RPGM Maids & Masters [v0.18] [The Mithril Hourglass]

[G13]

Once again I want to congratulate you on this game hreserves. Especially the maid-events during the freeze with the unexpected character-growth were impressive. Games like these often assign each character a sterotype and spend most of their screentime reenforcing them, which is a stark contrast to what I've seen so far.

That said, I did find a minor dialogue-issue:

Spoiler

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[hreserves]

Once again I want to congratulate you on this game hreserves. Especially the maid-events during the freeze with the unexpected character-growth were impressive. Games like these often assign each character a sterotype and spend most of their screentime reenforcing them, which is a stark contrast to what I've seen so far.

That said, I did find a minor dialogue-issue:

I appreciate that. It means a lot.

I also appreciate you calling this out, but after looking at the dialogue, I don't think I can adjust it without making it needlessly verbose. I don't have anything in place that'd let me track whether or not the fight took place, so I can't include a conditional for alternate dialogue.
Though the idea with the scene with Archibald is that you have to accept a loss no matter what you do. Even if you choose to walk away, taking jabs at him as you do, he still got what he wanted. You still don't win, and in the moment, it's as much of a loss as any other outcome would've been (besides beating him up and making him leave, which you can't do), even if the specific wording later on can be interpreted as implying you fought him.

Definitely let me know if you find anything else, even if it's just a little continuity thing like this.

 

[Noxstella]

this game is fun but entirely and totally infuriating to find info on because for some unbeknownst reason ,regardless of how many yrs it's been out, there is no guide or walkthrough or hint thingy of ANY KIND ANYWHERE i have looked. it's fine if people want the challenge to do this game but not everyone wants to grind for hours on end and constantly save at every possible crossroad. a LARGE portion of us who play these game don't have entire days back to back to dedicate the grind needed for it and having a readily available hint guide SOMEWHERE would be nice. just saying >.>

 

[Kenad_Cened]

this game is fun but entirely and totally infuriating to find info on because for some unbeknownst reason ,regardless of how many yrs it's been out, there is no guide or walkthrough or hint thingy of ANY KIND ANYWHERE i have looked. it's fine if people want the challenge to do this game but not everyone wants to grind for hours on end and constantly save at every possible crossroad. a LARGE portion of us who play these game don't have entire days back to back to dedicate the grind needed for it and having a readily available hint guide SOMEWHERE would be nice. just saying >.>

hints about what ? The main quest ? side stuff ? trophies ?

Where are you stuck ? or is it more a global remark ?

 

[Noxstella]

hints about what ? The main quest ? side stuff ? trophies ?

Where are you stuck ? or is it more a global remark ?

a bit more of a global remark in how vague everything is. good example on where i'm stuck now. the amaira estate with bianca. by some iracle i found 1 of the places but after reading about the hedge maze on here somewhere i know it's a gargoyle. but i don't see anywhere which gargoyle (dev has got to be an absolute sadist or something) and i have interacted with every gargoyle in the east and west wing everywhere i can find. and nothing is happening with it at all. it's frustrating to the point where i'm about to give up the game regardless of how much i am interested in the story. i play to enjoy the story and of course the other obvious stuff with these games. not to spend hours chasing after vague things with no clear direction. hedge maze example. hedge maze gives you the idea of a literal hedge maze. so spent the better part of an hour or more trying to find some potential blocked off area that should be what anyone with common sense would think is a hedge maze. but nope. it's just the area where we first get brought to and its supposedly one of those gargoyles....which have yet to activate a scene with bianca.

But yeah it's just the really extremely vague crap that leads to literally no real hint so you have to blindly search every little nook and cranny and maybe get lucky like i did finding the facade. so lack of information to work with and the odd pain that there is literally no guide created by anyone by now. and everyone still insists on being just as vague in there general tips. esp the dev >.>

 

[hreserves]

a bit more of a global remark in how vague everything is. good example on where i'm stuck now. the amaira estate with bianca. by some iracle i found 1 of the places but after reading about the hedge maze on here somewhere i know it's a gargoyle. but i don't see anywhere which gargoyle (dev has got to be an absolute sadist or something) and i have interacted with every gargoyle in the east and west wing everywhere i can find. and nothing is happening with it at all. it's frustrating to the point where i'm about to give up the game regardless of how much i am interested in the story. i play to enjoy the story and of course the other obvious stuff with these games. not to spend hours chasing after vague things with no clear direction. hedge maze example. hedge maze gives you the idea of a literal hedge maze. so spent the better part of an hour or more trying to find some potential blocked off area that should be what anyone with common sense would think is a hedge maze. but nope. it's just the area where we first get brought to and its supposedly one of those gargoyles....which have yet to activate a scene with bianca.

But yeah it's just the really extremely vague crap that leads to literally no real hint so you have to blindly search every little nook and cranny and maybe get lucky like i did finding the facade. so lack of information to work with and the odd pain that there is literally no guide created by anyone by now. and everyone still insists on being just as vague in there general tips. esp the dev >.>

I'm not a sadist, I just prefer to assume you (along with everyone else playing my games) are intelligent and capable of critical thinking. Though in this particular case, it seems like you're overthinking it.
Because what you're looking for is a literal hedge maze.
It's right here.

You walk past it a couple of times right at the beginning of the segment.

The reason I'm vague (and probably why everyone else tends to be vague) with hints is that exploration is a part of the game. The people who care enough to give each other hints are most likely, like myself, the kind of person that enjoys that aspect of the game and doesn't want to spoil it for other like-minded people.

As for there not being a detailed walkthrough anywhere - the game is a lot bigger than I originally intended for it to be, and making a detailed guide would take a lot of work. If I made it, it would only be available to my Patrons and/or for purchase as an extra on itch.io, because it would take me literal months to make if I took the time to do it properly. If I was quick and sloppy about it, it wouldn't be any better than the Task List that already exists, so I'd be wasting my own time. In either case, making more content feels like a better use of my time.
A few people have said they would (and for as far as I know, even started to) make a guide, which I offered to help with when it comes to specific information, but I have yet to even get a question about anything besides the total HP of the rats at the start of the game.
I assume those people have either stopped or are still working on it. Probably because making a detailed guide for a game this big is a lot of hard work.

I'm also not above admitting I'm not perfect and making updates to the game where necessary. If a thing is genuinely so vague that it stops you from making progress, I'm happy to help, and I've reworked both individual puzzles and entire maps in the past to make things more approachable. Even where I don't intend to make any changes (like the mind maze, which you haven't gotten to just yet and I'm sure will drive you up a wall) I check here often enough that you're likely to get a response pretty quickly if you ask for a hint.

It might also be worth mentioning that - while I'm also the sort of person that sees optional content in front of me and insists on completing it - if you get stuck on optional content, you can ignore it for a bit and come back to it later. I try to go out of my way to make optional content available at all times in the game (with the exceptions being seasonal content, but even then, you can access it again once the season rolls back around).

 

[Noxstella]

I'm not a sadist, I just prefer to assume you (along with everyone else playing my games) are intelligent and capable of critical thinking. Though in this particular case, it seems like you're overthinking it.
Because what you're looking for is a literal hedge maze.
It's right here.
View attachment 3739237
You walk past it a couple of times right at the beginning of the segment.

The reason I'm vague (and probably why everyone else tends to be vague) with hints is that exploration is a part of the game. The people who care enough to give each other hints are most likely, like myself, the kind of person that enjoys that aspect of the game and doesn't want to spoil it for other like-minded people.

As for there not being a detailed walkthrough anywhere - the game is a lot bigger than I originally intended for it to be, and making a detailed guide would take a lot of work. If I made it, it would only be available to my Patrons and/or for purchase as an extra on itch.io, because it would take me literal months to make if I took the time to do it properly. If I was quick and sloppy about it, it wouldn't be any better than the Task List that already exists, so I'd be wasting my own time. In either case, making more content feels like a better use of my time.
A few people have said they would (and for as far as I know, even started to) make a guide, which I offered to help with when it comes to specific information, but I have yet to even get a question about anything besides the total HP of the rats at the start of the game.
I assume those people have either stopped or are still working on it. Probably because making a detailed guide for a game this big is a lot of hard work.

I'm also not above admitting I'm not perfect and making updates to the game where necessary. If a thing is genuinely so vague that it stops you from making progress, I'm happy to help, and I've reworked both individual puzzles and entire maps in the past to make things more approachable. Even where I don't intend to make any changes (like the mind maze, which you haven't gotten to just yet and I'm sure will drive you up a wall) I check here often enough that you're likely to get a response pretty quickly if you ask for a hint.

It might also be worth mentioning that - while I'm also the sort of person that sees optional content in front of me and insists on completing it - if you get stuck on optional content, you can ignore it for a bit and come back to it later. I try to go out of my way to make optional content available at all times in the game (with the exceptions being seasonal content, but even then, you can access it again once the season rolls back around).

sorry that i came across a bit cross but i get really frustrated with these types of games at times when there is a somewhat lack of direction kind of. i play these to chill and have fun. not challenge my mental faculties or problem solving skills.

also in that picture you listed i have searched all over the available areas that i am not locked out of in the amaira estate and that hedge maze isn't anywhere i've found.

EDIT: ok....what needed to happen is in order to progress the optional quest you need to progress the main quest....which isnt something you see too often....sigh.... my habit of finish each quest individually at a time is what appears to have gotten in my way >.<

 

[Noxstella]

man 3rd floor of the damn tower challenge with painting and i think is directions is going to drive me bonkers....God i hate being dyslexic. not just reading but even auditory too. one of the reasons i hated word problems in GT as a kid growing up xD

i'm not even going to. i keep trying to follow the directions but i'm not sure of the direction its intended form for start and as i progress reading it my brain is yelling at me (the fuck are you doing dipshit. you have always been a numbers dude. you suck at word problems!)

so if anyone knows it please save my old ass from having to be stuck in this stupid tower to get lalita. because i just don't have it in me for that kind of puzzle xD


EDIT: other reason i like guides. i can research answers myself without bothering people or having to wait on someone else to have the time to spend on me. but besides the point. i figured it out but i had draw out a 12 key diagram and redo it a few times to fix whatever my dyslexia decided to toss at me. and now i need some excedrin migraine meds, have fun peeps. o/

 

[hreserves]

sorry that i came across a bit cross but i get really frustrated with these types of games at times when there is a somewhat lack of direction kind of. i play these to chill and have fun. not challenge my mental faculties or problem solving skills.

also in that picture you listed i have searched all over the available areas that i am not locked out of in the amaira estate and that hedge maze isn't anywhere i've found.

EDIT: ok....what needed to happen is in order to progress the optional quest you need to progress the main quest....which isnt something you see too often....sigh.... my habit of finish each quest individually at a time is what appears to have gotten in my way >.<

All good. I try not to take frustration too personally. Though I also realize that trying to be frank can come across as being similarly harsh when all I'm trying to do is be honest.

And tbh I forget which bits of the Amaira Estate segment require main story progress. Obviously I know some maps stay locked off until a certain point, but every time I've played through it, I've skipped mental steps and did the same thing to myself. It's one of the reasons I try to keep optional content open instead of closing it off as soon as you leave the area.
Glad you were able to figure it out, though!

man 3rd floor of the damn tower challenge with painting and i think is directions is going to drive me bonkers....God i hate being dyslexic. not just reading but even auditory too. one of the reasons i hated word problems in GT as a kid growing up xD

i'm not even going to. i keep trying to follow the directions but i'm not sure of the direction its intended form for start and as i progress reading it my brain is yelling at me (the fuck are you doing dipshit. you have always been a numbers dude. you suck at word problems!)

so if anyone knows it please save my old ass from having to be stuck in this stupid tower to get lalita. because i just don't have it in me for that kind of puzzle xD


EDIT: other reason i like guides. i can research answers myself without bothering people or having to wait on someone else to have the time to spend on me. but besides the point. i figured it out but i had draw out a 12 key diagram and redo it a few times to fix whatever my dyslexia decided to toss at me. and now i need some excedrin migraine meds, have fun peeps. o/

I was actually going to suggest taking notes and brute-forcing it before I read your edit. There's only so much I can do to help when the problem is dyslexia.
But hey, you got there!

 

[Mocasenov]

Don't know if it is a mistake or I missed some content but i dont know the two bunny girls on the bottom right, under the text box.

Its on the war room scene after the second freeze. I have all the trophies up to 21 so I dont think I missed anything.

 

[iffrith]

save file anyone?

 

[Noxstella]

currently on the mountain path and i have been mucking about at the second or third set of boulders i forget which since the early hours and i have no idea how to get through those. can't find any hidden breakable walls and i can see one with a crack in it but can't get to it. any ideas?




so yeah utterly stumped. checked every path and every set of stars and all boulders i can see moved got to top area. cannot find anything that will lead to to the opposite cave to move those boulders

 

[Kenad_Cened]

currently on the mountain path and i have been mucking about at the second or third set of boulders i forget which since the early hours and i have no idea how to get through those. can't find any hidden breakable walls and i can see one with a crack in it but can't get to it. any ideas?

View attachment 3741543
View attachment 3741545

so yeah utterly stumped. checked every path and every set of stars and all boulders i can see moved got to top area. cannot find anything that will lead to to the opposite cave to move those boulders

The cracked wall is for later (for when you'll have the pickaxe trophy, it's not linked to the main quest)

You need to down to the bottom ledge, and try to jump the gap

if Master doesn't jump, make it go back to the rocks, interact with them and try again

Spoiler: Screenshots

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[Noxstella]

The cracked wall is for later (for when you'll have the pickaxe trophy, it's not linked to the main quest)

You need to down to the bottom ledge, and try to jump the gap

if Master doesn't jump, make it go back to the rocks, interact with them and try again

Spoiler: Screenshots

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holy hell. i actually tried that before and it never worked. i just loaded it up and it worked this time. thanks.

 

[hreserves]

Don't know if it is a mistake or I missed some content but i dont know the two bunny girls on the bottom right, under the text box.

Its on the war room scene after the second freeze. I have all the trophies up to 21 so I dont think I missed anything.

It's a bug. They shouldn't be there.
It's already been fixed for v0.15.1, but thanks for calling it out!

 

[iffrith]

How many hours is this game at? last time I played it, it was too short and had a bunch of bugs...

 

[Noxstella]

kind of curious if i'm at the point of waiting on new content or if i'm missing something somewhere. stuck on investigating the you know what and the dune part. says to talk tot he duke but when i go to her nothing happens. just same ol stuff. so kind of clueless right now atleast i saved rioch from that douche canoe

 

[hreserves]

How many hours is this game at? last time I played it, it was too short and had a bunch of bugs...

My personal playthrough the last time I did a start-to-finish run was around 25 hours as of v0.15. Most people will obviously take longer than I do, so it's probably closer to 30-40 hours, especially if you include all the optional content.

And if you find any bugs, feel free to post them here or DM them to me so I can fix 'em.

kind of curious if i'm at the point of waiting on new content or if i'm missing something somewhere. stuck on investigating the you know what and the dune part. says to talk tot he duke but when i go to her nothing happens. just same ol stuff. so kind of clueless right now atleast i saved rioch from that douche canoe

Sounds like you are, though you should get an "end of version" message that specifies v0.15 after the cult segment ends to confirm. Regardless, Master of Dune is for the second half of Act 2, which will start with v0.16.

For the optional content, there's 30 trophies that can be earned (though 28 and 29 aren't fully implemented yet and some are seasonal; there's details on which is which in the FAQ on my blog, link is in my signature), plus the love shack (which is to the east right outside the player Estate if you haven't found it yet).
v0.15.1 is pretty much exclusively additional love shack content, and I'm currently working on v0.15.2, which will be optional affection quests (which is in turn supposed to unlock even more love shack content; that might get split off into v0.15.3 and be it's own update depending on how long everything takes).

 

[Noxstella]

My personal playthrough the last time I did a start-to-finish run was around 25 hours as of v0.15. Most people will obviously take longer than I do, so it's probably closer to 30-40 hours, especially if you include all the optional content.

And if you find any bugs, feel free to post them here or DM them to me so I can fix 'em.


Sounds like you are, though you should get an "end of version" message that specifies v0.15 after the cult segment ends to confirm. Regardless, Master of Dune is for the second half of Act 2, which will start with v0.16.

For the optional content, there's 30 trophies that can be earned (though 28 and 29 aren't fully implemented yet and some are seasonal; there's details on which is which in the FAQ on my blog, link is in my signature), plus the love shack (which is to the east right outside the player Estate if you haven't found it yet).
v0.15.1 is pretty much exclusively additional love shack content, and I'm currently working on v0.15.2, which will be optional affection quests (which is in turn supposed to unlock even more love shack content; that might get split off into v0.15.3 and be it's own update depending on how long everything takes).

kk. thanks. i know there are some things i haven't quite gotten done yet for optionals but i think i got all the current maids. except i missed the demon thing in the tower. now sure how to get the haunt back at this stage thought o try it.

 

[Kenad_Cened]

kk. thanks. i know there are some things i haven't quite gotten done yet for optionals but i think i got all the current maids. except i missed the demon thing in the tower. now sure how to get the haunt back at this stage thought o try it.

if you're at the end of 0.15 content, you can't, you're in.... what the name of summer (if it was told before ? ) there's Haunt/Fall, Freeze/Winter, Grow/Spring and ???/Summer ?

Either you'll need to wait next update if the plot moves enough to get a season change, or load an ealier save (before the 2nd freeze)

If i'm not mistaken, later (way later, as in endgame content i think) you'll be able to switch/wait season changes