, the game has atmosphere, which is something so few games can accomplish. I never once felt that the character was out of place, because the setting was right on point. In the beginning, you do get the feeling that you'll be in for a horror/thriller ride, but the game changes up on you and begins to play out like an RPG.

The story was a bit of a blur for most of the beginning a little clarification came once you got to Rubel, but still some things seemed a bit "let's just throw this in to make things make sense." In those particular areas there could have been some better weaving into the plot. I also think a little more about how Koen was raised would be a substantial gain to the plot as well. Although he looks like some part emo, part badass, part girl-man, his role seems to be more that of a confused little boy. He also openly admits that he had a sheltered life, but I'd love to see some child hood flash backs. Especially ones expressing his relationship with his parents.

The characters were pretty good for the most part. You could tell each ones personality from the last. Personally, I enjoyed the love-hate relationship between Kenji, and Niko. I also was impressed at the fact that you were not afraid to put open sexuality into your game. The side of Niko that displays her as a drunken slut was probably the most interesting characteristic of all the characters. The problem with the characters came in with some of the dialog. There were far too many changes in how the protagonist reacted. Kenji often switched from having a grip on things to rambling like an idiot, and unfortunately Koen sometimes followed his path. Another thing about Koen was that there were times where, as I said, he was like a confused boy and the rest of them had to hold his hand, yet when you get in the mines he turns on this tough guy/leader/ego-trip role. Dynamic characters aren't necessarily a bad thing, but still I think that there should be some middle ground with them. I believe Niko was the best developed character, considering we don't get much time with the rest of the resistance.

The graphics were on point when it came to creating the scene. You did a perfect job in this department, not much for me to comment on. The level design showed patience to make it right and make it good. I enjoyed the detail you put into each map, and the way you made things so interactive. Also, I liked the conversation with the NPCs for the most part. There are always those few who you just have to give them something to say, but most of them had things worth reading, if not for the sake of the storyline, for a good chuckle.

The game play was without a doubt the strongest point of this demo. Dare I say, move aside MotW, Cell Chamber is coming and it's coming hard. The puzzles were the perfect integration of challenging, yet not overly difficult (although I had my trouble with the mine cart thing, I found out later on that it was a mistake on my observations. I saw how the tracks changed in response to each switch.), and this is coming from someone who usually despises the dungeon challenges of most RPGs. I enjoyed the box puzzle the most, because of the math it involved. The game's dynamics and interactive style kept my playing and the cinematic scenes were magical. I applaud the patience and effort you put into making the character animations to make things seem more alive. You did an excellent job in this department. My only complaint would be the battle pace. It's a little slow for my taste, but I'm sure with another party member or two, more skills and such, and gaining advantages over the enemies to be able to achieve those quick kills, and you'll be right on point.

The music was also a key factor in solidifying the games setting and atmosphere. The selection was good overall, but I wasn't a big fan of the battle theme. That's just personal taste. The boss theme I enjoyed, but I've always been a fan of Shizu's and Matt's work. I even heard that little tune I made for you a while back. ^_^ I found myself rapping a little tune to it narrating my movements while exploring the town. Good choices here.

All in all you did a pretty good job with this game. I'd play through it for 120 hours if I needed too. I'm very impressed.

I give Cell Chamber's Demo:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/ ... m/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/theomen9mm/star.jpg[/img]
5 out of 5 stars![/FONT]

^^^More of this Please^^^ :D

Wow, thanks J, receiving such detailed feedback/reviews as this was one of the main things which kept me focused on this.

Firstly, I'd be very interested in hearing the plot devices that you perceived as being just thrown in because I haven't really noticed this up until now. However it could be the fact that I know where the story goes and the twists to follow the demo which put the intro into context far greater. Maybe just a short summary in a PM rather than revealing too much story in the thread?

The flashbacks are a good idea and perhaps there should have been some in the demo up until that point. I will definitely consider adding some in.

As for the characters being inconsistent, perhaps I'd be the first to admit that I know Niko as a character the most. Koen, (if you knew the whole plot) is a bitch of a character to write for. He is the most dynamic - by being both confused, unpredictable and developing.

Spoiler

Throughout the game I tried to demonstrate that Koen yes was a very reliant little guy that didn't know much, but soon after the "events" in the manor inside he quickly grew into knowing that he had to become something more. There should also be a slightly selfish edge to him, wanting to clear his name foe his own sake rather than trying to avenge the situation.

To compare the gameplay to Master of the Wind is an achievement in its own right as that has to be the biggest rmxp game to date, so I thank you for that.

As for the battle speed, if others find it to slow, thanks ti the wonders of scripting I can whack the speed up a notch! I generally preferred it like it was as the skills can be pretty beneficial depending on the enemies. By the way, how did everyone find the difficulty of the battles?

Musically, I have been blessed by many great musicians over time, RMXP_USER was the first, followed by Jeroen Buskes, yourself, Lyndon Holland and recently Serenade so I thank them for their contribution.

Oh... and sorry to dissapoint but I think I won't quite make the 120 hours mark! :thumb:

@ The Petch

LOL, thanks for taking the wrap man but it's my game so I should get it right! All criticisms come my way! Thank you both for your 5 star ratings!

 

[ImmuneEntity]

Yes, I agree with the others that this game is superb in nearly every aspect, although I haven't quite beat the demo yet. I myself found a couple of the battles quite difficult (from what I've played so far), but probably just because I was just unprepared. I now have to go back and stock up on some items before heading back into the mines...

There is one glitch I've noticed, and I don't know if this has been reported yet; in the mines, when I was jumping around, somehow I got back on the ground, but the game still thought I was on a higher level (so, basically, Always On Top is on for the player right now I think, and it shouldn't be)

 

[Siege]

Well....how am i meant to follow JStreet.

I have to say though, this game is (by a long way) the best game i have played to date. As J already mentioned the games atmosphere is simply great, there's no other game out right now that really gave me that vibe.

The mapping is clearly way above average, this also contributing to the great atmosphere. One thing J didn't comment on was the CMS. I really like the simple yet futuristic style of it.

I've played this game frequently throughout its stages of design and each time the quality has improved. Calibre couldn't help to improve what was already great.

This game has tremendous potential and i look forward to testing additional parts to the game once Calibre gets started on it.

For those of you debating whether to play this, i highly advise you to do so, it's well worth it.

 

[Kemuri]

I'm liking the game so far, but I found a pretty bad graphical bug O_o;

I'm not sure if it was caused by pressing up/down on the horizontal bridges in the mines (like you said in an earlier post), or from the jumping that came afterwards...but the hero graphic is now on top of everything, and it will stay that way for the rest of the game until something resets it.

Edit: It was the bridges that did it...went back on them and hit down and everything fixed itself again.

 

[Calibre]

I am going to add this to the front page. This is the only bug I knowingly had when I created version 1.2. Reason being, I couldn't fix it for love nor money. I know its no excuse, but if you don't press the up or down keys on the bridge it shouldn't happen.

I have a feeling that problem may be caused by the enemies underneath turning to through when Bridge Switch = On. For some reason that lets you defy my common event of only being able to move left or right. However, as long as the Up and Down keys aren't pressed on the horizontal bridges it shouldn't create that error.

I think another way you can fix it is by leaving and reentering the mines possible. So yeah, the known bug count is still on "1" for now, I think I have a solution finally to fix it and that is to just disable the ground enemies when the player is on a higher level. It won't look as good but will get the job done.

 

[lorddonk]

This is excellent!

I downloaded this earlier today, and its an extremely fun game! ...completely overshadows my own project... Anyway, I haven't encountered a single real bug.

I am stuck at the part where

Spoiler

you have to sneak past the soldiers

.

Maybe I'm stupid, or impatient or something, I'll keep trying XD I noticed some laggy parts, and some little visual tweaks it could use, (but thats really the preference of the designer), nothing major. The story is intriguing and suspenseful, as well, and it pushes some of the limits of RMXP that I never thought possible! The puzzles are difficult but not impossible. Great job to Calibre, as well as everyone else who worked on this title!!

 

[Reives]

Keep in mind that you can pan the screen by pressing Q key (I think?), lordronk.

Congradulations on PotM - Well deserved to say the least.

 

[Kemuri]

Re-entering and leaving the mines doesn't fix the bug, tried it.

You might want to try disabling the up and down arrow keys while on the bridge...that would probably work.

http://www.rmxp.org/forums/showthread.php?t=20316

Look at Seph's last post on the first page, not sure if it'll work, but it might.

 

[Calibre]

Oh wow... for a minute I thought my thread had disintegrated then I saw it in the front page of the forums. Thanks a lot Reives! Am I glad that you were one of the 16 to bag the initial download, otherwise I would have likely missed any chance I may have had! This is a great way to start out with my first public demo so thanks again!

@ Lorddonk

I'm glad your enjoying it! Whats the bug though, what your describing means your finding it a challenge rather than bugged, right!? :P

And yes, if any part of the demo is going to create lag on some systems it would be that bit. It has a high dependence on many parallel processes running together but it should still be bearable even on older PC's. I originally had that area much prettier with animated plants and flowers in the breeze but removed them to try and save some lag.

Spoiler

As Reives said, the key is to find a safe place to look ahead and understand the patterns the soldiers move in and look for windows of opportunity to get through. This part of the game has a massive difference in difficulty for people. Obviously as I made it I can do it without being seen, I've heard people get as little as 1-2 spotting's, and I have heard people getting caught around 20 times. I think your issue may be impatience there! Have fun.

@ Kemuri

Great Find! I didn't know that script existed, that should be far more efficient than relying upon a common event. Thanks for spotting that for me.

 

[lunarea]

Congratulations, Calibre!

 

[Prexus]

WARNING SPOILERS

Spoiler: OPINIONS AND REVIEW

I just finished the demo.

At first, I was very impressed. Atmosphere is great, graphics are beautiful, music is just overwhelming.

Then I started reading dialogue... Trite... Boring... Grammatically Incorrect... Spealing Mistakes... Over-Usage of Ellipses... InprOper usagE of Capital Letters.

The dialogue really brings the game down. Also, there are so many mapping errors. I love the unique usage of the pile-o-rock tiles to create cliffs, and the way you mapped the Mines but there are lots of misplaced tiles, height errors, etc.

I may take up the challenge of going through and highlighting them all for you sooner or later but I haven't done it yet.

Also, in regards to the level and map design. The concept of having the Action Highlights is good, but only in concept. There is a trick to Game Design which Brickroad eloquently fleshes out in a tutorial he wrote which can be found here. Up until the mines, I was under the impression that the JUMP Action Icon would only appear between a gap of two tiles. It was always very obvious, and pretty self explanitory.

It took me about 20-30 minutes to find the last piece of Dynamite in the Caverns. I knew there was an unopened chest on a platform, but by the rules about actions and jumping which I knew up until then, it was impossible to get to. It was by freak luck that I happened to step on the tile and quickly catch the Action Icon appear.

My suggestion? Add a tile, or characterset, which has a graphic similar to the Action Icon, and put it on the places where you can perform actions. Use a View Range script to make it only appear when you are within a few tiles of the action tile. So they are still hidden, and require some thought to find, but they aren't going to be freak accidents all the time.

A quick and rough review of this game:

Story: 55% [Good, because it is making the player question what is going on, but bad because up until now there hasn't even been a hint as to what was going on in the house, and why SOLUS is chasing him. It's bad because from what we've seen, it's fairly Cliche. The scene in the Resistance Hideout made me think AVALANCHE (FF7) like it was going out of style!]

Gameplay: 60% [Puzzles are existent, and usually begin by being completely unintuitive. I had no reason to believe I could pick up the plant pot in that one room to fill it with water. I figured it out, but there was no indication that the plant pot could be picked up. Why couldn't I pick up a Barrel, or anything else to hold water? Why did it have to be that one plant pot? Once you figure out the puzzles, they are very easy.
Combat is boring. The variety of skills is nice, but they are completely unnecessary. Except for Niko's Recover once you get it. Even the boss battle was a simple tank and spank.]

Visuals: 80% [Mapping has many errors, but everything has a very unique style. Atmosphere is well developed, and cosmetic fog (while ugly in some parts) is used skillfully. Character Sets are almost entirely unique, and battle sprites are fairly entertaining. Spell Effects are awesome.]

Music: 75% [Great music, but not enough variety. Also, some songs end before scenes end, and leave huge gaps with no music. Specifically, the scene after Koen is introduced to the Resistance, and Niko wakes him up on the bed.]

Overall: 55 + 60 + 80 + 75 / 400 = 67.5% Above Average.