Future plans once again

Hey again, obscure group of fans of this obscure group of games, it's been awhile, hasn't it? I've had some announcements to make for a long time but I delayed them (first of all, I lost internet access on this PC for about 2 weeks, but I'm back now) and that's okay because it's better that I make them all at once.

First order of business is the still-anxiously-awaited development of FourBound2. To be truthful, development is going nowhere near how it's been planned. It's actually not even IN true development yet. Of course, we have the general objective and concept nailed, but the story is a bit lacking. We still encourage ideas and they will almost assuredly be taken into consideration if they're original and relevant enough.

But...

There is going to be a major change in the cast.
Remember how one of our original cast members got pretty much baleeted for being an asshole? Well, yeah, it's not exactly like that this time. All the cast members from the previous game (especially the chosen four) WILL still remain in the game, but... The main playable characters I'd wish to change around.
There were disputes here and there involving us concerned with our position in the game. Again. As it turns out, the very release of FourBound generated as much of a hilarious and enjoyable experience as a negative air. It's caused quite a bit of aggravation between people merely connected through the game once more, as well as shredded bonds between others involved in the project (some of them rightfully so).
It doesn't seem like there's anything you can do that won't hurt somebody in some way. Even yourself. I'm kind of sick of having this risk hang over my head that people won't be happy with the release of the game this time too because of a simple arrangement of party.

So here's a proposal.
We decide CAREFULLY on who will take the place of Jeff and Poo in this game, and what to do with the original cast to still make them relevant. I'm sure the announcement of the party switch IS going to make some of you slightly mad at me, but I'm hoping you'll be indifferent and accepting. You guys aren't the only ones that deserve a spot in the cast. I'm asking for voulenteers but don't be afraid of being turned down, or replaced even if accepted (not guaranteed of course if that's the case). I need to really think this time.

And no, those who are moved will not get any negative treatment from the development. If we're just going to harass you for our own laughs (UNLESS YOU'RE MIKE TROLOLOLOLO), we'll do it privately and just remove you from the project altogether. This is different. We still want everyone remotely satisfied with the end product, and we still want you in, but we want to make changes for the better too. Changes we can all agree on more positively.

Onto the next order of business!
That would be...
FOURBOUND TREE.
This project is almost definitely unofficially canned.
Why, though? It seemed like an awesome idea! Well, that's not really the case. I'm still going to mess around with it from now on but only as a true side project that I don't expect any result from whatsoever. Keep in mind, that there is no import/export, copy/paste, undo, or loading function with the editor. The editor is kind of alpha-phased, and it makes it hard to work with. Well, I could finish this in maybe 2 years if I were really motivated but the animation would still look like complete shit just because of the way the subsprites line up. I'm still giving it attention when major updates come up but it's not going to be often. I'm sorry to those that this disappoints, but the guys who coded this have no plans to update it in the near future.
I've asked them politely if they plan to update it with the aforementioned features, and the reply was a somewhat harsh "Most likely not."

Yeah... I'm not learning C++ just to figure it out myself. But maybe, someday, if I... Nah.

How about some good news for once, dude? You're kind of a BUMMER TODAY. Gawd!


Okay, okay, we all need some of that once in awhile. Now look... In my spare time not being put towards planning FourBound2, I'm picking up an old project that I started when I wasn't very experienced in this stuff and canned quickly called "EastBound".
Here is some of the promotional work shown when the project began:

 

 

The game was started when I was just learning the scripting. And I'm picking it up for the sole reason of testing the extent of the scripting once more. The game basically plays like a left-to-right beat-em-up version of EarthBound, where you survive the area and go onto the next area, being able to save and heal and switch partners and stuff like that inbetween each endpoint. Only difference is that it retains it's battle system. All you have to do is level grind through the area. Every few areas there's a boss, and after each boss is a new party member. Your objective was originally to assist the creation of the highway, but in the new version it takes on the opposite idea-- you have to screw up the plans to finish the highway system which is disrupting life all around Eagleland. 

I'm still working on getting a menu set up to tinker around with it first before the main deal kicks off, but I'll start giving this attention too.

And not to get separate projects confused, I'm also giving each project I'm working on publicly a distinct brandname sort of deal, "4Bond". Not 4Bound, 4Bond. 

I'll just place that on the title screens of every game involved with this blog from now on. Simple.

So to recap... Anyone wanting a spot, let me know and I'll consider it but I'll consider it AS A GROUP because that's what this project is about. And don't beg me not to cancel FBTree because there isn't a whole lot I can do about it. Even if I didn't, it would still be as if I did because there's no progress being made on it.

Keep in mind that most of the Mother 3 characters have a LOT of alternate sets of sprites and I need to edit every single frame of every single animation of every single set individually from scratch, no copy/paste or importing or anything. It really sucks. Kind of like Young Lucas, Old Lucas, Commander Lucas, Young Claus, Old Claus, Unmasked Claus, Masked Claus, Young Kumatora, Old Kumatora, Violet Kumatora, Flint, (for some reason there's a Flint2), Boney, Handkerchief Boney, so on forth... I'm just not doing it.

No way.

It'd take me years even if I worked on it every day. 

That is all.