ashen frost Pokémon Ashen Frost [Case 20 + Revamp]

[nhannguyen2141]

Hi I played Ashen Frost a long time ago so I decided to play again with version 1.2.0 and encountered pretty heavy sprite bug in the first area of the game after case 1. I don't know if anyone have encountered these before but here are screenshots from my game: 

[Joao]

Hello, I am playing in MacOS and there are a couple of houses that make the game crash when entered. The game becomes unplayable when I am required to enter the penthouse after getting Lue's testimony on case 3.

 

The game is really nice so far, thank you :)

[Michael_]

On 11/19/2024 at 1:21 PM, Joao said:

Hello, I am playing in MacOS and there are a couple of houses that make the game crash when entered. The game becomes unplayable when I am required to enter the penthouse after getting Lue's testimony on case 3.

 

The game is really nice so far, thank you :)

If this is related to the pokedolls SDLError, run the updater in the game folder.

 

It has already been patched

[Developer_im_stucK]

Hi I love this game but im currently stuck on the case 20 demo. Can you tell me how I can update it? Im really confused.

[Michael_]

17 hours ago, Developer_im_stucK said:

Hi I love this game but im currently stuck on the case 20 demo. Can you tell me how I can update it? Im really confused.

As mentioned in the update post, the game still only goes up to case 20.

 

If you don't have v1.2.0+, redownload the game from the link in the OP and run the updater included in the file

[Developer_im_stucK]

On 11/24/2024 at 11:44 AM, Michael_ said:

As mentioned in the update post, the game still only goes up to case 20.

 

If you don't have v1.2.0+, redownload the game from the link in the OP and run the updater included in the file

Thanks a lot. It says on the updater that my version is 1.2.2 so it should work now.

[Federico]

Hey, I've been playing the game for the last month and it's been a great experience so far, making it my all time fav pokemon fangame. However, I encountered a problem when trying to solve the underwater part in Well Temple. I only have 14 seconds and I have tried dozens of times without any luck. Literally every guy that played this game on yt managed to press the switch after the game glitched and removed the timer, allowing them to get to the switch without any time limit. Has anyone struggled with this before? How do I do?

[DonNor12]

My friend and I have been playing through the game and while we love the story and charming writing many of the battles on hard mode seem to be wildly imbalanced when comparing the pokemon offered and available at certain points to what you're expected to fight, I'd recommend taking a look at a few of the early game fights to rework the scaling as much of the difficulty of hard mode is less about the actual team comp the other trainer has and moreso them just having objectively stronger pokemon, its unfortunate as currently the hard mode difficulty feels the way it does less from strategic team setups and moreso frustrating differences in pokemon.

Though for context my friend and I have not been utilizing the starters on our run and this review is currently being written at the end of Case 4 

[burningsoup3]

Hi loved the game so far but I've recently encountered an issue while playing around case 5 I think?

For some reason when I reopened my game today the controls option in the menu was gone and speed up no longer works?
I tried to run the updater and redownloaded the game from my files as well and reopened my save however the problem still persists.

Is there any fix for this? Thanks.

[burningsoup3]

1 hour ago, burningsoup3 said:

Hi loved the game so far but I've recently encountered an issue while playing around case 5 I think?

For some reason when I reopened my game today the controls option in the menu was gone and speed up no longer works?
I tried to run the updater and redownloaded the game from my files as well and reopened my save however the problem still persists.

Is there any fix for this? Thanks.

Nevermind I fixed it, turns out it was cause my controller was plugged in for some reason

 

[pocket-]

ive never posted on this website before but i just want to praise the exceptional writing this game has; its one of the most grounded stories ive seen especially for a pokemon fangame, and each character feels so distinct and fleshed out. the way everything falls together as the story progresses, and all the easily missable, small touches make this one of the best narratives fangames can offer. thank you for making such a memorable experience and i hope future development goes as smooth as possible :)

[nosupersand]

I don't know if it's the links, my phone, or I'm doing something wrong but the JoiPlay download is not working on my phone. I have a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

[cdv020901]

Hi everyone, I recently started playing this game and loving it so far. Until now I haven't found any problem, but now every time i try to go upstairs on Rococo Retreat in chapter eleven the game keep crashing and it keeps giving me this error:

 

[Pokémon Essentials version 20.1]

[v20.1 Hotfixes 1.0.7]

 

Exception: SDLError

Message: Error loading image 'Graphics/Characters/Character_Nicodème': Unsupported image format

 

Backtrace:

001_RPG_Cache.rb:118:in `initialize'

001_RPG_Cache.rb:118:in `initialize'

001_RPG_Cache.rb:42:in `new'

001_RPG_Cache.rb:42:in `load_bitmap'

008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:154:in `initialize'

008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:17:in `new'

008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:17:in `initialize'

003_Sprite_Character.rb:121:in `new'

003_Sprite_Character.rb:121:in `update'

009_Sprite_DynamicShadows.rb:159:in `update'

 

This exception was logged in

\Users\USERNAME\Library\Application Support\Pokemon Ashen Frost\errorlog.txt.

Hold Ctrl when closing this message to copy it to the clipboard.

 

P.S. I don't know if it's relevant, but I am playing this game on a Mac book pro with M1 chip.

[Michael_]

On 1/9/2025 at 6:19 AM, cdv020901 said:

Hi everyone, I recently started playing this game and loving it so far. Until now I haven't found any problem, but now every time i try to go upstairs on Rococo Retreat in chapter eleven the game keep crashing and it keeps giving me this error:

 

[Pokémon Essentials version 20.1]

[v20.1 Hotfixes 1.0.7]

 

Exception: SDLError

Message: Error loading image 'Graphics/Characters/Character_Nicodème': Unsupported image format

 

Backtrace:

001_RPG_Cache.rb:118:in `initialize'

001_RPG_Cache.rb:118:in `initialize'

001_RPG_Cache.rb:42:in `new'

001_RPG_Cache.rb:42:in `load_bitmap'

008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:154:in `initialize'

008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:17:in `new'

008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:17:in `initialize'

003_Sprite_Character.rb:121:in `new'

003_Sprite_Character.rb:121:in `update'

009_Sprite_DynamicShadows.rb:159:in `update'

 

This exception was logged in

\Users\USERNAME\Library\Application Support\Pokemon Ashen Frost\errorlog.txt.

Hold Ctrl when closing this message to copy it to the clipboard.

 

P.S. I don't know if it's relevant, but I am playing this game on a Mac book pro with M1 chip.

Yeah, this is a Mac-specific error. Caused by having accents in filenames. Run your updater to get up to v1.3.1 - this should resolve the issue.

 

On 1/8/2025 at 12:09 PM, nosupersand said:

I don't know if it's the links, my phone, or I'm doing something wrong but the JoiPlay download is not working on my phone. I have a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Is there a specific error associated with this? Or just not booting?

[thethirdmozart]

Hi, loving the game so far, but I was wondering how I run the "updater". I just downloaded the game but couldn't find a link or anything related to an "updater". Thanks!

[Michael_]

3 hours ago, thethirdmozart said:

Hi, loving the game so far, but I was wondering how I run the "updater". I just downloaded the game but couldn't find a link or anything related to an "updater". Thanks!

 

That depends on the platform.

- If you're playing on Windows, there should be a file called "updater.exe" in your game's folder. Run that. There's a chance it'll activate your windows defender, so you may need to add an exception for it.

- If you're on Linux, it's the same sort of process. Just click on the file called "updater."

- If you're running on Mac, right click on Ashen Frost app file -> Show package contents -> ./Content/Game and run the updater

[thethirdmozart]

On 1/19/2025 at 6:07 PM, Michael_ said:

 

That depends on the platform.

- If you're playing on Windows, there should be a file called "updater.exe" in your game's folder. Run that. There's a chance it'll activate your windows defender, so you may need to add an exception for it.

- If you're on Linux, it's the same sort of process. Just click on the file called "updater."

- If you're running on Mac, right click on Ashen Frost app file -> Show package contents -> ./Content/Game and run the updater

Thanks!

 

One more question, sorry... I am on Case 3, and 

Spoiler

I am not able to enter the spa to talk to the Donna. I already heard the full story from the lab manager about what happened to the girl and spoke with Lucy in the warehouse about how he doesn't actually own that diner. I even talked to the woman with the ghost problem after it was resolved. Is there something else I have to do in order to enter the spa? The lady there just asks for a card.

 

[Snorlax054]

On 1/23/2025 at 10:50 PM, thethirdmozart said:

Thanks!

 

One more question, sorry... I am on Case 3, and 

  Hide contents

I am not able to enter the spa to talk to the Donna. I already heard the full story from the lab manager about what happened to the girl and spoke with Lucy in the warehouse about how he doesn't actually own that diner. I even talked to the woman with the ghost problem after it was resolved. Is there something else I have to do in order to enter the spa? The lady there just asks for a card.

 

I'm also stuck here did you get through & if yes than how?

[Michael_]

On 1/29/2025 at 4:28 PM, Snorlax054 said:

I'm also stuck here did you get through & if yes than how?

You likely missed the Python's section. Head into the store at the bottom-left of the mall next to the entrance and complete his related content to get the Spa Card

[RedDragon35]

How do I get Darmanitan for the trade quest? I unlocked the dojo and was told I'm worthy to befriend one, but they're all just "chilling". I've tried everything I can think of.

 

While I'm asking questions, the storage facility lady keeps telling me to come back later, even though I'm already on case 16. I assume there's something I need to do but there's nothing listed on the sidequest guide.

 

Love the game! It's my fav pokemon fangame yet.

[Michael_]

17 hours ago, RedDragon35 said:

How do I get Darmanitan for the trade quest? I unlocked the dojo and was told I'm worthy to befriend one, but they're all just "chilling". I've tried everything I can think of.

 

While I'm asking questions, the storage facility lady keeps telling me to come back later, even though I'm already on case 16. I assume there's something I need to do but there's nothing listed on the sidequest guide.

 

Love the game! It's my fav pokemon fangame yet.

You need to give the Darmanitan a Rage Candy Bar to catch it

 

Storage Facility is Case 20

 

And thanks!

[Dreadman96]

What an amazing game! Can't wait for the next update

[Ariadne]

Wow, now having finished playing through Case 20, clocking in at about 68 hours of play (about 6 of which were spent on a certain double battle in some certain woods) I can confidently say that this is my new favorite fangame ever. This game gave me so much joy that I feel like I should try to give something back by sharing my thoughts in what turned into a small novel xD

 

There's so much to gush about I hardly know where to start! I'll try to start broad and get narrower.

 

The structure/conceit:

 

I love the case system. While I enjoy how games like Reborn and Rejuv have integrated gyms into the story, having a completely different way to mark progression made this game really stand out from the crowd. I love how it let all the battles and trainers feel more naturalistic--every opponent's team felt like it was something they would put together, and it meant that there could be stretches of battle-lite play where it felt appropriate. Progression felt more tied to story and character development than you proving yourself as a trainer. Also the case system in general was really fun! I'm a sucker for mysteries and puzzle games and despite how limited the medium of this kind of fangame is technically, the system you built captured the vibe of like a Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes game. The mysteries were also well constructed--there were only a few instances were I couldn't figure out what to do next or had to brute force the evidence presentation, and they were uncommon enough that they did not diminish my overall enjoyment. 

 

Story - General Vibes:

 

The fucking atmosphere of this game...exquisite, effervescent, empyreal. Noir may be my favorite genre/subgenre, so I am already 100% the target audience here, but holy shit you guys nailed it. The moody jazz ost, the hardboiled internal monologue, the smaller scale urban setting... It's so delightfully contrasted with the simple Gen 3 graphics and the general silliness that is kinda built into Pokemon. In that vein, contrast is something this game does incredibly well. The hardboiled, gritty noir is often lightened by humor and some outright goofy sequences, but those add rather than detract from the tone. It keeps it from being a joyless grim slog and then when the game does decide to get real for a bit, the gut punch leaves you reeling (I still haven't recovered from the end of case 19 ;-; ). 

 

I was also impressed and pleased with how well Pokemon are actually integrated into the story and world. I feel like in a number of fangames, Pokemon are just sort of the gameplay vehicle and you could remove them without losing much of the story. But this games actually does the thing I always wanted fangames to do: give you a non-negotiable partner so the game can truly integrate them into the story and gameplay. Even as someone who never had particularly strong feelings about the Swinub line, Truffles instantly became my darling, and I love how she both gets to be a character and that her unique snow-pig attributes get to shine in a variety of ways. (Also, it should be stated that now I do have strong feelings about the Swinub line, thanks to this game!)

 

Story - Characters

 

I feel like most people tend to prefer OC/blank slate/self-insert playable characters in pokemon fangames, not because they're inherently a better fit, but because writing a good protagonist is hard. And if a player doesn't click with the protagonist they're playing, they'll probably bounce off the game. Sylvester Lafayette IV is the exception that proves the rule. He is so well drawn as a character and I was so invested in his story. It certainly doesn't help that he is also the kind of character that is absolute crack for my brain: gruff, repressed stoic, trying to shield his soft heart with cynicism and dissociation (and failing), collects strays and is mad about it, unable to walk away from perceived injustice despite it always leading to trouble... Absolute pathetic wet cat of a man, 10/10 no notes, S-tier blorbo material.

 

And everyone else is so good too! I don't know if there are characters I don't feel strongly about. I love most of them, and the ones I don't like, I get to loathe with the strength of 1000 suns, which is just as fun. Even down to the throw-away npcs like the Number Guy. 

 

All their relationships are so well drawn and distinct. My favorites are probably 

(early-mid game spoilers):

Spoiler

Sylvester and Leo's relationship: God its crunchy. It's so fucked up. I love every interaction they have. I love how possessive and manipulative and petty Leo is and how unequipped Sylvester is to deal with him. I love the messy and unclear feelings on both sides. Leo really out here being like, I can make him worse >:).

 

Sylvester and Luciano: A perfect foil to Sylvester and Leo, to the extent that they feel intertwined. The more Leo is revealing himself to be the actual worst, the more Luciano is trying to be better. The growing relationship between them is so subtle, that I was caught as off guard as Sylvester when

(later game spoiler)

Spoiler

Luciano started doing his saucy little winks at Sylvester. But I was also instantly on board and hungry to see where it was going.

 

Sylvester and Eloise: Peak gay-cousin solidarity. Legit reminds me of how me and my cousin interact. (We're the two queer cousins out of 16, he's about 15 years older than me, though our family is not nearly as chill about the queer thing as the Lafayettes).

 

Sylvester and Mordecai: Again, this one really snuck up on me. Mordecai's shift from bumbling comic relief to "hey that's my son" was so smooth and subtle that again, I didn't really notice it had happened until

(More later game spoilers)

Spoiler

Rosewell (and sort of Arturo) started triangulating them to drive them apart.

 

 

Gameplay:

I already gushed about the case system above, so I'll talk more about the Pokemon aspect of it. I was playing on normal/medium and found that was mostly the perfect difficulty for me. I wanted to make a team of pokemon that seemed fitting for a PI and/or were obtained through story significant events, which means my team was not particularly optimized. The harder encounters sometimes took a few tries and creative approaches to overcome, but only one fight ever left me frustrated to the point I stopped having fun (again, a certain double battle in some certain woods). There was also a satisfying sense of gameplay/story harmony when

(mid-game spoilers)

Spoiler

After getting by with Mordecai having very much a random street rat appropriate line-up, I had to buckle down and get serious, trading out about half my team for stronger or niche-filling pokemon. I know I said above that I liked that I didn't have to optimize much, but this felt particularly appropriate for the point in the game where it happened, so I didn't mind.

 

Last Thoughts:

I'm very grateful that I found this game when I did. Between being in my last semester of law school and the everything happening in the world right now, I've needed something to latch onto to keep my head above water. Especially since I'm in a video game law class right now, and most days I leave that class feeling like the video games industry is doing everything it can to crush the artistic spirit out of this medium. I don't know if it's common knowledge outside IP law spaces, but there's this overriding theory in both the legal system and industry that no one will make art if they can't make money off it. Coming back here, both to Ashen Frost and the pokemon fangame space in general is such a thorough refutation of that mindset. So thank you again for a bit of respite and fun in a difficult time, and I can't wait for the finale!

[blackace_377]

Hi, I'm really enjoying the game so far! Up to case 11 right now I think, the Rococo retreat one.

 

Unfortunately, that's where I've run into an issue. Every time I try to go up the stairs to meet the other residents at the retreat, my game crashes, giving me this code:

 

[Pokémon Essentials version 20.1]
[v20.1 Hotfixes 1.0.7]

Exception: SDLError
Message: Error loading image 'Graphics/Characters/Character_Nicodème': Unsupported image format

Backtrace:
001_RPG_Cache.rb:118:in `initialize'
001_RPG_Cache.rb:118:in `initialize'
001_RPG_Cache.rb:42:in `new'
001_RPG_Cache.rb:42:in `load_bitmap'
008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:154:in `initialize'
008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:17:in `new'
008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:17:in `initialize'
003_Sprite_Character.rb:121:in `new'
003_Sprite_Character.rb:121:in `update'
009_Sprite_DynamicShadows.rb:159:in `update'
 

I've tried updating it with the updater like suggested earlier in the comments, but no dice. This is actually the message I got after running the updater to completion. For reference, I'm playing on Mac.

 

Any ideas? I would hate to have to drop the game after coming this far because of a dumb bug.

 

Thank you!

[Michael_]

2 hours ago, blackace_377 said:

Hi, I'm really enjoying the game so far! Up to case 11 right now I think, the Rococo retreat one.

 

Unfortunately, that's where I've run into an issue. Every time I try to go up the stairs to meet the other residents at the retreat, my game crashes, giving me this code:

 

[Pokémon Essentials version 20.1]
[v20.1 Hotfixes 1.0.7]

Exception: SDLError
Message: Error loading image 'Graphics/Characters/Character_Nicodème': Unsupported image format

Backtrace:
001_RPG_Cache.rb:118:in `initialize'
001_RPG_Cache.rb:118:in `initialize'
001_RPG_Cache.rb:42:in `new'
001_RPG_Cache.rb:42:in `load_bitmap'
008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:154:in `initialize'
008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:17:in `new'
008_AnimatedBitmap.rb:17:in `initialize'
003_Sprite_Character.rb:121:in `new'
003_Sprite_Character.rb:121:in `update'
009_Sprite_DynamicShadows.rb:159:in `update'
 

I've tried updating it with the updater like suggested earlier in the comments, but no dice. This is actually the message I got after running the updater to completion. For reference, I'm playing on Mac.

 

Any ideas? I would hate to have to drop the game after coming this far because of a dumb bug.

 

Thank you!

You're probably playing on and older version. As such, you'll need to redownload the game and then run the updater.