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Progress Report
Demo V6 has been uploaded
Yoraee
Black Crystals Demo V6 has been uploaded. This update includes a few more quality of life and gameplay updates in addition to a small addition to story.
List of changes:
1- added help files in the main menu
2- added help files in the battle menu
3- Added a few tips at the beginning of the game and the first couple battles
3- extended the scene where you reunite with Arthur.
4- Corrected the % calculation for States of Mind.
5- Modified a few dialogue bits here and there
6- Removed a few Unites that were lacking animation (will return in full game)
7- Fixed the windows spacing in the Adoptions menu.
I hope you enjoy this update of the demo :)
Announcement
Demo V5 has been uploaded
Black Crystals Demo V5 has been uploaded. This update include some quality of life and gameplay updates following player feedback.
List of changes:
1- Made interact and guard QTEs have more contrast.
2- Interact and Guard prompts now allow for a bit of reaction time before the QTE starts
3- Corrected a few spelling errors
4- Corrected location of QTE result notification (now on top right corner)
5- Corrected coding related to combo checking
6- Added WASD support through the Keyboard Configuration Options in the “Config”menu
7- Fixed behaviour of Enraged Slugger skill.
8- Skills in the same Learn Curve all have the same color now.
9- Cat names input uses keyboard input.
10- Added little tips at the beginning of couple first battles.
11- Experience is now gained from encounters, not enemies.
This update will be the final demo update as I continue working on the full game.
List of changes:
1- Made interact and guard QTEs have more contrast.
2- Interact and Guard prompts now allow for a bit of reaction time before the QTE starts
3- Corrected a few spelling errors
4- Corrected location of QTE result notification (now on top right corner)
5- Corrected coding related to combo checking
6- Added WASD support through the Keyboard Configuration Options in the “Config”menu
7- Fixed behaviour of Enraged Slugger skill.
8- Skills in the same Learn Curve all have the same color now.
9- Cat names input uses keyboard input.
10- Added little tips at the beginning of couple first battles.
11- Experience is now gained from encounters, not enemies.
This update will be the final demo update as I continue working on the full game.
Game Design
Scenes and How I Animate Them
I might have mentioned this before, but in Black Crystals there are a good number of scenes where the characters interact with one another via animated events. Here's a bit of two of the completed scenes.
Making these has been very time consuming but I think is a good alternative to using large portraits. It makes use of the larger than normal sprites as well.
This tutorial is for RPG Maker MV, since that is the software I am using, however I believe the concept should be the same in other RPG makers.
I’m going to work on a clip from the fountain scene! In particular we’ll look at Starsio’s animation.
First off, the scene animation relies on a particular set of commands, in the Set Movement Route page:
econd off, the animation frames for non-walking animations must be located on the first cell of every row in the sprite sheets.
Now, for Starsio, his animation is contained in three sprite sheets. I basically alternate between the Turn commands, Wait Command and Change Image so as to show a continuous flow of frames. Like this:
This is how a sample code looks like, here you can see that between the Turn commands, I place Wait commands to pace the frames transitions, and then I Change Image to switch the sprite sheets.
Final Tip - In RPG Maker MV, when you use Change Image, the new sprite sheet starts at the same location the old sprite sheet stops, so if your sprite sheet is at the Turn Left cell, and you Change Image, the new sprite will be at the Turn Left cell as well. You will need to pay attention to this when planning your scene animations.
I hope this tutorial/blog post thingie was helpful and gave you ideas on how to make your scenes in RPG Maker :) If you have questions about any specifics please let me know!
Making these has been very time consuming but I think is a good alternative to using large portraits. It makes use of the larger than normal sprites as well.
This tutorial is for RPG Maker MV, since that is the software I am using, however I believe the concept should be the same in other RPG makers.
I’m going to work on a clip from the fountain scene! In particular we’ll look at Starsio’s animation.
First off, the scene animation relies on a particular set of commands, in the Set Movement Route page:
econd off, the animation frames for non-walking animations must be located on the first cell of every row in the sprite sheets.
Now, for Starsio, his animation is contained in three sprite sheets. I basically alternate between the Turn commands, Wait Command and Change Image so as to show a continuous flow of frames. Like this:
This is how a sample code looks like, here you can see that between the Turn commands, I place Wait commands to pace the frames transitions, and then I Change Image to switch the sprite sheets.
Final Tip - In RPG Maker MV, when you use Change Image, the new sprite sheet starts at the same location the old sprite sheet stops, so if your sprite sheet is at the Turn Left cell, and you Change Image, the new sprite will be at the Turn Left cell as well. You will need to pay attention to this when planning your scene animations.
I hope this tutorial/blog post thingie was helpful and gave you ideas on how to make your scenes in RPG Maker :) If you have questions about any specifics please let me know!
Game Design
Another Feature?!! Crux System!
This time, we’re going to talk about the Crux System.
In the world of Black Crystals, every living being has a Crux. The Crux can be one of eight colors and determines how a being reacts to the other seven colors. While a being is born with a Crux, a Crux can be shifted using special skills/tools. Not only living creatures have Cruxes, but skills have Cruxes too! (even more than one Crux per skill in some cases!)
Cruxes exist in the world in a state of balance, where a being’s Crux determines how it reacts to other Cruxes. This is reflected by the RESIST stats for our party members:
Starsio’s Crux is white, he is immune to skills with a white Crux, but is extremely vulnerable to skills with a black Crux. His immunity to the other colors vary depending on where the colors lies on the Octagon in accordance with Starsio’s Crux.
The impact of a skill crux is shown on the target in battle by a colored crystal symbol and a bunch of -’s and +’s, where - indicates the skill’s power is reduced, and + indicates the skill’s power is increased. The +’s and -’s are cumulative, so they add up as you move clockwise on the right for the +’s and anti clockwise for the -’s.
The Crux doesn’t affect Offence skills only, but Defence skills too (healing and the like).
Since there are so many cruxes, a target’s crux status can be viewed when selecting a skill and tageting them, like this!
This way you don’t have to memorize all the orders and strengths/weaknesses.
How can we control a character’s RESIST? Through accessories of course! In addition of accessories impacting your PERFORM stats, they also affect RESIST stats.
Your bling can mean the difference between life and death! Choose wisely.
Game Design
Catching up with dem features. . . . CRYSTAL SKILLS!
Really sorry about the inactivity here guys. Let's try to keep this blog alive!
In order to keep info about the game consistent across the platforms it presides on, Today I’m gonna talk about Crystals Skills, the Attuned State, and Octagons.
AP (Attuned Points) are a character parameter that decides how attuned a character is with the Crystals. When AP reach their max, the character becomes in an attuned state.
While in this state:
Crystal Skills are special skills that are only available when in an attuned state. They cause massive damage or provide higher levels of support to the team, be it healing or improving states of mind.
What Crystals skills are available and how do characters access them?
That’s dependent on the character’s selected Octagon!
There are 8 Octagon types, based on their color. You collect Octagons as you progress throughout the game. Octagons are basically instruments that alter one’s ability to attune to the Crystals. Each Octagon determines how your character gains AP. A red or amber octagon for instance allows you to gain AP when using Offence skills. A blue or green octagon allows you to gain AP when using Defence skills.
So an Octagon dictates how attuned points are gained, and each octagon releases a different set of Crystal skills.
he effects (fire, spark) elements used in the Crystals skills shown here are part of a pack by RTFX on videohive.
I hope you found this feature interesting. I have a soft spot for special skills and all out attacks, so this was very fun to implement! :)
In order to keep info about the game consistent across the platforms it presides on, Today I’m gonna talk about Crystals Skills, the Attuned State, and Octagons.
AP (Attuned Points) are a character parameter that decides how attuned a character is with the Crystals. When AP reach their max, the character becomes in an attuned state.
While in this state:
- The character’s stats increase immensely, making them more powerful in combat.
- The character gets access to Crystal skills.
Crystal Skills are special skills that are only available when in an attuned state. They cause massive damage or provide higher levels of support to the team, be it healing or improving states of mind.
What Crystals skills are available and how do characters access them?
That’s dependent on the character’s selected Octagon!
There are 8 Octagon types, based on their color. You collect Octagons as you progress throughout the game. Octagons are basically instruments that alter one’s ability to attune to the Crystals. Each Octagon determines how your character gains AP. A red or amber octagon for instance allows you to gain AP when using Offence skills. A blue or green octagon allows you to gain AP when using Defence skills.
So an Octagon dictates how attuned points are gained, and each octagon releases a different set of Crystal skills.
he effects (fire, spark) elements used in the Crystals skills shown here are part of a pack by RTFX on videohive.
I hope you found this feature interesting. I have a soft spot for special skills and all out attacks, so this was very fun to implement! :)
Game Design
New Feature Revealed... State of Mind!
Hi everyone! Its been a while since I've updated here. Its time for yet another mechanics post!
Today I’m gonna talk about the State of Mind system (SOM for short).
There are two types of SOMs, Flourish and Destruct.
Flourish SOMs are positive emotions. These SOMs result in boosting the character’s stats making them more effective in battle.
Destruct SOMs on the other hand are negative emotions. As you’ve probably guessed by now, these detract from a character’s stats, reducing their effectiveness in battle.
In Black Crystals you’ll find that your characters accumulate various Flourish and Destruct SOMs. The accumulation of SOMs and their overall impact on a character’s stats is shown in the menu/battle menu like this
How long do SOMs last? That depends on a very important character state called the Retain.
There are two retain stats per character, a Flourish Retain, and a Destruct Retain. Some characters retain Flourish SOMs longer than Destruct SOMs. Some are the opposite. Retains can be modified, but that is a story for another time! ;)
A cool thing about SOMs is that their importance is not only related to battles and fighting and stats, but they also add to the character’s personalities. You’ll get to learn more about the characters by the SOMs they obtain during specific situations.
That’s it for now :) I hope you enjoyed this post and found this mechanic interesting!
Today I’m gonna talk about the State of Mind system (SOM for short).
There are two types of SOMs, Flourish and Destruct.
Flourish SOMs are positive emotions. These SOMs result in boosting the character’s stats making them more effective in battle.
Destruct SOMs on the other hand are negative emotions. As you’ve probably guessed by now, these detract from a character’s stats, reducing their effectiveness in battle.
In Black Crystals you’ll find that your characters accumulate various Flourish and Destruct SOMs. The accumulation of SOMs and their overall impact on a character’s stats is shown in the menu/battle menu like this
How long do SOMs last? That depends on a very important character state called the Retain.
There are two retain stats per character, a Flourish Retain, and a Destruct Retain. Some characters retain Flourish SOMs longer than Destruct SOMs. Some are the opposite. Retains can be modified, but that is a story for another time! ;)
A cool thing about SOMs is that their importance is not only related to battles and fighting and stats, but they also add to the character’s personalities. You’ll get to learn more about the characters by the SOMs they obtain during specific situations.
That’s it for now :) I hope you enjoyed this post and found this mechanic interesting!
Game Design
Main Menu Screen
Hey everyone! Here's a mockup of my main menu screen. I might change how the category text looks, but for the most part this is how the final one will look.
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