KENTONA'S PROFILE

-- Classic RPG gaming for RM2k3 --

Huge update to the Hero's Realm beta.
*old download link removed*

I've completely reworked the balancing of the game, fixed a ton of bugs and implemented a lot of the suggestions I've received from the testers.

If you want to beta test Chapters 1 - 4 of Hero's Realm, I've opened up the beta to the public. Just download the zip and start playing. PM me with bugs.

TO EVERYONE: I'd suggest starting a new game. The changes were pretty drastic to the classes. I haven't written a patch script yet to fix up saved games (though it's in the works)

TO THE BETA TESTERS: Thank you for all your input and feedback! Your help was greatly appreciated and won't go unacknowledged. I will be adding you to the credits. Thanks again!

If you are interested, please PM me or reply to this topic.

Hero's Realm's official website: http://kentona.freehostia.com

BACKGROUND:

Hero's Realm is a decidely old school RM2k3 RPG that uses (mostly) RTP graphics with FFIV and FFV charsets. The first four chapters revolve around 4 heroes and their parties, one party per chapter with the fifth chapter bringing them all together. The plot is straightforward and the character development is limited, so the main draw of the game is it's gameplay. Thus, I am looking for people willing to analyze and critique the gameplay, which includes (but is not limited to):

• Balancing of the classes
• Balancing of the monsters
• Analyzing "Boss" battles
• Refining the dialogue
• Finding bugs
• Critiquing the mapping
• Gauging the "fun"-ness

...as well as just suggesting general areas that need improvement.

At the beginning of each chapter, you get to choose from a selection of 12 classes for your 3 non-hero party members. I am hoping to have each beta tester test different combinations of classes in different chapters, with each class being tested at least twice between all the beta testers.


CLASSES:

Druid -- Healer class with some limited offensive magics and decent physical strength
Wizard -- Black mage class geared towards strong offensive magics. Weak physically
Mesmer -- Effect/time mage class specializing in status and condition changing magics and poisons.
Warlock -- a necromancer and alchemist class - can create and use potions in battles, and cast some black magic, and some unique spells

Black Knight -- a tank class with a small selection of black magic
Paladin -- a warrior class that can cast healing spells and anti-undead spells
Shapeshifter -- a pure fighter class that can shapeshift into wolves for increased damage
Ronin -- a warrior class that can cast effect magic and has a unique GP Toss ability

Bandit -- a thief that can set traps.
Harlequin -- a bard that can sing magic songs and toss Tarot cards in battle for random effects.
Engineer -- a rogue that can equip most any equipment and uses Tools in battle (ie- Edgar from FFVI)
Ranger -- a rogue that can cast magic spells based on the area where he fights, kind of like a geomancer.

+3 secret bonus classes.



CHANGES:
x Added Monster Tokens - monsters have a random chance to drop a token related to their type (ie- insect types can drop the Insectoid Token)
x Added a new Token Market to exchange tokens for goodies.
- different people offer up different items for different tokens
x Added Rainbow Seed (+1 all stats)
x Tarot Cards - decided AGAINST making them usable (for now)
x Remapped Norsland
- Hut to the west of capital
- add guy in house basement (have you made a party yet?)
- Eastgate closer to merchant pass (inn - make it useful!)
x Used new charsets in the FF4/5 style
x Added a Hotkey for opening chests (press 0 to activate it!)
x Reworked the tiny medal guy
x Added more check underfoot searchable areas
x Spells - changed the levels that spells are learned.
x Added more "eastgate is closed" dialogue/indicators
x EXP - played around with EXP levels to help balance
x Really encouraged the player to create a party first thing.
x Limited the variety of items found in Stromholm - Medicinal Herbs, Antidote Herbs - beneficial seeds and the like can be found elsewhere (inventory was a little too overwhelming at the start)
x Removed cloth tunics from everyone's equipment
x Improved the starting soldier's dialogue
x Can Save Game only on World Map and at save points now.
x Poison spells are more effective
x Guardians and Vanguards are very weak vs. Poison now (instead of immune)
x remapped Balthalas' tower
x made Ladders and Bridges in respective maps reset after leaving area
x added Music note animation to Harps
x played with the encounter rates


x Class Balancing
- Beefed up ALL stats of ALL classes +50 (beefed up the monsters, too)
- Mesmer learns new spells at earlier levels
- Harlequin now has Star card (vs. Knight card)
- improved damage of spells (esp. early levels)
- doubled damage of weapons

x Enemy balancing
- added new ways to extend the shelf life of monsters (+30 to ALL, + lots of HP)
- reworked "boss" battles
- reworked agility balancing


FIXED:
- Ornate chest bug
- Class ? ? ? ? bug
- infinite loop Mine Ghost bug
- Balthalas in the Ch.2 Catacombs random encounter bug (!)
- many many missed item animations
- references to obsolete classes
- incorrect Charset and Faceset assignments for Black Knight
- Druid M, Druid F,... weapons bug
- many mnay many typos...
- and a whole lot more... :\

some really old SCREENSHOTS:

I forgot about Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest! I think I beat it.... I played through a lot of it, anyways.

Brickroad, I'm suprised you haven't played through Dragon Warrior III. I think it rivals IV in awesomeness (though IV is slightly better, imho).

author=Reijin link=topic=38.msg466#msg466 date=1181685361
Well, take a look at the Super Mario Bros and Super Mario Bros 2 stages from Melee...

I wouldn't know. I've only played the original SSB. I didn't have a Gamecube and neither did anybody I really know.

I think that the incongruity between the character models and the stage looks stupid.

Also, Megaman better damn well be in this one.

author=Reijin link=topic=8.msg447#msg447 date=1181674213
Wow, I can't believe how low some of you guys rank story in relation to an RPG.

If I wanted to make a story I'd write a novel. If I wanted to read a story, I'd read a book. I like to play games.

The story part of the game is just ONE of the many facets that you can use to intice your player to play longer.