What's New:

[September 25th 2003]

Updated the progress section, tons of stuff got done. Screenshots to follow shortly!\

[January 5th 2003]

Yes! We are ready for constant updates now!

Finished Dream Animation Studio. Check out the final version picture below in the editor screenshots.

Added a new screen shot of the new in progress Dream Animation Studio. This is the tool we will be using to create animations for Dream Saga and any other Firebell projects. See Editor screenshots below.

[November 22nd 2001]

This page goes online! Yes, Firebell is not dead =)

Intro Notes:

Welcome to the Dream Saga page.

There isn't much here yet, but it will grow over time.

What?! You say, what happened to Dream Quest 2k? Well we make RPGs, and we decided to redo the whole thing and use parts of the DQ2k engine that were great, and scrap that stuff that was no good. The result? A very versitile engine that can do almost anything =)

Check out the screenies below to see what I mean. These are pictures of the brandnew editor that is being built. Pretty spiffy eh?

Sorry in advance to the people with poor bandwith =)

So anyways, with this engine we should be able to build a game that is comparable to FF6 at least =)

When will a preview demo be ready? When its done, heh heh. But that's a pretty lame answer. Yes I will say it shouldn't take to long to build this thing up. Done the really hard stuff like learning Win32 gui coding, something I dreaded for such a long time! And the new editors base is basically done too! A demo that doesn't include battle should be possible, give us a couple months or something like that. =)

Ps: If you can draw sprites, or any graphics at all we need you! email me at: neutopia@firebell.org

Features:

Most of this was seen in DQ2k, I'll list new stuff on the bottom.

  • Multiple scrolling graphics layers (Haven't decided exact number yet, 3 are implemented)
  • Dream Vision Script System: Version 2 (Lots and lots of nicer stuff here. Encode, Encrypted Scripts etc)
  • 16 Bit Colour
  • Transparency Effects
  • Smart NPC's
  • Totally Customizable Game
  • Flexible Game Engine/System
  • Programmed in C++ with OOP
  • Scenerio Editor Coded using Windows32 Api
  • Firebell Quality
  • Unlimited Event System
  • Easier development with Dream Vision
  • Final Fantasy-Like gameplay system
  • Final Fantasy-Like battle system

NEW STUFF:

  • Scripts are binary encoded, encrypted, and collectively saved to one file. (No more 1000s of files)
  • Blending effects for Tiles, etc.
  • Powerful Animation System Engine. (DreamAni)
  • Variable sized NPCS allowed.
  • Effects layer. (Rain, Snow, Water, etc)
  • More that I can't think of, but will add later.

Progress:

  • Completed Script Binary Encoding/Decoding/Encryption

  • Preliminary loading and saving of maps in Editor

  • Drawing Mode for Editor

  • NPC edit mode for editor

  • Script Compile Checker. (Wrong command, missing quote, etc)

  • Friday January 10th

    * Implemented FadeIn and FadeOut Effects using OpenGL lighting! (Nice and Easy)
    * Added different screen transition support to Warp code
    * Added script command [SetMapTransitionEffect]
    * Fixed FF4MapObject's Set Player Placement code. (Contained a small off by one Y bug)
    * Made Dream Saga match Dream Edit in the fact that all NPC and Player Gfx are stored in Data/Anisets/NPC/
    * Added a few lighting Effects!
    * Added script Command [SetAmbientLighting] & [SetDiffuseLighting] for controlling the lighting
    * Added Script Command [FadeToAmbient]

  • Saturday January 11th


    * Fixed Text Window Color Setting Bug
    * Fixed Window Mode Clipping Code, screen was cut off slightly
    * Added Centering for the Game when ran in windowed mode
    * Started on FFMenu Code
    * Added System Startup Script Loading
    * Added [SetScreenMode] script command, one exe for both Windowed and fullscreen versions.
    * Added Font Shadow
    * Fixed Major Font Clipping bug!
    * Finished Menu Screen Clock and Gold Display
    * Finished Menu screen right display list
    * Status Portrait Setting Command
    * Status Portrait is drawn in Menu
    * Name, Job, Level, displayed in Menu
    * Job, Level, MaxHp, MaxMp Script Commands Added

  • Sunday January 12th


    * Added Function Ptrs for Drawing the screen, with and without updating
    * Added 16 Bit Color Check for Dream Animation and Dream Edit
    * Added Window Centering for Dream Edit
    * Choice Object Class Created
    * Added Hand Selection
    * Added System Animation Gfx
    * Added SetChoiceGfx Script Command
    * Fixed Font bug with Space Character
    * Added HP & MP Meters to Menu Screen
    * Added PlayEdgeClip to Animation Lib
    * Added Exp Meter to Menu Screen Status display
    * Added Experience, NextLevel Script Commands
    * Added Choice Text Window!
    * Added [ChoiceWindow] & [SelectedChoice] Script Commands!
    * Added SoundFx Playing and Loading Back in!
    * Added [LoadSound] & [PlaySound] Script Commands!

    Monday January 13th


    * Worked on Airship Mode
    * Added all Scrolling Script Commands [ScrollUp] [ScrollNUp] etc
    * FadeOut Script Command
    * Fixed Major Scripting Engine Bug
    * Added Four Frame Animating Tiles Implementation
    * Added 3 Walkable Layer handling
    * Added Scrolling Layer Blending to the Player
    * Added [BackgroundTile] [OverlayTile] & [ForegroundTile] Script Commands
    * Push Event Code Finished
    * Put Midi Music Playing back in
    * Added Script Command [PlayMidi]
    * Added FF4 Style Screen Transition
    * Created BMP Saving Code
    * Added Mirroring to Dream Animation Studio

  • January 18th Tokyo Road Trip

    * New DirectX 8.1 Engine for Sound
    * DirectMusic Implemented!
    * Optimized Player Drawing a bit
    * Optimized NPC Control a bit
    * Optimized Animation timer control
    * Created Loading Screen
    * Added [LoadMap] & [LoadTiles] Script commands
    * Automatic Versioning Implemented
    * Line Count Code
    * Cleaned up TextWindow code
    * Created Base Window Class
    * Created Status Top Window + Message Queueing in both English & Japanese

  • January 28th

    * Japanese Quote Auto Formatting
    * Fixed Color change string formatting bug

  • January 29th


    * Fixed a string encoding bug (SHIFT-JIS) related
    * Added Land Airship and Fade Out script command
    * Added [PlaceNpc] Command

  • Up to February 2nd


    * Added TextWindow Helper to DreamEdit
    * Both Japanese and English Box previews supported with Auto-Insert!
    * Added [MoveNpcs] Script Command
    * Added Npc Movement speed control and [SetNpcMoveSpeed] Script Command
    * Added [SetScrollSpeed] Script Command
    * Added [RemoveEvent] Script Command
    * Added [Counter] Script Command
    * Added Npc Update Timers and [SetNpcUpdateTimer] Script Command
    * Added [SetPlayerAnimation] Script Command
    * Added Loop N times scripting code and [Loop] script command
    * Added [StopMidi] Script Command
    * Added Smooth Music Transition Code
    * Added [FadeOutSound] Script Command
    * Added [FadeInSound] Script Command
    * Added [RestoreVolume] Script Command
    * Fixed a bug in word wrap calculation
    * Centered Japanese Title Windows Vertically Properly

    * Fixed DreamEdit Npc Positioning Bug!
    * Npc Names always show in DreamEdit Now

  • February 25th


    * Added LoadLoopSound and StopSound & Related Script Commands [LoadLoopSound] [StopSound]
    * Added FF6 AutoRipping
    * Added Diagonal Scrolling and Npc Movement (Up Left, Up Right, Down Left, Down Right)
    * Npc Drawing Offset & Set Offset script command implemented
    * Implemented System Language System
    * [SetSystemLanguage] Script Command Implemented
    * Started on Battle Engine
    * Battle Name Window Base Completed (eng+jp)
    * Turn Timing System States for Battle
    * NPC A.I. State System
    * NPC Pathing!
    * NPC A.I. System & Pathing script Commands
    * Fixed Nasty CleanUp bug
    * Reworked and Cleaned up Npc Code
    * MP3 Play & Load Support!
    * Added TextOverlay System
    * Font Blending System
    * Major font engine revision, total speed increase to Text Overlay.
    * (Editor) Monster Editor
    * (Editor) Monster Group Editor
    * Monsters and Group Loading
    * Monster Drawing & Background Drawing in Battle

  • June 20th


    Whoa what a break, learned so much from the Megaman thing

    * Overhauled the battle engine, everything uses a finite-state machine :)

  • August ??


    *Item Code!
    *Item Menu

  • September 12th


    * Equip Menu

In Game Screenies:

Yes this in an actual in game screenshot, however the current demo does nothing except displays a text window.
Notice it is high-res. But we are still deciding whether or not to go hi-res for the final thing. No art means no hi-res most likely.

Editor Screenshots: