[VX] Manifest - A complete 30-hour fantasy RPG

[sbethune81]

MANIFEST

There exists a most curious and powerful race in the world of Ospes, able to manipulate and alter matter itself.

Their numbers are few, and from the beginning they have lived as outcasts, perceived as a threat to the world and every living thing in it.

They are called Theolar.

Thymetians, the most dominant race on Ospes, have done all that they can to suppress the Theolar. For they, more than any, are afraid of them.

Most Theolar are content to live in hiding and have abandoned the use of their abilities in hopes they would be forgotten. But among them there is a small group, known as the
Andurim, who are unwilling to give up that part of themselves.

Their sole purpose is to provide the Thymetians and the rest of the world with a glimpse of their greatness, now long overshadowed by what else they are capable of�...





Thank you for taking enough interest in this project to view the thread. This project is a fulfillment of a childhood dream and it is very dear to me. I do hope you enjoy it.
If you play it through to completion, I promise you that you will see a few things that have never been done before in Rpg Maker Vx.

In the interest of quality, I encourage everyone who plays the game to leave feedback, comments, advice, or any questions if you have them.


File size: 133 Mb (remember...30 hours of gameplay)



World and Story:

[spoiler]Manifest is a story-driven fantasy game that takes place in a fictional world. The world is made up of several large islands and what is commonly referred to as the mainland.

There are several different intelligent races that live in various parts of the world…

Thymetians: The dominant and most populous race, they live in all regions of the world save for one. Their government consists of a High Lord and a council who make decisions that affect most of the world. Because of their widespread influence, most other races can understand and speak the Thymetian language.

Orzrak: A reclusive race who have lived in the mountains for thousands of years. They are generally avoided by most other races due to their foul tempers and grotesque appearance.

Rulwook: A peaceful tribe who live on a small island southeast of the mainland. They are known for their skilled artisans and craftsmen.

Graymarg: A proud people who were forced from their homes by the Thymetians several decades ago. They now live in the northern mountains, just south of the Thymetian capital city.

Theolar: The final race is the sparsest and the most feared. They have been scattered and forced into hiding because of their unique abilities. There are some Theolar who are able to manipulate and alter matter. In an attempt to make peace and live together with the rest of the world, most Theolar abandoned the use of their abilities long ago. It didn’t help. There is a small organization among the Theolar, known as the Andurim, that is unwilling to give up their abilities, and seeks to prove to the rest of the world that great things can come from them.
It is on this group of Theolar that the main story is focused. It begins shortly after the coronation of a new Thymetian High Lord, and so the Andurim has a new chance to reach an understanding between Theolar and Thymetians, and prove that they are not as dangerous as every other living creature believes. Their numbers are few enough now that failure this time…means extinction.[/spoiler]


Characters (A sampling):

[spoiler]Armegmus
Age: 28
Armegmus is a Theolar and a member of the Andurim. He is impulsive though he lacks confidence in many areas of his life. This causes him to rationalize the decisions he makes. He often feels a great deal of pressure to be more mature than he feels.

Syndarion
Age: 60
A Theolar and the leader of the Andurim. He is extremely proficient in the use of his abilities and guides the younger members, such as Armegmus, in their training. He believes more than anyone that great things can come from their talents, and hopes the rest of the world will soon realize this before they are gone. He is always searching for Theolar who lack the knowledge to use their abilities so he can recruit and train them among the ranks of the Andurim. He knows a lot more about the circumstances of Theolar than he lets on.

Vellamik
Age: 44
Vellamik is a jovial and loving Thymetian. He works as a blacksmith in the village of Relna, where the Andurim is currently hiding. He met Syndarion a long time ago when Syndarion first visited Relna in search of other Theolar to recruit to the Andurim. [/spoiler]



FEATURES:

- In-depth story, both serious and humorous

- ATB Tankentai Battle System

- Customize battle difficulty from the menu

- Hundreds of unique skills including many with complex common events

- A large, lag-free world map to explore

- Challenging dungeons with varied and original puzzles like you've never seen in RPG Maker VX before

- A huge number of mini-games, including gambling, accuracy, speed, timing, strategy, and more.

- Optional puzzle-filled ruins with plenty of rewards

- 99 hidden relics to find and trade in the world

- Original and addictive lockpicking event system

- Some dungeons involve sneaking past guards and enemies

- Optional Quests/Hunts similar to Phantasy Star 4/Final Fantasy XII

- Fully functional battle arena

- A complex evented world mini-map with 3 different zoom perspectives

Some of the mini-games you will encounter during your travels:

(Screenshots for these are provided below)

- A whack-a-mole type game
- A fishing minigame based off a combination of the Fable 1 fishing system and the Guardian Force Boost system of FF8
- A dodging minigame
- My complex lockpicking system
- A 3-Card Monty style game, but with 10 rabbits instead
- A shooting gallery game, similar to the one found in Alundra
- A blacksmithing minigame involving timing
- A Slide puzzle w/ multiple images (I count it as a puzzle and a minigame). See screenshots below.
- A shooting/defense game where you must keep monsters at bay
- A single player memory card game with a unique twist
- A fast-paced meteor dodging game


Testimonials

[spoiler]What users from rpgmaker.net have said...

"I've finished the game, and I have to say that I really enjoyed myself. I don't always keep the games, but this one is a must.
Thanks for all your hard work." - littlebro


"All in all, you have certainly set a standard for vx games. I can't think of one that actually gripped me, and especially like this one did.
At any rate, I'm just saying I loved the game. I can tell it had a huge amount of work placed into it." - demonlord5000


What users from rpgmakervx.net have said...

"Whoa. This game is amazing. I can't recall the last time I enjoyed a game, commercial or otherwise, this much. You've managed to create a world that pulls the player in,
makes him identify with teh characters and feel for them. A world that feels alive with lore and history. Every time I found one of the Nayrin relics...
I really felt I was discovering bits and pieces of an ancient civilization, scattered all over the world." - Jeffrey


If anyone wants to play arguably one of the best all around put-together RPGs available to RPG Maker VX, this is hereby on your must-do list.
- goldenguy


"I will say that I liked the message and it was a brilliant adventure while it lasted. The plot was tight, the characters convincing and the puzzles
were the best I've seen aside from Alundra. If you ever manifest another spectacular game, I'll be looking forward to it." - tom11


"Firstly you have a great imagination and a flair for writing, your game really drew me in and was a real "key-presser" right up until the final
scenes. Your game was also very well balanced in terms of available money, EXP, etc. The inclusion of your excellent (occasionally challenging)
puzzles and mini-games help to distract the player along the way. Also quite importantly the game runs practically bug free..." - matt-tribal


"Bloody fantastic RPG. Minigames, optional quests, math puzzles. Love it all." - vitrous


"...there's so much that can be done, and the story and adventure just keep taking new turns and twists...It's been a long time since I've played a
game that I have a hard time "setting down" after 2-3 hours, but this is doing that." - goldenguy


"...a brilliant game, you have clearly put a lot of thought into creating the world of Ospes and especially into its characters. I definitely
appreciate the humorous dialogue too." - matt-tribal
[/spoiler]



Gambling minigames in the various pubs and bars around the world, for those wishing for a break from the main story or who want to make some extra Etherum. The games are as follows:

1) Water, Earth, Lightning - my version of paper, rock, scissors

2) An evented version of blackjack with images, complete with double down functionality

3) A unique version of roulette called "The Great Divide" which allows you to place up to seven different wagers before a number is rolled

4) My own game called "Longshot."



Credits

A big thank you to all of the following people for their wonderful resources:
[spoiler]
Complete credits are at the end of the game

Scripts:
BigEd781
Enu
Kylock
Mr. Bubble
Moon Man
Mr. Anonymous
Modern Algebra
Puppeto4
Enelvon
KGC Library
Yanfly
Synthesize
Diakonos
Woratana
Moghunter
Aranarther
Tomy
Ccoa
Watermelon
Hevendor
Jens009
Mac Malone (Dr. ?)
OriginalWij

Music:
MaestroRage

Sprites and Graphics:
Tatanya
Razavan Sedekiah
Vibrato
Antares
Tentacles
Final Fantasy (Square Enix)
Ragnarok Online

Ashvir and blueperiod for not encrypting their demos
And many others who I may have forgotten to credit.(If you see a sprite while playing the game that has not been given due credit, please let me know. Thanks)
[/spoiler]


I would never presume to compare the quality of my piece to any of Michelangelo's, only the passion with which we worked on them.


LINK TO MANIFEST GAME (Screenshots can be viewed here as well):

http://rpgmaker.net/games/3694/

You might also enjoy my new Puzzle RPG, Canvas, found here:


http://rpgmaker.net/games/5517/