I am very impressed with this and I hope this game gets a huge following. It is going to get messy as I anticipate all kinds of complaints to come up over time, especially so if "30 days" lives up to its potential.
I don't see how this will end without losing a character that you like best (there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth every time that happens). The group that has a broad and unrealistic definition of ntr is already complaining. Those who don't like lesbians are already complaining. There will be complaints coming that no incest is involved. I already don't like it that some women will be shaved (not that any of them have shown a pubic area yet, but I don't need facts to get in the way of my complaint LOL)
Like one of the reviewers I share concerns that the branching path is going to lead to development problems down the road as it will lead to writing two stories and that will delay development and add more variables. I have only played Ren'Py games and have never developed, but from my experience there is an inverse relationship between the number of variables and the probability of the game getting completed.
Anyways, great work AllNatural.
You are right about absolutely everything...
Given the context, it will be absolutely inevitable that some character, with whom some end up becoming attached, dies. In fact, a character in this first version dies as a result of a choice made by MC. Or maybe not, if you haven't reviewed the game completely XD
I know perfectly well that many are going to complain and there is nothing that can be done about it. Because I also know very well that no matter what is done, someone is going to complain. Everything has been considered before starting to render the first images of the game. I'm new to RenPy and DAZ, but I'm not new to programming or new to the world of video games and that's why I know people and how this works.
Many years ago I developed a Mod for "Torchlight 2" called Tenebris (a new character within the game, a new class). I started modifying simple text files that were a real gibberish, with nothing more than trial and error, because at that time they had not even developed the official editor of the game. I was on Steam for several years until Steam stopped being free for publishing content and I had the bad idea to do an Update. I know how to listen to people and I also know when to turn a deaf ear.
And you are also right about time. This will not be a matter of a couple of months and that's it. But it rarely is... Take for example the popular "Being a Dick". How long has it been in development and is it still not close to completion? Being a Dick is a marvel in many ways, but the developer intentionally delays the game. That will not happen in my case because I have said from the beginning (in my Patreon) how long should an average update takes, more or less. If you see that there is a longer delay than what I myself have said should be normal, that is the time when you should start to suspect something strange.
But as always, the choice is completely personal. Nobody forces anyone. Ultimately, time will tell everything...
As an aside, in this first version, if someone takes the time to review the code, you will notice that I have not introduced "variables". Until now they were not necessary. Starting with the next version, a system of variables will be implemented that will remain hidden in the game itself, no part of the game interface will show them, but they will be there. Starting with the definition of "Sally" being alive or not, which will affect the development of some conversations and part of the renderings when the two current branches of the game end up meeting. Other variables will affect behavior of some characters towards MC (with conversations and renderings changing depending on variables). And I also have to keep track of the scores, which will also directly affect the development of some things.
Oh, did you notice? I said "when the branches end up meeting"... Not all the detours I have planned will create absolutely new branches. Some will separate for a while and later converge, a few will create truly new, absolutely different paths and that is what will ultimately lead to different endings. In this first detour, with the death of "Sally" I have created a detour that will end with both paths converging on day 2 in the game.
Ok, from now on I will only visit the forum once a day or I will never finish. Greetings, see you.