Valcon Sky: The Reopening

Characters. (I'm so sorry that the bio's are not long.  I just can't give to much away at this point)


Lance
Age: 19
Gender: Male.
Weapon: Combat Sword
Bio: Unknown.  Revealed through story. 

=================

Aika
Age: 17
Gender: Female.
Weapon: Bow.
Bio: A mysterious and young girl who resides in the village of Kerros. She brings with her the feeling of death and makes all around her shiver with fear.

=================

Horen
Age: 17
Gender: Male.
Weapon: Swords. (Double weilder)
Bio: A young man who is the same age as Aika.  He watches over her as her guardian.

=================

Nina
Age: 20
Gender: Female.
Weapon: Whips.
Bio: Part of the same organization as Lance.  When Lance and his squad went missing Nina was sent to find them.

=================

Daniel
Age: 22
Gender: Male.
Weapon: Gun.
Bio: In the same organization as Lance and Nina.  He was sent along with Lance to Kerros but never returned.
=================
-----------------------
System
------------------------

-In this game there will be no leveling up.  Instead, you shall gain HP, Strength, etc. by eating certain things.  Different foods and such bring up your HP, MP, etc. by different ammounts depending on it's value.

-When you attack you also waste MP.  The stronger the weapon the more MP it consumes to use.

-Certain items give you spells and such to use in battle and characters will have to learn certain skills from different objects and people.

=====================

Story (short summary of the beginning)

Lance, Daniel and one other soldier are sent to the town of Kerros on a sudden mission.  However, during the trip Lance complains about it feeling 'odd' and the feeling grows worse as they near the town.  His group is attacked by a murderoous creature.  As the soldier is killed by it Lance and Daneil are thrust into a battle with it.  However, they lost and are knocked unconcious.  Thus it begins.





I have ways of making this seem not-so-interesting, don't I?  Sorry about that...I'm sick now (have the flu) and my brain aint working normally.  I shall post screenshots and such when I get back. 

Please leave comments and the such.  Thanks.


MIDI: http://files.filefront.com//;6177922;;/

I thought you finished Valcon Sky.

No..I decided to make another one.  I'm going to try and stick with this one and just work on it little by little whenever I can.  That way I won't loose interestest to quick.

This one, like the others, has no connection to the other storylines.  They just have the same main character name.


Oh...and what do some of you think of the fact that when you attack regularly you lose MP?  My friend dosn't really like the idea much so I just thought i would get your opinions.

It sounds fine. Kind of like how the Pokemon use PP to attack in the games. Just make sure they can still punch or something when they run out of MP. And don't call it MP either, as weapons shouldn't take magic points to use.

OK, cool  I wasn't going to call it MP anyway.  Maybe something along the lines of SP, WP, TP, etc.

Also, I found the food part to be a neat little way to take out the leveling-up thing.  Useually people don't like to do that anymore for some reason.
=======================================
Here are some screenies:



^Opening Scene



^The Sewers



^First Fight (Lance's HP isn't meant to be that high.)



^First Fight (part 2) (Lance's HP isn't meant to be that high.)



^Prison Scene

thats it for now.

Default battle system. Looks nice, harkens back to the classics very nicely. I just hope the battles don't become tedious.

Thanks. I have decided to tak eout the part where when  you attack you lose MP..I shall just use that as a consequence for using the ultimate weapons.

I don't think that the battle with become to tedious.  I'll still try to make some of them challenging though.  I'm definitly going to try to make the bosses hard as well (not to hard...just a tad difficult.) I have seen to many games where you can breeze through the boss battles just by using the same moves over and over again.

Still...I wish I got more comments about this =|

This sure does deserve a comment

What RPG maker are you using (unless you already stated which)

And WOW to those screenies, when will we get to see more

GOOD LUCK

That message sounded sarcastic to me for some reason or another :|


Anyway..thanks.  i am using RPG Maker 2003 to make this.

That message sounded sarcastic to me for some reason or another :|

Sorry if it did but no it wasn't supposed to be at all

OK then, sorry.

here is a sketch of one of the characters in the game:
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/42566788/

hey lav! wow...good to see youre starting your game again...i wish i could do that for mine. So far sounds pretty good...and yeah, i hope it doesnt become tedious to battle.

if you need help on something, you can always ask me.

Thank you, LD.  When you say 'tedious'...what do you mean by that, exactly?

i mean rriatating and/or boring. i mean...hell. If im walking from point A to point B, i want some fights (in most cases), but when theres one every like, 5 or 6 steps, then it gets annoying. Even more, when its the same music, transition effect, etc...it gets boring. that, and when it comes time to "level grind", you need to initiate the same battle system multiple times. Point in case- either dont have alot of monsters or make the battle system awesome

Ok then, thank you.  I know what it's like to get irritated and annoyed by constant battle >.<.  Still, there is basicaly no need to 'level-grind' in this.  Since you can't level up, then there is no need to try and level-grind.


Oh...and I hope some people don't mind a few Mp3's in there (they are mainly for battles.)  The boss battle, regular battle and victory are Mp3's.  That's about it.

What I don't like about the default battle system is that it dumbs down every battle to simply pressing the Enter key over and over. I wouldn't mind constant battles at all, so long as the fighting is fun. I never beat FFVII because their battle system was so god damn boring I didn't care enough to continue playing for the storyline. The first FF I ever beat was X, and although the story was sub-standard, the battles were always strategical and fun.

Then I shall try to improve upon the battles as much as I can.  Any tips and/or things that you think could help?

wow valcon sky... do some things not change?

GOOD luck lavata dont give in

and battles always get boring enless they change from time to time

Then I shall try to improve upon the battles as much as I can.  Any tips and/or things that you think could help?

1. make enemies visible on the map (ala magination etc.)

2. have an ATB

3. itd be awesome if you could add something like in Super Star Saga, where you can get an advantage over enemies before the battle by pressing a button, say, shooting a bow or attacking, which would start the battle with the enemy stunned or what have you.

didn't knowAh, I see.  I was thinking on having enemies visible on the map but I really didn't know if I should have done it or not.  Is there, by chance, any good monster sprite's I can use?  They don't have to be real good, just something to represent monsters (Tales of Symphonia had black blobs with eyes on the world map..so...I could possibly have something similar).

Like...for example: There could be a blob, a sparkling thing,a spirit-type thing, etc.  If you find any good ones fro RM2K/Rm2K3 please let me see them!   

not even close to the best, my bookmarks got erased, so I lost my links. But here are some:

http://www.hbgames.org/forums/local_links.php?catid=11

Nouman, you sad little man, he needs them from 2k3. THose are for XP.
Anyways, he doesnt need specific monsters, correct?

Nope.  I have soul-type things already.  All I need now is some monster-thingies that are suitable and can represent many monsters.


And thanks for the help Nouman, but I'm going for 2003 resources =)

Hmmm...if i have time, and dont rely on this, but i may be able to sprite some. If not, just take that ToS idea of yours and simply edit the RTP slime sprites to be black blobs.

Nope.  I have soul-type things already.  All I need now is some monster-thingies that are suitable and can represent many monsters.


And thanks for the help Nouman, but I'm going for 2003 resources =)

sorry I missed that you mentioned that.

That's alright.

And thanks, LD.  If not, then I shall do whatyou suggested and edit the blops into black ones (or just stick with the things I am using now.)

yeah, no problem. but if i were you, id just maybe start editting on account of me having FFXII to play and school to sortof participate in.

I hate schooll.  But that's another matter..^.^'

I want FF XII...but I can't get it untill my birthday T.T that's December 3rd >.<





And yeah, I'm just going to use the ones I have for now.  They look good when put into use and serve the purpose I have for them.

hmm...yeah...

anyways, FFXII should be worth the wait, but we have a topic elsewhere for that. As for your monster sprites...what exactly do they look like?

oh...and ALSO...

O.o

are you using the default RTP style?

Am I using the default RTP style of what? the monsters?

no, just for sprites in general. As in...the kind you can make on Charas or that come with it.

Nope.  I am using things from Treasure Of Rudra (from the Game: "Phantasia 2", made by J-man who gave me premission to use them.) and monsters from FF2 (DOS), various other FFs and such.  I can't stand the RTP for 2003.  I could use it for 2000, though.

ah...thats cool. I think ive seen that sprite style, quite well. What about maps?

I'm using a variety of different chipsets and such.  I am also using pre-made battle animations.  I hope that's not bad...or lazy.  I just can't make them.  I try and fail horribly so I use other people animations T.T 

Thats why I sometimes hesitate to post stuff.  I wouldn't if I had the ability to make them though.  That...or if someone made them for me (animated them, not the sheet-thing it's self).

Still...I have alot of planning to go into the story.  I'm pretty far in that stage though.

ah. thats cool. Yes...plan the whole story out first, its a good method. Anywho...animations are a BITCH. but thats okay...if everything else is amazazing ill let you get by with the RTP animations. THey arent that bad...not as bad as XP's at any rate.

No,no...I don't feel bad about RTP animations (even if they suck horribly).  I mean I use other people's animations from their games (while giving credit.  I ask first, also.) I would never understand why people would get furious over that though...  I can only see someone (myself <.<) only getting mad if someone took my story.  That, out of all else, is the seemingly most hardest thing to do.

Of course if the original creator dosn't like me doing that then I attempt to make my own.



that never turns out good....

ha..well, it just makes you work harder on things besides the core game, so it isnt advised...but anyways, i look forward to this...i mean...yeah. goodluck. Help is here if you need it, although im sure Yossy, for instance, would be able to help more than me.

Yeah, thanks.  I'm trying to make the story good.  It's not going to be mind-blowing, but I shall try my hardest (once I get schoolwork overwith -.-)

yeah....school's definatley up there with being bitchy. But...theres weekends you know...and besides, you can always think of it in those classes we all have where you do nothing.

I want FFXII but i live in the uk and will have to wait at least 6 months................
so dont say its amazing!

Ok.  Abit off topic here but that's alright.  We shall now switch back to the topic at hand : my current project.  Now that my (very hard) tests are over I may be able to continue on with working on it.  Still, it may take quite a while for the first demo to come out.

Any info on playing time, demo release date?

Nope, not yet.  As of now I'm not very far into the game (not done the intro) so I can't really say yet.

The screens look awsome, I'm looking forward to it! Btw, I don't mind RTP from RPG Maker 2003 or 2 or w/e, just rmxp. (Thats for those who heard me say I hate RTP before)

~Winged

Thank.  I shall try my best to get you a demo as soon as possible (without rushing anything.)

Thank.  I shall try my best to get you a demo as soon as possible (without rushing anything.)

nice to know can't wait for it!

I might make this a semi-linear game.  What I mean by this is that not everything is lain out for you on a silver platter and that there shall be a bnch of sidequests to do and such. 

I might make this a semi-linear game.  What I mean by this is that not everything is lain out for you on a silver platter and that there shall be a bnch of sidequests to do and such. 

thats how it should be. I hate games where you just have to go from point A to point B and kill the boss. You should have to get from point A to point G, each letter in between sidetracks you from your main quest.

Yeah, I'm going to try and make it non-linear.  However, it's not going to be like Romancing SaGa or Maia's game or anything.  It has a pretty strict storyline which I can't edit to much.  So, as a result, the entire thing will not be "roam around and do whatever untill you find something to do that leads to an event, do another, another, etc.)





Here are some more screenies:



^ A battle with two cave toads.


^Traveling through the cave.


^Screen of the menu for some reason.

i like how youre using a map background for the battle backgrounds, and overworld sprites doublign as the battle sprites, so the transition is almost seamless.

how do you do that? Is there a script where the map backround is the battle backround?

O and Nice screenies!

You don't need a script to do it, you just take a snapshot of the map and forge it into a Battle Background.

Still, it's not like each map has it's own BBG, that would be...alot.  So..there is only 1 battle background (or two..) for a certain area.

You don't need a script to do it, you just take a snapshot of the map and forge it into a Battle Background.

Still, it's not like each map has it's own BBG, that would be...alot.  So..there is only 1 battle background (or two..) for a certain area.

yeah...i actually had the idea to do each map one time...way to much work.

@Nouman-

listen well. Not EVERYTHING needs a script. Use your head. Plus, this game is being made in rm2k3, which doesnt use scripts, which means it requires more skill.

Yeah, WAY to much work.  You would also have a massive ammount of Battle Back Grounds as well.

I'm getting arrowone to fix up the BBGs ( if he still wants to) so they won't come out as odd, dis-colored maps (like that map above where Lance battle the two toads.  That one isn't bad, but the other cave one was horrendous.)

For more info see the following link: http://rmrk.net/index.php?topic=4965.0

If anyone else wants to help they can.

@Nouman-

listen well. Not EVERYTHING needs a script. Use your head. Plus, this game is being made in rm2k3, which doesnt use scripts, which means it requires more skill.

I said that because a while back (not sure which fourm) i saw a link to a script someone made that took an image of where the person was standing and it became the battle backround, but when I clicked the link it said not found, and people left comments on how much the script helped them. So i thought maybe Lavata used a similar script.

Well..here is a small demo (the beginning and a boss fight).  However, I will warn you now: It's rather large to download.  Only download if you have a fast computer.

Now, whoever happens to download it though, plase give me feedback. Thanks ^^

EDIT: Sorry.  The music and stuff in the last file was screwy and the wrong one played during the boss fight.  here is the correct version which is a little less in file size as well.

http://files.filefront.com//;6175997;;/

*downloading*

downloading as well.

jesus!! 38 megs? try to NOT use MP3's

...
anyways nouman, it doesnt matter if you saw a script posted...because hes using rm2k3. Ah well.

Thanks.  And don't act suprised when you find out that it's short.  I warned you, so you took it upon yourself to download it.  =D

sorry, I forgot hes 2k3.

well so i have started playing it, and one thing I have already noticed is the (. . . ) is used ALOT, and it slows down the gameplay....wow I just got owned by that green thing!

Your supposed to.  Lol.  Hopefully people won't try to win when they're being delt 9999 damage.

Thanks.  And don't act suprised when you find out that it's short.  I warned you, so you took it upon yourself to download it.  =D

yeah...umm...ok. Maybe you should give Lance some potions, as i noticed even that huge emo toad ting in the escape route can own you if you dont use the right skills.

sorry, I forgot hes 2k3.

well so i have started playing it, and one thing I have already noticed is the (. . . ) is used ALOT, and it slows down the gameplay....wow I just got owned by that green thing!

nouman is right. Dont use as many "...", because it slows it down and makes whoever uses it seem like william shatner.

Lol..emo toad.  ANyway, I did give you potions (tonics) and a bunch of other items as well.  You can get a HP creta before the toad fight by looking in the crystals near the entrance to the cave.

Lol..emo toad.  ANyway, I did give you potions (tonics) and a bunch of other items as well.  You can get a HP creta before the toad fight by looking in the crystals near the entrance to the cave.

oh.

well wait, howcome i cant access items in battle? its sortof hard when you have to deal with being attacked every 5 seconds anyways...

Th toad was easy for me o.o I actually wanted to make it harder for some reason.  Heh, I guess I'll have to lower is agility a bit.

You access items as useual:

Weapon-*click*-scroll down to items-items-selected item.

oh. i guess i should play rm2k3 more.

And anyways, make it easier, because its the game's first ACTUAL monster. I mean...yeah. Or, maybe im just retarded today.

Lol.  Well, I had to make it so that it wouldn't only be so that you would be smashing the 'attack' command over and over while using a tonic every now and then.  In this I'm trying to make it so that it's not to easy but not to hard as well.  Every boss will require some thought and patience to beat.

Still..thanks for playing the short intro demo =)

Lol.  Well, I had to make it so that it wouldn't only be so that you would be smashing the 'attack' command over and over while using a tonic every now and then.  In this I'm trying to make it so that it's not to easy but not to hard as well.  Every boss will require some thought and patience to beat.

Still..thanks for playing the short intro demo =)

well, the part i have played. And anyways...i dont really think its a good idea to have a boss as the first monster you fight. You never fight a boss first.

haha, yes that should be correct, well I have died 2 times already with that boss...I will try again and hopefully beat him, what is the gameplay like after the boss?

He is not hard, actually.  He is very easy (well..not very easy..but easy) to beat.

So here, I shall help those who are stuck bcause I'm nice and it's fun to do.  Also...I'm bored out of my mind

------------------------------
Name: Jeanpo Toad
HP: 580
MP: 50
EXP: 0
Money: 5
Item: HP Creta-100% chance.
Skills:
Attack, Double Attack, Poisonous Breath, Recovery Toxin, Mighty Rec. Toxin, Mighty Jeanpo Spore.
Strategy:

-Use the Sword skill "Thrusting Charge". Your MP will now be to 5. Use "Sword Gash" on your next turn. After that use a tonic then a Soul Refresher to recover HP and MP.

-If poisoned use a herb.

-Pummel it like that until it dies.

and official strategy guide starts..? lol

Lol.  I'd like to see a strategy guide for a 5 Min game.  That would be small....


But on another note: no.  Not unless I actually finish this and have a superb ammount of time

I know it was a joke...but I'm just saying >.>

a guide for games made on this fourm, is like unheard of...ir would be very cool

Possibly, possibly. No one would like to go through that process, though.


Ok..so I've started working on this again after my little break. I've just started the map outside the room where you fight the frog.  This one, however, is larger and more detailed than the others.  I'm trying to make good maps and make a good story =)

Oh..and here is another screenie

sweet screenshot.

Possibly, possibly. No one would like to go through that process, though.


Ok..so I've started working on this again after my little break. I've just started the map outside the room where you fight the frog.  This one, however, is larger and more detailed than the others.  I'm trying to make good maps and make a good story =)

Oh..and here is another screenie

its pretty nifty, but i dont like how the rail stays the same going off the cliff part. meh, its good otherwise.

I don't get what you mean by that. Would you rather it just went in circles or something?

I don't get what you mean by that. Would you rather it just went in circles or something?

no, i mean it doesn't change elevation, which would be fine as i can see now, if it just had some support...like a pillar or something on a lower layer.

I'll try to put something like support beams or something along those lines there.


For now, though...here is a MIDI version:

http://files.filefront.com//;6177922;;/

Oh...and some updates might not be avaliable for a while yet.  You see...I'm writing out the script (dialouge) and scrap first, before even inserting it into the game.  This way everything will be more thought-out and such.  It might also keep peoples interest, even if it's just to the story and not gameplay.

will there be a second demo release before final game?

Does anyone who is good with making story's and such want to give a little help in the making of the script to this?  I'm doing all that before I work on everything else just to make it work out better.  Please PM me if you are interested or PM with questions!

thats confusing  you want someone who can write good story's to script?

No, no.  By 'script' I mean like....people talking and such.  The script of their actions and stuff like that. 

you know the world is screwed when people forget what scripts really are.

you know the world is screwed when people forget what scripts really are.

its morning and Im screwed up =] ahhh I see what you mean now lavata

Thats OK.  Lol.  XP has everyone confused on 'scripts'.

Yeah, well I've decided to start over.  I wasn't to fond on anything so far and since I didn't go to far into it I decided to star over again.  Don't worry, I saved my old project so I still have it handy just incase.  Now, however, there will be an entirely new storyline and such.

I hope all goes well with this switch. I can't wait for the next update until you post info about it. 

It should go well.  I have Lord Dante helping with the script for now. =D

Ill help with story writing

Hrmm...well, alright then. Both you and Lord Dante are on the team.

aw

i feel less special now.

oh well.

Hi newb.

hahhaha lol at newb..anyways any date aimed at to finish update?

 :'(

he called me a noob *runs o his room and cries himself to sleep*

Yeah, well, when your both done with it PM me back and tell me what needs reworking and such.  If nothing just just tel me nothing.

Here, just because the people here are nice I'll share this opening demo with you. Please, since this is the only place it's going I want at least one piece of feedback. if you play(well..look) at it then tell me what you felt of it: Was it interesting, boring, mind-numblingy boring? Did it interest you in the slightest or was it all horrible? Please, be honest.

http://files.filefront.com//;6236559;;/


Thanks =D

Lavata.

yeah, i played it.

er..watched it.

you spelled "followers" wrong in the begining, and after the speech thing it went to the game over screen for some reason.

Crap. I hate my spelling >.<.  Thanks for testing it.
It was supposed to go to the Game Over screen seeing how the game was technically over after that.

"technically"?

wait, was that supposed to be at the end of the game?

Yes...I know...I stink at spellling these days.

No. I mean where you got to was the end of that demo (hence why I said that it was so short).

Thanks for playing it, tho. =D

oh, i see. Well, i wouldnt call it "playing" per say...lol.

But yeah. I could tell you repeated people in that crowd. It was good, and i could tell what you were trying to do, but something about it seemed sorta off to me.

Yeah...I had to repeat some people. Their isn't a great variety of people in the chipsets I have, so I (like most games) re-used people.

I'm now working on the town map...which is taking quite some time. Currently it's taken me 3 days to get to where I am now.  I know that it seems long...but it's not. The map dosn't really look good. It's only...big. Lol.

Anyway...I'll keep you all updated as I progress.

I don't know why but I want to play more... I want to find out what happens..

And this game make it look like my game was made in 3 minutes...

town map, hm?

to make less work, divide it into districts. it could help and make it seem more like a town.

Just tried it. Wonderful intro. But why do you have FF8 music? Anyways good game. Can't wait for the full version.

Thanks people.  I tried to make it interesting...and I guessed that it worked to some degree.

I put in FF8 music because I thought that it would fit in well with it. It had good military type music that I was looking for...which still held on a hint of fantasy.

You'll learn what happens eventually.

Thanks for downloading

I'm spamming to make sure Blizzard's keeping up on his moderation duties.

Well, I've been working on this on and off and I thought that I would share some of my newest maps with you all.


^This is one of the most recent. It is the bottom floor of the building which houses the tavern, item shop and the Inn. Yes....quite a mixture indeed =O



^ Here is the Item Shop portion of the building. There is some empty space...but not every space always has to be filled. Sure...it may look better sometimes, but other times it just makes no sense.



^Ah yes, the Inn. Well....not really. You just check-in here, the beds are upstairs.




That's basically it for now. All that's left to say is that there will be some new things implemented into the game. (EX: Certain choices effect things later, etc. Things like that.)

new maps look KICK ASS

Thank you, Nouman. I still have to work on my exterior maps yet though...my town making abilities are not the best.


Here is a shorter demo to demonstrate some things. I just want to know what you think of 'em. This will be the last demo before I release a much, mcuh longer one after christmas. Anyway...here it is.

http://www.savefile.com/files/309323

I think that I'll give this project a little break for now. I want to try somethign else...
Plus, I'm also playing FF XII.

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

or whatever. my warning to you is that it probably will never get finished.

And I'm also waiting for my friend...

He's great at evetning (making CMS's and such) and he said that he would help. SO.....I'm just gonna wait and see what we can do.

oh, ok. just make sure you can still make the game on your own if he has to quit.

Yeah, Is shall make sure of that.

We are going to work on my OTHER VS game. We both like that one better (the story. Don't worry though...I'm not giving this one up, it's just on delay.) and have ecided to screw around with that one for now.

will the other one be using XP?

I'm spamming to make sure Blizzard's keeping up on his moderation duties.

amd I guess blizz isn't!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nope. Lol. I don't like XP much. This new one will be using 2000.