Spirit Hunter Sky

[dakota49]

I've been doing a lot of soul searching for my game. I put so much thought into it that I don't want to put out anything crappy. In truth, I have never released a FULL game because of my fear of everyone thinking it would be crap. Only game I have ever released was a DEMO 4-5 years ago. At that moment in my life, I had no idea what the hell I was doing and I'm grateful for the virus that erased that piece of crud that embarassed me.

I think maybe 1-2 years ago, I was throwing the idea of Spirit Hunter Sky (SHS) around. It is basically about a tribal boy, Sky, from a tribe calling themselves the Marahopka, who is asked by The Great Mother to capture the Five Spirits who have escaped their bindings. Sky will go through the physical world and the spirit world, making friends and allies along the way, as he tries to stop the Great Spirits from destroying the world of Mara.

What I like about my idea is that I made a whole little mini-mythology on it. I plan on making it a simple, straight-forward, storyline that shows off a little bit of my talents and can showcase the mythology behind the SHS story.

I want to get a demo out pretty quickly without sacraficing SHS in the process. In SHS I want to show my ability to create dialogue, create characterization, show a little bit of my mapping ability, and slowly start to emerse the player in the SHS world without trying to shove it down their throat.

I'm not going to make a Day to Night system (because it can lag) or a custom BS or Menu (because I don't know how.) Instead, I'm making SHS on RPGMaker2K3, something I have never used. I'm making semi-custom Battlecharas, but sticking to the Original Battlesystem. I might, and it is a big might, add custom weapon graphics. I'll be using Chipsets that I added, changed, and merged with other chipsets to get the look I wanted. The game will feature a feather gathering system that will allow Sky to trade goods for unique and powerful items at his village.

Instead of throwing the player into a long storyline cutscene, I'm making the player explore the storyline for himself. The game opens with Sky being woken up by his Gran who is wishing him a happy sixteenth birthday the "most important birthday in a Marahopka boy's life!" You learn that at the age of sixteen, a Marahopka goes on a vision quest and will return to the tribe as a man. Your vision quest will allow you to speak to the Great Mother who will tell you of the world's peril and her own sickness. After speaking with her, she'll ask you to pick a totem with one of the ten great animal spirits. The animal spirit will give Sky a magical skill to use against his enemies. At future totem sites, Sky can learn new spells from different animal spirits.

At the main site I post at, friends there said the game's name sounded stupid. In fact, I think the exact comment was something along the lines of "a bad english translation," but I happen to love the name. Another complaint was the name of the main character who, as you all know by now, is named Sky. Before I go any further, there have been a lot of weird hero names in the RPG community such as Crono, Cloud, Lightning (Yes, he is the new FFXIII Hero name according to Game Informer), Squall, Tidus, etc. So I don't think Sky is a horrible name and neither is Moon, the head female character. Everyone has their opinions though.  I think they will grow on people.

So here is the game thus far....

In the beginning, the Great Mother
gave birth to our world.
Our planet was cold and needed warmth.
So she removed her bright eyes
And it became our sun and moon.
Now our planet was dry and parched
So she wept until her salty tears
Filled up the canyons and made oceans.
The earth was too weak to support plants
So the Great Mother cut her hands
Allowing her blood to strengthen the soil.
Soon the planet was thriving but there was no life.
She removed the fingers from her right hand
Creating the five spirits.
Since they possessed a part of her,
They made the creatures of our world.
The Great Mother wanted more.
So she created us,
Her most cherished children,
Out of her own heart.
The five spirits grew angry
For she loved her new children more.
The spirits betrayed the Mother's trust.
They attacked her beloved children
Using beasts and plague. Drought and disease.
The Great Mother came to our rescue.
She bound the spirits with her hair
Trapping them inside our planet
Weakened, the great mother collapsed into her creation.

It is her first children that remember this story.
It is us who pass it on to our children.
For one day, the spirits will escape
And the Great Mother will need our help.
She will need a spirit hunter.

THE BASIC PLOT OVERVIEW

You play as Sky. A tribal boy who is about to celebrate his sixteenth birthday. His people, known as the Marahopka, which translates to Great Children, celebrate a young man's coming to age with a vision quest. However, these are dark times for the world of Mara and for the Marahopka People. With animals raging in the vast plains, Sky must make his way to a distant cave to receive his vision. It is here where the Great Mother speaks to him and tells him of the peril the world is in. It seems as if the Five Great Spirits have escaped their bindings and have caused the world to slowly tear itself apart. The Great Mother only has enough strength to give Sky a secret weapon and some advice. He is given five Gaia Seeds, one for each Great Spirit, that will finally bind them for eternity. She tells Sky to go to the shrines and totems of the Ten Noble Beasts and learn their powers and secrets. With the powers obtained from the animal spirits, Sky will be able to stop the Great Ones. He is told to go north to the city of Anewbia where one of the five spirits, Helaku is residing. What disturbs the Great Mother the most is that someone or something released them. With his vision quest over, he must do what he can to save the world of Mara as he enters into the trials of being an adult and a hero.


THE FIVE SPIRITS AND THEIR STORY

Boda (Bow-Duh): Boda was one of the most aggressive spirits controlling both dark magic and fire. Naturally, he was the first to compel the other spirits to fight against their mother and to claim the world they helped create for their own. He summoned his greatest creation, the dragons, to come to the aid of The Five. They refused, and instead came to the protection of the humans. Boda was the most severely punished of the spirits. It was Boda's creation, the ravens, who helped bind the Great Five and announce their demise.

Helaku: (Hay-Lah-Koo): Helaku's devastation that he inflicted on the humans was the most severe. It is he who controls the crops and helps purify the land. Obeying Boda's wishes, he unleashed his locusts upon the human's fields, starving them. He then poisoned what crops were left causing humans to die of sickness and disease. He summoned his snakes to finish off the dying humans, but it was they who sucked the poison from them, transfering the toxin to themselves, a trait all snakes now have. With nothing for the humans to eat, the boars gave the ultimate sacrafice and gave their flesh to the humans so they might survive. The Great Mother punished Helaku almost as severely as Boda. For it was he who caused the most death to her cherished children.

Nodin (No-Din): It was Nodin that spread the news to the other spirits and their creatures. Since he controlled both lightning and wind, he was the swiftest deity. Nodin, moving fast across the planet, howling with glee, accidentally betrayed the secret of the rebellion to the humans, who raced to tell The Great Mother. It was the eagle and the thunderbird who carried the humans to the heavens to speak with The Great Mother and to tell them of what they had heard from the noisy Nodin. So loud is Nodin that his howls can still be heard by humans.

Pachu (Pah-Choo): The water deity Pachu was frequently feuding with her brother Boda, someone she viewed as completely opposite of her. She was sympathetic to the humans, who relied on her fish and water to feed and nourish them. It was Nodin who revealed to her the fickle ways of man. He told her how they hated her when the fish ran out and cursed her when the water ran dry. Pachu, who is both moody and gullible, sided with her brothers. With lakebeds empty and the fish gone, many humans were dying. Although commanded not to assist the humans, the whales carried the humans to areas of fresh water and the turtles laid eggs for the humans to eat, giving them strength to defend themselves.

Una (Ooh-Nuh): Strong, loyal and wise, it was Una who tried to reconcile the differences between the humans and the spirits. The humans, thinking Una was going to attack them, lashed out at her. Boda, furious at their impudence, struck them down compelling Una to reluctantly take the side of her brother who lovingly protected her. She, however, refused to command her creatures, the mighty wolves and bears, to aid the rebellion, still holding on to a chance that their misdeeds could be forgiven. It was the wolves and bears who fought along side of the humans the fiercest. When the Great Mother victored over the Spirits, Una was punished the least harshly, but due to the loyalty she showed her siblings, was bound twice as tightly. For if she escaped, she would surely free her brothers and sister. Una did not resist.

THE 10 NOBLE ANIMAL SPIRITS


Dragon:
---Technique: Fire
---Ruling Spirit: Boda
---Nobility: Fought against the spirits for the humans.

Thunderbird:
---Technique: Lightning
---Ruling Spirit: Nodin
---Nobility: Carried the humans to The Great Mother.

Serpent:
---Technique: Poison
---Ruling Spirit: Helaku
---Nobility: Sucked the poison from the humans.

Turtle:
---Technique: Water
---Ruling Spirit: Pachu
---Nobility: Laid eggs for the starving humans to eat.

Raven:
---Technique: Death and Darkness
---Ruling Spirit: Boda
---Nobility: Helped bind the Great Five.

Whale:
---Technique: Ice
---Ruling Spirit: Pachu
---Nobility: Carried the humans to fresh water.

Eagle:
---Technique: Wind
---Ruling Spirit: Nodin
---Nobility: Carried the humans to The Great Mother.

Bear:
---Technique: Enhancement
---Ruling Spirit: Una
---Nobility: Fought against the spirits for the humans

Boar:
---Technique: Earth
---Ruling Spirit: Helaku
---Nobility: Allowed the humans to eat their flesh.

Wolf:
---Technique: Healing and Protection
---Ruling Spirit: Una
---Nobility: Fought against the spirits for the humans.

GAME FEATURES

• As with all my games, this game will feature a wonderful plot with fully developed characters and entertaining dialogue. Also featuring a unique mythology that provides the backbone to the story.
• Beautiful maps and well-designed backdrops
• Side by side battle.
• On RPG Maker 2003
• Interactive enviornment (Books to read, items in shelves and such)
• Nice face graphics with matching sprites
• Feather Trading System
• Sky's skills are learned via the 10 Noble Animal Spirits. Similar to how the Breath of Fire hero learned his skills.  He also learns skills by "absorbing" a technique of a boss, kinda of like Megaman.

Title Screen for SHS


Battle screen. Like I said, nothing too fancy but I'm working on it.


Part of Sky's village, Mesa Top.


Cave I made where Sky will learn his first totem technique. Ignore the skeletons, they are just "markers" for when I finally put up the individual animal totems. I love my fireflies though!!  


Part of Sky's vision where the Great Mother reveals to him his bigger purpose.


Inside an Armor/Weapon Shop in the town of Newbia which is currently plagued by an illness.


The Overworld Map


Home of Julianos, father of Julian, a hard headed hero wannabe. Julian will be the third playable character in the demo.

[HobomasterXXX]

Sounds pretty good (although i admit i skimmed past some of the writing). A bit of a different theme then the common RM games. It like all.... spiritual and stuff.

[dakota49]

I did write a heck of a lot, lol. Everything I wrote is subtley explained in the game. as you progress in the story. I also have "books" in the game which can be read to reveal more of the SHS Mythos and such. I just wanted to show you all a little of what the SHS mythology is even though the game doesn't shove it at you all at once.

I based a little of it on Sioux indian and Native American culture (all the bosses names are Native American names), buddhism and Japanese culture as well.

[sdm42393]

Your screens look nice, and the story seems interesting. A lot different than I'm used to playing. Can't wait for a demo  

[aboutasoandthis]

I've really enjoyed reading what you've posted above. Have you ever played Ico or Shadow of the Colossus? Your game is really reminding me of that. I think the mapping could be more condensed and detailed, but I love the choice of graphics. GREAT color scheme. I'll be looking forward to this!

One thing, you screenshots look really blurry. Are you posting them as JPEG files? Post your next ones as PNGs to make them more clear.

Just get rid of the RTP backdrop in the second screenshot and we're cool.  :p

[lonewolf]

yes some one that thinks like me
i love to play this game pm me when you made it


its like all this lot
brother bear 1 & 2 dvd
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother_Bear

Brave: The Search for Spirit Dancer ps2
Brave is a 3rd person action adventure set in a fantastic world based upon the mythology of Native America. The game tells the coming of age story of Brave, a young Native American boy embarking on an epic journey to save his tribe. When his village is set upon by the evil Wendigo, and his frisends are enslaved, Brave is sent to find the only one that can free them - Spirit Dancer, the greatest Shaman who ever lived. Hunting snarling evil wolves in a huge forest of towering Redwood trees, canoeing down raging river rapids, tracking the legendary Sasquatch through a swirling blizzard and battling on the back of a buffalo in the middle of a stampede are just some of the breathtaking challenges Brave will face. His journey will take him across a beautifully rich and interactive world inhabited by remarkable characters, bizarre creatures, and terrifying evil spirits.
Along Brave's journey he will encounter many enemies, such as giant bees, wolves, grizzly bears, paint beetles, rock goblins, and cliff ogres.
Brave will gain a great deal of help from the creatures inhabiting his world, creatures well experienced in surviving the treacherous lands. Brave learns the ancient art of mimicry, allowing him to attract and lure the animals of the forest to help him on his quest.
The Spirit Eagle will award Brave with Eagle feathers, which allow him to collect spirit energy and which he can call upon to temporarily make himself stronger and a far deadlier warrior.
Brave's journey will need to take in many different terrains. Terrain ranging from lush forests, desert plains, icy lands, raging rivers, the sky above, and even the spirit world.
Brave will apply all his abilities to find Spirit Dancer, from swimming, to climbing, to use of the longbow and tomahawk, plus mastery of magical spells, and mystical abilities. Brave will also learn to control numerous means of transport, such as the canoe, the Eagle, and the buffalo.
Brave can use the 'mobile stone' to speak to a Spirit Guide for help & advice - three help levels allow difficulty to be tailored to suit different ages
but all in one game so thats why i like the story line of your game

but the age is not 16 its 14 years of age your Search for Spirits
of the animals in my tribe to get your totem then when you go back to the Shaman and say what your dream was only you and him will now as you have 3 names one your mum and dad calls you 2nd what the Shaman calls you
3rd name is your animal totem what you can tell the tribe your in and that the name you call you when you at war with a waring tribe you going to kill as you have to let there warriors now who's going to kill  when you kill your 1st warrior and cut the top of his hair you become a true men a true young warrior .
and the same as a samurai warriors they all so call out there names when at war i hope this will help you

[Moosetroop11]

I quite like the names. Don't worry about that.

The cave screen looks kinda out of place but all the rest of the graphics is fairly well chosen. Looks like you've thought long and hard about the world and the story seems strong enough.

Keep it up!

[dakota49]

It had been so long since anyone said anything about it I was getting a little worried. I thought, "Oh crap! If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all.... and no one has said anything!!" I'm glad to see a lot of people seem really interested in playing it and I'm just as excited to bring it out. My job has been keeping me from finishing up the demo, but I'm still working on it. Like I said, I don't want to release something that is crappy and totally embarass myself.

Anyways, I thought I would show you guys some screenshots. I made sure they were in .Png format so hopefully it won't look blurry. Enjoy!


This is the inside of one of the Mesa Top homes. I want to make it look tribal without making it look too primitive. I think I was successful.


This is just a small "transition zone" which links one part of the world map to another part of the world map. It's the same situation as the caves that were in Breath of Fire.


A citizen of Newbia tells about the plague affecting the town. The Great Mother believed that Helaku, or one of his creations, was responsible.


Diseaser is one of Helaku's creations. Like I said, I'm new to this whole RpgMaker 2k3 and battlesets. So right now it is a learning experience for me. I'm just glad that I was able to make the Battlespirits similar to the faces. Im still working on custom weapons, but I might nix that idea.


In this scene, the characters are discussing what the glowing carving could be. Julian expresses his opinion. In fact, Julian is right. These are gateways that allow Sky to travel to the Spirit World. There are other obstacles there, but the Spirit World can allow Sky to travel to different parts of the Living World that he could not previously reach.

[aboutasoandthis]

Again your graphics match well! I like that first screenshot especially. I don't really like the second even though it has a good explanation...

[zuhane1]

Loving Mesa Top, looks really nice.

But KILL KILL KILL KIIIILLLLLLLLLL the RTP background in that battle. KILL IT!

[dakota49]

There will be no RTP backdrop.. lol... It was there because I took the screenshot a month ago and I was still choosing a "plains backdrop". Don't worry... It will NOT be there.

[Dominicy]

Originally posted by dakota49
There will be no RTP backdrop.. lol... It was there because I took the screenshot a month ago and I was still choosing a "plains backdrop". Don't worry... It will NOT be there.

Everyone seems to do that for their battle screenshots.  It's easier than making it look like an actual ingame situation, honestly :\

As for the story, I like it and all, but rather than like IT, I more like the details.  The story has been done more than a stripper (first thing that came to mind XD), but you added detail to it.  Too many games being made when school's almost out, making it hard to play them all and still make my own. >.>