Zanshin's Story is named Before His Eyes - Under reconstruction

This game is being rebuilt.  This is the link to the new version.
http://rmrk.net/index.php/topic,24009.msg301916.html#msg301916

Before His Eyes

Foreword
Features
Game Style/Notes
Starting Story
Basic Story
Objectives in the Game
''Why Should I Play your Game?''
Teaser Videos
Demo (Version1.2)
Updates
Credits


Foreword

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I would like to say that (excluding a couple of practice games, to self-teach the program and some of it's functions) this is my first project.  I am really the main and only person working on it, but one of my friends is giving a lot of input into gameplay and ideas/story et cetera, but knows nothing of the program.  I am posting my game because i like to keep a sort of journal on my projects, especially ones this big and when I'm so enthusiastic.  In my (very, very short) experience on this site, i find many of you to be helpful and, for the most part, constructive-critics over useless-critics.  I'm hoping i can get as much feedback as possible to help improve my game in every way i can.  Furthermore, games in development need lots of testing and bug/glitch hunting.  Anyone who plays the demo may find something I've missed.
Finally, it's a game.  It's not meant to be shacked up by me, but to be seen, known about and played by the erst of the gaming community, and hopefully, enjoyed.

Features

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I'll try keep this updated as i put more in and remember more
* Many small features that add a more real element to the environment (in demo)
* Free-Roaming map from early on, but with guides in the right direction (in demo)
* Do quests and missions to earn various titles and awards
* Go fishing around the world (in demo)
* Find the town you can build up, and look for people to live there
* Secret Characters and side-quests (in demo)
* Find or buy novelty items (in demo)
* Help others gain wealth or success

Game Style/Notes

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RPG obviously, but i'm trying to build a more 'real-time' element into the game than i typically see.  Instead of all the NPCs mindlessly droning the same thing away forever and always, they will often move, or say or do different things, triggered by even minor events, not necessarily waiting for major story-based events before they refresh.  My intention is that the Base, where much time in the game will be spent, will have an 'active' feel to it, that each time you come and go, more things are happening, so long as you aren't just wandering the forests killing monsters....

On that note, monsters are, in this game, monsters!
You will not be walking down a forest, simply pushing aside each savage beast that attacks you.  Random fights are challenging and give only so much experience.  This game is not about the random encounters and endlessly button-mashing, killing the same boring beasty over and over.  In this game, random encounters are purely just to get in your way, to make things difficult and occasionally give spoils.  They give little experience and rarely drop money.
Experience and money are rare, valuable things.  Money is not merely dropped by every living being (why would a toad carry cash?!) and experience is sparse from fighting the weak-os.  You'll gain more experience and learning from combat by reading fighting manuals or talking with experience fighters, or fighting mighty monsters, over killing toads all day long. 

Starting Story

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The story is intended to be fairly open-ended, with no restricting full-force plot or storyline pushing you in any one direction all game.  My intention is that you are very free to go to and do as you please, but obviously be nudged and encouraged to go in the directions that best suit your level/progress in the game.
There is a story however, but a loose one, and a very undramatic one (toning it down from ''you're a natural born god-hero, go destroy the super-baddy and save the world''.....)

Zanshin's Story

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Zanshin is a typical, farm-working peasant, nothing special on any front, and one day, he winds up talking to a very abrasive, cocky Royal who sees fit to bully Zanshin.  Infuriated, Zanshin ends up taking the life of this Royal and being forced to leave, before the Royal Watch come to get him


Suhtty, the Foolish Prince

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Zanshin is now forced to live separate from the home he has lived in for his whole life, running from his enraged warmongering King, just to stay alive.


Basic Story

Zanshin finds himself in an underground rebel camp, a faction of folk sick of the constant wars on the surface, people who prefer the free life, but who are forced to be strong and independent because of it.
Zanshin talks with the leader of this camp, Gallery, and is granted permission to join the faction, and even offered training by their War Martial, Tahkos.

Tahkos, the Rebel Trainer

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Your mission is simply to become stronger, to be able to hold your own.  You will be sent across seas to train or defeat great beasts, or even just to find people, or to settle the scores with the furious king once and for all.


Objectives in the game

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As i said before, the story is open-ended, leaving you primarily to your own devices, and to do as you see fit, providing you can cope with the fast-levelling monsters that stand in your way.
You rarely learn skills naturally, and experience is hard to come by, so your long-term goal is to go across the seas to places where you can accomplish greater missions and earn experience and fame.  Trophies can be found and titles earned through the game to keep a record of your completed goals or victories.

Zanshin can become a Rebel

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''Why should i play your game?''

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Why should you indeed?
Although certain elements of the game aren't overly spectacular, and there may be a rough-edges feel, this early in development, i am heavy on the little things, and try to keep some things standing out, to make this game worth the time, and worth the effort needed to play it, being, as i try to make it, a challenging game.
Small things, like in the Base Dorms being able to select your own bed and rest for free there throughout the game, or having no limitations about where to go early on, so you can challenge the King at the lowest level, if you see fit, or that people move and say different things regularly.  I would love to continue adding more, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated (and credits given, of course).

Choose your own bed

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Challenge other students at the Dojo

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The teleport wizard

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Kuzushi joins

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''Fat Nok'ab King''

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Enchanted Fairy's Forest

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The Royal Watch

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A Boss??

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A Tribe of Lizards

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Teaser

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Made up a wee teaser video for anyone who wants to see some clips.  It's only a couple of megs, .rar, quick download.  Lasts about 50 seconds is all, music by the amazin' Cruachan (song: Meaves March).
Hope y'all enjoy!
http://www.sendspace.com/file/hd5h3d

Demo

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This is the link to the new updated Demo.
This one doesn't really have an end point, because there are split decisions that let the game carry on further, but you'll pretty much know when it's over because things will just..stop.  I guess i could put in a stopper, but i'd rather just leave it open-end, let people explore and such. (if anyone thinks otherwise, mention and i'll see what the consensus is on that....)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/cnyna1

Any and all constructive feedback, suggestions, flames and ideas will be appreciated more than i can word.  I hope y'all like it!
I will keep this updated as i make more progress

Updates

Updates # 1.  This is the first set of updates for this thread.  Here i'll list all the new stuff involved in the game and above there will be the link to a newer demo.  Below will also be a list of what's included in the new demo.

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Updates #1
* A name, at last!
* Included a new fishing system (even posted my first tutorial explaining how i built it in the tuts section )
* Convinced Final-Knight to help me map, so expect much improved maps in future updates
* Included a secret dungeon and secret character
* Included many more items, including an item similar to sprint shoes
* Included more weapons and armour
* Included some extra conditions
* Blessings (akin to early Final Fantasy 'Summons')
* Started the 'split decisions' part of the game, where you are given various choices and options throughout the game that will inevitably affect later gameplay, whether it be large or small

The new Demo includes:
* A secret boss and secret character
* Further storytelling
* More maps
* More items
* An introduction to Blessings
* More monsters
* More Conditions

Unfortunately, the maps after the prelude and during Chapter 1 are still bone dry.  I haven't got round to that yet because i've been more into the extra things, like the secret character.
However, as above, Final-Knight has decided to be amazin' and agreed to save my life by doin' up some shiny maps, so expect better ones in future updates, but for now, enjoy a couple more screenies!

The Master of Blessings

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Fishing Pond

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Busy Docks

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Credits

Credits and thanks, so far.  (If you think you should be on this list or want to be removed from it, pm me or leave a post or somethin')

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Who's involved:
* Freezer my friend who's put as much into this as i have, even if he didn't help code; i couldn't have done it without him.  He's not on this site, but hey...
* Final-Knight Has started mapping up some areas for me and beautifying my world!  Hell yeah!

Thanks to:
* Kitten for posting a layout that a kinda used, but found helpful nonetheless for the posting teachings! (horizontal rule ftw)
* civ3_fan For starting up and giving me the starting points for my fishing system on one of his tutorials
* GauntletMage for his excellent bank tutorial which i used directly
* Everyone who's helped me and tested the game here on RMRK!

[/list]

looks pretty good actually. the only weak spot i find is, the lack of ressources.
you should go grab some new ressources.
RTP isn't bad, but it's VERY limited.

Yeah, like i say, it's my firts so i started off just with the base RTP set, but i've already got more stuff and started making my own custom stuff for later.  I just don't want to go back and remap everything now that i've done it all, although once i'm closer to being finished i might just do that, just to polish it up.  I'm actually making a chipset now for the King's Castle 
But thank-you, for the comments.

you know, you can always download them huh? there's million and millions of them on sites haha xD

keep up the work. i have 2 go back on mah game xD *sigh* its been like 4 years i'm on mine

Added a couple of screenies that i forgot to put on before (Yes, the screen is tinted green on the Boss cutscene one, it's meant to be like that)

Well, I looked through this. I didn't really read a lot of the story, but from what I saw, looks like it'll be a nice change from the...

you're a natural born god-hero, go destroy the super-baddy and save the world

... as you said it.

Your maps are very empty though. Especially the tribe of lizards one. I quote a great man...

too many empty spots can make a great game turn boring with no visuals while walking around.

Anyway, other than the mapping, everything looks pretty good. I look forward to working with you.

Glad to hear it Final-Knight!  You just said yourself why i need mapping done.  I just can't focus on it, i'm constantly doing other stuff and just can't bring myself to work on maps for long enough....my ice cave, ruuvsa castle, snow town maps are all dead empty right now apart from the required-to-continue stuff...which is a shame, but hey; it's just demos i'm puttin' out just now.  I'm just packing a new demo to put on now, along with some other new stuff.  *(just about to edit post)*

The game now finally has a name: Before His Eyes!

I am unable to attain enough information for features from what I read. If you would like features to be accounted for in the active Projects list, try to create a list and PM me ok. thanks. <3

* Convinced Final-Knight to help me map, so expect much improved maps in future updates

 

There was no convincing.

Anyway, looking forward to this.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa4/Darkbrady/MasterOfBlessings.jpg

is hilarious

....why?

This game is being remodeled into a new evolution.
It will be very different in many aspects, but be the same in others.
I'm making a new thread for it in 'new projects' seein' as it technically is.
It'll be named 'Before his Eyes' all the same.