Rune Monster, new game by Kai Magazine

Hello, just a copule of things:
I see the video here on MSX.ORG is the SPANISH version and is being played at a very low resolution and 30 FPS.
We will upload the ENGLISH VERSION in a few hours.

Meanwhile if you want to watch the video, please click on the Youtube icon to watch it from youtube and make sure the "720 HD 60FPS" is selected to ensure you are watching the game as smooth as on MSX2.
The game works perfectly smooth and this cannot be appreciated at 30 fps video playback.

Thanks!

Newspost updated with English version of the promo video.

Thank you sd_snatcher, for your kind words, your constant support and for being a fan

Regarding the dice noise, you are not the first to say that, so I will try to improve it.
Thank you for your feedback!

Hello Durany,
Thank you very much for your kind words!
I just answered all emails up until now so please check if you recieved an answer. If you did not, please contact me again using this post.

Thank you supporting the MSX developers!

Thanks mfeingol

I am very sorry to say that, this time, a digital release will not be possible.
I do not know if you are aware of this, but some members of a brazilian group on Facebook are actively sharing commercial msx software (software that can be bought today legally) and they even spammed links to many facebook pages and individuals.
When they were made aware of this fact, instead of addressing the issue, they threatened to spam any new MSX software they could get their hands on, commercial or otherwise.
Obviously, legal action has been taken upon them but with little hope, as we have been warned that anti piracy laws on Brazil are less than reliable.
When some other Brazilian REAL msx supporters attempted to appeal to the morals of some of the members in this group, they made some racist comments, which some of them ashamed other Brazilians (not all Brazilians are the same, not by a long shot, as a matter of fact, in the case of Rune Monster, we have 3 times more pre-purchased copys from Brazilian msx users than any other Kai Magazine release).
Until this issue is resolved and the conflictive members of this group no longer pose a threat to new MSX developments, we cannot risk a cheaper release format (digital, SD installable, etc.) since it would be disastrous to find a digital copy spammed everywhere the first day the game is released, and we are also looking for a good anti copy solution.
This small group of pirates who wishes to destroy new MSX development has already damaged ALL msx supporters and developers by destroying the possibility of a cheaper release format.

Anyway, if you know of other MSX users in your area which are also interested in this game, perhaps you could share the shipping costs with them? (some Brazilian supporters did precisely that).
I am really, really sorry about this, for all those msx software supporters who cannot afford to spend so much money on a cartridge and shipping costs, because we both would benefit from a cheaper release format…

Kindest regards:
Oscar Kenneth

New update:
We have a new graphic artist who is helping us with some enemy designs (with draws made in pencil and paper), I painted them and converted them to msx.

Here are some monsters/enemies on screen 8:

Real size

Double size (filtered)

Real size

Double size (filtered)

Hi Manuel,

Its not neccesary suposse the number of digital buyer supporter, because Kai released previously game Life of Mars in limited digital distribution. I remember the number of final supporters wasnt too numerous so Oscar know exactly how many funds is "losing" without digital distribution. He can confirm if the real number was high...

Regards

Hello Manuel, thank you for your feedback and for your concern.

Regarding the "there might be more people like this than you think" argument:

I know exactly how many people like this are. I have released all my previous games/demos in digital format so I have a pretty good idea
My old games have been sold in large quantities arround the world in cartridge format, and those were available in digital format as well, but the amount of digital purchases is REALLY ridiculous, even more when compared to the cartridge sales.
Anyway I did an experiment with Life on Mars due to all this (previously stated, many many times before) arguments and I made available 20 digital copys of Life on Mars under the condition that all those 20 copys were pre-paid. (I know you know about this, you were one of them).
What you (or very little people) don't know about this is the final results of said experiment:
While the list of 20 names was filled in a matter of days, and I still collected 9 names more in case someone from the original 20 failed to pay when the game was completed, the final amount of payments I recieved was 18.
So, I had 29 names and I only recieved 18 payments between the 2 lists (the original 20 and the reserve list)
So, the experiment was in fact, a failure.
I hope you understand I am more worried about having our game (which is taking us more time and effort that I am confortable recognizing) spamed everywhere the first day of it's release than the digital potential buyers.

Regarding the "those who have a digital version, even if it is an illegal version might buy the original" argument:
In my experiencie it tends to work the opposite way you explained.

Regarding the "the second group will manage to pirate the game anyway, so do not waste your time" argument:
AFAIK there are some commercial games which have not been pirated/copied/dumped yet, so...
Also, at this moment, the game does not work on emulators due to the exploitation of several bugs in all known emulators (so even if someone dumps it and cracks it, it will not work on emulators), and it does not work on Megaflashrom SCC either.

Regarding your summary/conclusion: I am sure that, with time (years) there will be more buyers on cartridge format only if I do not release a digital version than if I do, considering everything I explained about that particular group of Brazilian pirates.

I thank you for your concern regarding my usage of time and energy, and while I am very sorry that things must be this way (not by my choice, but for the pirates actions) I must tell you that my mind is made.
Please redirect your energy and time to the people who caused this situation in the first place and try to make them change their ways, because I've got the strong feeling that many (most/all?) future commercial developers will take the same/similar measures as we had to take.

I am really, honestly sorry, for all of us, the real supporters of the msx. We all lose because of this situation.

Hi Kai,

Unfortunately, it's not only your situation. It's the situation many MSX developers currently active. Our support is our contribution to the MSX scene. It is our debt with all of them. I want to keep discovering new MSX titles every year...

Regards and amazing work!

You are the second person to mention that, so I will have to correct it.
Thank you for your feedback!

I don't know any, to be honest. At least not because of the protection schemes. Only because of rarity.

I hope it works on all real machines then... Anyway, also this is a matter of time. Emulators only get more accurate so this will be solved sooner or later.

I don't think I have influence on Brazillian pirates. Anyway, good luck! And please make sure you focus on enjoying making the game and not on all that crappy fuss.

HHAHAHAHA!
I will not look at naked man's chests on google. I'd rather look at naked women's chests (a personal taste).
I will consider removing the triangle but I will wait for more feedback. At least now the chest looks flat, does it not?

Regarding drawing a hot female:
That would be very easy (I have literally hundreds of already drawn females by me) but the issue is:
-I have been pointed out that the game lacks enemy human males, so I did at least one.
-This guy is the only enemy human male in the game. If I remove him I will go back to zero, and it will also change some elements of the storyline...

Do not worry, the game has plenty of hot chicks in it

It works on all real machines I tested so far, and there is no reason not to work on real msx whatsoever.
Emulators only get more accurate so this will be "solved" sooner or later... Perhaps, but let's hope it is later rather than sooner, shall we?

That crappy fuss is of some concern to me due to my precarious situation:
I am divorced, broke, my 2 kids live with me and I do not have a stable job. Some weeks I really struggle to get enough money to feed my kids, so, even if I can manage to earn 400 to 700 euro with a msx game for a 5 or 6 months work, I will be happy and that money will keep my kids fed (and me) for 1 or 2 months more.
I do not expect you to understand since most msx developers who develope for free do it because they have a good job and plenty of resources so the msx is just a hobby and nothing else.
Some even manage to purchase new houses on particularly expensive countries and they are very proud of developing for free, and they even look bad at people who sells their msx games, so they cannot understand my situation and my need. They cannot emphatyze.
If I had plenty of money and stability I would give away my games for free as well, but not everyone is so lucky.
Damn! if I was rich I would even give the games in cartridge format, for free! shipment included! Such is my love for the MSX! But my love for my kids being alive is bigger so I guess it is a matter of priority.
I belive to "earn" 400 to 700 euro for a 5 months work is not that evil, considering my situation.

I have plenty of projects for msx2 with improvements for gfx9000 (optional).
Here are some very early examples (graphics are experimental, engines are working):

Life on mars prequel "the first colony" (static screens for msx2, smooth scroll for turbo r, double scroll for gfx9000):

Life on mars sequel "U.N.S.S. Barcelona" (cabal style) msx2

Life on mars sequel "U.N.S.S. Barcelona" (cabal style) msx2 + gfx9000

If this game gets pirated and spamed everywhere, be sure I will leave the msx for ever, none of those projects will see the light, and I will program for PC/OSX/Android alone, so please do not be so eager to solve those emulation issues and destroy the few msx2 developers left...

HAHAHAHA!
Ironic choice of statues since some of those show a very girly posture
And other stuff as well:

The fist one shows a naked man with a dildo, ready for business.

The second one shows the same man with his left arm in a "jar" position: a little bit gay (not judging, I have gay friends, and I am a huge fan of female homosexual porn movies (lesbians)).

The third one is the same naked man (the one with the dildo) with his right arm in the rear, apparently he is busy downstairs.

The fourth statue (the super girly posture) seems to be an early "tentacle porn" attempt by the greek people.

The fifth shows how he is now into zoophilia and he has something in his left hand (he still has the dildo? or is that the dog's...thingy)

Offcourse all this is a joke on my part and I do not mean any disrespect, just blowing some steam.
I hugely appreciate and admire greek sculpture by their accurate anathomy, but I have never been a fan of their (for me) excesive obsession with male anathomy. I preffer female anathomy (just my particular taste, not judging).

Anyway, thanks! I LMLOTMMWIWRAOTF a lot
(laughed my longs out through my mouth while I was rolling all over the floor, in case someone does not know that anachronym)

But you convinced me (again) I will modify the cover's main guy's breasts once more

Hahahahahah! Hilarious descriptions! Specially the "dildo ready for business" and the "Greek tentacle porn".

Don't worry, no offense taken. I just selected some random male statues to exemplify the topic. It's not easy to find them in the right pose. The original Conan poster didn't help either.

Sorry!
Do you know if the method to enable the 7mhz mode from basic is the same used on the panasonic 2+?
If it is not, do you know the method to enable it from basic?
I will include it into rune monster. Now the game successfully enables the turbo mode on panasonic 2+ using the command:
IF PEEK(&H2D)=2 THEN OUT 64,8:IF INP(64)=247 THEN OUT 65,0

Use the following method to enable the turbo of CIEL machines on BASIC:

10 ON ERROR GOTO 1000
20 TURBO ON
30 ON ERROR GOTO 0
40 PRINT"Continue your program here":END
1000 PRINT"Turbo BASIC command not found.":RESUME30

The best way to protect a game would be adding a required chip to a cartridge, unique for each project. A custom-made sound chip for instance. And not the same chip for each game, or you'll get people inserting the cart after the beep again.

Sure, people could dump the game ROM and spread it, but what use would it be without music?

Just thinking out loud; how about adding a small chip that generates interrupts? You'd use that chip to generate interrupts, at rates that are not 50/60 Hz (or people would hack the game to listen to the regular VDP interrupt). When hacked you'd get a game that runs at the wrong speed. Do note that you may limit these new interrupts to game logic, not screen updates.

Or, did I just say something silly?

I'd mirror the top right girl, as she will appear on the right of the screen and she should be looking at the player.

About Kenneth's situation: It's indeed very delicate, and I understand it's something you need to do until you get a good/stable job. Your current choice is probably either create MSX games, or earn around the same amount by frying hamburgers on some junk food chain.

I can't make any promises, but I'll try to sensibilize people about your issues. It's sad that you had to expose your personal life this way.

A soundchip in the cartridge might not help, as it didn't help Konami back in the 80s. I'm collaborating with Tecnobytes to try to create a solution that is both cheap and effective. Of course, no protective measure is unbreakable, but if it can at least delay the pirates until the creator earns his money on the peak of the sales, it will be good enough.

it probably would not help in the 80s and people would probably just adapt the games to run with psg only.

I am not worried about compile at all:
While Rune Monster is a board game that works with dices (like thousands of others) the similarities with Rune master end here.
The game is completelly different in all regards: music, graphics, playability, weapons...

It is as if a company makes a shoot'em up, and the first company who ever made a shoot em up tries to sue them.

The genere is the same, the game is not. It is VERY different.

I do not hear about compile suing nintendo for making mario party or any other of the dozens upon dozens of games from this genere.

If the issue is that in the intro, Kai mentions: "hey girls, do you want to play a game of rune master?"
I can change that if someone feels unconfortable, but to mention the name of a game inside another game should not be an issue.

yes, its like street fighter 2 and all the other fighting games.

I did try a kickstarter once, with not much luck.
Anyway, fortunatelly there are plenty of supporters who are paying for the game in advance (41 today) so I can gather enough money to purchase the cartridges, box, manual, etc.
So the game will see the light thanks to this patrons and no crowdfunding platform will take a percentage, all thanks to the good will of the msx supporters

Thank you everyone!

It will be my 3rd original Kai game in a row. And I cannot wait for the next one.

He´s a gifted developer, one of the few guys spending his time creating new software we can all enjoy and an all-around-nice-guy. He deserves better.

Thank you once again. And as a Brazilian I do apologise for some sh*t that comes from down here. We still have a long way to go.

Right, you do not have to apologise for other people's actions, no matter what country they are from.

Changing subject;
After collecting comments and opinions here and on facebook regarding the provisional cover, I started working on a new cover, following the guidelines of our followers (too many boobs, not enough manga style, better a female on the cover, etc) , and also using the anathomy knowledge I know better.

It is far from finished but let's see if someone complains about "too many boobs" now

Hahahaha

Final cover (I hope):

Thanks !

What? Who? His name is "Gil" .

No. It is Rick Deckard