Zankoku no Yami
Member
SYNOPSIS:
'Twas a thousand years ago in which the Six Phantatiom Crystals that brought balance upon all of Gaia were destroyed. In their destruction a savior was born, known only unto the world as ZION. Who, with his power alone, returned harmony to Gaia through a single Phantatiom Crystal; which to this day resides within Gaia's center and known to all as the Heart of Gaia.
The shattered remnants of the Six Phantatiom Crystals, through the power of the Heart of Gaia, attached themselves to human souls and through them... evolved into full, yet still spiritual, crystallized forms. Ultimately granting humanity the power the crystals once hand and giving birth to Phantatiom Users and Genius'.
Here in Gaia's fourth era, peace has never been so prominent. However... a dark cloud is lurking and an evil lost within the pages of the great war Prologue to Dies Irae has been reborn. It is now up to Esther, the vessel for the reborn Goddess of Creation, Evangeline; to stop this evil before it can contaminate the Heart of Gaia and bring about the ultimate end... Dies Irae.
CHARACTERS
Name: Esther Keshet
Age: 14
Element: Null
Voice Actor: Emi Lo (Esther) / Cristina Vee (Evangeline)
Bio: Orphaned after the tragic deaths of her parents; she was sent to Eyvindr Orphanage where she spent the better half of her life. Though when tragedy strikes the orphanage, and her not-so-secret crush is about to be struck down; she has no choice but to strike a deal with a mysterious voice from her past. In wake of this; it would appear that the voice was really that of the reborn Goddess Evangeline. Together, along with Esther's special Null element, they must embark upon a journey that will forever change the future of Gaia.
Name: Jeremiah 'Jay' Constantine
Age: 16
Element: Fire
Voice Actor: Lawrence Simpson (MasakoX)
Bio: Orphaned at a very young age, Jay suffers from a strange type of amnesia. It is upon turning 16 that he plans to venture out into the world to reclaim his lost memories; though, before he can do this, a mysterious man appears at the Orphanage demanding that he come along with him. Now, joining along side Esther on her own personal journey; Jay hopes to find both his memories and the mysteries surrounding the Empires sudden interest in him.
Name: Allen
Age: 16
Element: N/A
Voice Actor: Erik Kimerer
Bio: A mysterious narcoleptic with no surname, Allen grew up along side Esther and Jay in the orphanage. With Jay deciding to join Esther on her journey in sake of his own goals, Allen feels compelled to come along and look after the two. Though, with knowledge far greater than he should 'technically' have, it stands to reason that Allen knows more than he is letting on... especially about Jay and his past.
Name: Elysia Zephyrine
Age: 14
Element: Wind
Voice Actor: Rina "Mizura" Adachi
Bio: Orphaned twice; first at an incredibly young age, and the second time during the coup between the ruling families in Ardere; Elysia found herself growing up a street rat. Distraught over her parents death and on a quest to seek revenge on the man whom's father was responsible... she sets her target on Jay. Joining the team only after a little incident involving her stealing Esther's money and being thrown in jail for attacking Vesta's new apprentice; she finds a kindred spirit in Esther and their goals seemingly aligning.
Name: Lucius Van Sephirot
Age: 21
Element: Water
Voice Actor: Jamaal Ephriam
Bio: Duke Lucius Van Sephirot; a proud warrior of Rivers and the second main protagonist, rushes home to his kingdom to warn his uncle, Emperor Aquarius, of Vesta's appearance in their territory... only to realize he is too late and Vesta had already gained his Apprentice of Fire. With no other options presented before him, he is tasked to deal with a treacherous brother who had failed his mission... and to assassinate Emperor Zaniel Vesta's new apprentice.
Name: Anastasia 'Anna Nightingale' Diana Josephine
Age: 22
Element: Light
Voice Actor: Krysta Marie
Bio: With news of an ancient evil having been reborn, Anna is sent in disguise to track down Lilith before she can contaminate the Heart of Gaia. Though, with what would first appear to be to her misfortune; she finds herself tagging alongside Lucius. With a charismatic--erm, sarcastically polite attitude--she hides her true name and origin and uses Lucius as the front man in order to get closer to her suspect...
Name: Yulia Valentine
Age: 10
Element: Darkness
Voice Actor: Amanda Gately
Bio: This bi-polar princess from the Darkness Kingdom has gotten herself lost and--despite all logic and reason--found herself on the surface of Gaia. With an unfortunate run in with the Vestal Virgin's, and in a last ditch effort to save Lucius after he sacrificed his well being to protect her, she teleports the entire team to the opposite side of Gaia. Now, with little time on his hands, Lucius has no choice but to drag her along for the rest of his journey before he can do right by her and take her back home.
Name: Rebekah Konstantinos
Age: 30
Element: Wind
Voice Actor: Pending...
Bio: Genius engineer and pioneer; Rebekkah has single handidly begun the industrial revolution that is slowly spreading across all of Gaia. However, her latest invention, the flying machine, has left her a bit more than bummed out. In frustration, she has found herself wondering Gaia in order to figure out that in which she is lacking to finally make the contraption fly. Running into Lucius' team, it becomes more and more apparent that what she is lacking can be found by following alongside him...
Name: Sepphora Sullivan
Age: 26
Element: Fire
Voice Acting: Danielle McRae
Bio: Revered pirate captain Sepphora is on a quest for booty... in the more LITERAL term. She is a closet pervert with a huge fetish for boy on boy action. Though she hides this side the best she can, it is often seen in her eyes... that is, the devious thoughts that crawl through her brain. After saving Lucius and Cain from a ship wreck, she sets her eyes on keeping the two to herself... that is... until she realizes that Lucius is a Duke and could aid her in getting a little... CASH. While at the same time, still planning to take HIM as her ultimate prize when all is said and done.
Name: Cain Maximilian
Age: 16
Element: Earth
Voice Actor: Matt Turner
Bio: Cain grew up in Eyvindr Orphanage but was adopted by the royal family Demeter in the Kingdom of Terra. For reasons only he and Lucius know, it would seem that Cain is far from happy about the circumstances. More so, he suffers from an odd condition in which compels him to more than often enough... delve into sinister monologues from the enemies point of view. Though once he finds out that Lucius is tasked to kill his once best friend, it puts a deep rift in their friendship.
Name: Zaniel Vesta
Age: 26
Element: Fire
Voice Actor: Jamaal Ephriam
Bio: Emperor of Ardere, Zaniel Vesta is infamous across all of Gaia for being the greatest Strategic Mastermind in all of Gaia's Four Era's. Despite any and all odds, there is not a single battle he cannot win. With a dark history involving a coup against the previous ruling family, the executions of his parents, and death of his only sibling... he is both feared and revered. Single handily he has created a world wide hate for Ardere--the kingdom of fire--and stands on the edge of an all our world war... aimed straight at his kingdom. Main antagonist; Zaniel Vesta will stop at nothing to take hold of the Apprentice of Fire and bring forth the prophecy... Dies Irae.
Name: Claude Alexandros Belthasar III
Age: 21
Element: Fire
Voice Actor: Lucien Dodge
Bio: Taken in at a young age, Claude became Vesta's first apprentice and under his command, quickly rose to greatness. Single handily taking down armies and never taking as much as a single scratch of damage; he grew egotistical and prideful. Though his delusional world would soon find itself crashing down around him as Vesta sends him out on a very special 'mission'.
Name: Coelia Concordia
Age: 16
Element: Fire
Voice Actor: Morgan Barnhart
Bio: Vestalis Maxima of the Elite Vestal Virgin's--Emperor Zaniel Vesta's Elite Royal Guard--Division 2; she is nothing short of loyal to her master. Though forced to hold a firm facade of leadership due to her position; she is actually easily flustered and loves cute things. Assigned the mission of swaying the Apprentice of Fire's allegiance to his majesty; her team quickly finds itself becoming the comical trio in which consistently gets in Esther's way.
Name: Veneneia Valencia
Age: 15
Element: Fire
Voice Actor: Jill Harris
Bio: Quick to temper and a true druggie on the essence of battle; Veneneia serves under Coelia's division. After a humilating defeat by Esther, Veneneia quickly develops a loving rivalry towards her. Luckily for her, after successfully acquiring the Apprentice of Fire, her group is tasked with not simply delaying Esther's group... but getting them to follow the script Vesta has scripted out.
Name: Gegania Blaise
Age: 17
Element: Fire
Voice Actor: Brianna Moran
Bio: One of the three original Vestal Virgin's, Gegania joined Vesta's ranks not long before the purge of the sinful four. With a deep admiration with a sketchy thin line bordering on unadulterated love and affection for his majesty; Gegania strives to be like Zaniel Vesta. The strategist of the group, she uses brains rather than pure relentless force; contrary to Veneneia's way of fighting.
Name: Aquilia Severa
Age: 17
Element: Fire
Voice Actor: Taylor Carlson
Bio: Vestalis Maxima of Vesta's Elite Royal Guard, the Vestal Virgins, Divison 1. Aquilia has served the longest, second to Canuleia, as one of the original Vestal Virgin's. Perhaps the most loyal and obedient; she never questions or wavers. Everything in her life is guided by Vesta and his commands. He is absolute and her, his strongest leader. Country and honor are everything to her; and she will do whatever it takes to fulfill her patriotic duty to Ardere.
Name: Tarpeia Silvestra
Age: 16
Element: Fire
Voice Actor: Laura Post
Bio: The opposite of Aquilia, Tarpeia is without a doubt a self-centered person. Everything she does in within interest to herself. Cloaked in mystery, she always seems to have an agenda of her own... while some how managing to earn her keep and with every disobedient action... manage to give the most desirable results for Emperor Vesta. More than anything, she leaves a bad taste in Aquilia's mouth for some how managing to both disobey Vesta and yet accomplish her mission... even if it is by a hair.
Name: Rhea Silvia
Age: 14
Element: Fire
Voice Actor: Pending...
Bio: The youngest and newest member of the Vestal Virgin's. Though initially free of all mental defects, as per the regulation for joining the Vestal Virgin's... something happened at some point during her time serving and has caused her to become mentally unstable. Now subject to personality disorder, she is the Vestal Virgin's greatest 'Wild Card'. She can either be the weakest member or without a doubt, the strongest. Pending, that is, on which personality has taken control.
SCREENSHOTS
GAME FEATURES
World and Gameplay:
-Two stories, two protagonists. Few areas are used in both stories, making for two throughways that greatly differ from one another and each with their own 40 hour Main Story.
-Huge world containing Six MASSIVE kingdoms and their territory.
-Tons of side quests, character stories that do not complete through the main story, and optional dungeons.
-Original cast of characters all with their own voice actors and personalities that couldn't be any different from one another.
Attack System:
-Three weapons per character, three styles of attacks. Standard, Quick, and Strong.
-Attributes to attacks, Jab, Slash, and Thrust allow you to strategies each attack.
-Level up your weapons and gain additional number of attacks per turn.
-Rotate between attacking and spell casting in order to level your weapons.
Spell System:
-Three types of spells; Attack, Defense and Special Classed Spells (SCS)
-Six different Attack and Defense spells per character. Limited number of spells allows for each spell to be useful from the beginning to end.
-Leveled spells; each spell levels up the more you use it, allowing you to keep them useful.
-Every character serves every role. Everyone uses magic, but due to strengths and weaknesses of each element, a healer could be more useful as a warrior than a healer; or a warrior could be more useful for support.
-Elements contain both Elements and Attributes. An enemy weak to both Wind and Jab will suffer 4x the normal damage from a spell that contains both.
-Everyone has a special Defense Spell in which allows them to use 'upgraded' versions of their main set of spells for a limited amount of time. Example: Wind Users can use Agility to upgrade their basic Attack Spells, Gust can become Spiral Gust, ect.
-SCS spells act like a sort of limit break; however, these spells come at a cost. They can do anywhere between 1 to 100% damage to the user. They are an all out attack with a high damage potential.
Currency and Craft System:
-Money is scarce, and only HUMAN enemies drop currency.
-Animals and monsters drop resources useful to Crafting and Cooking.
-Craft all your own equipment, it is rather expensive to take the shortcut and buy them.
-Visit stores to learn new recipes for equipment and sell your excess for a profit.
-Crafting gloves and leveling your weapons is your main damage increases.
-Healing items cost a lot and have limited inventory space; but cooking can take you a long ways and is a lot cheaper. Useful for dungeons and long treks between towns.
Voice Acting:
-Fully voiced scenes by a range of actors and actresses; such as Cristina Vee, Lucien Dodge, Eric Kimerer, Laura Post and many others.
-Voiced battle follies: such as attacking, defending, using Item's, Spells, and other commands.
-Two stories, two protagonists. Few areas are used in both stories, making for two throughways that greatly differ from one another and each with their own 40 hour Main Story.
-Huge world containing Six MASSIVE kingdoms and their territory.
-Tons of side quests, character stories that do not complete through the main story, and optional dungeons.
-Original cast of characters all with their own voice actors and personalities that couldn't be any different from one another.
Attack System:
-Three weapons per character, three styles of attacks. Standard, Quick, and Strong.
-Attributes to attacks, Jab, Slash, and Thrust allow you to strategies each attack.
-Level up your weapons and gain additional number of attacks per turn.
-Rotate between attacking and spell casting in order to level your weapons.
Spell System:
-Three types of spells; Attack, Defense and Special Classed Spells (SCS)
-Six different Attack and Defense spells per character. Limited number of spells allows for each spell to be useful from the beginning to end.
-Leveled spells; each spell levels up the more you use it, allowing you to keep them useful.
-Every character serves every role. Everyone uses magic, but due to strengths and weaknesses of each element, a healer could be more useful as a warrior than a healer; or a warrior could be more useful for support.
-Elements contain both Elements and Attributes. An enemy weak to both Wind and Jab will suffer 4x the normal damage from a spell that contains both.
-Everyone has a special Defense Spell in which allows them to use 'upgraded' versions of their main set of spells for a limited amount of time. Example: Wind Users can use Agility to upgrade their basic Attack Spells, Gust can become Spiral Gust, ect.
-SCS spells act like a sort of limit break; however, these spells come at a cost. They can do anywhere between 1 to 100% damage to the user. They are an all out attack with a high damage potential.
Currency and Craft System:
-Money is scarce, and only HUMAN enemies drop currency.
-Animals and monsters drop resources useful to Crafting and Cooking.
-Craft all your own equipment, it is rather expensive to take the shortcut and buy them.
-Visit stores to learn new recipes for equipment and sell your excess for a profit.
-Crafting gloves and leveling your weapons is your main damage increases.
-Healing items cost a lot and have limited inventory space; but cooking can take you a long ways and is a lot cheaper. Useful for dungeons and long treks between towns.
Voice Acting:
-Fully voiced scenes by a range of actors and actresses; such as Cristina Vee, Lucien Dodge, Eric Kimerer, Laura Post and many others.
-Voiced battle follies: such as attacking, defending, using Item's, Spells, and other commands.
PREPARING FOR KICKSTARTER
We have already attempted Kickstarter once; though we didn't meet our goal, we achieved quite a bit. Not only did we achieve a number of backers who all plan to pledge again, but we received tons of feedback and have utilized one of the main aspects of the kickstarter... backer involvement.
Thus, with all this great help and insight, we are planning to attempt a second round! Now with over 200 likes on facebook, more support from the team and previous backers, we are anticipating a successful second round!
For those interested in being a part of our second attempt and helping spread the world or backing us, you can keep up to date by liking our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/diesiraegame?ref=hl
Thus, with all this great help and insight, we are planning to attempt a second round! Now with over 200 likes on facebook, more support from the team and previous backers, we are anticipating a successful second round!
For those interested in being a part of our second attempt and helping spread the world or backing us, you can keep up to date by liking our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/diesiraegame?ref=hl
Q&A:
Q: Are you using RMXP? And do you plan to stick with it?
A: At the moment we are using RMXP but pending on how successful our kickstarter is, we plan to use another engine all together. RMXP gets the job done, but we want to port this game to as many platforms as we can, rather than simply windows.
Q: Are these screenshots of the final version?
A: Not even close. We ultimately want to be able to work on a much higher resolution. All graphics are being creating in a high resolution and downsized to 640x480 until we can get another engine. We have also been putting all our money into character design, GUI, music and programming. So things like the sprites and tilesets are still a long ways coming. Ultimately we plan for all original sprites (enemy and character) as well as tilesets.
Q: How long have you been working on this?
A: I started brain storming a game version of Dies Irae not long after finishing the first episode of the radioplay. Having felt the verbage was suited more towards a game, it only made sense. That was back in about 2007. It took me until 2010 to really gather a full enough team to actually move forward.
Q: How far along is the game?
A: The game has two stories. Esther and Lucius'. Esther's story is completely written and about 1/3 of Lucius' story is complete. Now this doesn't count any side quests and middle groundings. Just the main plot points (and that in which will be voice acted). Much of the game can easily be put together, but requires the resources... and the resources require the money.
Q: How long will this game be?
A: I have planned out a 40 hour game for both Esther and Lucius. I am hoping to squeeze in at least another 10-20 hours each on optional quests and dungeons.
Q: Some characters remind me of other characters I have seen; did you draw influence from other animes?
A: Originally I went with a more western look to the characters. However, due to massive feedback, we upgraded the art style and made it more anime... since, well, that is what the people wanted. It fit more with the general feel and atmosphere of the game. Therefore... when going full anime style, we did draw a lot of influence from other anime characters (gotta have them references for the artist!). But that is just part of art. No matter where you look, especially in the anime world, there are hundreds of characters that obviously look very similar to others. Though that isn't to say we copied them; simply drew inspiration and general direction from existing characters.
Q: Why are you aiming for a kickstarter?
A: When I do something, I like to do it all the way. And more so, when it comes to a dream of mine--a PASSION--I want to see it realized in it's fullest form. Thus, I want my story to be heard and loved by as many people as I can reach. Kickstarter is the ultimate way to not just make this a good game with a great story, but an AMAZING game that compliments the story in which I have spent nearly a decade creating.
Q: The story seems cliche. There's more to it, right?
A: Of course. When I first wrote Dies Irae, it was with ONE intention; take EVERY cliche in the book and let the CHARACTERS drive the story. As a friend told me before I wrote it (and thus what DROVE me to write it); 'every adventure has already been told. Nothing original under the sun. However, what can make it unique is the characters.'. Ultimately as I continued to write, all cliche's became eclipsed by the TRUTHS. Ultimately meaning one thing: if a character feels like a troupe, and if a plot element seems cliche; it is nothing but a ruse. Pay close attention! Thing's are not what they seem...
Q: Is this a trilogy?
A: Yes. The original story was written to be four seasons. I condensed the fourth season into the 'epilogue' of the final game. But all in all, there will be three games in total. Each ending on a note that will forever change the course of Gaia.
A: At the moment we are using RMXP but pending on how successful our kickstarter is, we plan to use another engine all together. RMXP gets the job done, but we want to port this game to as many platforms as we can, rather than simply windows.
Q: Are these screenshots of the final version?
A: Not even close. We ultimately want to be able to work on a much higher resolution. All graphics are being creating in a high resolution and downsized to 640x480 until we can get another engine. We have also been putting all our money into character design, GUI, music and programming. So things like the sprites and tilesets are still a long ways coming. Ultimately we plan for all original sprites (enemy and character) as well as tilesets.
Q: How long have you been working on this?
A: I started brain storming a game version of Dies Irae not long after finishing the first episode of the radioplay. Having felt the verbage was suited more towards a game, it only made sense. That was back in about 2007. It took me until 2010 to really gather a full enough team to actually move forward.
Q: How far along is the game?
A: The game has two stories. Esther and Lucius'. Esther's story is completely written and about 1/3 of Lucius' story is complete. Now this doesn't count any side quests and middle groundings. Just the main plot points (and that in which will be voice acted). Much of the game can easily be put together, but requires the resources... and the resources require the money.
Q: How long will this game be?
A: I have planned out a 40 hour game for both Esther and Lucius. I am hoping to squeeze in at least another 10-20 hours each on optional quests and dungeons.
Q: Some characters remind me of other characters I have seen; did you draw influence from other animes?
A: Originally I went with a more western look to the characters. However, due to massive feedback, we upgraded the art style and made it more anime... since, well, that is what the people wanted. It fit more with the general feel and atmosphere of the game. Therefore... when going full anime style, we did draw a lot of influence from other anime characters (gotta have them references for the artist!). But that is just part of art. No matter where you look, especially in the anime world, there are hundreds of characters that obviously look very similar to others. Though that isn't to say we copied them; simply drew inspiration and general direction from existing characters.
Q: Why are you aiming for a kickstarter?
A: When I do something, I like to do it all the way. And more so, when it comes to a dream of mine--a PASSION--I want to see it realized in it's fullest form. Thus, I want my story to be heard and loved by as many people as I can reach. Kickstarter is the ultimate way to not just make this a good game with a great story, but an AMAZING game that compliments the story in which I have spent nearly a decade creating.
Q: The story seems cliche. There's more to it, right?
A: Of course. When I first wrote Dies Irae, it was with ONE intention; take EVERY cliche in the book and let the CHARACTERS drive the story. As a friend told me before I wrote it (and thus what DROVE me to write it); 'every adventure has already been told. Nothing original under the sun. However, what can make it unique is the characters.'. Ultimately as I continued to write, all cliche's became eclipsed by the TRUTHS. Ultimately meaning one thing: if a character feels like a troupe, and if a plot element seems cliche; it is nothing but a ruse. Pay close attention! Thing's are not what they seem...
Q: Is this a trilogy?
A: Yes. The original story was written to be four seasons. I condensed the fourth season into the 'epilogue' of the final game. But all in all, there will be three games in total. Each ending on a note that will forever change the course of Gaia.
DEMO:
~Coming Soon~
VIDEOS:
~Coming Soon~
TEAM:
Producer/Writer: Jeremiah Caudle
Lead Artist: M. Beatriz García
Lead Musician: Jamaal Ephriam
Lead Programmer: Frank Nieuwland
Lead Spriter: Jerod W
