computer games forum

So what is your estimated release date for PS2?

Well hoping for an early Q1 2013 release. But we're already at end of October, so...
Aleema is trying to finish 1st chapter by end of November. Anima (the coder) is working on the new battle system, while I'm still designing the rules. Even if I want to simplify it a bit compared to Loren, it will still need 1-2 months I think, considering I have to finish Heileen3 and probably also Bionic Heart 2. I'm slightly busy

Just a llitttllle busy it looks like

A short update: new CGs and texts have been done, Aleema is trying to get the first chapter done by end of the month. I'm not sure yet how many chapters will be, but let's say 4 and she can write one a month the plot COULD be finished in February/March 2013. Meanwhile Anima is coding the new battle system which will feature lots of interesting stuff, while I'm still thinking how to implement some skills and the psionic abilities... but progress is being made

With all the recent tweets/posts about my visual novels/dating sims in progress, hadn't much time to post anything about this game. I got some backgrounds and here's a WIP image from the intro:

I just put the background and the sprite in the code to show something so the final result will be different (there isn't even the buttons menu on the right of the dialog interface). I'm sure Lisa will be pleased to see that old face again

Just read some more cool character intros by Aleema, and believe me, Milo totally RULE! the fact that he also has that nice pet is an extra bonus.
He will be my favorite character probably and I'm sure will be the favorite otome/yaoi interest Meanwhile got the Michelle/Lisa romance sketch so there are only 3 left

...One little idea I got from playing The Old Republic. I love the "aggro" system from the first game, since it added a huge element of strategy to the JRPG format. but, in The Old Republic, they refer to "aggro" in game as "threat." I honestly like that name better as, even though they are identical, having an in-game term for the concept that sounds less... fan-speak-ish contributes to my private immersion.

Yeah I used "aggro" because it was popular in MMORPG mostly, but "threat" works just fine. Considering in the sequel there will be more mechanics types, like cover, suppression fire, and so on "aggro" sounds a bit weird
Also together with Aleema we changed the basic skills. Some were a bit redundant:

with the current skills I think we can have a good variety of situations in which to use the skills outside combat. Aleema didn't write a mission with a skill check yet but be sure that they'll be better than those I wrote myself in the first game

Though I loved that they were there, I had a couple of issues with the skill checks in the first game.

First of all, there were sometimes multiple choices (good), sometimes not (bad).

Second, sometimes you had access to all your characters' skills, sometimes not. I understand how that worked for story reasons, not everybody was there at the same time, but it was rather annoying to be locked out of a skill check you didn't know was coming because you didn't happen to bring that particular specialist with you.

Third, the skill range was too wide, and the percentage check too random. Rather than 1-200, with anything but combat skills above 100 pretty much being overkill, I'd prefer something like 1-20. I also quickly got tired of seeing 90% fail and 15% succeed, but that's an inherent flaw with "random." Maybe it shouldn't be that random? Like, say there's a difficulty of 40 - when making the check you get a random result of 1-20 added to your skill base. If you don't have at least 20 skill, it just can't be done, if you have a skill of 40 you're overqualified and pass automatically. Just a random thought. You've probably redesigned everything already anyway.

One more thing, it would be neat to have characters with a unique skill, sort of like the characters in Loren had a unique skill tree, only just one skill per character, since there's enough to focus on here.

Yes the goal in the sequel is to provide a way to get past particularly tough points of the game using multiple skills. Of course not in every situation (is a RPG, so you have to fight!) but the possibility in certain point of the game to use the skills.
About which specialist to bring with you, haven't decided yet how is going to work, if allow all characters to follow, and only 4 will take part in the battle (though a bit unrealistic). Or maybe for every mission give a briefing telling the player which skills will be present. Like need to recover a water tank from an infested ex-military base, and the game would tell you in the briefing that there is a door to unlock with explosives (Sabotage) or a group of rebels could open it for you (Charisma) and so on.
Though there should still be an element of surprise (you can't know what awaits inside).

The scale is much smaller, it's going to be 1-20 I think (as you said). Maybe will make it 1-10, depends how the level up is going to work, if I'm going to have level up quickly (so you get more skill points to spend) or more slowly.

About the unique skill I thought about that too and seems a good idea. I was originally to add "Perks" like Fallout, if you meet certain skill requirements, so I could even have a unique Perk for each character to use in battle