GDW Issue 2- The Lost World Disovered!

[h POKE]

Game Developer Weekly


A letter from the Editor
By h POKE

THIS MAY seem old, but in my day, we didn't have none of those newfangled starter kits.
Yes, no matter how hard it is to believe, there once was a day when people made games using
their own work. My brother, in fact, figured out much of the information known about hex
editing in Fire Emblem 7 & 8 back when he was a hacker. But that was, as I said a thing of
the past.

However, the more we figure out about hacking and game making, the worse the quality of
the games seems to become. Don't get me wrong, game development is still a frontier, at
least in respect to pokemon games. Still, was Essentials a development for the better or
worse? By progressing our field, does the average game developer retrogress? For I see
myself that even some of the greatest game devolopers out there are cutting corners and,
in more extreme cases, so much so that they have to steal to make do-- I hope that hint
was loud and clear to the person meant to hear it.

To make a good game, developers should not hold on with such reckless abandon to old ways:
Diamond and Pearl tiles are good, yes, but can you create the fifth generation with them?
It is better to pioneer and fail than to stick to old ways and fall behind.

I know that two weeks ago, Moose complained about the lack of quality. I never supported
his idea itself, but I had to wonder... Would our games benefit if there was no Essentials?
You see, quantity: the free floow of ideas, the thought that any one person can make their
own game is important, but are we sacrificing too much in terms of quality?

Just something to think about this week.

Sincerely,
J.P. Ryan

Old News
Waudby caught... or was he?
February 14th, 2009

Spoiler:

It seems Waudby may have learned his lesson about plagiarism after his first incident, which occurred about two weeks ago and was mentioned in our first issue. However, in an update shortly before the server downtime, Neo Dragon gave further proof into Waudby's alleged plagiarism.

The evidence he gave was this:

However, was it really plagiarism this time? The evidence presented is compelling enough, however Wadby commented with the following:

"And in case Kyle or anyone complains, the mountainous tiles are edits of the FR/LG ones and not Kyle's 'private tiles' so please don't say anything about them. And as for the tree's, they were made by me, in Kyle's style, no editing, from scratch, the only thing I didn't do myself on that tree was the base which is from the Sinnoh Tiles Project."

It's still uncertain what happened here.

And now an editorial on this from yours truly:
(Warning: may contain opinion)

I believe we should definitely move on from this debacle. It's pointless to continue to quibble over these things when they're already said and done. This IS the internet after all: things will get plagiarized and sources will be lost in the course of things.

Reviews

Pokemon Raptor review by Yuoaman
Soaring Above
Pokemon Raptor
My Rating: 8/10
Thread Rating: 4.02/5

More Info
Demo Available *Old
Official Website (none)

"The story starts with a scene where STEVEN is teaching you about battling
with a pokemon. When you finish learning, you are asked for choosing one
pokemon from the three SINNOH starter.

Then, you will have to defeat gym leaders, collect badges and so on until
you met TEAM HUNTER, a team that lead by sixteen trainer which is known
as CHAOS SIXTEENTH. They try to collect plates from legendary Pokemon
to summon the God of the Pokemon, ARCEUS..."

Spoiler:

This project has improved an incredible amount since it was posted on the community well over a year ago. It began as just another project built using Poccils Starter Kit, with little customization, and has grown into one of the most popular projects in the community.

Okay, let's start with the features. The first feature presented by this project is "Brand new region to explore ", which actually seems like a quite interesting place to explore, from the newer screenshots, with a number of diverse areas, which does excite me. The second feature is one which many first-time developers seem to forget, that of an interesting storyline, and from what we've been seeing from OmegaGroudons recent posts, I can assure you that you will be interested in what this game has to offer. The next few features are pretty standard, which you can find in many other fan projects: being able to capture all Pokemon, getting to choose from the Sinnoh starters, and starting with a National Dex. This brings us on to the feature which interest me the most, that of choices, rather than just getting a choice between doing something or not doing something, you get many other options. Though we haven't seen any examples of this implemented, I'm sure that if it is, it will make the game a true classic.

Now let's continue on with the graphics of this project. The graphics style used for Pokemon Raptor is just the default FRLG style, nothing special there. The thing that makes the graphics special is what he does with them. Though the mapping may not be earthshaking, it is fairly well done, and consistent throughout. But something which I do find very interesting is the use of anime images in cutscenes, which in and of itself is something to be excited about, for it is something I have rarely seen in fan games before. Something which I also found interesting is the option to colorize your menu, adding your own touch to the experience. My final comment on the graphics is about the battle graphics, originally OmegaGroudon used the default graphics, but they have evolved into a melding of FRLG and DPP graphics, which is actually quite sharp looking.

Onto what's been happening recently in the world of Pokemon Raptor:
https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=4328781&postcount=1779- This update, posted on the 2nd of February revealed the identity of CHAOS SIXTEENTHs founder, and introduced us to something called the Raptor Ritual.

https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=4337704&postcount=1806- This update, posted on the 6th, showed off several videos, and some screens of battles with the GAIA WINGS.

{NOTE: If you don't understand the updates, you'll probably have to go back and read through his updates, or just wait to play the game.

In conclusion, Raptor has risen from a small, unimpressive game to become one of the preeminent games in the community, and I'm sure that it will continue rising until it's release, which is rapidly approaching.

Pokemon Ammolite review by Delta

Spoiler:

Due to Delta's recent absence, we're still waiting for his feature review. Sorry!

​

Blind Ambition
Pokemon The Lost World
My Rating: 6/10
Popular Rating: 4.53/5

More Info
Demo Unavailable
No current official website

*Story not included due to absence.

WARNING: The content below is probably not what you want to hear. If you are one of the many who believes in The Lost World, do not read this. Just don't flame my thread for this review.

Spoiler:

It seems as if it's only natural that this review should come. Pokemon The Lost World is a
great titan standing out among games... at least to most it is. However, I can say without
a hint of jealousy (because I am not a game designer myself) that this game follows blind
ambition, and a whole lot of it. Captain Arcane leads his team with great confidence, but
I don't think he quite understands himself what he's up against.

For you see, game development is a creul and unforgiving field, where no project is spared
from the challenge of making an entire game. Game Freak spends hours, and hours, and hours
building and refining just one, simple game: at least when comparing it to The Lost World.
This project has taken reasonable bounds, thrown it out the window, then beat it with a
club while it's on the ground. CA has suggested the creation of every single region: EVERY
REGION, mind you. At normal size this would be a feat of patience and imagination.

Still, I don't think many people can quite visualize how big that is, at normal size no less.
So, I'll have to show you, the reader, with a bit of math. Speeding through a region in a
normal-sized game will get you to its Elite Four in oh... 60 hours. But, there are eight
regions, multiply that 60 hours by eight and you get 480 hours. 480 hours of gameplay...
Anybody who invested that much time playing one single game probably has no life, just
saying. And this is at normal size, when you're rushing, something you should definitely
keep in mind for my next nail in this game's over-sized coffin. Each map in the game is
about five to ten times its sane relative from the original games. So, it would take
about five to ten times longer to get through the game then, right? 480 multiplied up that
much would give you a rough estimate of...

2400 to 4800 hours. That's up to 200 straight days, or 1200 (approx. 4 years) days if you
make a two-hour routine of it each night. And that's not including extra time spent enjoying
the game.

Still, besides the fact that a play through of TLW could take around the time it takes to
create a game, the project's quality is quite good ( as for the ludicrously naive quantity,
well, that's another story...). The maps show a lot of effort put into them, despite some
strange cliff drop-offs at points. The most well-thought out point of CA's maps, I think,
is the low density of grass. Obviously, a player doesn't have invincible pokemon, so to
create a route of that size and just fill it with grass would be an unrealistic expectation,
not to mention downright mean.

However, I had to wonder if people other than me would get bored playing through a map of
that size. Despite good first impressions, Route 3 would cease being part of a game in my
mind and more of some cruel and unusual form of punishment. The worst part is, the maps
don't even vary in size: they just keep getting larger and larger. Maybe my 2400-4800
figure was a bit off after all. You see, for a player, there comes a sense of hopelessness
when plunged onto a map of such size. Route 3 may give the outward appearance of a flower-
laden meadow, but all I see is the fiery pits of hell, filled with wild pokemon ready to
consume my party with a relentless inferno of sheer burning madness.

Captain Arcane is very much like this, but not in the bad way that you might think. He is,
outwardly, very down to Earth, nice, and logical. But when it comes to game design, it seems
as though he has lost all connection with the sensible world and makes things larger, larger,
larger only for the sake of doing so. There comes a point when a game designer must realize
their game will never be able to recreate the quantity of the real world. This is a wonderful
dream, but that only.

Probably the only conceivable way that CA could possibly keep his players interested in the
game for as ludicrous a time as several years is if he were to introduce some kind of a
story. Unfortunately for him, such a thing was not present in the first post. All I found
was a mediocre dialogue, and that made me very sorry for those who wasted so much of their
time putting this game together. It's a bit beyond mad to think any person would play
through every region purely for the sake of training their pokemon. They would get too high-
leveled too quickly, and the whole play through would be reduced to pointlessness after that
(weak) reason for playing was lost. And don't even get me started about the level caps...

So, I'll make a bet: If any person can play The Lost World from beginning to end when it's
completed (for that's what CA likes to think), I'll never say a word against the game again.

A Stunning Revelation
The Way, Episode One

My Rating: 9/10

More Info
Demo Available
Official Website (first link)

"The Way follows the story of Rhue of Landorin, a young wanderer on a quest to regain a piece of his past. He's been searching the Way for many years already as Episode 1 begins. With his hopes diminishing further and further each day, he is setting a frantic pace for himself, desperate for a simple clue that might help guide him to that which he lost so many years ago. However, his situation and that of many others is about to become quite deadly as a shadow killer begins a murderous spree of destruction along the Way."

Spoiler:

Many of the RPG reviews I do are much the same. That is, among other things, because they
all include many of the same features. One person must pave the way to change, and then
others follow. Of course, anyone who has ever played this game knows where this is going.
The Way introduced 3D graphics to a 2D engine, and made it look, now get this, good.

Still, by today's standards, the graphics found in the way aren't the best, but this is
excusable because of the story. While not exactly plot-heavy to the point of five-minute
cutscenes, I found the story of The Way to be entertaining nonetheless. The idea is that
you play as Rhue, a young man travelling along "the way", a path which seems to start and
end nowhere. People who travel along it, however, are invariably changed, whether that
change is good or bad is up to them.

The result is a world serene in its simplicity. There are gently flowing streams, and dense
forests, but no map seemed cluttered or empty. It was all in some sort of dreamy equilibrium,
which made me begin to realize how marvellous this game was compared to many other RPG's.

To make things better, the music was never intrusive or distracting. In fact, it was hardly
present at all, something I was perfectly okay with. It's just that when I hear video game
birds chirping and like the sound, I have to come to terms with the fact that I have no
life... Oh well. Playing this game was worth it.

But now, the battle system is really what makes this game stand against others. In most
games you have just one battle system, which I have to admit can be quite boring sometimes.
In The Way, there are actually three. Rhue is first introduced to the plunge, which is bas-
ically a fancy version of rock-paper-scissors. You take "passes" in the plunge, in other
words you attack, and they do. Both you and your opponent have three choices of moves, and
each one is strong against another, and weak against the third.

There's also a standard battle system, though. It very much reminded me of Final Fantasy
or Riviera in that you have a standard attack, and a series of special "X-life" abilities
that are to be chosen from a menu. The sprites in this mode are nothing special either.
Still, you can't expect great things from every part of a game.

The third style of battle is with the OWs themselves. It's similar to the original Ys games,
except with less rammy and more blammy. You march up to your enemies, and beat them into
a bloody pulp with sword. And with pretty cool looking blood effects (double letters for
the win!), never before has killing people in an RM2000 game looked so realistic!

There are mini games, too. Some of them are easy (learning how to jump? Come on...), but
others are downright annoying (damn rabbit's more trouble than it's worth!), but all in
all they're somewhat amusing. More imprtantly, the battle systems are what's nice.

In fact, this whole game is pretty nice, especially for when it was originally released.
So there you have it, probably one of the greatest trailblazers for indie gaming.

Interviews

Interview with Nytkoi

Spoiler:

h POKE: What was your greatest inspiration for beginning game design?
Nytkoi: NeoEras. Amazing graphical creation! It solemnly made me give up graphics and
photography to open the door of game development. Along the road, Uranium and Malachite
were inspirations as well.

h POKE: Do you ever find it hypocritical to use Pokemon Essentials, but chastise others
who do?
Nytkoi: In a way, yes. I have been thinking about that, but a lot of people needed a battle
system, so what's there not to like, pretty much? But! If you don't use it correctly and
don't edit anything, you are a disgrace to Essentials.

h POKE: What are some of the features you hope to add into Moonlight in the future?
Nytkoi: I will be improving the tileset, release the final OWs and heroes, and reveal a
lot on the story's history and it's biggest event. (I am working on this event, but it
will take awhile) The progress is slowing down becuase of lack of spriters, in fact, lack
of team members all together.

h POKE: What were some of the greatest challenges for you in designing your game so far?
Nytkoi: Probably the event I am working on now. Also, finding out how to use the battle
system. Also, the hardest was going through the two hard drive crashes I experienced. But
yet, I got through them all. :}

h POKE: Did you create any games before Moonlight? In other words, can you tell me about
any other experience you have in the field, if any?
Nytkoi: I have created three hacks, and I am helping in Mother 4, a mother fan game, but
that's about it. Moonlight is the first RMXP project that is lead by yours truly.

h POKE: What made you come to PC in the first place?
Nytkoi: A boring Sunday afternoon in August.

h POKE: Who do you respect the most in this field, and why?
Nytkoi: Probably ~JV~, PokemonOI, and Vampire Krimm because of their amazing abilities in
mapping, graphical interface and plots.

h POKE: What is your opinion on the recent events in GD?
Nytkoi: I'd say pretty interesting, to sum it up.

h POKE: Do you still like what you do? Do you make games for yourself, or your fans?
Nytkoi: Of course; it's fun and it takes up the time that I have so much of. Although I
don't have that many fans... And a few people who dislike the game.

h POKE: Do you have any final statements?
Nytkoi: I am a budding developer and I need all the help I can get. Controlling the project
is hard enough, but doing it with so few team members has been challenging.

Interview with PokemonOI

Spoiler:

h POKE: Do you think the region of Insula was inspired by any place you've been to or lived
in? What I'm saying is, can you describe something you've seen, if anything, that made you
want to make the region of Pokemon Malachite?
PokemonOI: What made want to make the Insula Region was the Orange Islands. As most people
know around the time that I put Infinite Rainbow on hold I was on the Orange Island region
of the game. But yes, anyway Insula is very much influenced by the Orange Isles.

h POKE: What about your other projects? Was Malachite your first game, or did it take you
a while to realize what kind of a game you really wanted to make?
PokemonOI: Nope. My first project was a Digimon game. The game I made second got me to the
big dance; Pokemon Infinite Rainbow! Pokemon Malachite is actually my fourth game. Bleach
was my third game which I never finished.

h POKE: Is there any person, either here or in your real life, that you look up to as a
source of encouragement or inspiration?
PokemonOI: Um.....My parents of course. But a person that inpires me that I'm not related
to is Shinichiro Watanabe! As very few people know here I'm an aspiring Manga artist and
he is a big influence on alot of things I do; even Pokemon Malachite.

h POKE: What do you think were some of the challenges to you when making a game? Was there
any time while making Malachite or another project where you just felt it was pointless?
PokemonOI: No, I've never felt anything was pointless, lol. I've had times that I grew
tired of making games because of the work load, most notably the time I went M.I.A. for
like a week.

h POKE: Looking back now as a popular developer, is there anything you wish you could
change about your early days in the field?
PokemonOI: Lol! I'm a popular game developer here? No. But if I could change anything from
a while ago it would be.....well I dont have anything I'd change. Lol. Oh, I'd start
learning scripting first!

h POKE: Speaking of beginnings, what even started you on this path in the first place?
PokemonOI: If you mean the Project of Malachite then IR started me. IR was too big for my
first Pokemon game and many people thought I should start smaller so I did!

h POKE: Would you say the road to the completion of a game is more important, or the game
itself? Have you ever really, in all honesty, been designing for your own enjoyment of an
end product?
PokemonOI: I think its a combination of both. No. I won't lie, I would never make a game
for my own enjoyment. I'm making Malachite so that myself and others can enjoy it! Besides,
who doesn't like looking at something they've done being used by others?

h POKE: What do you think is the hardest part in making Malachite?
PokemonOI: Um...well I have to say scripting, and originality. Scripting I totally suck at;
no need to explain, but originality I can [explain]. Its hard to have something original
in your game because their are so many games out there. So I dont just rely on features
for originality, Malachite is based off of story originality [as well].

h POKE: What made you come to PC over other forums (although you probably do belong to
other forums)?
PokemonOI: The Game development section here made me come. I mean, we have the best
pokemon games, lol XD

h POKE: Do you have any other comments you wish to make?
PokemonOI: Nope but shout out to TEAM MALACHITE MEMBERS,TEAM MERCURY and to ~JV~ He's [?]
making a great game!

Interview with Captain Arcane
By Yuoaman

Spoiler:

Thanks again Captain Arcane for allowing me to interview you, now onto the first question:

What inspired you to make a game of such a massive scale?
Before I answer, I just wanted to say sorry for my little absence; I had family matters to attend to.

Well, I wanted to combine the world of Pokémon, and fill in the missing voids of information. I wanted, and still want the people of the Pokémon world to be connected. I guess you could say, I wanted the Pokémon world "to be" the Pokémon world.

I want each individual player to feel the sense of exploration, and excitement that the the Pokémon world has to offer. I want them to experience it in a whole new way, but by still keeping everything almost the same.

I also wanted to combine some of the anime elements with the game elements, so that the experience would be much more gratifying.

But overall, the two main reasons why I did this is to give the fans of Pokémon what they want. But the more important reason is for me to say "thank you" to Nintendo. I don't know how my life would've turned out if it wasn't for Nintendo and Pokemon. Nintendo has had such a profound impact on my life that, if they didn't exist, I don't think I would either.

Nice answer, CA, and don't worry about your absence, I understand. Now, what is your favorite part of the game making process?

I don't really know to tell the truth, video game design is my passion. Though, mapping is one of my favorite things to do, there really isn't anything that I don't love about making video games. Just the idea of making an entire world where one could immerse themselves in is absolutely amazing to me.

Like I said, mapping is one of my favorite things to do. I also really enjoy any concept work. Though, now that I really think about it, specification documents are a ton of fun. I can sit at my desk and write those documents all day long.

But like I said, I can't really think of anything that I do not enjoy about making games. I don't know how to explain it really.

Mainly because; as a child, I grew up around video games, my dad basically collected them. My childhood memories are filled, not with playing outside, but with playing video games. Yoshi's Island, Super Mario RPG Legend of the Seven Stars, Final Fantasy Tactics, Bonk's Adventure, The Incredible Machine, and of course Pokémon, are just a few of the games that I played as a child, and still do from time to time.

So, I guess I really can't give you a definitive answer to your question. I just love making video games to much too answer that question completely.

XD Nice... Now what is the one feature which you are most excited about in Lost World?

That's a good question. The most exciting thing for me would have to be the new feature I'm incorporating called the "Move Experience System." It allows each individual attack that a Pokémon has learned to be given a level. Each move has a maximum level of 10, so that you may level up any move your Pokémon knows, making it more powerful, and useful. The other great side effect of this is that it will make certain moves that can be used outside of battle, more useful.

For example: lets say you used the move "Dive", which allows a player to dive below the water's surface. With levels being introduced into each move, moves like Dive can be used differently. So lets say your friend had a Pokémon that knew Dive, and it was at level 1. That would mean that he could explore the first level below sea level. But, if you had a Pokémon that knew Dive at level 7, you would be able to dive anywhere between the 1st, and 7th underwater sea level. Allowing you to gain access to more areas, potentially leading to rare Pokémon or items, or even secret areas! And this is being applied to all moves that can be used inside, and outside of battle. This feature alone gives the player so much control and customization over their Pokémon, that their power relies solely on the amount of effort the player is willing to give. Also, battle animations of each move will become slightly different as they increase in level. So just think how cool would it look to see a Gyarados using a level 10 Hyper Beam?

But of course, gaining levels is no simple task. In order for just one move to reach level 10, it will take numerous hours of training. And only the Pokémon trained by the most devoted players will reach such a high level of power. This feature really caters to the hard-core gamers, but also gives the average gamer something to develop as they play, making the game more fun, and absorbing.

Also, the "PokéDiversity" system that I have developed is also very exciting to me. Mainly because, it allows variation amongst all other Pokémon, and it makes battles more unpredictable. What this system does is follow the evolutionary process of biodiversity; which is where two or more animals of the same species can look different in not so similar places of the world. So, by incorporating PokéDiversity, it allows Pokémon of the same species to have different physical appearances, and statistic traits, which then allows more enthralling battles. So, if you were to catch a Pikachu in one part of the game, it could have a slightly different appearance, and stats in a different part of the game.

One of the main aspects of this game is to give the player a sense of realistic variation, and customization. Because before, if you were to fight a Pikachu at level 5 with another Pikachu at level 5, the chance of their being any significant difference is basically zero. Even despite the skill of each player, the chance of any of the two winning is almost a 50-50 chance. So by incorporating this, battles can, and will be heavily influenced by the choices each player makes.

I want this game to immerse, and draw in its player, and really give them the excitement, and adventure that the world of Pokémon has to offer. This is game meant to be an adventure, not a ride. And depending on how much you are willing to put forth will determine how you progress through the game.

Cool stuff Cap'n, now what is the hardest part, for you, to make in Lost World?

Everything. Making a video game is hard work, and requires emense dedication. Of course, some things are easier or harder than others.

But because of the sheer size of this game, the average difficulty of the processes that go into game making, have been multiplied. Though, I think, in terms of the hardest thing for me to make, it would have to be the maps.

They are so massive, unlike any 2D game ever made, and each little portion requires just as much skill as the next. Quality is one of the things I'm really going for. So I have to put my soul into each map I make. But the payoff will be worth it, because when I test my maps to make sure they work and look properly, the feel of adventure just radiates from the map. And even though I made the maps, my mind just wonders what's waiting behind every corner. Which is a good sign, and it tells me that players will be enveloped by this game, and take pleasure in what it has to offer.


It's nice to hear that you're so passionate about your game CA. Now I have to ask, what are your favorite games currently displayed in the community?

There are a lot of good one's out in the community; but there are also a select few that I cannot wait to get my hands on. One of them being Pokémon Acanthite - The GSC Prequel.

Acanthite has been a community favorite for a long time, but what really draws in the crowd is Fangking Omega's concepts for Fakemon. Fangking is the creator of Pokémon Acanthite by the way, not to mention a good friend of mine. Anyway, his concepts for Fakemon (fake Pokémon) are amazing. He puts immeasurable amounts of effort into making them look as if Nintendo made them themselves.

Another great game is going to be Pokémon Odyssey, made by another friend of mine, Waudby. It features great scripting, and an amazing world. A few others that I am looking forward to are Pokémon Amethyst by creator Wichu, and Pokémon Raptor Version by my other good friend OmegaGroudon.

But there is also another game; at the moment it doesn't have a title. Though, it is going to be an amazing rendition of an online Pokémon game. One of my best friends, Kyledove, creator of a very famous tile set style, is creating is own game. His artistic skill with tiles surpasses anyone I have ever seen. He knows how to balance detail with supple colors, to create a vivid, yet smooth world where it just gives-in to the eye. Not only that, his approach for an MMORPG is very unique as well. He too is implementing Fakemon; a very fragile element to any Pokémon fan game, but his art style compliments them so well, that it is hard to think that some of them they are not official Pokémon. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but all I can say is that his game will be absolutely amazing. I myself am truly honored to have a friend like him, and I cannot wait for his game to be released.

There are many other games as well, but I feel that these four standout the most, and really deserve to be commemorated for the quality work they are producing.

I think you named the most popular games in the community. XD Next question: How do you imagine Game Development will be in the community in the future?

Well, they are popular for a reason.

Everyday, it seems that interest in game development within the community grows. In the future, I hope see more free-based software for those people who do not have the resources to create something. When I started out, I had nothing, and I had found Sphere just by chance.

Not only that though, but I would also like to see more support from the site itself. I think it would be great if the administrators could publicize peoples' games by advertisement. Of course, it wouldn't interfere with the users of the community; it would only be a simple banner. By doing that, each game could gain a bigger reputation, and fan base.

As it stands though, the community already provides enough provisions in my opinion; threads, groups, friends, etc… But I don't think I can imagine what it will be like in the future; with every new update, we get new features, and as we receive more features, more ideas can be drawn from them.

So, we will have to wait and see I guess.

I suppose we will. Now I have to ask you CA, how often do you work on The Lost World?

Oh wow, that is a tough one. I think it would be impossible to add up all hours I have put into this. I pour all of my free time into this, but I love it though. I have no feelings of regret at all what so ever, even though I have redone many things, all it does is add to my experience.

I work on this almost everyday though, the only reason why I don't always get a chance to is because I have schoolwork, and other things to do. Trust me, if I could, I could work on this 24/7.

Thanks Captain, now as my final question: Do you have a ballpark of when The Lost World will be available to play, in any form?

My staff and I are not able to say, or pinpoint exactly when this game will be finished, but we are planning a big surprise. I cannot say "what" it is exactly, but I am sure it will appeal to everyone. Let me just say that this is going to be a good year, you can be sure of that.

Protip of the Week
Story Creating

Spoiler:

Sorry, we're still waiting on Delta for this feature at this point...

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Well, that's it for this week. I know it's a little smaller than you might ahve expected, but that's mainly because it's pre-release day. Sorry! Feel free to comment on anything you like: just don't flame me for my reviews (as I said earlier), and don't start any arguments.

Cheers,
The GD Crew
h POKE
Delta
Yuoaman

 

[~JV~]

That one edition is looking really good ^^. The Lost World review was quite interesting to read, and I have to agree with you about the gameplay time on that one. Also I never know I would be cited(said idk) that many times on the interviews lol.

P.S: Nytkoi, since when I told you I would code/make a menu for your game 0_o.

 

[PokemonOI]

yay I influenced someone! lol great issue cant wait for the rest.

 

[Captain Arcane]

Great Review

Very well done. I greatly enjoyed your review ofPokémon the Lost World. I'm very happy to see that you cut me no cake, and laid it down flat and simple. You did not sugarcoat my review with tidbits of information that only appeals to new users and people who do not understand that reality of this. You addressed the seriousness of the project, and the deep, profound impractical goal that we strive to reach.

I love and crave that criticism. But because I have chosen to make such an impractical reach, it has attracted nothing but people who drool at their orifices, and topple over each other, just to see the next update for the game. And because of that, they have sealed their lips to speaking words of criticism, and have only blinded themselves to the impracticality of the project.

I cannot express my thanks for your criticism. I full heartedly enjoyed every word of that review, and I love seeing that low score you gave me. And please, don't get me wrong, don't think that I want to get a low score, or a bad review, but by having it, it gives me only more courage, and more determination to reach beyond the bounds.

But, I will say something though. Even with your numbers, and your completely biased calculations that have no backbone to support them, you have given your readers a false perspective of the project. Now of course you do not know everything that is going on behind closed curtains, but you might want to take heed of your words, and try to realize what kind of impacts they will have when future events come to past. Now, most people don't know "me." But those who "do" know me know that anyone trying to attack my resolve is in for a very long, exhaustive, competitive battle. You have stuck your stick into a lion's cage, thinking that the lion would not strike back, but unfortunately for you, the lion's claws are longer than your stick.

Now, maybe I'm stubborn, maybe I'm naïve to reality of this, but then again, maybe I'm not. You've talked about how back then, you didn't have this kind of stuff, and you couldn't just "make" a video game. But see, here is the thing; that was then, and this is now, and more than just the fact that you can make a video game with cheap resources has changed. If people don't strive to do the impossible with current possibilities, then nothing would be achieved. And to reach the impossible, you have to be persistent, and you have to be tough. Which is why nothing is impossible, it's just that something's are harder to reach than others. And I've had my share of down times during this experience, believe me, but I'm still here, still standing and still trying to reach my goal. I won't lower my standards, and goals to nullify the thoughts, and criticisms of those who oppose my goal and me. Because those who are closed minded are the ones who do not see reality for what it is. They are the ones who cannot perceive the depth of possibility and cannot understand why it is that people like me try to do things that strike them as "impossible." Just because you cannot see the daylight, that doesn't mean the sun is not coming.

I don't know how this will turn out; I cannot see the future, but I can change it. And I am open to whatever fate that will befall this project and me, because no one is immune to the force of gravity, and the higher you fly, the harder you fall. And everyone falls at one time or another; it's just a matter of how fast. The sky is the limit, but for someone like me, there isn't even a sky, only an endless vacuum of space that will take you as far as you dream, but only if you are willing to work for that dream, will you ever see the sky.

Again, I would like to say thank you, your review was nothing less than awesome. I truly did love it, and I cannot wait to see what you have to say about me in the future. I loved the criticism, and I cannot thank you enough for giving it to me.


Impossible is my least favorite word,
Captain Arcane

 

[Neo-Dragon]

Again, I enjoyed it. The reviews were cool. I liked how you have your own look on a game rather then going with what the community says. What I mean is, rather then you just saying a game is awesome or crap- it was nice to see you provide reasons as to why.

The interviews are always nice to read. Some parts are the developers blowing smoke out their a$$es but still enjoyable to read. I feel the questions asked in the interviews were pretty good and helped the developer put some points across to the community.

 

[blueguy]

Concerning what was said about Pokémon Essentials: There has always been a myriad of sub-par projects in the Game Dev. forum, projects that never yielded any results. This is still the case, but the key difference is that Pokémon Essentials gives a lot of very creative people, who are inexperienced with the complexities of coding/scripting/yadda yadda, the vehicle to produce good work. I know jack **** about how to code a game, but I know how I want to make one. poccil's work has made it possible! I think it's a great thing.

 

[ForeverRed]

Yeah you have to be sorry alright! I have waited a week for nothing XD
This issue is interesting :P especially the Capt Arcane interview it was so long

 

[Yuoaman]

Great Issue GDW! And I can't wait to see the review for 'The Way Episode 1', I really love that project!

 

[Neo-Dragon]

I can't wait to see the review for 'The Way Episode 1', I really love that project!

What is that project? I've never heard of it. Can someone link me to it (since searching for the way won't work because both words are only 3 letters- so it's too short to search). Cheers.

 

[Kyledove]

Oooh this was a great issue, I was glued to the screen! Great job everyone that worked on it, can't wait for the next issue!

 

[h POKE]

@ Captain Arcane: Your post was kind of long, so I won't quote it here.
What I support is not your game, but your values (or at least some of them, but read on). If it weren't for your indomitable hardheadedness, you would have probably given up a long time ago. But that never happened. And because it never did, you've always been convincing game developers that they can make their map just a little larger, or they can add more features into their game. Again, I support that.

However, the game itself is hypocritical. The size: revolutionary. The features: ludicrous. The graphics: nothing new. You've taken every part of this game and brought far, far beyond any normal pokemon game... except the graphics. I challenge you, Captain Arcane, to take your project that one extra step.

What is that project? I've never heard of it. Can someone link me to it (since searching for the way won't work because both words are only 3 letters- so it's too short to search). Cheers.

I've linked it in the review.

Yeah you have to be sorry alright! I have waited a week for nothing XD

Heh. Ask Delta. He hasn't been online for five days, and it was his job to write the review...

 

[Avatar]

What is that project? I've never heard of it. Can someone link me to it (since searching for the way won't work because both words are only 3 letters- so it's too short to search). Cheers.

It's in the article and it's possibly one of the best projects developed in RPG Maker 2000.

 

[Neo-Dragon]

It's in the article and it's possibly one of the best projects developed in RPG Maker 2000.

Ah the link wasn't there when I asked.
It's a slick game, I remember playing that game ages ago. Really fun.

 

[Ty 101]

Okay!

I hear a lot of people complain about essentials. If I was poccil I would have left the community by now. A lot of people say that Poccil's starter kit was for the worse. He put lots of work into the starter kit. The least you can do is not get mad at him for doing something that helped many members of the community. I do agree that the starter kit has more people creating games and because more people are making games some are not going to be very good. I use the starter kit myself and I beleive that if you are going to use the starter kit you should involve at least a little bit of scripting into your game. When I say this I am not saying that if you do not script your game will be awful.

Except for that little section in the begining of the post I thought the newsletter was pretty good.

 

[Captain Arcane]

@ Captain Arcane: Your post was kind of long, so I won't quote it here.
What I support is not your game, but your values (or at least some of them, but read on). If it weren't for your indomitable hardheadedness, you would have probably given up a long time ago. But that never happened. And because it never did, you've always been convincing game developers that they can make their map just a little larger, or they can add more features into their game. Again, I support that.

However, the game itself is hypocritical. The size: revolutionary. The features: ludicrous. The graphics: nothing new. You've taken every part of this game and brought far, far beyond any normal pokemon game... except the graphics. I challenge you, Captain Arcane, to take your project that one extra step.

Oh believe me, there have been many times where I have just wanted to give up, where I have thought that I was fighting for a lost cause. But during each and every one of those times, I've looked back and realized how far I've come, and I thought that even though the road is unimaginably longer ahead of me, that doesn't mean I should give up. Not only that, but I'm doing this for the fans of Pokémon, and like I have said many times before, this is my way of saying thank you to Nintendo. So please do not call me hardheaded, I realized a long time ago that this would be one of the hardest things I would have to do. So do not label me as someone who does not see the implications of this, because I have seen them before most other people have.

Now about your challenge, I am sorry to say that I will have to decline. Of course every fan of Pokémon has wanted a graphically stunning rendition of a Pokémon game, but that is something that should be left to Nintendo. Now, maybe you're not a fan of 2D work, and tiles, but many people are. And I get constant replies on how beautiful my tiles are. I myself think that the graphics are stunning. Of course they are not smooth 3D graphics, or awesome PS3 quality graphics, but for what this game is and for what it stands for, I believe they are above "normal" graphics, and so do countless other people.

But like I said, I feel very comfortable with the graphics of the game. Not to mention that I had just recently converted the tile style, and I had to go through many tiles and convert them, which took many hours to do. So we are sticking with our current tile style, and it will not be changing. I'm sorry if this disappoints you in any way, but it's not just myself that thinks that, but our fanbase as well. Judging by the responses we receive from people, they really love our maps, and especially our tiles. So it seems as though you're a lone gunman on that topic.

 

[h POKE]

Oh believe me, there have been many times where I have just wanted to give up, where I have thought that I was fighting for a lost cause. But during each and every one of those times, I've looked back and realized how far I've come, and I thought that even though the road is unimaginably longer ahead of me, that doesn't mean I should give up. Not only that, but I'm doing this for the fans of Pokémon, and like I have said many times before, this is my way of saying thank you to Nintendo. So please do not call me hardheaded, I realized a long time ago that this would be one of the hardest things I would have to do. So do not label me as someone who does not see the implications of this, because I have seen them before most other people have.

Now about your challenge, I am sorry to say that I will have to decline. Of course every fan of Pokémon has wanted a graphically stunning rendition of a Pokémon game, but that is something that should be left to Nintendo. Now, maybe you're not a fan of 2D work, and tiles, but many people are. And I get constant replies on how beautiful my tiles are. I myself think that the graphics are stunning. Of course they are not smooth 3D graphics, or awesome PS3 quality graphics, but for what this game is and for what it stands for, I believe they are above "normal" graphics, and so do countless other people.

But like I said, I feel very comfortable with the graphics of the game. Not to mention that I had just recently converted the tile style, and I had to go through many tiles and convert them, which took many hours to do. So we are sticking with our current tile style, and it will not be changing. I'm sorry if this disappoints you in any way, but it's not just myself that thinks that, but our fanbase as well. Judging by the responses we receive from people, they really love our maps, and especially our tiles. So it seems as though you're a lone gunman on that topic.

Point 1: I was never trying to label you. I meant hardheaded in a good way: the fact that you can shrug off adversity and focus solely on your task is... frankly inspiring to me. I understand full well your goals, and although I disagree with some of them, I support your values. That's all there is too it.

Point 2: Although a full-length 3D Pokemon game would be nice, it was never what I meant. I just found it amusing that your game is so trailblazing, yet follows conventional graphical styles. Even if there were merely 2D tiles in a completely new style, I think that would be more revolutionary than 3D tiles in a tested style. After all, you yourself have followed the principle that it's better to try something new and fail then to stick to old ways.

Anyways, I love having this conversation, but it's a bit off-topic, so let's continue over VM.

 

[Nytkoi]

That one edition is looking really good ^^. The Lost World review was quite interesting to read, and I have to agree with you about the gameplay time on that one. Also I never know I would be cited(said idk) that many times on the interviews lol.

P.S: Nytkoi, since when I told you I would code/make a menu for your game 0_o.

I might have been wrong about saying that, but if I remember correctly, you said something like "If I have the time I will try to help out". If you didn't, then I'll ask h POKE to delete that.

Great issue h POKE!

 

[Nytkoi]

Oops. Sorry, ~JV~. Mind deleting all of that while I talk to h POKE?