I have no problem with criticism when it's valid, but I will not tolerate shoddy drivel, such as this so called review.
A review written by someone who clearly didn't bother to play very far into the game, less than a third, but still acts as if he knows what he's talking about.
The game is divided into three acts, each with three areas and a dungeon. The first act of the game is there to set up expectations, which are then subverted later. The first act is often silly, nonsensical and weird. Which the PCs talk about. It is supposed to be like that, so when things start getting dark it actually means something.
Although I am loathe to give it away here, the game is in many ways a decent into depression and rage. A descent into my mind. And like any descent, you have to start at the surface, then dig deeper.
Addressing supposed points made in the "review", and incorrect information.
The game was made in RPGM MV, not VX.
It is not a JRPG. Just because it was made in RPGM software, does not mean it's a JRPG.
It is a parody, not a spoof. With a great deal of satire. There are some spoofing elements in the game, but they are in no way the core of the game.
Perhaps a matter of semantics to some, but there are differences that matter. Which a reviewer should be aware of.What does "the numerous attempts at humor border on the delinquent side" even mean? Oh no, a comedy game that has too many jokes... the horror, the horror.
The "reviewer" clearly places a lot more weight on the language of the game than I ever did.
I'm now 37, cussing means very little to me. I simply prefer expressive language.
I called the money Poontang because it's silly, also a joke about the phrase sex sells. Also a bit of a joke about how language changes, a reference to Roman Spintria, and a vague hint about some of the possible things that happened in the past/future of the game.
I made the healing items drugs because that's basically what they are in games anyway, and I found it amusing. Plus, if you ever bother looking at the ingredients of many cough syrups, a lot of them contain a lot of alcohol. Plus, plus, Jack is Irish, and it's a parody of "the water of life".
I guess the reviewer is so ignorant and childish, that he just assumes that everyone else is too.Titties McBewbs was created as a parody character based on youtuber Cinnamon Toast Ken, who at the time I was originally creating the character, was playing a lot of... more adult oriented games.
Also a parody of the apparent asexuality of PCs in classic RPGs, as well as a lot of other tropes such as the hot blooded, sex kitten, red head.
I gender swapped him because Jack Hoth is a remake and expansion of a fangame I had made prior, and I got complaints that I didn't include any female PCs.
The name is a reference to the Honest Film Trailers series. I also believe Markiplier used to call female characters something similar, which is probably where I picked it up in the first place. Ultimately it's just a silly name, and was never meant to be "outrageous".
Again, this "reviewer" is making a lot of stupid assumptions in regards to my motives. Or is simply so puerile, that he assumes everyone else is.
He also makes it clear that he didn't play any further than the second area, by saying "the first female companion". She is the only one.As a parody of old school RPGs, which usually have themes for every area, I used reference themes for each in addition to the typical terrain and enemy themes. The first areas themes are Monty Python, and war.
The dev "team" was just me.
The fangame Jack Hoth is a remake and expansion of, used a poetic rule of 9x3. The catch phrase Like A Boss being the base. Three words, nine letters. That is why each area has 27 enemies and one boss. 9 areas. 3 dungeons with 3 levels, 3 bosses, and 18 enemies.
The numbers 3, 9, 18 and 27 are all over the place in the game, and the main map of each area forms a letter to spell out the phrase.
Since I also reference Dante's Inferno numerous times, the whole thing is a nod to classical epic poems.The enemies in the first area all being named Bruce is a Monty Python reference. It is also a parody of RPG mob enemies who are all the same.
The dialog is riffing on sketches, not merely quoting them.
Also, I find it odd that he claims to be a fan of Monty Python's Flying Circus, which is all about absurdist humor and non-sequiturs, but can't grasp why I would use the same kind of humor.The second area of the game has the theme of 90s music for the enemies. Which is juxtaposed with NPCs who are all referencing musicals.
The enemies have no idea who you are, so yes, the dialog does have something to do with the game. It is a constant reminder that you are invading their turf, and disrupting what they are doing. It's also a parody of NPCs who say nonsensical things, which has been a feature of RPGs for decades.
I will concede only this. I wanted enemies that were more than mindless, faceless mobs. I wanted them to have a voice. When I came up with the 9x3 rule for the original game, and realized when all was said and done I would have somewhere around 350-400 enemy encounters in the game, every single one needing unique dialog... I grabbed onto the idea of reference themes to give me something to work with.
That's a lot of dialog to try and come up with ex nihilo. So yes, often what they say seems out of left field. Since the original version, I have altered and expanded the dialog many times to be more conversational. AND as I already said, the enemies don't know who you are... so they have no reason to say anything about you or your quest.
I don't know why this seems to be such a difficult concept to grasp.The picture, of course, shows only one part of a joke. Which is a Tommy Tiernan stand up routine fyi. A deliberate attempt to make the game look like it's nothing but cussing, when the entire point of that joke is that he cusses so much because it's his way of getting around the rules of the English language.
The very next dialog box is one of the PCs asking Tommy why he cusses so much.
Considering there is very little cursing from the other NPCs, he is cherry picking one joke, which is about cussing a lot, to make it look like the game is nothing but wall to wall cussing.
Incredibly deceitful on the part of the "reviewer".The combat is meant to be on the harder side, which is direct satire of how so many gamers complain about games holding their hands too much. Although the gold edition's skills almost make the game too easy IMO.
The money sacks I will admit were a mistake, but that was the only way I could figure out how to get random amounts of money. You can rapidly open them by simply holding down the action key. Which is something I would expect someone who claims to be a professional game reviewer to try.
You can open a large stack of them in a few seconds.
It's no more taxing than any of the myriad ways managing inventory can be a pain in other games.Second pic. Yes, it is a sex toy reference. Because that character is intentionally an innuendo machine. And? So what?
Reviewer is either ignorant, or I'm more inclined to believe outright lying considering some of the other deliberate attempts at sabotage. I used very little of the default tile resources when I made the game.
I did use the default character generator, along with non-default resources. Which he never saw much of, because he didn't actually play enough of the game to know.I never promised anything. I did my best to describe the game, which is something I've never really known how to do. It is somewhat inexplicable by design.
Since he clearly didn't play past the second area, acting as if I was lying or hyping, when he didn't play enough to have any idea what he was talking about, is extremely sanctimonious.There is no overworld map. I don't like overworld maps, and never use them.
Each area consists of a main area made of 9 segments, that form a letter. There is always one side segment for the traveling inn, and sometimes side segments for other stuff.
Paths are clear, and easy to follow.Since he clearly didn't play any further than the first two areas, how can he possibly claim to have any idea what the game is like?
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