http://www.starlessumbra.com/ Keep yourself up-to-date on the amateur RPG, Starless Umbra. English http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3699
Release date: September 1, 2010.


"YES! I am successful business man and I am happy dhm is finally announced release date !!!"

What's the plot for the chapter going to be like? Well, you know I like to keep it vague, but in a nutshell Andoru will be working with Khan to understand the "union" discussed near the end of the previous chapter. His resolution is again a step further from finding a way home (which has its consequences), but it is a necessary step as we will see a slight shift in Andoru's personality as he builds himself mentally and physically. (Finally!)

I've pushed the bar with chapter seven. Much of the game as you know is constantly undergoing a makeover, so what that means is that not only will there be plenty of new and exciting material, but I'm also adding a few more cutscenes to earlier portions of the games to give the plot some more continuity. (More Illia anyone?)

Thank you for being patient with me as I've worked with release over the past year or so. The recent activity on the forums really pushed me to wrap this up and now I feel as if it's time for another deadline in my life.

PS, if you are playing SU right now I suggest you wait. Saves will be compatible. :]]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3663
A test playthrough is underway this weekend for myself currently. Hopefully that will give me the push of motivation I need to announce some real news soon. Thanks for stopping by. ;)

bonus! random ch7 quote
Carrots: I sometimes wonder if your attention span is shorter than my own.
Kelar: HEY! I've got a plenty fine span of attention. Just you try me!]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3583
Here's my offer to you, oh frequent visitors. ;)

If anyone is in the middle of a playthrough and wouldn't mind taking some new screenshots, I'll pay 0.50 USD per screenshot.

Now, for the fine-print:

Send your screenshots--along with a caption--to my email. dragonheartman at gmail.

I only need about 40 screenshots. For the quick, that's a max of $20 you can earn if you happen to be the first to send all 40.

I don't need screenshots similar to the ones I already have here. However, if you have a clever/witty caption, go ahead and submit it--even if it's similar to an existing screenshot.

Submissions run until I've received 40 screenshots. Feel free to submit more than I might need. For example, say user A submits 30 screenshots and I accept 20 out of 30. User B could submit 30 as well (even though I only need 20 more).

Payments will be made via paypal, so please send your paypal address along with your screenshots.

If I've forgotten anything else, or you have any questions, let me know!]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3553
Here are a few pages you might find useful that aren't in the navbar:

Search SU.com
http://www.starlessumbra.com/search.php
I implemented searching, but there are a few kinks that I never got around to working out. Still, it's mostly functional. Thanks for Fireflame for reminding me this existed.

http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_hist.php
This quick page views the latest posts that were rated on the forum. If you are curious what a particular post# is, use this final page:

http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_post.php
This is a supplementary page that dynamically previews a single post by supplying an ID in the field. It's pretty awesome! And to-date it is the only AJAX programming I've ever done. (It's messy!)

That's all for now. I'll try posting more. I wanted to start a blog or something, but this was why I created this space in the first place. Cheers!]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3497
Despite finals being next week, this is officially no longer on hiatus.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3487
I'll be finished with my classes in about four weeks. After that, I'm moving out (I already have a place in San Francisco) and starting my new job.

So chapter seven is coming sometime this summer. Don't you dare think I won't finish this, either.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3452
Feel free to contact me if you ever want to chat.

With love,
--dhm]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3422
When I widened the site to 800px I forgot to update an ie-only stylesheet that fixed some inconsistencies with the menu. The result was my IE stylesheet would overwrite a width attribute and set the page back to 640px.

So su.com now looks "acceptable" on IE7.

I've also updated the users page to look decent on the new widescreen layout.

On the game side of things, I might release 6.07 soon. I also might just push for 7.00. I'm unhappy with a number of bugs I've fixed so 6.07 might be the right choice, because if I rush for 7.00 early you know that just means even MORE bugs later. :)

Of course either way ch7 is fairly close to completion in terms of cutscenes and maps, but there still needs to be enemies, items, npcs, and so forth. That just means I will announce a release date soon.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3391
If you remember about a month or two ago I discussed a difficulty of implementation for all of SU7's cutscenes:

http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3313

At the time I was at 8% completion--well after this weekend this has jumped to 36%.

As my second to last semester of college comes to a close, I've switched to full-time SU development mode once again.
]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3364
I'm working on dialogue still; trying not to hype anything but also thank you for posting! If you have any suggestions as always let me know and HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF SU :D

Have a great week.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3348
Also update your timezone settings via your edit profile link if you live in a country that observes Daylight Saving Time!

Anyone do anything cool for halloween?]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3313
As I mentioned before, I don't have a lot of free time, and it sort of shows. I'm really behind on weekly screenshots--and I plan on getting to that soon--but I did make some good progress over my extended four-day break.

Stormy weather returned to California, and I picked up the stomach flu, but strangely enough, being indoors all day while it was raining outside made me feel nostalgic. Here's what I've done:

I've created a list of every cutscene I need to do for chapter seven and ranked its difficulty exponentially (1,2,4,8, etc). Obviously the tougher cutscenes will take longer, so following the Agile Methodology of development this essentially gives me a pessimistic approach as to how far I am into completing chapter seven's cutscenes. So far, I've implemented about 5/58 points, which isn't much, but I was pretty happy with the day's progress. If you figure 5 points a day--and this is for writing and implementing--I could technically have SU7's cutscenes done in 12 days. Just saying, and thats if I didn't have to go to this thing they call school. :)

Also that means the CBS I'm holding off until I complete the game. That means there will be an additional release after chapter 9, which was thought to be my last, but now theres...

Starless Umbra X (SUX!) will be nothing more than SU9 with a complete CBS, 100% original faces, 100% original music, and 100% original CGs/Cutscenes... just to get you a little excited for something that won't be here for a bit. :)]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3246
That means my vault is running low and I will need more. I smell a small contest coming soon.

I just got back from a weekend in Seattle with mrs. dhm and I miss her so much already. :(

Relevant though--she wants to make SU plushies! Post if you're interested (and of which characters? *grin*)]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3228
Not all is lost, however. Conceptual updates will be the primary focus from now until things slow down. I'm going to be tweaking a lot of what I have planned before I create it. This gives me much more time to plan what big changes are to come. I don't want to get too ahead of myself.

Thanks for sticking with this. I'll be doing the same.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3156
Starless Umbra v6.06 is up and ready to download! This isn't a required download, unless you are playing through no-battles mode. (In which case you'll need to update in order to get past some bosses I forgot to disable!)

There are a few other cool reasons to download this version, such as a new cutscene during chapter two and heaps of bugfixes. (I think everything mentioned in the forums that required immediate attention has been fixed.)

Other minor fixes I can recall include fixing some teleport locations, adding treasures, adding the footprint system to Sathron, updating the in-game world map to accommodate some chapter seven locations, and whatever else I forgot. :]

If all is well this will be the last revision before chapter seven. Of course that is incredibly wishful thinking... Have a great weekend!]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3139
v6.06 coming soon. :]]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3082 Topic Pages. From now on, if a post gets too long, it is split up into multiple pages. (The default is 15 per page.) I've done some basic smoke-tests, and aside from a few edge cases I think everything is functional. Please let me know what you think, and if there's anything else you have in mind for me to add or fix I'll take note.

If you want to change the number of posts displayed per page, you can do so in your User CP.

Also, this piece of an email made my day:

Quote:

I'm afraid with looking after my kids i haven't had much time to play your adventure, but i will, you could say, i'm hooked.

]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=3019
Also, check out and comment on the weekly screenshots. I'm showing off something from Chapter 7 this week. :]]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2968
You can subscribe here:
http://www.starlessumbra.com/rss_img.php

Also, the Screenshots page is back up. Click to enlarge images. (You can also move them around, toggle between them with the arrow keys, and more!)

Also, thanks to Highslide JS, which is the thumbnail viewer I used to include all these cool effects.

Ninja edit:
Spoiler forums are hidden by default. If you want to view them again, go to your profile and check the Show spoiler forums and posts box.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2953


Here's to the next nine thousand!]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2881
The biggest change you'll see is the "Screenshot of the Week" feature on the right side of the home page. It updates--or should update--automatically every Monday. I plan on adding more features to the "View All Screenshots" page as well as add a few more very soon.

The javascript that expands the image when you hover over them is a little strange. I'm still debating whether or not I want to keep it on mouse over, or on mouse click. (Once there are a few more screenshots it won't do that annoying scroll thing.)

To accommodate this feature I've again widened the layout to 800px. I've only done this for the default skin, so if you're using some of the older skins, it will be broken. Also, the site looks terrible in IE6. If you're still running IE6, upgrade! :P

If the website looks strange, try doing a hard refresh to reload the stylesheet. (F5)

EDIT: If you're getting the "Run Time Package not found" error that has been fixed in the download now too. (You just need to rename the Starless Umbra.ini file to RPG_RT.ini.)]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2855
I made a su dev page on twitter: http://twitter.com/starlessumbra

Basically I'll spam the hell out of that with what I'm working on. It's new, but it will grow. Feel free to follow and I'll return the favor.

I've also fixed the RSS feed to format BBCode properly to make it easier to read. In addition, there's now a link on the top of the page. So if you haven't, subscribe. :D]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2830
(ENOUGH ALREADY DHM TELL US ABOUT CH7)

Chapter seven is going well. I'm finishing up the second dungeon of the chapter. What that means is that after this there's a just one dungeon left to design for chapter seven and five more (required) dungeons to design in SU as a whole. I'm also expediting my efforts as a developer and am trying to push a release for late '09 rather than early '10.

I don't want to call it rushing, because I am honestly just making steady progress, but it's really time to start wrapping things up. Chapter 7 and 8 consist of the game's real conflicts and I want to keep pushing myself.

This also means I am exploring the idea of possibly asking for help at this point. I haven't thought of the details (or whether or not this is even a cool idea) but it would involve me giving money to someone to help speed up my releases. Again, just an experimental idea I am toying with. Who knows if I'll even want to pull through with it in the future, but feel free to drop me a line if you have any interest at all. This game, despite being created exclusively by me in the actual editor, wouldn't be what it is without the collaborative efforts of the rest of the "team" as well as the community that have shown interest in this project.

Thank you for over 2000 downloads in the short (nearly) two years we've been online.

News post getting long; shutting up now.

tl;dr su6.05 is here]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2754 New Posts page, it will automatically take you to the bottom of the topic (to view the newest reply).

Also, when you comment on a post, you are automatically taken to your reply on the topic. Give it a try.

I know some of you complained about getting logged out while you were in the middle of a post because your session on SU.com expires fairly quickly (after about an hour?). If you posted a reply and were logged out, you would usually lose all that data. Now, you are taken to a "Recovery" page where you can easily select & copy your reply to add once you log-in again.

(If you want to try it out for some reason, view a topic then open a new tab. Logout on the second tab and post a reply on the first.)]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2737
This update primarily fixes a few graphical glitches and tweaks to some of the newer content mentioned in the previous update, specifically with the new adjustments to the damage attributes.

I've also added a new No-Battles mode of difficulty, if you feel like just playing through the game to quickly enjoy the story without training and learning skills, then give it a try. To access it, just press right while selecting a difficulty. (Also you cannot play Expert mode coupled with No-Battles mode.)]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2689

• New Cutscene: After you leave the Temple with Andoru, Clydan, and Reene.
  
• Updated Cutscene: On the bridge at Birnam Woods. (I will say more in the spoiler boards)
  
• Added a short dungeon to chapter five
  
• New Splash Screen. :)
  
• Failing the horse race minigame will give you the option of skipping the minigame or retrying. You get a little prize for completing it.
  
• You now start out with five of each gems when you learn how to use techs.
  
• You now get recovered before the swapping puzzle in the Bandit's Hideout to prevent getting a gameover if one of the characters are wounded.
  
• I've updated the damage percentage algorithm. Essentially you will do more damage and Intelligence affects spell damage much more. In return, monsters have a bit more health.
  
• New Arkor!
  
• Percentage Completed feature works! It shows you the percentage completed of the actual implemented game (meaning 100% when you finish chapter six). This only works for games started in 6.03 onwards. For older saves, it will "catch up" once you complete chapter six (in the chapter seven release).
  

That's all that I can think of. If you've played through already and want to see the updated cutscenes (you should!), check out the spoilers forum.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2679
So check them out and expect an update this weekend.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2592
I just finished the first town and dungeon for chapter seven, which put me at 20 total dungeons and 955 maps so far in SU. In addition, I have more content for chapter five and revisions to a couple cutscenes--one really "major" one as well.

I will have screenshots and stuff soon. I do not have internet access on my main PC at the moment so I can't actually show off any new screenshots but there are a few at RPGmaker.net

Hope you all have a great weekend.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2558 http://www.rpgmaker.net! This has surprised and excited me to no end.

A quick update on game progression, you can actually expect soon-ish version 6.1.0, which will feature a whole new playable/extended cutscene as well as what I'd consider major revisions to a few cutscenes. More details to come.

Thanks for visiting. :)
]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2495
Now that I think about it, I still wanted to tweak a bit of the enemies but this should make chapter six a little easier and more rewarding. Veris Temple is still missing treasure and Mokono needs NPCs. :(

However, a bigger new feature is the Gem Credit Shop in Mokono. Go there to swap out a particular Gem for another element if you happen to be running low.

Also, I've added a couple of AWESOME reviews to SU.com. Big thanks to Mikel_S and NicoB for the feedback. I've been meaning to update SU's in-game credits but major thanks to Stedar as well for the amazing feedback and hasty playthrough.

SU7 is just barely in development, but as a very very vague release date, it will be here early 2010.

I've also added a short SU trailer to the homepage. If you've been following me on youtube you've probably already seen it, but let me know what you think.

Lastly Mrs. DHM left yesterday and I am a little bored and sad. However, this is my last week of classes and I've got one week after of finals then I will be done with my third year of college. Time sure flies...]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2436
Also the walkthrough is updated with a quick and dirty guide to chapter six if you're at all stuck. I will add more later because it's seriously much less in-depth than some of the previous stuff.

I'm off to pick Mrs. DHM up from the airport. Expect v6.02 very soon. Thanks for playing, guys.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2351
As a bonus you guys have a new skin. What graphics weren't kei's art I ended up doing in MS Paint. Go to your user profile and select "Bleeding Umbra" if you'd like to make it your default, as it is now for the website.

I rushed my last playthrough. And by rushed I mean it still took me 11 straight hours to finish. There's a new intro, new content, and new bugs. Old saves are still compatible (ch 5+). If you're new to SU expect a full playthrough to take somewhere between 15-20 hours.

I had a full handwritten page front and back of things I wanted to fix and I got about 90% through before I just gave up. Some things I didn't get to in the interest of time but I hope you will be grateful for the timeliness. As always, save often in multiple slots. You never know where DHM might have screwed up. Remember, it's late and I haven't slept much.

Seriously expect a bugfix patch in a week. I just wanted to get this out there.

Major props to kei for the cool artz... always. And Kairen for letting me stay over and beta testing with me. <3 And of course soctkoren invited me to stay over so I ended up installing RM2k3 and fixing a good chunk of bugs while he watched food network and bought me salame that smelt like semen (but tasted great!) Thank you. BUT MOST OF ALL BIG THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY! I coded these forums and a couple of you actually use it. It's an awesome feeling, and if it weren't for you I probably wouldn't release anything. Ever.

I will be posting this on gamemaking forums later on, once I get a little bit of feedback and I actually get around to EDITING ANDORU SO HE USES A SPEAR IN THE WOLF HQ MINIGAME. Think of visiting SU.com as a little perk, if you will.

If there's any problems let me know. I sincerely hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

EDIT: Version 6.01 uploaded.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2328 Quote: I don't quite get the complexities of Shiki and DHM's relationship, but at least I do understand that the release date for chapter six is one week away. Fuck yeah!
Less than a week left indeed. I just finished the last cutscene. I'm going back and adding two more minor ones just for clarification purposes.

I'm almost there!]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2255
A bit of general quick dungeon cleanup and enemy balancing,

Some additional dialogue,

Added world map locations,

General testing,

and I'd say SU6 is ready. I'm excited to meet this deadline guys.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2229
EDIT: Okay real update. We have a favicon now. :P]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2190
]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2147
Anyway, here are just a few screenshots of the new introduction, which plays out a little differently than the last. I don't know what else to say other than enjoy.


Some potentially mysterious people.


Tulron. Fire?!


Clydan, I think it's 'Fight fire with fire.']]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2135
I'm going to be honest, I haven't played through my game completely in a few months. It's getting to the point where it takes me a couple of solid days to finish it. I don't know if it's because I want to try to keep it as fresh as possible but I do know the importance of testing, and every time I do a playthrough, I have this strange urge to update the existing game content. A lot. In my latest playthrough, I am currently at Birnam Woods--revising content as I go along.

For this update, I'm going to just give you a quick overview of what's new and what has already been done. Later this week I will go a little more in-depth with a few screenshots. (Again, only of content before chapter 6. :P)

• Updated intro
  
• Major dialogue revisions in Arkor
  
• Visual tech tutorial
  
• Minor plot-flow changes and dialogue revisions in Dorin Castle
  
• Updated jumping system in several dungeons.
  
• New dynamic encounter rate system as well as some major adjustments to battle difficulty, enemy abilities, exp rewards, and more
  

]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2118
Starless Umbra on Facebook
URL: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Starless-Umbra/61674751473]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2084
It might not make much sense but the reason I take down downloads has been sort of personal. All in all I am unhappy with the current release, and as always, big changes are coming over the horizon. So I hope you understand. In short, I don't want you playing something old, and if you haven't played SU yet, please wait for Chapter Six!

I am keeping the download up for a little while longer because I don't want to shock anyone. But if you visit here regularly, chances are you already have the game.

In an ideal case, the download will be down for about a month and then you all will be playing Chapter 6! Saves will be compatible.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=2032
Also in the world of SU, Ch. 6 will have three dungeons. I anticipate it will be a bit longer than Ch. 5. Plus there are a couple new turns in the story. Possibly a new intro (again) and slight changes to the random encounter rates.

I will need full beta testers February or March, I anticipate (meaning a full playthrough, not just chapter 6). Though that might make you all groan, as I'm sure you've played through my game enough already. But let me know if you're interested.

Lastly if you want a minor game update, I can do that. But honestly things have slowed down a bit in terms of SU-playability. Plus I'm sure people somewhere are still playing Dragon Heart Chapter 2. Stay tuned!]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1983
From now until the new year, all point rewards on SU.com for creating topics and posting replies to topics will be quadroupled. (Thats 8 points for a reply and 40 points for a new topic.)

Yeah yeah, SU.com is a year old now, too! Just think, one year ago I released ch4. I'm in good shape I think. XD]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1937 here]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1840
On December 25th--whether or not you celebrate Christmas--I have something planned for SU.com's first birthday celebration, so stop by the forums that day to celebrate with me. :D]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1795
I love you. :D]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1732
Hohoho love ya lots hun. don't kill me pls :3

]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1719 http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1666
If you've already beaten Ch.5, just wait for Ch.6--unless you feel like playing again. :D

Now back to bed for me. I'm skipping Physics today because apparently salami sandwiches hate me. I'll fill you guys in on 5.02->5.03 changes soon.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1634 Edit Profile link at the top of the page.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1605
Happy Halloween, everyone! Enjoy the weekend. Estimated Release for SU6 is April-ish 2009.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1554
I'm also implementing instant-redirects, which you might have noticed if you've logged into the forums. Pretty neat, I think! If you can't login, contact me.

5.03 will be out early next week. But for now, everyone enjoy the weekend!
]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1548

• Most users received double the amount of points they currently had.
  
• Posting replies will give you two points rather than one.
  
• Creating a topic will give you ten points rather than five.
  
• Rating a post will give you a point.

As some level of user moderation, I've implemented a Fame system to the forums. As you browse SU.com, if you notice a helpful or meaningful post, click the + icon next to the bottom of it to give the post a positive rating. If you notice a post that isn't so helpful, feel free to give it a negative rating as well. This rating you give to a post will impact the Fame of the author of that particular post.

A positive fame doesn't give you the right to act like an elitist, and a negative fame doesn't mean you'll be banned from the site. This is all generally for statistics, but if certain trends show up, proper action might have to be taken. Though, so far that hasn't been too much of a problem.

The amount of time you must wait in order to rate a post is dependent upon your post count. For those of you who want the LOLMATHS, there is a [30-(postcount/40)]minute wait in order to rate again.

PS, please report any bugs you may encounter.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1509
In terms of revising SU's current content, I have two main focuses and questions for you all right now.

First, what are your thoughts on the Running System? Is it irrelevant or annoying? In the beginning I can see how it'd be slightly tedious so one thing I am implementing is an item that allows you to quadruple the amount of exp earned while you run for, say, 100 steps!

Secondly, I admit dialogue is not my strong point. If you could, feel free to mention any dialogue you found in SU that didn't flow particularly well or seemed awkward. I am thinking much of Dorin Castle's cutscenes may need a bit of shaping in that sense.

That's all for now. Thanks for your feedback! Enjoy the weekend.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1438
I ended up modifying and pixeling in a chipset in Photoshop to use for the next dungeon rather than using the previous one, which was rather inconsistent. Needless to say the dungeons are coming along very well and they will play very SU-like.

Of course, I will not have any screenshots for you until SU6 is good and ready. Oh and 5.03 is nearly done--I just need to add about one or two more quests. There will be two more optional dungeons, and plenty of cool items, treasures, and so forth.

That's about it for now.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1271
Though before you ask, another optional town was not quite finished and I haven't gotten to all the bugs, so there will be more.

On a positive note, this version does not have any prerequisite to download.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=1051
Most of you have already completed the game, so this isn't too major. I'm in the process of fixing bugs so there should be a game update whenever I'm not dying from classes.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=957
Since this required adding a new field to a table, this feature will only take effect for posts made after, well this one pretty much.

Thanks everyone for posting! Have a great rest of the weekend.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=827 beta for a reason. Wait a bit if you don't like it, because it's not like an open release is far off anyway.

On a positive note, Kudos to ARCduke13 for registering and actually contributing. Thanks a bunch, bro. :)

Lastly, I've slightly widened the comment box for replying to topics. I know it's minor, but just wanted to throw that out there.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=792 http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=790
If you're using Firefox, there should be a small icon next to the address bar that looks like this:



Click it! There's also a Direct Link to the feed.

Mmm other than that there's a new default skin for SU.com. Sexy isn't it?

PS, I know you guys want game updates too. v.5.1b of SU coming later tonight.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=763
I WANNA UPDATE SO MUCH! So I'll just frantically post here and pretend like I have something tangible for you guys. Meanwhile, I'll just spam the forums at work. Maybe I can hold Kairen hostage and use her laptop for SU updates.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=723
On the contrary, I've actually been fairly productive. I'll have both a game and site update for you next weekend. In addition, I'll be manually giving out points to Stedar and Lagunax1 for being awesome.

In the meantime, drool at Shiki and Kei's artwork.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=637 beta is released! If you're interested in testing before I release it to more of the RPG Making community, please head over to the downloads page and get a copy.

Important! In order to download the beta, you need to be logged in and have at least 30 points. Remember, it's +1 point for a reply and +5 points for a topic.

The reason I've released something before I am completely happy with it is because Starless Umbra is getting bigger. With over 800 maps and somewhere around 12 hours of gameplay, there's just simply too much to test.

Here are some guidelines to make the most out of your playthrough for me and you:

• Save in more than one slot, in case something goes wrong
  
• Keep a log (just a sheet of paper or a txt doc open) with start and finishing times for each of your gameplay sessions and keep track of any bugs, comments, and so on.
  
• Let me know what level you were at the end.

I'll have a walkthrough updated shortly, but it shouldn't be too difficult to get through the new content. I'm probably forgetting something but go ahead and give it a shot. If something goes wrong, post on the forums.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=550

• The layout width went from 500px to 640px. This was much needed, as I seem to always be adding content to pages.
  
• You now have forum signatures! The size limit is around 495x125 (the size of my sig). Edit that here
  
• I've started to add content to the Users Page
  
• You can leave other members profile comments! Yes, you will get points. Also, you can make the message "Private" if you wish for only you and the recipient to read the message.
  
• There's a Help Page that I will be updating with basically any questions that arise as I continue to develop the site.
  

Whew! This update was long overdue, but I hope you all enjoy it. Also, check this topic to see what else is to come and suggest your own ideas for me to implement.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=547 exactly how close I am to beta, rejoice! :)

All that's left is finishing up a few NPCs for a town, adding a few neat quests here and there, and--of course--the final event of the chapter.

Optimistically speaking, this weekend I may have something for you all, but more realistically (since there will be minor web-end things to do as well), the weekend afterwards should be good.

Edit: I will also be updating the forums today. They will remain online, so if something isn't working properly that's probably why. ]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=503
Of course, my top priority right now is still a release. Thanks for posting! ]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=482 Chapter Five is just a name given to my next release, which includes the whole game (Prologue through Chapter Five)! :D

The reason I develop the game as a whole and release chapters "bundled" together rather than individually (such as The Way) is because I'm the type of person that's never ever happy with a release. There is always room for improvement and I always will continue to develop not only future chapters but existing ones as well. I understand that this often means saves aren't compatible, but also remember that this is game is not finished! I just want to have something for you guys to play.

If you really haven't played my game, there are several sites that go ahead and host it. You can find it there. But I strongly, strongly urge you to wait.

This summer. Keep an eye open. :]]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=474
In case you're wondering whats up with SU ch. 5, a beta will be available to forum members when things are good and ready.

Until then, thanks for posting. I know things are a little slow right now but this is going to be good. :]]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=426 I'm done with my second year of college.

Now, to find another excuse for release delays... :]]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=369 User CP link.

They are both awesome, so they get 50 forum points each! Check them out, and if you want to make your own skin, download the css files, modify them, and send them back to me.

Squadala~~]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=320
However, the month of April was fairly productive on the web-end, and I feel like going over that all right now.

First off, your forum profile is much more customizable now. You can link to an avatar, add a user title, change skins, and much more.

You can only currently view profiles by clicking on a username in a topic or clicking the View Profile link on the forum menu. That was something drgn_lord50 suggested, and it's a great idea that's in-progress. Soon, you'll be able to leave users comments on their profile, send them private messages, get notifications when topics get new posts, and whatever else I can think of.

Speaking of which, the forum menu is another sort of ongoing part of the website. Your ideas and suggestions always help! (I'm not too great on the menus.)

Lastly, we have bbcode! Most tags such as italics, underline, and strikethrough are implemented. A big thanks goes to Anthony at Way2Web for providing such a great BBCode to HTML tag converter. Regular expressions kill me!

I'm working on sorting out everything into one big page for answering any questions or clarifying any quirks when using the Starless Umbra site. Check that out here. ]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=305
Secondly, a link to Kei's website is now available at the site footer. Have a peek and check it out if you haven't, will you? (It has secksy SU arts!)

I also just wanted to say thanks to everyone that's been posting. I'm slowly but surely working on SU ch5, and I will need beta testers, so let me know if you're interested! Hopefully with that release things won't be so quiet here.

Lastly, if you have any suggestions regarding the fate of the authorless posts (delete them, give them all a uniform author, or whatever) let me know!]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=270 http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=261
Also a big thanks to drgn_lord50, who recently donated $10 to the team. Thank you! :D]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=250
You can edit all this from your profile settings, which may be found at the friendly forum header or here:
http://www.starlessumbra.com/usercp.php

In implementing this new system, I was forced to recode a bit of how the forums store data. (Specifically, authors of posts are now integers corresponding to your forum ID rather than a simple string representation of your username, which allows greater array indexing capabilities without doing anything costly like hashing.) Because of this, if you view any topic before this update, there will be no stats on the side of the post. However, I felt I needed to make this revision to my code sooner than later.

Now I need to stop getting these strange urges to work on my website at 4 AM in the morning. Be sure to let me know what you think.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=238
Well, I just wanted to keep you guys updated. My major is KILLING me, but I will still make time for this as soon as possible. You're gonna like the new release. ]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=231
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SsedMp8kIZg&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SsedMp8kIZg&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=229
A BIG thanks to everyone who posts on these forums. I'm glad you're using them, because I put a bit of work into them. Although they lack functionality right now, here are a few things to expect: stats, bbcode, editing profiles, avatars, site skins, and more!

We've also received our first DONATION, but I'm keeping the donator anonymous unless he wants to reveal himself.

In three or four weeks I will hopefully have a beta together for about five people to beta test. Again, the release date is MAY 1 -- I'm getting better about this release date thing. :D
]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=219
(Note: This will be available when chapter five is released--currently it is not available on the version online.)]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=213
-Where I originally had planned to end ch5 doesn't end as well as an earlier spot in the game does.
-There will be a lot of work put into adjusting dialogue, working out bugs, reorganizing the database, adding more optional minigames, and so forth.
-I'm revising several engines and adding new systems/items that will make it worth playing over. Of course, there will be a precreated save file if you aren't interested in starting over.

A shorter release will result in a sooner release date:
MAY 1ST, 2008 to be exact. :)]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=200
- The difficulty descriptors mentioned "DRAGON HEART" still...omg rite? Well, now there are no descriptors.

And that's all! Wait... that's not really a list. But there is a new bug that's bundled with this release as of V.2 that I can't really fix. It involves characters not in your party learning spells that they already have when you get them! Well, because I've made so much progress in Ch.5 and since Ch.5 is, again, a vast improvement on Ch,4, this change will not come into effect until my next major release (Ch.5), which is still scheduled to be done early summer.

Also savefiles most likely will not be compatible once again.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=184 - Fixed the passability issues in the temple
- Revised some of the dialogue
- Fixed the guard at the bridge reappearing bug
- Implemented the Usali Delivery Quest in Entrainment.
I hope you enjoy the latest revision to Starless Umbra!]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=169 http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=168
Because of my lack of a completely thorough playthrough, this has unearthed an error unforeseen to me. The error involves not being able to return back past the bridge to Entrainment and this change will be applied for you all in the next chapter release.

If you backtracked and got stuck, not all is lost. Save your game and email me [user: dragonheartman, domain: gmail.com]the Savexx.lsd file in the game's directory, where xx is the slot you saved in, and I can get you back on-track. Then, as suggested in the walkthrough and ingame, you can head east from Entrainment to Birnam Woods.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=159
http://www.starlessumbra.com/faq.php

Notify me of any errors, give me suggestions, et cetera. I will be rewriting, adding, and revising this a lot.]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=129
Right now it looks like Ch. 5 will be ready early Summer. I haven't decided on an exact date yet but we will see how it goes. The chapter is already planned out, the dialogue is about finished, and I've started on most of the maps and a few minigames and puzzles already.

The way things look I will also be attending Fanime this year. I plan on cosplaying several SU characters with friends and selling cheap merchandise. I'm thinking T-shirts, gamedisks, stickers, and whatever other suggestions I might get.

If you're in Northern California, come swing by Fanime and hang out with us! More info here:

http://www.fanime.com/]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=106
Thank you for posting! x]]]> http://www.starlessumbra.com/view_topic.php?id=83
Feel free to leave any feedback, register, post, and so forth. Happy Holidays!]]>