The UI is designed more with phone screens oriented vertically in mind. The bands on top and bottom are less noticeable in such layout. But even on computer screens it's hardly an issue, imo -- you still get ~80% of the screen for your text. That's far from "blocked".
I checked out bad ending #1 and it was certainly fitting and kind of poetic. It will be interesting to see bad ending #2 with the whole "refusing to change" bit and how that will be framed.
The game doesn't handle multiple conditions (the last one defined overwrites the previous ones, due to how the underlying container works) and so MC is drawn with both chest1 and chest2, resulting in having medium breasts even if they don't have any, because the larm check is always passed, either with value 0 or 1.
edit: also, a tiny continuity glitch. MC now gets option to wear sneakers instead of Converses when picking clothes in the morning on Day 11, but the game is hard-coded to act like they're wearing Converse, even if they're not.
edit2: the transition from the end of 0.20 to beginning of 0.21 is a little jarring, because it's basically the same scene happening twice in quick succession:
Perhaps it'd flow better to cut the beginning from the bit after the jump, and start if from the "Close the door" part?
edit3: the stat changes here seem backward
HTML:
<<elseif $d15bennetplay is 3>>\
<<set $shy to Math.clamp($shy - 10, 0, 100)>>\
<<set $confident to Math.clamp($confident + 10, 0, 100)>>\
@@.player;"Honestly, I think I'd rather help backstage,"@@ you admit.
if MC asks to help backstage instead of playing a role, then you'd imagine that's because they're shy and not ready to face the spotlights, not confident..?
edit4: and one more tiny bug
HTML:
<<elseif $d2serena is 1>>\
<<set $serenaRelo to Math.clamp($serenaRelo + 5, 0, 100)>>\
<<set $acceptance to Math.clamp($acceptance + 5, 0, 100)>>\
The game doesn't adjust $resistance accordingly, so after making this choice the sum of values on the meter is 105% for the rest of the game:
It may be more practical and less error prone to only ever make changes to the variables which are on the "left" part of their respective meters, and only adjust the values of matching pairs automatically, when the player clicks the Stats button. It'd save a bit of work when writing the game's script, too.
It would be nice if Achievements were saved in Saves.
Otherwise, (after clearing the browser) when continuing or repeating this game, it turns out that there are no Achievements again (they are blocked again)
The other characters have their CGs in the works, they'll be included in the next updates.
By the way, on one side of the screen there is a paper doll of MC. And on the other side, there is an empty space. I think it would be good to put an image (or paper doll) of the character with whom MC is currently interacting in this place.
The other side can currently display a window which shows chosen stats of the MC without having to open the dedicated Stats screen. It's configured in the pull-down top menu, and toggled with a round button on the left side of the screen.
Some of the art assets in the current build are intended for next patreon update, which is a trip to a mall, either with mom and/or sister, or with friends.
<<elseif $bodyhair is undefined and $day < 16>>
<<set $bodyhair to 2>>
<<set $pubichair to false>>
<</if>>
This effectively initializes pubichair variable to false, which has unexpected side-effect: as soon as MC's paper doll switches to female variant, the game takes the variable into account and causes the pubic hair to disappear even if it wasn't shaved in game and should be there. The male version has drawing the pubes hard-coded, so it's not affected and "hides" the error in the early days in game.
As a fix, the variable should be initialized to true instead.
I had the MC tell his friends about the curse at the first opportunity and all of week 1 played out accordingly with numerous discussions among the three of them (d2tell is true, I haven't checked the html but assume that that's the relevant variable).
By week 2, the game repeatedly insists that the MC hasn't told them anything:
I had the MC tell his friends about the curse at the first opportunity and all of week 1 played out accordingly with numerous discussions among the three of them (d2tell is true, I haven't checked the html but assume that that's the relevant variable).
By week 2, the game repeatedly insists that the MC hasn't told them anything: View attachment 4889266
As far as i can tell this is because that text variant and likely others checks generic friendsKnow variable. The potential issue here is that the variable is set to false on day 4 during the shopping trip:
Code:
:: Day 4 - 14
<img src="img/bg/store-boutique0.png">
<<set $friendsKnow to false>>
And then it is only flipped to true if the MC undergoes transformation in the store (either by trying on the skinny jeans, or getting his ears pierced). If you don't trigger either transformation the game thinks MC's friends are in the dark.
Perhaps the initial setting should be <<set $friendsKnow to $d2tell>>
so the game retains friends' knowledge from Day 2, if they have any.
edit: speaking of errors, there's a minor one on day 16:
Code:
@@.luke;"Okay, ready?"@@ he calls.
You nod, and he sends the ball your way.
<<if $athleticism > 69>>\
You nod, and he sends the ball your way—a clean spiral, fast and tight.
//...
<<elseif $athleticism > 59>>\
You nod, and he sends the ball your way—a clean spiral, sharp but you think you can catch it.
//...
<<else>>\
You nod, and he launches the ball—a tight spiral, clean and fast.
That generic "you nod" line is superfluous, since it's then duplicated by whichever branch gets selected.
As far as i can tell this is because that text variant and likely others checks generic friendsKnow variable. The potential issue here is that the variable is set to false on day 4 during the shopping trip:
Code:
:: Day 4 - 14
<img src="img/bg/store-boutique0.png">
<<set $friendsKnow to false>>
And then it is only flipped to true if the MC undergoes transformation in the store (either by trying on the skinny jeans, or getting his ears pierced). If you don't trigger either transformation the game thinks MC's friends are in the dark.
Perhaps the initial setting should be <<set $friendsKnow to $d2tell>>
so the game retains friends' knowledge from Day 2, if they have any.
That sounds like a likely explanation, yeah (and a good fix). I just hit what looks like a similar issue with Lily: The MC told her what's going on during week 1 as well, but that's seemingly forgotten by week 2:
That sounds like a likely explanation, yeah (and a good fix). I just hit what looks like a similar issue with Lily: The MC told her what's going on during week 1 as well, but that's seemingly forgotten by week 2:
<<if $d11joinCheerleaders is true>>\
//...
<<if $d7tellLily is true>>\
//...
<<button "Tell Lily what you did this afternoon" "Day 11 - Lily (Knows O)">>\<<set $d11cheerleadingLily to true>>\<</button>>
<<button "Decide not to" "Day 11 - Lily (Knows O)">>\<<set $d11cheerleadingLily to false>>\<</button>>
<<else>>\
//...
<<button "Be honest with Lily" "Day 11 - Lily (Knows X)">>\<<set $d11tellLily to true>>\<</button>>
<<button "Brush her off" "Day 11 - Lily (Knows X)">>\<<set $d11tellLily to false>>\<</button>>
<</if>>\
<<else>>\
//...
<<button "Open up to her" "Day 11 - Lily (Cheerleader X)">>\<<set $d11lilyopen to true>>\<</button>>
<<button "Keep it neutral" "Day 11 - Lily (Cheerleader X)">>\<<set $d11lilyopen to false>>\<</button>>
<</if>>\
The branch where MC has joined the cheerleaders has variants for Lily who was told and one who wasn't, while the branch where MC didn't join cheerleaders has single path that doesn't take it into account. Although i guess this single branch is generic enough that you can sort of ignore (if you squint hard enough. ) that Lily doesn't bring up the curse specifically and maybe just refers to MC's behavior in general aside from that.
<<if $d11joinCheerleaders is true>>\
//...
<<if $d7tellLily is true>>\
//...
<<button "Tell Lily what you did this afternoon" "Day 11 - Lily (Knows O)">>\<<set $d11cheerleadingLily to true>>\<</button>>
<<button "Decide not to" "Day 11 - Lily (Knows O)">>\<<set $d11cheerleadingLily to false>>\<</button>>
<<else>>\
//...
<<button "Be honest with Lily" "Day 11 - Lily (Knows X)">>\<<set $d11tellLily to true>>\<</button>>
<<button "Brush her off" "Day 11 - Lily (Knows X)">>\<<set $d11tellLily to false>>\<</button>>
<</if>>\
<<else>>\
//...
<<button "Open up to her" "Day 11 - Lily (Cheerleader X)">>\<<set $d11lilyopen to true>>\<</button>>
<<button "Keep it neutral" "Day 11 - Lily (Cheerleader X)">>\<<set $d11lilyopen to false>>\<</button>>
<</if>>\
The branch where MC has joined the cheerleaders has variants for Lily who was told and one who wasn't, while the branch where MC didn't join cheerleaders has single path that doesn't take it into account. Although i guess this single branch is generic enough that you can sort of ignore (if you squint hard enough. ) that Lily doesn't bring up the curse specifically and maybe just refers to MC's behavior in general aside from that.
Yeah, if I look at it upside-down in a mirror it might sort of make sense as Lily just being generally concerned about her brother being a bit out of sorts lately, and just happening to forget that he told her literally days ago about the curse that's turning his life on its head.
(A later conversation with her did acknowledge their previous talk.)
Anyway, played through it, got the neutral ending. Not a bad game: Well-written, good characterization for the most part with a decent level of empathy. A few choices were the implications could have been a bit clearer, but nothing too misleading.
Hmm after playing the latest update i feel like i've got some useless complaints feedback.
amaty i don't know if it's something you'll be interested in hearing, but i can't help but feel that the way the game currently implements its major theme --the whole transgender thing-- is a little bit... narratively and mechanically clunky, in lack of better word.
Hmm after playing the latest update i feel like i've got some useless complaints feedback.
amaty i don't know if it's something you'll be interested in hearing, but i can't help but feel that the way the game currently implements its major theme --the whole transgender thing-- is a little bit... narratively and mechanically clunky, in lack of better word.
Hi! sorry for not responding much, I haven't been on this site much lately. I don't think there has been a single nsfw scene in 200k words, and what people are usually looking for on this site is very different from the game.
(If anyone's looking at this and wondering, sex scene cgs are in progress. Jessica's NSFW CGs are almost done, jordan is next.)
I think you bring up some very good points here. I'll be honest here, I don't get much quality feedback. It's usually "why isn't there more art?" (the art budget is currently around 5k USD a month, i don't have infinite money) or "why isnt there more nsfw?" (because i want to focus on the narrative) I just want to thank you for continually supporting this game and writing this valuabel feedback up.
Let me go through this
I think your complaint is absolutely right. I separated the femininity, transgender, and acceptance stats in... 0.02 or 0.03? It was meant to give more nuance than most games which just have one general stat for everything feminine, but I've found it's lead to some difficulties. If i were to go back, I'd probably combine trans and acceptance. Most players are either all in or all out as well. 90% of my audience go all in the trans, and the other 10% play resistant. There are very few people trying high acceptance/low trans or low acceptance/high trans. I won't lie, I have been kind of neglecting these and just using the trans stat for most of interactions... It lets me just write two variations instead of four (high trans/high acceptance, high trans/low acceptance, low acceptance/high trans, low trans/lowacceptance)
The point you make about there not being enough places to raise the trans stat is absolutely valid. A rewrite at this point would be very difficult, so I probably will go with your first suggestion. I'll implement it in 0.25 and also add code in the javascript to change save files once they're loaded.
The rewrite is the better option, frankly speaking, but it just isn't practical. I do have plans for future scenes in a similar vein though, and I will most certainly take into account what you said here. I do get the frustration when you don't get what the result you wanted and were working toward just because you didn't go to the art studio on day 6 or didn't want to be a cheerleader. In future scenes, I will do my best to include more choices and opportunities for the player to get on the identity route they want.
Also, this doesn't negate your point in the slightest, but I did rewrite Day 2 and Day 3. I'm pretty sure the latest public update contains the rewrites. I think the rewrites make those days significantly better. I also took a lot of time in imrpoving Jessica and vincent intro, which I personally saw as some of the weakest parts of the game. I recommend checking it out if you haven't.
I know this is a ramble and it definitely isn't as articulate as I usually am, but I hope you get my point. I'm currently very sleep deprived and generally "out of it". Just know thtat I truly do appreciate valuable feedback like this. It helps me improve as a writer and developer.
Also, this doesn't negate your point in the slightest, but I did rewrite Day 2 and Day 3. I'm pretty sure the latest public update contains the rewrites. I think the rewrites make those days significantly better.
Oh yes, i didn't mention it since it wasn't directly related and i've already yapped more than enough in that last post, but i replayed the game from the start with the recent updates and the changes to early chapters are noticeable and also do make things a lot better imo. There's more rapport with the characters and things feel all more fleshed out. I liked those changes~