Bloodstained Hands [Full VX Project v1.4]

Version 1.2 is now available. This can be downloaded directly from the main topic, or found on Indiedb. Version 1.2 includes updates to enemies, spells, skills, graphical updates, audio updates, and dialogue updates. Bug fixes include removal of false control prompts and errors when applying states.

Hello Strak.

I'm trying your game and it seems there is a bug with the Synthesis spell.

At the start of the game, Grey has 3 versions of the spell (Synthesis I, V and IX). Pretty strange in the first place. In the Technique menu, the number of uses overlaps when moving the selection from one version of the spell to another, and I can't upgrade my Synthesis IV -- considering it has just reached 40 uses and Grey is lvl 21 --, probably because Synthesis V is already there.

If this isn't intentional, could you please tell me how to fix the problem?

Oh no! When I created the spell, I had to test to make sure it was sustainable, but not overpowered, so I gave Grey three versions of the spell for testing purposes. I usually remove the spell from his list after testing, but I must have forgot before I uploaded the new version. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, I'll release a new version later today with the update. Unfortunately, there is no current way to simply fix the problem without re-installing the game. Grey will naturally learn the higher levels of spells as you use them, so it won't break the game, but it may be a nuisance until then. You can still play it as is or download the updated version later today. I'll post here again when the new version is available.

EDIT: You could just use Synthesis V to level up the spell that way. You'd be stuck with Synthesis IV in your spell list still, but you could at least continue leveling the spell.

Thank you for your response.

That's actually what I suspected. But as I was not sure, I allowed myself like an idiot to use Synthesis V a few times when I shouldn't have (well... 27 times exactly). It was mainly when going to Gareth island, with the activation of the two switches. After that I only used Synthesis I-IV. I hope this is forgivable.

I'll wait for the new version.

Using the higher level spells isn't necessarily game-breaking, although technically Grey was not supposed to have access to the higher level spells until the lower levels had been mastered. In addition to this, Grey was not supposed to have access to the first level of Synthesis until the scroll that teaches the spell had been purchased from a vendor in Amethyne.

Regardless, the new version is available on Indiedb and from the main post. It's doubtful that your save file will work with the new version, so unless you want to play through everything all over again, you may prefer to simply continue with your current version, as there are no further game changing updates in the new version. I apologize for the inconvenience, but again, thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Sorry but here is another bug for you. 

It occurs in the Madness Caverns, every time an air elemental attacks.
I took a screenshot.



That dungeon couldn't have a better name, though it should be possible to rush through it with the chaotic daggers, assuming a bit of good luck.
(I started over, by the way. Not a big waste of time.)

Now that IS unusual. I've battle tested the elementals, and haven't come across any issues. I see you're in the forest section of the caverns, so I tested battling them in that area as well. I also noticed you're in the process of escaping while they attack, so I've tested that. I tested using berserk, forcing the elemental to use a physical attack instead, and I've tested silencing the elemental, but I can't seem to replicate the bug.

To be thorough, what equipment are you using? Are you attacking with any specific skills or spells before this bug occurs? What are your characters levels, and what level are your spells? Specifically, what level is Grey's Wind spell, and how many uses does it have?

Also, does the bug occur before or after the attack animation? If it's after, is there a particular actor that the elemental usually targets? If it's before, how far into the attack does the elemental get? Does is show the magic circle under the enemy to show that it's trying to use a spell, or does the bug occur immediately after the gauge is full?

EDIT: Also, thanks for playing the game! You sure got through it pretty quick, I'm impressed. I hope you've enjoyed it.

I may have found the problem.

After looking through the resource files and data files, I found something unusual. Although every animation graphic file is a .png, the wind animation file for the level of spell this elemental uses is in fact a .jpeg.

This is especially unusual since animations should not be able to have a file extension of .jpeg. If you know much about image files, you'll know that .jpeg does not have an alpha layer in the same sense that a .png does. While it is not impossible for a .jpeg to be partially transparent, it isn't quite the same as an alpha channel in a .png.

This theory as to why this bug occurred is reinforced by the notice at the top of the error window which reads "libpng warning." In very rough terms, it's saying that the .png file the game is looking for is broken, which isn't exactly true, it's just non-existent.

I'm usually quite careful about maintaining similar file extensions as much as possible, but this one must have slipped my notice. I'll try to work on a fix as soon as possible, hopefully without needing an entire new download.

Alright, try this. Download the attached Wind_002.png attachment. Open the game folder and go to Graphics/Animations. Remove the Wind_002.jpeg file in that folder, and replace it with the .png. Just to be safe, don't delete the .jpeg, just move it outside the folder. If this doesn't work, replace the file as it was before. I'll try to figure something else out.

The platform recognizes files by their file name, not the extension, so this should replace the animation. As I said before, I haven't been able to replicate the bug, so I don't know if this will work or not.

The .png file didn't solve the problem. I was pretty sure it would, as the message box appears exactly when the spell's graphics should display.

I tried to click repeatedly on the "OK" button and, after 10 clicks, the error message changes twice before the window closes:



To answer your questions, Grey has Air V with 0 uses. And... (!) as I'm writing this, I realize that the same error appears when I'm trying to cast Air V. Which makes sense but becomes quite inconvenient.
Perhaps it is related to the RTP somehow, or, indeed, libpng. I'll try the game on my laptop to see if the bug occurs there too.

Hmm... I was so sure that would work. The only inconsistency I've found between spells is the file extension of that one animation. I assumed that replacing that image file would fix the problem. It's good to know that the bug occurs immediately before the animation though, that does narrow down the problem. I wonder, however, if the problem is how the spells level up. If any time a monster uses Air V, does it try to add a count to the number of times Grey has used the spell? Is that why it's crashing? That doesn't seem likely, it seems more likely that it's simply an issue with the Wind_002.jpeg file. I'll continue to work on this, see if I can replicate the bug, and if I can, I'll see if I can find a workaround.

Now, you mentioned that you'd try this on your laptop. Which platform had you been using earlier?

EDIT: Here's the code where the third error message occurs. I don't know Ruby, but if anyone does and wishes to offer input, that would be greatly appreciated.

Code: [Select]

def self.load_bitmap(folder_name, filename, hue = 0)
    @cache = {} if @cache == nil
    path = folder_name + filename
    if not @cache.include?(path) or @cache[path].disposed?
      if filename.empty?
        @cache[path] = Bitmap.new(32, 32)
      else
        @cache[path] = Bitmap.new(path)
      end
    end
    if hue == 0
      return @cache[path]
    else
      key = [path, hue]
      if not @cache.include?(key) or @cache[key].disposed?
        @cache[key] = @cache[path].clone
        @cache[key].hue_change(hue)
      end
      return @cache[key]
    end
  end

Also, Arcanod, try this. Replace the .jpeg with the .png as before, but this time, replace one more file. In the Data folder, find the file labelled Animations.rvdata and replace it with the file attached to the bottom of this post. See if that works.

Sadly, the .dvdata file doesn't fix the bug either, which occurs on my laptop as well. Both the desktop PC and the laptop have Windows 8.1 installed, if it is of any importance.

Hmm. I'll be honest, I'm stumped. I still haven't been able to replicate the bug, and I've played this game on Windows Vista, 8, 8.1, and 10.

Spoiler for "Possible Spoilers":

Unfortunately, the only way I can think of to get you through this dungeon wouldn't work, because saving is disabled in that dungeon.
My suggestion would have been to save periodically throughout the dungeon and reset if the bug ever occurred, but that won't work. You could try increasing the wait mode to 4, and use backstab as much as possible. This would give you as many opportunities as possible to attack before the elemental automatically attacks. Or you could use water magic with Grey in an attempt to silence the Elemental. You could also use either berserk or sleep with Mia, preventing the elemental from using spells. The only issue with silencing, berserk, and sleep is that the chance of afflicting the elemental is only 60%, and the hit ratio for sleep and berserk are very low at low levels. Also, Grey and Mia may not be fast enough to attack before the elemental. If you wanted to attempt to find a different ultimate weapon first, you could alternate between using backstab and other ultimate abilities. In essence, my advice would be to do everything you can to prevent the elemental from using spells, or kill it before it can attack.

I'm truly sorry that you're having to deal with this, I'll continue to try to find a fix for this.

Don't be sorry, it's not your fault. And good luck if you continue to search for a solution. Please tell me if you find somethind. 
As for me, I'll try the game on another computer when I can.

Spoiler for:

With backstab -- which is the only option here because the main character is the only who can act before the elemental (tough Flare is not far behind) --, this dungeon should be doable. On the other hand, the Academy is impossible: you have to use Wind on the training puppet. And I bet the 4th page for the recipes book is somewhere in this place!...

Edit: the bug occurs even on a Windows 2000 virtual machine, with a fresh download of the game and the RTP. 

Ah, shoot I forgot you had to use Air there. As for page 4, I'm guessing you haven't taken many side missions from the other assassin's, eh? Check with them. You might be surprised.

So I still can't seem to replicate the bug. If you could, can you compress your copy of the game in a zip folder and send it to me in a PM? I can examine your copy and see if there's something missing from the download, or see if the bug continues on my computer.

I've fixed the problem. Something was going wrong with the encryption process when extracting the game, but I've found a way around that. I'm uploading the new version right now, and I have a file specifically for you, Arcanod, with all your save files intact. It's taking its sweet time to upload, but I'll send you a PM with the link to the download once it's ready.

EDIT: And the game is live! Hopefully this is the last game breaking bug.

Version 1.4 has been released. This update includes minor bug fixes, aesthetic changes to the mission log including removing the failed mission category, and the addition of Spellblade techniques, ensuring that armored characters are not overpowered against purely physical enemies such as soldiers. In addition, the BGM files have been converted to a smaller file size, saving approximately 10MB from the final download size.

The new version is available through the main post, or from indiedb.com. Thanks for playing!