Answer: TO ARMS!
To Arms! is an episodic, tactical RPG created by Ghostlight Games in RPG Maker VX. Playing as Janos and Horace Blackthorne, the leaders of a ruthless, amoral band of mercenaries, and their lieutenants, you will adventure for glory and gold across the nine provinces of the Graylands. To survive, you'll have to recruit, equip, and command a party of up to fifteen characters in large-scale, strategic turn-based battles.
In this, this introductory chapter--Episode One: Deceive, Despise, and Murder Men--you will go back to a simpler time, when the Blackthorne brothers served the Duke of Rydony and witness the blood-soaked events and betrayals leading up to the birth of Blackthorne Company.
To Arms! Episode One: Deceive, Despise and Murder Men (Vanguard Edition) is somewhere between a public beta and a final, definitive build. All of the gameplay and 90% of the other assets are in place. The most important thing missing is the original sound track. Of course this doesn't mean the game has no music. The same placeholder tracks used throughout development are still in place for those songs not yet completed. Perhaps more accurately, think of this as the full version, with the final build with the O.S.T. as a Deluxe Edition/Director's Cut.
FEATURES: (All Present In This Episode)
A brief note on features list. There is nothing I hate more than when a project boasts tons of features and custom systems it doesn't need and probably won't wind up happening. To Arms! wound up needing a lot of custom systems...and fortunately, I was able to fit every single feature I wanted to into the game. The result is a long list of features, for which I'm still counting my blessings.
* Tactical, turn-based battles with up to fifteen party members. (The largest party available in Episode One is seven units.)
* Fully implemented class-changing system. The class of all generic units can be changed at any time outside of battle, changing their appearance, attributes, and available skills! (You can have any number of any class. Want 10 Knights? You've got it!)
* Eight unique and finely balanced classes for all generic units to choose from!
* Full-featured JP System! Earn JP in battles and spend it to learn the class skills of all characters in any order you choose!
* Custom-tuned front-view battle system with alternate skill costs, cooldowns, enemy AI, aggro/aggro management, and much more!
* Accelerated battle messages and animated status icons streamline the process of controlling large numbers of units with lots of skills.
* Some handsome custom graphics and many native edits.
* Fully custom sound track (final build only) paired with pulse-pounding instrumental versions of classic metal tunes.
* Engaging, episodic "low fantasy" storyline, inspired by George R.R. Martin and penned by the creator of Backstage and Iron Gaia.
* Detailed online instruction manual and helpful in-game tutorials to help you learn the game's many strategic elements.
* Highly challenging battles and dozens of different equally valid strategies that can be used to conquer them!
SCREENSHOTS:(Most but not all of these are current)
Throne-room intrigue.
One of the not-current ones--Horace has far more skills than this now.
Katarpillar (c) system shows exactly what kinds of units you have in your party at all times.
These sweet monster graphics are from hot toke/wild pudding.
Approximate Play Time of First Episode: 1.5-2 Hours
Estimated Replay Value: Very High, or so we dare to hope.
CREDITS
Concept, Dialogue, Battle Balance, Map Design...Max McGee (Devon Oratz)
Character/Sprite Design...Mr. Nemo, arcan
Original Scripts & Programming Lead...Racheal
Additional Scripts...KGC, Yanfly
Title Screen and World Map Design...Kentona, Sir Subtle, Aprilschild
Original Sound Track (PEnding)...Sir Subtle
Other Music...Bad Company, Iron Maiden.
Lightmaps and Testing...Aprilschild
Monster Graphics...Qut, Wild Pudding (Hot Toke)
Tilesets and additional Sprites...Mack and Enterbrain
FULL CREDITS INCLUDED AT END OF GAME.
Hints and Tips
* To Arms! is very hard, especially if you are used to games where you would almost have to actively try to lose. Save early, often, and in multiple slots! While the creator and head tester can complete the game standing on their heads blindfolded at this point, we don't imagine it will be this easy for people who didn't make the game and haven't played through it hundreds of times!
* Some battles give you a full-heal before hand, and others don't! While this may seem erratic at first, the reason is that your characters receive a full heal whenever they have significant time to rest and recuperate. When trying to determine if you are 'ready' for a difficult battle, look for cues in the story as to whether or not your characters have had time to rest,
*In Episode One alone, your main characters each have ten or more skills to choose from, and you will only be able to unlock some, and you have four generic units each of which can join any of eight classes each of which will have up to ten different skills to unlock. That means that the party and skillset combinations in To Arms! are astronomical. If the game seems too hard, change your strategy! Go back to your last save and assign your classes, equipment, and JP differently! There are dozens of different, valid, proven ways to win To Arms! but even more ways to lose. Just because you are getting your ass kicked doesn't mean that the game is necessarily too hard--try building your party differently!
*On subsequent play throughs, it's possible to skip the introduction...you are encouraged to try different combinations of classes and skills after beating the game the first time. My testers tell me it should be possible to beat the game with every possible combination of classes, including 'four of' everything. Some will definitely be harder than others.
*Save your game at the end for use in To Arms! Episode 2.
Thanks for playing, and have fun! Be sure and let me know what you think! Feedback is always welcome!
