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Announcement

Base Package/Exe Update

Hello everyone! I am back with another update on the project as well as some info regarding DLC. I'll try to be as brief as I can so without further ado, let's get started!

Base Package And Executable Updated

Recently, there have been a few minor things that slipped under the radar from the testers and I, so with today's update, it fixes numerous things such as typos, coordinate errors in a particular event and other things. I'd like to give out a huge thank you to them because several pairs of eyes is much greater than one or two. The cleaner the game can be, the better!

Transition Sound Feature

A new feature has been added! The particular one is a sound effect toggle when you move to a new room. In the original Monster World 4, every time you transitioned to a new room, a sound would play. However, a majority of other games in the series and of its kind silently transition. I believe it was a good thing to give players the option to turn this off at will so they won't be annoyed by it.

Final Boss Update

For those who have made it to the final boss, when she gets angry, she starts to cast two spells at once. However, if you turn the game difficulty up to hard mode or above, she'll triple cast at a chance if her HP is below 500K.

Popful Mail Move Set Update

While this feature was originally going to be in the big update, players will get two of Mail's new abilities early. When she equips the fire or electric element, her blade will not only absorb the attribute and change form, but it will gain a new ability that is very useful for both melee and long-ranged combat. This alone makes her a much more versatile fighter than before. Keep in mind, these abilities use up her "Arms" meter with every strike!

Enemy Growth In Development

Along with the updates above, there are numerous other features in development. One of the features that has been on my mind is adding something that will modify enemy HP based on the difficulty. Not only that, it's something that's currently in demand because once you get too powerful, most enemies can be defeated in a single strike which pretty much negates challenge altogether when one wants to revisit some stages.

In order to keep the challenge, not only are there difficulty options, but there are also certain challenges one could take to make the game harder. However, adding one more effect that allows for more combo outputs is something I believe would be welcome. Some challenges I recommend trying out once you know the game well are...

  • No Synth Grid challenge

  • Talisman only challenge

  • Bond only challenge

  • Savior difficulty challenge


The last one is by far the most difficult because one damage from anything defeats everyone at once. It is something specifically designed for those who want to practice no damage runs as well as those who want to perfect the game.

That's all I have for this update I believe. If you are new and have not downloaded the game yet, be sure to get a fresh copy. However, if you already have the base package, you will only need to download the exe file and replace the one you currently have. Until next time!

Announcement

DLC Phase Has Started!

Greetings once again! Today, I have come to let you know the downloadable content phase has officially begun! While it did take a bit to eliminate errors, bugs, typos, and other issues, I believe it is safe to say that the base game is now cleaned up. If you manage to find anything else, be absolutely sure to report it. A screenshot of anything you find would be much appreciated as well.

The lesson to be learned from all of this is to be sure to have more than one tester. There are so many player types and since they play differently, they are bound to find things that others and even the developers themselves did not come across. For those who have reported anything(you know who you are) thank you so much! The cleaner the game is, the better. Now, let's get on to the DLC.


2.0 Expansion

If you have been following this, then you may remember that I've been saying that the DLC package is a "1.1" update. But, it turns out that number is completely wrong. That is for patches and other issues. Major updates go up by one number, so the DLC expansion is version 2.0, not 1.1. You learn something new every day, huh?

For those who have completed the game, I'm certain you've noticed the Otherworldly Staircase that is on the far, right side of the Grand Cathedral. You can indeed enter it, but all of the area spaces are blank. That is because that in itself is the area currently in development. While you are awaiting the package, there are a handful of things you could be doing to prepare for it including...

  • Fighting in the Colosseum

  • Maxing out your Synth Grid

  • Getting the ultimate bonds

  • Exploring the world for content or items you missed


As for what will be in the package itself, we have discussed to an extent before, but for a refresher, I'll list things that are set to be available.

  • Extra Stages

  • Extra Boss Battles

  • An external costume edit system

  • Bonus cut scenes scattered throughout the world

  • Possibly a new playable character or two

  • Extra or expanded dialogue

  • 10 Master Dream Gates

  • New moves added to certain playable characters

  • New fixes and face sets


The Journey Continues

The very purpose of this process is to explore content that I could not in the base game and now that I look at it, it was a good thing. Not only did the site cap help me realize a thing or two, but it also gave me a good reason to tie some things up and split other things off with DLC. If it were any bigger, it would be impossible to have properly hosted it here.

Play Time Reports

So far, players have reported that the game is 20+hours long on their first run! Some have even reached the 30+hour mark which is exciting! One of the dreams I had was to see if it is possible to create a 2D action RPG that could last 20+hours and while we were initially aiming for a short, 4-6 hour game, it seems it ended up being a lot longer than expected. I can knock that dream off of my list now!

The Epilogue Link

For those who have beaten the game and seen the epilogue, it does link into another project that has recently gone back into development known as Monster World Legends. If you desire to have the complete story, it is recommended you follow both projects as there will be a time in which you will need both games to unlock certain content.

The current version of it is very old and does not reflect my current vision on gameplay and story. It will be left up for historic purposes only.

Closing Words

Thank you to all who have helped so far in making this come true. I cannot and will not take full credit for any of this because without the friends, family, mentors, musicians, artists, testers, players, and many more of you, it wouldn't even be this far. Each one of you are a piece of this puzzle and you all came through even if at one time, I doubted it. I appreciate every last one of you!

Anyways, It's time to begin working on this, so I'll keep you updated as certain things develop. Until next time!

Announcement

Update And Thank You!

Hello, everyone! I have come today to let you all know that the game's 1.0 package has been updated as of today as well as another exe release that just got added. If you downloaded the game originally on day 1, that package is no longer valid because I had to remove and replace many resources to fit the game here.

The correct package is the one added recently. The one updated today includes all of the current fixes listed on the front page. The following fixes are...

  • A face set for Luna

  • Fixed punctuation and grammar errors

  • Reduced final boss difficulty

  • Removed the dual character error at Moonflower Temple

  • Extended Popful Mail shield hitbox

  • Reduced speed of archers' arrow shots

  • Reduced the magic amount in the "Wind Whirl" spell

  • Removed the floating caterpillar at Terran Pass

  • Changed the effect of the paralysis status effect

  • Reduced flashing in Amy's special attack

  • Updated boss battle challenge: The Gals

  • Fixed some save building defaults

  • Added solids in the corner of a room in Crumble Crypt

  • Added Solo Savior boss challenge

  • Fixed the scrolling background in Fire And Water boss challenge

  • Sheila collection hitbox added while climbing

  • Reduced particle effects to decrease memory usage

  • Asha's Alpha Beam can no longer home enemies

  • Fixed Yae's protect ability creation

  • Nerfed Yae's blocking ability time

  • Fixed platform sensor in some areas

  • Fixed item descriptions

  • Increased bypass action threshold

  • Nerfed Sparkster's jet pack regeneration a bit

  • Fixed the infinite Casino Heart Holder appearance


The Game Patch

If you downloaded the game earlier, it is wise that you check up on the game's main page once in a while to check for what's been fixed. The date and time will be recorded each time the game executable file has been updated. The link is always the same and all you have to do is replace the current exe with the new one and your game will be updated instantly.



Thank You!

I must say, I have to give a HUGE thank you to all who have downloaded and have been reporting things to me that you've encountered. There are indeed things that even I don't see, so thank you for having my back and lending some advice on what to fix, improve, or change. All is taken into consideration! You rock! :D.

That's pretty much all I have for now. Be sure to pick up the exe update if you haven't already and have fun! Until next time!

Announcement

1.0 Fixes

Hi all! I am sorry for this inconvenience, but I am here to let you know that a user found something in the game moments ago. For some odd reason, I placed two player objects in the same room instead of one and it made them overlap each other.

This is in Moonflower Temple



If you have the game now and have come across this, re-download the exe below to fix it.

Shantae And Asha 1.0 Fix

While this is simply an object placement error, part of me deep down wishes that a 2-player mode was possible. But, this is a 1-player experience, so for now, it's just a dream. Anyway, sorry about this. Hopefully, this will be the last time I have to edit this before the big update comes out in the near future. Thank you!

Announcement

Version 1.0 is now available!

Hello, everyone! I have come today to announce that version 1 of Shantae and Asha is ready to go! However, the game's size exceeds the 450 MB limit, so I'll have to provide an external link to download the base game until further notice. I have tried very hard to get the game down to a size that'll work, but in order to do so, chunks of the game's vision would have to be sacrificed...

Previous Download Removals

As you may have noticed, the previous 2017 and 2018 builds of the game have been removed. However, they are now available in the DLC section of the main page simply for remembrance purposes.

Final Recap

This project is essentially a love letter to games I have played over the last decade or so. Primarily, it is a Monster World 4 sequel as that was the goal from the very beginning before any other characters began being added. Secondly, it is a crossover between Monster World 4 and Shantae; two games that are similar, yet very different. Last, but certainly not least, it is a crossover action game that I've dreamed of for nearly a decade.

Special Thanks To Monster World RPG Devs

Before getting the game, I would love to give a HUGE thank you to the developers of Monster World RPG for releasing their game when they did. The game released at a crucial time for me in which I was on the fence about quitting game development and canceling all of my projects due to not being able to finish anything, feeling not good enough, and overall felt inexperienced.

When I saw that the game was complete, I was shocked. Really shocked! Never before in my life had I seen a fan game for the Monster World series that was that ambitious and lengthy. It rejuvenated me! Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. Without that particular project, I'm not certain I'd still be here right now.

Controller Support?

I recently looked into the Game Maker Manual and tried working with controller support. However, the engine's functions are obsolete and are no longer used in later versions of Game Maker. This means that I will not be able to do it. If that feature truly was to be in, I would have to port the game over to an entirely new Game Maker engine and remake large chunks of the game for one feature. That will take quite a lot of time to port over and rebuild/fix this and isn't completely necessary. I am deeply sorry for this inconvenience and I only ask that you understand why this is.

Fortunately, there are plenty of keyboard to joystick programs(many which are completely free) that allow you to quickly set up a game pad with the game. There are 11 main controls. You are however, able to change the controls in the options menu at any given time during the game.

Reports

While I have beaten and tested this several times, there may be bugs or other things that even I don't see. If you manage to come across anything along your journey, be absolutely sure to report it! I won't know about it until you say something. Thank you!

You Can Resize The Game Window

The game itself keeps its aspect ratio no matter how big or small you make it. You can drag the edges to make the game's window as big or small as you like as well as setting it to full screen!

Download Link

As for the download link, it will be provided both on this blog and the main game page towards the bottom. You only need to download the 1.0 package once! After that, when the game is updated in the future, all you have to do is download the new package and add it to your current one, and the game will be updated.

As far as testing goes, I have played through the game many times while trying different routes and difficulties. It isn't too difficult or too easy and there are a wealth of options and equipment to make your adventure smooth or rough. I'm ready for expansions now, so I hope this version will suffice for the time being.

I'm incredibly nervous about this as a whole, but thanks to several individuals, I feel a bit better. Without further ado, the link is below. Enjoy!

Shantae and Asha Version 1

Edit: The game is now available on RMN as well! After making some tough decisions on some content removal and getting rid of silence within certain music and sound effect files, I managed to get the game down to 449 MB! This is now the definitive version of the first release since I do not plan on going back and forth between editions from here.

DO NOT be fooled by the odd number on the download page. The package itself is 449 MB, but for some reason, it shows up as 471. Strange...

Announcement

On The Verge of Release

Hello, all! Today, I have some news regarding a release of version 1.0 of this project. I'm happy to announce that the testing phase of Shantae and Asha is for the most part complete! We'll also be discussing what to expect for release in terms of content and size. With that said, let's get started!

Release Date?

Currently, the game package is being built, so it is very possible that the game will release in less than a week. My loyal tester and I have been going at it while finding typos, bugs, and other things that needed fixing. I think it's safe to say, a release is possible now.

Game Size

In terms of size, the game itself is 19 MB large. But, combined with the sound effects, music, and other miscellaneous resources, it is a whopping 500+MB. I have tried very hard to get it to be as small as possible, but every single resource is required for the amount of content present.

In terms of content, most players will likely spend about 10-20+ hours on the game depending on a number of factors such as their skill level, play styles, and how much they choose to explore and what activities and quests they engage in.

What to expect for Version 1.1

As we have discussed before, after the first release of Shantae and Asha, there will be an extra content package developed alongside another project. This will include all of the content that I couldn't fit into the main plot for various reasons. This includes worlds, scenes, boss fights, chats, and possibly an extra character or two. Version 1.1 will also include new content such as updates to character move sets and more!

Special Thanks

As expected, it would have been impossible to create this without the help, cooperation, and support from a very large chunk of individuals. I have a LOT of you to thank. You were all a part of this dream and you should be proud!

Closing Words

I believe that is pretty much all I have to discuss for now before release. I'm really stoked, but also incredibly nervous as I thought I'd never see the day that I'd complete a project for once. It's been a rocky road over the years, but I do hope that the development of other projects will go much better from here on out. Until next time!

Progress Report

Good News/Post Game

Hello everyone! Today, I have good news for this project as well as some information about post-game content that will be available at a later date. I'll try to be as brief as I possibly can, so let's get going!

Save File Creation

One of the biggest steps up with project creations for me is finally learning how to make save files! I began using Game Maker a long time ago and a majority of things I learned were from just messing around with it and reading the manual, but there are many things I skipped over; including save file creation.

For nearly 7-8 years, I've been using the highly unreliable default save functions of it and this alone has held me back for an incredibly long time. The default functions save all the data at once, so when you update your game in any kind of way, it won't be effective and most of the time will make save files unusable because it does not recognize the edited content or the new content. There was even one occasion where I update a room and the things I placed in there would not appear. Ugh!

I am happy to say that I'm no longer dependent on the default function and from this point on will never use it again! This also means that I can update the game with new content and it will update as if it were an official game. Every project I create from here will use this now and I'm glad that the worry of save file corruption is now laid to rest.

Monster World Legends Connectivity

Adding on to the previous point, with save files being able to be manually crafted, that also means that projects can connect with one another! While the connection will be manual, it is possible that you will be able to place your save file into another game's directory and gain new content when it reads the data.

The reason why this is being done is because Monster World Legends and Shantae and Asha are connected in terms of plot and many other things. While MWL is not finished yet, it is advised that when you do clear the game, to save it to the first save slot and to keep your save file.

The Otherworldly Staircase



The Otherworldly Staircase is the name of the large ex-dungeon expansion that will begin development after the release of the base game. It is an extra area that is composed of stages, scenes, and concepts that I could not fit into the main game. This includes areas that were both seen and unseen such as Dribble Fountain from the original Shantae as well as Orb Tower from Popful Mail.

Due to the fact that the game can be updated, then when you download the newest version, the new content will instantly become available. So, I figured since the main game is basically finished, then when I polish what is left over, then the ex-dungeon will be provided via a 1.1 update.

What will be available in the 1.1 Update?

When the base game is released, there will be a function or two that will not be complete. With the update, it will be instantly available and will contain various DLC elements. DLC of various kinds will be provided over time, so I hope you look forward to that. The following will be included via DLC...

1.1 Update

  • Otherworldly Staircase

  • Costume Edit System

  • Extra Character(s)

  • Extra Boss Fights

  • Extra Cut Scenes

  • Expanded/Edited Maps(I will not touch the save sages)

  • New Moves/Specials


Common DLC

  • HUD Styles

  • Costume Edits

  • Music Track(s)

  • Voice Pack(s)


Monster World IV 26th Anniversary Update

This year, the 26th anniversary of Monster World 4 will be on April 1st. It is highly possible that an update of some kind will be available then also. I'd like to make an event where characters celebrate Asha's birthday with her or something. Stay tuned for it when the time comes!

New Guests!

Originally, I said that I wasn't going to do this, but there are two characters that have been added that I've wanted to add for an incredibly long time. Today, I proudly present the following...

Cress Albane



Cress Albane is the very first swordsman of the popular Tales of franchise. Not only that, but he's one of the most powerful ones of the series. Within the game, he is very fun to use! He has some special techniques that only he is able to use such as being able to run with a shield raised. He's a high-class fighter in Shantae and Asha. One of the biggest dreams I had was to create a Tales of platformer/action RPG. So, this allows me to have that dream come true without actually having to make it anymore.

Since this game is heavily Tales of-inspired, it would have been a letdown if I didn't get at least one playable rep in from the series and what better place to start than the origins?

As of yesterday, Cress' first version is complete with four artes as well as a Mystic Arte. If you want complete research on Cress, you can get a brief overview of him in the link below.

Cress Albane


Hamel



Hamel is the first (and probably only) playable character to be in the game that isn't originally from a game at all. He's from a manga known as the Violinist of Hameln. The manga was then developed into an anime and a game made by the JRPG giant; Enix. It's an incredibly well-made action RPG/puzzle platformer and I've adored it ever since I laid my eyes on it.

Since the beginning, I said I wanted a musical/bard-type character in the game, but could not find one. Hamel was the very first thing that came to mind. Flute also comes along with him, but due to the fact that this isn't their game and the pace is faster, she is only part of his special attack.

Hamel is almost complete and is one of the last things that needs to be polished before version 1.0 is released.

Closing Words

Alright, I believe that is all I have do discuss with you all today. Words cannot describe how happy I am to finally have found certain things out and I'm glad that certain worries can eternally be laid to rest with this new knowledge. I hope you're all looking forward to it! If things go super well, the base game will be released in a month or less. More content will probably be revealed later this week as well.

I'll see you all in the next update! :D

Progress Report

Nearing The End

Hi all! Just wanted to pop in and let you know that the base polishing phase is basically complete! An official run of the base game was ran yesterday and for the most part, everything seems cleaned up. Will have to test things here and there to double check though. As for the game's length, it is 10-20 hours long for sure. I completed it around 13 hours, but that was a rushed run.

With that out of the way for now, I can finally begin on the extra content. There won't be much of it since the game is already chock-full of things to do, but there are some things that I was unable to explore that I want to in the ex-dungeon and such.

I really, REALLY want to release a demo, but since I'm 100% certain that your save files will not carry over when the game is updated since I'm using the built-in save function of Game Maker, then I'm holding off a bit on doing it. The skill that could nullify this is learning how to build .ini files from scratch and having Game Maker read what it needs to read and load it, but that will take a little bit.

A friend said that he'd rather have something be released and don't worry about save files right now. Besides, it would only encourage him to take another path since the game is about 80% open world. So, I was wondering...do you all feel the same way? Would you rather have a demo of some kind be released? Or, would you rather wait until I get the extra content done(which is about to begin development as we speak) and release the full thing? As you may have guessed, I'm having conflicting thoughts about all of this.

Also, is there a size limit of some kind on how big our games can be? The reason why I'm asking is because the game is 500+MB in total. I've tried to keep it around that size or less, but with more files that come in such as music, sound effects, artwork, and the overall game itself, it's expected to grow quite a bit.

Anyway, I'm very relieved that this is basically in the final phases and it's been an absolute blast making it so far! This is one of the top games I wanted to see in my lifetime, so I put my all into it. I hope you all will enjoy it when it is released. See you all next time and Happy New Year!!

Progress Report

Main Game Is Done! What Now?

Hi all! I have some great news! Today, the main game has been completed! The ending and epilogue were completed not too long ago and now all that has to be done is some serious polish and touch ups. Extra stuff is also on the list, so we'll be taking a look at what needs to be done and what to expect.

Polishing

This is what is going on currently and it has been going very well. This phase includes the following...

  • Making sure there are no plot holes via dialogue or visible events

  • Adding any remaining moves to characters

  • Fixing certain level designs to make sure they flow well and are fair

  • Eliminating any old and/or unused code

  • Power balancing


The Ex-Dungeon

There is planned to be one ex-dungeon with ten master Dream Gate challenges. These challenges are for the best of the best and are built for players to prove their mastery of certain characters and other game mechanics.

The Battle Simulator

Within the game, there is an area in which you can fight any boss you have defeated. But, as you defeat certain boss combinations, new challenges become available that are only available there. It is wise that you are powerful enough before attempting the new challenges as they are designed to push the player to their limits in terms of strategy and reflexes. As of now, the battle simulator is complete.

Extra Stages

Since this game is only going to happen once, I want to get as much out of it as I can. So, there are currently a small amount of extra areas in development based on cherry-picked stages.

The Extra Character

There is one, final character I want to add to the game; at least for now. I won't reveal them yet. I also refuse to add them until everything else is finished.

Possible Demo?

There is a possibility of a demo soon. However, I am pushing for the release of the actual game now due to certain reasons.

The Final Call For Testers Is Approaching

Soon, I will be asking for people who would be interested in testing the game. When that announcement is made, that will be the final call for them. Full details will be revealed then.

Gallery Inclusions

One of the final things I want to discuss is that artwork can be submitted to the game to be featured in the game's gallery. A handful of them have been gathered already and there is no deadline for now. The gallery programming is finished, so by all means, if you'd like it to be there, be sure to let me know.

Possible Skit Submissions

The final point I want to talk about is the possible skit submission event. This means that you will be able to write out an extra skit that will be featured in the game. When that time comes, I'll go into full details about how to submit, which characters you can put in them, and what is and isn't allowed in terms of conversations.

Closing Words

I believe that's all I have to discuss this time around. We are close. Scarily close. I look forward to the next blog as that will most likely be an announcement you should definitely look into. Stay tuned until then. See you all at the next update!

Progress Report

Main Game Semi-Finals

Hi all! Just wanted to pop in and give a quick update on the project's overall progress at this point. A lot has happened since last time, but I'll save those for next time. So, without further ado, let's get this show on the road!

Main Game Progress

I am incredibly happy to say that the main game is nearly done! There are a handful of things to add here and there, but for the most part, the last main game thing that needs to be added...is the ending. Over 2 years in development with over 300 pages of design documents, and we're finally nearing its end. The project has changed a LOT over the years and I'll be glad to share all of the scrapped content in one way or another.

Polishing Phase Is Here

Along with the main game's content comes something that every developer has had to deal with. Polishing. This is the phase that can be the easiest, but also the hardest. This includes things like balancing, updating or adding moves, making sure bosses are fair and can be beaten with no damage taken, getting typing errors eliminated, crushing bugs and plot holes, and much more.

Bonus/Extra Phase Is Near

After all of the main content is done and all is polished, there are some extra things that can be added to the project. One of the things I want to focus on the most are the skits(chat system). With skits, characters can be explored in ways that normally are not needed to understand the main game.

Scrapping Content

Due to the fact that there are way too many things to mess with in the project and there isn't a reason to stuff every scenario into one game, I'm scrapping a large chunk of ideas to save for Monster World Legends. I believe I've gotten the hang of quite a few things since then, so I can't wait to get back to that project and give it a fresh and final coat of paint to make it as fun and polished as possible with my current knowledge.


Feature Overview

Since the project's been in development for a while, I believe it is time to give a bullet-point update on some of its features. So far, this includes...

  • 100 Life Drops to collect

  • 120+Dream Gates

  • 100 Bond Abilities

  • Over 30 areas. This includes main and extra

  • Over 20 playable characters

  • Over 100 treasure chests to find

  • Over 10 mini games

  • Over 100 characters from various old-school and modern titles

  • 20+Boss fights

  • A mostly open world full of discoveries around every corner

  • A full-fledged story with over 100 cut scenes

  • An innovated and heavily expanded Monster World 4 battle system

  • A challenging, non-stop action platforming adventure

  • Multiple ways to alter abilities and stats

  • 15+Side Quests

  • 10+Hours of content


Closing Words

That is all I have for you guys today. It's been a wild ride so far and I look forward to finally releasing the game to you all. There's a lot to do within it and will be lengthy if you want to do absolutely everything. Thank you to those who attended and I'll see you all at the next update!