Author Topic: Well done, fellas [possible spoilers].  (Read 3962 times)

mav

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Well done, fellas [possible spoilers].
« on: October 05, 2008, 06:42:59 pm »
I was pretty hesitant to download the ROM hack--I've been sticking with SNES9X for a while, and I kinda expected the bug with it to be taken care of--but after watching the preview videos on Youtube a couple times I didn't feel like delaying it any longer. And I'm pretty pissed that I waited so long.

I guess I'll go ahead and answer that questionnaire about the game:
1. Was Magus's reaction to finding Zeal done well?
The reaction and realization seemed quick, but he's a man of few words, so it didn't seem out of character. Someone else mentioned that they expected him to have a separate reaction to everything he saw, but I think you characterized him well: once he knew where he was, he realized the possibility of achieving his goal--why let nostalgia get in the way?

2. What did you think of the status screen art and colors?
To be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of the status screen art, I guess I'm too loyal to Toriyama, but it was definitely one of the best pieces you guys could have chosen. I thought the colors were done perfectly though--it lent to a better mood for a game centered on Magus.

3. Was the Gaspar and Janus scene okay?
It was reminiscent of a couple pieces of fan fiction that I've read, but it definitely made sense. I would've expected someone less threatening to be his teacher though--but I thought that scene was one of the best in the game.

4. Did you find the Cerulean Lake before you had to go there? What did you think of it?
I found it, but I kind of ran away from it for some reason. Once I went back I thought it was very well done: I gotta admit that the scene with the Nu caught me off guard though.

5. Was the Prophet's trumped-up, flowery dialogue cheesy or dramatic?
Some of the dialogue when the game started seemed very out-of-character--some of the word choice sounded far too unnatural, it came close to taking away the mood from the game. Thankfully Magus's reactions and the dialogue became much more developed and thoughtful as the game progressed.

6. Was the Beast's Nest dungeon design done well? And the scene with the Lasher?
It was designed very well--I missed the coin there, but the map itself was very professional. The scene with the Lasher was great as well, a true testament to how bad ass Magus is.

7. How about Mt. Woe; did the song make it seem imposing, cold, and sordid given the task of putting Melchior up there?
Mt. Woe was done beautifully, the music held that particular portion of the game together perfectly. The full realization of what the task didn't hit me until the fight between the two of them. The overall feel of Mt. Woe was very cold, very emotionless (which, isn't an insult mind you--I think the negative vibe the music and map gave off was fitting for the sardonic mission).

8. Did you let Melchior die?
Nope. I don't think I allowed him to get hit either...

9. How was the battle scene between Melchior and Magus? And the scene with Schala afterwards?
Given the limitations of Melchior's sprite, I thought it was fitting and well done. The scene with Schala was done beautifully, I would have liked to have seen more dialogue in both scenes, but the messages the scenes aimed to provide hit me head-on.

10. What did you think of the Ocean Palace under construction?
Heh, the use of the Earthbound as slaves and the Scouts and Mages was a particularly nice touch.

11. And, what did you think of the final confrontation and Dalton's eye?
Phenomenal, the moment I saw Dalton without a patch (near the beginning of the hack) I realized you cunning fellas had something good up your sleeves. That was undoubtedly one of the best moments in the hack--whoever came up with that was a genius.

12. What was your reaction to the clip show and ending art?
The clip show was spectacular--especially the scene with Magus at Lucca's house. My goodness, you guys blow my mind. The ending art was another nice touch; I'd always found that piece to be quite well done.

13. Did you find all three Oboli?
I didn't realize I was looking for them until I found the second one, I guess I'll replay it to find the first. I should have spent more time at the Beast's Nest--I guess I was in some sort of rush.

14. Have you listened to the Prophet's Guile EP after playing? Was including the soundtrack a good move?
In all honesty, I didn't listen to the EP. I probably will, but I my first instinct after finishing the game was sending my respects to you guys. Including the soundtrack was a great fan service, one that will likely be greatly appreciated.


Anyhow, I've been lurking around this place for years, so I'd like to thank you guys for releasing something that finally pushed me to post. If you wanna delete or move this topic, feel free to; I just wanted to get my message across.

Again, thanks a ton guys, you did well.

ZeaLitY

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Re: Well done, fellas [possible spoilers].
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2008, 09:23:11 pm »
Hey, thanks. I think jsondag2 or Chrono'99 came up with the Dalton eye...or maybe it was someone else. Definitely wasn't me.

Agent 12

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Re: Well done, fellas [possible spoilers].
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2008, 10:16:04 pm »
I'd love to take credit but it wasn't my idea :)

--JP

mav

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Re: Well done, fellas [possible spoilers].
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2008, 09:59:15 pm »
Hah, well, it was definitely a highlight of the game.

If you guys don't mind me asking, how long did this project take you? I remember reading that this project came about after the Crimson Echoes team was sidelined for a bit. In all honesty, a project of this magnitude seems much more doable (speed-wise, I'm not putting anything passed you at this point) and it looks like fans react to it quite favorably: look at how often it'd been downloaded. There were a couple moments in Chrono Trigger where we all felt like we should have seen more. There's huge potential for little mini-sequels, prequels, and midquels in CT, and hacks like Prophet's Guile could definitely fill in the void.


Blah, I sound like some strange giddy school-girl in front of you guys. Anyways, well done, keep it up, thanks for the replies.

Phillies64

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Re: Well done, fellas [possible spoilers].
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2009, 08:54:26 pm »
I just downloaded the rom and immediately played through. Great job all. The least i can do is answer the questionnarie.

1. Was Magus's reaction to finding Zeal done well?
Yes. The characterization was perfect. He expressed a bit of surprise, but didn't get overly emotional. He realized the opportunity he had, and quickly tried to take advantaged of it. Well done.

2. What did you think of the status screen art and colors?
I loved it, but I must admit, it did make me realize this wasn't an official game. It stood out from the Toriyama art, but it aslo gave the game a sense of identity.

3. Was the Gaspar and Janus scene okay?
I really enjoyed this. It made a lot of sense. The music during this scene was also really nice, although I tend to think of that song be related more to the End of Time than I do being related to Gaspar. Still, it worked well. Great scene.

4. Did you find the Cerulean Lake before you had to go there? What did you think of it?
Yes I found it. I enjoyed the scene. The battle was nice. Luckily, I quickly found out the appropriate strategy to beat the Nu.

5. Was the Prophet's trumped-up, flowery dialogue cheesy or dramatic?
The dialogue worked well and made a lot of sense in terms of story. That being said, it didn't really fit the Chrono Trigger tone. It was...well...it was better. This is a good thing, but at the same time, sometimes it didn't really feel like Chrono Trigger.

6. Was the Beast's Nest dungeon design done well? And the scene with the Lasher?
Absolutely. It felt like a real dungeon. I even found the coin. Lasher worked well here as well.

7. How about Mt. Woe; did the song make it seem imposing, cold, and sordid given the task of putting Melchior up there?
Yes. I loved this. The music helped to enhance the scene.

8. Did you let Melchior die?
No. I was really cautious here, and always stayed in front of him. That being said, he still got hit once.

9. How was the battle scene between Melchior and Magus? And the scene with Schala afterwards?
This was one of the highlights of the game. Of course, Melchior wouldn't go down without a fight. Of course Magus would recognize the Masamune. Great stuff. Great sprite animation. I was waiting for the Magus/Schala meeting. It worked well. The dialogue flowed naturally. I loved it.

10. What did you think of the Ocean Palace under construction?
I loved the fact that the Scouts and Mages were there. The Earthbound slaves also fit really will. It made perfect sense for the OP to be under construction at this point. Well done.

11. And, what did you think of the final confrontation and Dalton's eye?
A fitting end to the game. It took me a while to realize Dalton was missing his patch. When I noticed this, I was curious to see why. The scene really worked, it was Magus at his best. A great climax to this game.

12. What was your reaction to the clip show and ending art?
Loved it. Every scene fit into the bigger pictured. The ending art was fantastic.

13. Did you find all three Oboli?
The first time through, I found the first and last one. I missed the second one. I quickly replayed from my last save to find all three.

14. Have you listened to the Prophet's Guile EP after playing? Was including the soundtrack a good move?
Yes. I really appreciate that this was included. Beautiful job.

Once again, my thanks to all involved. Amazing job.

Chrono'99

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Re: Well done, fellas [possible spoilers].
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2009, 08:09:57 am »
Thanks for the replies!

Hey, thanks. I think jsondag2 or Chrono'99 came up with the Dalton eye...or maybe it was someone else. Definitely wasn't me.

Strange...I'm pretty sure it wasn't my idea either. I guess in collaborative projects some good things just come together like that.

Uboa

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Re: Well done, fellas [possible spoilers].
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2009, 04:07:30 pm »
I don't want to stir up any controversy by questioning this point, but I was a little surprised by the reference to a supreme deity in Magus'  reaction to being back in Zeal.  I guess I'm not up to speed on thoughts concerning a CT pantheon.  *shrug* That was the only thing that really stuck out to me as odd.

And, yes, really well done guys.  I'll address any other specific points if they come to mind, but overall I really enjoyed it.

ZeaLitY

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Re: Well done, fellas [possible spoilers].
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2009, 05:12:20 pm »
We have a basis in General Viper's use of God in Chrono Cross.

Not that I want to even invoke that. As far as I'm concerned, the deities of the Chrono series, if they should even be called that, are the planets and whatever Zurvan is.