Now that my financial strife is over I've gotten back to paying back my composer, but he won't be able to compose anything new for a while due to having his time taken up by other projects he'd been using to fill the void while he awaited my payments to recommence. Technically I still owe him so I don't mind if he doesn't do stuff for a while, but I know what a workaholic he is, he'll be back to it before long.
Pjcr is back!
Currently his net and power is as stable as they can be given the weather, and has so far only been able to upload one new file, but it is a file worth its salt, and he will be getting me many more in due course.
Say hello to Lumi's ENNUI: Naamah, the Lunar Hare- Queen of the Usagi and Catalyst of Justice. She is the weakest of the five ENNUI, though can be just as powerful if her host is as compassionate as she is, to this end- Lumi has been the perfect vessel for her. Lumi and Naamah get on like a house on fire, with both of them having similar interests and a like-minded sense of humor. Naamah often says that Lumi seems like a reflection of herself sometimes, like she is talking to a mirror that will then talk back, and she's glad to have found someone so comforting to inhabit and help along the way.
The only secret Naamah has kept somewhat from Lumi is what she may become should her and her sister ENNUI's plan succeed. Though given time and preparation, it is likely even this secret will not be kept clear of Lumi's knowledge.
Remi-chan
It has been rather busy for me of late, as some of you may know already, the Crazy Chimp Collective turned eight years old on the 14th of March this year, and I released Junked to go with it, however- during the festivities HBgames.org was down, so the celebration was never brought here. Suffice it to say, now that I've released the first Demo of Junked, I am back into Fantasia's development so much as I can be.
Fantasia Scene 06: Playthings No More
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8GOwxf5FOo
It has been entirely remastered, very little of the old cinematic remains. The music that once accompanied it is now too short and lacking the energy to carry it, so until such a time comes that Jake can be expected to work for me again, it will use the placeholder music it does therein.
Fantasia Scene 10: Resurface of Traumatism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0FdawAmT5g
Renamed to better reflect the nature of the cinematic, it is also being presently remastered to better illustrate the headspace of which its two major actors are in, these being Svoli and Pep. I'm also using the original placeholder music until I know how long it will be. I suspect it will be another 30 seconds to another minute long- from the minute of length it has already. It might be a scene that requires a custom music track much like ME 06 Malevolence is being produced solely for that scene on Zen Aneia.
At current, there still remains some decently complex animations to finish for this scene's remaster, but I will tackle it before too long.
In regard to what remains of the planned remasters of cinematics.
Fantasia Scene 00: A New Beginning is Prompted...
Or the splash Introduction that M.F. Lazarus speaks during, it will mostly be left untouched, the only major change will be how the characters are introduced at the end.
Fantasia Scene 01: Welcome to Vahnus
This will remain largely unchanged, it does what it was designed to do and beautifully makes the world in which you will now spend a good 3-6 hours in worthy of attention. It immediately grabs the player in, and there's next to no outdated art assets, so it will remain the same outside of the first panel as that picture of Koko waking up is a bit inconsistent artistically with the rest of the game and I know I could do it way better now.
Fantasia Scene 02: Conspiracy Black
It's a short cutscene that delivers the message it needs to. it will remain unchanged.
Fantasia Scene 03: Final Cross
I don't see this changing, it's effective in showing Koko's shock and the various other things finally linking up for her.
Fantasia Scene 04: GΔTEWΔY
This will be changed in some areas to accommodate for lip-syncing and better character management, as well as redrawing some assets that prior didn't really go consistently with the rest of it... (looking primarily at the art of Lumi as she's thinking about whether to press the button, as that was drawn by me back before I'd learned how to do the thinlines style.)
Fantasia Scene 05: Isosceles Arrive
This scene sets the perfect mood for Yi's entrance, the only thing that will probably change is that Yi's artwork when entering the portal will be updated to the
promotional art that Pjcr will be providing in due course.
Fantasia Scene 06: Playthings No More!
Done, just awaiting an updated music track.
Intermissions
Fantasia Scene 06: INTERMISSION
Done. No changes needed.
Fantasia Scene 06: The Man of a Thousand Names
Done. No changes needed.
Fantasia Scene 07: The Starship YHWH
All that is likely to change is the logo that Xiie makes will be used in place of the text that is currently in place.
Fantasia Scene 08: To the Estranged Earth
Done.
Fantasia Scene 09: Protégé of Naamah
This one is going to be the last large overhaul, as there is a lot of art to be updated and many animations that need to be remade from scratch, essentially. I also have a lot of werbles now which should make the whole ordeal a lot easier.
Fantasia Scene 10: Resurface of Traumatism
Currently being worked on.
Fantasia Scene 11: Apocalypse
A lot could stand to be cut from this cinematic, Yi's monologue definitely could be toned down. Furthermore, Tristy's animated art is out of date, as is Svoli's, Lyza's and Pep's. All of that will be updated, and Svoli's will be done during FS10's production. The out of date art assets will be replaced with promo material Pjcr will be making or made anew by yours truly. The major thing is that I'll just be cutting a lot of this scene's bullshit filler out, like Yi's raving and Lyza's exchange at the end. 7 minutes is just too long, even for an end of disk cinematic. Which this isn't.
Speaking of which...
Fantasia Scene 12: ESCHATON
The pacing in this scene is good, just some art updates will be made to keep it consistent. it's about 2 and a half minutes long which is a good length for an end of disk cinematic, bringing it to be about even with FS06- the end of Disk Cinematic for Disk 0.
Fantasia Scene 13: She Brings Shadow
The only updates to this cinematic will be in the transition made from map to cinematic, currently Xali, nor any of the other children of Calamity, have their correct sprites, as Xiie can get me those sprites- this will be corrected.
Fantasia Scene 14: The Cosmos Enemy
All I will be changing is the final bit, instead of seeing Koko's shocked face, we'll just see a silhouette of Koko from the back with a bunch of dangerous rocks flying her way as the screen transitions back to the current moment.
Fantasia Scene 15: Apotropaism
It's perfect, all it needs is for it's music to be updated, but that won't require any edits to be made to the cinematic itself.
Future Cinematics
As you know, there's about 6 cinematics per disk, and Disk 2 will be no exception, here I'll briefly go into each of these scenes.
Fantasia Scene 16: Pride Eclipse
Lilac's ascension cinematic, similar to FS09, and by the time I'm producing it, I'll have most of the assets I need.
Fantasia Scene 17: Windswept Beauty
This will be a small one-lined scene where the Queen of Shadows introduces herself. This scene is potentially already made thanks to Xiie's masterful hand, i will simply need to add a character Splash and some cool effects, most likely.
Fantasia Scene 18: Unleash the Inferno
Koko's ascension cinematic, I know a fair bit about how i want this to go and feel. The general vibe is that- Koko is pissed, and now, she has a perfect means of demonstrating that. She will hold back no longer.
Fantasia Scene 18X: Power
I'm not sure if this scene will even be made, but if it is, it will function as the end of disk 2 cinematic... it will primarily feature Wi at her most ruthless as no one can hope to stand against her. it might end up being just an in-game scene instead. This is the first time FANTASIA will be mentioned, which is Wi's ultimate goal. I care not to spoil more than that.
THEN WHAT??
Well it probably goes without saying that I now know how this is largely going to go, so I'll just keep at it, I suppose. :3
Fantasia Scene 19: Watermelon
This is a goofy scene where Zardari appears to be doing his thing of killing shit, but in reality he's just cutting up watermelons in a very menacing and skillful way, to which the gathered audience applauds, it ends with him seeing "The Wizard" along with Fyori and Sacreblu, knowing the business must be urgent, he leaves his stall to see what he's needed for.
Fantasia Scene 20: Nevermore
A chilling opening scene for Mira, The Crowspeaker who brought low the God who stole the Sun, despite her good deeds, she is a macabre and malicious character, introducing her will be very fun for me.
Fantasia Scene 21: The Embodiment of Magic
Sacreblu's ascension scene, where she becomes
Sacreblu Deus and also at this stage becomes a permanent party member, that can be switched to easily on the fly.
Fantasia Scene 22: Vision of Calamity
When Lumi sleeps she awakes to see Xali is back on her bullshit. This scene is designed to objectively inform anyone who is still stupid enough to think Xali may be redeemable at all that they are in fact, stupid or insane or both. The scene ends with a plea for help from Fyori, who is now the final ICON which remains.
Fantasia Scene 23: Terror in Mourning
Yi's heart ends up broken as Lumi compares her to Xali after the dust of gathering their final icon has settled, this resolves Yi to challenge the icons and the angels of hope to a fight on arcticlash, to settle the score for good. She is tired, and she wants this over with.
Fantasia Scene 24: Grand Deletion
Wi slowly and surely deletes the cosmos as she protects the icons and angels of hope, in preparation for the finale.
THAT'S THE END OF DISK 3
Now for Disk Δ
Fantasia Scene 25: This Realm: Afterworld!
A small cinematic used to show the final resting place before the grand finale.
Fantasia Scene 26: The Vahnus Prophecy
A small amount of the Cosmos was let remain, of which Lazarus, now on his last legs, helped along by Lucifrael's power, finds the remnants of Kyoshi's lab, the four green creature holding pods are sent through the last remaining GΔTEWΔY, meanwhile in Afterworld the four Gateway's Sacreblu had destroyed by this point (one in Splode's lab, one in Tristy's Lab, one on Galaxia and one on Terra) from each a green capsule emerges. They land in front of the four girls, while Lazarus lands down restored to his former glory.
Fantasia Scene 27: The Rebel Reborn
Lazarus and the four heroes have their ENNUI as incorporeal spirits head to the pods, and they take on their true forms, Lucifrael remains clear, as the five ENNUI ascend, Sacreblu orders the icons to channel their power into her, and at last... The Embodiment of Freedom is reborn, whom Lucifrael's spirit merges into and becomes the being she once was, that they once were.
Fantasia Scene 28: The Final Union
After being threatened with payback, the twins perform their fusion, and YHWH is born after an epic ascension cinematic. The time for ceremony had passed, it was now do or die.
Fantasia Scene 29: A Victory to Yet Claim
YHWH learns that Satanifa refuses to cooperate, and so, ultimately exasperated, yet still determined to reach her goals, gets ready to begin the process anew, and uses the typical erase command on Satanifa... the problem is- that it doesn't work.
Epic music starts playing as Satanifa shows YHWH what freedom really looks like, and challenges her to a gambit, should she win the next fight, the Twins will no longer author the simulation, and let mortals do as they please. if Satanifa should lose, however, she will cooperate with thatever YHWH commmands of her.
YHWH reluctantly agrees, and the final fight for the cosmos begins.
Fantasia Scene 30: Final Wish
It's the ending, I'm not gonna say much more than that.
Beyond this, I've been thinking about optional events and how to make them less limited.
I've also commissioned the singer for track 110 A Dream Realized to do a similar dealie for Final Round. I've even prepared an album cover in anticipation.
I still have much to do, as well.
Main Story Content
I have yet to make the Run from Xali event, or any of the bossfights, including with the Wizard, Limbo or Tiramisa, despite having passed them in the main story.
I am currently at a bit of a progress wall due to lacking portraits for Xaela, and the amount of work it would be to make her a decent placeholder, I instead have resolved simply to wait for Pjcr to get them to me. Once he finishes up Xaramitsi (which he is nearly done with) it'll be Xaela next.
Now that he's started getting me files again it shouldn't be too long I'll have to wait.
So for the story itself, I've got a bit of an intermission that I'm already a good ways through, in which you enter Tiramisa's mind and interrogate Xaramitsi-- this part is what's done, however due to a prompt given by the queen of Shadows Tiramisa decides to spill the beans on how she found her darker self, as she had thought for years that the way in which Pep's devilgene manifested itself to have a presence was atypical, but as she learned, this was not the case, now with Pep, Sped, Svoli and Sven all dead, all of the angel gene-wielders are dead, and Tiramisa is the only one with a devil-gene who remains. Essentially, she found out due to Xaela appearing to invite her to a meeting with her complacency (she obviously refers to the children of calamity), while Tiramisa is there she meets Xali face to face, and upon seeing into her eyes, she has a breakdown and seizure, which is a fairly typical effect of looking into the eyes of a being so evil.
Tiramisa is guided back home with the help of Xaramitsi, and this is how she finally got in touch with her devil-gene.
After this scene it's the final climactic event of Disk 2, where Sacreblu goes rogue, due to holding a DENUI this entire time. A fact that shocks everyone, the DENUI introduces itself as Eve, which again- is biblical stuff, as Lilith and Eve have a bit of a love/hate relationship. Eve unlike Lilith, is cold, apathetic and monstrously destructive. It takes both Fyori and Esperia to hold her down whi8le they wait for the Angels of Hope to arrive. While Esperia and Fyori are both leagues more powerful than Eve, they can't bring themselves to bring harm to the Goddess, Esperia has always largely feared Blu due to her ability to modify the intellectual abilities of those who get on her bad side, and Esperia treasures her cunning. Fyori meanwhile, is Sacreblu's daughter, and while initially they fought, when Blu had her big epiphany she and Fyori have been getting along famously.
Meaning it is left to the Angels of Hope, or more-- Koko, as Lumi and lilac end up disabled before the fight even really begins, this pushes Koko to ascend and at last unleash the inferno of rage that has been building inside of her since a fateful day 10 years ago.
After the fight is over and Eve lays defeated, Wi comes in and tells Koko to finish her off, Koko does so without hesitation, seeing Koko is done hiding, Wi appears pleased, if for but a moment, before her power aura crushes everybody down to the ground, and waltzes intimidatingly towards Sacreblu, who has only just recovered, Esperia teleports infront of Wi and tells her she means no offence, but she is on duty to protect the Goddess, Wi simply smacks her aside with little effort, this enrages Fyori, who goes in at full speed, but in a flash the Embodiment of power has grabbed her wrist and in the next second slaps her across the room into Esperia, at this point Tiramisa gestures everyone stay back, if she could so dismissively bat aside strong hitters like Esperia and Fyori, they were in no way going to have a chance. Wi taunts Sacreblu for the bold tactics she'd employed, and threatens to kill her, Sacreblu calls her bluff, stating if she was of no use to Wi, she figured she';d have been disposed of already, Wi... seemingly angered by her cunning, simply asks her to "Never Forget this Pain." before she sends a nasty orange blast tearing through Sacreblu, the only reason she even survives is because of her body being indestructable, but she can still feel pain. Wi again shows her ruthless side, dropping Sacreblu careless of her comfort as she is drooling from the amount of pain she's just endured. While Sacreblu is knocked out cold, Fyori looks grief stricken as everyone else is frozen in shock. Shortly after she leaves, her message of authority being delivered. Sacreblu wakes up, although she can still feel pain, she's more hurt by the fact she'd been lying to everyone about having a DENUI, this makes nearly everyone gasp, except Fyori, who had seen right through her bullshit from the start.
A wrap up of events will be done via a Monologue delivered by Wi, similar to how Yi wrapped up Disk 1.
Wi Hellrider":28u9ei9y said:
My my, what a twisted web this has all become, yet they further my end goal… it is a shame their reward is so perilous, but the security of this experiment is paramount.
A Trillion-trillion years have I labored to bring about the ultimate society, so that I may apply it to my beyond in a grand revolution.
Where one revolution succeeds, or fails. Another shall use the remnants of its legacy to pave a better future for what lies beyond
For every end, a new beginning is prompted. For every beginning that is prompted… a new end awaits on the horizon.
All we need to do- is reach.
F.A.N.T.A.S.I.A. draws near.
