The Mandela Edition is a massive overhaul from the 2008 version, and it’s been anything but lazy. I’ve restructured the entire project under the hood, making it smarter in organization and more flexible. It was necessary—those original project files were a nightmare to work with.
The older version had its fair share of missing storyline pieces, leaving plot holes here and there. Back in 2008, before the official release, I aimed to fix these issues within the game, but I hit a wall with the 999-map limit. My RGSS coding skills weren’t top-notch back then, so I had to ditch some dungeons or shrink them down while trying to tie up loose ends in the storyline. That meant leaving a bunch of questions unanswered, and, believe it or not, one of the iconic characters wasn’t supposed to stay dead. But, oddly enough, it ended up creating a mystery that lasted for years.
But fear not! The Mandela Edition is the long-awaited answer to these mysteries.
Working with the old VX engine is still a headache, especially compared to VX-Ace. The default code feels like a plate of spaghetti, making it a real pain to add new features. But hey, in honor of our 15th anniversary, diving into this project feels good. I didn’t switch to VX-Ace because the battle system wouldn’t have been a perfect fit, and starting from scratch would be the job of the Reboot Edition.
Take a peek at the old and new dungeons—the Mandela Edition is way more intricate and expansive compared to the 2008 version. And guess what? In the Onyx Cave, the first dungeon, you’ll get a brand-new ability that was missing in the original game: arrow-like projectiles!
Onyx Cave, 2008 Version.
Onyx Cave, Mandela Edition. Shaped like a jackal head.
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