fangame Verdant Tales: Symphonic Horizon

[Dylanrockin]

Programming Update: So, my current school life is going pretty well, except with some roommate issues in regards to sleep and lack thereof, because of his snoring. Which, is not his fault, since he has a deviated septum, and I can't fault him for having it. Anyways, my current Java class for my programming major is going swimmingly, as you can tell from the grade below:

This has nothing to do with the actual update, I just thought I'd share that. Anyways, the real news pertains to some new features, involving Verdant Artes, how they function, and new transformations for characters and their Pokemon. The characters, specifically Krista and Allan, will undergo a very minor change in appearance, unlike Verdant where Vice gets a whole new costume, personality changes, and his eye color changes to blue-green. These forms have minor changes to their appearances, but serve very good combat purposes for their Pokemon. I will be showing off a video in regards to the transformations, later this month or so, but here is how they work.

Krista's Awakened Herald Form: Krista's eye color changes to purple, personality drastically changes from carefree, disgustingly polite, and gently to merciless and vengeful. Her Gardevoir, when using either physical or special moves will transform into either Gardevoir or Gallade. Physical for Gallade and back to Gardevoir if special. Also in their Mega Forms they will also undergo this same property. Not only that but her signature Pokemon gains in increase in many of it's stats, on top of Mega Evolving; effectively making Krista one of the most powerful characters in the game, coupled with her regeneration ability.

How it is activated is essentially the same as Verdant, and upon transforming the effects that I previously mentioned will occur.

Allan's Aura Master Transformation/Aura Tension: This transformation is revealed during the Next Dimension Tournament when Allan faces off against one of the Masked Trainers, and trying to find a way around her Time Leap ability, which freezes time for .5 seconds. This transformation doesn't alter Allan's personality, but it greatly enhances his Lucario's Mega Form to even higher levels of power. His appearance slightly changes, as his skin tone and body alters in response to the markings on his body. Which become visible after the Aura Cuffs are released. How it works is Allan releases the Aura Cuffs, which are invisible to those who cannot see Aura like he can, and by doing so allows for his Mega Ring to transfer the aura emitted from his body to Mega Lucario. This form makes his Lucario so strong that he can move within the Masked Trainer's Time Leap and see what is happening.

This activates similarly to Mega, Verdant, and Awakened, with the exception that Allan has to make his Lucario transform twice. Once per turn.

In regards to Time Leap, Allan does not initially know the technique, until he sees it demonstrated by another Aura user, the Masked Trainer, and uses it later on in the story.

Artwork soon to come!

Edited October 4, 2016 by Dylanrockin

[DemICE]

i i wish i could be able to also have good marks while maintaining my hero status at lineage 2 but nooo, im still trying to finish that univercity

[Dylanrockin]

i i wish i could be able to also have good marks while maintaining my hero status at lineage 2 but nooo, im still trying to finish that univercity

Well, achieving high marks just takes some dedication and hard work. Also commitment, which is why I have to partition my time working on my game and whatnot. Also, update.

Character Artwork update!

So, new character being revealed! This time it's one of the members of the Elite Four, Kenneth Jensen - a Dragon Type Master and a Doctor in Pokemon and Human Medicine. I know what people are thinking right now: So does this mean there is a Pokemon League and Elite Four to take on in the game along with Gyms? No there is not. But, that doesn't mean that the characters or concepts don't exist. The reason be is that since the Dark Fangs have returned, at least at the half way point of the game, Helena issues to the Pokemon League and Elite Four that any future challenges will be postponed, until the Dark Fangs have been dealt with. Helena insists, off screen you actually do not see this but it is stated that she says this, that each member of the Elite Four should assist her and the 6 heroes in defeating the Dark Fangs in any way possible, each in their own unique way.

Kenneth Jensen is a Doctor who lives in the Eastern Quarter of Glaciem Town at his clinic. He is highly revered for not just his battling prowess, but his practices in Pokemon and Human medicine. Often times he travels with the help of his Dragon Type Pokemon to people or Pokemon who are desperately sick in the region, to help treat their illnesses. He was also friends with Richter Dezel at one point in their life, since they followed similar paths in life. However, once Richter joined the Dark Fangs, communication between the two faded, as Kenneth saw Richter's ideals as skewed and distorted towards what it means to be a scientist. More than that however I feel you should find out in game! Anywho here is his sketch!

[Alchemia Chan]

The game being inclined more towards the story and original game-play mechanics, it is only expected that the generic formula of Pokemon challenges to be warped to accommodate the plot. I do hope we get to battle them all at some point like at the end of certain chapters or as obstacles for the continuation of the story.

Kenneth looks cool af. He seems composed and analytical, yet sympathetic and caring. I wonder how big his impact on the story is? :3

[Dylanrockin]

The game being inclined more towards the story and original game-play mechanics, it is only expected that the generic formula of Pokemon challenges to be warped to accommodate the plot. I do hope we get to battle them all at some point like at the end of certain chapters or as obstacles for the continuation of the story.

Kenneth looks cool af. He seems composed and analytical, yet sympathetic and caring. I wonder how big his impact on the story is? :3

I do plan on letting the player fight members of the Elite Four and even Helena herself, after the main story is completed when you have access to the Central Continent of Lumia where the Pokemon League resides at. They allow you to challenge them as an honorary battle, which basically means that you do not need badges to fight them. However, only Vice can take part in it the first time you fight them as the battle plays out like a scripted story fight. Every time after that you can fight them with whoever you wish.

[Dylanrockin]

So, I've been contemplating a name change for my game, and it's been bothering me for awhile now... The prequel to Symphonic Horizon is called: Symphonic Horizon: Verdant Tales, but I thought about instead just calling my game "Pokemon Verdant Tales" as opposed to Symphonic Horizon. It makes more sense, given the source material which the game is based off of. But, even still I don't know if I should, this late into development. Since that would involve a lot of busy work, changing content around, and even going so far as to create a title logo. Ughhh, it'd be a mess.

What do you all think of the game being renamed to "Verdant Tales" instead?

[Commander]

I'll be honest with you here before giving you my answer: you know the name Pokemon Reborn Hardcore. I absolutely hated the Hardcore name since like the start and I still don't really care for it as time went on. So if I don't like it, why don't I change it? It's because it's not so easy and that it's just a title. In fact, I'd rather the name be called Veteran's mod as it was better suited, but parts of the mod had already been distributed and that's what the mod was known by before I took control of it. Changing it would've caused confusion when in reality, it's just a title. Sure it'd be nice to have a perfect name representing what you do, but it really is just a tag.

If you want to go out of your way to change it, I'd say go for it if you don't mind doing all that work but that's a your decision not a fan's one since they'd be okay with either. Removing the Symphonic Horizon though might signal though that this can be treated as a standalone game and not connected to anything. My personal opinnion is to keep the Symphonic Horizon part as in like a really tiny amount of text at the top of the screen, and make the bigger part of the title Verdant Tales. Basically people would be calling it that anyways and you'd simply just need to change the logo and get most of what you want from it.

Edit: Whoops I misread it as you were trying to change the prequel title. In all honesty once you announced the game publically, you passed the point of return to change it. In all honesty Symphonic Horizon has a really nice ring to it which is what caught my attention in the first place.

[Dylanrockin]

I'll be honest with you here before giving you my answer: you know the name Pokemon Reborn Hardcore. I absolutely hated the Hardcore name since like the start and I still don't really care for it as time went on. So if I don't like it, why don't I change it? It's because it's not so easy and that it's just a title. In fact, I'd rather the name be called Veteran's mod as it was better suited, but parts of the mod had already been distributed and that's what the mod was known by before I took control of it. Changing it would've caused confusion when in reality, it's just a title. Sure it'd be nice to have a perfect name representing what you do, but it really is just a tag.

If you want to go out of your way to change it, I'd say go for it if you don't mind doing all that work but that's a your decision not a fan's one since they'd be okay with either. Removing the Symphonic Horizon though might signal though that this can be treated as a standalone game and not connected to anything. My personal opinnion is to keep the Symphonic Horizon part as in like a really tiny amount of text at the top of the screen, and make the bigger part of the title Verdant Tales. Basically people would be calling it that anyways and you'd simply just need to change the logo and get most of what you want from it.

Edit: Whoops I misread it as you were trying to change the prequel title. In all honesty once you announced the game publically, you passed the point of return to change it. In all honesty Symphonic Horizon has a really nice ring to it which is what caught my attention in the first place.

Interesting. I might actually do what you mentioned with Symphonic Horizon being the sub-title for it. Because it just sounds better that way, in my opinion.

[Dylanrockin]

So, here is a new update! More character artwork!

This isn't so much a new character, as it is a character that I won't mention too much, so spoilers ahoy. If you want to know what this is all about, click the spoiler below, otherwise the artwork will be the only thing on display.

Reina Cresthart

The character that you see before you is Vaan Cresthart's deceased mother - Reina Cresthart. She passed away, during the final events of the prequel game when Nero killed all the people he once cared about, upon being controlled by the true villain: Falset Neohart. She can only be described as... strong willed, humorous, and... a single mom. She would often times scold Vaan for going into the Renma Casino's at night, to gamble with his friend Reynard Maxwell. Which is a stark contrast to how she treated Nero, where Nero was more controlled, and behaved in comparison. Even still, Reina was once a member of the Elite Four, before she ended up getting married and having Vaan and Nero. When she broke up with her past husband, she left the Elite Four, to spend time with her family and Pokemon.

Ever since she passed away, she went on to the Next Dimension, where she managed to keep her body, and train her Pokemon in the after life. Eventually she became one of Iggy's Otherworld Messengers, aka, the Masked Trainers; where they are allowed to go to and from the living world, at will to carry out special assignments from Iggy. Normally when she is wearing her Otherworld Messenger clothes, she remains stoic and devoid of emotion, but that is mostly to keep her true personality disguised from someone she might know.

As a Trainer, she is incredibly powerful. So much so that she managed to defeat Allan's Lucario at its best, in the Tournament, due to her using Time Leap (her signature ability). As you all know, Time Leap is a form of Time Manipulation that stops time for .5 seconds, and in that time everyone but the user and their Pokemon are frozen and cannot move. However, Vice managed to beat her, due to anticipating and predicting the attacks .5 seconds ahead of time. Which then after the fight she reveals who she really is.

[Dylanrockin]

There was one final thing I wanted to announce, along with the final coloration for Kenneth Jensen. The Next Dimension Tournament will have 32 teams, and only 5 of them will be fought by the main characters. It is single elimination, and what I want you, the people reading this to do, is to create your own team name. There are 25 open slots available, and all you need to do is write "Team {Surname of the team captain}" simple. The 5 teams that the main characters will fight are named:

• Team Keeney
• Team Skye
• Team Dezel
• Team Mask
• Team Cresthart

The 25 teams that the player will not face off against will just be put into the tournament bracket so that way it doesn't look so empty. So basically, what I'm asking for you to do is to write the name of your own team that you want to take part in the tournament. And since it is in The Next Dimension, your characters will be dead; so keep that in mind.

So, in response to this, I want you all to write your own team, since I am too lazy to think of surnames, and I think this would be a fun thing to do. Your team will not be shown, but your team name will be seen in the game's bracket.

[Twilightwing]

hmmm interesting guess we can leave some sort of footprint on this game, I got a question will you assign the pokemon to the teams that the people named or later on we can pick them out in reasonable choice. Team ChaosHeart

[Dylanrockin]

hmmm interesting guess we can leave some sort of footprint on this game, I got a question will you assign the pokemon to the teams that the people named or later on we can pick them out in reasonable choice. Team ChaosHeart

I like your initiative, but it has to be a surname of an actual person, not a username. So, it has to be a surname of that specific team's captain. As I mentioned as well, the 25 extra teams will not be fought, and are just there to fill space in the tournament bracket. I will not accept team names that lack surnames.

These teams are not chosen, since the Next Dimension Tournament, as I mentioned awhile ago, is story based, and the 6 that are listed above:

• Team Keeney
• Team Skye
• Team Dezel
• Team Mask
• Team Cresthart

Are the ones you will fight. So the other 25 are just there to be there. The 5 teams you see, are the ones the main characters will fight.

To answer your question, no, you will not be able to pick your Pokemon for the teams, unless I decide that you can fight them in a battle tower-esque manner, after the main story is complete, in the Next Dimension. Otherwise, no. I may consider it, but since you only fight those 5 teams above, since it is a single elimination tournament, there is no need since these are story based fights.

Edited October 11, 2016 by Dylanrockin

[Twilightwing]

Surname huh then Yamato shall be one of the team name

[Craxuan]

Alright, let's go with something unconventional. Team Safniyaa (And yes it is an actual surname; I did some research back when I wanted to make a game).

[Dylanrockin]

Alright, let's go with something unconventional. Team Safniyaa (And yes it is an actual surname; I did some research back when I wanted to make a game).

Gotcha. I will most likely post the bracket at some point or another, mainly so that way I can just use it as reference for when I actually put it in the game.

[Dylanrockin]

Little Update before I eat breakfast: I made some major changes to the battle system involving Partner Battles.

• Partners now gain exp, along with you.
• If a partner Pokemon reaches a level where they would learn a new move, you are now able to teach them that move as they level up.
• Added in functionality for Dual Techs/Compound Moves.

Single Battle Changes

• Added in functionality for Verdant Artes. Now Verdant Artes act as separate moves, that aren't a part of the standard 4 move limit, and are now bound by new rules.

New Rules for Verdant Artes:

Now, once you gain access to a certain character's Verdant Arte, and if you're NOT in a Partner Battle, by pressing Ctrl as you choose a move, you use a Verdant Arte of that character's signature Pokemon. You can only use the Move once per battle, and certain characters have more than 1 Verdant Arte. At the moment functionality exists for it in the game, I just have yet to assign the moves for the characters, and add in the exclusion from Partner Battles. Current Verdant Artes are below.

Vice and Eevee - Stardust Breaker and Soul Punisher.

Marissa and Umbreon - Dark Storm and Spirit Strike

Vivian and Greninja - Renegade Strike and Storm Shuriken

Hiro and Dialga - Temporal Bind

Allan and Lucario - Aura Storm

Krista - Radiant Symphony and Divine Judgement

Dual Techs/Compound Moves - If you've played games like Chrono Trigger or Tales of Symphonia, then you know what these are. Basically, whenever you're in a Partner Battle, and depending on who is your partner, you can use a special move, by pressing Ctrl (as opposed to Z to Mega Evolve), you will initiate a Dual Tech that is only usable if your partner has their signature Pokemon out, as well as your signature Pokemon and can only be used once per battle.

Again, functionality exists for it in the game, but the moves have yet to be assigned and still requires testing. Also, I have yet to create names and moves for Dual Techs, sooooooooooo I will work on that, after I test the Verdant Artes' new functionality.

[Twilightwing]

Sounds like someone played the Tales series

[Dylanrockin]

Sounds like someone played the Tales series

The entire game is based on the Tales series. Mainly Tales of Symphonia (you should totally go watch the Skit Videos)

[Dylanrockin]

Here's just a smol update on character artwork, and stuff: Reina Cresthart with her flat coloration, at the moment. Shading soon to come:

Also, I am currently having my game playtested at the moment, for bugs and whatnot. I'm currently working on progressing the story even further while prioritizing animations, and character artwork so that way I can get shiz done. Doing so will also allow me to work on more programming and other nonsensical crap that no one really cares all too much about.

[Dylanrockin]

HUGE UPDATE!

This new update showcases the new battle mechanics changes that I have implemented into the game, minus the Dual Techs and Verdant Artes. This showcases functionality for being able to CONTROL the partner trainer! Before, the partner would randomly select moves, and you couldn't do anything about it. Now, however, you have full reign over what they do. They even gain EXP, so there's that for ya

Also, the audio was ruined, due to desync, so... random music hooo!

New video will be shown, in relation to Verdant Arte's and Dual Tech's later! I just couldn't achieve that, until I was able to have full control over the partner's actions, so that is why.

Edited October 16, 2016 by Dylanrockin

[Dylanrockin]

HUGE UPDATE FOR BATTLE MECHANICS! First off... I just wanna say... I did this before Sun/Moon, and I am upset that they stole my idea #butthurt #whatever.

Anywho, what I'm on about, aside from Verdant Transformation, is the Verdant Artes. I posted about these awhile ago, but they're basically attacks that are EXCLUSIVE to a character's signature Pokemon. I've been working on alternative ways for you to go about using them, ala Tales fashion. So, without further ado, here is my gif for ya'll to view. Currently, I am still tweaking and having fun with it at the moment, but for the most part, this is almost finished.

Also, the Kanji in the move selection is the Kanji for Life, since the word "Verdant" has different interpretations. The game's interpretation of Verdant basically equals "Life" so that is where the kanji is based off of.

Also, I am quite proud to have achieved this and the Dual Tech variant before Maruno

Edit, here is the video, showing proof on the matter:

Edited October 20, 2016 by Dylanrockin

[Sunbean]

That's super impressive, wonderful job! Can't wait to see more.

[Dylanrockin]

That's super impressive, wonderful job! Can't wait to see more.

You haven't seen the full extent to my powers ;D I have done way more than this, with the game, and soon enough I will be showing it off.

[Sardines]

A lot of ppl must have already said this, but, this looks awesome. I really hope you get to release this soon so we can all try it out (but a well made game is always better than a rushed game). It will do great

[Dylanrockin]

So, update, yet again. Man, I'm just blazing through these...

As I mentioned before about Dual Techs and Verdant Artes. Both are finished, and are now usable in the final game! Below are gifs of a Verdant Arte and the other is of Dual Techs. Now, I'm going to explain Dual Techs and how they function.

Dual Techs can only be used when the player and the assigned partner of your choice are capable of performing a Dual Tech. How do you know that? Well, you find that out, once you learn about Dual Techs. There is a menu dedicated to it, which I will be working on soon. But basically, if say... Vice and Allan are paired together in battle, AND their signature Pokemon Eevee and Lucario are together, then they can perform, only once per battle, a Dual Tech. You can assign what Dual Tech each combination of characters can have in the Dual Tech Menu. Unlike Verdant Artes, however, Dual Techs are not ohko's, also after using a Dual Tech your partner is unable to move for that turn.

Also, you cannot use Verdant Artes and Dual Techs within the same round. However, you can Transform and then use a Dual Tech or Verdant Arte in the same turn. I do plan on changing how Verdant Artes function, in terms of when and how you can use them, apart from just round 1 being able to.

Anywho, gifs and videos! I however, will not be posting any videos on the Dual Techs at the moment, mostly because I want to make an animation for the attack, first XD

Verdant Artes

Dual Techs

And random shiz

So, anyways. This sort of thing is one of the defining features to my game, and function differently than Z-Moves. Which... I am still pissed that even though I thought of the idea before Game Freak, they got to it first :L #butthurt

That said... this isn't even my final form.

Edited October 22, 2016 by Dylanrockin