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

[Deleted member 4212304]

We have two examples in this game; Derek/Maya and Josy/Tommy. With the former they loved each other a lot. We have seen them embarrassing the other, but we have never seen them fight. Derek is the personification of immaturity except when it comes to Maya, where he magically becomes wise.

Meanwhile with the latter they couldn’t stand each other although I get the impression that Tommy’s dislike for Josy was far stronger than her dislike for him.

We don’t know much about the dynamics between Tybalt and Sage apart from that one cluck, which convinced me that Sage was a Burke instead of some other influential family. I was surprised by Sage being adopted as the cluck exchange showed that the two treat each other as equals. Given Tybalt’s personality I expected him to look down on Sage since she’s not a “pure-blood”.

Derek is a trope of a outlandish dude who's actually a genius that pops up in media from time to time. Guys like him who can go from being an outlandish weirdo to a person with a deep emotional depth at the drop of a hat don't really exist. He has moments of clarity beyond just Maya too.

Tommy doesn't really dislike Josy. They have a strained relationship because both of them would prefer if their respective parent was still married to their other parent. They are still siblings in an uncomfortable way as I get the impression that they have been step siblings for most of their lives at this point so they do care about one another in some way even if they don't want to admit it. Just her being in college with him means he can't party as hard as he wants to. Tommy isn't actually tough or whatever. He's kinda a little bitch.

Sage being adopted is whatever. It doesn't add anything to the story and probably makes her more relatable in DPC's mind as she wasn't "born" into wealth, just adopted into it at a very early age so it wouldn't make a difference. It wouldn't really make a difference if she was adopted or not. Burke had red hair I think.

 

[SomboSteel]

I agree the isolation of some scenes is striking. I don't think this is true and it's all just speculation and speculation, but what if DPC still hired a couple of people to help with the development?

1) Some of the scenes (for example Sandy) are quite poorly written and drawn
2) The release of a small update about Zoya will allow part of the team to send to do a meaningless spin-off to the development and check their work (I would do so).
3) General isolation. As if they were made at different times and by different people.
Another explanation for the isolation is that DPC had to throw out some of the content and leave it for the third season. As we know from the status updates, some of the animations and renders have been removed (is it really Zoey?).

on the flip side, it’s possible that this episode is disjointed and kinda sloppy because DPC doesn’t hire additional help and the project is getting too big for him.

Like look how more ambitious this game is than Acting Lessons. I feel like for someone with his skills, a game of that size is very doable for DPC by himself

 

[ename144]

Although I don't agree with all these points I do agree with one major point which is that this update feels like it should have been split in two and that the current one feels rushed. Some dialogue lines or scenes don't even make sense (at least based on the choices I made) and like you pointed out the scene switching at times was very confusing. There are also some missed opportunities story wise that have been pointed out by others users in the comment. Apparently according to a post I read in this topic the Dev said writing wasn't his strongest point. Personally I think the writing is one my the top 5 of adult games that I played but this update just felt rushed. I personally would have love for him to take more time and delayed this release a month or two just so we could have a better ending to this season. Just my two-cents though.

I think Arigon overstates things a little. DPC was specifically saying he's not good at writing 3rd person narration for sex scenes; that's why BaDIK only use dialogue (or character thoughts) and visuals. DPC definitely has weak spots as an author, but I'm not sure how many of them he'd agree with me on.

I agree that splitting this episode in half and fleshing out the connection between scenes would help alleviate a number of problems. But I think the biggest problems are structural in nature, and would remain even if DPC spent another year polishing them.

If we HAVE to commit to a relationship for Season 3 (or commit to playing the field), those relationships need to face new challenges in Season 3. It can't just be "MC ruminating on whether [given LI] is right for him all over again." It definitely can't be "MC ruminating on whether [given LI] is right for him all over again but now with no side chicks."

Season 3 needs to be about the MC and his chosen girl(s) learning to face problems as a team, and I don't see how the return of Zoey can fit into that.

 

[DrunkLuka]

on the flip side, it’s possible that this episode is disjointed and kinda sloppy because DPC doesn’t hire additional help and the project is getting too big for him.

Like look how more ambitious this game is than Acting Lessons. I feel like for someone with his skills, a game of that size is very doable for DPC by himself

I'm starting to think the semi-open world and all the other added stuff are seriously wasting his energy while not having much positive impact on the game.

Having more game mechanics does not make it automatically better even in any games, let alone a visual novel. I applaud DPC's commitment to taking risks but this experiment, unfortunately, did not work as well as it could have been. Maybe having a separate writing team will help, but I personally think some of the problems originated from the core idea of the system rather than the storytelling.

 

[Deleted member 4212304]

I mean my sister is four years older than me and we don’t really talk besides birthdays and holidays. There is no ill will or hatred, we just don’t have much in common and she lives her life and i live mine. But if somebody assaulted her I wouldn’t just twiddle my thumbs cause we arent super close…

it just does seem weird since that was a more than opportune time for DPC to drop the “sibling bomb” on our MC

It fits in with DPC's belief that more dramatic cliffhangers and conflict are better too. He could have immediately dropped the bomb when you decked Tybalt and had a screaming match with Sage on on the lawn, or Jade could have asked him where his sister was only for him to act like he's too hoighty toighty to know and the the MC would think "Jade" has a daughter and not know anything about it because he's the most uninquisitive person in the world only for Sage to casually mention it while they're talking upstairs because she assumed the MC would be a normal person and know basic things like this.

 

[PashafromRussia]

I think Arigon overstates things a little. DPC was specifically saying he's not good at writing 3rd person narration for sex scenes; that's why BaDIK only use dialogue (or character thoughts) and visuals. DPC definitely has weak spots as an author, but I'm not sure how many of them he'd agree with me on.

I agree that splitting this episode in half and fleshing out the connection between scenes would help alleviate a number of problems. But I think the biggest problems are structural in nature, and would remain even if DPC spent another year polishing them.

If we HAVE to commit to a relationship for Season 3 (or commit to playing the field), those relationships need to face new challenges in Season 3. It can't just be "MC ruminating on whether [given LI] is right for him all over again." It definitely can't be "MC ruminating on whether [given LI] is right for him all over again but now with no side chicks." Season 3 needs to be about the MC and his chosen girl(s) learning to face problems as a team, and I don't see how the return of Zoey can fit into that.

You're exaggerating the problem. Throughout the season, Tremolo has been asking himself who he should stay with. Yes, it was really implemented in the end quite crumpled.
But how was it supposed to be done? You ,guys, have too high expectations for the game and the engine having serious technical limitations. The funniest claim for me is that the сhoice system doesn't always work. Certainly. Not in all AAA-class games does the choice system play a role at all (we will recall the Mass Effect), and in such a technically backward engine as renpy, it was apparently not possible to implement all the variables and make a different path for each solution. It's a lot of work. The work already took 7 months, if hundreds more variables had their own variables, everything would have been confused in a heap.

 

[Deleted member 4212304]

I'm starting to think the semi-open world and all the other added stuff are seriously wasting his energy while not having much positive impact on the game.

Having more game mechanics does not make it automatically better even in any games, let alone a visual novel. I applaud DPC's commitment to taking risks but this experiment, unfortunately, did not work as well as it could have been. Maybe having a separate writing team will help, but I personally think some of the problems originated from the core idea of the system rather than the storytelling.

His problems come with trying to constantly one up himself massively each update in terms of size instead of just producing steady quality. I think at this point it's obvious he's lost control of it. The free roams are hit and miss. One big one an episode seems to be ideal, usually for the big party that happens. The minigames are all dumb wastes of time though.

 

[barbod67]

Disregarding peoples hot takes, the 0.8.1 bugfix was published. Anyone gonna upload that?

 

[NotTheReal16]

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE ME A SAVE FILE WHERE I CAN CHOOSE JILL? MY game only gives me sage.

 

[Sagaburrell]

kick off the game at when they talk to get windows

 

[animeboi314]

I just finished episode 8 and this is just me complaining, BUT MAN I REALLY WISH THERE WAS A HAREM ROUTE! I know it's probably impossible since it seems DPC doesn't do that, but still, a man can wish. And though I used the mod to choose all, that doesn't get rid of the parts where the people you reject see you (for me I got Bella's route last so Jill saw them which really hurt me on the inside).

 

[NotTheReal16]

How do i get JIll as the girl i choose? what actions do i gotta take leading up to being with her?

 

[mightybored]

kick off the game at when they talk to get windows

Your game is modded, so it closes. OP has the fix.

 

[NotTheReal16]

Question about the big choice near the end

Is it possible to have "Others" as an option for LI path question if you're on CHIK or Neutral path?

Yes cause I have others

 

[superdde39]

Asking for some advice when re-running the paths fellas. What is the best affinity (DIK, CHIK, neutral) for each main LI's (Josy and Maya, Jill, Sage and Bella)) path?

 

[Gnarlywonder]

Anyone else slightly worried when seeing this render?
It's almost the same as in Acting Lessons... View attachment 1512682

Suprisemfker! it is alll over againnnnn . Just kidding

 

[FDrebin89]

After John Boy and Elena's drunken antics at the dorm party, I really hope we have a threesome with them in Episode 9.

Preferably a F/M/M threesome with MC as the "meat" in the sandwich.

That would be a great scene, Elena and John Boy get MC so hammered that he ends up doing freaky shit without batting an eye: MC starts fucking Elena missionary style, and he's so drunk that he makes no effort to stop John Boy as he spreads MC's ass cheeks and starts pounding him in the ass.

 

[Alma_Elma]

You're exaggerating the problem. Throughout the season, Tremolo has been asking himself who he should stay with. Yes, it was really implemented in the end quite crumpled.
But how was it supposed to be done? You ,guys, have too high expectations for the game and the engine having serious technical limitations. The funniest claim for me is that the сhoice system doesn't always work. Certainly. Not in all AAA-class games does the choice system play a role at all (we will recall the Mass Effect), and in such a technically backward engine as renpy, it was apparently not possible to implement all the variables and make a different path for each solution. It's a lot of work. The work already took 7 months, if hundreds more variables had their own variables, everything would have been confused in a heap.

I want to say that it is possible, renpy itself being pretty robust, and you can add pretty much anything since it's pretty easy to code python right into renpy functions.
But it does come down to the sheer amount of little things you would need to think of, and then code and write, and in the long run, those details wouldn't matter as much as some people want them to feel like

 

[FAP369ZONE]

NotTheReal16 No you don't need chick affinity for Jill, i romance only her with neutral affinity but my MC only had sex with Jade and had nothing serious with other girls... well maybe a lap dance or two

 

[DrunkLuka]

His problems come with trying to constantly one up himself massively each update in terms of size instead of just producing steady quality. I think at this point it's obvious he's lost control of it. The free roams are hit and miss. One big one an episode seems to be ideal, usually for the big party that happens. The minigames are all dumb wastes of time though.

Having a semi-open world AND branching while trying to tell a good story is damn difficult and surely impossible for a one-man team. Acting Lesson was the perfect size for him.