Update on Waves to Freedom

Some of the links in this post might be broken. I'm sorry about that, but the lore of the story is being made. This is to make sure that the lore is mostly perfect before it is public. I would like to talk about some of the problems that I have been having.

My partner in crime, Stardust Scrapper, made a beautiful map for a now ruined city in Under an Iron Sky.  For those who would like to learn more about the ruined city, please click here.  My game, Waves to Freedom, takes place in this ruined city before it became a ruin. Scrapper made a map of the city and the tunnels in the underground. I have been trying and failing to remake her map in RPG Maker. I have made roughly 90 maps. A map for each tunnel and chamber. Scrapper divided the map into about three different parts. I did the same thing. There is a problem with this. I have been having trouble remembering how and where the tunnels connect. I have not been taking notes of where they connect. I have been confused by the beautiful map.

Don't get me wrong I love Scrapper's map. I just keep looking at it very close in order to find connections. Because I have been looking at this map super closely for the better part of a week I am about to give up. I want the map in the game to be similar to the one that will be in the over all story. But I don't think I will be able to do so. Since I keep confusing myself with the layout. I have tunnels that are connected to each other. I can't find the connection either. Even with this set back I have made some progress with the game. I would like to show off some of the maps or levels that I have made. I would also like to talk about things that I want to add and how I am going to simplify the map.

There are three maps or levels that I have made that I am proud of. The three locations are in the north east part of the map, the center of the map, and the north west part of the map. I will call out where they are on the map as we go.

The first map is the Market which is in the center of the map. This is the layout of the Market and is not done yet. The map doesn't have guards to chase you yet. The guards will be on the outer part of the map. The inside of the map will have an auctioneer, buyers, and merch. I would like to break down these three different characters.

First, the auctioneer will standing on the stage. You as the player will not be able to go onto the stage. The auctioneer will be selling the goods on the stage. He will be doing this with a gab floating text. The trick will be to make sure that every time you go into this map it will start to talk.

Second, the buyers will be standing on some of the stools. I want to have ten different buyers bidding on the merch. The buyers will all be dark elves and they will be wearing different clothes. Some of them will have bubbles over their heads to show that they are thinking or bidding. The player will not be able to talk to these buyers.

Third, the merch which I will be talking about briefly. I don't want want to get into too much trouble. The merch will be similar to the player characters. These characters will be looking sad and the player will not be able to talk to them. This map is one of my favorite maps that I have made.

The second map is the Shrine of Teacher and Student. This map is based off another idea that Scrapper had. I read what she wanted this shrine to look like and I made the map. This map is in the North-West part of Scrapper's original map. The Shrine will work like the other maps but there will be no guards in this level.

Seems like a safe level, right? As you can see in the image there is an NPC (or non-player character). That character is Qaydith.  Qaydith is already in the game. You can hear him talking to a guard in a tent. Qaydith will be able to see the player in the bushes and he is faster than the normal guards. Being caught by Qaydith will give you a game over. Qaydith will not suffer his things trying to run away. Unless you want to exit to the temple grounds in the city above avoid this shrine.

Qaydith is an important character in the lore of the story. He is a main villain and you should not cross him. If I were to give him a Dungeons and Dragons alignment I would give him Chaotic Evil. The statute in the map will be updated to fit the theme of the shrine. I can't say when because Scrapper will be taking care of that for me. I might also remove the waterfall.

The third and final map that I am proud of is in the North-East part of the map that Scrapper made. I like to call this map the Crystal Room. I am planning on making this room a safe place. There will be an NPC here, but she will not be trying to catch you. That character's name is Xione.

Xione can see the future and she will tell your party their future if you can get to her. Scrapper and I are still working on this character. I have some ideas of what I want her to look like.

I am thinking about cleaning up this map a little bit. It just looks way to busy for me. I would like to here your feedback on this map. Now I would like to talk about some of my future plans.

I wanted to add a reputation system to this game. There are a lot of god-like characters in this game. Xione is a goddess, Qaydith is a god, and Veninedute is a goddess. The reputation would keep track of how close you are to them. The closer or friendlier you are with one of the characters would give you special powers, like fast travel. I have decided that I don't want to have a reputation system. I didn't want to make a fail safe for getting too friendly with Qaydith since he is the villain. I also couldn't figure out a power for Veninedute to give the player. She is a goddess of wealth and that doesn't really help with escaping. Xione could have made it easier to avoid the guards. The guards are moving at random and foresight would make it less random.

I will be working on the map more. I think I will have to simplify Scrapper's map. That way I don't lose my way in my own maps. After the tunnels are made I will also be making the over city. From the city there will be ways to get out. Once you leave the city you will then have to cross the Waves. The Waves are an unmappable mountain range that can move.

Let me just make a check list.

• Simplified tunnel maps
• Simplified city maps
• Generated maps for the Waves
• Drider guards
• Add credits page

These are the main for things that I would like to get done. Anyways thank you for listening to me. I will keep updating the game to get the maps ready for programing. Until next time.