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

[hakuna-matata]

I'll explain what I mean.
A good storyteller and a good writer are not always the same thing. A script is roughly speaking a story on the basis of which a game is created. And gameplay is the way the narrative is told.

If we take the script out of the game and read it, we will immediately realize how boring and poorly written it is. But we don't notice it because DPC is skillfully controlling the attention and manipulating the players. The game has good music, freeroams which are corridor mini-levels with elements of sandbpx, good dialog, interesting characters, mini-games, there are elements of trade, player base where he rests between levels, elements of social interaction, high variability, replayability, etc. All of this allows us to overlook the obvious plot bloopers. If there weren't such long pauses between games, no one would pay so much attention to obvious plot errors like Maya's loan or Jill's picnic.

Narrative design, level design, world design, content design, etc. is done at a good level that keeps the player's attention for the maximum amount of time. But the scripting is pretty poorly written.

To illustrate, I'll give examples of games that have both a good story and a good narrative and games that have a good story but a bad narrative.

An example of a perfect balance is City of Broken Dreamers. An example of a good plot but poor storytelling is The Order of Genesis. It has an intricate and interesting plot, but boring characters and boring dialog.

You're right to point out that he can't link A to C. A problem I also mentioned a long time ago. DPC works according to a flowchart and working on this principle it is much easier to make a mistake than to work according to a ready written script. DPC is really a master of mise-en-scene (if you can apply this term to the game). He has an excellent written and staged scene of the meeting with Zoey, which allows you to feel a wide range of emotions. But in the same episode there is a weird storyline with Sage where MC feels guilty whether he fucked Jade or not.

The upshot is pretty simple. DPK needs to abandon the flowchart and come to a traditional way of writing

DPC may not want to hire people, but he should definitely hire a writer. Writing is his weakest point. He can write a very funny and amusing atmosphere, but not much else.

I am expecting DPC to have a stupid grin on his face when MC is revealed as Burgmeister "Yeah, I am fucking genius!'

 

[ProxyGist]

DPC may not want to hire people, but he should definitely hire a writer. Writing is his weakest point. He can write a very funny and amusing atmosphere, but not much else.

All he has to do is give up his flowchart. He has no idea what he is writing about when he looks at the flowchart. He doesn't have a coherent picture of the world. He could write a 50-100 page script and then give it to a literary editor.
That's why Interlude is his best piece. Every phrase is thought out in it, every action of the hero and Zoey's actions don't seem silly, but are a consequence of character development. I believe that he wrote Interlude in the traditional form of a story and that's why it's done so well and competently.
But I'm afraid that in the future, Zoey will also fall victim to his flowchart.

 

[bloodyasura]

So. My post with pictures was deleted. Reason: fanart.
And I don't quite understand how it works???
What I posted before was not fanart???
Or is it because I attached girls' heads to famous characters???
Or because I did pretty well this time???

Reposted, pictures in the fanart thread.
In case anyone is interested in Jibuki&Jotsumaki.

 

[wojtowicz]

Bruh i wanna go into a coma for 5 years and then check out all the new updates

 

[hakuna-matata]

Bruh i wanna go into a coma for 5 years and then check out all the new updates

The game still won't be finished by the time you come out of your coma.

 

[anonnyscouse]

Bruh i wanna go into a coma for 5 years and then check out all the new updates

You only want to play the next three episodes?

 

[Ray_D]

Bruh i wanna go into a coma for 5 years and then check out all the new updates

i can fix that for you, let me call some Italian guys I know to take care of that problem..

 

[hakuna-matata]

All he has to do is give up his flowchart. He has no idea what he is writing about when he looks at the flowchart. He doesn't have a coherent picture of the world. He could write a 50-100 page script and then give it to a literary editor.
That's why Interlude is his best piece. Every phrase is thought out in it, every action of the hero and Zoey's actions don't seem silly, but are a consequence of character development. I believe that he wrote Interlude in the traditional form of a story and that's why it's done so well and competently.
But I'm afraid that in the future, Zoey will also fall victim to his flowchart.

At the end of the day, he needs help in the writing dept.

 

[katzenstreu]

after reading the last few pages i play others->zoey first.
take this haters.
or maybe lily first like i planed?
but i want to see maya burst into tears after run away with josy.
mmhhhh, rio oh rio.
fuck, what to do first?

 

[felicemastronzo]

At the end of the day, he needs help in the writing dept.

not even by his cold hands....

is too important a role, rightly at that point it would no longer be "his" game , and this is imagining that they go along with love and agree on every decision.

 

[Geralt From Rivia]

So Zoey will be just another Derek, only with boobs. She'll be the go-to guy for advice on romantic mishaps.

But everything is perfect here. This is why Derek is doomed to lose to Zoey.

 

[Dark Silence]

For real, dude. But it's more about these sudden curveballs he throws at you this late in the game. Shit like that might mean you'd have to replay several episodes depending on what you chose. (But that's probably his plan.)

He's known for throwing curveballs. So, for me, it's expected.

 

[PereFourreAss]

At the end of the day, he needs help in the writing dept.

He's very good in his writing when it comes to comedic timing and the characters interactions, but as soon as it goes into complex plots he should definitely get some help

 

[ShinoSilviu]

can anyone explain to me ho to install season 3? i have the game on gog, and i tries to install the season 3 interlude and episode 9, when i open the game i am getin a lot of errors

 

[Darkwen]

I fucking love Zoey
Maybe she wants to join the throuple?

There is one rule all guys know through out all of time: no good can come from your girlfriend and ex meeting

 

[sp4ckj4rr0w_420]

There is one rule all guys know through out all of time: no good can come from your girlfriend and ex meeting

Double true if said ex is a yandere xD

 

[allanl9020142]

I'll explain what I mean.
A good storyteller and a good writer are not always the same thing. A script is roughly speaking a story on the basis of which a game is created. And gameplay is the way the narrative is told.

If we take the script out of the game and read it, we will immediately realize how boring and poorly written it is. But we don't notice it because DPC is skillfully controlling the attention and manipulating the players. The game has good music, freeroams which are corridor mini-levels with elements of sandbox, good dialog, interesting characters, mini-games, there are elements of trade, player base where he rests between levels, elements of social interaction, high variability, replayability, etc. All of this allows us to overlook the obvious plot bloopers. If there weren't such long pauses between games, no one would pay so much attention to obvious plot errors like Maya's loan or Jill's picnic.

Narrative design, level design, world design, content design, etc. is done at a good level that keeps the player's attention for the maximum amount of time. But the scripting is pretty poorly written.

To illustrate, I'll give examples of games that have both a good story and a good narrative and games that have a good story but a bad narrative.

An example of a perfect balance is City of Broken Dreamers. An example of a good plot but poor storytelling is The Order of Genesis. It has an intricate and interesting plot, but boring characters and boring dialog.

You're right to point out that he can't link A to C. A problem I also mentioned a long time ago. DPC works according to a flowchart and working on this principle it is much easier to make a mistake than to work according to a ready written script. DPC is really a master of mise-en-scene (if you can apply this term to the game). He has an excellent written and staged scene of the meeting with Zoey, which allows you to feel a wide range of emotions. But in the same episode there is a weird storyline with Sage where MC feels guilty whether he fucked Jade or not.

The upshot is pretty simple. DPC needs to abandon the flowchart and come to a traditional way of writing. It will save him time and the plot will be more meaningful.

Ah okay. I see what you mean now. It's interesting you brought that up because as I'm looking through the code/scripts right now, I'm noticing things I didn't notice before about the actual writing. On a technical level, the grammar is sometimes questionable and on a quality level, it doesn't feel like this is a game that made this guy rich.

And YES. 100% agree. He really is the best at using what you can do in a VN to its fullest advantage. There are others that may do it better but the problem is that I usually find major caveats with them whereas BADIK at least seems to the best overall. Some may outshine it in specific categories like writing, render quality, animations, better world building, etc but BADIK always tends to be the best all-rounder.

I think that term is more than applicable here. Scene direction is yet another thing that devs should have in their skill set. In a sense, it really does feel like someone trying to stage a scene or direct a flim. In fact, most of the VNs I like have that kind of touch to the scenes where it feels like they were more carefully crafted.

It's like I've said before, BADIK is kind of like a fireworks show. It comes out with a big "BAM", is bright, and spectacular. But it only works if the next one shoots up in a timely manner. In an actual show, a matter of seconds. In this case, less than a year but even 6 to 8 months gets people flared up over the glaring inconsistencies in the writing. I never realized that was how he was doing things. I thought he was just trying to keep things somewhat vague.

This was actually a pretty interesting conversation. It seems like if he's going to stay with these long dev cycles, it's the writing method that needs to be changed rather than just simply tacking on more effects that results in a diminishing marginal return with the more he adds on (60 fps animations and in-phone music features in this case). I just hope he never hires a writer. Just look at what happened to one of the other college-themed VNs with multiple writers all being equally bad.

 

[allanl9020142]

He's known for throwing curveballs. So, for me, it's expected.

Too true.

 

[Ray_D]

He's known for throwing curveballs. So, for me, it's expected.

oh yeah DPC definitely knows how to throw curveballs

 

[allanl9020142]

All I know is
I don't care about the DIKS problems or some hidden camera bullshit
I'm here to simp for beautiful & innocent women like Maya & Josy

I do care about the restaurant stuff though
I need to stop these evil toxic men from taking advantage of innocent girls
Those guys will pay dearly for that

Oh yeah?

Well I DON'T try to tell Maya about Quinn's restaurant. Except when I'm on the throuple path. Then I do tell her ... but also while I'm using it!


(Nah sike, I wouldn't do that to Josy)