Progress continues on the alpha. Here's what we've got in the game so far (there's more coming, though, believe you me!):

--3 types of battles: defeat the enemy, defeat the boss, and survival
--6 playable characters with unique abilities (up to 8 attacks this time around!)
--9 enemies, with more on the way
--much smarter enemies that will pick their targets carefully, and even try to backstab you
--a fully-functional map editor that lets you make, swap, and play battles with your friends
--revamped maps with over 250 different tiles

And that's just talking about the battles! Once I'm happy with everything we've got in the revamped battle system, we'll start working on the story. There's more to come!

...I figured I'd post here what I would have posted there. Consider this my NG Alphas submission for TRPG3 until further notice. ;)

1. What is the story behind your latest creation?
Telepath RPG Chapter 3 is the third in the Telepath RPG series, and it follows very closely in Chapter 2's footsteps. The story is going to be different, however...

2. Who or what inspired you to begin your production?
After the amazing success of Telepath RPG Chapter 2, I wanted to continue developing the world of Telepath and refine the gameplay so it was perfect.

3. How long have you been working on it, and when do you expect to finish?
Work started on this chapter less than a month ago, in late December 2007. We've made great progress on it since then.

4. Do you feel that this is better than your previous work? If so, why?
This is absolutely better, yes. The coding is cleaner, the graphics are nicer, the AI is smarter, and I'm just generally able to do code in features that I wouldn't have been able to figure out before.

5. Do you feel that this is something original? What have you done to make your creation different?
This is a lot like Chapter 2, so it's not original in that sense. However, since this will be basically the only tactical RPG available in Flash other than Chapter 2, I'd have to say that this is still pretty ground-breaking stuff.

The coolest thing about Telepath RPG Chapter 3 so far would have to be the map editor. You can slap together your own custom battles in 5 minutes and play them instantly. We're also planning to make user-created battles saveable and loadable, so you can share your battles with your friends!

6. What has given you the most difficulty during the development process of your new creation?
I have two letters for you: AI. Programming the battle AI has always been the trickiest part of the Telepath games, and it continues to be a major pain in the butt even to this day. I'm pretty proud of how it has come along, though.

Taking second place would have to be creating all of the tiles for the battles. In TRPG2, I was able to coast by with incomplete tilesets, only making new tiles when I absolutely needed to. Now that there's a map editor, though, I can't get away with that!

7. Have you learned new techniques from making this, and do you plan to use them in the future?
Absolutely. I've started relying heavily on for loops, and they're saving me literally hours of trouble, to say nothing of hundreds of lines of code.

8. Besides Flash, did you pull any other programs into the mix to deliver your desired effect?
The usual: Paint Shop Pro for graphics, Cool Edit 2 for sound and recording. We haven't produced any new music for it yet, so I can't comment on which program will be used for that.

9. How do you feel this creation will measure up to other submissions on Newgrounds?
Telepath RPG Chapter 2 is already in the Top 120 submissions on Newgrounds. Telepath RPG Chapter 3 is going to be even better than Chapter 2, so maybe it'll make it into the Top 100 and stay there. ;) We'll see!

10. Any final thoughts or anything else you would like to say?
Yeah--there's already a public demo on SinisterDesign.net, so stop by there and check it out! We're updating it regularly, so stop by often and see what's new in the game.

For those of you anxiously awaiting the release of Telepath RPG Chapter 3, you can track the game's progress as we continue to work on it right here! So far we've got a Map Editor that lets you build your own battles up and running, plus a rebuilt battle engine with some new goodies, including better enemy AI and characters who can counterattack--and we're only up to Alpha 0.0015!

For more news about the game's progress, don't forget to check the Sinister Design forums--we're updating the game on almost a daily basis, so stop by often. ;)

As a special Christmas present to our loyal fans, we've decided to give away some secrets about the future of Telepath RPG:

1) First and most important: there will be a Telepath RPG Chapter 3!
2) Second, here is a summary of the plot: You are a teenager in the desert city-state of Ravinale, a trade hub and a melting pot of different races and peoples. The city has long been home to a large minority population of Psy, people with a natural gift of mental powers, of which you are one. A new religion, however, has found its way its way into the city, a religion which teaches that psy is evil, and that those who possess it are tainted. The delicate fabric of mutual tolerance and respect the city has so long enjoyed is now at risk of being destroyed, and Ravinale may soon be plunged into a deadly civil war...

We're working on Telepath RPG Chapter 3 now, so check SinisterDesign.net for more news as it comes!

I'm very pleased over how well-received Telepath RPG Chapter 2 has been here on Newgrounds. First a daily feature, and now front page? You guys are the best! I was ecstatic to read review after review from folks saying that TRPG2 was the best RPG they'd ever played. Anyway, I want to thank you all for making this past year of hard work worthwhile. We'll have more games ready for you soon enough!...

RPG gamers unite! Telepath RPG Chapter 2, quite possibly the best RPG ever produced in Flash, is now out here on Newgrounds! Don't just take my word for it, though: go see for yourself. Don't forget to vote five! :D

If you happen to be reading this and you like RPGs, stop and take note! Telepath RPG Chapter 2, which I honestly believe to be the best role-playing game ever created in Flash, is going to be released this evening at around 8 PM Central Standard Time. Keep an eye on SinisterDesign.net and you may be one of the first people to ever play the finished version of this game! (Other versions will likely be submitted to Newgrounds and Kongregate separately later on.)

--Mal

I've decided that it would be fun to create a collaborative Flash RPG project. I've already programmed a good chunk of the engine, and all I really need are folks to volunteer their animating skills.

The Rules
--Any type of monster you feel like creating is great. It can be a ninja, a robot, a fire elemental, or something totally original.
--I will credit everyone who contributes.
--The best animators will get co-author credits when this is released!
--Just make sure you put some effort into it. ;)

Ready to animate some really cool monsters? Great! Here's what you do:

Download this FLA (Flash 8)
Or download this FLA (Flash MX 2004)

Then follow the instructions in the FLA.
When you're done, email me your finished work at sinisterdesign@gmail.com.
(You can also post a link to your SWF up here for everyone to see!)