• Add Review
  • Subscribe
  • Nominate
  • Submit Media
  • RSS
The mighty sorceress, Ogiwara Ryoko, has long been researching a way to make contact with the spirits. She has found two differing methods of doing this. She calls upon her apprentice to gather the materials for both methods. As her apprentice leaves, she finds herself beginning to doubt the wisdom of that action.

With Okiku, Star Apprentice, players take the role of Okiku, a wizards apprentice whose task is to seek out various spell components for her master. However, Okiku is not particularly serious about her job. Or much of anything else, for that matter.


Personal background:
At first, I wanted to have a shooting system in place for possible puzzle-solving shenanigans. After many frustrations in failure, that idea was abandoned. However, I still had a face-set, a character sprite, and maybe I could still do something with them. This is that something.
As something of a forewarning, this is a game whose humor is aimed toward those who find it's kind of humor funny. Just a friendly heads-up.


Other links of interest:
This game's game-thread on RPG Maker Web.

Latest Blog

RTP-less download available!

I've just finished uploading a version of the game that does not require the RTP! Get it via the downloads tab; it's the one labeled "Okiku, Star Apprentice (Full)"!


At least, I THINK it doesn't require the RTP.


Let's back up a bit, and explain things.


While I was making this game, I made a list of which files from the RTP I used. I used that list to copy-paste over files to make this newer download.


However, I can't help but to think that I overlooked something.


Anyway, if anybody gets an error message about missing files from the "full" version, this is the place to let me know about it!


As to who NEEDS the "full" version...


If you have no idea what an "RTP" is, then, you probably want to download the full version!


If you know what it is, but don't have it (or don't want to mess with getting it), then the "full" version is also for you!


Happy gaming!

  • Completed
  • Marrend
  • RPG Maker VX Ace
  • Adventure
  • 11/30/2013 02:35 PM
  • 08/30/2023 07:49 PM
  • 04/19/2014
  • 151982
  • 26
  • 1696

Posts

Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
I'm putting this on hold for a time.


There is a review event going on, and I'm going to be focusing on that for a bit.


I may not care for the prizes...


...outside of markerscore and achivements...


...but, I dunno. I guess I can use the game-dev break anyway?


Something like that!

Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
Oh, don't mind me! I've just updated the download to have all the Mountain Pass areas I had planned, plus a boss fight!


I am somewhat concerned about the frequency of these uploads. I might have been better off if I had the mines done too, but...


...I don't know. I'm not as-so-much worried about Reviewrim...


...though maybe I should be...


...but I have requested a review for this game and Konae's Investigations. We'll... just see how that pans out.
unity
You're magical to me.
12540
I'm personally aiming for 1 or 2 demo updates and then going for the full game, on my own first project on RMN. (Of course, other things could also happen to make me change my mind XD )

But ultimately it doesn't matter. You can have as many or as few as you like.

Fingers crossed for good luck on those reviews! :D
I finally got around to playing the newest demo, and I enjoyed it. I noticed that for some reason, the door that looks like it would lead to an item shop in town instead teleports you to the mountain pass. That's kind of weird.
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
author=wildwes
I finally got around to playing the newest demo, and I enjoyed it. I noticed that for some reason, the door that looks like it would lead to an item shop in town instead teleports you to the mountain pass. That's kind of weird.

I DID mess around with maps, and throughly checked the exits of the Mountain Pass. However, I didn't think to check out the town!

D'oh!
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
I've finished re-uploading the game, with that issue that wildwes mentioned removed! Sorry about that!

Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
Okay. I've completed it. There is some really good potential here. I'll post my thoughts now:

- I started the game after leaving for a bit, and I got an error:
Game Interpreter line 1411 No Method Error
And crashed the game. I now have to start over again at the beginning.


- I really like Okiku as a character.
- I don't really have a lot understanding of Ryoko. I'd like to know what kind of spell I'm collecting the ingredients for and who my master is.
- Okiku's got some good variety in her magic. I just wish I actually NEEDED that variety. If some enemies were immune to physical or magical damage, that would add incentive to use those other spells.
- I feel bad saying this after I just praised the variety, but could we get some MORE spells? Preferably elemental spells? And add that with enemies that are immune, or even drain certain elements.
- Everyone else had figured it out, but I didn't see where I could shoot a fireball until I hit the key by chance. Could you please put the fireball command in the controls on the manual?
- Items are completely unnecessary. If you have a spell that completely restores MP, you don't need an item that only restores 30%. Plus, it's easy to high tail it back to bed to restore EVERYTHING. Yeah, I get that you won't have that quick access as the adventure goes on, but I'm just saying what I'm experiencing.

- Maybe I'm too simple minded, but I spent a good ten minutes running around trying to get into the mines, when the map hasn't even been completed yet. I didn't realize it wasn't completed until I looked at it in the editor. Some kind of warning that the mines weren't finished yet would have been much appreciated.

Overall, I think this is a great start. Keep going with this; I want to see what kind of fun misadventures await!
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
- I started the game after leaving for a bit, and I got an error:
Game Interpreter line 1411 No Method Error
And crashed the game. I now have to start over again at the beginning.


That error message... which map did you get that on?


- I don't really have a lot understanding of Ryoko. I'd like to know what kind of spell I'm collecting the ingredients for and who my master is.


I imagine Ryoko is a lot like Masako. She's calm, terribly intelligent, and capable of more than she appears. You may note how she reacts to the Wand when you blast her. As for the kind of spell she's trying to pull off...


...you got me. I have no clue! It wasn't really well-defined to begin with, to be honest.


- Okiku's got some good variety in her magic. I just wish I actually NEEDED that variety. If some enemies were immune to physical or magical damage, that would add incentive to use those other spells.


Hrm. I think I understand this conundrum. The beasts on the mountain pass are strong against physical attacks, and weak to magic attacks. Since Okiku's physical power is pretty piss-poor to begin with, players would probably use magic on them anyway, see how effective it is, and basically ignore the techniques all together.


That's not TECHNICALLY a problem, in my book. However, I see your point.


- I feel bad saying this after I just praised the variety, but could we get some MORE spells? Preferably elemental spells? And add that with enemies that are immune, or even drain certain elements.


Yeah, ABOUT that...


Igonring resistances and strengths for a moment, would that not nessessatate that those spells would also evolve?


I must admit, I'm not too keen on coding that.


- Everyone else had figured it out, but I didn't see where I could shoot a fireball until I hit the key by chance. Could you please put the fireball command in the controls on the manual?


The really sad thing is that I'm perfectly aware that there is no note about how to activate the Wand in the manual. Sorry about that! I swear, it'll be in the next update!


- Items are completely unnecessary. If you have a spell that completely restores MP, you don't need an item that only restores 30%. Plus, it's easy to high tail it back to bed to restore EVERYTHING. Yeah, I get that you won't have that quick access as the adventure goes on, but I'm just saying what I'm experiencing.


Take THAT unity!


Er, I mean, either I'm bad at designing items, or, my initial theory about the game not needing them was correct.


- Maybe I'm too simple minded, but I spent a good ten minutes running around trying to get into the mines, when the map hasn't even been completed yet. I didn't realize it wasn't completed until I looked at it in the editor. Some kind of warning that the mines weren't finished yet would have been much appreciated.


Er, I thought it would be more humorous to have Okiku spout her line about not wanting to go into the mines?


Never mind. I can understand where you're coming from.
Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
author=Marrend
That error message... which map did you get that on?



In the Mountain pass near the entrances to the mines.




author=Marrend
Yeah, ABOUT that...


Igonring resistances and strengths for a moment, would that not nessessatate that those spells would also evolve?


I must admit, I'm not too keen on coding that.



If you don't want to use Elemental Spells, try spells with a more diverse effects, like stopping enemies from attacking, or inflicting status ailments. You have 6 Spells, Star Burst, Concentrate, and 4 other spells that aren't Star Burst and Concentrate. Okiku would feel a lot more diverse if she had more spells with different effects.


author=Marrend
Er, I mean, either I'm bad at designing items, or, my initial theory about the game not needing them was correct.



I'm gonna go with the latter.

unity
You're magical to me.
12540
I'm the one who told Marrend to put in the items, and that's because you can't heal out of battle with the magic. If items are still being a problem, maybe make Okiku regain her HP after battles?
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
author=Red_Nova
If you don't want to use Elemental Spells, try spells with a more diverse effects, like stopping enemies from attacking, or inflicting status ailments.


I think she will keep First Aid.


That, at least, doesn't do what Star Burst, or Concenrtate, already does.


I can see a stun technique...


...since Okiku's STR hast to be good for SOMETHING...


...that evolves from lasting one turn to three. Or something like that. I can also see an INT/MDEF debuff that evolves into an all-stats debuff. The last one...


...uuuuuhhh....


Beh! I'll figure something out!


Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
author=Red_Nova
- I started the game after leaving for a bit, and I got an error:
Game Interpreter line 1411 No Method Error
And crashed the game. I now have to start over again at the beginning.


author=Marrend
That error message... which map did you get that on?



author=Red_Nova
In the Mountain pass near the entrances to the mines.


Right. The mine entrance USED to be on the last map, but I've since moved it to the second map. It felt too linear to have in on the same map as the Behemoth.


That doesn't necessarily mean that the bug has been squished, though.

Hey there. I decided to give this demo a try. I had a few things to say, but it looks like Red-Nova beat me to most of them :P

Overall, I really enjoyed Okiku as a character. I don't see much of a variety or range of emotions from too many other characters in these shorter games, and it was refreshing to see a character I was genuinely interested in learning more about. I guess you can say that her frustration and short-temperedness work in her favor, and she's convincingly an impatient teenager.

My only gripe was the game balance, in that Okiku's spells were all over the place in terms of power. Her physical skills were downright useless, and I didn't find too much strategy outside of "Spam the AoE spell and then restore your MP to full." Battles felt trivial right from the get-go, let alone at Level 6 or 7.

I think this game has a lot of potential. You've got the story, characters, and maps down pat (the mountain pass could use a bit more detail, though). Just make sure that the gameplay is up to par, too!

Good work so far. Can't wait to see the full game.
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
Oh, hey, thanks for playing, and all that!


I haven't actually done anything with skills yet, but the lasted blog I wrote conveys a few thoughts that I'm been pondering.
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
I sometimes think it might be useful to be able to turn in place. I've only really made one attempt at this, and it didn't work. Then, again, it took me a good four tries (in various incarnations) to get the Wand of Blasting to work the way I wanted it to, and we all know how that eventually panned out. The thing is that I'm not sure if this should really be A THING for this game. Thoughts?
That sounds annoying to implement and rather unnecessary. I'd say it's not worth it.
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
I HAVE to ask...

Is attempting to use the Wand of Blasting causing the game to crash on use? I recently got a PM on the newer demo, plus unity's post whenever it was ago, that say this happens.

*Edit:
Actually, I think I have a theory as to how this could come about.

Currently, my assumption is that the variable that stores the event IDs that the Wand can activate doesn't save. So, when you load a game, the variable is considered "null", and would not have the ".size" function that it would have, if it were the array it's supposed to be.

I have no idea if I'm making any sense, but...

...I'm hoping I'm right, and that fixing this will clear off any further troubles with the Wand.
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
Oh yeah! I'm supposed to be WORKING on this!


Sorry! I can get pretty scatter-brained at times, yeah?


Goof off all you want, Marrend. I don't do anything else, after all! And I'm pretty happy!
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781


That is it. That is the last event I need to code before I can call this done.