VN Ren'Py Being a DIK [v0.10.1] [DrPinkCake]

[Room639]

I've been saying that DPC is milking the development time for a while now. Glad to see there's some momentum behind this idea. A full year between episode releases is absurd. The man could easily create as good of a game (possibly even better) with a small staff supporting his efforts AND releases would be more frequent. Don't buy this bullshit of some "solo vision" that he can only achieve alone. He's not Joyce writing Ulysses, he's making an indie adult game, and his competitors are rapidly catching up (and passing) his work.

Something else to consider - Opening episodes of seasons have rarely been blockbusters and have usually been used to set up the rest of the season. There's a good chance the payoff for waiting a full year isn't as big as people think (not yet, at least).

Don't even get me started on the lack of previews. He has 4000 images and he can't use any of them? Total nonsense.

But at least we get a Halloween episode in... November. That's cool.

 

[always86]

Apologies for the late replies. This could be a bit of a marathon so I’ll try to be brief but not miss any points

(Edited to add some spoilers so it's no so much of a wall of text)

Spoiler: Ottoeight

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Spoiler: DarkKiller

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Spoiler: Karlimirst Part 1

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Spoiler: Karlimirst Part 2

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Spoiler: Karlimirst Part 3

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Spoiler: Karlimirst Part 4

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Spoiler: Karlimirst Part 5

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Spoiler: Hecatompylos Part 1

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Spoiler: Hecatompylos Part 4

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[hakuna-matata]

Unless you're a dog or 70+ years old the chances for that are pretty small.

Sadly, you never know sometimes. A couple of years ago, I had to go to a funeral. He was 14.

 

[anonnyscouse]

I don’t think Derek banged Arieth as the crabs news got out before he had the chance. The black haired goth girl was getting it from two guys in the last episode.

I'm not sure what changed but in my playthroughs but Derek did have a threesome with Arieth and Jacob while I was a massive DIK and didn't when I was a massive CHICK.

I'm wondering if it's potentially whether you tell him to make a move on Camila (I told him not to as a DIK because I wanted her, I told him to go for it as a CHICK because she's unattainable on that route).

 

[siliseric]

I'm not sure what changed but in my playthroughs but Derek did have a threesome with Arieth and Jacob while I was a massive DIK and didn't when I was a massive CHICK.

I'm wondering if it's potentially whether you tell him to make a move on Camila (I told him not to as a DIK because I wanted her, I told him to go for it as a CHICK because she's unattainable on that route).

I believe it depends on whether or not you stay and party at the DIKS mansion, or go back to dorm and hang with Maya. I think if you stay and dance with sage or hook up with sarah, Derek will hook up with Arieth. If you leave and go back to Maya, Derek doesnt hook up with Arieth. It could be the opposite, but that is the moment that decides it.

 

[anonnyscouse]

I believe it depends on whether or not you stay and party at the DIKS mansion, or go back to dorm and hang with Maya. I think if you stay and dance with sage or hook up with sarah, Derek will hook up with Arieth. If you leave and go back to Maya, Derek doesnt hook up with Arieth. It could be the opposite, but that is the moment that decides it.

You'll be right on the way round as obviously on the CHICK route I was looking at the throuple and went back to Maya, on the DIK route I hooked up with Sarah.

 

[Ottoeight]

I don’t think Derek banged Arieth as the crabs news got out before he had the chance. The black haired goth girl was getting it from two guys in the last episode.

I'm not sure what changed but in my playthroughs but Derek did have a threesome with Arieth and Jacob while I was a massive DIK and didn't when I was a massive CHICK.

I'm wondering if it's potentially whether you tell him to make a move on Camila (I told him not to as a DIK because I wanted her, I told him to go for it as a CHICK because she's unattainable on that route).

Pay attention when Chad shows Dawe the pictures where Arieth is banging the DIKs: one of them is the infamous Arieth-Jacob-Derek threesome.

Moreover, when the DIKs give MC the phone they talk about Arieth: every DIK says he had sex with her except MC and Nick.

 

[scarp1]

Come on, this is getting ridiculous now. Episode 9 has been in development for over six months already, and it seems like we're still 1-2 months away from a release. I think that six months is too long even for the entire episode, let alone to only be at 80-85 % completion...

DPC has clearly let the scope of this game get out of hand, because there is no legitimate reason for why an update would require close to 5,000 new renders. My only conclusion is that he is spending an ungodly amount of time making scenes for every single secondary character in the game, and building free roam events that could be an entire game in and of themselves. And for what? Does it honestly make the game that much better?

It feels like this has been a trend ever since Episode 5, with each update essentially being centered around a couple of massive free roam events, with bits of story sprinked in here and there. The game has lost its direction, and has expanded to and unreasonable level where there is an absurd amount of content for things that don't matter to the overall story, such as mini-games, free roam events and too many secondary characters. I cannot claim, with my conscience intact, that I consider the recent episodes to have been so much better thant the first season of Being a DIK, even though they take 50 % longer to develop.

And before I get a ton of backlash, I realize that DPC delivers quality that is absolutely terrific, and I can enjoy all the content just as much as the next person. However, the current trend suggests that this game will soon be release on a once-per-year basis. Given the we probably have 8-10 episodes remaining, we're looking at completion in 2030. That is not reasonable, and DPC clearly needs to get back on track so that updates are release more frequently.

Pretty sure they could release an update every two months, just expect 2 scenes and 15 mins of playing time.

So 6 updates a year, sounds great, then you realise this year long wait update will have just as much content if not more that 6 updates over the year.

Yes we would get to play it more frequently but I for one actually like longer updates as opposed to shorter more frequent ones, I just seem to enjoy it more.
Plus I'm not sure this game would work as well with short updates with all the different paths we can take. People on say Bella's route would be waiting many updates for content as we would need to fill other short updates with other girls.

 

[anonnyscouse]

Pay attention when Chad shows Dawe the pictures where Arieth is banging the DIKs: one of them is the infamous Arieth-Jacob-Derek threesome.

Moreover, when the DIKs give MC the phone they talk about Arieth: every DIK says he had sex with her except MC and Nick.

There is a route where Derek doesn't sleep with Arieth, it seems to be if you leave the party to go back to Maya instead of dancing and flirting with Sage or take the special offer from the restaurant, the picture then isn't among the pics seen by Dawe and Derek states he hasn't slept with Arieth at Fuckface's birthday dinner, although I thought Nick does say that Arieth "eventually got him". Maybe Nick fucks Arieth instead of the Derek, Jacob, Arieth threesome if Fuckface leaves the party to go back to Maya.

 

[ChrisDark]

any similar games to this, in terms of romance and gut wrenching story telling plus music e.g. MC with Bella and Jill story devolopment

 

[FappingWorldwide]

Pay attention when Chad shows Dawe the pictures where Arieth is banging the DIKs: one of them is the infamous Arieth-Jacob-Derek threesome.

Moreover, when the DIKs give MC the phone they talk about Arieth: every DIK says he had sex with her except MC and Nick.

Wait wait, IIRC Nick reveals that she got to him too. I think Jacob then tells him that he has crabs, and that he should use the remaining medicine that is in the mansion.

It’s only the MC at that point who hasn’t been with her.

 

[Green Isosceles]

any similar games to this, in terms of romance and gut wrenching story telling plus music e.g. MC with Bella and Jill story devolopment

Sorry but no, this is the mountain top. Check out Intertwined.

 

[anonnyscouse]

Anyone questioning why DPC is reluctant to bring in outside help to speed up the process like with the coding, go and check out the latest devlog for Summer's Gone for a perfect example.

 

[BigBlueDude]

Quinn doesn't deserve happiness.

Thats pretty petty in my opinion. I think almost everybody deserves some form of happiness after getting their comeuppance. In theory im not against prostitution and think it should be legal everywhere but Quinns version of it with coercion/blackmail and drugs is abhorrent to me and she needs to pay for it. Her story is probably the most interesting one in the game really, the justification she has and what goals she has. Is she a petty crook (money goal) or a bad politician (power hunger) or a broken person doing broken shit because thats all she knows? Petty, bad and broken are my choice of words because shes not very good at what shes doing, the ship is leaking everywhere. Regardless, at the moment shes extremely interesting, top 2 character in the game storywise for me.

But even the simple graphics games have better geometric coherence across all renders and scenes than this game for bella. Sometimes she is narrow and overly slim with balloon boobs and other times wide bodied. Sometimes the face looks attractive, sometimes ugly. I mean wtf... Other models don't suffer this issue or I haven't noticed it. As far as I remember Sage model also had the same problem in some scenes. When they r dressed they all look attractive okay but when nude certain renders looks kind of clumsy

I thought models r kind of static content. Is it not?

YES!

Of all the women and girls in the game Bella proportions are the absolute worst. They change so much, her ass, hips and breasts morph and change in practically every damned scene, sometimes from render to render. Shes still my favorite character with Quinn due to the mystery of her character and the complexity her feelings in regard of MC and others shown or not shown, Jill, Husband, Burke, Cathy etc.

 

[Bendover885]

any similar games to this, in terms of romance and gut wrenching story telling plus music e.g. MC with Bella and Jill story devolopment

Don't know exactly what you mean by gut‐wrenching, but if you like the slow burn types, you may want to check out Hillside.

 

[Oliver Wendell Homely]

Come on, this is getting ridiculous now. Episode 9 has been in development for over six months already, and it seems like we're still 1-2 months away from a release. I think that six months is too long even for the entire episode, let alone to only be at 80-85 % completion...

DPC has clearly let the scope of this game get out of hand, because there is no legitimate reason for why an update would require close to 5,000 new renders. My only conclusion is that he is spending an ungodly amount of time making scenes for every single secondary character in the game, and building free roam events that could be an entire game in and of themselves. And for what? Does it honestly make the game that much better?

It feels like this has been a trend ever since Episode 5, with each update essentially being centered around a couple of massive free roam events, with bits of story sprinked in here and there. The game has lost its direction, and has expanded to and unreasonable level where there is an absurd amount of content for things that don't matter to the overall story, such as mini-games, free roam events and too many secondary characters. I cannot claim, with my conscience intact, that I consider the recent episodes to have been so much better thant the first season of Being a DIK, even though they take 50 % longer to develop.

And before I get a ton of backlash, I realize that DPC delivers quality that is absolutely terrific, and I can enjoy all the content just as much as the next person. However, the current trend suggests that this game will soon be release on a once-per-year basis. Given the we probably have 8-10 episodes remaining, we're looking at completion in 2030. That is not reasonable, and DPC clearly needs to get back on track so that updates are release more frequently.

We are not waiting six (or more) months for an "update"; we are waiting for an episode. These are two completely different things. In BaDIK's story arc, each episode is a deliberately crafted section, each with its own conflict, climax (or multiple ones, har har), and drama. Each ends on a cliffhanger or major story note. In short, longer development times for subsequent episodes are inevitable with this kind of player-choice-led storytelling. The only other choice is for the developer to diminish subsequent episodes, which eventually will cause interest in the game to erode or even collapse.

The episodic approach of the game makes each release mandatory playing for most people. Small updates inevitably do not include many players' chosen love interest or they dislike that there's no real advancement of the story; as a result, pirate players start checking for updates much less frequently and those players who put their money where their mouths are stop their financial support because they no longer like the dev's work.

While it's true that DPC wants to improve the episodes by showing off his increasingly longer animations and more photorealistic renders, he is also telling an increasingly complex and sophisticated story with more and more characters. Also, as episode 9 is going to be the first after our romance choice at the end of 8, expectations will be high: expectations of good story and hot scenes, yes, but also expectations that our MC will get to spend lots of quality time with our new girlfriend(s). That's lots of required content, including at least one super hot lewd scene with the new girlfriend(s). On top of that, DPC needs to move all the non-sex-related storylines and events forward, creating plots that are likely to become increasingly varied as our choices accumulate. No doubt this is why DPC ended BaDIK on a major choice; he must have felt he needed to reduce the complexity of the story. This forced simplification in order to manage deadlines even happens to major game studios. Just look at what happened to Cyberpunk 2077 or Mass Effect 3.

All that aside, it amuses me enormously to see people on a pirate site complaining about the dev "milking supporters," and I never the same complaints made on Patreon, where the only supporters who matter are. Patrons are genuine supporters, not customers. Patrons are not simply buying a product. Like the patrons of art and culture in antiquity, Patreon patrons support artists. That means that patrons trust their artists to create their work as they--the artists--see fit. As long as the trust remains, the artist is going to do just that. If you really want to send DPC the message that you're not happy with the wait time, join his Patreon for a month, then cancel the next month after leaving him a note, saying: "This cow is now a bull. You will milk me no more, sir." Maybe DPC will get the hint and ask:

 

[Oliver Wendell Homely]

I've been saying that DPC is milking the development time for a while now. Glad to see there's some momentum behind this idea. A full year between episode releases is absurd. The man could easily create as good of a game (possibly even better) with a small staff supporting his efforts AND releases would be more frequent. Don't buy this bullshit of some "solo vision" that he can only achieve alone. He's not Joyce writing Ulysses, he's making an indie adult game, and his competitors are rapidly catching up (and passing) his work.

Something else to consider - Opening episodes of seasons have rarely been blockbusters and have usually been used to set up the rest of the season. There's a good chance the payoff for waiting a full year isn't as big as people think (not yet, at least).

Don't even get me started on the lack of previews. He has 4000 images and he can't use any of them? Total nonsense.

But at least we get a Halloween episode in... November. That's cool.

ICSTOR? Is that you?

 

[Ilhares]

If you really want to send DPC the message that you're not happy with the wait time, join his Patreon for a month, then cancel the next month after leaving him a note, saying: "This cow is now a bull. You will milk me no more, sir."

While I don't believe I have ever accused DPC of milking (because I have seen some devs that seriously do), I will say this. The excuses/reasoning used on some delays, combined with him initially saying ep 9 was his intention to start with shorter/smaller episodes again, and looking at what's come out of him in the last several updates make me think..

"Sure, maybe he's not milking it yet, but he's sure getting a good feel-up of that teat."

 

[anonnyscouse]

and his competitors are rapidly catching up (and passing) his work.

Where? The only dev who I've seen who has even come close to passing DPC in render quality is Ocean and his games are also on a very slow update schedule (although he appears to be speeding up). Both of his games though are at a very early stage so the stories do not compare to BaD yet, although I have high hopes for Summer's Gone.

No dev is even close to reach DPC's level of quality in both graphics and story.

 

[allanl9020142]

Where? The only dev who I've seen who has even come close to passing DPC in render quality is Ocean and his games are also on a very slow update schedule (although he appears to be speeding up). Both of his games though are at a very early stage so the stories do not compare to BaD yet, although I have high hopes for Summer's Gone.

No dev is even close to reach DPC's level of quality in both graphics and story.

I think I like Ocean's renders more. I mean I really like the aesthetics. In fact, it's the only reason I keep playing it. The writing is kind of cringe and forget about suspending disbelief, I'm throwing disbelief out the window.