It's been about two months since my last update. You can probably imagine why the final segment of the game - the run-up to the final battle - would require some special work. I had to make sure everything was being tied together, and the narrative was sufficiently driving the player toward the climax I wanted (although without being too heavy-handed). Most of the groundwork had been done, but there was some dialogue that needed to be polished. And one of the difficulties was a result of my decision to give the player more freedom in this final portion of the game, to choose who among the playable characters to recruit (including any combination from all seven of them to none but the main protagonist) for the final challenge.
On top of that, I also spent a good bit of time developing a little further one early section of the final dungeon - adding in as many as six new maps - to make it a little more complex and less straightforward. I think it will be a lot more fun to explore now. Anyway, it's more in line with my original concept, which was loosely inspired by the archetypal Death Mountain sequence from early Zelda games. Additionally, while procrastinating on doing some of the above, I've already started some preliminary work for the next phase of my game, and also spent a lot of time implementing an optional device that will allow the player to see hidden passages (a classic mechanic for this style of game, which I have not over-used, but am happy to include as part of the overall experience). I'm undecided yet as to whether to provide it to the player as a sort of handicap, or else to withhold it until such time as the player has earned it as a reward. But either way, it works like a charm. (I just wish RPG Maker had better functionality of this kind for equippable items)...
Finally, I've begun the very early stages of working on the ending (it kind of flows organically from fleshing out the dramatic elements of the final battle), but that's definitely something that's going to require a LOT of work. I think what makes the most sense is for me to continue chipping away at it even as I move on to the next phase - which is getting battle encounters to work. Ultimately, that will culminate in a game with working combat (and between that and the ending, that's really all that's left for me to do - but both of those are huge undertakings). But the first step will be the superficial skeleton of having encounters with actual enemies, even if you can't truly fight them properly. Who knows, I might even reach that milestone by this Memorial Day! No promises - sometimes things just take more time than you expect them to; and besides, life is still happening all the while. But as time keeps on slipping into the future, mortality has a way of impressing itself upon you with ever greater urgency, as you get older and more and more people you know head for the great beyond. I've worked too hard and too long not to have something to show for it (whatever that amounts to in the end), and I'm as committed as ever to reaching the finishing line. Hopefully sooner rather than later (whatever that means, 12+ years into this journey).
Dragonfaith (Pacifism 8.5) - Distant Shores
Download (433 MB): Windows
