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New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Mon May 31, 2010 8:15 pm
by blargblargson
Hello everyone, my screen name is Blarg Blargson, and I got referred to this site by TV Tropes. The Way looks pretty interesting, but I don't have a lot of experience with RPG Maker-based programs and am having a little difficulty getting started.

First, regarding The Way itself: I booted up episode 1, and couldn't read the text very well. Several letters are morphed so that they're almost illegible. I don't think this is a bug; instead, I figure it's probably a compatibility problem between my windows vista software and the program that runs the game. I've seen this with a few other freeware RPGs I've downloaded, and there's been a different way to fix the issue each time. What do I do for this one?

Second, regarding the Crestfallen series: I gather that these are also games, but I'm having difficulty figuring out how they work, and there's not much information on them on the main page. There are no executable files in among the stuff I downloaded. Is there another program I need to run these? What are the Crestfallen games about? How do they compare to The Way?

Third, regarding these forums: I'm a little unclear on where things are supposed to go, hence putting all of my questions into one thread and sticking it on a general board. Is there somewhere else that these queries should be?

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Mon May 31, 2010 9:37 pm
by EmperorJeramyu
blargblargson wrote:First, regarding The Way itself: I booted up episode 1, and couldn't read the text very well. Several letters are morphed so that they're almost illegible. I don't think this is a bug; instead, I figure it's probably a compatibility problem between my windows vista software and the program that runs the game. I've seen this with a few other freeware RPGs I've downloaded, and there's been a different way to fix the issue each time. What do I do for this one?

It's a common problem with RPG Maker 2000 games, your best bet is probably to try the font patch here. Vista itself sometimes doesn't like to play nice with RM2K games, so either make sure you're running it as administrator (right click the executable and go into Compatibility), didn't install it anywhere in the Program Files directory, or turn the UAC off, otherwise you wont be able to save.

blargblargson wrote:Second, regarding the Crestfallen series: I gather that these are also games, but I'm having difficulty figuring out how they work, and there's not much information on them on the main page. There are no executable files in among the stuff I downloaded. Is there another program I need to run these? What are the Crestfallen games about? How do they compare to The Way?

There should be a game.exe (assuming you have extensions visible) file in the folder with the rest of the game files that you can run. However it's an RPG Maker 95 game which were pretty much never stable on any OS and I can't get them to work properly on Vista at all, so it might be a lost cause. Compared to The Way they're much more primitive (being made with more primitive software), and overall much less immersive and epic, but still very solid games, especially for the time.

blargblargson wrote:Third, regarding these forums: I'm a little unclear on where things are supposed to go, hence putting all of my questions into one thread and sticking it on a general board. Is there somewhere else that these queries should be?

It doesn't matter that much. These boards are pretty dead anyway.

Incidentally last time I checked the TV tropes page for The Way it was pretty abysmal. I'd love to see the whole thing overhauled, and I've spent enough months browsing TV tropes to probably do it right, but I'm just not one for wiki editing. Maybe some day.

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 2:33 am
by Sage Of The Wise
Wait, The Way is on TV Tropes? I never knew that. If I don't post again for a month you know where I am >_>

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 9:18 am
by EmperorJeramyu
Sage Of The Wise wrote:Wait, The Way is on TV Tropes? I never knew that. If I don't post again for a month you know where I am >_>

You know, literally the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the TV Tropes page for The Way was "Sage would be a good one to fix this".

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 10:26 am
by blargblargson
Sage Of The Wise wrote:Wait, The Way is on TV Tropes? I never knew that. If I don't post again for a month you know where I am >_>

To be fair, it's not easy to find on purpose. I was going through the "Master of the Wind" page and found a link to it. Actually typing in "The Way" and searching for it turns up links to just about everything EXCEPT The Way.

Anyway, the text patch worked, thank you. As for Crestfallen, I've found the .exe file, finally; for some odd reason, my computer arranged the files contents as a playlist instead of the standard format.

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 11:39 am
by Non-Sequitur
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheWay
Creator Breakdown: Though it may be part of the epic Mind Screw that is Episode 6, there are many hidden messages that can only be accessed by RPG Maker about a girl who saved him (the creator, Lun), only for him to leave her crying, complete with calling himself a fool. There's also a hidden room with sad music only heard that one time, some child who "just wants to get back to sleep", and a man spouting things depressing even for The Way, about looking through a window every day and growing sadder and sadder each day after looking at it. Looking reveals it's an image of a young boy smiling. Lun was definetley going through something when writing this stuff.

I have never seen them myself, but I remember someone else saying that they found more messages like this when they were beta testing for one of the other episodes and that they were removed in the final version.

Edit:
I'm surprised that Hopeless Boss Fight is not listed.

Edit again:
I know I can add these to the page itself, but I think it would work out better if organize it here first.
Sssssnake Talk: Scatha
Dirty Old Man: Dirk
Fake Memories: Rhue
Younger Than They Look: Rhue, Kalmar, and possibly others.
The Voiceless: The Phantom Slasher
Inexplicable Treasure Chests
Annoying Arrows: Several of the mini games in Episode 6.
Elemental Rock Paper Scissors
Cryptic Conversation
Meaningful Echo: "Where are you?"
Cliff Hanger
Ironic Echo: I can't look it up on the computer I am currently using so I don't have the exact line right now, but this occurs when Rhue taunts Strata after defeating him in Episode 5.
Sure, Why Not?: According to Fwacho, Lun has done this with some things that have been posted on this forum.
Inevitable Tournament
Meaningful Rename: Jeruh -> Rhue, Chasta -> Scatha, Sorya -> Rosa, and Kava -> Kavax.
Bare Your Midriff: Cetsa

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 3:05 pm
by Sage Of The Wise
I have never seen them myself, but I remember someone else saying that they found more messages like this when they were beta testing for one of the other episodes and that they were removed in the final version.

Not sure about messages that were in the beta but not the final, but check the Notes section of the eastereggs and secrets guide. All the ones I can remember are there.

Ironic Echo: I can't look it up on the computer I am currently using so I don't have the exact line right now, but this occurs when Rhue taunts Strata after defeating him in Episode 5.

Strata EP1: Why don't you contemplate what's just taken place here while I go make some money at the races. Later, blue boy.
Rhue EP5: Why don't you contemplate what's just taken place here while I go after Gaius. Later, loser.

Not even sure where to begin with the page, I'll have to look into it at soon. Though the misspelling of almost every instance of Lexus, and the fact Gaius's only mention on the page is the incredibly inaccurate Messiah would be good places to start.

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 4:48 pm
by Non-Sequitur
Thanks. I'll keep adding more to the list as I think of them.

It seems like there should be a more specific trope than just revenge for Midian, but I haven't been able to find one so far.

Edit:
Best Served Cold is what I was looking for. It describes Traziun as well.

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 3:28 am
by Otaku No Anime
Ah, so the people here have noticed it. Yeah, unless you know the actual link, the page is difficult to find; TV Tropes search engine needs to be refined a little more.

I frequent there often as well as edit it, so I can add the stuff people have come up with so far right now (since the idea mill here has been dry for a month) and change the page itself depending on what people suggest to make it better. In regard to what we have in this topic now, it's alright to just toss 'em in the main page since it is still relatively small.

There's also some potential to make a Character Sheet subsection with amount of tropes that have been listed here and in the page itself, but we will need to go through every character first in order to build it up to reasonable size where we would have a legitimate reason to make it.

Will edit in more later.

---

EDIT: Notes for reference here, mainly for myself.

*Somewhat debating on whether or not the plunge system fits the Elemental R/P/S trope. Unless you were refering to something else?

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:20 am
by Non-Sequitur
Otaku No Anime wrote:*Somewhat debating on whether or not the plunge system fits the Elemental R/P/S trope. Unless you were refering to something else?

I was actually referring to the weakness and resistances in the regular battles. I also was expecting there to be a trope that would describe the plunge since I have seen similar dueling systems in other games, but I haven't found anything yet.

Edit:
Catch Phrase: Traziun: "An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. A life for a life. There is no other way."

I don't think that counts as a catch phrase. Traziun only says that once throughout the entire series.
Note: To be a catchphrase, the phrase must be repeated multiple times - just because something is the most memorable line of a movie does not make it a catchphrase unless it is said more than once.

He says something somewhat similar later on, but I think that is more of a meaningful echo.

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:42 am
by Impossible
You guys are awesome, this is nicely done. Somehow I feel that even though there are a tropes there about Rhue's issues with memories, etc, something that captures him is missing... Maybe I just didn't see it. Not sure what I'm specifically thinking of, probably his involving his multiple personalities and/or unreliable narration (though Unreliable Narrator itself is there).

It's also reminded me of a whole bunch of stuff I still don't understand... Like how the transferral of personalities went about, since there seems to be two shadow swords or something involved in the flashbacks, and something is definitely missing from the explanation that left Rhue's own story a bit incomplete. And there's stuff there about the motive of the Phantom Slasher, which I can't remember anything about... Do we actually know what that was?

Man, I would kill to see what else Lun had in mind for The Way that didn't make it into the game. It's clear there was so much more to it. Especially if there could have been an Episode 7 and maybe 8.

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 8:45 am
by Impossible
And a couple of hours later, I've finally gotten off TVTropes. Fuck you all.

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 8:55 am
by Otaku No Anime
Right, of course...the normal battle system, I can see how that might qualify, though I'm going to have to go through the monster data again just to be sure. The reason I'm holding off on adding that now is because those resistances (from what I remember, anyway) are inherent to the enemy itself and thus result in several odd combinations that don't indicate any relationship/pattern the attributes have with each other.

As for what the page has listed as a catchphrase: noted. Will remove once I get my sleep. Don't recall anyone in the game having a valid catchphrase, so there goes that trope.

And on a side note, is anyone here "gentlemanorcus"? He's one of the other editors of the page, I was wondering if they were one of you guys.

And a couple of hours later, I've finally gotten off TVTropes. Fuck you all.


You're welcome. 8D

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:01 am
by Non-Sequitur
Otaku No Anime wrote:The reason I'm holding off on adding that now is because those resistances (from what I remember, anyway) are inherent to the enemy itself and thus result in several odd combinations that don't indicate any relationship/pattern the attributes have with each other.

True. I didn't really think of that.
Otaku No Anime wrote:Don't recall anyone in the game having a valid catchphrase, so there goes that trope.

The closest is probably Rhue's "How sweet it is". I don't remember how many times he says it though.

Re: New here, and possessed of many questions.

PostPosted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:08 am
by Sage Of The Wise
As far as anyone having catchphrases, only thing that comes to mind is Rhue and 'sweet flaming lands', probably doesn't count though.

Traziun's eye for an eye line could be Badass Creed.

And there's stuff there about the motive of the Phantom Slasher, which I can't remember anything about... Do we actually know what that was?

Some people seemed to try and imply various things on the page, but the only motive there was ever any evidence for was to kill and get more auras, and to not be destroyed so it could keep getting more auras.

I've been looking for troops that would fit the Illuminati and shadow swords being the same thing, haven't found anything I like yet. Also looking for something about Rhue's over protectiveness of his sword, all I've got so far is Security Blanket, and I don't really like that one.