ExileWell, here it is. The demo of the game I've been working on since I used RM2k waaaaay back in the day. Wondering why this took so long? (Probably not....right now you're thinking 'Who on Earth IS this crazy person?') It's because I had to restart it several times. And I simply gave up making custom sprites, and used mostly the material the game came with.
Now.
What is Exile about? It has a pretty interesting story, actually. I'm a writer, an English major. Hopefully that's enough assurance that this game has a fairly good variety of interesting characters and plot events. I even added a few songs I composed myself. I animated some of the sprites. I did what I could with the default tilesets and battlers. In any case...I think it's great. But what self-respecting RPG Maker doesn't think their game is great? Alas.
Exile is a game similar to Suikoden in design, and story. Yes, that means you'll eventually end up with your own castle and all sorts of characters to recruit. Wooo. Also, the choices your character makes throughout the game will ultimately decide how the game ends. Don't worry about this in the Demo version, however.
Technical DetailsExile is made in RPG Maker XP (Postiality Knights Edition). The 'simple' piano background music and the title screen music are my own compositions. All other music not default from the game itself is from Sounddogs.com. There is some custom scripting, including 'running' and advanced message scripting. Nothing too fancy.
Features/FactsThis game is heavy in cutscenes. While there are a few dungeons, villages, and a large city involved, plus a few sections of world maps, a good deal of time will be spent clicking your spacebar and reading as the dialogue/plot points unfold. There's a good deal of customization in the database, however. This game is about gameplay and good characters/plot. There are even a few minigames that even I found to be challenging and addictive. (These minigames are my OWN, personal creation. Feel free to use them in your own game, but please don't contact me asking how to create them. I can't explain variables/switches very well.)
There will be two different endings to the game, which are decided by the responses you give as Reo throughout the game. The Demo does not feature this yet, but it is an interesting feature that makes this game even more Suikoden-like.
StoryThe story is about Reo, a young man just completing his training to become a Ronaran Knight. As fate would have it, he and his childhood friend Verge (also a Ronaran Knight) meet up with a comical thief, and somehow wind up stranded in the middle of a snowy desert. This is where the story begins.
There is Ronara, a very strict country with difficult laws and a supreme hierarchy. Then there is Yalan, which we don't know much about. It is supposedly a difficult autocracy with vast armies. The Free Toldo Army is the rebellion against Yalan that is spreading into Ronaran territory. All three factions seem to want to get their hands on Reo for some reason....and eventually, Reo will have to decide what side he will fight for, or if he will try to escape them all. Why is the king of Ronara so entranced with the idea of magic? What is Reo's connection with the lost Ancestors? The story may rise above the level of simple, petty disputes between countries and ultimately become a matter of life and death for all of the characters.
The rest of the story you'll find out yourself. Soon, Reo and his entourage are caught up in a large, very political war between two countries and a rebellion. They'll find help from interesting characters from each of these factions, and even some mercenaries. The chase across the world of Toldo brings the characters to many places, and under the strangest circumstances.
CharactersHere's the interesting part:
Name: Reo
Age: 18
Gender: Male
- Reo is kind of the quiet type. He voices his opinions when he feels the need to speak, and has a very deep mind. He's the main character, yet he is still striving to find out what he wants to do with life. After a major plot twist, he gets the chance to explore what he wants to do now that he's being chased throughout the world.
Name: Verge
Age: 20
Gender: Female
- Verge is a very dedicated Ronaran Knight. She loves her country above all else, but does that include her own best friend...? She is a very strong-hearted, but easily manipulated young woman. She gets caught up in her own troubles with her place in the world. Her actions might determine the fate of Ronara.
Name: Landon
Age: 18
Gender: Male
- Landon is not your typical thief. While on their adventures, Reo rescued him from an unfortunate fate, and now he sees fit to follow him everywhere. He claims he's going to give up his profession, but so far he's yet to prove it. While he's not worrying about his stomach, he's usually worrying about his own welfare, or Reo's. No matter where Reo goes, Landon is sure to follow him as a friend and stalwart protector.
Name: Wardo
Age: 45
Gender: Male
- Wardo's a self-serving, distant, roguish and sort of vulgar kind of guy. He swears a lot, never takes off his shades and has a bad habit of smoking cigars. He's a retired iceman, a guide who takes travellers across the frozen tundra. He lives with one other person, a 16-year-old girl named Scarab who he hires to cook, clean and listen to him bad-mouthing everything. He only joins up with Reo under circumstances that he can't control.
Name: Maximillian (Max)
Age: 29
Gender: Male
- Max is a mercenary. His partner is Asera. Together, they were hired to taken Reo to Yalan with them for some reason that is yet to be revealed. He considers himself to be a 'ladies' man, is very egotistical and constantly expresses his sharp wit, much to the dismay of both friends and foes. In spite all this, he remains a ruthless fighter, and expresses no remorse towards his actions.
Name: Asera
Age: 26
Gender: Female.
- Asera is a calm, level-headed person. She is also a mercenary, and Max's partner in occupation. Usually, she's the voice of reason between them and prefers to deal with people through diplomacy rather than violence. She can, however, be just as ruthless as Max when she becomes emotional. Her usual banter with Max sometimes leaves Reo and Landon slightly confused.
Screenshots
The DemoYou can find and download the demo at:
EDIT: The previous link crashed, but this one should work, as it's been tested:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BH0SBCZSThere's a good, solid
two hours worth of playing in there. Less, perhaps, depending on how long it takes for you to solve certain puzzles or complete the dungeons. Levelling might be required, though your options are limited in the Demo version.
Saving is not disabled in the demo. You can save on any map, anywhere, though this will not be the case in the full version.
Ideas/ContactI myself have tested this demo thoroughly. My boyfriend has also played through it. I realize there will still be a few slight bugs, but nothing drastic enough to freeze or crash the game, or even alter it seriously. Please feel free to report any, and I mean any glitches to me by either posting here, or e-mailing me at tiny_615@hotmail.com. Also, please tell me what you think! I'm hoping there are a few Suikoden fans hanging around here....even non-Suikoden fans should like this game. I've worked on it long enough...
I am very open to ideas, too. The entire story is not yet written, though some parts are. I would appreciate feedback. Thanks! And enjoy Exile: The Demo...
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