Below are answers to some of the most common questions about The Rise of Magus. If you have a question that isn't answered by this FAQ, ask me via e-mail.
Do I need to install anything?
No. The executable file contains the entire game and can run on its own. It is, however, a good idea to create a directory to put the game in, so that you can keep your save files in one place.
If you want to play the game on yoyogames.com without downloading it, you will need to install their plugin (which you’re prompted to do when you click “play now”).
Why won't the game run?
There are a couple reasons the game might not be working for you. Firstly, the .exe file will only run on PCs (or intel Macs that are running Windows). Secondly, the game has been successfully tested in XP and Vista, and also on 2000 and NT in compatibility mode, but is not expected to work correclty on Windows 95, 98, or ME. Thirdly, the game requires a certain amount of memory to be available in your system – if you have no graphics card or are running on very little memory, that could prevent the game from starting.
If you’re getting a descriptive error message when you try to run it, let me know what it is, and some details about your computer, and I’ll look into it.
How do I quit the game?
Press the Esc key – this will open a pause menu anywhere in the game, including a “Quit Game” option.
Does the game contain spoilers?
Yes. If you have not yet played Chrono Trigger, there are a few secrets that will be revealed by playing the Rise of Magus. Generally speaking, however, players who aren’t familiar with Chrono Trigger’s story might not recognize references to it, and once you have played past the Ocean Palace in Chrono Trigger you should be past anything that might be spoiled by this game.
The game is meant to be coherent and enjoyable on its own, but the best experience comes from playing Chrono Trigger first.
Why is the game so short?
Because I’m a mere mortal. As it was, this game took me almost a year to make. That said, the game is longer than you might think. Some players apparently get confused by the “End of Part 1” message and think that’s the end of the game (selecting “Continue” should remedy this problem). Also, the game includes a Game+ mode, so you can, for example, play through on hard mode while keeping your experience after beating the game once on normal mode. There are also several hidden items in the game, including enough redstones to buy every item in Melchior’s shop. If you enjoyed the game, try going back and finding everything.
How do I select "No" when asked to overwrite a save file?
You have to use a mouse. Throughout most of the game I’ve created my own menus from scratch, but there are a few places where I used Game Maker’s built in dialogs. Unfortunately, these dialogs are meant to be navigated by mouse. You can accept the default option by pressing Enter, but in the case of save points, if you decide you don’t want to save over your existing file, you’ll have to reach for the mouse and click “No.”
The game is really hard/easy
I’ve tried as best I can to create a balanced game with a smooth learning curve. However, one of the side effects of making a platformer is that players come to the genre with wildly different levels of experience. Some players will be RPG fans who aren’t used to jumping around on platforms, while others are used to playing Eternal Daughter and Megaman 9.
There are two difficulty settings – normal and hard – which can be selected from Settings in the main menu. If you think the game is too easy, I recommend the hard difficulty, and if you think the game is too hard, just try to take your time – remember to keep an eye out for places you can get healing and to save often and you should be ok.