Working on Part 2 of my game

As the blog post states. :)

After a power outage a few days ago set me back about 2-3 man hours of work (by corrupting the game archive and forcing me to use an earlier backup to resume development), I've been hard at work making up the lost ground. I've got most of the enemies back online, as well as the game's second boss (which I hope will be as fun for you to face as I had fun creating them). In addition, I'm proud to say that I'm over halfway done with chapter 1 of Dryantia Part 2. Part 2 is going to have multiple chapters.

Each chapter will have at least one protagonist and may have several supporting characters. Supporting characters are only hitching a ride with the protagonist(s) until the chapter is done, at which time they'll go off to do their own thing. I expect the end-game party to have around 8 possible characters off of the top of my head.

In other news, I'm still working on minor details for the commercial release of Part 1 of Dryantia.

So, when will it be ready?
Whenever it's ready. :P

Seriously, a big part of making games for me is actually having fun and going at my own pace. I don't like to set deadlines because then I have to force myself to meet them. I prefer just to work at something until it's done and that's that. :D

In any case, that's about it from me for now. Hope you're all doing great! :D

Until the next time, take care and have fun! ;)
-Winterfate

Game Post 10 - Version 1.03e in the Forums and Other Things

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 *as written over at http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/blog/97/entry-542-game-post-10-version-103e-in-the-forums-and-other-things/ *

Long time no see, guys and girls! Hope you've all been great!

At my end, I've been busy at work doing lots of research for the commercial release of Part 1 of my game, Dryantia. I'm going to be taking the month of July to work all of the details out, whereupon I plan to release Version 1.04 as my first commercial release. I'm not really trying to set a certain date in stone since things happen. In any case, while I'm setting up shop, you can download version 1.03e for free in this very forum: http://forums.rpgmak...12467-dryantia/

Besides that, I've been tweaking Part 1 of Dryantia to make the mid-game less punishing, as noted by Matseb during his playthrough of the game. What happened was that, during one of my various test runs of the game, I decided that the exp curve was too flat (allowing players to cap with virtually no effort) and made it a little steeper. However, it turned out to be too steep while Lemnar was in his teens, making the Umbraloth fight nearly unbeatable at low levels (necessitating a ridiculous amount of grinding). So, I debuffed Umbraloth a bit and boosted the experience points that many of the monsters in the mid-game give. That should make that portion of the game more bearable (really, once you have your party members, many fights are much easier).

In addition, I've been fixing some minor bugs that have pretty much no effect on the game but were bugging (punny!) me (mainly word-wrapping issues in text boxes and stuff).

Part 2 of Dryantia is chugging along at a sloths pace since I want to concentrate on getting Part 1 out into the world proper before I really dig in to Part 2 (that and I'm in dire need of some custom graphics so I don't have like 7 placeholder battlers, which is starting to distract me to be honest. The good news here is that I have the first three dungeons completed as well as all of the creatures I have envisioned for said dungeons (with the sole exception of the third dungeon boss).

I don't have much more to add at this time, but feel free to ask questions in the comments section. :D

Until the next time, take care and have fun! ;)

- Winterfate
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Beta version of my game now available for playtesting!

I wrote this up over at: http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/blog/97/entry-487-game-post-4-dryantia-beta-1/

However, for the benefit of those of you who haven't signed up to that site, here it is in full.

Well, hello there guys and girls! It's time for me to release the first beta of my game, Dryantia (well, roughly 97% beta and 3% alpha if you want to get technical). This is the full game in a playable state (to the best of my knowledge, given that I've play-tested it a few times). As you may expect from a game in beta, things can change, so don't hesitate to recommend changes you believe would improve the game.

You can download the beta from Dropbox by clicking on any part of this sentence.

I estimate that the game will last you about six to seven hours if you do everything there is to do and about five hours if you speed run. In the spirit of old-school RPGs, there are a myriad of little things that you can discover by experimenting with certain items in certain areas. Also, talking to everyone and exploring all possible locations might make things easier in the long run as well.

On that note, you might not want to eat the first piece of Meat you find in the game (as it may serve a greater purpose if you give it to someone rather than eating it; that's my free tip of Dryantia for the day). ;)

For those of you who played the demo version of this game before the beta, here are the things that change from here to there in the first portion of the game available in the demo:

• There's now an invisible plot wall to the east of Verim. You can bypass it once you talk to the king in Clorant.
• Inner Tlafta Forest (the part after the maze) has been reworked to be somewhat more linear, a lot more lively looking, and have more chests.
• The introduction sequence ends with you warping into the library directly instead of having to walk there.

So, how can you help out?

• Play the beta.
• Let me know what things work and what things don't work so well.
• Definitely let me know if there are any critical bugs in the game (they cause the game to crash, hang, or otherwise freeze, or make the game unwinnable).
• Make particular note of the later areas. The balance there is almost assuredly off, but I need your help to figure out whether said deviation benefits the player or the enemy encounters.

Essentially, the more feedback you can give me, the more information I have to work with. Rest assured that I read all of the comments and such that you write and that I take them into consideration (whether I end up using them or not).

Thanks in advance for your time and help!

Until the next time, take care and have fun! ;)

-Winterfate

Thief's Acquisitiveness Hub Fixed!

My Thief's Acquisitiveness VUST hub for Dragon Quest IX has been fixed. I had incorrectly written Eye for Trouble's description. A follower of my hubs (and fellow DQ IX player I might add) called the dude kindly pointed out my mistake and I have now rectified. For those of you who haven't checked it out, it's at this
shameless shortened adf.ly link: http://adf.ly/XHvX

In other news I played 4 games of Starcraft II and went 1-3. Seems I'm just a tad rusty, eh? :P
I blame all of the DQIX playing I've been doing recently. XD

Anyways, there's not much else to say at this time. Keep having fun! ;)

Until the next time, take care and have fun!

-Winterfate

Starcraft 2: Tips, Strategies, and Tricks from a Silver-Level Player

It's finally time for another videogame article! :D

I recently started playing Starcraft II again, but this time I'm playing in the ladder. This is probably the first RTS game I've ever played where I actually play against other players. I don't tend to be a player vs player type of guy. However, I have to say that the matchmaking system for Battle.net 2 is actually pretty good.

I enjoy being able to just connect, click a button and find an opponent within thirty seconds.

Anyways, the article I wrote up details several tips I have for newbies that are struggling to claw their way up the ladder, much like myself. ;)

If you want to check it out, the link is: http://adf.ly/IyKJ

In other news, I should have a new internet connection in a few days. It will allow me to connect via Wi-Fi, so I'll finally be able to access the DQVC in Dragon Quest IX for exclusive goodies. I'm already stoked. :D

Also, should I decide to resume playing it after a LONG hiatus, I could play versus other people in Pokémon HeartGold as well. (That link leads to my relevant article; I write a lot, what can I say? :P)

Anyways, that's about it from me for now. If you ever find a Winterfate in Starcraft II, it's probably me (unless someone decides to name themselves like me; one of the failings of a system that doesn't have unique name limiters).

Until the next time, take care and have fun! ;)
-Winterfate

New Videogame Hub Up At Hubpages.com

For those of you who have been following me at HubPages.com, you'll be delighted to know that I've written up a new videogame hub. It's called The "Social" Videogame Phenomenon: A Look At A Disturbing New Trend For Videogames.

If you want to read what's so disturbing about it, and why I'm so bothered by it, go ahead and take a look.
Until the next time, take care and have fun! ;)

-Winterfate

Just finished Dragon Quest IV! :)

Hi guys!
Well, I beat that game today. The final boss was pretty difficult, just the way I like them. :P

You'd expect a final boss to have two or three phases. Well, he had seven. Yes, seven. You can't recuperate between each phase. Digest that for a moment.

While you digest that, I'll give my review of the game. :P

It's somewhat short, although the chapter-based system is something you rarely see outside of books, so it's nice and refreshing.

I love the graphics because they remind me of times long past (well the '90s, but still. :P)

The difficulty of the game is a bit high, but if you consider the year it was released, then you'll notice that it's actually right about standard for games of the previous decade. :)

All in all, Dragon Quest is one of my favorite series, and I am seriously considering buying DQ V next. :)

So there you go. I hope this review has motivated you to buy DQ IV and a DS. :P
(Well, maybe not so much, but it'd be a good reason to get a DS. ;) )

Until the next time, take care guys! :)

-Winterfate

Dragon Quest IV

Time to talk about an RPG that's not MMO. ;)

Dragon Quest IV was originally released for the Super Nintendo a long while ago (too lazy to check the exact year at the moment. :P). Now, Square Enix has remade it for the DS, and that's the version I'm playing now.

I'm only about 2 hours in, but up to now, it's looking like an awesome game.
The game itself is divided into chapters, and in each chapter you control a different character.

The combat system is standard fare for RPGs of the previous decade (turn-based, swords and magic, etc).

The difficulty of the game is a bit high, but in my opinion, we currently live in a world where games have gotten too easy, so it's refreshing to actually have to struggle for my wins. :)

That's about it from me for now. :)
Take care guys!
I'm going back to the game! :P

- Winterfate

Duels Warstorm Article hits 3k views!

As the title says, exactly. :)

Thanks to all who have read my article! :D

The article is at: http://www.featuredarticles.com/a13381_1.html

Estiah - Aleas or Eversweep?

The first article to this series can be found at articleincome.com.

The other articles can be found right here in this blog and also on articleincome.com! :)

So, you've beaten up the pirates eh? Got yourself a few Captain's Hats as well I suppose. It's time for you to move to another city. Aleas or Eversweep are the most logical choices given the dungeons they contain. Each dungeon is another part of the in-game tutorial. In Aleas you will be visiting Holy Grace Square to learn how to Protect your allies in battle by the usage of charms with Protect. In Eversweep, a cocky and arrogant summoner will teach you how to Focus your attacks on a single target.

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Let's start with Aleas, just because I'm more partial to defensive strategies. ;)

The Level 4 Holy Grace Square consists of three levels. In the first level you will have three Sword Apprentice allies and will be facing four Sword Apprentices. Seeing as how each Sword Apprentice only has 25 HP, you should be okay as long as you hit them hard (preferably with magic as they use armor charms on occasion). Just hope your allies don't die too quickly and you'll easily win this battle.

The man training these apprentices is called Urus the Grace and he will step in to demonstrate Protect. In this second battle, it's highly unlikely that you'll lose considering that Urus will be using Challenging Blade and Flash of Light to protect you. At 130 HP, I'm almost certain that your three Sword Apprentice opponents won't be able to take him down. ;)

The final battle has Urus taking the other side, as you and two Sword Apprentices attempt to take him down. He adds several charms to his arsenal including Challenging Shout, which increases his next melee attack's damage by 18, which can be fatal if you don't have armor up. On that subject, bring a fair amount of armor along, since his magic attacks aren't nearly as deadly. Oh, and he still has 130 HP. :P

You may lose that last fight if you're level 4. But, if you've been following my articles in order, you should be level 5 and better equipped to take him down. It's not an easy fight, but it's doable.

He gives you a Protect Charm (7 armor, 7 ward, Protect: 4) if you win.

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On to Eversweep.


The High Summoner's Study is a level 4 Dungeon in Eversweep where you will learn about Focus charms. They allow you to concentrate your attacks for the next few turns on a single enemy, which can be life-saving if you're facing multiple enemies at the same time.

The High Summoner in question is Leitz, and he has quite the attitude problem.
In the first battle, he will have you fight alongside three of his Weakened Shadow Imps facing off against four more Weakened Shadow Imps (all of the Imps have 35 HP).

All any of the Imps do is shoot a fireball that does 6 magic damage, so bring some Ward charms along and just hack and slash your way to victory...assuming of course, you don't get singled out and killed by the opposing Imps. Luck, as it were, always plays a part in this game.

After you win this first battle, Leitz will chastise you for "acting like a beast and giving out blows randomly" and join your side, along with one of his Imps, to teach you how to Focus. Once again you face off against 4 Imps, but Leitz' Focus charms will make this battle substantially easier than the last one. He himself stands at a hefty 140 HP, so it's unlikely that'll he die. I've never seen him go down in battle myself.

For the last battle, Leitz will claim that he "needs to practice for the Inachis Battle Tournament". Guess what? You're gonna help him. :P

You're allied with 2 Imps and are facing off against Leitz. He only has 115 HP this time around, but gains Mind Focus, which increases the power of his next magic attack by 20. Did I mention he can still target a specific foe? If he doesn't Focus one of the imps, you may be done for, since his subsequent attack will do massive damage (and that's assuming he doesn't power up multiple turns before attacking either.) Even so, this fight is probably easier than the boss fight in Aleas since you'll most likely win if you don't get focused.

He gives you the Bright Fire Charm (6 magic, Focus: 6) if you win.

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If at any time you need additional help in any dungeon (oh oh, here it comes again :P), you should consult the Estiah Wiki (I always mention it don't I? :P).

Anyways, that's it for now. Thank you for reading, as always. Have fun!

Estiah - Of River Pirates and Cumulation

The first article of the series can be found at this site.
The second article can be found there and here as well. ;)

So, you've beaten on the Inachis Sewers and its Rat God a few days eh? You're feeling stronger? Perhaps reached level 3 or even 4 since the last time I left you?

Well, the game is far, oh so very FAR from over. At this point, you can travel to other towns and clear the other low level dungeons now open to you. For the sake of this article though, I'm going to assume that you're staying in Inachis, training in the Arena, or gathering until you complete this dungeonl.

The Level 5 Dungeon in Inachis is called River's Edge and consists of two levels, which are intended to teach you about cumulative ward and armor. Cumulative properties such as cumulative armor stack, (as compared to your initial armor and ward charms that don't stack if used in quick succesion) making them more efficient. They tend to give less protection to compensate for the convenience.

Compared to the Sewers, this is relatively brief. Brief however, dear reader, hardly means easy. :P

The first fight pits you up against the 25 HP First Mate Sirop. He also uses an Extra Action charm. These allow you to take another turn and usually have an extra minor effect. In this case, his Pirate Glove gives him 3 armor (non-cumulative), 3 ward (cumulative) and Extra Action. He then uses Light Wand for 3 more cumulative ward and 4 magic damage to you. As you may suspect, using magic damage will result in failure, so stack enough melee damage to render his armor useless. To see if you have enough damage to win the day, subtract 3 damage from each melee charm in your setup and then add those values together. If they equal or surpass 25, then you're fine.

The second, boss fight places you against Captain Gaufre, who has 55 HP. He does the opposite of First Mate Sirop. His specialty is stacking armor to the point where your melee damage is effectively nil. So, go to your gear setup and swap out for magic. You're going to need a lot more magic damage to stop him though, as you can tell by his hefty HP total. Use the bolded tip above, replacing the word melee with magic and you should be fine...

...that is, assuming he doesn't go berserk on you and only you. You see, in this battle you have "help". I place help in quotation marks because Belge will probably do zero damage all battle. I always considered him a comic relief/meat shield anyways. :P

Anyways, Belge is backing you up. If the good old Cap'n attacks Belge, and you're set up correctly, you stand a decent chance of winning. If the Captain concentrates on you though, it may be over before it's even begun.

As usual, go take a look at the Estiah Wiki if you need additional help with this encounter. ;)

Until the next time, take care, have fun and thanks for reading! :D