Released Pokémon Sacred Phoenix

Welcome to the kingdom of Keltios!
I have the honor to present my fangame project: Pokémon Sacred Phoenix. Born on June 23, 2018, here it is officially presented in the community!
Currently developed on a heavily modded version 24 of PSDK, this ambitious project aims to bring audacity and originality both in terms of the scenario and Pokémon gameplay while retaining the very essence of this famous license. In the long term, it is on the open-source Godot engine that I want to develop on, because it is the only way to make a fangame worthy of my ambitions.

In the spirit of the Relic Castle's game jams, this project that will be free of public use in order to allow everyone to benefit from it, but also to be able to make a contribution to the edifice.

When a Legend falls into one of the eternal human conflicts, the Mythical King will lose his Guardian and will no longer be worthy of Arceus' Throne. From this fall will be reborn the curse of the Sovereign of Kalos. Then utter Shadow will plunge the Divine Pokémon into a tormented sleep, subjecting it to dark servitude.

From this Shadow that puts many Pokémons' souls to sleep, the Rebirth will shine with the Rainbow Bird. Blessed by the flames of the Sacred Fire and the unconditional Love of the Phoenix Prophet, the Pokémons of Light will restore the balance of the Legendaries ... For from the Shadow type is born the Light, the balance of the world will never be broken.

Pokémon Sacred Phoenix is a fan-game that will introduce you to the kingdom of Keltios, a medieval-fantasy world blessed by the Legendaries. Loving myths and legends, it is therefore only natural that I transcribe these passions through my creation. This will involve a unique project on many points, originalities that will make the strength of this project:

On Giratina's sphere (the plot):
What would a world be without adventures? A medieval-fantasy world is full of mages, prophecies, court intrigues, quests, enemies, battles, deaths, hope and heroes. Through a scenario that skillfully mixes Celtic inspiration and the richness of the official Pokémon Lore, you will live the Phoenix Prophecy and will be led to discover the origin of a mysterious evil (the Shadow type) corrupting the heart of some pocket monsters.

On Palkia's sphere (the space):
Keltios, a frontier nation of ancient Kalos, will be a brand-new land to explore. At the height of its glory, this historically rich kingdom remains twice the size of a traditional Pokémon region.

On Dialga's sphere (the time):
A very rare originality, the quest of the Sacred Phoenix will go far into the past: 500 years after the Kalosian reign of AZ, or 2500 years before the contemporary events of the Pokéworld. This implies the absence of almost all technologies. Forget about glass buildings, motor vehicles, computers, Pokémon Centers and modern medicines! It is an opportunity to discover new landscapes (tilesets) and a different philosophy of life, especially magic which is very prominent. It is thanks to it that the forging of Apricorns into Pokéballs was already known and mastered in Keltios. And to make sure you don't feel out of place, you will have the opportunity to "Gotta Catch 'Em All" and to collect dozens of pocket monsters thanks to a mage's privilege that you will inherit very quickly. Yes, an enchanted grimoire will act as a Pokédex!

On Arceus' sphere (the physical laws):
As magic replaces technology, the inhabitants have learned to live in symbiosis with nature and the "magical creatures" that populate it. You will learn for example that Pokémons recover their energy by camping or resting in an inn (or by praying at an altar), but also that battles can be deadly to your fellow travelers in case of a blow that is too powerful (feature that can be set in the options: disabled, realistic or Nuzlocke). Because yes, in Keltios, the carnal envelope of a Pokémon remains mortal and many trainers have shed tears as a consequence!

Generally speaking, the Pokémon gameplay will be revisited in order to get closer to a classic fantasy RPG while keeping the essence of the license.

The Sacred Phoenix Quest (and its secondary objectives) will lead you to visit all 22 kelt towns, but also potentially some of the 12 known cities beyond the borders.
After an introduction on Phoenix Hill, where your starter will be given to you, your story will start in the peaceful province of Alienor in the west of Keltios, to the battlefields near the Distortion Massif, and to the dream of every trainer: the Mt. Asgard, where the Colosseum of Arceus, the headquarters of the Pokémon League of Keltios, is built. The map is designed to offer you a semi-liberty inspired by open worlds while guiding you a minimum to avoid finding yourself in an off-level zone.

In keeping with the Pokémon tradition, most of the cities are themed around the Celtic tree. The geography will also make nods to ancient legends such as those of Avalon or Broceliande.

– A mature scenario rich in myths and legends, and where the Legendaries are honored as gods.
– Three Dragon Starters: Dratini, Bagon and Gible. All three final forms have their Mega-Evolution.
– Unique tilesets for a medieval-fantasy atmosphere
– Mapping using the terraforming technique: all Keltios maps have a realistic relief and are perfectly joined. This provides an organic environment and a semi-open world that will allow soaring in the sky between all areas.
– An orchestral soundtrack by Pipevanes and Braxton Burks!
– 3 rivals
– 10 Augurs (replacing Gym Leaders), 2 of which are optional. Each will give a Talisman, equivalent to a badge.
– Two sects that will act as Teams: the Cult of Darkrai and the Cult of Giratina.
– Fully customizable difficulty, from Assist Mode to Giratina's Hell (hardcore Nuzlocke).
– You can forfeit to most trainers and thus decline the battle (but it will be perceived as a dishonor by your party). It is also possible to explore Keltios without battle-capable Pokémon, but be careful not to make unfortunate encounters!
– A Game Over is present and can be triggered in three ways: being defeated by a hostile enemy (death match), being killed by one of your own Pokémon or having all your creatures die (with an optional Black Out Clause).
– Follow Me: you first Pokémon walks by your side. This can be toggled by [Ctrl] key and has implications on the gameplay.
– Presence of holy and cursed places. This impacts your magic and the behavior of your Pokémons.
– Shiny encounter chance increased to 1/1074. Shinies have better IVs.
– Alpha and Noble Pokémons !

They have a greater chance of being shiny because of their perfect IVs (1/266 and 1/64 chances respectively).
– Speed-up button ([F5] key).
– An internal clock for the game with its own calendar and season management.
– Harvest of Keltios: many wild plants can be harvested in the lands of Keltios and require no maintenance. Their productivity depends on the season, but the Floral Gift (a passive ability possessed by fully evolved Grass Pokémons) can speed up an almost ready harvest.
– New potions and healing items adapted to the old era of Keltios.
– A mining system allows you to collect the raw materials needed for crafting, including the creation of Pokéballs.
– Field Effects: Like Pokémon Reborn, battlefields will have a very significant influence on the power of attacks and will combine with weather and auras. The number of weathers will also be extended.
– Caught Overhaul: The capture mechanics have been revisited. A Pokémon that is not weakened or of too high level can deflect balls. Conversely, weakening them will significantly increase your chances of capture! At the same time, the Apricorns-based Pokéballs – the only ones present in Keltios – are rebalanced and offered in three levels of quality. Thus, each one of them will have its utility.
– Death Overhaul: The death of Pokémon will be a reality in Keltios: you will be able to lose your magical creatures if they are hit too hard. This can be set in the options (disabled / realistic / Nuzlocke mode). A reincarnation system is present and allows you to get some ghost Pokémons!
– Overkill mechanism: Grants a XP boost in case of a powerful fatal blow, but beware not to bloodshed too often.
– Loyalty Overhaul: Many parameters influence the feelings of your Pokémons. Gain their trust by giving them food or massaging them. Their level of friendship will have a real influence on battles and will determine how loyal they are to you. You can also instill fear in them to gain respect.
– XP Overhaul: Depending on the importance of the fights, the experience gain will be more or less important. At the same time, an original soft level cap greatly accelerates the experience gained if your Pokémon is underlevel and reduces it by half if your Pokémon is too high level. The overlevel also reduces the dread felt by your magical creature, which will impact the obedience they have for you. This effect can be compensated with high friendship.
– Pokémons can evolve mid-battle and trade evolutions are replaced by alternatives ones.
– A Keltios Pokédex made up of around 500 creatures, of which 15% are Fakemons and regional variants (known as "ancient" forms). New Mega-Evolutions are also present!
– Two new types: Shadow and Light. It will be possible to grant one of these two types to your Pokémon through a ritual.
– A rebalanced type chart!
– Status moves are divided into three sub-categories: buff, debuff, and terrain.
– Effectiveness Overhaul: Chances of hitting with a debuff move are influenced by type affinity. Affinity also influences the chances of inflicting a side effect and the rate of indirect or fixed damage.
– Statuses and critical hits have been overhauled.
– Haxx smoother: Minimizes the luck/bad luck discrepancies that frustrate players in battle. This will be done by taking into account the success or failure of the last actions. For example, if you failed your Blizzard, the next one will have more chances to succeed, and vice versa.
– EVs and IVs will be visible on the stats. The Pokémon summary will also include much more information than in the official games. (Great for fans of RPG feats).
– The EV system is rebalanced and expanded to be closer to what it was in Gen 1 / Gen 2, rewarding trainers who train the same Pokémon over the long term.
– Possibility to curse, strengthen or bless the IVs of your Pokémon in order to minimize or maximize them. All your magical creatures will have a chance to become "Perfect". The nature in battle can also be modified in the same manner as mints.
– The hermaphrodite gender for Pokémons and egg groups redone from scratch.
– Each Legendary Pokémon will have its own Legendary move and/or Ability, reflecting its divine power over the world.
– A craft system with the smithing art.
– Double and Triple battles with the possibility of meeting wild Pokémons in pairs or triples (the latter is a horde battle.)
– Wild Pokémons that will act as bosses and will be fought in 1 vs. 2. In return, they will be able to call for reinforcements in the manner of the SOS battles in SM/USUM.

– Completing the three branches of crafting: forging, alchemy and enchanting. (Forging is done, left Alchemy and Enchanting.)
– Develop the game in HD with a resolution of 1280x720 and sprites in 192x192 for the Pokémons. My ultimate wish is that these HD sprites are also animated.
– Augur Battles will take place in colosseums. (Pokémon matches are the most popular entertainment in Keltios and the public wants to see the show!) No puzzles in these buildings, but the Augurs will give you an Alola Trial-style quest before facing you.
– Augur Battles will follow the Gym leaders' rules of the Anime with a battlefield to their advantage and a no item clause.
– A Pokémon League in the form of a Double battle tournament in a sumptuous colosseum.
– Replacing PP system with 2 new energy gauges for your Pokémons: Mana and Breath. This will allow more than 4 moves per Pokémon.
– 6 tactical options instead of 4 in battle: Attack, Stances, Tactics, Pokémon, Bag and Run.
– Ho-Oh's Scepter will allow your character to use magic, including casting O-Power style spells, but also to Mega-Evolve your Pokémons and use the Z-Power.
– The Sacred Mega-Evolution! Find the true Mega-Evolution as it is described in the anime: the one that requires a sincere love towards your Pokémon. It will also allow the use of Z-moves.
– The possibility of performing Poké-Jobs, a kind of repeatable quest that will allow you to earn money without spilling the blood of your magical creatures.
– In-map use of HM moves based on the Pokémon's ability to learn the attack (instead of having it in its moveset) and the presence of Poké Ride.
– Integration of Pokémon Contests.

The Silvynis family is a lineage that has had several royal ancestors. The latest was Nimue the Pure, Mythical Queen who watched over Keltios a century ago. Going back in the genealogy, it is revealed that the blood of Morgana Harmonia and AZ of Kalos also runs in their veins.
Of course, as in any self-respecting Pokémon game, you can choose your character's name. Be aware that if you take the hero, the heroine will become one of your rivals and vice versa.

The hero

Only son of Brendan and Ygerne, Aranel is a young man of 18 who, after the death of his father, found hope by following the teachings of the Ho-Oh cult. Shy but honest, he has always dreamed of becoming friends with Pokémons. He is very close to his cousin Viviane.

The heroine

Only daughter of Elowen and Gorlois, Viviane is a young lady of 19 years. Her destiny seems to be linked to Aranel's, for she too saw her father die during the terrible battle of Taranus 11 years ago, the same battle where the Mythical King Oromis lost his Suicune. Like her cousin Aranel, she decided to follow the teachings of the Temple of Ho-Oh. Enthusiastic and determined, she has always been fascinated by the magic of Pokémons.

The Pokémon "Professor"

Fintan the Wise is the grandfather of Viviane and Aranel, 68 years old at the beginning of the adventure. Lord of Sylvan Town, his manor houses a vast library, his dream being to list all the existing Pokémons in Keltios. Legend has it that he even met Celebi in the Lake of Time when he was 12 years old. When he sees that his grandchild has inherited the Scepter of Ho-Oh, he will entrust him with the Pokégrimoire, an enchanted book that acts as an ancient Pokédex.

Gwydion

High Priest of Ho-Oh, he plays the role of your mentor during the beginning of the game. Guardian of the Scepter of Phoenix Pokémon, he masters the Sacred Mega-Evolution, but it seems that his artifact attracts dangerous lusts...

Kerdus

He is the blacksmith and the Lord of Tintignac, the second town in the game. Master in the art of making Pokéballs from Apricorns, he will teach his knowledge to our hero very early in his adventure. (Yes, there will be crafting!)

Aerouna

Intrepid damsel of the Draconid People and aspiring Dragon Rider, it was she who gave you one of the three dragon eggs she possessed as a reward for your initiation. She will keep you company as your second rival, for she too was entitled to her dragon hatching as the new Priestess of Rayquaza.

Sveifla

Sveifla is an enigmatic character. The son of a high-ranking person, he used to serve the Cult of Giratina, but was banished after losing control of his Shadow Pokémon. The scar on his face is a testament to this. In revenge, he stole a dragon egg from Duiraco and hatched it, and is now trying to rebuild his career as a trainer. He will cross your path several times and will act as your third rival.

AZ - Azoth of his real name

Former King of Kalos and master alchemist, his love for Pokémon earned him the trust of Xerneas and Yveltal. But at that time, the Legendaries refused to intervene in human wars, which cost the life of his Floette.
Despite the kindness of the two Guardians of Kalos who helped him create the Philosopher's Stone and resurrect his beloved Pokémon, the sovereign succumbed to his dark side by freeing Giratina from the Distortion World. The ultimate weapon was created and ravaged Keltios, ending a 16-year war... but at the cost of his Floette's departure and an unforgivable reputation as a god of destruction in the eyes of the kelts. The only thing he was able to keep was his Philosopher's Stone, which is why he is still living 500 years later, wandering around looking for his redemption. Our heroes will cross his path several times.

Unos the Mythical King

Successor of Oromis, he is the current Mythical King of Keltios. He is the first mortal to have obtained the allegiance of three Legendaries at the same time, including Arceus himself. Needless to say, with so many divine Pokémons at his side, he is an exceptionally powerful trainer!

The equivalent of Gym Leaders, Augurs are the head of each Keltios Cult. Guardians of the wisdom of the Legendary they represent; they will subject you to a trial (like the Trials of Alola) if you express the desire to them to face them. Succeed in their quest, and they will then give you an appointment in their arena backed by the Temple, coliseums offering very beautiful shows for the inhabitants of their city.
These official Keltios League battles will be tough, as Augurs treat their magical creatures with the utmost love, healing items will be forbidden, you won't be able to send more Pokémon than your opponent has, and the arena's terrain will be significantly to their advantage. A small concession, however: you will be allowed to switch Pokémon for free if you knock out one of the Augur's magical creatures, and the Augur will never be allowed to switch voluntarily. In short, it's exactly the official rules of the Gym battles from the Anime.
Triumph and you will be rewarded with a Talisman, a badge that will reinforce your authority over your pocket monsters and unlock a quest that will allow you to learn a field move... And let's not forget the applause of the audience who will reward you with a nice amount of gold!

List of Augurs

Awena: Augur of Celebi – specialized Grass and Psychic-type
Meirion: Augur of Kyogre – specialized Water and Ice-type
Aedan: Augur of Groudon – specialized Fire and Ground-type
Blodwyn: Augur of Xerneas – specialized Fairy and Grass-type
Arianna: Augur of Lugia – specialized Water, Flying and Psychic-type
Houarnon: Augur of Heatran – specialized Fire, Steel and Rock-type
Erwana: Augur of Yveltal – specialized Dark and Ghost-type
Cerridwyn: Augur of Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf – specialized Psychic and Light-type (It will be a Trio Combat)
Neñvel: Augur of Rayquaza – specialized Dragon and Electric-type
Ambros: Augur of Ho-Oh – specialized Fire and Flying-type

Note that the Augurs of Ho-Oh and Heatran will be optional (although highly recommended). The first one, because you'll already have his Talisman from being initiated by the priests of Ho-Oh, the second one because it won't unlock a field move that's essential to the main quest (and the League of Keltios only requires 9 Talismans to compete).
You'll also notice that their teams won't be monotype, but in the theme of the Legendary that fits them.

Spoiler

Sacred Phoenix renews the battle mechanics in depth, offering a new wind on the Pokémon license.

If your will is to be surprised and discover everything by yourself, follow the path of Azelf. The scenario will introduce you to these new features gradually.

But if you choose the path of Uxie and wish his knowledge, a documentation has been specially written for you. It is available in the "doc" folder of the game.

Fintan's library contains many books that can be accessed from the shelves of his manor. For an independent reading of the game, these writings are also available in PDF format. A good majority of the gameplay changes are described there, as well as some of the lore.

The library of Fintan the Wise (French version) (Spanish version)

Since June 23, 2018, Sacred Phoenix has grown and developed. The changelog traces its history.

View the changelog (French version)

This short document lists the questions related to the installation or the update of the game.

https://www.sacredphoenix.fr/res/Telechargements/PDF/FAQ/FAQ and troubleshooting_EN.pdf

Game download: Alpha v0.4.0.10 of November 11th, 2024

Available languages:

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Includes the full prologue + Chapter 1, approximately 1 hour of gameplay - up to 2 hours with the side quests and optional content
The city of Gortelda, and the first Augur battle are our next goals.

Official website of Sacred Phoenix
Official Discord (boosted at level 2)
Deviantart gallery
Twitter
Youtube Channel

Spoiler

Project team:

• Amras Anárion: Project Lead, Lead Writer, Game Designer, Level Designer, Programmer, Community Manager, Game Artist, Pixel Artist and Translator
• Altarax: Programmer
• Cataclyptic: Game Artist
• Dracoyan: Pixel Artist
• Eysselia: Game Artist
• Gas : Programmer
• Splittingjaws: Game Artist (artwork of Fakemons)
• Sulucnal : Programmer
• Thunungu: Community Manager, Pixel Artist, Translator

Honorary members:

• FlorianDX: Game Artist, Pixel Artist
• Millie: Help for artwork
• Palkioss: Community Manager
• PixelCraft: Pixel Artist
• Sipondo : Programmeur

Former team members:

• BlizzardFeather: Game Artist
• Bugfix: Beta Tester
• Cottens: Game Artist, Programmer, Web manager, secondary Beta Tester
• Frillecho: Pixel Art for Fakemons
• KiriariSan : Game Artist for OCs
• MusicallyRoy: Musician
• Pipevanes: Musician, Translator

Credits from members who provided one-time help:

• Arnik: Concepts of Fakemons from his former project "Cristal de Jade", Pixel artist
• Galax: Musician
• JasCas: Sounds effects
• LOX: artwork of the regional Druddigon
• Pixâme: collab for the tiles of the Fintan Manor
• Samueljoo: Game Artist
• SkaraBdort: score of the Keltios hymn
• Vulvoch: tiles of the Ivy Tower
• Yjchigo: script help

Credits for external contributors:

-- Tilesets --

• Alucus
• aveontrainer
• Chaoticcherrycake
• carchagui
• Celiana
• Chimcharsfireworkd
• GameFreak - Pokémon HGSS
• Inkaline
• Kyle-Dove
• Magiscarf
• princess-phoenix
• Redshrike
• Saurav
• WesleyFG
• Phyromatical
• Evolina

-- Sprites --

• RBRNNova
• Oniwanbashu
• Conyjams (sprites of Galar's forms)
• KingOfThe-X-Roads (Gen 9 fronts)
• Caruban (Gen 9 backs)
• DarkusShadow (Gen 9 OWs)
• ezerart (Gen 9 icons)

-- Artworks --

• Cdhernly
• TRXPICS

-- Various graphics --
- Sidney Eileen (http://sidneyeileen.com) - graphic design elements

-- Music --

• Braxton Burks (https://www.connorgriffinmusic.com)
• GameFreak for the music from official games
• Adrian Von Ziegler (https://adrianvonziegler.bandcamp.com/)
• Dasgust (title screen score)
• BellBlitzKing (SFX rip for the Pokémon games)

-- PSDK game engine credits --
https://psdk.pokemonworkshop.fr/wiki/en/credits.html

 

[GameFighterCJ]

I'm trying to get a Gible with the Adamant/Jolly, Naughty/Naive natures, and the hidden ability Rough Skin, but it takes forever! Should I keep soft resetting or go with Sand Veil in this game?

 

[Amras Anárion]

In the current public release, the HA probability is 1/50
Nature is full random (25 possibilities, so 4 out of 25 chance in your case, or 2/625 by combining your 2 criteria)

In the next public release, probability will be increased to 1/32 to have the hidden ability (regardless of the pokemon obtained when the ability is random)
Changing the nature of a Pokémon is already possible in the game (there is an NPC in the final secret map who can do this)
The ability to switch abilities (between the two regular abilities or with the hidden ability) is also provided. The variables are already coded.
I will also add that the chance of shiny is currently 1/128, and it will increase to 1/64 in the next update

BTW, I confirm that the starter can be soft reset to infinity (it's done on purpose that we can save just before taking it).

 

[Amras Anárion]

First news:

Here is the 10th entry of the Developer's Diary, dedicated to reviving productivity and recruitment after a relatively long period of low activity.
And yes, this is proof that things are moving again. The team will maybe grow and a lot of artworks have been done lately; notably thanks to Splittingjaws and Eysselia.

Developer diaries #10 - June 2023

Spoiler

Entry 10

The last publication of my Developer Diary was followed by a long period of low activity, hence the more than 4 months that have elapsed. It has to be said that the loss of Deviantart’s audience caused by its change of policy didn’t do the overall motivation any good: the problem of having put all our eggs in one basket by letting 80% of our public visibility rest on a single site. I also took a break for a whole month, playing another game (Hogwarts Legacy, not to mention it) until I platinized it. This also played a role since I was less present in the project.
But the phoenix always rises from its ashes and after these “fangame holidays”, we worked on our reconstruction from mid-March.


Diversify our social networks

It’s official: Sacred Phoenix has diversified its communication channels and is now active on Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter. The first two sites are still baby dragons with only half a dozen entries, but Twitter is already hitting 200 views per Tweet due to its greater seniority. Proof that it works.
At the same time, SplittingJaws has asked me to take communication under his wing for a while. Knowing that this is a time-consuming activity, any help is welcome.

This allowed us to regain a modicum of motivation and move forward on a small trickle of gas. The Arch-Curate of Darkrai was drawn, while Dracoyan managed to finish the sprites for the ancient Milotic. Meanwhile, the Fakemon Moomoo was finally finished, and I took advantage of some short sessions to make some artworks of new items. For his part, Cataclyptic was able to finish his Blacksmith and understand Eysselia’s style thanks to a lot of feedback.


Surfing a wave of motivation since mid-May

But the real spark came from Eysselia. Around mid-May, she decided to get back to making human artworks (new or unfinished) and finished three couples in 4 days. That was the spark we needed to get things moving again!
The snowball effect was not long in coming: Dracoyan and SplittingJaws regained full involvement; Millie made her first significant contribution by finalizing Eysselia’s artworks (which earned her a promotion to Phoenix Aspirant); new sprites saw the light of day (Ourobud, Venipede, Ancient Skiddo ...) thanks to the combined work of several people (even Eysselia!); and Fakemon concepts were finalized after remaining a whole year in the sketch state.


Recruitment campaign launched

Taking advantage of these favorable winds, it was the perfect time to launch a recruitment campaign on PokéCommunity and Relic Castle. It has to be said that the campaign launched last year was a fiasco: of the 4 people interested, not a single one gave any sign of life after their application had been accepted. Combined with the natural departures of Pipevanes, Frillecho and KiriariSan (who left with honors and our gratitude), our team fell to ... 6 members! A project as ambitious and long-standing as Sacred Phoenix should have had at least twice as many!

This time, our luck ran out and we had a few successes:
– BlizzardFeather, who was promoted to Phoenix Aspirant, something that hadn’t happened since April 2022. It was thanks to her that we were able to carry out the aesthetic modification of Kadabra and Alakazam. She also wants to try her hand at pixel art (our priority).
– East Gamer is basically an artist, but also knows how to make pixel art. There’s a good chance he’ll become an Aspirant Phoenix.
– one pending application as a musician (no news since).
– two unconvincing proposals, because they had to be paid for (fangames aren’t lucrative).
– a special mention for Sipondo, creator of the Ulix Dexflow game engine, who showed interest and would be willing to become a programmer if we migrated to his framework.

Early April also saw the unexpected return ... of Altarax, three years after leaving the project! He hasn’t had time to produce anything yet, but I was able to delegate the creation of the crafting menu to him after finalizing all the necessary graphic resources and explaining how the menu would work (game design aspect).
If these arrivals or reappearances bear fruit, our team could potentially grow to 9 members, and even 10 if we migrate to Ulix Dexflow instead of Godot. But 10 is not enough for a project of Sacred Phoenix’s stature, so you can guess that applications are still open.


This month’s goals

At the moment, a lot of energy is spent on communication. I’m trying to create the Fakemon strategy sheets whose finished concepts have been piling up over the months, because without these sheets, there’ll be no official reveal of these new species! Kangasbone is an excellent example of a freshly realized concept! (Sheet here.)

I’m also working on databases, including the bestiary. By the way, the structure of this data has led me to organize the presentation of movepools differently. In particular, Light and Dark movepools are listed separately from the natural movepool.

My goals are therefore threefold:
• Produce at a regular rate of strategic sheets of Fakemons with the concept already finished (aspect of game design)
• Reveal them publicly (because a lot of completed concepts have accumulated behind the scenes in recent months: artists would like their creations to be revealed).
• And continue to make parallel progress on the databases, a task which I confess I’m least enthusiastic about. So here I go when there’s nothing else to do immediately.

In the longer term, it has been agreed that the PSDK demo will be the one active until the Eleanor Shire is complete (around 2 hours 30 of gameplay). This corresponds to the first badge with a post-game equivalence specific to this province. (The first talisman unlocks Cup, and many maps have remote areas that will be unlocked with this secret technique.)

My old entries have been published on my Deviantart journal. For those who want to read them, this is where you will find them.
https://www.deviantart.com/anarlaurendil/journal/

Second news:

It's time to reveal the Kangasbone, a new Fakemon !
In our fangame, you will discover that he was created to offer a male counterpart to Kangaskhan. But we're going one step further by making one of the oldest fan theories come true and making these two kangaroos the final evolution of Cubone and Marowak ! This has several consequences in terms of metagame: the types of all the lineage (except the spectral form) have had a convergence and the adult forms inherit the movepool of Cubone and Marowak like the famous Bonemerang attack!
You will find all the adjustments made here: https://www.sacredphoenix.fr/res/Telechargements/PDF/Fakemon-stats/EN/Kangasbone lineage.pdf

 

[Amras Anárion]

Today, I reveal to you 2 lines of Fakemon!

Ancient Skiddo and Gogoat

This form is Ground/Ice-type and refers to mountain goats like those found in Skyrim because it lives in mountainous areas. It coexists with the base form which it lives in the meadow of the highlands.
This was one of the very first regional forms made by Sacred Phoenix, but it was only completed last year with the collaborative work of three artists: SplittingJaws, Eysselia and Camille.

You can find here the two forms (the official one and the Ice type one) on this strategic PDF:
https://www.sacredphoenix.fr/res/Telechargements/PDF/Fakemon-stats/EN/Ancient Gogoat lineage.pdf


Furfang and Boarhorn

The second line is Furfang and Boarhorn! It's one of the Fakemons we've had behind the scenes for 1 year thanks to Eysselia (the sprites have already been published thanks to Frillecho), and now it's time to officially reveal it!
Furfang is an adorable young boar who is attracted to humans and has a knack for finding berries and mushrooms. But if it starts to charge, he can do some serious damage!
Boarhorn, évolution of Furfang, is a symbol of strength and courage for the Kelts. Although its meat is highly prized for banquets, hunting it requires a great deal of experience.

As usual, you can find their characteristics on this strategic PDF:
https://www.sacredphoenix.fr/res/Telechargements/PDF/Fakemon-stats/EN/Boarhorn lineage.pdf

 

[Amras Anárion]

Three of our ideals have just come true!

...Including two present from the start of the project. We continue on this noble path of making Sacred Phoenix unique!

Alpha Pokémons are fully functional



... and the ability splashscreen is also in HD!
(Note : The alpha <Pokemon> is filled with wild might! sentence is now displayed with its animation).

The craft menu is here after 4 years of waiting



This is a key element of game design. It will be as important as in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and Skyrim lovers will recognize some inspiration there.

An Anything Goes battle to showase the Sacred Mega Evolution



This is celebrated with a battle of two AG tier legendaries: Mega Rayquaza and Giratina Origin (who peak at 780 BST at Keltios, and even 800 BST for Mega-Rayquaza due to a small HP boost provided by the Sacred Mega Evolution).

This is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the strategic interest of this new feature: since it completely heals the Pokémon, activating it at the right moment can change the course of the battle, whereas this is very rarely the case for the official Mega Evolution, which has every interest in being activated as soon as possible.

Wild might from wild Alpha Pokémons' feature is also coded. Here, Giratina has it in its most powerful version, canceling 2/3 of all damage in addition of some other boosts. That's why this Anything Goes duel is closer than it looks, and why, without Mega-Evolution, an "only Uber" Rayquaza would have been counter.

And I end with the revelation of a new Mega Evolution: Mega Butterfree

Full sprite set here for the pixel art: https://www.deviantart.com/anarlaurendil/art/Mega-Butterfree-full-sprite-set-971579821​

This is officially the first original mega integrated into the game. This is made possible thanks to the new database (still under construction, but now functional to add new species or forms.)

 

[Amras Anárion]

I noticed that some of the ability descriptions didn't fit into the space allotted in the summary menu, so I decided to redesign them.
So the summary menu for Pokémon Sacred Phoenix is done with the real assets of the game after having remained for 3 years at the stage of a simple recoloration. As usual, the ancient and Celtic theme is in the spotlight because I do not like modern menus and this is what matches the atmosphere of my fangame.

I managed to scratch an extra line to display the Pokémon's secondary nature and the icons at the top of the screen no longer overlap on the writing areas. And of course, the exclusive "feelings" menu from Sacred Phoenix is included.

 

[Amras Anárion]

After a year and a half of waiting, the public release of Sacred Phoenix finally sees an update with the 0.4.0.4 version !
No new scenario available yet, but new graphics, tons of new features implemented and data restructuring that will help us implement our new features such as Fakemons, Sacred Mega Evolution, Field Effects or dynamic encounter tables. These features can be tested in the Hall of Arceus accessible at the end of the demo.

You can download it in the first post as well as see the changelog there.
Note: Since there has been a major overhaul of the database structure, old savegames are not compatible.

 

[Amras Anárion]

Here are the sprites of Keltios' pseudo-legendary lineage: Nocy / Nosmound / Nostra, the bird of the underworld.

This has become possible thanks to Dracoyan, who brings these Fakemons to life. Many thanks to him.

 

[Amras Anárion]

Here are the sprites of the Jersand / Charboa / Jermoon lineage, the fairy jerboa of the Iberian desert. This became possible thanks to Dracoyan who brings these Fakemons to life. A big thanks to him.

 

[Amras Anárion]

Fans of Pokémon Legends: Arceus

, you're in for a treat because here's one of the most memorable themes for hunters of powerful creatures: the battle music against the wild Alpha Pokémon !

This has become possible thanks to a new musician who has just joined our ranks: MusicallyRoy. Welcome to him, as he promises us something new in our musical direction.

 

[Amras Anárion]

New music for Sacred Phoenix: the Kerdus Manor theme (location which will be available soon in the fangame^^). And not least, because it is an original composition! Thank for MusicallyRoy for this musically work!

 

[dragdragy]

This is amazing, thanks for working on this game. <3

 

[Crey]

Any leads on how much longer for the full game release or next patch release?

It is the temptation I can't convey, I want to play it's full version so bad!

 

[Amras Anárion]

It is currently working on the conversion (totally by hand) of the databases. Those of objects are almost finished. It remains to finish those of Pokémons (well started, already half of the forms coded out of the 250 that there will be in the first demo) and the wild encounter table.
In fact, I'm going to have to do a new entry for the developer diary.

Otherwise, to answer your question:

• Next public update: approximately 1 month. (Each database migration brings its share of instability. So some debugging time is required. I would also like to add new content in the second town.)
• Game completed: count in years. (If I take as long as Pokémon Uranium, the game will be finished in 3 and a half years)

 

[Amras Anárion]

Sacred Phoenix incorporates new healing or boost items corresponding to the ancient universe of Keltios. We therefore had to create and bring these new items to life. Thanks to Eysselia, the artwork for most of these new items comes to life. Thanks to her.

 

[Amras Anárion]

Over the last few weeks I've been working underground on the exterior mapping: a total of 4 maps of the first shire have been created!

I present the first: the Elda Forest

Rich in strong biodiversity thanks to the proximity of the Serenaid coastline and the cultivated areas of Eleanor, the agricultural and valley fauna partially mix with that of the forest. There are emblematic Fakemons like Bulbent, Larfae or ancient Venipede, but insects remain the most common creatures.
The most emblematic place of this place nevertheless remains the Elda Tree. It is said to be thousands of years old and it is under its branches that the Augur Awena trains.

Note a change in the level design of the player's progression: the northern entrance (which has become unique) to the Elda Forest and the Route 3 pass (which offers an alternative path to bypass the forest) will remain blocked until what the player defeats the Jarl Lae in the Ivy Tower, and Route 5 which corresponds to the coastal zone will not allow you to reach the forest without the Cut technique, nor to cross the river to the south (at least having Surf). This will encourage the player to explore the forest first before crossing Route 3, while also allowing me to place slightly higher level Pokémons in the forest and southern Route 3.

 

[Amras Anárion]

The second map presented will be the Route 5 - Serenaid Dunes : the major littoral of Eleanor Shire.

It's primarily a waterway used by fishing boats and merchants, but its fine sandy beach and mountain of sand swept by the sea breeze make it a popular destination for walkers. The area is peaceful and the residents of Gortelda like to spend their free time watching the sunset from the top of the dunes in the company of wild Wingulls. For those who prefer to sail on its waters, this channel is placed on one of the widest continental shelves of Keltios, which allows for calm waters suitable for surfing up to a good distance from the coast.

Surfing technique (or a boat) is a must if you want to cross it entirely on the north-south axis. It's a great shortcut to Route 7 or to the north coast of Iberia (old name of Paldea).
It's also a shortcut to (or an emergency exit from) Elda Forest, but to enter it, it's better to have something to clear brush with the Cut technique.

 

[safr]

Thank you for keep updating. Hope someday it's out. Stay healthy and stay safe dev

 

[Amras Anárion]

3rd map revealed!

This is Route 7 - Olorin Moor. Located south of Elda Forest and east of Eldania, it's your next stop after defeating Celebi's Augur and obtaining her talisman as well as the Cut technique.
Just in time: the entrance to Route 7 is blocked by a tree, which you can finally cut down. Once you've cleared the way, a Grass-type Alpha Pokémon

with a recent history of trouble with humans will attack you (which is why it's blocked the path with brush).
You can then start climbing the path, which winds through the highlands to the western flank of the Argon Mountains. At the end of the path is the Caverne Argonne Cavern, marking the border between Eleanor and Iberia (aka Paldea).

Note that there is a shortcut to the south of Eldania along the north side of Glaseado Mountain, but this will be blocked for longer (since it's Rock Smash that's needed, not Cut, and even Strength to reach the highest plateaus). This shortcut also crosses a peat bog, the source of the Olorin, with its very specific local fauna, which will encourage you to return to this route once the corresponding HM have been unlocked.

Thank you for keep updating. Hope someday it's out. Stay healthy and stay safe dev

Thank you for the encouragement.
I'm trying to keep up with the mountain of work that this fangame represents. Regardless, an update will be imminent with the content shown here being explorable.

 

[Amras Anárion]

Here's the 4th map revealed: the town of Eldania

Located at the crossroads of four major axes, Eldania will be your last stop before climbing Route 7 and crossing the Iberian border. This charming village of farmers and stockbreeders (whose Thane is none other than Maëve) lies on the northern flank of Glaseado Mountain, which divides the land into plateaus: the lower one contains the dwellings, the middle plateau the cultivated area and the upper part the stockbreeding area. A wilderness area is located in a ravine, and a bridge provides access to a steep area (but it's better to have the means to push rocks to cross it).

For those who prefer to explore away from the main quest, you can head east up the Ithiel towards Route 6 and Cernos Lake, an alternative route to the Breliande Shire (but still inaccessible at this stage of the game).

The next map to be revealed will probably be that of the city of Gortelda, but we're waiting for tiles to finalize this major city (especially its port).
So there will be a break on exterior mapping, but the next news will concern development and a new release should be released soon!