(no subject)

[Colin]

I'd like to submit a review for MrB's The Dragoon but you can only submit reviews to games hosted here.

Here's the review for you guys to put up since I can't:

<u><b>OVERVIEW</b></u>

The Dragoon was one of the few RPGToolkit games whose release I was anxiously anticipating. Also among this status were 'classics' like Dark Age and Dark Age II. After a long wait, I usually find these game satisfying and worthwhile. But did the same come of The Dragoon? Read on...

The game's 5 MB download size was very inviting. Even on my pathetic 56 kb/s modem, I was able to download the game in no time. I was a bit let down by the usage of TK2's standard installer, but I suppose it was understandably a rushed release.

The game took a good 10 minutes to get setup because MrB left 15+ .gam files in the Main folder. One of them -though not the game's- was named main.gam. Hence, I almost gave up. Eventually however, I got the game started.

The title screen was pleasant, complete with a nice layout and navigable menu. After pounding enter, I finally was able to choose 'new game'.

The introduction brings a nicely thought-out story end to play; but ends with a cliched rhetoric. Later still, I had great difficulties scrolling the message window.

The message window had a clever design, featuring a name and character profile. Occasionally, however, text flows off the right side of the window.

The board design is excellent! It almost feels like you're playing a commercial RPG. My real gripe was the gross number of battles. Every ten laggy steps, I seems to encounter one.

The battlesystem ran nicely for the most part but the enemies were far too difficult. In my second battle, the main character feel. When I attempted to use a revival herb, the game froze (due to MrB's branchy construction of the battle system).

MrB took on a great challenge composing his own music for The Dragoon. While the pieces do have some nice melody, they consist of only a few repeating notes. Also, the boss theme was merely a faster battle theme. Alas, this technique seemed to work nicely.

The sound effects are a little loud at times; especially the cursor 'click'. Overall, however, they worked- and that's what counts.

<u><b>BREAKDOWN</b></u>
---------

Graphics 2/5
Ripped tiles just can't earn a high score...

Sound 3/5
Nicely composed tunes and properly used sound effects.

Programming 3/5
Construction of larger programs such as BS and MS far over-used Branch()es and froze frequently.

Board Design 4/5
I believe in MrB's case, this doesn't fit under graphics. The board design was awesome!

Gameplay 3/5
Pretty average gameplay here, but with a few nice perks such as a custom battle system.

<u><b>OVERALL</b></u>
-------

60% - C
Meets the acceptable standard

<u><b>CONCLUSION</b></u>
----------

While it may have been desperately in need of some polishing, The Dragoon was a fine demo. Great job, MrB!

[Spyder]

Thanks man. Your right though, we should have something about submitting reviews for games that arn't hosted here. I'll add something as soon as I get back home. Basically they should just be emailed to Haraldur, but maybe we could add a "Not Listed" option to the Submit Review page. Thanks for pointing it out though  Razz . I wonder why MrB didn't submit his game here. Could it be that he hates us? :huh:  Hmmmm....

[Zeros']

<span style='color:blue'>Who's MrB anyways? Wink </span>

[Spyder]

MrB is also known as Xontu. He's been around the community (the official one) for a couple years. He may have posted here a few times as well, though probably as Xontu.

[Xorlak]

I thought the game submission process just involved Spyder finding your game, downloading it, and putting it up on his servers whether you like it or not (heh...)  But yes, a 'not listed' option is possible.  A better way might be to just add the game normally but make the download unavailable.  That way, people can use the quick ratings as well.  In fact, I think I'll do that right now...

[Dude Man]

MrB also reviewed my game The Black Walkway 2, but didn't submit it to MS. Meh, it was a bad review to. Okay, he gave marks of for things the TK dose, like the no looping music, the defeault battle system not working properly, and he said it used the defeault menu system, when IT DID NOT! Sheesh...learn to review before you do....Oh new signutare idea!

But I do supose I have to give him some credit for makeing the review...

6/10 *marks off for useing the computer to make his review* Laughing



Mr.B, if you are reading this, I'm makeing fun of your review NOT you. I have no problom with you....don't hurt me!

[Colin]

It used the default menu.

In my books the InternalMenu() command is indeed the default menu.

[Vampz]

I thought the game submission process just involved Spyder finding your game, downloading it, and putting it up on his servers whether you like it or not.

Those were the old days of anarchistic resourcing, now it's all permission and fair play. Damn it! Razz

[Dude Man]

So, Spyder was game hunter! Cool. Meh, it's a more fair more civilized world now....I think...

[Spyder]

I thought the game submission process just involved Spyder finding your game, downloading it, and putting it up on his servers whether you like it or not.

Those were the old days of anarchistic resourcing, now it's all permission and fair play. Damn it! Razz

Yeah, that's pretty much correct. Back when MS first started hosting games, I pretty much downloaded anything and everything made, and if anyone had a problem with me hosting their game (which for a while was not a problem) they just emailed me, requesting me to remove it. Probably about half the games that have the note about it not being available for download were games that authors asked me to remove from the site. Reasons usually are because they're planning on remaking the game, which never happens, or they just think the game is crap, and don't want people playing it. Obviously I could be an ass and say screw the author, after all, they put it up on the internet, and after that, it's pretty much fair game....but I'm not as much of a tyrant as some believe me to be, and usually after trying to talk the author in to leaving the game up, I give in and remove it. Of course most of those games that were removed are still on my hard drive. Now, if I see a game is released, and it hasn't been submitted to MS, I usually PM or email the author asking for permission for either me to upload their game, or give them the information to upload it themselves.

MrB also reviewed my game The Black Walkway 2, but didn't submit it to MS.

That's because he has his own review site I believe. He also believes this site will become useless in the near future.

[Dude Man]

I think TKZ will fall before MS. It will happend, I can sence it....

[Spyder]

Well, it would suck if it did. Even if MS has become much better since going PHP, it's still not on the level of TKZ as far as efficiency and features, etc.

[quoaz]

just because ms isn't as "good" as tkz doesn't mean you can't open a few doors.... as the elves say"Tenen wanyalyë vaa mil, yes edrolyë i mil."

[Spyder]

just because ms isn't as "good" as tkz doesn't mean you can't open a few doors.... as the elves say"Tenen wanyalyë vaa mil, yes edrolyë i mil."

True...though I suppose that depends on which elves we're talking about eh? :huh:

[Xontu]

MrB also reviewed my game The Black Walkway 2, but didn't submit it to MS. Meh, it was a bad review to. Okay, he gave marks of for things the TK dose, like the no looping music, the defeault battle system not working properly, and he said it used the defeault menu system, when IT DID NOT! Sheesh...learn to review before you do....Oh new signutare idea!

But I do supose I have to give him some credit for makeing the review...

6/10 *marks off for useing the computer to make his review* Laughing



Mr.B, if you are reading this, I'm makeing fun of your review NOT you. I have no problom with you....don't hurt me!

Well, I'd beat the shit out of you if I could... didn't you send me an email on how much you enjoyed reading the review and appreciated the advice?

Also, like KSNiloc said, that was the default MS, even if you change a few graphics around.  Also, even if TK doesn't loop music, it's your responsibility to make sure the .midi is long enough to always have music playing.   People said the music wasn't long enough in my game and you don't see me bitching about it.

To Spyder: I have a PM over at TKZ for you on putting up The Dragoon on MS without my permission.  Asking is great, but I never said yes.  I don't want The Dragoon on MS because the rating system is terrible, and I don't want my game part of it.  Also, I don't care to have anything linking to a review written by someone that played THREE BOARDS (it's been admitted by KSNiloc) of the first version of the release.  I insist on the reviewer to download any patches on the game when being reviewed, just like you reasonably insisted on me donwnloading the G:A patch when I reviewed it.  It's called respect - something KSNiloc has yet to discover.