As a lot people said, the slow burn can be a little annoying, but to be completely honest, it didn't bother me on the grand scheme of things.
To me at least, a good AVN is usually the one that if you take all of the porn, still remains a good story (one of my all time favs is Funbag/Kyonyuu Fantasy), and for all purposes, A Man for All falls into that category. So, I don't mind that much the slow burn and gonna just enjoy my ride.
Hey, everybody. I've been reading all of the comments. Most of the discussions is centered around the slow progress with the LIs, so I'd like to address that. This is going to be long-winded because I want to give as many details and be as clear as possible. I want you all to know that I care about what you think.
I'll preface everything I'm about to say that this is coming from the viewpoint of the developer. This game means a lot to me. And if I come off defensive, I apologize for that. I just believe in my game and that's just my bias.
When I started putting this whole thing together, my main focus was the story. All of the sex and violence and character models and all of the good stuff was secondary. It was going to be in there but I wanted to write an entertaining story that holds everything together. I see a lot of people who are upset that they haven't made any progress with Riley or Vanessa or even the others in terms of a relationship. My goal was that the story would be enough to tide you over. So, if the story isn't interesting and all you can focus on is on the lack of hooking-up with certain girls, it's my fault because I haven't written a good enough story. I get it. It's a porn game and you come into it with certain expectations and at this point, you should get something and you haven't gotten it. I should have paced things better. I should've tightened things up. Whatever the reason is, I messed up.
Regardless of any way I explain it, it's all just an excuse, so I won't try to keep explaining that aspect.
I know there are a lot of reasons why people don't like this game but for this point, I'm speaking to Riley and the other LIs specifically and lack of progress. With Riley, you have three options at this point.
The first is to just give up entirely. You're annoyed enough by the lack of progress that you don't care anymore about the entire game and story. The story isn't interesting enough and all of the LIs no longer have an appeal to you. I'm sorry for that and I appreciate you giving the game a chance. I hope that you'll come back later but I understand if you don't. I wouldn't blame you.
The second is to give up on only Riley. You're still playing the game. There are other LIs to choose from. Maybe you like the story. In any case, you're just done flirting with Riley. Thanks for sticking it through. Every developer wants to have at least one draw to their game, so if you're staying for any other reason, thanks.
The third option is to stick it out. Riley is being an annoying brick wall that's just stringing you along. You're not making any progress in a romance and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. All of your flirtations seem pointless. But you're a masochist and you won't stop. For those of you who choose this option, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I can't make any guarantees about how satisfying it'll be but you'll have the option to get what you want.
One of the issues I have as a developer is that I can see the entire picture. I have the major plotpoints outlined and planned already. I can see where things happen like a first kiss, first hook up, major fights, etc. Like I said earlier, I planned the coffee shop explosion two years before I rendered it and even longer before anybody played it. So when I look at someone like Riley, the progress she's made, and the person she is, it makes sense to me because I know who she is, what happens and where everything is going. I have to remind myself that from the player perspective it's frustrating because it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
I already got the sense that many of you are frustrated from previous episodes and that's been emphasized even more with the latest episode. To alleviate some of this, I've changed the story flow and moved things to around to tighten-up progress to a certain extent. It helps that a lot of the major plot points in the story have already established. That means a lot more will be happening in the upcoming episodes in regards to romance and the LIs. I understand that this is a porn game and that's what most people care about. However, that doesn't mean you'll be having sex with everybody immediately in the next episode. But in Episode 10, I can say that you'll at least see certain seeds being planted (not literally). So, while there might not be the giant tree you're asking for, I can at least say "I'm planning on watering this other one first." That's the best compromise I can give. You'll get what you want. Eventually. I just can't say when. I'm not going to throw away the plot entirely just for the sex. And if you're trudging through the story and it sucks too much that you quit, I understand that it's my fault for writing a crappy story.
I don't usually make hints about future events because it kind of spoils things. Like, even without saying specifically what happened, just saying something big happens kind of ruins it because you're kind of looking for something big. But I thought I'd say this about Riley because this is me just being a developer and being proud of a character I wrote to provide some possible insight.
I want all of you to play my game. I want all of you to enjoy it. I don't want you to quit. When I see you venting your frustrations, I'm not rubbing my hands and laughing like some villain because I'm denying somebody what they want. When I see frustrations, I'm upset with myself for messing up. I hear you. I can't give you everything you want. You're not going to be banging every chick in the next episode. When things happen, it'll make sense. I had already planned on doing this after comments on previous episodes but now I'll be more conscious of the player when plotting things out. I know it's patronizing for a developer to tell you that they hear you, but I do and I'm listening.
I'm trying my best. I'm working as much as I can. And I'm still learning. I appreciate you all. Thanks for your patience while I figure this thing out. For those of you who've had enough of this game and decided to move on, thank you for giving me a chance. I hope you'll come back to see how things end when I get there. For those of you who are sticking around, I'll try not to let you down. For what it's worth, I'm sincere about everything I've said above.
Thanks for reading. If you guys have any other questions or comments or want more details, let me know. I'll be around.
If you think that speeding up things will improve the game, then go for it. If you think the grand story will benefit from the current pace, then I would prefer you keep that pace. In the end though, it's up to you.
Hey, everybody. I've been reading all of the comments. Most of the discussions is centered around the slow progress with the LIs, so I'd like to address that. This is going to be long-winded because I want to give as many details and be as clear as possible. I want you all to know that I care about what you think.
I'll preface everything I'm about to say that this is coming from the viewpoint of the developer. This game means a lot to me. And if I come off defensive, I apologize for that. I just believe in my game and that's just my bias.
When I started putting this whole thing together, my main focus was the story. All of the sex and violence and character models and all of the good stuff was secondary. It was going to be in there but I wanted to write an entertaining story that holds everything together. I see a lot of people who are upset that they haven't made any progress with Riley or Vanessa or even the others in terms of a relationship. My goal was that the story would be enough to tide you over. So, if the story isn't interesting and all you can focus on is on the lack of hooking-up with certain girls, it's my fault because I haven't written a good enough story. I get it. It's a porn game and you come into it with certain expectations and at this point, you should get something and you haven't gotten it. I should have paced things better. I should've tightened things up. Whatever the reason is, I messed up.
Regardless of any way I explain it, it's all just an excuse, so I won't try to keep explaining that aspect.
I know there are a lot of reasons why people don't like this game but for this point, I'm speaking to Riley and the other LIs specifically and lack of progress. With Riley, you have three options at this point.
The first is to just give up entirely. You're annoyed enough by the lack of progress that you don't care anymore about the entire game and story. The story isn't interesting enough and all of the LIs no longer have an appeal to you. I'm sorry for that and I appreciate you giving the game a chance. I hope that you'll come back later but I understand if you don't. I wouldn't blame you.
The second is to give up on only Riley. You're still playing the game. There are other LIs to choose from. Maybe you like the story. In any case, you're just done flirting with Riley. Thanks for sticking it through. Every developer wants to have at least one draw to their game, so if you're staying for any other reason, thanks.
The third option is to stick it out. Riley is being an annoying brick wall that's just stringing you along. You're not making any progress in a romance and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. All of your flirtations seem pointless. But you're a masochist and you won't stop. For those of you who choose this option, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I can't make any guarantees about how satisfying it'll be but you'll have the option to get what you want.
One of the issues I have as a developer is that I can see the entire picture. I have the major plotpoints outlined and planned already. I can see where things happen like a first kiss, first hook up, major fights, etc. Like I said earlier, I planned the coffee shop explosion two years before I rendered it and even longer before anybody played it. So when I look at someone like Riley, the progress she's made, and the person she is, it makes sense to me because I know who she is, what happens and where everything is going. I have to remind myself that from the player perspective it's frustrating because it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
I already got the sense that many of you are frustrated from previous episodes and that's been emphasized even more with the latest episode. To alleviate some of this, I've changed the story flow and moved things to around to tighten-up progress to a certain extent. It helps that a lot of the major plot points in the story have already established. That means a lot more will be happening in the upcoming episodes in regards to romance and the LIs. I understand that this is a porn game and that's what most people care about. However, that doesn't mean you'll be having sex with everybody immediately in the next episode. But in Episode 10, I can say that you'll at least see certain seeds being planted (not literally). So, while there might not be the giant tree you're asking for, I can at least say "I'm planning on watering this other one first." That's the best compromise I can give. You'll get what you want. Eventually. I just can't say when. I'm not going to throw away the plot entirely just for the sex. And if you're trudging through the story and it sucks too much that you quit, I understand that it's my fault for writing a crappy story.
I don't usually make hints about future events because it kind of spoils things. Like, even without saying specifically what happened, just saying something big happens kind of ruins it because you're kind of looking for something big. But I thought I'd say this about Riley because this is me just being a developer and being proud of a character I wrote to provide some possible insight.
I want all of you to play my game. I want all of you to enjoy it. I don't want you to quit. When I see you venting your frustrations, I'm not rubbing my hands and laughing like some villain because I'm denying somebody what they want. When I see frustrations, I'm upset with myself for messing up. I hear you. I can't give you everything you want. You're not going to be banging every chick in the next episode. When things happen, it'll make sense. I had already planned on doing this after comments on previous episodes but now I'll be more conscious of the player when plotting things out. I know it's patronizing for a developer to tell you that they hear you, but I do and I'm listening.
I'm trying my best. I'm working as much as I can. And I'm still learning. I appreciate you all. Thanks for your patience while I figure this thing out. For those of you who've had enough of this game and decided to move on, thank you for giving me a chance. I hope you'll come back to see how things end when I get there. For those of you who are sticking around, I'll try not to let you down. For what it's worth, I'm sincere about everything I've said above.
Thanks for reading. If you guys have any other questions or comments or want more details, let me know. I'll be around.
It's your game and your vision. Make it however you want. If people want a game where you just hit it with everyone in 5 minutes, they have plenty of options. It's just that people who are annoyed are the most vocal. It's like if you work in retail and do surveys, 90% will be negative because those are the people who want are passionate enough to take the time. I realize the game may not have the support you envisioned so maybe changing things up will stir the pot a bit. It's your call but at this point having Vanessa or Riley just throw themselves at you won't make sense thematically. Maybe you could provide a stronger idea of when things will "pay off" (with a spoiler alert obviously for us that are ok with how things are).
I mean, I'm team Vanessa and thing it would be awesome for things to start progressing with her but she's cold and barely starting to open up. If you had something where you and her hooked up in the next 2 or 3 episodes, I would feel you shoehorned it and cheapened what it would mean. That said, again it's your vision and go how you want with it.
The dev is clearly very passionate about this game and i really appreciate the fact that they are taking the time to interact with the people on this forum and listening to feedback. You can take what i'm saying here with a pinch of salt because i have not played the game (yet) but the frustrations seem to stem from the fact that people feel like the MC is wasting his time trying to pursue Riley. I personally don't mind slow burns but i think you have to give the players something to show that the girl is interested. If a guy keeps trying to flirt with a girl that has rejected or shut him down several times then it just makes him look pathetic and desperate. As i said, i haven't played the game yet so maybe it doesn't come across like that but some of comments ITT don't give me a good impression of the Riley route.
The dev is clearly very passionate about this game and i really appreciate the fact that they are taking the time to interact with the people on this forum and listening to feedback. You can take what i'm saying here with a pinch of salt because i have not played the game (yet) but the frustrations seem to stem from the fact that people feel like the MC is wasting his time trying to pursue Riley. I personally don't mind slow burns but i think you have to give the players something to show that the girl is interested. If a guy keeps trying to flirt with a girl that has rejected him several times then it just makes him look pathetic and desperate. As i said, i haven't played the game yet so maybe it doesn't come across like that but some of comments ITT don't give me a good impression of the Riley route.
yeah she´s a slow burn but i think it is cuz she is focused on the task i think vanessa also a slow burn will take longer then riley
i mean it´s up to you but i say i don´t need all the girl´s on day 1
I mean, I'm team Vanessa and thing it would be awesome for things to start progressing with her but she's cold and barely starting to open up. If you had something where you and her hooked up in the next 2 or 3 episodes, I would feel you shoehorned it and cheapened what it would mean.
Exactly. I love the slow burn with her and have no complaints with how she's being written. It just wouldn't be the Vanessa that I know and love if we rush in too quickly with her and I wouldn't like it. The only girl I have a problem with is Riley because I feel a little weird flirting with someone so much to get NOTHING back. It feels a little uncomfortable at times. I feel almost like i'm harassing her and she's trying to let me down gently by simply ignoring most flirts so the MC doesn't get angry or weird with her or something but I've just stopped flirting with her. It's clear she's just not for me atleast at this time in the story. I still love the story enough to keep playing, plenty of other girls and I can't wait to see what comes with Vanessa no matter how long it takes. As long as it feels natural, I can wait.
Hey, everybody. I've been reading all of the comments. Most of the discussions is centered around the slow progress with the LIs, so I'd like to address that. This is going to be long-winded because I want to give as many details and be as clear as possible. I want you all to know that I care about what you think.
I'll preface everything I'm about to say that this is coming from the viewpoint of the developer. This game means a lot to me. And if I come off defensive, I apologize for that. I just believe in my game and that's just my bias.
When I started putting this whole thing together, my main focus was the story. All of the sex and violence and character models and all of the good stuff was secondary. It was going to be in there but I wanted to write an entertaining story that holds everything together. I see a lot of people who are upset that they haven't made any progress with Riley or Vanessa or even the others in terms of a relationship. My goal was that the story would be enough to tide you over. So, if the story isn't interesting and all you can focus on is on the lack of hooking-up with certain girls, it's my fault because I haven't written a good enough story. I get it. It's a porn game and you come into it with certain expectations and at this point, you should get something and you haven't gotten it. I should have paced things better. I should've tightened things up. Whatever the reason is, I messed up.
Regardless of any way I explain it, it's all just an excuse, so I won't try to keep explaining that aspect.
I know there are a lot of reasons why people don't like this game but for this point, I'm speaking to Riley and the other LIs specifically and lack of progress. With Riley, you have three options at this point.
The first is to just give up entirely. You're annoyed enough by the lack of progress that you don't care anymore about the entire game and story. The story isn't interesting enough and all of the LIs no longer have an appeal to you. I'm sorry for that and I appreciate you giving the game a chance. I hope that you'll come back later but I understand if you don't. I wouldn't blame you.
The second is to give up on only Riley. You're still playing the game. There are other LIs to choose from. Maybe you like the story. In any case, you're just done flirting with Riley. Thanks for sticking it through. Every developer wants to have at least one draw to their game, so if you're staying for any other reason, thanks.
The third option is to stick it out. Riley is being an annoying brick wall that's just stringing you along. You're not making any progress in a romance and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. All of your flirtations seem pointless. But you're a masochist and you won't stop. For those of you who choose this option, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I can't make any guarantees about how satisfying it'll be but you'll have the option to get what you want.
One of the issues I have as a developer is that I can see the entire picture. I have the major plotpoints outlined and planned already. I can see where things happen like a first kiss, first hook up, major fights, etc. Like I said earlier, I planned the coffee shop explosion two years before I rendered it and even longer before anybody played it. So when I look at someone like Riley, the progress she's made, and the person she is, it makes sense to me because I know who she is, what happens and where everything is going. I have to remind myself that from the player perspective it's frustrating because it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
I already got the sense that many of you are frustrated from previous episodes and that's been emphasized even more with the latest episode. To alleviate some of this, I've changed the story flow and moved things to around to tighten-up progress to a certain extent. It helps that a lot of the major plot points in the story have already established. That means a lot more will be happening in the upcoming episodes in regards to romance and the LIs. I understand that this is a porn game and that's what most people care about. However, that doesn't mean you'll be having sex with everybody immediately in the next episode. But in Episode 10, I can say that you'll at least see certain seeds being planted (not literally). So, while there might not be the giant tree you're asking for, I can at least say "I'm planning on watering this other one first." That's the best compromise I can give. You'll get what you want. Eventually. I just can't say when. I'm not going to throw away the plot entirely just for the sex. And if you're trudging through the story and it sucks too much that you quit, I understand that it's my fault for writing a crappy story.
I don't usually make hints about future events because it kind of spoils things. Like, even without saying specifically what happened, just saying something big happens kind of ruins it because you're kind of looking for something big. But I thought I'd say this about Riley because this is me just being a developer and being proud of a character I wrote to provide some possible insight.
I want all of you to play my game. I want all of you to enjoy it. I don't want you to quit. When I see you venting your frustrations, I'm not rubbing my hands and laughing like some villain because I'm denying somebody what they want. When I see frustrations, I'm upset with myself for messing up. I hear you. I can't give you everything you want. You're not going to be banging every chick in the next episode. When things happen, it'll make sense. I had already planned on doing this after comments on previous episodes but now I'll be more conscious of the player when plotting things out. I know it's patronizing for a developer to tell you that they hear you, but I do and I'm listening.
I'm trying my best. I'm working as much as I can. And I'm still learning. I appreciate you all. Thanks for your patience while I figure this thing out. For those of you who've had enough of this game and decided to move on, thank you for giving me a chance. I hope you'll come back to see how things end when I get there. For those of you who are sticking around, I'll try not to let you down. For what it's worth, I'm sincere about everything I've said above.
Thanks for reading. If you guys have any other questions or comments or want more details, let me know. I'll be around.
To me with Riley I'm just not seeing any progress. I'm not saying I need to have sex with her or anything, but I'd like to see I'm at least making progress similar to Vanessa. With her you can see she's at least starting to feel comfortable around you and you can see you're starting to break some barriers.
From a player's pov we can't see the finish line or know why someone is the way they are unless we're told or shown. For me it's been 2+ years and 9 episodes and it just starts to feel hopeless to chase someone who shows little interest when there are others who you can advance your relationship with. By this point in a story you usually know who you like and who you want to pursue and for her I feel like that train is leaving the station.
Outside of that I love your story and it's one of the ones I look forward to and know I'll get a bunch of content when released.
Games are generally considered a kind of escapism from real world. But relationship with Riley shown too realstically. You shown her attention. Give flowers. And in responce you hearing only laughter and the words oh how sweet it is. Like in life you can be in eternal friendzone. Man. It's sucks
VenusWaltz
The only issue I have with this game as a whole is the comedy act scenes. They're rough to get through man.
The pacing is fine for me but I take story above porn first in games like this. There are other games I go to when I want a quick fap. This is one of the ones I go to during my "post-nut clarity". When my libido isn't a factor and I just want to be entertained.
Over all, this game is good just the way it is. Don't worry what everyone else is saying about it... Just continue with the vision you have in your head.
I appreciate all of the feedback and the discussion. I like seeing all of the different opinions and the friendly back and forth is good to see. I'm reading all of your responses and suggestions even though I might not to respond to you directly.
I just want to say that even though I'm taking everything into consideration, I'm not going to scrap everything. I believe in the story I'm telling and I believe in the characters I've written.
The most important thing is that new episodes come out at a regular and steady pace, so I'm working hard on the next one. I want to tell this story as much as you want to see it for yourselves. Thanks again for all the comments and feedback.
Hey, everybody. I've been reading all of the comments. Most of the discussions is centered around the slow progress with the LIs, so I'd like to address that. This is going to be long-winded because I want to give as many details and be as clear as possible. I want you all to know that I care about what you think.
I'll preface everything I'm about to say that this is coming from the viewpoint of the developer. This game means a lot to me. And if I come off defensive, I apologize for that. I just believe in my game and that's just my bias.
When I started putting this whole thing together, my main focus was the story. All of the sex and violence and character models and all of the good stuff was secondary. It was going to be in there but I wanted to write an entertaining story that holds everything together. I see a lot of people who are upset that they haven't made any progress with Riley or Vanessa or even the others in terms of a relationship. My goal was that the story would be enough to tide you over. So, if the story isn't interesting and all you can focus on is on the lack of hooking-up with certain girls, it's my fault because I haven't written a good enough story. I get it. It's a porn game and you come into it with certain expectations and at this point, you should get something and you haven't gotten it. I should have paced things better. I should've tightened things up. Whatever the reason is, I messed up.
Regardless of any way I explain it, it's all just an excuse, so I won't try to keep explaining that aspect.
I know there are a lot of reasons why people don't like this game but for this point, I'm speaking to Riley and the other LIs specifically and lack of progress. With Riley, you have three options at this point.
The first is to just give up entirely. You're annoyed enough by the lack of progress that you don't care anymore about the entire game and story. The story isn't interesting enough and all of the LIs no longer have an appeal to you. I'm sorry for that and I appreciate you giving the game a chance. I hope that you'll come back later but I understand if you don't. I wouldn't blame you.
The second is to give up on only Riley. You're still playing the game. There are other LIs to choose from. Maybe you like the story. In any case, you're just done flirting with Riley. Thanks for sticking it through. Every developer wants to have at least one draw to their game, so if you're staying for any other reason, thanks.
The third option is to stick it out. Riley is being an annoying brick wall that's just stringing you along. You're not making any progress in a romance and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. All of your flirtations seem pointless. But you're a masochist and you won't stop. For those of you who choose this option, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I can't make any guarantees about how satisfying it'll be but you'll have the option to get what you want.
One of the issues I have as a developer is that I can see the entire picture. I have the major plotpoints outlined and planned already. I can see where things happen like a first kiss, first hook up, major fights, etc. Like I said earlier, I planned the coffee shop explosion two years before I rendered it and even longer before anybody played it. So when I look at someone like Riley, the progress she's made, and the person she is, it makes sense to me because I know who she is, what happens and where everything is going. I have to remind myself that from the player perspective it's frustrating because it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
I already got the sense that many of you are frustrated from previous episodes and that's been emphasized even more with the latest episode. To alleviate some of this, I've changed the story flow and moved things to around to tighten-up progress to a certain extent. It helps that a lot of the major plot points in the story have already established. That means a lot more will be happening in the upcoming episodes in regards to romance and the LIs. I understand that this is a porn game and that's what most people care about. However, that doesn't mean you'll be having sex with everybody immediately in the next episode. But in Episode 10, I can say that you'll at least see certain seeds being planted (not literally). So, while there might not be the giant tree you're asking for, I can at least say "I'm planning on watering this other one first." That's the best compromise I can give. You'll get what you want. Eventually. I just can't say when. I'm not going to throw away the plot entirely just for the sex. And if you're trudging through the story and it sucks too much that you quit, I understand that it's my fault for writing a crappy story.
I don't usually make hints about future events because it kind of spoils things. Like, even without saying specifically what happened, just saying something big happens kind of ruins it because you're kind of looking for something big. But I thought I'd say this about Riley because this is me just being a developer and being proud of a character I wrote to provide some possible insight.
I want all of you to play my game. I want all of you to enjoy it. I don't want you to quit. When I see you venting your frustrations, I'm not rubbing my hands and laughing like some villain because I'm denying somebody what they want. When I see frustrations, I'm upset with myself for messing up. I hear you. I can't give you everything you want. You're not going to be banging every chick in the next episode. When things happen, it'll make sense. I had already planned on doing this after comments on previous episodes but now I'll be more conscious of the player when plotting things out. I know it's patronizing for a developer to tell you that they hear you, but I do and I'm listening.
I'm trying my best. I'm working as much as I can. And I'm still learning. I appreciate you all. Thanks for your patience while I figure this thing out. For those of you who've had enough of this game and decided to move on, thank you for giving me a chance. I hope you'll come back to see how things end when I get there. For those of you who are sticking around, I'll try not to let you down. For what it's worth, I'm sincere about everything I've said above.
Thanks for reading. If you guys have any other questions or comments or want more details, let me know. I'll be around.
I do still enjoy the game, so I don't want you to feel bad about the work you're putting into, which it's evident, is actually a lot from the quality of the renders, and also from the length of the dialogue. So first, I want to say, I appreciate the work you've put into the game first.
Moving on from that starting point, I think there are two main things I seem to see in a lot of the posts here. 1. Even though people are complaining about disappointment in the game, it's still a good thing to receive that negative feedback, because it means that they had gotten sufficiently emotionally invested in it in the first place to get irritated on a latter update. This is a good thing, because for many, typing out on a forum is a means of venting, and is probably more of a snap-judgment as opposed to something ruminated on. 2. There are largely I think complaints about pacing. On this, I think what Karl Iglesias writes about in his book Writing for Emotional Impact might be something to consider on future updates. I know you are considering modifying the pacing, but instead of modifying the pacing for pacing's sake, it might be constructive to shift your angle, and maybe have a playtester play through and give you feedback on their emotional state in various scenes. That might give some insight into tightening up the pacing or dialogue. Sometimes writers may need to be more minimalistic, cut things out, and let the user put 2 and 2 = 4 together. By letting the player work out what's going on in the dialogue, you can probably cut down on over explaining some things, let the player build anticipation in the dialogue, and have things generally feel like they're moving a bit faster, as minimalistic dialogue would introduce things only as they are needed.
From the writing so far, to me, at least, it feels a bit like Riley keeps people at an arm's length possibly due to some of her experiences/history she had in high school. But at the same time, drawing things out too long indeed can be a bit counterproductive. Even masochistic people need the feedback of feeling some pain as stimuli.
This all said, I don't envy your task, since you've written the game for the friendly/humorous/flirty lines, which I have absolutely no idea how mechanically in the game, it's supposed to be balanced. (I go full flirt on Erika, humorous/flirty on Harlowe, Friendly on Riley, and kind of an inconsistent shotgun tactic on Vanessa- flirty when I think I can get away with it, but blue when I feel like she's actually being serious, and green when I think a terrible dad joke would lighten the moment, though it never does.)
Also, as a minor suggestion, which you can feel free to ignore, although I feel the sex scenes are done with great quality (artistic style and animations), they do end up feeling a bit empty, wherein little emotional connection or plot purpose is placed in them. Some ways other games that I find re-fappable, pardon my language, build up tension in the scene, and use them to also release that tension. Some notable games where this tactic are used are Our Red String, Eternum/Once in a Lifetime, Goons Raid Her, Shut up and Dance, Babysitter/Babysitters, all of which give the sex scenes a narrative purpose. But the thing with sex scenes is that if you consider the Goons Raid Her example, the dialogue may not necessarily be "superb" by traditional means, but through the dialogue pacing, it can build anticipation, which leads to tension. Then, with the climax of the scene, there is a release of tension. I feel that this could particularly be pertinent to Erika/Marissa/bar owner lady whom I forgot off the top of my head, since they seem to be individuals who have pent up sexual frustration. I think with Harlowe, this was also hinted on with her voyeuristic scenes early on.
All in all though, while the latest update may have been a little bit of a disappointment, I do feel like this update had a shorter update window than the previous one, so it hasn't impacted my hope for the continued success of this game. Even if the update window was the same, your openness to feedback, though it may hurt at times, I think is a definitely positive factor that I applaud you for.
Hmm I was actually very excited for this when it actually started. I also loved the story.
Recently my hard drive died so I lost all my saves, and thinking if this one would be worth it to replay I got a surprising no from myself.
The story is interesting, but since I'm in the position where I already know the story so far and thinking what else can get me to the other parts of the story the answer is"not much".
It's like I know the story of Breaking Bad, but it's still incredibly worth rewatching for many other reasons.
In this game I feel like we have a lot of story, but then have A LOT of content with characters that doesn't push the story forward and doesn't develop the relations with the characters more. 40% - 60% of the dialogue had no bearing on anything, and if the responses we give are not going to meaningfully affect the story, then we have a situation where the dev does 3x the work and only 40% of that work is actually progressing the story or the characters, which is slowing down the game to a crawl.
I guess I'll keep it on the watchlist and check back in in 2 - 3 years, at which point my memory will hopefully be worse for wear and the game at a satisfactory progress level.
Do the personality choices and color/stats points do anything?
I don't mind a slow burn - I'm really hoping Cyclops introduces me to Jean Grey and Storm - but it doesn't feel like they do anything besides affect the response types. The dialogue is fine, but at this point, a lot of the conversation and the 'color' choices your make are starting to feel like fluff without critically affecting the story paths.
It's kind of odd how it works. Rather than impacting the MC personality, it's tracking the personality/response types you're giving to each of the love interests. I assumed it was going to prevent progress for certain relationships if you didn't get the right personality points, but they seem to be going fine...
Hey, everybody. I've been reading all of the comments. Most of the discussions is centered around the slow progress with the LIs, so I'd like to address that. This is going to be long-winded because I want to give as many details and be as clear as possible. I want you all to know that I care about what you think.
I'll preface everything I'm about to say that this is coming from the viewpoint of the developer. This game means a lot to me. And if I come off defensive, I apologize for that. I just believe in my game and that's just my bias.
When I started putting this whole thing together, my main focus was the story. All of the sex and violence and character models and all of the good stuff was secondary. It was going to be in there but I wanted to write an entertaining story that holds everything together. I see a lot of people who are upset that they haven't made any progress with Riley or Vanessa or even the others in terms of a relationship. My goal was that the story would be enough to tide you over. So, if the story isn't interesting and all you can focus on is on the lack of hooking-up with certain girls, it's my fault because I haven't written a good enough story. I get it. It's a porn game and you come into it with certain expectations and at this point, you should get something and you haven't gotten it. I should have paced things better. I should've tightened things up. Whatever the reason is, I messed up.
Regardless of any way I explain it, it's all just an excuse, so I won't try to keep explaining that aspect.
I know there are a lot of reasons why people don't like this game but for this point, I'm speaking to Riley and the other LIs specifically and lack of progress. With Riley, you have three options at this point.
The first is to just give up entirely. You're annoyed enough by the lack of progress that you don't care anymore about the entire game and story. The story isn't interesting enough and all of the LIs no longer have an appeal to you. I'm sorry for that and I appreciate you giving the game a chance. I hope that you'll come back later but I understand if you don't. I wouldn't blame you.
The second is to give up on only Riley. You're still playing the game. There are other LIs to choose from. Maybe you like the story. In any case, you're just done flirting with Riley. Thanks for sticking it through. Every developer wants to have at least one draw to their game, so if you're staying for any other reason, thanks.
The third option is to stick it out. Riley is being an annoying brick wall that's just stringing you along. You're not making any progress in a romance and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. All of your flirtations seem pointless. But you're a masochist and you won't stop. For those of you who choose this option, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I can't make any guarantees about how satisfying it'll be but you'll have the option to get what you want.
One of the issues I have as a developer is that I can see the entire picture. I have the major plotpoints outlined and planned already. I can see where things happen like a first kiss, first hook up, major fights, etc. Like I said earlier, I planned the coffee shop explosion two years before I rendered it and even longer before anybody played it. So when I look at someone like Riley, the progress she's made, and the person she is, it makes sense to me because I know who she is, what happens and where everything is going. I have to remind myself that from the player perspective it's frustrating because it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
I already got the sense that many of you are frustrated from previous episodes and that's been emphasized even more with the latest episode. To alleviate some of this, I've changed the story flow and moved things to around to tighten-up progress to a certain extent. It helps that a lot of the major plot points in the story have already established. That means a lot more will be happening in the upcoming episodes in regards to romance and the LIs. I understand that this is a porn game and that's what most people care about. However, that doesn't mean you'll be having sex with everybody immediately in the next episode. But in Episode 10, I can say that you'll at least see certain seeds being planted (not literally). So, while there might not be the giant tree you're asking for, I can at least say "I'm planning on watering this other one first." That's the best compromise I can give. You'll get what you want. Eventually. I just can't say when. I'm not going to throw away the plot entirely just for the sex. And if you're trudging through the story and it sucks too much that you quit, I understand that it's my fault for writing a crappy story.
I don't usually make hints about future events because it kind of spoils things. Like, even without saying specifically what happened, just saying something big happens kind of ruins it because you're kind of looking for something big. But I thought I'd say this about Riley because this is me just being a developer and being proud of a character I wrote to provide some possible insight.
I want all of you to play my game. I want all of you to enjoy it. I don't want you to quit. When I see you venting your frustrations, I'm not rubbing my hands and laughing like some villain because I'm denying somebody what they want. When I see frustrations, I'm upset with myself for messing up. I hear you. I can't give you everything you want. You're not going to be banging every chick in the next episode. When things happen, it'll make sense. I had already planned on doing this after comments on previous episodes but now I'll be more conscious of the player when plotting things out. I know it's patronizing for a developer to tell you that they hear you, but I do and I'm listening.
I'm trying my best. I'm working as much as I can. And I'm still learning. I appreciate you all. Thanks for your patience while I figure this thing out. For those of you who've had enough of this game and decided to move on, thank you for giving me a chance. I hope you'll come back to see how things end when I get there. For those of you who are sticking around, I'll try not to let you down. For what it's worth, I'm sincere about everything I've said above.
Thanks for reading. If you guys have any other questions or comments or want more details, let me know. I'll be around.
Well First time I started playing VNs is because I was looking for story driven games with choices on steam. I played 2 games story driven and then I ended up finding my first VN. After that I got other 2 on steam and decided to look for more of the kind and I ended up here in this forum.
I love the sex part of the games, but it doesn't do much for me if it has no story behind it. If I don't feel connected to the girl for some reason, whats the point of playing a sex animation when it is easier to find images on porn sites?.
Most of VN writers who doesn't give too much attention to the sex part faces this kind of situation with their viewers. They all expect the games to be the same. All harem games with a lot of girls willing to have sex with MC even if they know he has sex with 10 other girls. I could mention that one VN which the name are 3 huge letters and has a MC who is a basketball player and all girs love him and he love all the girls and has meaningless sex with all of them and they all have the same face just different hair and skin collor. I hardly see people criticizing that game's story or some other college games that makes no sense at all.
I, on the other hand, look for unique stories. Something different to connect with, I play other games where MC has no sex at all, or didn't for a few years of the VN development and I am ok with it, because a connection has been made with the characters and I learned to like the story and the characters on it and I care to know what comes next on their lives. Does that means I never voice when I find something I dislike on those games? No. But that won't make me see thhose VN as 'Not Good' only because of it.
The thing I could say about your game is... If there are reasons for riley to be the way she is, same with Vanessa (Even though we already got to know a lot about her past) I think we should have had a hint on past episodes. It has been 9 episodes and we still have no clue. Riley is a nice character, but what do we know about her? How can we like her if she doesn't show us anything? She is helpful, she seems to have a good heart, but I don't know much about her other than what MC knows about her from observing her back in the day. She didn't even know MC existed. We've been interacting with her for 9 episodes and I honestly don't feel anything about her, and it is not about sex, I just don't care about Riley. If you delete her on EP10, for me it makes no difference. The only explanation I would accept about riley is if you tell me she is an android with no human feelings. So I am gonna say "wow, that explains everything" and I will consider you the best writer ever.
Why you have such a connection with this character, you have a lot to tell about her, you feel a lot about her, but in 9 episodes you gave us no hints, nothing to make us create a connection, to understand her, other than looking cute enough for some people want to bang her?
If she was even written to be a good friend, a best friend, but not even that. I can count more on Erika and rely more on Erika than Riley. Even if you cut all the sex scenes we had with her.
Having this many LI paths has shown to be a lot of work to make it progress (example: BaDik). So, its OK, just press on and don't worry about critics.
Like the game. It has its moments. The Vanessa father scene and then the following scene with Vanessa in the last episode was excellent story telling and very touching. This latest episode will see me now organizing saves by LI path. That is a lot of saves but it allows me to concentrate on one LI as the game goes along.
Serious question what is the purpose of making the mc say this stupid shit? Is this supposed to be funny? What would be really funny is if a girl finally says "you know what, I don't consent" gets dressed and leaves his dumbass with blueballs. Next time he does this please make it happen.
Is this supposed to be funny? What would be really funny is if a girl finally says "you know what, I don't consent" gets dressed and leaves his dumbass with blueballs. Next time he does this please make it happen.
Next time, call your MC "Man Whore" or just "Whore" then things get funny!
I just find it boring, but this happens if you game has the tag: "harem" so don't complain, just rename your MC, everyone else will take this very serious!
The problem stems from the devs' idea (he is not the only one) that tons of dialogue and "stairway to heaven" progression makes sex realistic. It is not. It makes it akin to a PG Disney movie. Attraction and sex is raw, chaotic and random. Never in my life I have heard or seen about someone who dated someone else for months on end without sex, unless for religious reasons, like if they were muslim. But even then they would sneak behind their parent's back and do the nasty nasty.
The worst case of this is games with "stairway to heaven" progression. Holy shit that is the most idiotic concept ever. Kiss--->wait a week--->grope--->wait a week--->handjob---etc etc... This is comical on a cosmic scale.
Do the personality choices and color/stats points do anything?
I don't mind a slow burn - I'm really hoping Cyclops introduces me to Jean Grey and Storm - but it doesn't feel like they do anything besides affect the response types. The dialogue is fine, but at this point, a lot of the conversation and the 'color' choices your make are starting to feel like fluff without critically affecting the story paths.
It's kind of odd how it works. Rather than impacting the MC personality, it's tracking the personality/response types you're giving to each of the love interests. I assumed it was going to prevent progress for certain relationships if you didn't get the right personality points, but they seem to be going fine...
Currently, no. I have a feeling they may change an ending or something at the end of the game but for now they just let you change your personality or see different text. I usually pick them all to see the response then roll back to the one I want
