My Little Pony: Harmony Eclipsed (COMPLETED 12/20/21)

[iSmartMan 25]

Twilight and her friends have disappeared, and chaos is spreading across Equestria! Follow Princess Luna as she searches for the Mane 6 and locates the source of the calamities. (Takes place during Season 3)

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zuH8m48H2qZ8uGOg8Das2N2gNSlEUm_x/view?usp=sharing

This is the FULL version of Harmony Eclipsed! In addition to the end of the game's story, there have been a variety of other changes and improvements, including:
-No more placeholders
-No more empty cities without NPCs (Cloudsdale, Manehattan, etc.)
-Rebalanced combat formulas
-New mechanics in several boss battles
-An EXP scaling system
-An actual puzzle at the Hotel in Manehattan
-Luna has a Scan skill now

For an exhaustive list of all the changes in this version, see the game's Readme.txt file.

There may be future updates that include bugfixes or graphical improvements (one of my artists is VERY insistent about trying to improve some of the maps), but you shouldn't need to worry about replaying the game whenever a new build comes out. Currently, this is intended to be the last major gameplay update for Harmony Eclipsed. Of course, there is a chance that I might change my mind at some point and decide to add sidequests or flesh out the available skills or something, but at the moment, I don't have any plans for additions like that. If I ever change my mind, I'll be sure to announce my intentions here, but I have spent a significant amount of time and money working on this for the last 8 years, and I would like to relax for a few months before even thinking about doing more work on it.

 

Controls are Space to confirm/interact, X to cancel/open menu, arrow keys to move, and hold Z to run. If you want to customize those controls or use a gamepad, launch the game and press F1 to open the controls/options menu. Before launching the game for the first time, make sure to run the included xp_rtp104e.exe file. It's a pack of default resources that come with RPG Maker XP, and the game uses a lot of the tilesets from it.

 

Also, we have a Discord now, so please let me know what you think of the game there!

Edited January 9, 2022 by iSmartMan
Added link to 1.12.3 with minor bugfixes

[iSmartMan 25]

I'm almost done with the next build, just need to get it playtested and then I'll post it here. Unfortunately, most of my previous playtesters have been busy, so if anyone would like to step up and volunteer to test out what I've currently got, let me know.

[iSmartMan 25]

A new build has just been uploaded, new link in OP! I know the series is about to end, but rest assured, I will keep working, so keep an eye out for more updates!

[StormyVenture 31]

So I downloaded this and played it for a bit.

That said I think there's awful lot of blunt 'hit them with a bigger stick' combat so far substituting for game depth. And the "solution" to the corruption of the mane six is apparently to beat them really hard until them vomit it out/admit defeat? I know the show didn't do it much better with fixing being discorded by applying UberMagic:RememberWe'reFriends, but come on... Blunt trauma with a side of background pony narration (and occasional random gifting of items with gameplay value that make no sense for those ponies to be carrying around) is rather dull and uninteresting as RPGs go.

I'm not sure what exactly the formula would be for a better/more substantial story. Rainbow Dash claims to be defending Ponyville, but from what? And surely someone would have figured out she's hiding out near Fluttershy's house. And there's no more depth to Applejack's  'story' at all despite her apparently trying to find all the others (the mane six) and having failed and just giving up on them, the farm, her family, and Ponyville. Hopefully there is a bit more substance to the changelings. In my opinion there really needs to be a bit more story and RP/interaction in between the smashing ponies upside the head bits.

Corrupted Luna wanted to rule Equestria and have eternal night (of course that involved removing Celestia from the picture, even if might mean killing her) if we loosely try to tie together show canon and this plot, so shouldn't the other ponies be doing something equally screwy. I think 'The Return of Harmony' having the discorded ponies act opposite to their sort of intrinsic nature was a pretty powerful plot device even if it wasn't really leveraged much. For example imagine:

- Applejack as a greedy, manipulative pony working only for her own benefit [not being honest or working together w/friends and family]

- Fluttershy as a rather unkind pegasus, perhaps even cruel, possibly trying to protect animals by preventing ponies from having pets or say using anypony's mistakes as an excuse to mistreat them [not being kind at all]

 

Right now the game feels really grindy and as though you'd better build the levels so the next arbitrarily difficult enemy will be possible to defeat without a massive item collection or endless rinse and repeat (aka reload and try again).

Tangentially it seems quite silly to have Luna advisecaution so bystanders won't get hurt (in a seemingly empty place no less) and then the very next course of action is to scour the hotel and confront 'Applejewel'.  

 

P.S. 

I think the graphics could be more custom and pony-y, but that's a matter of polish that isn't super critical.

[StormyVenture 31]

I understand that. And it's certainly true that I tend to be a bit critical and to more clearly see the problems than that what's working well.

In my previous comment, I tried to explain a little bit of what I perceive to be the game's shortcomings and what would make it better in my opinion.

As it is combat is somewhat dull and grindy (e.g. rinse and repeat). You just get more experience to get more levels to get more HP and Damage Potential to beat the next stronger big bad. And in my experience you spam skills until the MP is gone and then resort to regular weapons because the former are much stronger in general and you need to take as little damage as possible to avoid losing/game over. This might be mostly a balance issue of some sort and a limitation of RPG maker's combat in the sense that it's very win/lose unless you go to some length to work out alternative outcomes.

Also there really should be, imho, more game content of some sort between 'bosses' and a bit less constant combat (slimes and snakes all over the place, changelings, etc). Some actual investigative elements and meaningful interaction with the citizenry would help. There is very little discovery required besides "check all the trash cans" kind of monotony. Why is every place just seemingly abandoned, it's really not clear that this corrupting darkness should cause that kind of change in general. At least in Cloudsdale you're presented with a plausible pseudo-explanation for the empty streets, albeit it's difficult to grasp why this would be happening.

[iSmartMan 25]

Thank you for the feedback. I'm already working on a few ideas to enhance the boss battles, but it is my first attempt at making and balancing a game and I have tended to be conservative and not go too far outside what I know works. Specific suggestions would be very welcome, though they should come with the understanding that I am free to pick and choose suggestions as I wish and not every suggestion will make it into the game. The emptiness and lack of wandering ponies is mostly due to me being terrible at writing flavor and fluff dialog. Based on what you and my testers have been telling me in this most recent build, the next iteration will probably add more wandering NPCs to areas, but they will only have placeholder dialog until either I or one of my other occasional helpers gets around to writing for them. Also, my intended approach for showcasing the corrupting influence of dark magic was for the Mane 6 to each become the dark side of their elements rather than the opposite. Rainbow Dash is Blind Loyalty, Applejack is Half-Truths and White Lies, etc.

Oh, and don't worry about the changelings. They make a return at the end of the current build, which is only the beginning of the game's third act. It will probably be another 3 builds before the game has the full story I have planned out.

[iSmartMan 25]

I'd really appreciate that. Experience is one thing I sorely lack, and I'd love more suggestions from someone who has made all these mistakes before and can help me avoid them.

[iSmartMan 25]

Found a major bug that needed fixing, updated the download link again

[Borg 0]

I was playing and the game died at destroying the first seal; Twilight asked for her and the princesses to be left alone for a few minutes and then the game went to a black screen and stopped responding to any key presses.

 

(Also, it seems like the costs of some of Celestia's skills are wrong, unless I'm missing something. Mass Light costs only 1 mana despite hitting all enemies and dealing a damage type that all bosses seem to be weak to, and Raise costs 240 mana despite it being impossible for Celestia to have more than 100 mana.)

[iSmartMan 25]

@Borg I apologize, that's a bug with the current public build, but that's where it ends anyway. I forgot to put in the message saying it was the end of the build. As @Bas said, I've currently sent the next build out to my testers, and it should be ready for public release in a couple of weeks at most. I'm also considering posting my Discord server publicly at that point, and potentially offering beta builds there for anyone who wants to test them. Be patient, and the next build will come.

As for the Celestia skills thing, that was an oversight on my part, and it will be resolved in the next build.

[iSmartMan 25]

At last, a new build has been posted (see top of thread)! In addition to advancing the story, this new build includes a new Tent item that will allow you to fully heal your party at save crystals. Also, you can how hold Z to run, which should make some of my testers very happy. Lastly, I've decided to open up a Discord server (see top of thread, below the link to the current build) for discussing the game and collecting feedback and suggestions, so I would really appreciate if everyone would join and let me know their thoughts.

I'm planning on going back over all the encounters in the game and rebalancing them, so the next public build will probably take a few months. If anyone is interested in helping me out by testing my in-progress beta builds, feel free to ask on the Discord server.

[Snoodles 0]

I'm having an issue where I get to the part after the battle with Nightmare Moon where the screen stops after Luna and Celestia talk, and the music plays on a loop but the game is not responding to any key presses. I've tried reloading to the save crystal before you enter the palace, but the same thing happens again.

 

[iSmartMan 25]

10 hours ago, Snoodles said:

I'm having an issue where I get to the part after the battle with Nightmare Moon where the screen stops after Luna and Celestia talk, and the music plays on a loop but the game is not responding to any key presses. I've tried reloading to the save crystal before you enter the palace, but the same thing happens again.

 

Huh, that's a new one. I'll look into it tomorrow.

[iSmartMan 25]

Fixed the bug, new build link in the top post, make sure to grab it!

[iSmartMan 25]

Fixed a bug that let the player walk through walls after going into the shop in the Town Near Rock Farm. Updated build in the top post, grab it if you haven't gotten that far yet, otherwise message me on Discord for a version that can fix saves experiencing this bug.

[Hari Seldon 3]

I am reporting 2 bugs:

 

1. When my party of ponies went to Nightmare Rarity's city (Manehattan?) without having full HP, that messed up the level of one of the ponies (sorry I forgot who) and that ponies' stats became less than what their level should be.

 

2. I have a save file where Celestia's light attack that targets all enemies suddenly turned really cheap (like 1 MP or so) and her resurrection ability suddenly turned really expensive.  It started out correct, but is not correct now.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iTsNZLogXmqRxI4pbOu01DmgR6AkkcsL

[Hari Seldon 3]

1. I think so.  Anyway when I play the game again I'll let you know if it happens again.

2. The version of the game I was playing was the one available at 12/19/2019, so before the January 19 build.

3. #1 happened at the start of Manehattan (Nightmare Rarity) and as I said the pony entered without being fully healed and that messed it up.  I went back and healed everyone up and tried again and that fixed it.  #2 I'm not sure sorry.  I have the save files for #2, though:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iTsNZLogXmqRxI4pbOu01DmgR6AkkcsL

[Hari Seldon 3]

1. The version of the game I was playing was the one available at 12/19/2019, so before the January 19 build.

[iSmartMan 25]

10 hours ago, Hari Seldon said:

I am reporting 2 bugs:

 

1. When my party of ponies went to Nightmare Rarity's city (Manehattan?) without having full HP, that messed up the level of one of the ponies (sorry I forgot who) and that ponies' stats became less than what their level should be.

 

2. I have a save file where Celestia's light attack that targets all enemies suddenly turned really cheap (like 1 MP or so) and her resurrection ability suddenly turned really expensive.  It started out correct, but is not correct now.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iTsNZLogXmqRxI4pbOu01DmgR6AkkcsL

@Hari SeldonThe second issue sounds like an old save The current build should have Celestia's Mass Light skill cost 30 MP, but if you have an old enough save, it'll be 1 MP. As for Celestia's Raise skill, I haven't gotten around to balancing that one yet, so it's always been really expensive and unusable.

The first issue sounds a bit stranger. I'd messed up the balance at Pinkie's Rock Farm by lowering the encounter rate in the last build, so players weren't strong enough for Baltimare Rarity. Since I'm overhauling the entire game's balance for the next build, I decided to be lazy here and add a script that would increase the level of everyone in the party to 16 after fighting Nightmare Pinkie. HP shouldn't have any effect on who levels up, and anyone who levels up should have their stats reflect the level increase. Could you be more specific about the stat discrepancies? Are stats actually going down, are they lower than they should be, or are they not changing at all?

[Hari Seldon 3]

On 5/15/2020 at 7:10 PM, iSmartMan said:

@Hari SeldonThe second issue sounds like an old save The current build should have Celestia's Mass Light skill cost 30 MP, but if you have an old enough save, it'll be 1 MP. As for Celestia's Raise skill, I haven't gotten around to balancing that one yet, so it's always been really expensive and unusable.

The first issue sounds a bit stranger. I'd messed up the balance at Pinkie's Rock Farm by lowering the encounter rate in the last build, so players weren't strong enough for Baltimare Rarity. Since I'm overhauling the entire game's balance for the next build, I decided to be lazy here and add a script that would increase the level of everyone in the party to 16 after fighting Nightmare Pinkie. HP shouldn't have any effect on who levels up, and anyone who levels up should have their stats reflect the level increase. Could you be more specific about the stat discrepancies? Are stats actually going down, are they lower than they should be, or are they not changing at all?

Ok I promise to play the game again when it is finished and see if either of those bugs are still there.

[iSmartMan 25]

At last, a new build is here!

This version adds the Caves Beneath Canterlot, the second-to-last part of the story. If you have a save from the previous version of the game, it SHOULD work in this one, but I can't promise that your party will be as strong as they need to be. Also, I FINALLY fixed that bug with the battle theme audio continuing to play after battles, though with the difficulty my testers and I have had reproducing the bug reliably, it wouldn't surprise me if it just hid from us again.

The reason this build took so long is because I decided to try a bunch of rebalancing and experimenting with the combat, only some of which can be seen in the current version (for instance, the Shadowbolts fight is the result of some experiments with making a more challenging boss battle). I would REALLY like to do a complete overhaul of the combat, but since this is my first game, it's pretty much all trial-and-error, which is painfully tedious and prone to personal bias. If I just wanted to finish the story, I could probably have the "full game" finished in 2-3 months, but I wouldn't be happy with the gameplay. However, to get the gameplay to a point I would be happy with, I would probably have to accept that the next build would come out sometime next year. I suppose that I could finish up the story, release it, and then rebalance to my heart's content, but let's be honest, how many of you would replay this after finishing the story? If no one plays the improvements, then what's the point?

So, let me know here and on my Discord server how you feel about this. Should I focus on finishing the story, or should I improve the combat to make it a better game overall first? Also, if anyone has experience with game design and combat mechanics/formulas, please contact me. I would be extremely grateful for your help and would be willing to pay you for your time and skill.

[Hari Seldon 3]

On 8/24/2020 at 9:07 PM, iSmartMan said:

At last, a new build is here!

This version adds the Caves Beneath Canterlot, the second-to-last part of the story. If you have a save from the previous version of the game, it SHOULD work in this one, but I can't promise that your party will be as strong as they need to be. Also, I FINALLY fixed that bug with the battle theme audio continuing to play after battles, though with the difficulty my testers and I have had reproducing the bug reliably, it wouldn't surprise me if it just hid from us again.

The reason this build took so long is because I decided to try a bunch of rebalancing and experimenting with the combat, only some of which can be seen in the current version (for instance, the Shadowbolts fight is the result of some experiments with making a more challenging boss battle). I would REALLY like to do a complete overhaul of the combat, but since this is my first game, it's pretty much all trial-and-error, which is painfully tedious and prone to personal bias. If I just wanted to finish the story, I could probably have the "full game" finished in 2-3 months, but I wouldn't be happy with the gameplay. However, to get the gameplay to a point I would be happy with, I would probably have to accept that the next build would come out sometime next year. I suppose that I could finish up the story, release it, and then rebalance to my heart's content, but let's be honest, how many of you would replay this after finishing the story? If no one plays the improvements, then what's the point?

So, let me know here and on my Discord server how you feel about this. Should I focus on finishing the story, or should I improve the combat to make it a better game overall first? Also, if anyone has experience with game design and combat mechanics/formulas, please contact me. I would be extremely grateful for your help and would be willing to pay you for your time and skill.

I always vote for games coming out later but more polished so long as they don't end up in development hell.  So I vote for improving the combat and it's fine the game may come out next year.

I have decided to not play the game until it is finished unless you need me to play it earlier to test the changes.

[Hari Seldon 3]

23 hours ago, You said:

in general, he does...

OK I'll get around to playing the game again sometime this month.

[Hari Seldon 3]

I've finished build v1.11 and enjoyed it.

My advice is:

1. As I mentioned in the Discord, the Shadowbolts fight is good except if you have Rainbow in your party and have her throw out Hurricanes every turn you defeat the Shadowbolts in about 2-3 turns.  Even if the Shadowbolts were changed to fight Rainbow with highest priority I am guessing the other 3 party members could throw healing potions at Rainbow to counterbalance that.  I suggest the Shadowbolts could on their first turn each cast the Shield spell on themselves if they see Rainbow and that might protect them from Hurricane for five turns, so long as after that the Shadowbolts use the other interesting spells like Dark Blessing, etc.  I wonder what would happen if every Shadowbolts member decided to do Hurricane on the first or second turn I think that would be too hard.  So yeah there is a way to make the fight too easy and a way to make the fight too hard so there is a balance in there somewhere.
2. I think the Dragon shopkeeper in the volcano should sell Rarity a better or at least different gem, because her Emerald is really bad at fighting fire creatures in the volcano.  Maybe there could even be a selection of all damage types of gems from the Dragon because he is a Dragon after all he eats gems.
3. Does Rarity ever get the ability Diamond Shower that I saw the Changelings use when they were morphed as Rarity?  I am in the Canterlot Gem Caves with Rarity at Level 31 and she still only has Gemshot.
4. Why is Remedy only sold at Sugarcube corner?  The shops at the changeling hive and the volcano don't sell Remedy.  This is OK because I had enough money to buy as many Remedy as I wanted at Sugarcube corner but if I hadn't I would have been upset I couldn't later.  Maybe Mrs. Cake could say Remedys are an item you can't find anywhere else?
5. I only did a few minutes of grinding (less than 30 minutes total?) and I got enough money to buy the best armor and weapons for everyone (not just the 4 current party members) every time there was a better set of armor and weapons and by the gem caves I had 30 Cupcakes, 50 Soda, 20 Tonic, 20 Remedy, and 20 Tents.  This is OK because there is no shopkeeper in the gem caves so this has to last two levels (volcano and gem caves) not one (and who knows maybe future content (the final level) might not have a shopkeeper either).  I think I got this much money so fast because I wasn't scared to do special attacks (that cost mana) and lose hitpoints on my party members because both are refilled upon level up.  I used almost no items not even tents (I used like 4 tents in total the entire game) by doing this and also learning how many hitpoints enemies have (so I don't waste special attacks on almost dead enemies and if the enemies are really weak they can be taken out by 4 basic attacks one from each party member in that turn) and which enemies need to be defeated first because they are more dangerous.  I prefer minimal grinding actually but I think the boss fights should be much harder and use about 10 mana potions and a few health potions or whatever each time, because boss fights should be hard and if they are too hard just grind a few minutes to get a few hundred bits to buy more consumable items.
6. The boss fights are too easy if you have enough Soda (I got 50 near the end) and throw out special attacks all the time fueled by Soda.  Especially if you know whether or not the boss has status effect attacks, so you should bring in Fluttershy and equip her with the accessory that prevents all status conditions so she can Remedy party members.  I love that accessory I think it should exist but I think boss fights should be harder and require more consumables.  Mana potions are so important and so cheap maybe each boss fight should require about 10 mana potions to get through.  I am also wondering whether it was easier for me I always had Luna and Celestia in the party when there is a boss fight because they both have high damage attacks (Moonbeam and Sunlight) and resistance to Dark (their accessories).
7. I think Twilight's shield spell is good but I think there should be a boss fight where it really shines.  Maybe the Umbra fight or future Sombra fight?  Umbra could do a lot more damage and Twilight would have to shield.  I managed to defeat Umbra so fast I didn't even need to use more than about 3 or 4 first aids and no cupcakes (I don't remember how many sodas).  I am not sure how strong Umbra actually is she seemed to have the same attacks as Luna (that Dark area of effect special attack, that Dark single target special attack, and that stun or whatever) but when she casts Dark Blessing that one time she gains a LOT of health but then loses health automatically every turn after that as a side-effect.  I think Umbra should be stronger than just a stronger Dark Blessing because she mastered the darkness for years.  I suggest all of her different attacks should have a chance (or more of a chance) to have a negative status effect (lore reason: because she is better at dark corruption magic than Nightmare Moon), making her Dark area of effect attack more powerful than Luna's, and because of that Umbra's special attack that does a status effect should be more powerful to balance it against her now more powerful other attacks.

 

I am excited to see what the Dark Gem could be good for.  It heals Umbra during the boss fight so obviously the Dark Gem is intended to be useful in the Sombra level afterwards.

Edited September 17, 2020 by Hari Seldon

[Hari Seldon 3]

8. I think in the Dragon, Umbra, or Sombra fight the boss should have a special attack that instantly kills a party member regardless of their hitpoints.  That would let Celestia's Raise ability shine or use Tonics if you don't want Celestia in the party.  Maybe there should be an accessory that blocks that special attack so you can equip it on Celestia, but one thing I don't like about that idea is I like Celestia's Solar Crown accessory so I like her wearing it throughout the game.  In my entire playthrough I NEVER used Raise because I used Cupcakes or First Aid when party members got to half hitpoints in a boss fight and that was always enough.  So yeah there should be a boss fight where Raise shines so I can actually use it once.

Edited September 18, 2020 by Hari Seldon