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wow dude. this TOTALLY wasn't ready for a release. you should have released it as a beta rather than a demo. this has more bugs and passability errors than any rm game that i've seen, especially considering the high quality in a lot of areas
You tell me. What's bugging me is that a lot of the stuff reported is stuff I thought I had already fixed or made sure were ok.
Cyntheone":18ex30uv said:
hello, i can't seem to solve the switch puzzle in the lake cave, any pointers?? the text said that the reflection reveals it but only a reflection of it. so i made the switches be in the exact looking as the reflection...nothing happened so i thought "only a reflection" so i tried to do the opposite seeing if it would work, but i cant get the switches to do it >< help maybe? or am i just stupid because i've been at this for 2 and a half hours??
btw, LOVE the game, its epic! just wish i was better at evil puzzles
battle system became hax once i could actualy get money and kill things
warning spoilers ahead -- dont kno how to cover em up yet :p
I picked lune and light magic arkana however u spells it if u were wondering, i've beaten the demon, you said the pyamid dungeon is not finished so i stopped trying, and i am stuck at the lake cave, after the lake cave is there anything else i can do? i have gone to utopia i have to defeat the voidspawn of all the relams, but i cant obviously because the pyramid dungeon is not finished. so is that the end of this demo after i do grays quest?
Really fallen in love with the game, and i found quite a few bugs...such as passing through sides and walking into space in the sky garden, and the walking into space at the faries place, but i think both have been pointed out. so what do i do to finish that evil puzzle!!
Use [*spoiler] [/spoiler] without the * to put things in spoiler. I'm glad you liked the game.
As for your puzzle problem, do as Bruno told you, with the solution in the water reflected as if a line is between the two. It's a bit hard to get the correct combination, but perfectly possble. Once you're done, you still have one last mission to properly "end" the demo. Head back to the "tutorial" dungeon of the dark Era, in the room where you found the pendant, use a bomb to clear the passage blocked by rocks. In the following rooms, you'll find an item called the "comedy box", bring it to Kayne (Kayne will be replaced by an imp if he's in your party) in V-Space to view the credits and the outtakes.
BrunoTR":18ex30uv said:
You have to get the lights so that it is a reflection of the lights below. As if the line of reflection were between the two sets.
So I'm fighting some trees, and I use Madu's "magma blast skill". For some reason is uses PETRIFY instead. So Soleil is dead and now Madu is paralyzed, one of the treemen is petrified. I just sit here for like 3 minutes waiting for something to happen and then they kill me. Yay, another game over. You need to work on the balance, or at least give me more healing oppurtunities or something. This time I'm going to use two of my salves before I even enter battle, to make sure that I'm all healed up (I shouldn't have to use items like this at the beginning of a dungeon). I'm fighting the tree again. The fucking thing is healing faster than I can damage him. It kills Soleil again. And then somehow Madu has an entire turn wasted because the enmy hits me while I'm trying to make a selection. Is that a glitch or was I stunned or something? But either way, I'm dead again.
I finally figured out what happened here. I was getting incredibly frustrated thinking there was a scripting error or something I could not figure out, when I finally had a flash.
Des, the character learned a new skill. See, whenever choosing an action, depending on the level of expertise of the character, there's always a small chance he'll learn a new skill and use it. It seems that for you, though, it came at a rather inopportune moment.
So, I was going through the entire thread and fixing up and double checking all that was reported. I'll probably be releasing the "ultimate demo version" pretty shortly, and maybe, Des, this time you'll actually finish it.
If anyone is interested in doing a final bug testing, please contact me. I'll probably be done with it sometime during the weekend. The final demo will include a few new scenes, the option to change the battle speed/mode at will, and 1 more dungeon (which will be used to break the pace between the Sky Garden and Utopia).
2) In the fairy place, the fairy says "Travel to different worls". (Not sure if someone said that already)
3) Leaves wrong teammate in the double switch event in the comedy box dungeon. (I told them to leave Bahimi, but they left Evelyn)
4) It gets dark when I leave Sage Inez's house.
Suggestions:
1) The Utopia scene is all pretty choppy. It shifted right from the escape (very active and not controlled) to the scene with Night and the Eye demon (very calm and controlled). Really, the scene with Night and the demon would only be effective after facing an event unrelated to him, like some side dungeon or so. It makes it really unnaffective seeing the characters run away from him and then automatically seeing him planning something else that should have been foreshadowing. It would have been better if you put that scene closer to the beginning of the Utopia world or the game.
2) You should make Kayne transparent during the flashback, so that the player will know that he is not part of those scenes and is only telling them. You could also put the main character in there too, as if he was guiding him/her through the flashback.
2) In the fairy place, the fairy says "Travel to different worls". (Not sure if someone said that already)
3) Leaves wrong teammate in the double switch event in the comedy box dungeon. (I told them to leave Bahimi, but they left Evelyn)
4) It gets dark when I leave Sage Inez's house.
Suggestions:
1) The Utopia scene is all pretty choppy. It shifted right from the escape (very active and not controlled) to the scene with Night and the Eye demon (very calm and controlled). Really, the scene with Night and the demon would only be effective after facing an event unrelated to him, like some side dungeon or so. It makes it really unnaffective seeing the characters run away from him and then automatically seeing him planning something else that should have been foreshadowing. It would have been better if you put that scene closer to the beginning of the Utopia world or the game.
2) You should make Kayne transparent during the flashback, so that the player will know that he is not part of those scenes and is only telling them. You could also put the main character in there too, as if he was guiding him/her through the flashback.
I see what you mean, but I needed an extra scene between the running away and the back on the island scene. I think I'll leave it as it is for now, unless I come up with the idea of scene to put in between.
As for Kayne not being transparent in the flashbacks, I was actually going for "he was actually there during the events, and is breaking the fourth wall".
This game is really good. Good job!
Unfortunately I got stuck a bit after the begining of the game. Don't worry, it's not another glitch.
I chose Dusk and I chose to have Mathias help in the first (Beginner's Dungeon?) and saw him get captured in the end. I chose to follow him to Castonbury and met with a soldier at the inn except it's been a few days since playing and I forgot where he told me to go and I already saved. I've checked around everywhere (Unless there's someplace I haven't searched). So if you could tell me or give me a hint of where to go, I'd appreciate it.
Still have a ways to go but was enjoying everything so far when...
Helping Iathos clear out the guards to save Mathias, in the castle I got all 4 of the statues into the main room, pushed one onto the upper right, then one onto the upper left, as soon as I pushed it I was holding down and run, and managed to move one square right into the stairwell that came up from the floor... with me under it! Ended up getting stuck in the wall and hadn't found a save spot since the start so taking a break for a while.
A couple suggestions:
1. Running buttons are evil! I basically held the thing down the whole time; I would guestimate that 80% of the people do this at the least. Holding C in to push is good, holding it in to move at a decent pace is not.
2. Skip font - Let the players skip text. Even with the button held in I can read the text as fast as it comes up at the least, and many times it's a shop-keeper or NPC saying something I've already heard. Holding in that button all the time can make it hard to catch when you have an option to pick something from a choice box as well.
3. Combat itself however is frustrating; many times one shot will kill the enemies, HP and MP are recovered through items so your battle prowess is decided at least 50% by how many items you have with you. You're focusing on making a "dungeon" challenging, not a fight, which isn't a negative thing, but it falls back to the old school RPGs where you sometimes had to level/stock up to make it through a dungeon, and it really drains any kind of strategy from a fight except how to make the most efficient use of resources to deplete your stock as slowly as possible. Over time I've grown less fond of ATBs like RTAB and such because there's a lull while you're waiting, and when the menus DO pop up, you need to act as FAST as you can (even on wait since while the initial menu is up enemies can attack!) to kill that enemy before it can hurt you. If you're using casting times and such to make fights more strategic keep in mind that as fast paced as the damage is there's no time to worry about casting bars, you're getting hurt too badly and you need to avoid using as many Salves as you can keep so you can keep going without having to return for a fresh inventory of healing items. If you're not using casting times and variable turn-recovery times... might be best to see if you can tweak that system to be turn based instead (not player/enemy phase, but actual turn based).
4. I hate to mention things people have already, but passability is a big issue here, and one that really doesn't need to be, right? Odd passability and priority issues abound and I think with a few hours you really could fix 90% of those. Watch out for the odd invisible tiles on empty layers if you think something should be passable but it isn't.
5. Linearity of skills - I chose the Sorcerer (thank god!) with my second point in Fire I got a skill that does equal/more damage than the first, hits multiple enemies, and costs 2x as much. In any fight with 2 or more enemies it's EASILY the more efficient of the two. This makes the first only useful against single targets. That usefulness always wears down once you get a weapon and more members, since if only one enemy is left it's usually better to just attack it quickly to save that bit of MP. Might be worthwhile to think about how you can mix up the use of those skills to make them survive the great Skill Upgrade.
6. It took me a while to get the use of the windows and things straight in the beginning. It was luck I found out about the run button. A quick interactive tutorial on these would be a major addition and cut down on the 5-10 minutes of experimentation the beginning probably inflicts on the players. (I knew I had to use the rope on the well, but it took me a lot of running around to figure out HOW.)
7. Environments - When I did my first project, Despain gave me a tip to use fogs and more importantly tones on the maps to give atmosphere. Sometimes I overdo it a bit, but honestly they do add an amazing amount. You use the fog well in the start of the game (though it should go off when indoors in caves) but you rarely if ever tone things. The beginning scene right before he wakes up from his dream gives great promises of solid use of light, but it's not follow through in the up-coming town and Earth-style dungeon (broad daylight underground, go!)
Now, on to positive things:
1. I loved the items and dungeon uses. Shooting arrows and cutting grass is undoubtedly only the start, and these really add an amazing 'zing' to the dungeon feel. Don't make them too repetitive though, keep introducing new ones or upgrades!
2. The battle animations/graphics - The way your characters pose for everything is great. The weapon animations are pretty slick overall too. That you went the extra mile and gave enemies animations for block/stun/attack/move is also a huge bonus. The animations for the Fire Arkanes I started with? A-FREAKING-MAZING. How long did you spend making those!?
3. Dialog felt very natural for the most part. I was a bit iffy on the knight letting your friend go if you help, but on the other hand I didn't question it for more than half a second before I got absorbed into hunt down those cursed rebels!
4. Open-ended feeling; it's still early but I'm liking having my decisions have value. The amount of effort that goes into doing at least 2x the development when the players are only likely to experience half or less is a thankless job, one worthy of a lot of praise for the dedication it takes!
So that's just a rough list of things I've noticed so far; many are not too detailed since I haven't seen most of the game yet, but the ones listed are things that are universal like the slow, unskippable text, and need to spend the game with 1 button held in.
Oh yeah, and me getting stuck in a wall. That kinda sucked too.
Still have a ways to go but was enjoying everything so far when...
Helping Iathos clear out the guards to save Mathias, in the castle I got all 4 of the statues into the main room, pushed one onto the upper right, then one onto the upper left, as soon as I pushed it I was holding down and run, and managed to move one square right into the stairwell that came up from the floor... with me under it! Ended up getting stuck in the wall and hadn't found a save spot since the start so taking a break for a while.
I didn't think you'd have the time the run in and get blocked :\ I'll fix that up
A couple suggestions:
1. Running buttons are evil! I basically held the thing down the whole time; I would guestimate that 80% of the people do this at the least. Holding C in to push is good, holding it in to move at a decent pace is not.
2. Skip font - Let the players skip text. Even with the button held in I can read the text as fast as it comes up at the least, and many times it's a shop-keeper or NPC saying something I've already heard. Holding in that button all the time can make it hard to catch when you have an option to pick something from a choice box as well.
No, I already have reports of people going "I read too fast and missed the line and now I'm lost ;_;, if I make the text skippable, they'll increase by 2
3. Combat itself however is frustrating; many times one shot will kill the enemies,
Yup, for now. If you want, a little later on, you'll pick one of your characters and specialize him/her in either water, air, earth or light magic and gain restorative skills.
You're focusing on making a "dungeon" challenging, not a fight, which isn't a negative thing, but it falls back to the old school RPGs where you sometimes had to level/stock up to make it through a dungeon, and it really drains any kind of strategy from a fight except how to make the most efficient use of resources to deplete your stock as slowly as possible.
Well, you're at the start, you have nearly no skills, so of course battles are going to be "hit the enemy, enemy hits you, rinse and repeat".
Over time I've grown less fond of ATBs like RTAB and such because there's a lull while you're waiting, and when the menus DO pop up, you need to act as FAST as you can (even on wait since while the initial menu is up enemies can attack!)
I'll fix that soon, and allow the player to choose the speed and style of the battle (not RTAB- turn based, but active, wait, etc.)
to kill that enemy before it can hurt you. If you're using casting times and such to make fights more strategic keep in mind that as fast paced as the damage is there's no time to worry about casting bars, you're getting hurt too badly and you need to avoid using as many Salves as you can keep so you can keep going without having to return for a fresh inventory of healing items. If you're not using casting times and variable turn-recovery times... might be best to see if you can tweak that system to be turn based instead (not player/enemy phase, but actual turn based).
4. I hate to mention things people have already, but passability is a big issue here, and one that really doesn't need to be, right? Odd passability and priority issues abound and I think with a few hours you really could fix 90% of those. Watch out for the odd invisible tiles on empty layers if you think something should be passable but it isn't.
5. Linearity of skills - I chose the Sorcerer (thank god!) with my second point in Fire I got a skill that does equal/more damage than the first, hits multiple enemies, and costs 2x as much. In any fight with 2 or more enemies it's EASILY the more efficient of the two. This makes the first only useful against single targets. That usefulness always wears down once you get a weapon and more members, since if only one enemy is left it's usually better to just attack it quickly to save that bit of MP.
6. It took me a while to get the use of the windows and things straight in the beginning. It was luck I found out about the run button. A quick interactive tutorial on these would be a major addition and cut down on the 5-10 minutes of experimentation the beginning probably inflicts on the players. (I knew I had to use the rope on the well, but it took me a lot of running around to figure out HOW.)
You should have a "journal" in your inventory, check it for a list of commands. Even with tutorials, it always takes some time to adjust to new gameplay, but you pick it up quickly.
7. Environments - When I did my first project, Despain gave me a tip to use fogs and more importantly tones on the maps to give atmosphere. Sometimes I overdo it a bit, but honestly they do add an amazing amount. You use the fog well in the start of the game (though it should go off when indoors in caves) but you rarely if ever tone things. The beginning scene right before he wakes up from his dream gives great promises of solid use of light, but it's not follow through in the up-coming town and Earth-style dungeon (broad daylight underground, go!)
Already working on it. I thought the "mist in caves" added something ethereal, but... anyway. I'll keep the broad daylight in the caves, though, don't want any "cave is too dark, waah".
Now, on to positive things:
1. I loved the items and dungeon uses. Shooting arrows and cutting grass is undoubtedly only the start, and these really add an amazing 'zing' to the dungeon feel. Don't make them too repetitive though, keep introducing new ones or upgrades!
2. The battle animations/graphics - The way your characters pose for everything is great. The weapon animations are pretty slick overall too. That you went the extra mile and gave enemies animations for block/stun/attack/move is also a huge bonus. The animations for the Fire Arkanes I started with? A-FREAKING-MAZING. How long did you spend making those!?
Thank Mascarpone for those. I don't think I've ever seen his animations actually been used yet.
3. Dialog felt very natural for the most part. I was a bit iffy on the knight letting your friend go if you help, but on the other hand I didn't question it for more than half a second before I got absorbed into hunt down those cursed rebels!
4. Open-ended feeling; it's still early but I'm liking having my decisions have value. The amount of effort that goes into doing at least 2x the development when the players are only likely to experience half or less is a thankless job, one worthy of a lot of praise for the dedication it takes!
I thought "Master of the wind already hold the golden medal for storytelling. I'll have the golden medal for gameplay. and music.
So that's just a rough list of things I've noticed so far; many are not too detailed since I haven't seen most of the game yet, but the ones listed are things that are universal like the slow, unskippable text,
I don't suppose you plan to add an "Options" category to the menu and maybe sneak an "auto-run" function in there? Best of both worlds that way! Maybe the same for the text speed? You can always disable it during the cut-scenes where you need to keep the text paced.
If it's an option that's defaulted to what you have, then everyone's happy!
Alrighty, I've uploaded a final, bug-free version of the demo. And I hope that it will be the last time I upload thing until the game is finished. The final version includes an "option" menu which allows the player to change the battle style (active-wait) and speed, and introduces a new character for the player to find.
10 bucks someone reports a bug in the following two days.
I wish someone would've told me the download was down... anyhow, I put up the megaupload link as the main download. I'll reupload a mirror if there's demand.
The game is proceeding along smoothly. May have some new screenshots soon.
I downloaded the game last night. When I try to run it, I get the error: "Script 'Auto Font Install 1.1' line 92: LoadError Occurred. No such file to load -- C:/Documents and Settings/User/My Documents/To Anywhere/To Anywhere/Data/fileutils.rb"
so i thought "only a reflection" so i tried to do the opposite seeing if it would work, but i cant get the switches to do it >< help maybe? or am i just stupid because i've been at this for 2 and a half hours??