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I've been an active member for quite a few years now. I started my RMN career by releasing the Eden Legacy Trilogy of games (each entry took 4 months of nonstop work) within one year, and I've gradually shifted to creating other games as well. I now have 3 flagship series: Eden Legacy, Fragile Hearts, and Mafiosi (being remade for commercial release as Crime Opera). I'm pretty much solely focused on the Crime Opera series of visual novels right now, as my band and job currently take up most of my free time.
Currently working on
-Crime Opera Trilogy (Mafiosi 1, 2, & 3 edited, with all original resources)
-It's a secret...
Currently working on
-Crime Opera Trilogy (Mafiosi 1, 2, & 3 edited, with all original resources)
-It's a secret...
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Vacant Sky Vol. 1: Contention Review
Woah, that's a lot lol.
Well, obviously with a review of this size, I left quite a lot out. In terms of the story problems, as those seem to be your biggest concern with my review, there are two things that really stuck out. One was the characters. I felt that they lacked the presence of voice of Auria. Yes, the scripts were very well written, even philosophical at times. However, I felt that at any given point, if you were to pull a piece of dialogue and blank out the name and portrait of the character talking, you'd have no idea who was saying it. The personalities weren't nearly as strong as Auria's, and the aspects that separated their personalities only made minor appearances throughout. And then there was Auria, who I've stated I just didn't like. Her sarcastic lines were a little too hostile, and it seemed as if she were suffering from severe clinical depression. I realize that that's just how you wanted her to be, so I'm not suggesting changing her. The other characters, with a few odd quirky lines added into the mix for good measure could really go a long way in immersing us in the story.
The second point... I should have clarified what I meant by linearity. It's not so much the whole linearity of the plot as a whole, which as you've said, branches out quite a bit in Act II. By linearity, I was more referring to the process of "go here, watch cutscene, leave here, watch cutscene, go here, watch cutscene" cycle that occurred too often. This affected gameplay as well. It just seemed a little tedious, especially with such slow walking speed (can that even be changed in XP? I haven't tried...). Anyways, it was a matter of pacing overall. I am just now realizing, however, I mean to give it 3.5 for Act III instead of 2.5... very sorry, I wrote that act's review quite late, and I must have just hit the wrong key. Doesn't affect the overall 3.5 though.
As for gameplay, perhaps I did just suck at this game. But I had an easier time in act III than I did in Act II, and I feel that if those battle features were to be spread throughout the entire game, It would have boosted the whole score of the game up to a four, maybe even more. The problems of earlier acts most likely influenced my feelings on later ones, as much as I tried to look at each one separately. I started a "new game" for each new act instead of carrying over my save files, which I believe contributed to some of my frustration. Again, in a complete edition of this game, I would not be able to do that and thus my character would be more conditioned to my likings.
Anyways, I stand by my final comments. With the new act 1 coming, and a complete version overall, I am sure I would have enjoyed this more than I did. That being said, this being not my cup of tea (I'm more into retro RPGs with their relentless conventions), 3.5 is nothing to be ashamed of. I wasn't nearly as thorough as I'm sure others will be, and my playthrough was more focused on finding the immediate problems than anything else, so that I could make some suggestions for the final version of the game. It seems pretty evident by the progression of these acts that you realized where the faults were and have been progressing in the right direction. Now all you need to do is wrap it up in a neat little package. As separate acts (and especially the way I played them), they are a different experience than one would get from the whole. I did this review in an attempt to look at them as three separate entities, however, which I now believe is not how a player should approach them.
Well, obviously with a review of this size, I left quite a lot out. In terms of the story problems, as those seem to be your biggest concern with my review, there are two things that really stuck out. One was the characters. I felt that they lacked the presence of voice of Auria. Yes, the scripts were very well written, even philosophical at times. However, I felt that at any given point, if you were to pull a piece of dialogue and blank out the name and portrait of the character talking, you'd have no idea who was saying it. The personalities weren't nearly as strong as Auria's, and the aspects that separated their personalities only made minor appearances throughout. And then there was Auria, who I've stated I just didn't like. Her sarcastic lines were a little too hostile, and it seemed as if she were suffering from severe clinical depression. I realize that that's just how you wanted her to be, so I'm not suggesting changing her. The other characters, with a few odd quirky lines added into the mix for good measure could really go a long way in immersing us in the story.
The second point... I should have clarified what I meant by linearity. It's not so much the whole linearity of the plot as a whole, which as you've said, branches out quite a bit in Act II. By linearity, I was more referring to the process of "go here, watch cutscene, leave here, watch cutscene, go here, watch cutscene" cycle that occurred too often. This affected gameplay as well. It just seemed a little tedious, especially with such slow walking speed (can that even be changed in XP? I haven't tried...). Anyways, it was a matter of pacing overall. I am just now realizing, however, I mean to give it 3.5 for Act III instead of 2.5... very sorry, I wrote that act's review quite late, and I must have just hit the wrong key. Doesn't affect the overall 3.5 though.
As for gameplay, perhaps I did just suck at this game. But I had an easier time in act III than I did in Act II, and I feel that if those battle features were to be spread throughout the entire game, It would have boosted the whole score of the game up to a four, maybe even more. The problems of earlier acts most likely influenced my feelings on later ones, as much as I tried to look at each one separately. I started a "new game" for each new act instead of carrying over my save files, which I believe contributed to some of my frustration. Again, in a complete edition of this game, I would not be able to do that and thus my character would be more conditioned to my likings.
Anyways, I stand by my final comments. With the new act 1 coming, and a complete version overall, I am sure I would have enjoyed this more than I did. That being said, this being not my cup of tea (I'm more into retro RPGs with their relentless conventions), 3.5 is nothing to be ashamed of. I wasn't nearly as thorough as I'm sure others will be, and my playthrough was more focused on finding the immediate problems than anything else, so that I could make some suggestions for the final version of the game. It seems pretty evident by the progression of these acts that you realized where the faults were and have been progressing in the right direction. Now all you need to do is wrap it up in a neat little package. As separate acts (and especially the way I played them), they are a different experience than one would get from the whole. I did this review in an attempt to look at them as three separate entities, however, which I now believe is not how a player should approach them.
Testing non-linear RPG mechanics
I'm trying to implement this type of non-linear mechanic into one of my new games, where killing x amount of guards or civilians will shape your characters' personalities and lead to a branching of storyline. It's really tough to do with a comedic game though, so I'm rethinking the matter.
The RMN Chain Game
Looking for Games to Review
Yeah I didn't see his message about Act 1+ until I was halfway through the second Act, unfortunately. I did mention it at the beginning of my review though, and so people can take that portion of it with a grain of salt. I split it up by each act individually anyway (but will submit it as one whole review), so Sai can easily find his way to the feedback points that he can use. It's become quite apparent that once the complete Volume one is complete and all the Act III features have been applied throughout, it'll be a much stronger game.
Looking for Games to Review
Good to see someone doing this again. I took a break from anything site productive for about a month but I'm back to writing a couple reviews atm (including one HUGE one for our MISAO winner).
Anyways, this is not a request for one of my games, but I think this one looks interesting:
http://rpgmaker.net/games/2105/
Not sure if the installer ever got working, but there are over 300 downloads, so here's hoping.
Anyways, this is not a request for one of my games, but I think this one looks interesting:
http://rpgmaker.net/games/2105/
Not sure if the installer ever got working, but there are over 300 downloads, so here's hoping.
What does it take to get a book published...?
Here's a book proposal guideline that I found and have been attempting to use for my novel.
Prepare A Proper Book Proposal Or Letter Of Inquiry
It is best to send a publisher a proposal or letter of inquiry instead of the entire manuscript since few publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts.
BOOK PROPOSAL GUIDELINES
The most important aspect of a manuscript submission to publishers is the book proposal. The author needs to prepare a carefully detailed and compelling proposal to convince a publisher that his or her book is worth publishing. The proposal is extremely valuable in negotiating a good sale by allowing publishers to evaluate the project quickly and to determine their ability to market the book successfully.
Your proposal represents the promise of your book; it must be distinctive and engaging so that the editor becomes enthusiastic about signing your project. The difference between a good proposal and an excellent one can determine whether you receive an offer - and can make the difference between a modest advance and a large one.
Every book is unique, but almost every proposal contains the elements listed below:
About the Book
Give a brief (three to five pages) overview and introduction to your project. Think of this section as the information that would be used in the jacket copy, book synopsis and market survey.
• Describe the reasons you were inspired to write the book and what makes it valuable. Make sure to explain what makes your book different from other, similar books and mention any special features or approaches you offer.
• Give a two or three paragraph synopsis of the contents, illustrating in detail the logic your book follows to satisfy its premise.
• Explain why you as an author are uniquely qualified to write this book. Include relevant experience and credentials, as well as any supporting professional expertise or publishing credits.
Market & Competition
Who is the audience for your book, and why do they need to buy your book? Provide demographic data that reinforces your hypothesis.
Address the competition. List each title that would be in direct competition with your book, along with the author, publisher, and year of publication. Explain why your book would be better, or how it fills a vacant niche in the market.
Chapter Outline
Provide a brief chapter-by-chapter outline of the book. Try to convey both the content and tone of each chapter succinctly. Where possible, use quotations, anecdotes and examples to describe your chapters.
Sample Chapter
Include one or two sample chapters, preferably not the introduction or first chapter, to give the publisher an idea of your writing style and the actual content of the book.
Publishing Details
Describe the physical form you plan for your book. Be sure to include:
• proposed book length, measured in words
• state how many, and what sort of, photographs and/or illustrations will be used
• list any special considerations for book size, format, design or layout
• estimate how much time you will need to deliver the completed manuscript
About the Author
Provide a detailed biography of yourself. Stress your background experience in your field and credentials relevant to your book. If applicable, attach a copy of your resume or curriculum vitae.
________________________________________
Prepare A Proper Book Proposal Or Letter Of Inquiry
It is best to send a publisher a proposal or letter of inquiry instead of the entire manuscript since few publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts.
BOOK PROPOSAL GUIDELINES
The most important aspect of a manuscript submission to publishers is the book proposal. The author needs to prepare a carefully detailed and compelling proposal to convince a publisher that his or her book is worth publishing. The proposal is extremely valuable in negotiating a good sale by allowing publishers to evaluate the project quickly and to determine their ability to market the book successfully.
Your proposal represents the promise of your book; it must be distinctive and engaging so that the editor becomes enthusiastic about signing your project. The difference between a good proposal and an excellent one can determine whether you receive an offer - and can make the difference between a modest advance and a large one.
Every book is unique, but almost every proposal contains the elements listed below:
About the Book
Give a brief (three to five pages) overview and introduction to your project. Think of this section as the information that would be used in the jacket copy, book synopsis and market survey.
• Describe the reasons you were inspired to write the book and what makes it valuable. Make sure to explain what makes your book different from other, similar books and mention any special features or approaches you offer.
• Give a two or three paragraph synopsis of the contents, illustrating in detail the logic your book follows to satisfy its premise.
• Explain why you as an author are uniquely qualified to write this book. Include relevant experience and credentials, as well as any supporting professional expertise or publishing credits.
Market & Competition
Who is the audience for your book, and why do they need to buy your book? Provide demographic data that reinforces your hypothesis.
Address the competition. List each title that would be in direct competition with your book, along with the author, publisher, and year of publication. Explain why your book would be better, or how it fills a vacant niche in the market.
Chapter Outline
Provide a brief chapter-by-chapter outline of the book. Try to convey both the content and tone of each chapter succinctly. Where possible, use quotations, anecdotes and examples to describe your chapters.
Sample Chapter
Include one or two sample chapters, preferably not the introduction or first chapter, to give the publisher an idea of your writing style and the actual content of the book.
Publishing Details
Describe the physical form you plan for your book. Be sure to include:
• proposed book length, measured in words
• state how many, and what sort of, photographs and/or illustrations will be used
• list any special considerations for book size, format, design or layout
• estimate how much time you will need to deliver the completed manuscript
About the Author
Provide a detailed biography of yourself. Stress your background experience in your field and credentials relevant to your book. If applicable, attach a copy of your resume or curriculum vitae.
________________________________________
What Videogames Are You Playing Right Now?
What we did horribly on our first games.
I loaded mine onto RMN a few months ago. It's called Dragon Creed (from over 10 years ago) and is seriously the worst game on this site!
Just type up slew of oldies and it's in there lol. Download at own risk.
Just type up slew of oldies and it's in there lol. Download at own risk.
Graphical Options For VX
author=Max McGeeI like YDS's graphical style. You should check that out.YDS has made or been a part of like a million games. (Interestingly, I wasn't aware of her working on any back in the ghostlight days when I first knew her.) Which one do you mean?
Mack and Blue, is it not?
Games - Tester
Games - Other
