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[Released] Phoenix Rising

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10,673
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15
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  • Age 30
  • Seen Dec 30, 2023







The Phoenix Shall Rise Again

About this Project

Phoenix Rising is an upcoming free fan-made episodic Pokémon RPG developed using RPG Maker XP and the Pokémon Essentials engine. The game is set in a new region known as 'Hawthorne' and will boast changes to the original main-series Pokémon formula to include a more traditional RPG theme as well as many new features.



Release
Phoenix Rising will have an Episodic release schedule with the first Episode releasing on May 25th 2018. Episode One will be considered a "demo". Subsequent releases will be announced in the future.
Platforms
This game is primarily being released on Windows, with a Mac version also in the works. It is anticipated that platforms other than Windows will come after the initial launch.
Languages
The game is primarily being developed in English however there are plans to translate it to various other languages. These translations are anticipated to be available after the English release.
Price
Phoenix Rising does not have an available download yet. When it does, it will be free and always will be. We are not accepting donations or money in return for the game.


THE WAR THAT WAGES
For hundreds of years the Council of Oracles have maintained peace in Hawthorne. They established after a great war seen a revolution overthrow their tyrannical king. However there are many who believe the Oracles have become complacent and detached. Their integrity is challenged by a family led by a man who calls himself "King" claiming to have descended from Royal Blood -- the true heir to sovereignty. The Royal Family promises to unite Hawthorne and develop it into a powerful force among larger nations. Despite their oppressive distant past people are beginning to flock to the side of the Royal Family. It is time for the High Oracle Anastasia to reunite her Council and regain their grip of peace, or surrender to the pages of history opening once more.
THE PHOENIX RISING
The region of Hawthorne was, at one time, a land torn asunder by war and suffering. Its people despaired in the face of such destruction, crying out for a savior. In a sign of divine acknowledgment, the Legendary Ho-oh soared across the sky; its feathers rained down to the people below and blessed the earth. Similar legends of the winged savior are told in many cultures; however, the people of Hawthorne have traditionally believed that Ho-oh would one day be resurrected to fight alongside a powerful Trainer and unite their nation once more. This is the legend of the Phoenix Rising. Although the memory of this tale has slipped from the public eye, it is in times of strife that these memories recapture the imagination of a people.
Choice & Consequence
As the hero, your mission will require you to make tough choices. Rarely will you be required to make a decision which has simple choices between good and evil. In a morally ambiguous world; your choices can affect the fate of others in different ways. Pokémon: Phoenix Rising features multiple endings that result from the choices you make throughout the game. Your decisions have an impact on how this war wages and who remains on top. With three penultimate epilogues, and various end-world states Pokémon: Phoenix Rising offers much replayability.
University
Only the best and the brightest receive acceptance to Trinita University, the Hawthorne region's premier establishment of education. The School offers several disciplines focusing on Pokémon Battling, Pokémon Breeding, and all around knowledgeable adventuring. As a newly enrolled student you will choose what you study, your choice affects your gameplay. The discipline you choose will affect your skill tree and the perks you can obtain in the game. Trinita University will serve as a new home for you during your journey. A place to return to for new quests, to stock up or just to chat with characters you've met along the way.


STORY


In a war torn nation, you'll take on your most important call -- to unite the Oracles against a force greater than the world has ever seen.





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Screenshots


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Characters


Just some of the characters you'll meet in Episode One of Phoenix Rising.​

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Perrin
A new friend you meet along your journey, Perrin is a drifter, with a love for exploring and self-experience. They are stifled by polite society or traditional education, and they feel most comfortable outdoors, while surrounded by unfamiliar flora and fauna. Travelling is a joy to them, cooking their own meals and setting up camp, and travelling is easiest for them without company. Perrin puts much weight on their independence from society.
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Lin
Another character you meet along your journey through Hawthorne. Lin is an inhabitant of Sonata Town living alone, she is still affected by the tragic loss of her sister some years past. When the player first meets Lin, they have an interesting encounter that sets the pace for a friendship that never borders upon rivalry. As a reoccurring character, Lin brings some fun stories and new angles to various events which make the player's journey much more wholesome.
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Regan
Regan is a member of the Council of Hawthorne, an Oracle of great strength. She wields Dragon-type Pokémon with enormous efficacy. Regan grew up in Cornell City, a town which now idolizes their former citizen. Having grown up surrounded by mountains and rough terrain, Regan has developed a sense of location and a survivalist streak. She feels a kinship with powerful, misunderstood Pokémon, as something of a loner herself.






Features


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Choice Determined Gameplay
The decisions you make during the main quest and side-quests will have various outcomes. Rarely is it ever a simple choice between good and bad - in a morally grey world there is never an easy answer.
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Character Customisation
Change your outfit and your skin tone to resemble the hero you want to play as. Unlock new outfits as you play, and mix and match clothing! You're the hero, express your individuality.
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Skill Trees
Skills trees allow you to unlock "talents". You achieve talent points as you play, You can spend them on new perks to suit your play style. Trinita University will help you unlock more skills!




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Quest System
You will encounter people who are in need of your help. They may not be on the path of your main adventure but each one holds a story. Track quests using your journal and choose to help them - or not!
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Multiple Save Files
Whether you're making different decisions in this playthrough or simply want to choose a different starter Pokémon this time around - you'll be able to do so without deleting your previous saves!
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PokéStrap
The PokéStrap is a key item you receive during your adventure. Packed with useful applications and utilities - it should surely help you during your adventure. You can always toggle it on or off if you wish to!




New Mega Evolutions & Formes



Let's Play Mode


Something we always wanted to deliver for Pokémon: Phoenix Rising is a full PC game experience. As a team we've all played fan games and loved them. However there was a common theme throughout, and that was a small screen that takes up a small amount of your monitor. So this is our answer, a whole new full screen option we name the "Let's Play Mode"!

The mode was inspired by Let's Players who take advantage of the entire screen with elements such as current Pokémon in their party, current location, and so on. We decided we would do something similar. The Let's Play Mode or "LP Mode" for short, has several features. In the center you have your game screen. So the action is always right in front of you. To each side of your game screen there are multiple GUI elements that aid you in your game, you can see your Party and their current health and status, your registered items and what button each of them are mapped to, your region map and where you're currently located, and plenty more.








Relic Forms
Interwoven in the tension between Oracles, the Royal Family, and indeed the inhabitants of Hawthorne, is the mysterious appearance of these alternative Pokémon forms. Even stranger is that so called "Relic Pokémon" are quite rare compared to their more well documented base forms which are still found in the wild.

Having only appeared recently, nobody seems sure where they have come from or why. There are whispers that link them back to Ho-oh, and the war that ravaged Hawthorne so many years past...






Pokémon © The Pokémon Company | Original work - 2017 © The Phoenix Rising Team & Credits
All visuals & features are subject to change















 
Last edited by a moderator:
10,673
Posts
15
Years
  • Age 30
  • Seen Dec 30, 2023

FAQ

Q: When will the game be released?


We are aiming to release a demo in early 2018. This will be Episode 1 of the game. Subsequent releases will be announced at a future date. Read more about why this fan game takes time.

Q: What will Pokémon: Phoenix Rising be playable on?



We are officially developing for PC, and working on a native port for Mac users also. Further down the line we will be considering ports to other devices, however we are not ready to confirm whether or not other systems will be possible.

Q: Will there be other languages?


We are focusing on English for now, but we will do our best to translate to as many languages as possible.

Q: Do you need translators?


Not just yet, but when we do we'll be sure to let you know!

Q: What is this game being developed with?


We are creating Phoenix Rising using the RPG Maker XP program, which uses RGSS as a scripting language. We use a multitude of programs to create our assets such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, After Effects, Premiere Pro, and more. We are also using the Pokémon Essentials engine upgraded to RGSS and heavily modified by our team.

Q: Can I join the team?


We are always looking for talented help to volunteer with us. Pixel Artists, Concept Artists, Muscians - whatever your skill, shoot us an E-mail at [email protected]

with proof of your ability

and we might just have a spot for you.

Q: How much is the game going to be?


The game is *absolutely free* and always will be. If someone is asking you to pay for it *you are being scammed*. At no point will we ever ask you to pay for Pokémon: Phoenix Rising. We are also not accepting donations.

Q: Will there be Fan Made Pokémon?


We will be including new Mega Evolutions and other forms that we design ourselves, however we will not be adding brand new Pokémon aside from that. You can read more about our decision here.

Q: Will you please add Mega _____?


While we appreciate your feedback, ideas and input - we are not taking "requests" for new Mega evolutions. Once the game is fully released, we will add even more if we can.

Q: How can I download this game when it is released?


We will be offering a free download link for you to access once the game is released. Once downloaded all you need to do is open the game folder and open the game file to play. As easy as that!

Q: How many Pokémon will there be?

Initially there will be over 200 in the main game. We are hoping to add many more with further expansions to the game. These expansions however rely on the main game itself being a hit, if you guys enjoy it, we'll add more!

Q: Will there be online features?


Previously we have announced online features, however since games have been taken down by Nintendo and online functions have been one of their issues with those games - we are curbing our plans on those for now.

Q: In terms of the possibility of Nintendo shutting the project down, what is your response if they try to do so?


Admittedly, we would be extremely disappointed and bewildered if that were to be the case. The project is created because we love Pokémon, and as fans of the franchise we are simply expressing our admiration for it. We are using the brand to learn how to develop games and deliver a free, fun, game for people to play. Nothing malicious is intended and we completely respect that the Copyrights and IP that Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, and Game Freak hold over their work. However we have zero interest in stepping on any toes and if a compromise can be made we will do our best to do so. We are doing our best to keep to the Fair Use policy, and are doing our best to use as little assets from the official Pokémon games and franchise as possible.

We also have a strategy to avoid a "C&D" which includes:

  • Not taking donations
  • Removing the trademark "Pokémon" from our branding and name
  • Removing online functions from the game
  • Being less present on social media where possible
  • Not having a website which can be contrived as seeking hidden revenue

As per our research, we have taken into account what issues with previous taken down games have been and are attempting to respond to that as best we can.




Q: Will there be a competitive element to the game?


Yes, as much as we can feasibly add in terms of a competitive and balanced experience we will be adding. We are adding difficulty settings, and will be adhering to competitive standards put forward by Smogon and other metagames as best we can. We love competitive battling, so we hope that we can show that love in Phoenix Rising for those who want it. This does not imply that we're adding an online battling functionality however due to reasons mentioned below.



Q: Can I play as a boy or girl?


We have two base characters to choose from when creating your character at the beginning of the game: Alto & Aria. We're not defining them as any gender. They are simply two styles to choose from initially which you can customise equally. You can wear the same outfits regardless of what your base character looks like. That is our goal.

Q: Is there a Discord Server?


Yes! You can join it here.

Q: Is there a mailing list


Yes, you can join it here.

Thank you for reading, please put forward any questions you have below!
 
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24
Posts
9
Years
  • Age 32
  • Seen Jun 25, 2015
This is incredible , glad to see this back up & running, beyond excited to play. The game looks phenomenal.
 

Alababal

Pokémon Alabaster Developer
101
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9
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It's good to see that you are giving this another go. The screenshots from this game are among the most impressive of any fangame for me and the music is without a doubt a favorite of mine. In fact I frequently listen to it when I am working on my own fan game. I hope we can get some playable content in time. No rush, of course. :mudkip;):
 
6,355
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18
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  • Seen Apr 16, 2020
aaaaaaaa i thought you'd abandoned this forever. good luck!!

ruvidonia town theme is my fav
 
3,419
Posts
10
Years
^same, but it's wonderful that you decided to come back to it! it's such an aesthetically beautiful game, i can't wait to play it.
 
3,830
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14
Years
  • Age 27
  • OH
  • Seen Feb 26, 2024
Wow, I am so excited to see this coming back!
This is honestly one of the best looking games out there, and I'm really looking forward to it's release!

I'm not much of an RMXP-er, but if you're ever looking for people to help test the game, I would love to be one of them! :)
 

Dedenne1

[SPAN="FONT-SIZE:16.5PX; FONT-FAMILY: SATISFY; TEX
6,452
Posts
10
Years
I never lost faith nor will i its looked good since day 1 and looks even better now!
Cant wait for a demo this game is seriously the best one ive seen ^^
 
52
Posts
8
Years
This is one of the best fan games I've ever seen ever, I'm so happy to see that you're still working in the project. I can't wait to see new updates.
ps. Congrats to the music composers because the ost is amazing!
 
10,673
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15
Years
  • Age 30
  • Seen Dec 30, 2023
Thank you for all your kind comments so far guys! Today I just want to share a quick article with you regarding "Fakemon". It's a post I made over on our Reddit page regarding our choice not to use fan created Pokémon in Pokémon: Phoenix Rising. Hope you find it to be an interesting read. As always, have a great day!

--------

There is a question that gets posed to our team quite a lot. Or should I say questions. "Will there be any fakemon?" and "Why isn't there any fakemon?" being the two questions I hope to approach in this post.

I want to premise this by saying that I adore some Fakemon designs. An ex girlfriend of mine took to calling them "Fauxkémon", which sounds great when you hear it in person but doesn't quite translate to screen as well as "Fakemon" does. While that's an interesting tidbit of information you didn't particularly need, I want to press a point on the actual name people give this sub-genre of artwork. I never thought of these as "fake" in any way. Coming up with an original design of any sort is quite the opposite. Evidently some people create designs that don't stray too far from the official ones we see in the Pokémon franchise, however some designs are downright striking. I see these as fan art, inspired by the series and certainly not to be called fake in my mind. Fanmon might have been a better term (and in this article, that is what I shall call them from here on out), if you were to ask me, since just because something isn't part of the official series does not mean it should garner the prefix of "fake". It's a pet peeve, and I know most people take little notice of the term but I almost feel that in my heart of hearts; people deserve a better name for their pride in the series and the designs they create based on it.

With that slight rant aside, I want to get into the meat of things. My love for Fanmon didn't translate to Pokémon: Phoenix Rising and this disappointed a number of fans who follow the game. I've replied in staggered locations to queries as to why I didn't include them in the game. The primary reason is that I never took an interest in drawing Fanmon. While I would love to work on a game that includes fantastic Fanmon designs, I personally wouldn't feel comfortable creating new Pokémon.

For Pokémon: Phoenix Rising, I lead the project. I no longer really consider it "my project", because I honestly can't call it that. So many people have helped me bring it to where it is today that it's become more of a community effort than anything. I want anyone who has worked on it diligently to feel as if they own part of it. And when we see players react to the parts we created we can each get a kick out of it. We're all collaborating to create something awesome, and while we all have different roles it will be our project in the end. A game that we created together, and not a game we created for me. Those who play it will see that this was a team effort, and that's the impression I want them to get. With all that said, I want to have the ability to carry the bulk of the project on my own if I need to. If I were to add Fanmon I would have very little motivation to actually create and add those on my own. Scripting, Mapping, Writing, Spriting, and so on, I'll turn my hand to and will happily do so. Creating Pokémon of my own is just a spectrum I'm not sure I will ever have the desire to enter.

With all of that in mind, there's over 700 Pokémon to choose from as it is. Each time I play the official games, I fall in love with a new one and that's a special thing. I want Pokémon: Phoenix Rising to give that experience to the players. I want them to fall in love with the new Pokémon, the classics, the odd, the powerful. I want to weave stories with these amazing creations that have never been told before and give players an alternative view of a Pokémon that they have never seen before.

Pokémon: Phoenix Rising won't have fan created Pokémon. However we hope that we can give you a fresh experience even so. If you find a new favourite because you got it on Route 1 and played the whole way through the game, or play through a side-quest and think completely different about a Pokémon involved, then I think we've succeeded more than we ever could if we had "Fakemon"

| | |​
 

MasterBallz

MasterBall Abuser
202
Posts
9
Years
Darnit i was hoping for a few at least for some pokemon that dont evolve like a tropius pre evolution or at the very least mega evolutions for these poor pokemon that are seldom used because they dont evolve :( ;-;
 

Kakarot1212

Resident Programmer
562
Posts
10
Years
Sweeeet! It's back! I thought this was abandoned a long time ago. I wish I could help :p Too bad I suck at RUBY
Anyhow, if you need testers, I'm open. :p. Best of luck @seeker! Hope it will be finish this time. And oh, the graphics are AWESOME
 

Impo

Playhouse Pokemon
2,458
Posts
14
Years
amazing!!
So happy to see this back in the works!

That one screenie with the growlithe behind the glass is so cool and unique I love it!
 
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