VN Ren'Py Being a DIK [v0.11.1] [DrPinkCake]

[Cabin Fever]

Yeah the interlude was definitely not worth waiting almost a year for the main update.

Not that the Interlude was bad - it was fine, the opportunity cost is just too big. I would much rather he just spent time developing episode 9 instead.

What people thinking the way you do failed to realize is that even if there were no interlude, the vast majority if not all of the interlude content would still need to be produced when Zoey explains why she's back. And if it's integrated into episode 9, that would make one hell of a detour in the middle of an episode. And that would make the story-telling part of the upcoming episode much worse.

The episode took 3.5 months to make. I suspect if it were pared down to fit into episode 9 without losing any important story parts, the time saving would probably be only about a month.

 

[Pendrell]

What people thinking the way you do failed to realize is that even if there were no interlude, the vast majority if not all of the interlude content would still need to be produced when Zoey explains why she's back. And if it's integrated into episode 9, that would make one hell of a detour in the middle of an episode. And that would make the story-telling part of the upcoming episode much worse.

The episode took 3.5 months to make. I suspect if it were pared down to fit into episode 9 without losing any important story parts, the time saving would probably be only about a month.

I disagree. He took a creative decision to bring back Zoey, but there were a number of ways to do it and they didn't all have to take three and a half months' development time. Or two and a half months. Or even one month. The key elements of Zoey's story are that she had a dream, it didn't work out, and she has unresolved feelings for the MC. That's a prologue, not a mini episode.

He decided it was worth the investment to do it the way he did it, which is fine, it's his story and his business. I think on balance I would have to disagree though. I like Interlude, I really do. But can anyone, hand on heart, say it was worth the time spent to produce it, and the consequential impact on ep 9?

These kinds of dilemmas are what would be debated if he worked with a team, or even a single editor who could throw out an alternative view about the creative and practical pros and cons of certain decisions. But the blessing and the curse of his setup is that he really doesn't seem to have anyone fulfilling that role, and for better and worse we have to live with it.

 

[NebulousShooter]

The one episode per year must have played some part into the Interlude decisions, at least in my eyes. DPC foresaw that some 5heads will cry about only one episode and decided to add a mini episode to give the illusion of more content.

What surprises me is that he might not have anticipated that the VN consumers are some of the most demanding fanbases on the internet and any deviation from their deviation is simply unacceptable

 

[felicemastronzo]

What people thinking the way you do failed to realize is that even if there were no interlude, the vast majority if not all of the interlude content would still need to be produced when Zoey explains why she's back. And if it's integrated into episode 9, that would make one hell of a detour in the middle of an episode. And that would make the story-telling part of the upcoming episode much worse.

The episode took 3.5 months to make. I suspect if it were pared down to fit into episode 9 without losing any important story parts, the time saving would probably be only about a month.

I don't think so.

In terms of story content, the interlude has very little more than an ordinary flashback

the two sex scenes are "unnecessary," one is a remake of something already seen, the second is purely filler

and the rest was there in a normal flashback, in the end the only message is the hometown blindness, the rest are additions on the whole more negative than positive (the grandmother's money badly wasted, the eventual quarrel with Emma etc)

DPC needed to take time, and decided to create a mini-chapter to beguile our wait for the next chapter

 

[Sheet420]

What people thinking the way you do failed to realize is that even if there were no interlude, the vast majority if not all of the interlude content would still need to be produced when Zoey explains why she's back. And if it's integrated into episode 9, that would make one hell of a detour in the middle of an episode. And that would make the story-telling part of the upcoming episode much worse.

The episode took 3.5 months to make. I suspect if it were pared down to fit into episode 9 without losing any important story parts, the time saving would probably be only about a month.

No way. There are about a million ways you could do that without making a full episode.

I agree with the assessment of others that DPC probably got burnt out.

 

[Kellermann]

Spoiler: You totally asked for it

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Some of those do sound like something I might say!
Aside from the dark turn at the end


P.S.
I've never actually gotten the fabled Sage leaf scene. I've heard people mention here and I assume it happens in ep. 8, but I rage quit Sage playthrough after episode 7 so I'll never know.

The one episode per year must have played some part into the Interlude decisions, at least in my eyes. DPC foresaw that some 5heads will cry about only one episode and decided to add a mini episode to give the illusion of more content.

I just tell meself that DPC needed a break around Xmas holiday to rest, recover from covid, and take care of whatever family things he said were going on. Interlude is side project to take it easy, clear his mind before returning to the real game. That is how I justify it in my head anyway. Otherwise, I'd still be miffed about waiting a year to return to B&R. I have more important things to be outraged about, like Sally silicone butt implants and which spinner is next on DPC's list to ruin with body slider madness...Sarah or Elena (First it is gingercide, then it is spinnercide). Or how Madame gets lion's share of lewds and Brandi gets none.

 

[LizaS]

The episode took 3.5 months to make

Wait, I thought DPC took a vacation and then setup the GOG and Steam thingies?
I'm pretty sure he didn't make the interlude at a span of 3 months. Or am I trippin'?

 

[PashafromRussia]

Wait, I thought DPC took a vacation and then setup the GOG and Steam thingies?
I'm pretty sure he didn't make the interlude at a span of 3 months. Or am I trippin'?

He only had a few days off at Christmas and New Year. That's why he needs people who would polish the game for him and prepare for release in digital stores. I think he spent a lot of time creating achievements for steam and gog + he complicated mini-games + for sure he took additional courses in 3D design for several weeks. Polishing is a boring job, there is no creativity in it, I don't understand why he can't entrust it to his beta testers with whom he has been working for a long time. His stubbornness has no adequate explanation other than some infernal fear.

 

[Cabin Fever]

I disagree. He took a creative decision to bring back Zoey, but there were a number of ways to do it and they didn't all have to take three and a half months' development time. Or two and a half months. Or even one month. The key elements of Zoey's story are that she had a dream, it didn't work out, and she has unresolved feelings for the MC. That's a prologue, not a mini episode.

He decided it was worth the investment to do it the way he did it, which is fine, it's his story and his business. I think on balance I would have to disagree though. I like Interlude, I really do. But can anyone, hand on heart, say it was worth the time spent to produce it, and the consequential impact on ep 9?

These kinds of dilemmas are what would be debated if he worked with a team, or even a single editor who could throw out an alternative view about the creative and practical pros and cons of certain decisions. But the blessing and the curse of his setup is that he really doesn't seem to have anyone fulfilling that role, and for better and worse we have to live with it.

You are missing the fallout of the failed dream. The California crew will appear in Episode 9. So DPC will need to explain that part of the story as well.

And the whole idea of working with a team - the point is this is DPC's story. He wants to tell it the way he wants to tell it. This is a creative decision and a team to debate it is a waste of time.

 

[7inn]

You are missing the fallout of the failed dream. The California crew will appear in Episode 9. So DPC will need to explain that part of the story as well.

Do we know that for sure? I'm not saying you're lying, I just don't know

 

[Cabin Fever]

Do we know that for sure? I'm not saying you're lying, I just don't know

What's the point of having variables set for the Cali crew that will transfer to Ep9 if they are not going to be involved with the story going forward?

 

[7inn]

What's the point of having variables set for the Cali crew that will transfer to Ep9 if they are not going to be involved with the story going forward?

Dunno, thats why i asked. So far I see no reason to include them in the story other than for a one-time event or something.

 

[PashafromRussia]

You're again making untrue claims about beta-testing seasonal releases for Steam...
You have mentioned it once already some days ago, and I have decided to let it go, but here you are again saying that DPC himself beta tests and 'polishes' the game even though he doesn't and that's a fact -> proofreading and beta-testing of the episodes and Steam releases by his team of beta-testers and his proofreader. I thought that you, as a person who's been on DPC's discord for quite some time, would actually be aware of that, but again, you decide to spin the truth for some reason

Beta testers do not polish the game, they perform the role of QA, that is, they report errors and bugs that appeared during the passage of the game, and Pink himself fixes errors. And these beta testers are not engaged in setting up the game for digital stores, they are not engaged in changing the game code and the necessary settings for the implementation of digital store achievements. You exaggerate the role of beta testers. Anyone from this forum thread can become a beta tester.

 

[felicemastronzo]

What's the point of having variables set for the Cali crew that will transfer to Ep9 if they are not going to be involved with the story going forward?

a variable is also used to vary a simple line of dialogue, a message, a comment to a photo...

we could review them, but reviewing them "live" at BR already seems more complicated to me.

 

[Pendrell]

You are missing the fallout of the failed dream. The California crew will appear in Episode 9. So DPC will need to explain that part of the story as well.

And the whole idea of working with a team - the point is this is DPC's story. He wants to tell it the way he wants to tell it. This is a creative decision and a team to debate it is a waste of time.

Yeah but you're starting from the assumption that Brett and friends were always meant to be an essential part of the story and so would have to be involved in one way or another. I doubt that's the case. He could've chosen to pare down the extra details and trim some fat, so that we just had what we needed for Zoey's return to make sense. The point of having even just a single other person to bounce ideas off isn't to stop him telling the story he wants to tell, it would just give him the chance to hear another side, and weigh the pros and cons of big time-intensive decisions. I accept that's not going to happen, just saying it didn't have to be this way.

 

[PashafromRussia]

If Zoey hadn't had a pouty ass, small tits and blue hair like a dumb lesbian from Life is Strange, maybe I could have forgiven 3 months of development for one hour of a tearful story of a stupid cunt who went to San Diego just to spend all the money and come back as a loser and a stupid cunt.

 

[plznoiamnotaweirdo]

Damn I thought I had to be a chick in order to get Bella, turns out Massive DIK can still have her lol. Sadly Jill is not the same story. Wonder how that would affect the story tbh, Bella having that wild inner child could fit the DIK MC pretty well i feel. Like MC brings out the younger, wilder Bella where as Bella mature the MC up

 

[PashafromRussia]

Damn I thought I had to be a chick in order to get Bella, turns out Massive DIK can still have her lol. Sadly Jill is not the same story. Wonder how that would affect the story tbh, Bella having that wild inner child could fit the DIK MC pretty well i feel. Like MC brings out the younger, wilder Bella where as Bella mature the MC up

Yes, Dik MC will be able to have anal sex with Jill, while Chick MC will ask permission to make love on Sundays after watching romantic movies about goblins' love for puppies.

 

[plznoiamnotaweirdo]

Yes, Dik MC will be able to have anal sex with Jill, while Chick MC will ask permission to make love on Sundays after watching romantic movies about goblins' love for puppies.

Pretty much lmao

 

[TrainHardnett]

Yes, Dik MC will be able to have anal sex with Jill, while Chick MC will ask permission to make love on Sundays after watching romantic movies about goblins' love for puppies.