Paragons: Year of the Ebony Crown

[JayRay]

Bumping to 1.01

Major change in battle, going to an active Front View Battle System...

With this change, i WILL be having the 20 different main characters all available, and around 72 of the characters to create your own path, so there WILL be another mode after all. This brings the total number of characters able to be used in the game to a whopping 92!!!!

Take that ULTIMA!

[MetalRenard]

You're sliightly crazy, but I like the way you think. :P

[JayRay]

why thank you! ... er, uh, I think.

[JayRay]

Bump

Well, it appears that rendering is going well, and looking forward to speeding up gameplay considerably, I should have some screenshots soon.

[JayRay]

BUMP

As Paragon is now a copyright trademark of Epic Games, I will be changing the name of the game again, and I feel that going forward, I will need to concentrate on name unique enough to not be trademarked elsewhere unless I'm the one doing it, and be lore-friendly enough to get the job done.

* So, as creating Themed sets will be in the future, I'm going to be working on parallax sheets of repetitive shapes so that I can create massive dungeons using the idea of Hime's "Map Folders" to create multiple versions of my game, save those maps directly into the main game folder. Here's how that breaks down.

Games like Skyrim, Fallout 4, Oblivion, Dragon Age, and others don't actually map the entire dungoen or path based on one coninuous mesh. It'd be practically impossible. Likewise, putting custom events and textures on large maps of 300x300 can become problematic. However, with that being said... Skyrim might have a cavernous piece that angles down and around to a door, go through the door, and you open into the rest of the room, which was added to the map using their own engine and the 'puzzle' pieces they needed to get their map to work. A Disc folder can include 300 variations of map types for a given location, and then used to create the OTHER folders needed to generate a location map. Once a map has been replicated from the original map piece, unique stylings can be added to make this particular hallway and dungeon section can be stylized for that particular situation (quest holder)

As there are planned to be over 300 locations within the game now possibly named 'Kharis: Epics of the Second World' this could make for several LARGE folders, but as textures and graphic resources are shared throughout all the maps, the maps themselves will only be reference to a given parallax, or given set of events to work with, and maybe a certain set of textures for tiles.

*As RMVXAce has a limited tileset, I have found a way to maximize the ability to customize dwellings by studying how autotiling works and creating maps that have the specific autotile combinations already created so that I can simply shiftclick my way to some tilesets. This won't be as prevalent, for ground tiles, but I believe that I DO need to set up tiling again in a way that best fits what I'm trying to accomplish, a good amalgum between tiling and parallax. If I can't tile anything I WILL engd going to a specific eventing and parallaxing map system.

Often when creating tiles, I heard that my blocks look too square. I wanted to add some angles to tiles, and vastly increase my tileset stylings. A set that I purchased from Pioneer Valley Games has a vast amount of items for me to use, but they are all combined in one tileset, so, I am grabbing each set, each stylings, and creating versions of that tileset to create more create customization for those types of tilesets... Screenshots promised to follow.

*There's been a big emphasis across bridging the gap between working with DaVinci sprites or having some sort of visual equipment script. Seems daunting but I would definitely be interested in partnering with someone who would want to spritesheet various renders I have created and create a new template style. As it stands right now, I have a ton of sprites specifically from the PVG sets purchased, so I think that visual equipment modules may be out of the question.

*Still redesigning the Item menu to take advantage of Yanfly's "Ace Item Menu" to give the items more of an MMO appearance. As I'll be using pictures, I can add extra information for Items specifically on miniature cards, and then of course have the nodes for specific game rulles for status effects, HP/MP heals. I can also use it to add more depth information (Lore and fluff)

* Working on a new questing graphic overhall of Modern Algebras "Quest Journal" to match the aesthetic of the other screens. Again, screenshots to follow.

*Finally, even though battles WILL be set up Front Style Battle systems, there WILL be some emphasis on showing those monsters and enemies on the map. Therefore, most probably, there will NOT be a surprise Battle mode within the game, but enemies can be Stealthed (opacity of zero) and become more visible as they rush on the player.

So, while the project may be very much alive, still no demo to show for it yet.

[DerVVulfman]

RPGMaker VXAce is not my scene. But determining if enemies (or events) are in range and changing character (or Game_CharacterBase) opacities for your 'stealthy' enemies is JUST my thing. Expect a PM. Hope ya like it.

Took all of two minutes.

[JayRay]

Paragons: Year of the Ebony Crown


Welcome to Kharis-Yeshar, or rather the eastern lands of the New Lands, Calenthya, where the 7 kingdoms of the Pact of Swords lie in revolt, war, and outright defiance of the invading Shak-razul of the southwest, against the Khan of Time, the Khan of Deception, whose forces move in shadows and on stone, in robes of fire, and armor of iron. Take up the guidarm, the flag, the mantle of your nation, guild, or Yah himself, against the forces of darkness and the principalities in the highest of places. Courts and Courtiers, Guilds and Guildmasters, and malevolent forces stir in this story-driven action RPG by John Timmons.

The Game
===================
What first started as simply an idea of a group of outcasts thrust into a heroic fight against an invading force has evolved into Paragons: Year of the Ebony Crown. Instead of choosing various characters with set backstories, I wanted Paragons to have sort of a Elder Scrolls style storyline, where even though the main quest will always be predominant, there will be side quests to embellish your character build and enjoy a 2d style open RPG. After character creation, which by itself will be a multi-faceted process, you can choose to follow your path or build enough skill in it to transfer over to fringe paths. There will be 6 classes to start with, with the ability to fringe into the other 5 classes or path upward into a Paragon path for your class. In addition to classes, there are also guilds and factions in which you can raise rankings in.

What I envision, through the MV engine, is a CG-Textured, 2.5d Orthographic projection game space, using 3d rendered assets using programs like Daz3d, Bryce, and Cinema4d. Where possible, all models have been purchased through companies like Arteria3d, Renderosity, Daz3d, or obtained through creative Commons agreements through Opengameart.com

3d Models in a 2d world
======================
As you may or may not know, Tilesets in RMMV, VXAce, or VX for that matter are limited. What sets RMMV aside from the previous RPG Makers is the ability to add a layer from tiles B-E ontop of another tile from those tilesets to allow for seemless integration of different tiles. This means that with one tileset, a vast array of different house pieces and side pieces, fronts and windows can be placed with varied references on the tile system. On top of that, variation is the key, so by using Reallusion's Iclone and Daz3d, I will be adding house templates that will allow for different house types, from thatch roofed farm houses, to the Tudor style, stone front-front faces and even castle sections, fort walls, and more, outside the blocky nature of the Tileset A. I will be reserving Tile A for Elevations, Terrain, and subtexturing above the parallax template.

What is planned are over 80 variations of flora, 120 rock structures, and bits and doodads for a natural scene, or in the city, things, like bits and pieces of cobblestone, broken stones, moss, slime, even wood boards and refuse will be rendered into 2d for the map setting. Now, with all that meticulous texturing, you may think "what about the parallax layer?" Well I'm glad you asked about that...

Parallaxing Supertiles
=====================
at 48x48 per tile, you really have to think outside the box if you want to have a huge open-world map... Inasuch, I decided that I want to have base elements, (Grass, Desert, Rock, Desert, Marsh, Jungle) as Seamless 1920x1920 maps. This way, The parallaxes of base textures can be overlapped, looped and such to allow for VAST tracts of land that appear to be parallaxed. Smaller maps at 1920x1920 will allow for a transition from one to another without the hassle of trying to add a parallax map for each distinct map I am trying to make. I could ahve used the Slepinir Layer system, but this doesn't truly allow me to see what I'm doing in the editor.

Lights, Camera, Actors!
======================
Using Terrax Lighting System, I plan to have tons of light sources, to add to the ambiance of internal scenes without the need of a parallax overlay. I also plan to use a camera system by SoulPour777, called Camera Scroll EX to allow for movement to different events and sections within the maps of play. For actors? Actors will behave as actors do but with a pixel perfect movement script and spritesets by Pioneer Valley Games, I can go even further into the movement, breaking free of the tiles and cardinal up/down/left right. That, combined with other elements like dynamic actor sprites allows for literally thousands of combinations of different characters. Characters are made smaller, to be on par with previous sets by Pioneer Valley Games, and are typically less than two RMMV tiles tall.

A Vast World...
======================
In an attempt to create a large world environment, I'll be using the the Zeriab Extra Maps plugin for RMMV and Mr. Trivel's node travel to make sure that the world allows for more hours of viable game time and travel.

Quests and Sidequests
======================
There will be quests, and a ton of them, all kept in journals that will easily be able to accessed from a quest journal. Whether I plan to have a seperation between the main quest journal, sidequests, and radiant quests is uncertain, but there will definitely be an emphasis on experience and fame points for those main quests. In addition to quests, hunting for puzzle pieces and recipies for non-written quests can help with immersion. (Spending an hour to get enough wolf pelts to create a set of Wolfpelt Leather Armor for instance)(Spending an hour mining, smelting and casting a suit of Glasteel Cuirass)(Hunting down enough herbs to create an herbal poultice or ingredients for a blank scroll) It's assumed that you should be able to make in game everything that can be sold in game. Items should also be able to be enchanted and modified.

Changes to Items, Status, Save/Load, Equipment and Shop Screens
================================================================
Thanks to Yanfly's item and shop screens, a more versatile view of each item can be shown, and I like this, especially with the use of BSD_OtherIconSet by Bsides, I can actually show a true picture of the other icon, in whatever size I deem fit. I also want to use simple window changes to ensure the uniqueness of each window, in addition, each scene will ahve its own distinctive background, adding to the richness and immersion of the game.

Location, Location, and Location
=================================
I wanted more locations than your standard RPG game, and more plotpoints too. Starting with a small amount of fast travel locations given depending on the race, kingdom, and professional affiliation, the player can 'happen upon' various other locations by first walking to them. In addition, for the completists in all of us, every location discovered will add to the world discovery.

A library of knowledge!
=======================
I was going to use Kino's EIS Librarium, but while the plugin has tons of options to work with, it doesn't address flagging the book so that map locations and clues can be "learned" by reading the book. This is crucial for the so called "Speak Friend and Enter" idea, where a book tells you how you can learn it. I want this to happen so badly, where map locations and more are LEARNED from various books and scrolls, skills are added, even profession points are earned. SO, with that said, unless I find another version, this will instead be done with common events, that cycle through pictures and ensure that the player can move from page to page and "read" the clues.

Perks? Like Them?
=======================
I think having a skill wheel/perk bonuses map will help with character progression, but am unsure which system to actually use for RPG Maker MV. I'm thinking of everything from an actual perks system, to an equipment materia style system ALA Final Fantasy VII.

Battle the old fashioned way.
==============================
I don't believe I will be using a Active Battle System, instead opting for a SV battle system or a front battle system. I have to say I'm actually fond of the front view battle systems, and will be working with a Moghunter front view system.


Animations and Particles
=======================
Using LexusX' Animation 180 pack allows for an incredible array of new and unique animations that match up quite well with the overall immersion of the game.

Storyline
=======================
"Year of the Ebony Crown" will follow one of 16 characters through a set of scenarios as the Meredian princess, must flee the throne room before her coronation after her father, King Hyvaron Mascul is defeated and killed in the concurrent seige of Merede's Ebonraven Castle, the seat of the province, by the warlord Gaschim Dral, a deserting chieftain of Eastern Jemiscra. In addition to determining your main character, you can choose up to three others, all from different walks of like, and begin your quests. Now depending on the path you've chosen, the other 16 heroes can be discovered and traded out in your party.

Merede shares the continent with six other nations called together in a loosely based alliance called the Pact of Swords. These provinces are free to war with one another, but seldom do, instead unifying their forces against the Khan of Time's forces, in the kingdoms outside the Pact. In addition, there are several other factions that consider themselves outside the pact and free of the confines.

The Nations of the Pact
========================
Sharistae - Hugging the eastern shoreline of Calenthya, Sharista is often referred to as the Silver Coast, both for the high concentrations of Silver ore, as well as the devotion to an agent of Yah, Aaliana, the Silvermaiden. Ruled by Queen Ariste Dhamaer, Sharista bolsters a grand navy whose armada is unrivaled and helps repel any attacks from the old lands of Yesharya. Queen Ariste's rule is only rivalled by a rebellious province in the north called the Starthrone Brotherhood, who in a great seige took Sharistae's northernmost city of Kharlae, as well as the Isle of Saraava.

Merede- Merede is a feudal land ruled once by King Hyvaron Mascul until his assasination in 1512 AR. Beseiged by warlords in the west seeking glory and riches, from the north by Haz-Reydi cheiftains, and in the east by the draconic thralls of the Spine-Thorn, Merede struggles to assert dominance in its own lands, much less to help beleagured nations like Gharail to the south, and Jemiscra to the west, as the brunt of rebellious warlords in Jemiscra's eastern lands make travel and commerce difficult at best.

Jemiscra - The Empire of Jemiscra, once one of the reatest and feared empires of the entirety of Calenthya, is now in ruin, the Three Kings of power splintering their views into three disctinct factions, each loosely coming together only in matters of state, and each seeking resolutions that give them power over the other two. Warlords hae even sought there own power, as they feel they are loosely allegiant only to the lands of Jemiscra, not the bickering royals.

New Jede - Enjoying the power vacuum left behind, New Jede has annexed and liquidated several surrounding provinces, in hopes of gaining the power and prestige that Sharista in the far east currently hold, Currently ruled by Vath Ryvari, Holder of the Chalice, New Jede, otherwise known as Jedea, was founded and settled by the direct survivors from Jede in the Old Lands during the Third Reckoning. New Jede is also primarily elven in population, being one of the largest such bastions of high elven power in the land.

Haz-Reyd - In sharp contrast to the High Elves of New Jede, Haz-Reyd is the bastion of the Red Elves, the Reydi, who revere and are ruled by a Dragon King called Khar-Haz, or "Arm of Haz". The Haz-Reyd are very tribal by nature, and more warlike then their counterparts from several centuries earlier. Their main seat of power, Haz-Varak or "Heart of Haz" is actually the ashen field of a now extinct volcano. It is believes that beneath the volcano's caldera, lies the actual citadel where Khar-Haz rules, but outsiders are very seldomly invited in, and much less are allowed to look upon the revered leader.

Sorason - Known as the Crystal North, Sorason lies to the northwest of Jemiscra, and bolsters a cold environment, and a tough, hearty populace of humans who don't worry as much about the fight against the Khan, instead with battling the throngs of Orcs from the various clans within their holds.

Gharail - Known as the Lion of Calenthya, Gharail is ruled by the high Paladin of Yah, Marson Dramiir, who commands his forces well. However, forces plot against the Lion Crest, like the denizens of the three Sisters of Malice, Adra, Siithra, and Veshari. Steep in superstition and lore, Gharail has tracts of lands that do not revere Yah, but instead rely on the dark ways of the sisters, and seek not only Marson's downfall, but the removal of Yah's worship from all of Gharail.


Main Characters (coming)
Main Protagonists (coming)
Weapons, Armor, and Sprites (coming)

Screenshots (coming)