LOOKING BACK: VAPORWARE SPECIAL PART ONE

What is Looking Back? A series of articles talking about those classic Rpg Maker games from the past.



It's been a while hasn't it.

Vaporware: A computer-related product that has been widely advertised but has not and may never become available.

Through out the many years I've been around this Rpg Maker scene I have witnessed & enjoyed games of all kinds, some amazing, some horrible. Though from time to time there would come a game so promising, so beautiful and inviting that it would wow the entire community into craving more information about it, more screenshots, anything to quench that hunger and want. So to have these promising individuals delivered on these claims and showings.. But were not here to talk about those great people, were here to showcase those games that have left us with years of waiting to no avail.

Here is part one of those forgotten yet oh so promising projects that even today continue to haunt us with their beauty. Some of us are still awaiting word while others have just given up. Here are five brilliant yet cancelled games :(



Created by: Arulon.
Made With: Rpg Maker 2003
Reason: Was the next big thing, had it's thread with many pages in G&D, was supposed to release in 2008. But when GW fell apart, so did this game apparently. Arulon just disappeared and no word since really.

With fire and ice it begun. And with fire and ice it will end. But the seed of life will refuse to let go, and give birth to a new and better world....

Midheim lies peaceful as it’s been for the last five centuries. All since the first and the last war ever fought ended. War, a word that brings forth grim looks on people’s faces. Though the War of Grungir was fought for a greater cause, it’s still looked upon as a dark era of human history.
At that time, chief Haraldir, future emperor of Midheim, battled against the many clans who all sought to gain more power than the other. Haraldir on the other hand, sought to unite all the clans, to bring and end to all the bloodshed. And united them, he did. Thus, Midheim were formed.

Midheim is a rather new to life, as the first recordings of human history is no older than seven centuries. Still, there are questions to be raised about the findings of ruins, artifacts and other things, which seem to be far older than 700 years. And by far more advanced than what is likely for such an early stage of life. The monarchy of Midheim has decleared these findings as blasphemic. They are either built by the old kings of Midheim, or they are fake.
If we are though, to belive some of the eccentric historians and their dusty old books, the world suffered a drastic change not too long ago. Great empires fell, miraculous constructions crumbled, rune magic and creatures vanished. All lost in the mists of time, it seems. Rune magic however, does exist, but those who can practice it are hunted down by the Order of Kremm.

What is true and what’s not, may never be fully proved. Not that people really cares either. They live a good life. A happy life. These matters are for the emperor and his loyal servants, his ministers and knights.

In the realm of Caldor lies the Knight’s Temple, where the knights who get to serve the emperor are trained.
It is here our tale begins, with two young men honing their skills towards knighthood.





Created by: Badluck.
Made With: Rpg Maker XP.
Reason: Ara Fell: First Light was not planned to exist in the same game universe as Ara Fell 2k3, let alone act as a sequel to it. It is a new game with a new setting and a new story. Sadly it has been put on hiatus. It hasn't been officially cancelled by BL I don't think but it is safe to say no one is currently working on it.

"The texts that chronicle the Avari Epoch are few and far between. The better part of what we have uncovered are damaged beyond restoration. We know very little of the Avari language and even less of their culture. What we do know, however, is that they died out shortly after Ara Fell descended into the Ice Age. Why or how this happened is something that still baffles us, but while it precedes our own history, we cannot deny that it happened. Now archeologists and sages work to uncover and translate the hidden texts of the Avari, but so far, they offer little insight as to the true history of Ara Fell."

"The texts we have been able to translate, however, seem to have a recurring theme; something the Avari called the 'Sunstone'. A source of unimaginable power that was used to conquer the whole of Ara Fell until the day they were 'proven wrong and punished'. We can only assume this is connected with the Ice Age and their disappearance."

"Why do we choose to study them? Is it to learn and grow from their history? Pehraps to learn from their mistakes and avoid repeating them? Or is it just a thirst for knowledge to satisfy our own curiosity? If nothing else, the Avari predicted the fall of the Second Epoch. It is in that time we now live. Will our civilization vanish in the same way as the they did? Is it nothing but superstitious nonsense? If it is true, it is the most important information we will ever read. Perhaps our research will reveal the answer..."

As their world crumbles around them, three ordinary people must stand together to reverse the hell that has been unleashed upon Ara Fell. What begins as a task to reseal a great and mystifying power has become the most epic journey Ara Fell will ever know. There is no destiny, and they are not guided by fate. Emerge victorious against impossible odds or die. Enter a beautiful world filled with magic, adventure and danger. Uncover lore and treasure, while fearsome enemies stalk your every move. Lead the heroes of Ara Fell to rediscover the secrets of this world, as well as the only means through which to save it... This is the story of Ara Fell: First Light.





Created by: Inoran.
Made With: Rpg Maker 2003.
Reason: Probably one of the most prettiest games to ever come out of the GW community and also most controversial. Inoran hyped this baby up for years spouting great things about it. Even managed to get Faroz Flare who in my honest opinion is the best 2k/3 mapper around to lend a hand. To this day it is unsure if the end product was just Faroz beautifully made maps or if Inoran had an actual game wrapped around them. All I know is I still consider it a gorgeous game to look at & have no clue of what it's about.





Created by: Neophyte
Made With: Rpg Maker 2003
Reason: I was very much looking forward to this game. Not only was it starting to look very enticing, but I trusted Neophytes capabilities seeing as he was such a knowledgeable and nice member of the community. Even so I honestly couldn't say what this game was about. It's been way too long for me to remember and from what I gathered through google, no real information on the game is out there. Oddly enough I don't even remember a thread being made for it but just enjoyed seeing updates on it through out the screenshot topic and word of mouth. These screenshots are all that's left.





Created By: The Evil Resident
Made With: Rpg Maker 2003
Reason: Again, game was looking fantastic then all of a sudden, creator disappears leaving no word of this games progress or download behind. This was a game coming up around the time Release Something just started for the first time. It appeared to have a great story with dual protagonists within a split storyline. Great use of theo and a truly inspired sci fi noire look. I really can't remember much of the game except it's cool look and the giant signature that TER had for it.






(It wasn't that these games were very good, more nostalgic then anything for me, plus they are both complete games deserving some recognition.)

"The first installment of this space odyssey RPG. Has nice custom facesets. Facesets aside, this is the most perfectly average Rm2k game ever. Meaning if your game is better than this in any area, it's good in that area, and if your game is worse than this in any area, it's bad in that area." - Iishenron

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