I'm social! ^_^
Soul Catapult
April 5, 2023
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Haven't updated this site in awhile, but I've started updating my social media pages again, with progress on a conversion of E2 to a newer version of the engine. It's making better use of lighting effects, with slightly smoothed graphics at a much higher resolution, and runs a lot better as well. Some things will be streamlined (like equipment) and I want to tweak the Attribute system to be a little less crazy. It's a long term endeavor and a bit of a pain, as many things don't work the same way and a lot has to be retrofitted as a result. But I want to do it. :)
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I also found some super-old character drawings that had been lost for years. I may have mentioned them before; my original sketches of the E1 cast. I was thinking of posting them on the History page or something... I almost couldn't believe that I drew them, though I do remember them.
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August 8, 2022
Havin' fun with RPG Maker MV, so much fun. It's so refreshing after being stuck on E2 in VX Ace for so many years. I kind of burned out on it, doing the same thing for so long, yet remained anchored to the project and felt trapped. My faculties weren't being adequately stimulated. Now I'm challenging myself by learning new concepts, solving problems and otherwise doing things I've never done in any version of the program before. I'm discovering ways to make my game design more efficient and modular. I haven't felt so exhilarated in years; it's been a wonderful creative exercise, and just what I needed all along... even though I didn't know it.
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What you see above is a demonstration of what E3 could look like, but I've also been working on things that aren't Elements-related, and it's utterly liberating. I still love the series (and my characters), but I know it too well. Doing new and different things is a vital component of anyone's creative process... I just didn't realize it until now, and that's how stubborn I am. But that stubbornness is why I was able to stick to my projects as tenaciously as I did, too. ^_^
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June 18, 2022: Uh-oh, here we go with the J months again. You may have noticed that I'm not quite as "social" as before... at least, judging by the number of social media icons there. Per Twitter, I just couldn't keep my mouth shut on issues that matter to me, and that drew the wrong kind of attention. Two people joined the Discord channel (and one left, but I'm no less grateful for either of them), and Itch was just sort of there, so... whatever. Instagram still holds a neat little archive of illustrations and conceptual imagery, and my Facebook page has had the remaining character art and backstories for E6 and E7 since last summer.
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I withdrew info on the "E0" dungeon crawler because I wasn't really happy with how it was turning out. That's not to say it'll never be finished and released, but why should it take priority over, say, E2? I've gone back and had a look over things, realizing it was necessary to compromise on a few fronts. It isn't important to specify to what extent, but a few of the features I've mentioned won't make the final cut. But, for the first time in a long time, I can actually see myself finishing the project, and that's encouraging.
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January 16, 2022: I've added the promotional demonstrations for E7 from my other social media pages, along with the little bit of information I provided; more may come over time. I also added a "Me" section (cute little button over there) with some of my personal musings, but they may or may not be relevant to the rest of the site. Regardless, it's all me, so there. ;P
December 23, 2021: As you can see, I've been hard at work illustrating the design aspects of E4 onward. And not done yet! So stay tuned, because the best is yet to come, and I do mean it... ~.^
December 15, 2021: Aha, see that? It's a little mock-up of the class-changing interface to be used in E4. I'd already pretty well illustrated the unique systems in E3, and I felt inspired to do the same for E4. Actually, I've started laying the foundation for (very early) demos of each installment. I don't know how long it will take before any of them are presentable, but it's great to have a new project to look forward to. Of course, I still want to finish E2 as well, and great things are still planned for it.
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I really burned out on E2 a long time ago, as I confessed in a lengthy musing. So I'm just trying to get a feel for how I'm going to adapt my creative strategy moving forward, and I like the results. :)
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November 27, 2021: It's here! Yay. Find it on the Download page. Additional features:
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EXP is rescaled so you level up faster, with increased gain the higher your level
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Boss HP in Episode 3 onward has been reduced
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The boss, Snapdragon, uses single-target Life Drain
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The Leaf of Life now restores debuffed stats, like Refreshers do
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Diligence is no longer awarded for theft, and the gain has been reduced for normal treasure
Please let me know what you think, and let's keep looking to the future! ^_^
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Love,
~ Nikki
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November 24, 2021: Still working on that new update for E2 with rescaled EXP, so you'll level up much faster. I think it improves the experience a great deal. ^_^ Bosses from Episode 3 onward will also have their HP reduced, so every climactic confrontation is no longer akin to a literal mountain in terms of a difficulty spike. ;P
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By request, I've also added to the guide. It contains Episode 4 now, and Episode 5 will hopefully be coming soon.
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Please enjoy! :)
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November 3, 2021: You'll get a kick outta this. I've included a portion of the E1 Journal on this site, and may add to it over time. Now, at long last, my darkest secrets will finally be exposed. Ahaha... read if you dare. ;P
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In other news, I've uploaded 40 videos to YouTube and got myself on Twitter. Check me out, if you like. :)
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October 25, 2021: Know what? I think you level too slowly in E2. So I'm going to recalibrate the experience curves and possibly release a new update soon. Stay vigilant!
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October 20, 2021: Finally finished the E5 section. Only E6 and E7 remain!
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October 14, 2021: So I figured... why wait? Therefore, here are the updates. These aren't full installs; what you do is simply extract and copy/paste the new RGSS archive over the old one in the game directory. Just click "open file location" from the desktop icons if you have them.
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E1 update (67 MB)
E2 update (118 MB)
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October 13, 2021: I just wanted to announce that in the next version of E2, whenever it's released, HP and EF will no longer be adversely affected by your Attributes. Too many people, myself included, dealt with EF degenerating to absolutely nothing, which just plain sucks for no good reason. And with all the big super-attacks bosses will be throwing at you (hi there, Giga Golem), you need all the HP you can possibly get. Why should you be robbed of it just because you like treasure? It makes no sense... so it's out. Therefore, rejoice! As a result, I shuffled around a few other Attribute influences to preserve the balance.
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I'm still intermittently working on E1's script, too. I also simplified the "jump track" in Glymac Mines for a future release.
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September 25, 2021: Pardon my absence, I've got quite a bit going at the moment. ;P For starters, I've released a revised edition of E1 with decreased difficulty and the beginnings of a tidied script. You now gain levels faster, learn skills sooner, and a few of the difficult reflex stupidities throughout the game have either been toned down or removed entirely. The mine carts are still there, but do remember they're optional. I suppose that means nothing for completionists, though... :( Seriously, it's just a Phoenix Feather. There are, like, 19 more throughout the rest of the game! And those vines? All for Radiant Soma. Just buy it at the Castle in the Sky... thanks.
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The script edits mainly cover just the opening sequence as yet, and I honestly can't promise it'll ever be more than that, but at least the game isn't quite so cumbersome to get going now. A few other select dialogues were adjusted... namely, Leonardo finally has a comeback against Cugei's nauseating nihilism at the end of Omega. Had that one waiting in the wings for quite some time... ~.^
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I took a few other liberties, including removal of some redundant skillsets between the characters. Medicine and Power Drinks also heal more now. Yay! Incense and Myrrh, too (for EF). Oh, and those useless potions you buy with Scuttlebug Shells are no longer useless, as they now double your stats (after I uploaded it, however, I realized that I forgot to modify the in-shop descriptions... oh well). A few other buffs were beefed up, too, like Focus, Flex and so on.
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You can download it on the E1 page, as always. It's still as blocky as the blocks I built my first worlds with in early childhood, but hey... that's poetry for ya! I had ideas to spruce up the graphics as well, and even performed some preliminary experimentation in that regard, but... it's a long-term endeavor to say the least. I just wanted to make the game more playable to start, and now it is.
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I started to add info on E5, but only completed the About and Features pages so far. More forthcoming! And that's a promise.
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Mwah,
~ Nikki
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August 20, 2021: I've released an updated version of E2. There isn't much in the way of new playable content... just Sequoia's cave, the Convent of Resurrection, the town of Natesboro and the horse race. However, the new version includes many enhanced features that make the game a lot more fun and accessible, so check it out! Changelog here.
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August 17, 2021: Welp, that about wraps it up. Unsure if I'm gonna jump straight into E5, or explore some other avenues first.
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August 16, 2021: Thank the good Lord, done everything on E4 but the Features section. It'll require me to rustle up some new material, so I was just sort of delaying the inevitable. But I'm very happy to have something to work on again, and I look forward to giving the last three installments equal treatment and branching out to expand my horizons. I hope you'll be with me! ^_^
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August 12, 2021: Finally did the About, World, and Music pages for E4. The easy stuff... and it was tedious enough. :(
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But hey, I'm gettin' back into this! Give me time. I'm considering other avenues as well. Exciting times ahead!
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With more love than ever before,
~ Nikki
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August 5, 2021: I'm still around. I figured it would be best to add the content I uploaded to my Facebook page to this site, as well. It could reach a lot more people, for starters. It may just take a little time to implement, is all. Plus, I can put music samples and more of my writing on here, too. :)
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But this site might not be only about Elements anymore. I have other ideas, other interests, other things to say. This is my personal website above all, and Soul Catapult refers not only to concepts confined to the "E" series, but the collective elevation of the human mind and spirit at large. And if I can accomplish this by any means, that's a huge plus!
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Keeping the content of this website confined to my excruciatingly slow progress on the E2 RPG was simply damming up the creative resources I was so desperate to release. That's why I started releasing content pertaining to the other installments, as well... and now those shackles are being broken entirely.
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So I'm at it again! You with me? I hope so. Anyway... hang tight, and stay eccentric! ~.^
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- Nikki
