[FE8][Complete] Fire Emblem: The Four Kings (4/11/24 Update: Now With Weapon Reversal!)

[KrashBoomBang]

WARNING: THE SAVE POINTS IN CHAPTERS 8 AND 19 HAVE INCONSISTENT CRASHES! IT SEEMS EMULATOR DEPENDENT, BUT IT’S STILL INCONSISTENT. BE CAREFUL WHEN USING THESE!

The Four Kings Trailer

Four Kings Vanilla Patch: Updated November 4th 2021

Four Kings 0% Growths Patch

Four Kings Reverse Recruitment Patch

Check out the short prequel hack, Four Kings: Deposition, too!

Now featuring Four Kings Weapon Reversal, made by ArcherBias!

JOIN THE DISCORD SERVER HERE

Hello and welcome! My name is KrashBoomBang, and I’m proud to release Fire Emblem: The Four Kings! I only started actually hacking and making the game in Fall of last year, but my journey to make this game started several years ago.

I frequent a community called Reddit Emblem, basically DnD but styled like FE where each player controls a unit. I was going to run my own campaign for this, with a story pretty similar to the first half of The Four Kings and featuring the same protagonists. But that fell through, so I didn’t get to run that campaign. Instead, I decided to write out the entire story and then some. So one summer, I wrote a 200 page document, with the whole script for the story, plans for all the maps, units, personal weapons, supports, etc. It had everything. Sadly, I had no idea how to hack, so I shelved the project for two years. But once I learned how to use FEBuilder, I was finally able to make that project a reality. And over the course of about 9 months, The Four Kings was created!

So, what is this hack about? Well, the story centers on three brothers: Walter, Lionel, and Terril. They are the royals of the country of Askia in the land of Ibril. Terril is the current king, and he sends his brothers out on a diplomatic meeting with the king of the western nation of Behanzin. But the brothers constantly argue, and when things get rough, their relationship becomes strained even further…

Features of the hack:

• 40 playable characters, each with their own unique personal weapon (except Dorian the bard). Some characters even get two personal weapons, and a few bosses get personal weapons too!
• 29 total main story chapters!
• 7 post-game trial maps that expand the story!
• A concurrent route split for the midgame. Your army will be divided into two fixed groups, and you’ll swap between them to play different chapters. You will have a shared convoy, so don’t worry about that.
• Reworked supports! Every character can only get one A support, but they all have unlimited B supports. All supports build very fast, and support points build when characters are within 3 tiles of each other. In addition, affinity bonuses have been changed to give the following stats per rank. So a Fire and Ice C support gives +1 attack and defense and +5 hit to both units, for example.

Fire: 1 attack, 2.5 hit
Ice: 1 defense, 2.5 hit
Lightning: 5 crit, 2.5 hit
Wind: 5 avoid, 2.5 hit
Light: 5 hit, 0.5 attack/defense
Anima: 5 CEva, 2.5 hit, 0.5 attack/defense
Dark: 2.5 hit/crit/avoid/CEva

• A fully complete and original story that is hopefully not terrible!
• Tons of music tracks taken from other GBA games. Expect a lot of Sonic songs throughout the game!
• There’s also a lot of RED TEXT dialogue throughout the game which are meant to be gameplay hints. So pay attention to the dialogue if you want to understand how some map gimmicks will work or to know when reinforcements will show up!

Screenshots

Credits

6_tracks_12_sounds - Agro/Brendor
256 Color Tile Background Installer - Leonarth
Fix CG Fade Glitch - 7743
Set Victory BGM By Chapter - 7743
Convert Chapter Titles To Text - circleseverywhere
Actions After Support (Contemporary Style) - circleseverywhere
Actions After Talk (Contemporary Style) - circleseverywhere
CSA_Creator_For_FE8U - circleseverywhere
CSA_Creator_For_FE8U_ver2 - circleseverywhere
Map Danger Zone (Select: Toggle) - circleseverywhere
Multi-Class Pick Skill Installer - 7743
Remove Enemy Control Glitch - Brendor
Display Escape Menu - 7743
COND Check whether all members have withdrawn - https://github.com/ngmansion/FE8/tree/master/escapemap
Add Event: Character Retreat - aera
Add Event: GetSupportLevel, SetSupportLevel, ClearSupportLevel - 7743
Add Event: Simple Escape that can be easily created 20200305 - 7743, aera
ExModularSave - Stan
FE8-Battle Stats with Anims Off - Tequila
Attack and capture enemies with reduced speed like FE5(Tequila Version) - Tequila
Rogue Robbery - Tequila
Add Event: Set Unit Stat Conditions (UNCM) - Tequila
01command_hack - Hextator
48command_hack - Hextator
Anti-Huffman - Hextator
Fix dodge to front glitch - Snakey1
fix_lz77decompress - Tequila
HPBars_with_warnings - Circles
HPBars_with_warnings_cache - Circles, Tequila
HPBars_simple - Circles, Zane
Improved Sound Mixer - ipatix
Deny Deployment From Preparations Installer - aera, 7743
Magic Sword Rework(Installer) - Sme
Skip World Map Fix 20190505 - Stan
Define Multiple dancers(Battle animation effect) Installer - 7743
Setting sound effect of a many dancer in map battle (Installer) - 7743
(OLD)Change to have multiple units that can be seize.(Install) - 7743
Change to have multiple units that can be seize 20200302(Install) - 7743
(OLD)Change to have multiple units that can call supply(Install) - 7743
Change to have multiple units that can call supply 20200302(Install) - 7743
MultiTileMarker Display multiple exit markers on the map.(Installer) - 7743
Define multiple classes that can discover treasures Installer - 7743
NarrowFont - Scraiza
Remove fog from background of save menu - pikmin
Skill SkillSystems 20200411 - Circleseverywhere, Monkeybard, Black Mage, Blaze, Tequila, Rossendale, tanH, Leonarth, Teraspark, s9dk, Kao, blademaster, Snakey1, Primefusion
SOUND_NIMAP(Native Instrument Map) - circleseverywhere
SOUND_NIMAP2(Native Instrument Map) - Alusq
Stairs 20191031 - Snakey1
UnitActionRework - Stan
Weapon Lock Ex Installer - 7743

Also, tons of help with spriting, art, coding, and music for various things:
Zmr
Itranc
Serif
Blas Puga
Memestaralbert
Sphealnuke
Epicer
Psyche
Citrus
Luke
Levin
Laurent Lacroix

Important playtesters:
Chessjumpbowl
Booshka
Artorious

Here’s a tier list maker for the game if you’re interested in that

Also here’s a spreadsheet containing everyone’s base stats, growth rates, and join times!

Please feel free to leave feedback in this thread or over on my discord server. I will make bug fixes and revisions as necessary for the game, and your feedback is how I’m going to do that! In addition, know that this is not the final release of the game. I plan to add 6 trial maps into the game at a later date. These trial maps will flesh out certain plot points and give side characters more time to shine on their own adventures. But for now, I just want to release the main story and play Vision Quest.

I hope you all enjoy Fire Emblem: The Four Kings!

[Zmr]

You really want to show off the prfs huh.

[KrashBoomBang]

Well of course, silly! They’re the point of the hack

[knabepicer]

Congrats on the release! Will be playing this asap.

[Mikey_Seregon]

If you want to change the “-” for Prf, change the text ID 0x52C

[KrashBoomBang]

Thanks for the tip!

[Pandan]

Congrats on the release, Krash! Looking forward to seeing how you build this.

[Runa]

So uh, I barely even got into the first chapter, but I have two thoughts.

• The infodump at the beginning is WAY too long. I can’t even remember any of the characters, weapons, or places mentioned besides the fact that some guys’ wife died. I would introduce this information a lot slower and more naturally. Though, I did like how you introduced the map by having the lord draw it.
• The first chapter has the first enemy be an archer. All of your units are melee range, and start far away from the archer. There’s a problem here. So, playing the chapter, I decided to go left through the woods instead of straight so I could sidestep a bit of the action. Well, Shaun and Bradley spawn up ahead. And if you don’t immediately recruit them, they will die. Bradley will get ganged up on by four units. And I don’t know if there’s a story reason, but Bradley dying causes a game over. The game punishes you with a game over for going left instead of going ahead. That’s just a real dick move. I was so off-put by this and the infodump that I didn’t really feel like restarting the chapter. So now, instead of playing the game, I’m writing this.

From what I’ve seen though, the game does look promising. There seems to be work put into the lore, the music is interesting (although unorthodox for Fire Emblem), and some of the mugs look nice. I like the idea of every unit having a personal weapon, though I haven’t played the game enough to really see them in action. But these two things have sort of left a bitter taste in my mouth. I apologize if I’m being harsh, but these are my true thoughts. Hopefully these things can improve.

EDIT

So I played a bit more of Chapter 1, and I have to say that it is way too hard. Trying to save the village is quite a bit hard, and having to keep everyone alive only makes things worse when two hits will knock somebody out. I’m playing on Normal by the way. I’ve tried this chapter 4-5 times, and can’t beat it. So unfortunately, I can’t say anymore about this.

[LordGlenn]

It literally says to pick Hard Mode right in the top post.

[Runa]

I checked Hard Mode, and the stats seem to be identical. I don’t see how my criticism would change, unless there’s something I’m missing.

[ArcaneEli]

The Four Kings: From prolouge to Start of Ch.4

• Intro was way to long, can cut out the entire speech given and the two people who didn’t want to fight immediately it’s just alot of filler. so basically what Unuesu said.

• Music and portraits are really nice except Terill but I don’t think we’ll see much of him, ever again dwaooo…

=-=-= Ch.1 =-=-=

• Sabre being good vs swords is a nice touch for a lord weapon as opposed to the normal

• Unuesu is right that if you head left one of the cavaliers die and it’s game over automatically.

• Also Sword Cav has two quickblades I assume that;s an accident.

• enemy Lance Cavalier above the village is brutal. Long range and that lance hurts really badly.

• Enemies hurt really really badly. Most of them 2 shot your guys or leave them with 1-2HP after.
  Shamans dealing 17damage to almost all your units? When your units have 20-24HP? And only two have resistance?
  That’s alot of questionable design there.

• Also made me realize almost every enemy has 9-10str, and 9 in at least another stat. (save fighters/brigands)
  And we get the christmas cavaliers with 8,7,5 and 5,7,8 in bases. With piddling growths. Your ranged Cavalier gets Str and Def? When he should be targetting backline units so he needs Skill,Def,Res. Your Melee cavalier gets Speed and Res? Why is Res
  useful for a brave sword unit? Also speed? He starts with a brave sword and is a SWORD user, he needs literally any other stat besides speed.

=-=-= Ch.2 =-=-=

• No idea how you expect us to get the Swordreaver at the top of the map in Ch.2 There is way to many units and read above two bullet points.

• SAME TURN REINFORCEMENTS
  Never in any Fire Emblem game or in any hack has this ever been a good idea. Not once. Not in one map, never.
  So let’s get to the boss warns you in Ch.2 backup is coming. Ok cool we can expect it right? Very next turn on ENEMY PHASE, 2 MAGES and 2 SHAMANS spawn from behind and rush you. Let’s go back to the fact Shamans deal 17damage your units have 20-24HP.
  Also they ambush you, and they are mages who hit you first, and you have no resistance save Sword Cav and Sword Lord.
  So let’s just… yeah. think about that. Only through the power of cheating (I blocked their spawns) was I able to beat that. Beforehand I died around 5 times to that ambush spawn.

=-=-= Ch.3 =-=-=

• I’m not saying there is clear favoritism or anything like that. but there is. like. yeah.
  Ava is almost better then Lionel is every way, She’s better then Walter in half his stats, and she’s better then every other member of your party hands down. Let’s go down the list…

Shelby: Horrible unit. A shaman only focused on tanking and dealing mediocre damage cause dark magic. He’ll get doubled by almost everyone and has low luck so enemy crits are a thing.

Yufin: Probably the best of the bunch. High Mag/Spd growths and he uses light magic so the low skill isn’t a big of an issue. His personal tome could cause trouble, but with his mag/spd your probably won’t need to use it as much.

Lydia: Standard cleric, decent stats, no bulk, only heals so whatever. (and she got one shot by the northern archer… omegalul)

Chase: pretty average. Without his crit spell I don’t think he’s good.

=-=-= Ch.4 =-=-=

I’ma be done here, but looking at the chapter the Merc is absurdly strong. The boss is also ridiculous, but I guess the idea is not to engage him in melee unless you kill him that first hit. Once again it’s Ava time.

=-=-= Final Notes =-=-=

Ava is the MC so she’s got alot going on for her. Sword Lord just nags and has no personality, Axe Lord seems like the actual character with growth and whatnot. I like the idea of all the Mercs from the beginning come back and join you during the game,
I thought that was pretty well done. Portraits are pretty good, mages quartet needs some work. Music is good. Enemy density is really high and they hit hard. Very player phase focused game, if two or more enemies hit you it’s pretty much GG. Lionel is a great unit, but for some reason he always gets hit by the lowest numbers.

One of my biggest peeves is… Why the hell didn’t the princes take a boat to the Breyaznanan? Like it’s been half a week and they are still in their own country, they gotsa travel through ANOTHER country and then reach Bryzananana and THEN go to their capital on the other side of the country??? Like take a goddamn boat people and sail around the continent. It’s gonna be much faster then spending 2 months reaching the capital and be like “sup” and leave.

Also why are we going over there again? To improve relations? Like what are we honestly gonna do once we arrive? Bang the princess? Raise the King from the dead or poop out some gold? We all know Bronzayanansn is probably evil if not our own country for ignoring everything wrong in their lands. So we probably carrying a bomb and gonna blow up their castle or something like that. Anyways it’s not explained well why they are doing their journey and why they aren’t taking a BOAT.

[MasterAwesome]

So I actually gave this a try, which I never do. Became intrigued from the recent feedback. Got to ch. 4 – will continue when I have time.

I like the concept of everyone having a personal weapon. Makes each character a lot more unique, not just relying on stats or skills (of which a bunch are luck based). Sure, certain units have better starting stats/growths, but I found I could tactically use each character because of their weapons.

Chapter 1 was fun. Challenging, definitely not impossibly hard. Enemies hit hard, but have little def so so do the player units. Meaning if you make a mistake, you can very easily lose one of your units. Nothing wrong with that. Don’t like when I can just send a good unit out and have him clear the enemies during the enemy phase. I very much prefer this type of difficulty because it keeps me aware and thinking.

I don’t understand the deal with the cavaliers dying and why this is a problem. They show up on the second turn. Lionel is good vs swords – 2 merc and a fighter to the left, so he handled it alone. Other two went top, recruited the cavs, and I was off to the races. Yes, I worried about chewing through vulneraries but got a healer in ch3 so it was all good.

How is ‘enemies dealing significant damage’ questionable design? If you can 2 shot your enemies, why can’t they do the same to you? It makes “picking your battles” a necessity, something that should always happen in a strategy game but doesn’t in FE for whatever reason.

Anyway, map design was good. I liked each one, particularly ch.3. I think you went a little easy on us with some of the stationary units, but lol they were a nice break. Guess I enjoyed it because I felt like I was playing advance wars with some custom weapons thrown in. I noticed some “strange” design choices (cav having 5 str growth or something, etc.) but saw no reason playing these couple chapters to question them.

Thanks for posting. Sorry I don’t really have any opinions on story/characters/portraits/etc. Not really my “thing”. Music was catchy. Hope you continue in whatever way you see fit.

also SUPA SONIC RACING 10/10

EDIT: Just went back and did ch.2 again and got the top village. Definitely tricky. Also yes, same turn reinforcements can be stupid, but they show up on turn 5 so in this case it’s ok/ plus it adds importance to the objective of ESCAPE. If you’re not passed mid map by then, not sure what to tell you lol. Never had a problem with them, you can 1 shot shamans with Walter/lance cav and mages get cleaned up easily.

So yeah, only ever lost a unit when attempting to get the top village. Took me a couple tries. I fully support your gameplay design.

[KrashBoomBang]

Hey, I got a big new update for Four Kings! Chapters 1-10x are all fully completed, and I even added in supports to the game too! This marks the end of the first major part of the game, as after this, Walter and Lionel’s armies will split up and you’ll swap between them.

I did make some changes to the way supports work. Support points can now be gained when units stand within 3 tiles of each other, and all supports are pretty quick to acquire. Every unit can only get 1 A support, but they can get as many B supports as they want. Also note that Walter, Lionel, Ava, and Zachary do not have support conversations, since instead they gain supports as the story progresses. I also changed up affinities as follows:

Fire: 1 attack
Ice: 1 defense
Lightning: 5 crit
Wind: 5 avoid
Light: 5 hit
Anima: 5 CEva, 0.5 attack/defense
Dark: 2.5 hit/crit/avoid/CEva

This hack is obviously still a work in progress, so if you find any bugs, please report them! One major one that I already know about is in chapter 10 where the map will sometimes end prematurely depending on the order you kill the bosses in, and I don’t know why this is the case.

Here is a link to the latest patch

Here is a link to my discord server for this hack! I do pretty much all my work on that server, so if you wanna keep tabs on the project or give feedback directly to me, head over there!

And here’s some fun screenshots.

[Zmr]

Might want to post the screenshots at 1x zoom and without the window being displayed as well for optimal results. Otherwise there’s a little bit of blurriness.

[KrashBoomBang]

Ehhhhhhhhh but I’m lazy. It’s fiiiiiiiiiiine.

[Zmr]

having clean pixel art is nice and it bothers me when it isn’t

[ShinKuma]

I enjoyed the first release and I will say that you put a lot of thought into this project and I am very impressed. So keep up the good work. This will be I will give a more thorough review once I finish the newer chapters.

[Horrific17]

Encountered a bug in chapter 8 where, after opening the door to the front right cell, it got stuck in an infinite dialogue loop which couldn’t be escaped from with the pegasus knight. Should be noted that the pupil character was dead prior to this. I’ll continue playing and write my opinions on the hack so far when this gets fixed.

[KrashBoomBang]

Thanks for reporting that. I hadn’t actually tested how chapter 8 would go if units were dead. I’ll have to look into it.

[KrashBoomBang]

Good news, I fixed the bug! Sorry about the trouble. Use this patch and you should be able to continue. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RZ0STeGli3e8_6BmZ-VwkTbFil27YfaG