A n i m u s

[sephetious]

Hello. As you can see, I am new to the forums. Ive been searching for a rm2k3+ community that is still active, and I seem to have found one. .
I have been working on a game for a long time now. I actually started it last year and stopped production for like 8 months, but I am working on it full force now.

The game is titled: "Animus" which is actually just the name of the planet in the game. I feel like people are going to disregard and never try my game because of the fact that it has a low amount of upgraded (from default rpgmaker) material . Ive been reading this section and noticing that most of the games posted have alot of custom programming and such. My game does have custom music, but not much in the custom artwork department. It also is not a huge change from the basic rpg maker 2003 default system. It does have things that (in my opinion) are required from a good rpg like a translucent map on the overworld. The main reason I am posting this is to get feedback on what the general audience here would expect from an RPG.

I will tell you that I have played a few rpgmaker games ive found on the net. Ive noticed some very good programming but a serious lack in certain departments. Ive been bored to tears by alot of them and shut them off. Of course you cant expect squaresoft output from 1 person... but still there is that hope.

After all this reading, if youre still with me... Ill get on to my RPG.

Like I said, alot of it is basic. I do have alot of original ideas, but its working with the basic system. I hope people can get past that, and rate my game by its plot, balance, and fun... because that is what I am directed toward.

Here is the introduction text to the game:

Deep in the recesses of space,
Lies a planet fraught with peace and war.
Named ‘Animus’ by its inhabitants,
this planet hosted certain elitists that
had begun to unlock the powers of the Gods.
This power, or so they call ‘magic’, was the
first step on the road to omnipotence.
Unfortunately, ones who wielded this power
were not always good natured. Some used
it to destroy, some to protect, some to create.

These individuals fated by the stars, were
given the birthright to unleash this power of
awe or woe. Through the passing of time,
certain guilds were formed to study and further
develop this special skill. Some of the greatest
users of this magic came to possess a form of
magic so powerful, they could actually
communicate with the Gods themselves.

This form of magic called 'Arisae'
was abused by some, using it to
speak with Gods that had no prior
connection to Animus.

This action dawned contention unto the plane
Of the Gods, because certain Gods were trying
To deviate the world of Animus onto a path
Different than was originally intended.

This angered the two greatest Gods. Irios, the
God of purity and love, and Veshnos, the God
Of chaos and hate. These gods that were
Traditionally stuck in eternal war, made a pact
Due to these events.

Together, they manifested a force called
‘Nia Nil Etchae’ that was unleashed onto
Animus, Destroying most everything on it.

Though time continued to flow, and after
Thousands of years, the remnants of the past
Shed light unto the existence of magic once
Again. Animus, seemingly doomed to repeat
the same mistake, one God intervened. He chose
a certain individual to embark on a journey
unlike any other. One to stop this mistake from
occurring once again.

And so that story begins…


This is just a preview of the plotline, and my story writing ability. If I get enough positive responses I will post some screenshots and a demo version of the game.

Negative feedback to this annoying post is welcome as well

[Ryos4]

Just to warn you im a lil tired so i may have mis read it though as for as i can tell its world of magic.  Where this magic is the power of the gods or w/e.  

What i dont understand is why the power is great if they can communicate with the gods, i dont really see the whole greatness of that. Sry if this is not really what u ment but when i read that part i was thinking, "Oh no he can talk to the gods. Everyone run, cause hes gonna piss off the gods with his witless banter.  And god will smite us all just to shut that guy up."

I mean in most religions where u can talk to god, but only a selected few can hear him or w/e.  And the only thing good about hearing him is you can spread his word, and do gods bidding. Not like the people who talk to him can tell him what to do, its more like cries for attention. Well w/e, religion isnt my thing.

Anyway i would think that if their powers became so great, that they would think of themselves as gods.  Since the magic allowed people to create or destroy.  Why would someone ask a god to do something when they could do it themselves.

Btw i do suggest getting some original charsets atleast for your main/important characters in the game.  And if anything for music, i suggest getting something original for the opening or where they text is shown.

[Desimodontidae]

You have my interest...

[DragonBlaze]

I like this story for the most part , but Ryos4 has a very good point.

As for 'custom' gfx. You don't need custom or original gfx for your game, but you should at least use non-rtp ones for a lot of things. Most people have seen the rtp gfx used in countless games that using those gfx makes the game seem so unoriginal. But anyway, charas has a very large resource database as well as a character generator, so why not look through them to see if you can find some neat gfx to replace the dull rtp ones with. Just please don't use an rtp character as the hero. Again, most people have seen these gfx in a LOT of games. The hero should be unique to your own game, and not something used frequently.

If you have screenies, please post them

[Lighting Half Dozen]

I liked it from the title. I could tell it was a title. I can see the box art now in my mind.

[sephetious]

Well, i try to think outside the boxes... so the Gods in my game are not really the same as a god that you would traditionally read or hear about. The gods of animus have limitations to their power. Its not like they can just snap their fingers and cause someone to die. In fact, they cant even communicate with someone if they tried. Thats why Arisae is such a powerful tool. And if one is intelligent enough to actually figure out how to use Arisae, they probably wouldnt be annoying the god with witless banter.

Their powers did become great indeed... But as the prologue mentioned at the beginning, it is the first step on the road to omnipotence. Just because they have the power to materalize water or fire doesnt make them greater than a God. The Gods have massive control in other dimensions that mortal magic users could not even begin to have.

Im not one for religion either. I dont necessarily believe in God, but I dont say it doesnt exist either. to say either one, in my opinion is idiocy. Because no one really knows.

And I already have completely original music (that i made) for the title screen and a song a good friend of mine made for the intro sequence.

And (cower) I am using an original rtp chipset for my battle hero graphic... I started the game a long time ago and Im just now starting to get good @ using the program... These things are prone to change.

[sephetious]

Here are a few. hope the html works.

[Ryos4]

But what makes the gods listen to the people who can use Arisae.  I still dont see whats so good about being able to communicate with them.  If they are so powerful, why would they bother listening to the people.  If they had the power to control the gods or just influence them, maybe it would be great, but just communicating with them doesnt seem to be a great skill.

Nice forest map though.

[DragonBlaze]

Well as I see it, if you the gods had a lot of knowlage about magic and such, talking to them could do a lot. Learning the secrets of the gods could be very helpful or destructive.

You're forest maps are pretty good, I don't like your first one much though    Something that would really help your forest maps to make them look better would be to layer the forest tops. A lot of games use that forest tileset, and what a lot of people do is layer the green/black forest tops to overlap and go on top of eachother to make it look less flat. So inside big black areas, you would add another layer of the green, and do that so there are 2 or 3 layers of the forest tops. If you don't understand what I mean, I can get you a screenshot of an example.

[Raen Ryong]

Screenshot-wise, looking quite good. Although the RTP top one looks horrible -- not because you've used that chipset badly, but simply because the chipset IS horrible. You should use a better chipset with the same style as the one's you're using now (Mac & Blue).

I normally don't let people walk on the "tops" of the cliffs like your character is doing there because it makes them look a bit weird. Just a thought.

Sounds interesting though

[blaze_shinigami]

Don't you guys think you are overthinking things? In most cases common sense kills entertainment. It's like the whole gilligans' island thing, and why didn't the elf kill the first human to keep the one ring in Mount Doom?

I like some of your screenshots, mostly I like the fact that's its not all towered to hell.

[PikaTira]

Sounds like a great game. I really like your forest!

[Nandez]

Well usually I like to come back to Charas every few months leave a smartass coment if your game is unoriginal or even looks bad or tries to rip off something else.But as for now it doesn't seem to really do anything like that yet that i've noticed so keep up the good work it seems interesting so far.

[Meiscool-2]

Yes, your forest is well done. I don't really have any complaints.

EDIT: Wait, nevermind, I don have complaint. You should use an overlay rather then a tint for your forest. It'll look a lot better, believe me. If you need a fog overlay or something just ask.

[Archem]

Originally posted by Meiscool
Yes, your forest is well done. I don't really have any complaints.

EDIT: Wait, nevermind, I don have complaint. You should use an overlay rather then a tint for your forest. It'll look a lot better, believe me. If you need a fog overlay or something just ask.

0.o A compliment? From Meiscool? About a map!? To a newb!?!
x_x
Hehe... I guess that means your map's alright. Good job.