timeBreak (Multiplayer RPG)

Boy Oh Boy is the modding community in for a treat today...

I couldn't help but notice a map submission by Callahan called the World of Genesis, and it got me thinking... hold on this something like the project i've been working on for the past few years. Similar to Callahan, the motivation of this project was also inspired by Legend of Magnador... but it took a completely different route.

This project has been hidden in the shadows for the past (4 years? has it been that long?) Why is it taking so long? I have a god damn life. Haha, the project has been on and off. I've taken months (even years off) at a time on working on it. Yes my dedication has dwindled, but the quality of the map has not.

so without further ado, allow me to reveal to the world... my masterpiece.

timeBreak

Screenshot

Here are some FAQ's...

What is timeBreak?

It's a Final Fantasy style RPG but multiplayer. Think along the lines of a Chrono Trigger and Crisis Core hybrid. (Although i began the project long before Crisis Core was released, when i finally played through Crisis Core i noticed many similarities)
BUT...
It's multiplayer. Play in a party of 3, in a Final Fantasy style battle system AND It is all in real time. What more can you ask!?

Screenshot

Real Time Multiplayer Battle System? What the hell?
Haha. Yes i have created a system where friends can work together controlling one character a piece.

Screenshot

Here are some of the features of this system:

Essence Charge Magic System: Magic in the world of Gaia must be charged before it is cast. To charge a magic, you first must consume the energy of either an essence or relic. Once charged, you click "Cast Magic' and aim it. It's that simple, but that beautiful. In the current version I have created over 60 magic spells.

Double/Triple Tech Magics: Charging and not casting certain magic in the right combination can unlock certain powerful double and triple tech spells. Won't give them away just yet though. Although I might create a chart for the final release.

Limit Break (Trance System): As in any Final Fantasy styled combat there are limit breaks. timeBreak inherits the trance system from FF9. When your limit bar reaches 100% you enter a state of trance and are exponentially more powerful. In addition you now have access to a powerful limit break spell. (Your Limit Break spell depends on your weapon. In this demo version, you will not have access to different weapons. Too bad, most limit break spells (not the ones im showing you) are extremely flashy.

Attribute Growth. Your characters stats grow in two ways:
1, By Progressing in the story and gaining star levels and summon bonuses.
2. By killing enemies. Through the attribute system, after a certain amount of kills you gain an attribute point to raise your Vigor, Power or Spirit. (Health, Physical Damage, Magic Damage)



Is there a story?
Hell Yes there is. It's an epic scaled story, but I won't give you any hint on what it is about. (You will get some small teaser's playing through this Demo Stage though)
The heart of timeBreak lies in its cinematic cutscenes. All skippable.

Screenshot

How far along are you in terms of completion?
Hmm...
Battle System: 100%.

Terrain: 95-100% (The World is complete, but i might need to add some new stuff for further content in the story)

Story 80-85%: Rough estimate. I am currently triggering the final stages of the story. Triggering these cinematics is the longes part. Creating Boss fights also takes a long time. Nothing too hard though. I'm a master at this. Let me give you an Idea. The main story is divided into 10 chapters. Right now I am on chapter 7. (But I completed dozens of other side missions)

Screenshot

Note: For some reason wc3campaigns will not allow my map to be attached so here is a separate download link:
http://www.turboupload.com/download/...eBreakDemo.w3x
or you can download the Map Here:
http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/resource.php?t=85601


Questions and Comments are now welcome.

I will not however reveal anything related to the storyline, nor unexposed content.
Why would I want to ruin the experience of casting a new spell or meeting a new villain for the first time? (And trust me, i hid all the eye-catching content away from this DEMO)

One more note... another reason I decided to finally submit this demo when I did was because I need beta tester that I can trust. (I don't want just anyone to test it and leak out the story.)
I need dedicated, loyal and trustworthy members of this community to help me finalize this game. I can finish it within the next few weeks with the right amount of help.

I want to be the beta tester, and I think I am oyal trustworthy and dedicated. I've become beta tester in few maps like revenge of the scourge, war in lurga lagzda, chosen ones, and orochi warriors.
My only problem is I can speak eanglish well.
Can I be the beta tester?

A multiplayer RPG that might not suck?

*is shocked*

Looks promising.

(Oh, I put those images in hidden tags, since 5 images of that size is really pushing it loading time wise.)

I'm glad to see you got inspired by me and Legend of magnador.
Good luck with this project.

Your hero got damn high stats 7000 hitpoints ,2000 damage.

Edit :I've tested it in solo so here some suggestion :

• Well in this demo you're kinda drop somewhere without any clue and i didn't rly knew what to do.
• I accidentaly stored an invocation item in my potion belt and it just disappeared and i lost it.
• Combat system look good though i wonder if you play it in multiplayer your partner will join you in battle.
• Sometime you're stuck with elemental during fight if you don't have any spell essence.
• Attribute system is good
• Some issue with item charge stackability, I mean if your inventory is full you have to drop an item.
• I like invocation
• I didn't knew what the hell to do with the switch lever combination (no clue).
• Story looks promising but as i said above you're kinda droped in middle of the game.
• YOu might use quest menu to hint people
• Maybe allow to be played in solo by sharing control of player 2 and 3 if the game detect it's solo.It will be kinda hard to find good partners on battle.net if it's a public game.

Hey Callahan! I really appreciate you taking your time out to test the map. I took into consideration what you wrote and updated the DEMO likewise.
Derin is now equipped with a chargeable Relic for the elemental essences.

Also the fastest possible combination for the lever area is this:
far left lever, hit once.
middle lever, ignore.
far right, hit twice.

As for storing items. You can access potions directly from your belt. Check out the abilities next to "cast magic", they allow you to access your belt. This saves major inventory space.
Further access to items stored is possible by hitting the up arrow key outside of battle. Also hitting the down arrow key outside of battle shows you where to go.

Also your partners do in fact join you in battles, which makes the big fights that much more fun.

I'm trying to not reveal much in this DEMO, i wanna save the fireworks for the full version.



in reply to Max_Dan. Yeah definitely, i don't know why but you sound very trustworthy from that short post alone... Maybe I am too trusting. But I will contact you soon.

Playing it as I type this.
Shifting Earth is broken, It doesn't do damage. More when I'm done.
- - - - Done - - - -

A very well made game. I like the way you have to charge abilities and such, but:
•The same as relics, only allow one summon per person. I could use any of the three depending on my needs, though I suppose it get's split up when you play with 3 people.
•Terrain could be clearer, and with water colored like that it was almost impossible to see those damned light bridges. Use normal ones? Please? =P

- - - - -

The rest of my problems Callahan listed, and a lot of those were fixed. (With the exception that Shifting Earth was malfunctioning =X)

thank you for trusting me. I won't dissapoint you.

Hmm, I never liked the whole Randomly teleport you to a small area and spawn monsters "battle system" frequently used in Starcraft RPG's. Just seemed like a cheap way out of making an actual Turn based battle system. Other then my dislike for that and my hatred for Ridiculously high attributes it seemed like it had potential.

Normally I don't post in these forums, but after testing the map earlier I'd have to say I'm really impressed and can't wait to see the full map. You definately pay homage to final fantasy while keeping it fully within the bounds of the wc3 system which made combat really active and fun. While I understand this was just a demo, having some sort of tutorial on the magic would be nice in the full game as I struggled for awhile to really grasp the system, but liked it when I understood it. Even the story (what I saw of it) seemed like it was fairly playful with the typical angst ridden main character on some quest presumably to save the world from an interdimensional invasion or something.

As to a few issues/gripes:

1. Sometimes the battles would follow each other before I moved more than an inch, rather annoying.

2. One of the spells I kept getting hit with removed the control from my hero, but did an awkward job of it so that I could keep reselecting, perhaps look into recoding the spell to stop me from selecting the hero during the condition.

3. The clue to the lever puzzle didn't fire until I finished it, which was awkward.

Other than that it was alot of fun, hope to see the final version soon.

In response to OdinsRagnarock:

wow thanks alot. I made this map hoping that others would be able to enjoy and appreciate what I am aspiring to produce, which is a true quality wc3 RPG.

As for your issues:
1/2 had been resolved a few days after i released the demo.
3 was an issue only in the demo because I rushed the message when someone mentioned that they were confused by the lever puzzle. I guess I triggered the message to pop up at a later scene than it should have.



----------- Side Note -----------

Production is going well. The past few weeks my production has slowed due to my internship... so I think I might finally need help.
If anyone is interested in designing / creating side bosses, I would be glad to incorporate them into the game. If they fit the right criteria i might even add them into the story.
At this point for me, creating boss fights is very difficult because I have to make them challenging and unique.
What I expect from a boss:
To force a player out of their normal playing element. Design a boss that forces a player to incorporate teamwork, or that punishes heroes for staying in the same spot, not dispelling negative buffs or positive buffs, etc... Bosses that have deadly spells, that are avoidable... For those who've played Megaman, you know what I am talking about.
Other ideas, boss fights where there are two bosses, or even 3! Make the enemy bosses synced.