Laigos SaGa - Scourge of the Phantom Thief

[Sarrugi 0]

Laigos SaGa - Scourge of the Phantom Thief

Greetings, RMCentral. 

I came here to try and expose my game, Laigos SaGa. I have been developing this game for years, and I am comfortable to say the advancement of the plot, and by extension some of what I could accomplish system-wise, has reached the farthest point in those years. So, I determined it would be a good idea to expose the game here. Without further ado, I will jump to the synopsis.

The Synopsis and the Three Heroes

Spoiler

The year is 616. The Empire of Laigos has endured the test of time for almost five centuries. However, to this day, this Empire is but a shadow of its once glorious self. The Senate is plagued with servants of upstart houses and merchants, binding the Empire to their will; The people's faith in the Empire has been lost due to the constant threat of nomadic clans and barbarians from the Lordless Lands. And finally, the threat of the infamous Phantom Thief, which had stolen the regalia of several noble houses within the Empire, tarnishing the Empire's name from within, before simply vanishing as they have appeared.

 

The flames of rebellion are about to rise, and the Emperor hasn't the morale to lead the Imperial Army, thus relegating that role to the several noble houses in the mainland. While the Empire burns with their own embers, supernatural occurrences happen unseen or just ignored by everyone, be they pleb or noble. However, said occurrences shall intersect with the goals of three individuals... and show them there is more at stake than what they strive for and also their lives as they know it.

 

"We will be free to act according to OUR interests, free from the chains the main continent has tied us!"

Richter Valence

 

Despite being born in the Empire and thinking he is a native Imperial, Richter is a native from the Protectorate of Dalkia, situated in the western part of the Isle of Seluvia. He became an Imperial Knight after finishing his squire training. However, when he learns of the Empire's treatment towards the people of Dalkia and their knowledge of him, he joins its revolutionary council, the Deliverance.

 

"I would never serve you, someone who sold their soul to the demons!"

Losaria Therian

 

Daughter of a general in the Dukedom of Cornelia, in the Imperial Mainland. Cornelia has a standing friction with the newly established Republic of Kazas ever since its revolution. Rumors stand that Kazas is involved with the Cult of Mythra, prompting Giordianno, the Duke of Cornelia, to dispatch Losaria as a spy for the time being. But she eventually learns that Kazas is oddly too familiar.

 

"Even in this living hell, a new dawn awaits in the distance."

Ulysses Nebelstern

 

Heir of the Baronate of Salamanca. A crafty scholar, as he is ambitious to a fault. Ulysses frowns upon the current state of the Empire, and desires to restore it to its former glory. Ulysses knows the upper nobility isn't interested in restoring it, so he thinks a brave and talented hero must be sought to do this task... or take this matter to his own hands.

 

Features

Spoiler

• Three different stories to play, intersecting with each other either as possible allies or enemies. Each character's Main Story has 4 Chapters;
• Route branching. Your choices matter and alter the Main Story and future Free Events. It doesn't affect endings, though;
• Two endings based upon the player's choices. These endings doesn't change via Route Branch, and yes by small individual choices. A secret, third ending is availiable regardless of the chosen main character, achieved outside the Main Story;
• Period system like in Valkyrie Profile. The game can be 100%d, the question is how the player would do it;
• 40 playable characters. Everyone can be recruited if the player knows to use their periods and make the right choices;
• Free-scenario system, with dialogues, routes and interactions changing depending on the chosen main character;
• Sprites and Sound effects on Romancing SaGa 3 style;
• Tactics Ogre PSP's class system, featuring items to change a character's class, allowing them to glimmer a specific set of skills under the use of different battle Roles;
• Equipment system focused on individual elemental defenses rather than raw parameters;
• Magic works like SaGa Frontier 1 & 2, with the rise of elemental Tools (breakable weapons and accessories that serve as conduits to Magic), Quells (unbreakable Tools) and Gifted characters (who can use a certain element without the need for Tools or Quells);
• Romancing SaGa-esque battle system, with glimmers and appropriate backgrounds;
• SNES JRPG arranged MIDI tracks, to give the impression it is a retro game;
• Custom done battle-sequences in TSBS;

 

Current Progress

Character sprites: 5/10

NPC sprites: 2/10

Songs: 8/10
Story events: 6/10
Major events: 4/10
Minor events: 2/10
Game system: 3/10
Battle system: 6/10
Skills/Magic sequences: 3/10
Maps: 0/10
Overall: 3/10

Media
 

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjyfMdZuFeQ 

 

Credits

Spoiler

Songs: Armedicia, Ashinaga, MiniDraco (Astral Craft), Atelier Nonta, BRIGHTNESS++, Cnoc, Cyber Rainforce, Digifami Ongakudo, Dooooooo, Dragonic Symphony, Extrier, Fermate, Saya Hyouseki (FH2nd), Mana (Fusion World), G2, Hannya, Kouichi (Joker Sounds), Kagamiyomi, Keiji Takahashi, Napi (M-Art), Nyan, Remanold, soleil-musique, Takai, TAM, Tukito, ValSe;

 

Scripts: Theo Allen, Claimh, Yanfly, Tsukihime, Victor Sant, Kure;

 

 

I am open to suggestions and critique, hence why I made this thread. I think I have gatekept my game a bit too much from outside my social circle, so this is an opportunity to actually expose it. Thank you in advance for the space given!

Edited April 10, 2021 by Sarrugi

[Kayzee 4,032]

Looks pretty cool! I am a big fan of the SaGa games so it's always cool to see people making games in that style! BTW what RPG Maker are you using? MV? VX Ace?

[Sarrugi 0]

I use VX Ace. Although I have considered using 2003 in the past due to the superior mapping style.

[Kayzee 4,032]

Though I am pretty sure 2003 can't use scripts. Maybe you would like XP?

 

Anyway I was wondering if you are going to add a SaGa-like leveling system too, since it looks like there is still a level number in character's status and SaGa doesn't really do that.

[Sarrugi 0]

I would have to resort to Common Events to do something similar in 2k3. I mean, the nearest thing of SaGa would be the Free-scenario system.

 

About the leveling system, I intend to make a mix between FFV and RS3 instead of a pure-SaGa fashion I envisioned years ago. I still am to correct the menu interfaces, though. I only intend to put the Name and sprite in it, alongside the defense statuses + weight.

[Kayzee 4,032]

So like RS3's skill/stat grinding with with FFV's classes and class abilities maybe? Sounds neat! I will sort of miss randomly 'glimmering' new skills if it's gone, but it could be pretty frustrating sometimes (and probably hard to code too) so I understand if you rather replace it with FFV's ABP. Though maybe there are ways to do both, I donno. Either way sounds like it could be neat!

 

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by Kayzee

[Sarrugi 0]

Ah, no. I won't do away with Glimmering. I would only if I tried to go with 2k3. I am not familiar with XP to say whether it is usable for what I aim to.

Since there is a script for VXA, I am using it. Code Crush's (or known as Claimh) allows the user to do some long lists of Glimmer chances and derivations... really useful.

 

I've expressed myself badly, actually. I forgot to reiterate I am planning to use the Classmark system from PSP Tactics Ogre instead of FFV's more liberal system.

 

There is a way, but it requires a lot of alterations on the scripts' settings. I know a bit only, but enough to operate things.

 

Thank you for your evaluation. I tried to use your SaGa Leveling system some years ago, but I failed to do what I wanted. But maybe I can go with another approach other than what I've been planning...

[Kayzee 4,032]

I look forward to seeing how it all turns out! I am sorry my script didn't do what you wanted. Maybe I can help alter it sometime... I do like to help!

[roninator2 257]

The battle system looks like it will be great. The animations are well designed from what I can see so far. Even your character sprites have multiple movement positions.

Seeing the equip screen I can tell you could improve that. I would hazard a guess that your using blackmorning's vkequip. I use the same and have lots of equipment slots in my game as well. You may want to think about moving the windows around. Your status window and command window are obviously too small for the information shown.

If you put the help window off screen and not bother using it then you will gain some real estate for the other windows.

From my game

[Kayzee 4,032]

Personally when it comes to equipment I actually like what Romancing SaGa 3 and SaGa Frontier does: Four weapon/shield/item slots, four armor/accessory slots. There are a few problems with doing it that way in RPG Maker though I know. I myself was working on it a little at one point, but I never did manage to let the player switch between weapons like RS3 and SF. It's the kind of thing that would require a looot of coding I think. Also probably a whole new style of battle menu!

 

Though what I did manage to do was flatten all the armor into one type and use note tags to specify what subtype it was, so the player could for example equip boots in any slot but only one pair. I think it really makes equipment menus less cluttered and tedious myself. :3

Edited April 10, 2021 by Kayzee

[Sarrugi 0]

@roninator2 

Yes, the stats are quite cluttered, unfortunately. I just dig-out scene scripts by convenience. The windows are currently one of my worst enemies in that regard. 

 

And also, whoa. This equip scene looks great! I will check it out to see what I can use or base upon of it.

 

@kayzee

I think 4 weapons are a bit too illogical. I prefer the two-handed system from the Final Fantasy series. I also plan to reduce the equipment slots to something like Frontier rather than Minstrel Song, as I used in the screen-shots for the sake of less visual pollution.

 

I don't know how I'll handle Quells for the time being, though...

 

A thing I think Romancing SaGa and Frontier have failed is over how they neglected displaying elemental defences, and the only clue to a character's defenses were the equipments' stats and the multipliers to the elements.

Edited April 10, 2021 by Sarrugi

[Kayzee 4,032]

Well the thing with having four weapons is only one is actually used at a time anyway, it's just a convenient way to switch between them. Though Final Fantasy also often lets you re-equip your left/right hand mid battle it's just a bit more tedious. Anyway SaGa Frontier 2 used two weapon slots didn't it? Though once again only one at a time was actually used. In RPG maker when dual wield is active both slots give you stats and it just plays two animations when attacking which is a bit cheap if you ask me. Oh well. Anyway if you want I can send you my script for armor equipment sometime.

 

Oh and you mention Quells! Does that mean you want most equipment to be breakable? Breakable equipment annoys a lot of people, but honestly I kinda like what SaGa Frontier 2 does with items and how it's magic system works.

Edited April 11, 2021 by Kayzee

[Sarrugi 0]

About SF2, you still can use two weapons, but indeed the system is more limited. In Evalice SaGa it's 3 if memory serves.

I would like the equipment script. I think it'll be a better approach than to MinSaGa's I have tried.

 

I want the equipments to work like in Minstrel Song, breakable but "cheap" to repair. They really did weapons well adding new forms to them based on how you alter them.

A touch I want to do is to use accessories or items as materials to make pure weapons into elemental Tools for better customization. I also took a liking to Frontier 1's Gift approach, because it adds characterization.

Edited April 11, 2021 by Sarrugi

[Kayzee 4,032]

Hehe, I send the script in a PM, hope it works for you! If not reply to the PM and I will try and fix it for you.

 

Oh also: Problem with breakable equipment is it requires some fancy smancy scripting in RPG Maker to make instance items. Pretty sure a script for it already exists though.

Edited April 11, 2021 by Kayzee