By Katoma (Latoma)


This week, we introduce the general storyline of "Laramos", or "Chapter 1", as well as the 1-player storyline.

Knowing full well people may never get a party, I am obligated to design a setup to favor them, if they NEVER get a party that is.

1P Mode is exactly what it says, a way for 1 player to beat the game. On the downside however, you lack means to obtaining a majority of hidden items and treasures (this to come in Preview 3).

1P mode has one huge advantage: if you're looking for story, 1P mode offers the real deal.

While MP mode offers the general story, many details are left unknown unless you play 1P mode, or read the Supplemental material I will provide (in game or out).

Example:

In 1P mode, non-Malevolent Enemy bosses (sans Gods, cough) join your team as NPC allies.

These NPCs all have relationships in one way or another, even if it's simply hearing rumors of each other. Taking these NPCs into a Boss battle with you opens up lines of questioning and discussion that reveals more of a boss' background and personality.

Each boss is also powerful in their own right, especially the Hidden Bosses for Chapter 5. But we'll leave them for you to find/unlock.

But I CAN say that you can restart the game with all these NPCs unlocked (but back at level 1 for you all), and allow impossible scenarios (as long as it doesn't create time paradoxes, like facing a Boss with itself) normally allowing you to learn deeper into everything.

The secret ending for 1P mode is different from MP mode, and helps resolve a mystery of it's own, I hope you enjoy that.
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As for "Laramos".

Laramos is the name of the first planet (world) of four you can choose to start on.

Laramos is a relatively peaceful world, having a perfect light-dark, peace and chaos, and good-evil balance. This has prevented the planet from being in the middle of any serious event during the majority of the third multiverse.

Until the game anyhow!

Laramos is broken into 6 continents: Narapha (Dark Continent), Mezaque (pronounced Meh-Zah-Kwae, Light continent), Forterayas (Water continent), Zenatos (Earth continent), Garatan (Fire continent) and Phyrias (Wind continent).

The player starts on a locale in the Wind continent if they haven't started another chapter (not like you can start 2 since you can take characters from one chapter to another), where an NPC will join them (and their up to 5 man party, a limit if people want an NPC to join their party, which often has big advantages).

This NPC will basically be teaching you the basics of the whole game, on top of the Chapter specific battle system, and the general outline of the story, if you answer correctly.

Laramos itself has a simple story, meant for getting generally down to business:

The world has 12 Gods, each which have no true physical form, earning them the title "God Spirits". Recently however, all but two have become berserk compared to their normal passive selves.

As the player, your job in this chapter is to prevent the "God Spirit Rampage" from occuring. In your way are the Priests and Priestesses, who fight for these spirits as their ancestors have.

And also in your way is the so-called "11th" Priest, as Narapha holds no priests: "Necrosis". Necrosis is a mysterious man who centuries to millenia before the story was found on Narapha. Revived by many dark magics by the kinder dark-beings on Narapha, Necrosis became known as a God of Death amongst the people, slaying many people and leaving a bloody, horrific scene.

Now he's out to kill you and your party, to prevent the calming of the 11 God spirits who've already awoken, bar the 2 of the Dark continent. His motives how their awakening is linked to you are unknown, and it's up to you to continue your mission anyhow!
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Laramos is a "Beginner" area, with a familiar Battle system and a generally simple storyline on the surface. To this end, I hope everyone can enjoy it, as the 1P mode makes it much more complex! (I know I am already having issues tying everything together!).
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Oh and by the way, TH-Productions is still looking for 1-2 more Isometrically skilled pixel artists, preferable capable of designing monsters, turfs, and special attacks (including special effects).

If you have any intent on joining for this purpose only, please leave your MSN Messenger or Yahoo messenger contact name in the comments.
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Project TH Preview 3, coming March 4th.
"Preview 3 - Where the fuck are my treasure chests!?"