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I think that's what people see in it. It's quirky and anti-high art.
I just don't see it as high art
Fri Jan 20, 2012 6:18 pm 
Fri Jan 20, 2012 6:19 pm
The maptiles aren't special, but they compliment the style. I like both of those NPC graphics.
Pretty much this, yeah. It's charming in its simplicity, and it fits the mood it's going for really well.
These graphics wouldn't work at all in a great game, and high class graphics wouldn't work at all in this one.
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Newbie Newtype wrote:
I think that's what people see in it. It's quirky and anti-high art.
Pretty much this, yeah. It's charming in its simplicity, and it fits the mood it's going for really well.
These graphics wouldn't work at all in a great game, and high class graphics wouldn't work at all in this one.
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Mon Jan 23, 2012 8:51 pm
Surlaw wrote:
They're visually memorable, easy to draw, they're in lots of games, and some people really like some of those games a lot. You can do better than this.
I know I can, but I'm pretty sure I said it was rhetorical. It's interesting you'd feel the need to defend it.
Did you know there's an ohrrpgce fanzine called Hamsterspeak and its mascot is this visually memorable and easy to draw non-hamster character and walrus? Is this better?
Mon Jan 23, 2012 8:59 pm
Angel Whispers
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The download includes scripts for what looks like custom battles and a folder called "ctb" which includes a customtx.rpg but no exe, and an empty saves folder for it. What is this mystery file? From a player's standpoint, this is confusing. I would suggest moving the scripts into a sub folder with some kind of explanation readme file.
First impressions: There's nothing to the title screen, but at least it's white text on black background. I get to choose if I'm a boy or girl, and my name. I went with girl and "Hati the Hottie". The graphics already look outstanding. The midi fits and I'm hoping for some sound effects, (none so far.)
MOUSE MOVEMENT!! This is great. You click and hold where you want the hero to walk. There's a common issue with this in indie games and it's here too: sometimes the hero will walk back and forth under the mouse even though the mouse isn't moving. Additionally, if I'm using the mouse to move, it's frustrating to then have to use the keyboard to activate the save point npc. I feel like I should be able to click it.
I walked down in the first room and became stuck in a map scroll loop. Though I'm restarting, if I didn't know the developer or was a fan of the engine, I wouldn't have.
Alright! First custom battle. "Dallas: Hati the Hottie, leave the fighting to Your job here is to" -- I was given many characters with which to name myself, and it looks like it cut off some text.
Scrolling text! Should really be able to advance it using the mouse. I'm finding the battle setup confusing. I've played it before in an earlier demo so I'm getting by.
When I summon myself, it lists me as "Hati the". You may want to limit the text characters when naming.
And bug: for whatever reason, Rock keeps attacking himself. I can't get past the second battle.
Judgment: Too buggy in its current version, but very promising.
---
The download includes scripts for what looks like custom battles and a folder called "ctb" which includes a customtx.rpg but no exe, and an empty saves folder for it. What is this mystery file? From a player's standpoint, this is confusing. I would suggest moving the scripts into a sub folder with some kind of explanation readme file.
First impressions: There's nothing to the title screen, but at least it's white text on black background. I get to choose if I'm a boy or girl, and my name. I went with girl and "Hati the Hottie". The graphics already look outstanding. The midi fits and I'm hoping for some sound effects, (none so far.)
MOUSE MOVEMENT!! This is great. You click and hold where you want the hero to walk. There's a common issue with this in indie games and it's here too: sometimes the hero will walk back and forth under the mouse even though the mouse isn't moving. Additionally, if I'm using the mouse to move, it's frustrating to then have to use the keyboard to activate the save point npc. I feel like I should be able to click it.
I walked down in the first room and became stuck in a map scroll loop. Though I'm restarting, if I didn't know the developer or was a fan of the engine, I wouldn't have.
Alright! First custom battle. "Dallas: Hati the Hottie, leave the fighting to Your job here is to" -- I was given many characters with which to name myself, and it looks like it cut off some text.
Scrolling text! Should really be able to advance it using the mouse. I'm finding the battle setup confusing. I've played it before in an earlier demo so I'm getting by.
When I summon myself, it lists me as "Hati the". You may want to limit the text characters when naming.
And bug: for whatever reason, Rock keeps attacking himself. I can't get past the second battle.
Judgment: Too buggy in its current version, but very promising.
Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:05 pm
Fat Frog Movie
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Voice acting, text box advancement is suspended so it just goes and goes and I can't pause it. There's no title. Once you start it, you're in it till you quit it.
While I like the fox character, he just goes on and on telling 'secrets' and what might have been interesting plot twists. It's a classic example of telling rather than showing. Why does he tell fat frog and the onlookers in the capital city of the mouse king, that he tricked the mouse king and he's not a mouse? Why does he give it up there? It ends before their fight. It's the writing more so than the plot that makes this seem childish. The music doesn't help. It uses the 'move bitch get out of the way' rap, complete with strong language which I haven't seen anyone care, which I don't care, but come nudity and sexual content in a game and then people mind? "Fuck", I can't write the language in this forum without a word filter changing it to "slime", (first word in this sentence wasn't slime.)
Oneway, the graphics are great and it was the only movie contest entry that felt like what I imagine most everyone expected should have been made: a prolonged rpg cutscene with scripted walkabout fighting. It stars an old ohr celebrity I never cared much about and it has a scene that parodies Deforestation.
Judgment: Somewhat indifferent. Use your own judgment as always.
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Voice acting, text box advancement is suspended so it just goes and goes and I can't pause it. There's no title. Once you start it, you're in it till you quit it.
While I like the fox character, he just goes on and on telling 'secrets' and what might have been interesting plot twists. It's a classic example of telling rather than showing. Why does he tell fat frog and the onlookers in the capital city of the mouse king, that he tricked the mouse king and he's not a mouse? Why does he give it up there? It ends before their fight. It's the writing more so than the plot that makes this seem childish. The music doesn't help. It uses the 'move bitch get out of the way' rap, complete with strong language which I haven't seen anyone care, which I don't care, but come nudity and sexual content in a game and then people mind? "Fuck", I can't write the language in this forum without a word filter changing it to "slime", (first word in this sentence wasn't slime.)
Oneway, the graphics are great and it was the only movie contest entry that felt like what I imagine most everyone expected should have been made: a prolonged rpg cutscene with scripted walkabout fighting. It stars an old ohr celebrity I never cared much about and it has a scene that parodies Deforestation.
Judgment: Somewhat indifferent. Use your own judgment as always.
Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:09 pm
Final Dragon Legacy
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The readme, first thing:
"
It's a tribute to old NES RPG games like Dragon Warrior and
Final Fantasy, while adding in elements of Norse mythology.
(That's already been done by Fenrir-Lunaris, but so what? :p)
"
I would feign some kind of dramatic delivery here, but let's cut the fat: Final Fantasy is well known to have many elements of Norse mythology. I'm expecting the game to be somewhat clueless. I'm familiar with Alberich and the Rhine Gold story, so maybe it's poor wording. Just rubbed me the wrong way. I'd make it more clear.
Reading further, I noticed, "~Added 'the ____ety ____ Thief, Fox! Now get a Member Card and buy some cool crap!" And my interest recovered a little.
Another white text on black background. Ho-hum.
My two starting characters appear to be incredibly over-powered. Graphics are basic. Music and sound are the ohr's defaults. Had to run away from 3 phantoms in a random battle, they put my attacker to sleep and my mage seemed to only heal them with spells. At this point I'm running from all randoms.
It's like the game starts 10 hours in, with my spell lists mostly full, skipping the part where I build up to it and learn the battle mechanics. Enemies casting things like curse lv2 and who knows what already.
It's important to note you can't run from battles. You have to use 'escape' on the command list, which has a chance of failing. Battles do not give EXP, so I'm assuming these won't be my main characters.
The battles are incredibly fast, with no pause when you are selecting spells. Couldn't beat the first boss.
Judgment: I can't recommend it.
---
The readme, first thing:
"
It's a tribute to old NES RPG games like Dragon Warrior and
Final Fantasy, while adding in elements of Norse mythology.
(That's already been done by Fenrir-Lunaris, but so what? :p)
"
I would feign some kind of dramatic delivery here, but let's cut the fat: Final Fantasy is well known to have many elements of Norse mythology. I'm expecting the game to be somewhat clueless. I'm familiar with Alberich and the Rhine Gold story, so maybe it's poor wording. Just rubbed me the wrong way. I'd make it more clear.
Reading further, I noticed, "~Added 'the ____ety ____ Thief, Fox! Now get a Member Card and buy some cool crap!" And my interest recovered a little.
Another white text on black background. Ho-hum.
My two starting characters appear to be incredibly over-powered. Graphics are basic. Music and sound are the ohr's defaults. Had to run away from 3 phantoms in a random battle, they put my attacker to sleep and my mage seemed to only heal them with spells. At this point I'm running from all randoms.
It's like the game starts 10 hours in, with my spell lists mostly full, skipping the part where I build up to it and learn the battle mechanics. Enemies casting things like curse lv2 and who knows what already.
It's important to note you can't run from battles. You have to use 'escape' on the command list, which has a chance of failing. Battles do not give EXP, so I'm assuming these won't be my main characters.
The battles are incredibly fast, with no pause when you are selecting spells. Couldn't beat the first boss.
Judgment: I can't recommend it.
Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:15 pm
First Fantasy
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No exe included. This is getting more and more annoying the more I play this 2011 list. Why upload a game if you don't give them a way to play it?
A caveman game. Out of all the settings for a rpg...
Merciful giz, at least it's different and has some effort put into it. Still expecting generic rpg grass and tree maps. I appreciate the ability to skip the intro. The intro is about as exciting as sitting in middle school reading native culture creation myths. Rivers formed by a crying lady? How much longer till class is over.
And first map, low and behold: GRASS AND TREES. I CALLED IT! haha
This is really above average for the ohr. The textbox portraits, I'm sure we all assume cavemen were kind of ugly, and it sure is ugly to look at it, like deformed humans. Water tiles are pretty. The music follows the setting too: it's all fitting, but not exciting.
Okay, design question: is it a good idea to begin the game with a fight against 3 enemies who each take 2 hits to kill from the 1 slow hero you gave the player? Now, is it an even better idea to make them do it again in the very next cut scene when you are rescuing what is likely hero number 2? Why not put hero 2 in the battle, something to liven the party.
Haha, he was taking a 'cave-piss'. That came out of nowhere. Is this supposed to be a comedy? Maps aren't the worst, but they're still a bit too big. It has a plip enemy on the overworld, (Wandering Hamster reference.)
Oh wow, your two heroes return to a village full of only women. This really is the first fantasy.
Judgment: Play if a cavemen setting is your thing.
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No exe included. This is getting more and more annoying the more I play this 2011 list. Why upload a game if you don't give them a way to play it?
A caveman game. Out of all the settings for a rpg...
Merciful giz, at least it's different and has some effort put into it. Still expecting generic rpg grass and tree maps. I appreciate the ability to skip the intro. The intro is about as exciting as sitting in middle school reading native culture creation myths. Rivers formed by a crying lady? How much longer till class is over.
And first map, low and behold: GRASS AND TREES. I CALLED IT! haha
This is really above average for the ohr. The textbox portraits, I'm sure we all assume cavemen were kind of ugly, and it sure is ugly to look at it, like deformed humans. Water tiles are pretty. The music follows the setting too: it's all fitting, but not exciting.
Okay, design question: is it a good idea to begin the game with a fight against 3 enemies who each take 2 hits to kill from the 1 slow hero you gave the player? Now, is it an even better idea to make them do it again in the very next cut scene when you are rescuing what is likely hero number 2? Why not put hero 2 in the battle, something to liven the party.
Haha, he was taking a 'cave-piss'. That came out of nowhere. Is this supposed to be a comedy? Maps aren't the worst, but they're still a bit too big. It has a plip enemy on the overworld, (Wandering Hamster reference.)
Oh wow, your two heroes return to a village full of only women. This really is the first fantasy.
Judgment: Play if a cavemen setting is your thing.
Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:20 pm
Forsaken
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The intro reminds me of Vikings of Midgard, essentially the same song and exposition abstract. I have no idea why my character looks like he's walking, and rocks are moving by like he is, but the ground isn't.
Maps are too big. I don't like door placement where it's only on the dirt path and not the entire span of grass tiles. It's lazy. You can always put some obstacles to force it into one tile.
So I'm walking down a dirt path. And I'm walking. Walking. And I hit f1 out of curiosity to see a gigantic map that's nothing but grass and this path. If this thing doesn't wow me in the next minute or so... first fight is a boss fight that drags.
Judgment: It's an ohr game.
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The intro reminds me of Vikings of Midgard, essentially the same song and exposition abstract. I have no idea why my character looks like he's walking, and rocks are moving by like he is, but the ground isn't.
Maps are too big. I don't like door placement where it's only on the dirt path and not the entire span of grass tiles. It's lazy. You can always put some obstacles to force it into one tile.
So I'm walking down a dirt path. And I'm walking. Walking. And I hit f1 out of curiosity to see a gigantic map that's nothing but grass and this path. If this thing doesn't wow me in the next minute or so... first fight is a boss fight that drags.
Judgment: It's an ohr game.
Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:24 pm
Grayscale
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No exe file.
The readme states this demo is glitchy, buggy, and has several incomplete maps. It also says there's a slime salad cafe. So we have that and the story as a reason it was uploaded.
The game's palette is gray. The text is a dark gray with a black outline; it's difficult to read. Graphics are basic. Town map is huge.
If I had a dollar for every ohr game where I start in some guy's bedroom, to enter a kitchen with the guy's mom, to then find a grass town outside... at this point, why am I playing? Why. why. WHY! These are games intended for the author. I shouldn't be here.
Judgment: Worth a play if you made the game.
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No exe file.
The readme states this demo is glitchy, buggy, and has several incomplete maps. It also says there's a slime salad cafe. So we have that and the story as a reason it was uploaded.
The game's palette is gray. The text is a dark gray with a black outline; it's difficult to read. Graphics are basic. Town map is huge.
If I had a dollar for every ohr game where I start in some guy's bedroom, to enter a kitchen with the guy's mom, to then find a grass town outside... at this point, why am I playing? Why. why. WHY! These are games intended for the author. I shouldn't be here.
Judgment: Worth a play if you made the game.
Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:41 pm
Quote:
Judgment: Worth a play if you made the game.
Not even.
Mon Jan 23, 2012 11:05 pm
well, he's entitled to his opinion. he's one harsh critic, but this is the internet after all. he's also only one of many people reviewing games.
Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy... So here's some lunchmeat... Sandwich, maybe?
Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy... So here's some lunchmeat... Sandwich, maybe?
Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:07 am
@MJ: What I mean't by that was it isn't even worth a play by it's creator. And i'm its creator. 
Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:17 am
Master K wrote:
@MJ: What I mean't by that was it isn't even worth a play by it's creator. And i'm its creator.
oh. well... okay then.
Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy... So here's some lunchmeat... Sandwich, maybe?
Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:44 am
@Master K: Pretty harsh 
I'm sure you had some fun. This goes for all the games so far. It's fun to go back and play these things, especially after you make better stuff. I enjoyed JSH's classics, even though I'd review them just as poorly.
@mjohnson: You made Final Dragon Legacy, right? There were two games on this list I was really looking forward to playing. This was one, the other is Star Quest. I felt let down. Is there any way you could give some kind of commentary / review of your game?
I'm sure you had some fun. This goes for all the games so far. It's fun to go back and play these things, especially after you make better stuff. I enjoyed JSH's classics, even though I'd review them just as poorly.
@mjohnson: You made Final Dragon Legacy, right? There were two games on this list I was really looking forward to playing. This was one, the other is Star Quest. I felt let down. Is there any way you could give some kind of commentary / review of your game?
Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:47 am
Grey Star Lives
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I'm going into this wanting to like it. I'm talking myself into it. There's something about the author's work that's refreshing and different, but for whatever reason it hasn't connected with me so far.
The title screen is amazing. Some of my favorite games are off-beat surreal experiences. They don't require as much effort to do something grand. That said, the title track is about to give me a headache, so moving on.
First play-through, I lost. And lost hard. So far, I like this text adventure better than the ghost one because it's not playing around. I feel like I'm in the thick of something important. It's doom and gloom though. The sound effects are pretty wild.
I like how each time I come to a dead end, I get a better idea of what I am and what I'm supposed to do, and that it sends me back to the start. So it's only mildly tedious to get back to where I was.
Stuck in a "sparking network of paths". When you select either left or right, a sound fx gurgles "right this way" I think. Is it a clue? Doesn't work. Alternating choices, I found my way out. Don't know if I found a good ending or not, but I didn't die this time.
Judgment: Play if you're in the mood for a choose-your-own-adventure story.
---
I'm going into this wanting to like it. I'm talking myself into it. There's something about the author's work that's refreshing and different, but for whatever reason it hasn't connected with me so far.
The title screen is amazing. Some of my favorite games are off-beat surreal experiences. They don't require as much effort to do something grand. That said, the title track is about to give me a headache, so moving on.
First play-through, I lost. And lost hard. So far, I like this text adventure better than the ghost one because it's not playing around. I feel like I'm in the thick of something important. It's doom and gloom though. The sound effects are pretty wild.
I like how each time I come to a dead end, I get a better idea of what I am and what I'm supposed to do, and that it sends me back to the start. So it's only mildly tedious to get back to where I was.
Stuck in a "sparking network of paths". When you select either left or right, a sound fx gurgles "right this way" I think. Is it a clue? Doesn't work. Alternating choices, I found my way out. Don't know if I found a good ending or not, but I didn't die this time.
Judgment: Play if you're in the mood for a choose-your-own-adventure story.