Withered Reason - Demo 2

To play Withered Reason in its most complete form, play Demo 2, and then Demo 1

Good afternoon to all who have the patience to see this thing keep running. I assure you that it is, but seeing as how life has taken a kick start forward (and I have my first adult job), things are always getting delayed, but this train is still chugging along.

What's happening with the plot is that I have a working plot scattered among the various maps, events, and characters and I've been working to put them together. I've got the direction at this point, I just have to add in a few details and connect some events.

Once I accomplish this and have a proper introduction to the game, which I've been working on today, I will release Withered Reason, Act One as a combination of what was present in the second demo. When Withered Reason gets released as a whole, it will probably be Withered Reason, The Complete Saga.

Seeing as how Withered Reason has been a solo project, I've had some difficulties with getting everything done with life, obligations, and perfectionism constantly getting in my way. Once released, however, I fully believe that Withered Reason will stand out in the community as a project that was well-worth the time spent on it.

I again thank you for your patience. If you want to see Withered Reason as a whole in its current form, play Demo 2, Then Demo 1

Just so the fans and newcomers understand the structure to Withered Reason, this recent Demo 2 is the incomplete initial episode. Essentially, I realized that I didn't have the freedom to complete the first episode of the game (The first demo is the second part of the story), so I released what I had as-is. I figured it was better than nothing, so if you have some patience, I will do my best to bridge the gap and complete the story of Withered Reason.

Good afternoon, viewers. I wanted to take a minute to update you on what's happening with Withered Reason. I still plan to make an August release of Withered Reason. Whether this is a complete release is unlikely, at the very least, all content, old and new will be made available. In all likelihood, I will make this release as Withered Reason: Act I and finish up the rest of the game by the end of the year. I'm putting in the elbow grease for this month to deliver what I consider an infinitely better package than what's currently available. New item creation systems, storylines, characters, locales, and challenges await. Are you (wo)man enough for what's to come?

Withered Reason has reached 300 downloads, a notable milestone for an RM2K3 demo if I do say so myself ;)

In celebration of this, I'm going to open up this post to users to ask me anything they would like about the game. If you're curious about where the story goes, then ask. If you want to know how the characters have changed between now and when the demo was first released, then ask.

My focus on quality has not erred in the least, and now that production has resumed its regular schedule once again, I can assure you that this will be a project worth waiting for.

I'd like to jumpstart this little Q&A by addressing certain areas that have been brought to my attention through various reviews, comments, and features I feel need to be addressed.

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Q: Has the story of WR changed at all?
A: Yes, Withered Reason has undergone much change since the initial demo release. In terms of events, Withered Reason starts before the events of the demo and I plan to explain all of the dialogue that seems out-of-place.

What this means to you is that the DIALOGUE WILL REMAIN UNALTERED, the context of such dialogue will be witnessed through the story and the connection will naturally be made. This isn't to say that nothing will change, but I'm pulling all my strings as a writer to make sure that things remain the same.


Q: What are these open-world elements spoken of?
A: After the initial event and the story is set in motion, the player will gain full control of the protagonist and play the game however one wishes. WR has been packed with various side-missions, minibosses, seemingly-isolated events in various locales all for the intent of giving the player more playing options. Say the player didn't want to pursue the storyline right away, there are a number of actions the player can take to enhance the game experience including exploring subterranean veins under the world map to access new areas, obtaining modes of transportation to explore new storylines and quests, and even areas where new quests can be taken.

Q: How has the battle system changed?
A: The battle system has changed the most out of any other element in Withered Reason. MP is gained through attacking, creating an interesting contingency for the weapon skill (Burst) system, more Burst skills are available, depending of weapon equipped and skill set for each character, battles themselves are more challenging overall, skills players have available have been widened to several classes for each player, and the overall balance of battles have been improved in favor of the player.

Q: How many new characters are present?
A: As of right now, there have been about 10 major characters added to the story. As it was in the demo, I have given each one their own back stories, elaborated on their motivations, and updated the roles for the characters present in the demo.

NO CHARACTER HAS BEEN LEFT BEHIND!!!

I feel it should be said at this point that the writing of Withered Reason has become such a major part of the project that I can guarantee that the player will be completely satisfied in terms of story. If this is what you look for in an RPG, you're in the right place.

I think I'll leave the rest of this Q&A to the readers, please post your questions below and I will respond accordingly.

...Withered Reason should be the focus of your RM2K3 needs as it is a serious RPG with a completely original story, well-developed and respected characters, a semi-open world, non-linear (if you know what you're doing) experience to indulge in, a HUGE amount of intricately designed maps to explore, over 360 and counting, developed gameplay OUTSIDE of the battle system, a tweaked battle system that allows for a different experience from most RM2K3 games, and balanced gameplay that does everything to please the player.

For the last few years I've been working to complete this project, but with academic obligations, less-than-optimal progress has been made. However, it's the consistency I've shown these past couple of years that has brought Withered Reason into it's current form. For those who have already played the demo, Withered Reason has transcended beyond that form and has incorporated many new features, locales, characters, plotlines, and subtle technical workings that only help to enhance the experience for the player.

For the uninitiated, Withered Reason follows six main characters as they come to grips with the conflicts that have been raging around them for their entire lives. Each character has a unique back story and motivations which drive them forward through the exposition.

If you're looking for the next great RPG to come out, Withered Reason is where you need to focus your attention. I plan to work diligently as I have intended all this time to complete my work and give it to all of you to enjoy.