ARC Combat! Part 2 - Crash Attacks
10/21/2009 01:02:00 PM | By Rene - 1 comments

Hey! Don't interrupt me! What's that? You say I wasn't saying anything? You say I was the one interrupting you? Are you sure...?
-Rascal


During fast-paced combat, the best defense is sometimes a good offense! Skilled fighters can interrupt their enemy's attacks by crashing through with an attack of their own! Crashing attacks can be accomplished using any command, although some attacks are more effective than others at crashing... on the other hand, some commands are harder to crash through than others!

Be sure to check out the Bijoux Red ARC Combat Tutorial Demo to try out Crash Attacks for yourself!



Coyote's getting ready to use his Buster Slam command! This one hits hard, but it takes a while to set-up... there's a small window of opportunity here to defend yourself, or to Crash through his attack!





It looks like hitting Coyote with the Swift Punch Command wasn't enough to phase him!




This move hits pretty hard! There must be a way to stop him!




*POW!* The Elbow Thrust command is ideal for crashing through enemy attacks! Even Coyote's Buster Slam can't hold up against this one!




If you act quickly, even normal attacks like Swift Punch can crash through a strong one like Buster Slam! Two hits with Swift Punch will crash right through his attack, and deal a lot more damage in the end!



Make sure you read the Command Description before equipping a command! If an attack is useful for crashing, or hard to crash through, that information could affect how you set up for combat and how you use your attacks! Check out the tutorial on Equipping Commands, available in the Tutorial Demo, for more information!



Rene Shible
Director - Bijoux Red
Playable Demo - ARC Combat Tutorial
10/18/2009 01:38:00 AM | By Rene - 7 comments

The dream of the new world is as a seed, nourished in the suffering heart of Man. For, you see, the beauty of Man lies in his penchant for trial and his ambition to growth.

Lament not this pain, sweet boy. When we are through, the seed of your dreams will be as tall as the great tree holding up the heavens.

-Gangster Lord of the Veil, Ishtar


We at Revolver Games are very proud to announce our first available playable demo! With the ARC Combat Tutorial Demo, players will have the chance to explore our unique ARC Combat System in a number of tutorial settings, as well as in a challenging one-on-one battle!

Check out the ARC Combat Tutorial Demo now!



During the Tutorial, you'll be taught the basics of ARC Combat by everybody's favourite old man, Coyote.





Coyote will run you through the basics of acting, reacting and charging during combat.




Pay a visit to the Advance Tutorial to learn how to take advantage of battle mechanics like the Break Gauge, or like crashing through your enemy's attacks!




When you're ready, check out the Demo Battle scenario. A challenging battle awaits you at the end!



Rene Shible
Director - Bijoux Red
Sounds of King City Part 2 - Ander's Theme/World Map 1
8/15/2009 11:48:00 PM | By Rene - 0 comments

What's the point? Maybe I'll find out if I just keep moving.
-Ander


Using the idea of 'leitmotif' to represent our characters through music, we've managed to create an extensive soundtrack featuring various arrangements on numerous themes. This allows us to help the player experience an environment, such as exploring King City from the World Map, in two very different ways! For example, early in the game, we introduce King City through a World Map Arrangement of Ander's Theme. Later, as the player begins to move between districts and the conflicts and characters evolve, we introduce a World Map Arrangement of Visha's Theme, which is more reflective and vast in nature and tone.

Both themes portray a larger King City but the individual flavours of each character will hopefully help the player to experience King City in different ways as they progress through the game.

Bijoux Red OST Preview
Red Fox Underneath the Blazing Sun (Ander's Theme) - World Map Arrangement


Rene Shible
Director - Bijoux Red

Labels: , , ,

Sounds of King City Part 1 - Hidden From The Sun
7/27/2009 08:34:00 PM | By Rene - 0 comments

Even the broadest reach of blinding sunlight fails to penetrate the deepest recesses of King City's shady past. And yet here we are; nothing more than silly, bored people, without a past.
-Bella Strange


Whenever I begin writing a track for Bijoux Red, I often start with what I call a simple 'Guitar Sketch'. This helps me to envision the structure of the song, and to imagine what sort of accompaniment I'd like to hear.

I don't always do this when writing music, but something about the exotic King City made me want to try to write as much of the music as I could on guitar first. There's something about that acoustic flavour illustrating this world that I'm really hoping to convey!

Attached underneath, I've included both the 'Sketchbook' version and the 'Original Soundtrack' version of a song introduced early in the first episode called 'Hidden From The Sun' - just to sort of emphasize the benefits of this working method.

Music Sketchbook
Beneath the World, Hidden from the Sun - Underground Theme


Bijoux Red OST Preview
Hidden From The Sun - Beldan Woods Arrangement


Rene Shible
Director - Bijoux Red

Labels: , ,

Sprite Works - Sabina
7/21/2009 12:23:00 AM | By Rene - 4 comments

You say you want me to stop 'itting you? Ze nerve! You are a man, oui? Start acting like one!
-Sabina du Mer
















Rene Shible
Director - Bijoux Red

Labels: , ,

ARC Combat! Part 1 - ARC Combat Basics
7/08/2009 04:41:00 PM | By Rene - 0 comments

The boys of Southwall Crew sure have got a lot of enemies... there they sit, alone, with no escape, their backs against the sea. On any side, they're surrounded by allies of the Blood Lord, their sworn enemy, with no friends in sight. But their backs, hardened by the load they carry, are strong and their senses, sharper for all their confrontations, are keen.

Here in this remote sea-side town, the boys of Southwall Crew do their righteous work in solitude, awaiting the day that they might receive that sign; the light of revolution from the base of August Hill. And they will not die before that day, for their leader is clever and guides their arms in battle, and their purpose, clear as the emerald sea, guides their hearts through the coldest nights.


As is standard fare for Tactical RPGs, strategic combat in Bijoux Red is not only central to gameplay, but also to the unique flavour of our story! It's for this purpose that we've designed our own battle system called ARC Combat - which stands for Action, Reaction, Charge!

ARC Combat is designed around giving players more control in an otherwise traditionally turn-based, one-on-one active-time battle. To illustrate the idea, we're currently preparing a series of posts dedicated to the features of ARC Combat, as well as a playable demo that will allow players to take the time to develop a unique unit's abilities and to test them out in combat!




When enemy units engage in combat, the player is brought to the Combat Screen, where the main battle plays out. From the Combat Screen, you will have access to your unit's vital information, such as HP, SP and the circular Impulse Gauge. As can be expected, the battle is over when either unit's HP drops to zero!





When the Impulse Gauge is completely filled, your unit's Command Menu appears. Any abilities that you've equipped to your unit will appear here! Each unit can equip up to four Action Commands, one Reaction Command and one Charge Command.




Selecting an action from the Command Menu, such as Swift Punch, will cause your unit to attack the enemy! But watch out for your SP (Stamina Points)! Every action has an SP Cost, and with no SP, your unit will be left defenseless!




Watch your opponent closely. As they're readying their attacks, you'll often see a ring appear around them that will become smaller as they inch closer to actually executing their command. This period is referred to as the command's Casting Time, and is much longer on some commands, typically stronger commands, than on others.




Selecting the Reaction Icon (the top of the two lower-left icons on the Command Menu) with the right timing will cause your unit to use their equipped Reaction Command! Here, Ander is using the Defense command to shield himself from Sabina's attack. Don't forget that Reaction Commands cost SP as well! If you spend too much energy reacting to your opponent, then your unit will run out of SP too quickly!




Timing is key! Leave yourself open and you're gonna get hit!




As the battle wages on, units are sure to get exhausted! Hold down the Charge Icon (the bottom of the two lower-left icons on the Command Menu) to activate your equipped Charge Command! The longer you hold it, the more SP your unit will restore! But be careful! Charging in this manner will leave you wide open for attack!




Oh? What's this? Looks like a big one!




Some units can equip special Technique actions! Pulling these moves off is really the bread and butter of ARC Combat! Leave yourself open for these ones and you'll receive some devastating damage!





Rene Shible
Director - Bijoux Red

Labels: , , , ,

WIP Character Design #1 - Coyote
7/06/2009 04:49:00 PM | By Rene - 0 comments





Coyote


Music Sketchbook
I'm Not A Stranger, I'm A Coyote - Coyote's Theme/Freegrove Theme



COYOTE
Hey, kid, come on! Don't you wanna buy something?

ANDER
Who are you...?

COYOTE
What, you don't know me?

ANDER
How could I know you? You're a complete stranger...

COYOTE
Relax, kid. I'm not a stranger! Now you gonna buy something?

ANDER
Sorry, old man... I don't do handouts...

COYOTE
You must make plenty of friends with an attitude like that.

ANDER
I'm not looking for friends.

COYOTE
Oh, good! Then you have nothing to worry about.




Rene Shible
Director - Bijoux Red

Labels: , , ,

Previous Post
ARC Combat! Part 2 - Crash Attacks
Playable Demo - ARC Combat Tutorial
Sounds of King City Part 2 - Ander's Theme/World M...
Sounds of King City Part 1 - Hidden From The Sun
Sprite Works - Sabina
ARC Combat! Part 1 - ARC Combat Basics
WIP Character Design #1 - Coyote
Managing Your Units! Part 2 - The Unit Profile
Cipher Guild and the New Illustration Style
Managing Your Units! Part 1 - The Units Window

Archives
September 2008
October 2008
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
October 2009