2009 is on the horizon!

Well, 2009 is on the horizon and it seems to be an exciting year for us all. Both my games have a release-date set to 2009 and while there's no stress to be able to complete that goal it will be a tough year as well as fun.

For the coming days I'll relax and perhaps think of some ideas to add to the games but I'll keep it low with developing and enjoy the beginning of a year with alot of both good and bad surprises from the world awaiting. Hopefully we'll have some great RPG Maker games (and Action RPG Maker games) out in 2009, the world of RPG Making grew tremendously in 2008, I was a part of that growth, and in 2009 I hope that the library of games will bloom and bring us some great experiences even worth paying for.

What's about to arrive in the coming 12 months is not certain. All I want to do now is to sit down, perhaps have some nice, Swedish chocolate and wish you all a good '09.

Merry Christmas: New video out

Yes, as the topic says: Merry Christmas, and the new video of The Explorers is out for showcase to the public. The video contains as said in the last post some gameplay with a battle taking up most of the play-time. But now, here's the link to the video:

The Explorers Gameplay Video 5

The Explorers video tomorrow!

It's Christmas Eve tomorrow and here in Sweden that means that it's time to open all the presents! I was planning to make a short christmas game with VX to celebrate but I came up with the idea too late and abandoned it since I wouldn't have time to even do a working and playable game on that time.

However, I will release a video of The Explorers tomorrow featuring the area I presented to you yesterday with some brief gameplay walking around, and afterwards a battle! I haven't shown battles since August so it will be fun to bring that up again, that video got alot of great response and remains my most viewed video on YouTube. Well, that's all for now, just three more hours until Christmas begins! I can't wait.

Area in Profile: Lune Village (WIP)

A few days ago, on my last post I said that "The Café Lodge" was my best map, triumfing with the fact that it was created when I was feeling the most creative. Well, perhaps the creativity that brought that map to life has returned now, because I personally think I've created my best map to date. Lune Village was from the beginning a village I designed in September 2008 to be this dark, rainy area with music. Much inspired by Animal Crossing, the map featured a slow-paced mood with simple music from a golf game and lots of old people to really set the mood.

But recently I noticed that the mood was perhaps a bit different from what its background and especially its name says. On a sign I made in another village while Lune Village still was just a thought in my head I wrote "Lune Village - A place of miracles and mysteries". The guy building the city (I don't mean me mapping it) was a man who was said to possess magic powers and could control the weather and light/darkness on specific places. Well, it didn't look that magical. Just plain sad. Huh? You want to see it? Sure thing:

                                    

Not that exciting, huh? Not that it's the worst map I've made or anything like that, it's fine, but it just didn't fulfill what I had in mind. The new map is, well, what I wanted it to be. The new map uses alot more effects and events to make it look good, it has caused some problems with lag but after some editing (and some helpful scripts) it ain't a problem no more. So how did I get the inspiration I needed to find a mood that would suit this map. Well, look past the green grass and nature at its best and you might see a bit of christmas...or do you?

Area in Profile: The Café Lodge

It's been a while, it's christmas-time and that's a busy time. But anyway, welcome to The Café Lodge, my favorite place in The Explorers so far. It's the one and only bar/inn in the village of Playton and is a very popular place for all residents, even from places outside of Playton Village. The bar was firstly a place only populated by adults but as complaints about letting kids inside alone with drunkards and other strangers the owner decided to begin to serve things for the younger ones as well, in the end transforming into a complete new beginning for the bar. This included food and dessert on the menu instead of only drinks, more seats but also some removal of things and that wasn't used that much at the time like a piano in the bar, guards and map-selling.

The creation of this map was made pretty quick. When I created it in August 2008, the imagination in my head was just sprouting and exploding with ideas and creativity. What I was aiming for was fitting much content in a small space while still making room for the character. Making this look good at the same time was a tough job but I realized that it didn't need that much. To focus on individual parts of the map one at a time is important. Once you're done with one, move over to the next one. When you seem to be done, do some small editing, change some graphics perhaps and add some characters (eventing can be done later on, you know) and well, there's the bar. Since August this map has recieved some minor changes and things that have been added but it remains the same and will always be. This is absolutely my best map ever and until I get a proper education or another creativity explosion this will remain my best map. Judge for yourself by the screen at the top of this post, but I hope that I can make a map like this one again. Soon.

First Trailer!

It's Monday, Monday, Monday and it's time for the first trailer of The Residence of Old Riddles. It's 2:12 long and contains gameplay as well as a brief look at the intro for it. The video is up on YouTube right now so check it out:

Reveal Trailer

News from the developer: 5/12-08

Hi, guys! This is JoRu here with some more news from the developer. Today the first trailer of The Residence of Old Riddles was finished. It's composed of material recorded in late November and has been edited since then. The main problem I had was the resolution that it would end up too small for you to view or if it would turn out laggy. But now the movie's running in the same resolution as the game (640x480) and only slightly laggy. It's not present in the game so it doesn't matter much. The trailer will be released on YouTube on Monday.

Also, editing the game's menus to match the new resolution has been completed. It's not perfect and further editing will probably be made but now size and position shouldn't be a problem at all. To put it this way: I could release the game today and they wouldn't complain about the menus. They'd rather complain about that it doesn't look finished. ;)

That's all I've for you today and I'll see you on Monday for the first gameplay-footage of the game. You'll get the link to the movie directly from this blog. See ya!