Ascendence

Blog changing to elsewhere

2009-07-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

Hey peeps. Even though blogger offers nice visual possibilities for blogs and all that, I'm going to continue with the updates only in RMN from now on, just because the site is that awesome.

Rpgmaker.net is the new location and home of my game and you'll see all the updates and new content from now on right there. I don't know if there will be own site for this game some day in the future, but that's something we'll see that once the game is completed.

Anyway, come over to http://rpgmaker.net/

and visit my game right here!

You can subscribe there, too. =)

Ascendence RSD demo released!

2009-03-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

Yeees the demo for Ascendence was completed on Saturday morning, 21st of March! Few hours late from the original deadline, but still it's available for you now!

There's huge ass amount of information, so instead of filling this entire narrow page up, I recommend you to view the Ascendence topic over at RMN !

So if you're looking for updated infromation, that's where you might want to take a look from.

Or alternatively, from Ascendence's RMN game page

If you want the direct download link, it's right here!

and here :) http://www.rpgmaker.net/games/736/downloads/

Surge of fresh enthusiasm

2009-01-28T16:49:00.000-08:00

Asc progress was tad slow and unstable around Christmas time and beginning of January, but it's looking better again. For the time being I'm facing some problems with the hardware again, eh, but I've been able to work on my old pc temporarily.

I've been spending time writing and planning things down, now that I'm not able to work the game directly. Seems it always works better this way for me however. I've been able to fill in several gaps that always form at some point when I'm running out of ideas. I guess I should change my methods of working, because it seems linear progress is not very productive for me, really.

Maybe to prevent any of frustration forming, coming in between me, and finishing things for the game, I should just change my way of working to even more "flexible" manner, and switch the area of game I'm focusing at, whenever I've got fresh new ideas, so I can keep the creativity rolling.

Anyway, pouting aside. Lately I've been able to get several of the vague ideas and gray areas shape up quite nicely, including now pretty much of the intro (A.R. time), finally rest of the dialogue for escort scene which introduces Quinn Dasstar, and some other things. I'm still going to keep up with the thinking for now, instead of direct work. When I separate planning and producing stages, they're both a lot more effective, and I don't run as much out of ideas and get my progress blocked, whatsoever.

Mostly this means I'm able to move onto fresh new area and gain some extra boost on my motivation also, even though I don't feel like I'm short of it at the moment.

I've also finished a lineart of Lin sometime ago, as well as new mountain chipset compilation for a mountain passage where you gain control of Cyrus and Quinn for the first time.

DEMO RELEASE DATE:

Release date of the first Ascendence demo alpha is also now confirmed. It'd be Mar 20th when Release Something! VI: Return of the Jedi takes place, IN CASE this is the organised release day, and not the beginning of the event itself. If the date the games are aimed to be released for the event changes, so will Asc's release date.

For now I can't say how "complete" the content released for this alpha will be, because there's various aspects and factors requiring still lots of work, but I'm aiming to fill in most of the gaps and whatnot, so that there's still at least something that you can complete for it's length.

It's unlikely I'd be able to finish all of the factors which make Ascendence's actual gameplay, like the character customization for example, because I'm still doing math for the system and planning it down, because it needs to be scaled for the entire game, so I can't promise you'll see anything in it's full potential, of course because it's not ready.

It will be just something, an alpha, a very incomplete version. Don't get your hopes too high, though I'm not trying to talk you down either, but just keep that in mind. =)

So yes, because there is an assigned release date, I will be releasing what I've got then, not something that's polished to extent or completed. What I mean by this, is that it's not certain if you'll get a demo, or just something. Demo would mean for me a release of content I'm happy about, and something, just a release of what I've got (which is not like me.)

I'll be doing my best to get the content in shape which I'll be pleased about and hence make it a solid demo release, but there is also a chance you'll get a release which ends to a same point in game, but with less of content. We'll see!

Also that this release will be an "Alpha" means it haven't been beta tested or it hasn't received any feedback yet. This is what the Release Something day at Rpgmaker.net is for.

In conclusion, what I wanted to inform, is that I'm very motivated, the progress is steady, things are rolling, and a release is coming!

And here's the lineart of Lin, btw:

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T18:38:00.001-08:00

So, I totally didn't want to post another video without real gameplay mechanics and whatnot, but...

I spent my Christmas - New Year's mostly sick, working on Asc and adding the real first intro bits that I was saving for later, and after I got the first "cutscene" done I realllyyy wanted to show it off, so eh this could be called a New Year's special or something!?

The progress is coming together otherwise pretty well. I'm positive for a first demo to appear around March - April, still. But gotta see! Hope for the best, fear the worst.

Some art!

2008-12-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

Hey just a little update! Here's first sort of "fan art" I've received! I'm really excited, haha!
It's drawn by BunniesAteMyBrain ! Thanks a lot I love the pic. ^^
It's based on Maestra, one of the five Paragons of Ascendence. :)

The new vid: Sewers!

2008-10-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

As I promised here's your new vid. :)

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-28T06:25:00.000-07:00

If you were wondering why you haven't heard of me/ ASCENDENCE for such a long time!... Well, at least for the past month I've been using most of my time workin a game for Gaming World's Halloween game creation contest, hosted by Nackster! I completed the game in time, submitted it 6 minutes before the deadline! =)
So yeah, let me present you:

Elegy's Eve

You can check out the Gaming World topic here or view the game's profile on RpgMaker.net in future. For now you can download it in GW topic, but hopefully soon in RMN, too!

I hope you enjoy the game, have a happy Halloween!

~A new Asc video coming very soon btw!

A... major update?

2008-09-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

Finally! I solved my pc problems ... rather quick? (running fixes and stuff for 3 days :S ) Now I can continue on the project again!

Today I've got plenty of things to show you, so let's get started!

0.1 New Logo and Title Screen
0.2 Complete Story Synopsis
0.3 Latest Screens
0.4 The Game Systems
0.5 More Character Art
0.6 New Soundtrack Pieces
0.7 What about the demo?
0.8 You can help!
(Remember that you can view the pictures in their actual sizes by clicking them. <_<)

0.1 New Logo and Title Screen

This is a logo DonCreek made for the project. It might still undergo some color changes whatsoever, but I'm grateful for his effort! Thanks Don! ( Visit Don's blog! )

And this here is updated version of the actual title screen. And I also found unique sounds for the menu cursors, yay.

0.2 Complete Story Synopsis

Finally as I promised a (too) long time ago, here's finally a proper story synopsis of the project:

Today, I will tell you the story of Ascendence.

The story of a time when our world was still vast and wide, enveloped in mysteries like the soil under our feet, the growing of green grass shrouded by the morning mist. A time when mankind could only hope to grasp even the smallest glimpse of the wonder they were born right in the middle of, by craning their dreams over the walls of Colonies towering over them, covering the horizon… and covering tomorrow.

A time of despair, yet also of hope, in the soaring dreams of those with courage to walk with their backs straight in the cage their people were driven into. Structures of scrap iron and steam that could crumble into dust, the siege of the ferocious Beasts; aspects of daily life that would devour the people due to even the smallest hint of naivety, leaving only ruins as memories of the lost civilization for the future.

But where our actual story begins is in a city, standing firm from a time far before New Time; the era of an amazing new type of energy called steam-power, the likes of which were harnessed in this very city.

Hardship, fervour, dreams, labour... rising against the odds and winning the favour. Mankind's achievements rewarded them with momentum, striking a new generation out on iron steeds. Blowing steam out of their horns, they rode through the barren landscape, seeking an oasis of shelter for their kind, like an oak spreading its roots in the soil to sustain its life.

The years that went by all but wore the nest the new blood had left, driving the last inhabitants with a thirst for knowledge of strength, to stand unshaken in the new wind of expeditions. Decay, acquaintance, betrayal, salvation, and the birth of Ascendance.

Decades flew and became centuries, acorns sprouted and flourished into Colonies. The old oak has withered.

A loved child, born in the heart of crowded, busy streets, returns to his origins after many lost years, now wearing the cross of adulthood, and rumours of menace and despair, corrupting the streets he has yearned to return to for years. Where once it was time to depart, now the time comes to return… yet it is twice as difficult for a man made a Deviant, an outcast of Colony.

Cyrus Kellan returns to home, the Kaskar Colony, after a long journey. Back to the familiar steam-filled streets, where he now finds himself surrounded by unfamiliar faces, glaring eyes, rumours and whispers. The place he once called home has changed into a strange new adventure, both familiar and unfamiliar, as he runs into his childhood friend Lenna at his own doorstep.

The raging Beasts, the oozing miasma... the dark lanterns in the night throwing shadows of deception upon the streets of the Colonies. The stories they would once strain their ears in the night to catch when they were children... revealing their hideous nature before their very eyes. That which reveals itself to be only a part of everyday life in the world of Colonies offers Cyrus the Deviant only questions. Soon, Cyrus finds himself in the ranks of the Kaskar Armed Forces with Lenna, seeking hope and answers to put all their questions to rest. The answers they receive come at high cost, and offer nothing but yet more questions, until Cyrus meets his counterpart: Quinn Dasstar, an ambitious young man sharing similar goals to Cyrus. Together, they become a successful working pair on the surface, receiving critical acclaim and praise. Little do they know they will only mingle deeper into the meshes of hazards on their task to bring hope for the citizens of the Colonies... and soon drift into a momentous incident which is to change their future, and the future of everyone else, for the rest of their lives.

Thanks to Christo for helping to fix the text so that you can make sense out of it. :)

03. Latest screens

An updated version of the battles. See the small HP and PSI icons, eh. The "OK" status is still most likely going to change. I've already made most of the game status effects also. I gave them nice colors and made custom icons for each of them.

And this is screen of the latest area I've made, the road on Everbreeze Plateau. It features Quinn
and his subordinate, Gigara. Shungo left the scene already.

Yeah there aren't much new screens to be shown. :/ I've been directing scenes, planning and working the systems, and planned more depth for the story parts.

0.4 The Game Systems

Talking about systems, I should update an in-depth post about them sometime, but I haven't thought all the details for all of the systems yet. The systems I've planned for the game currently, are:

"Field Abilities" and "Field Menu." = Each character has their unique skill that can be used anywhere to help with puzzles and etc. similiar way to Wild Arms. The "Field Menu" is the menu that pops up whenever you hit cancel. In "Field Menu" you can change the character, access the Main Menu, Psi Grid, Statistics and RMC. Here's a preview of the layout I've made and have been scripting lately:

"Psi Grid" = is a system where you can spend Psi Points that you earn from the battles. You must choose a Psi Ability you wish the character to learn and after you purchase it, it unlocks 4 separate status boosts around it, which you may purchase as well if you wish. The Psi Abilities form a grid - as you purchase one ability, it unlocks 4 status ups around it, and also a path to next ability as well. Here's an early and rough preview of the menu. I haven't spent so much time to working it yet:

The icons will change as well as the layout, some colors and etc. It's also missing a lot of icons, layers, colors and general design.

"Reputation System" = your actions during the game may earn you postive or negative reputation among any of the Colonies existing in the gameworld.

"Career Ranking System" = When you work in AF, your rank goes up and down depending how you succeed in your missions, exams and training at the facilities.

Enhanced Default Battle System = You don't have a default "Attack command" in your battle commands, that you'd have to spam to get rid of the enemies. Instead, the Attack command you will have, is a skill set that holds different type attacks that are effective against different type enemies. Each of the characters will also have their unique battle command, which differs on each of the characters. Some of the characters learn their new "Attack Commands" by using their unique battle command in different circumstances. All the characters may also learn Psi Abilities from the Psi Menu, and use them in the battle, depending on which type Synth Gear they've equipped.

Synth Gear System = You may equip different type of Synth Gears to one of your character's equipment slots. Synth Gear is a device that holds two type of basic elements inside it. To create Synth Gears you need to bring different type of loot from monster to a special store, and extract elements from them to create the Synth Gear. With some element combinations you may create a third element to the Synth Gear, and when you equip this Synth Gear to a character, you may use three elements instead of just two.

Weapon Upgrade System = Characters have their unique weapons and in order to upgrade your weapons, you need to bring different type of materials to a special stores, in order to make your weapon better.

RMC = RMC is a special connecting device similiar to the phone we know. You may call to important NPCs throughout the game and inform them about important events, warn them, ask for favors, etc.

"Action Command System" During any dialogue and other game events, your character performs different actions if you hit the action button at the correct time when an exclamanation mark appears, allowing diverse outcomes for the event.

That should be most of the systems planned and implented this far.

0.5 More Character Art
Here's few character pictures I did a quite a while ago, but never posted. All of them Aren't fully complete, but anyway, yeah.

The characters are from top to -> bottom: Carol, Maestra and Yude. I'll do the actual character profiles in a later update when I've drawn all of the portaits.

0.6 New Soundtrack Pieces
Here's three new soundtrack pieces I recommend them to listen who are interested!
The New Main Theme
- Originally by Kawai Kenji
Another General Theme
- Originally by Kiyoshi Yoshida
Another Action Theme
- Originally by Koji Hayama

Yeah there! I hope they give you somekind of idea of the game atmosphere. If you haven't, you should also check the other soundtrack pieces from an older blog post.

0.7 What about the demo?

The first and last "official demo" I am ever going to release is going to cover many hours of playability and is probably going to be released sometime next year I hope. However, I will upload a shorter demo, too, for those who want to get a somekind of early first impression.
That demo I'm aiming to release during this year and things I have to complete before I can release it, would be:

-Direct Everbreeze scenes
-Direct capital city scenes and add the NPCs there.
-Remake the AF training at the capital and redirect the scenes.
-Make a small town located near to the capital and direct few scenes there.
-Direct the scenes for the road to Central Base that has already been made.
-Finish the water caves and direct the scenes for that place.
-Add all the monsters, balance the battles and other database stuff.
-Complete the systems required for the first demo.

After those things have been done, I'll have some people beta it, and then I'll release the first demo. Patience untill then!

0.8 You can help!
So yeah, I hope you enjoyed the updates of today! I'll try to get some new video and some stuff about the battles sometime!

Oh and one request for all of you. There's one thing you can all help me with. I gladly take in any ideas about what would be fun to do in a game! (Playability-wise) I mean... any puzzles, minigames or such! For example let's say you like to hurt innocent little animals, there, that's an idea you could submit!

Cheers~

Update sometime sooh.. hopefully

2008-09-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

Well well, haven't updated the blog for a while, but I've been planning to do it very soon. However now I ran into problems with my computer when trying to install windows XP service pack 3, eh. Some errors popped up during the install, it canceled itself and now some files are damaged and windows is kind of half-functional only. For example, my current RAM capacity shows 0 because of the damaged file, etc.

I'll continue the project as soon as I get my pc fixed. :s For now the highest priority is to back it up somewhere before I run to more problems. If nothing else helps, I just need to re-install windows and shit. I'll need to do a lot of backuping...

'nother video

2008-06-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

To be honest, I wasn't directly working the game itself during the past week! Instead, this is what I finished for Rpg Rpg Revolution mountain mapping contest.

Missed my chance to take part in the GW one. There would've been plenty good competition.

Anyway yeah, I hope you like the vid, because I'm going to add that place somewhere in Ascendence. Haven't really fit it in yet, but I'm sure I'll find it a place somewhere in the game.

Well, that's all for now. I'll try to throw few more articles after the weekend.

Not really an update, but...

2008-06-14T06:56:00.000-07:00

Heyas. Haven't really posted updates for a while, but that doesn't mean the game wouldn't be worked on.

I'm currently fixing up everything that has been done 'till now, and kinda polising the game to a certain point, where I was planning to have uh, a small "test version." Not really a demo yet, but something that has to go to our editor.

Keep an eye out for the blog though, because sometime soon we'll be posting (either me or Christo) entries of the battle system, story synopsis and maybe even some details of the "Psi Grid" (lacking proper name) and Synth Core systems and other custom features such as the Action System, Field Abilities or weapon customization.

Maybe we'll throw a few more character artsies or soundtrack pieces too, if anybody really is interested about those. ~_~

Oh! Though, I've got a new video coming soon, too! Around 19th or 23th of July probs..

Well, see ya!

Cave Screens!

2008-05-20T22:05:00.001-07:00

Well, since that I'm still working the watery caves leading to the AF Central Base, why not post some more screens of the place. I finally added some plants and used the green groundtile to fill the cave a bit more, so that it wouldn't look so bare anymore. It's getting there.

Tho the monsters are still missing and some logs laying around that can be moved by kicking. I'll add those bits once the entire caves are done.

Click the images for original sizes:

And don't worry, the caves are huge, just few screens won't cover everything to be seen in the caves. Geez, gotta finish the last third bit so I get to work the Central Base!

Screens, Characters 'n Music

2008-05-17T07:43:00.000-07:00

As I promised, it's time to post some of the character lineart, game screens and soundtrack pieces.

First of all, I'm not quite fond of 320x240 screens. I personally prefer the 640x480 size while playing. And other thing concerning these screens is that the dungeon screens are still lacking monsters and puzzles and the city and worldmap generally some objects and NPCs.

Battle screens and such will come a bit later once I've received Christo's latest work.

And next, here's a preview of the character lineart.

This guy's Cyrus Kellan, he's the maincharacter. His lineart isn't complete yet. Lacks some detail as well as his chest.

And the other one here is Quinn Dasstar, his 'counterpart'. His collar needs some fixing.

The character artsies are probably going to get colored at some point too, but at least not by me. Not good enough at that. :(

And for last but not least, the soundtrack.
We're not aiming to have a custom soundtrack, because few commercial soundtracks set the perfect mood for the game. The soundtrack consists of songs from various series and games, but the main influence comes from work of Norikazu Miura, Koji Hayama, Hayato Matsuo and Sato Naoki.

Here's a preview of some of the soundtrack.

The main theme
The Worldmap
The battle theme
One of the Armed Forces themes
One of the action themes

Another blog dedicated for an RM game, yay!

2008-05-17T04:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome to brand new web blog of Ascendence, which happens to be an Rpg Maker 2003 game.

Yeah I know, "oh no, another blog for an RM game", but I'd say blog's a considerable way to infrom about a progress of the game, thus why this was created!

Right now Rei's writing, so try to bare with my engrish/reingrish. I'll see if I can get Christo to write entries at some point, too.

Anyway, "So what's Ascendence?", you're asking.

It's pretty fresh Rm2k3 game, which I got idea for from a scratch , in beginning of '08. Even so, most of the small ideas, etc are concluding into this project. It's kind of project where we finally get to implent everything we couldn't earlier, and have some fun. It's definitely going to be a game which we developers would love to play too, rather than just creating the game for the audience.

"We? So who are working this game?"

For now there is 4 persons on this project. Me, Christophomicus, Silvercrow and King of Games. The story backround setting, plot, characters and such have been written by me with some assistance from Silvercrow and major help from Christo. The game will be mostly directed by me and Christo. Mapping done by me, Christo, and King of Games who is possibly also doing some sprite work, which has been one of my tasks by this far (and Christo's frankenspriting..) Well anyway, I'm not going to credit everything here and now, but to give a rough idea of who are developing this game.

"So, what is the game about?"

Here's only a brief info of the backround setting for now. More details of the plot as soon as we start advertising the game properly.

Anyway, the story of Ascendence is character driven plot and it takes place in a world where the mankind is striven to live in a small colonies varying from a beautiful city built in middle of the ocean to underground industrial city, hi-tech steampowered colony, colonies built on the surface but protected by huge walls from the hostile outer world, where few dare to take a step into.

The technology is driven by steampower, but lately assisted by newkind of powersources, which scientists devote all their time to discover. The only safe transportation between the colonies are trains which are secured by the Armed Forces soldiers, who take the responsibility
of the overall security of the colonies anyway. The colonies are independent, but may form alliances, market trades and etc. It is the year when it is turn of the capital colony to present the chairman of the yearly Colonial Negotiation again. And this particular capital colony, Kaskar, is also the starting point of the game. ~

Yeah I know. Not very informative or special yet, but we'll come with more well written information later on which also gives some information of the actual plot or characters. It may seem as if the project wouldn't have much substance at all yet, but to be honest, we've got pretty much everything planned out and there isn't many unknown factors for us anymore. As soon as we've got our major custom systems complete, all the factors of the game should be stable enough for us to begin some little advertising and to release a demo.

Hmm, this was supposed to be a kind of introduction post, but I lost the general direction of it already! Anyway, that's all for now, just a little brief info. I'll post some screens, character art and preview of the soundtrack style soon'ish.