VN Ren'Py Bound by Night [v0.14b] [BoundByNight]

[Gaesesagai]

I'll probably add this once the game is finished. At present, the math is a little bit arbitrary so I think providing the scores to folks right now would give people a false sense of confidence. Instead, I try to offer the relevant guides for decision making in the Walkthrough.


Great questions. On Paolo (an upcoming patron-sponsored character) we went back and forth a lot on some body hair and ultimate settled on just pubes and a happy trail. Ultimately, the only models for whom this body hair asset is compatible are: Nick, Seth, then Mathieu and Riley (characters yet to be introduced). Unfortunately, the body hair asset I'm using isn't compatible with Alex, Ronan, Kai or Mayhew.

So, I might use it for Nick, but for Seth/Mathieu/Riley it will be up to their sponsors.

As for making it toggle-able... that's not currently planned. This isn't too hard in hand-drawn VNs because they generally use sprites and, once a sprite is made, it can be used in countless images. But for BBN, every image is rendered from scratch, so for every shirtless scene, I'd have to run it twice... and that's if only one model in the scene can be toggled. If two models can be toggled, that's four versions of the scene, and then if you're talking a three-way or group... I can't do the math. It would just be too many combinations and iterations of a scene for me to have to render. So, unfortunately, I just don't see a toggle-situation happening.

Oh I see. Thanks for the in detail explanation. I had a vague awareness in the back of my mind of how a 3d cg game would be vastly different than a 2d one, but having absolutely zero expertise with this I didn't actually realise how complicated it can get . It's fun to find out "behind the scenes" details like this.

Also I wanted to mention it in my previous message (or quote and make a new message even) but forgot: I read about your plans for the full game with endings and choices and stuff (you replied to someone a few messages above) and wanted to comment that it sounds great.
I'm all about rpgs and stories, and since this game's story got me so bad all the things you outlined there (different endings, choices influencing this and that, mc's dom/sub score, etc) sounds amazing. Really looking forward to it .

 

[BoundByNight]

Oh I see. Thanks for the in detail explanation. I had a vague awareness in the back of my mind of how a 3d cg game would be vastly different than a 2d one, but having absolutely zero expertise with this I didn't actually realise how complicated it can get . It's fun to find out "behind the scenes" details like this.

Also I wanted to mention it in my previous message (or quote and make a new message even) but forgot: I read about your plans for the full game with endings and choices and stuff (you replied to someone a few messages above) and wanted to comment that it sounds great.
I'm all about rpgs and stories, and since this game's story got me so bad all the things you outlined there (different endings, choices influencing this and that, mc's dom/sub score, etc) sounds amazing. Really looking forward to it .

Thanks! I'm trying to avoid being overly ambitious and promising lots of things that won't come to pass (too much branching of a storyline can cripple development), but I think the general framework is doable although some of the consequences of players' won't be clear until I start working on the endings.

For example, let's say you decide to have Alex pursue a particular ending but you haven't built up relationships with other characters who are philosophically aligned with that goal? (And I don't mean you have to have had sex with them; that decision never influences a relationship score.) Well, if you don't have enough friends, it may not work as other people who are more powerful (Mayhew?) stop you.

 

[BoundByNight]

Just FYI, the first part of Chapter 11 (Build 0.6) will be going public this Friday. I'll update here when it's available.

 

[BoundByNight]

And the public update has dropped! Check out the OP for links.

 

[SpoiledPrince]

Gay + horror =everything a guy could ask for
Let's try it!

 

[nackedsnake]

A bit confused about "patron-sponsored characters", are they:

1. Patron version exclusive characters, or
2. Patron voted / help created characters, but available in public versions (there's no Patron specific versions, just patron early access?)

 

[BoundByNight]

A bit confused about "patron-sponsored characters", are they:

1. Patron version exclusive characters, or
2. Patron voted / help created characters, but available in public versions (there's no Patron specific versions, just patron early access?)

Great question. They are not exclusive to Patrons. I'm not doing that to folks. When a version comes out of early access, you get the full version.

Rather, they are characters that five patrons have helped develop. The first of which is Connor, who is introduced in Chapter 4 and starts having more screen time later. (I think there are some preview shots of him in the OP; he's the uniformed cop.) He's proving to be a real fan favorite. Another who has been introduced is Seth but he just got onto the screen really in this latest update. There are three more upcoming characters; all with their own backstories and roles in the plot. We'll see Riley in the next update (sweet tech twink), Mathieu (the story's second on-screen vampire/elder), and Paolo (I'm keeping details on him under wraps).

To further clarify, none of them have changed the direction of the plot. The overall arc is already determined (by me) and that's not really going to be changing. These are just additional characters to add some depth to the story and universe along with what I thought would be a fun way to get some fan engagement.

 

[Nayko93]

Hey, I've made a little something if like me you think the text is a little too small and the textbox a little too high

Before/After


- DL this .zip open it and go to "Bound by Night folder -> game"
- Drag and drop Unren in the game folder, execute it, press 1 and quit when it's done
- Then drag and drop the 3 others files in the game folder

Sorry if I can't make something as simple as a patch to just put in the game folder
I've made the text and names bigger, allow the text to use a larger space, lowered the names, text and textbox and deleted the quick menu ( lets be honest this thing is useless on all games )

 

[BoundByNight]

Hey, I've made a little something if like me you think the text is a little too small and the textbox a little too high

Before/After
View attachment 1464352 View attachment 1464359

- DL this .zip open it and go to "Bound by Night folder -> game"
- Drag and drop Unren in the game folder, execute it, press 1 and quit when it's done
- Then drag and drop the 3 others files in the game folder

Sorry if I can't make something as simple as a patch to just put in the game folder
I've made the text and names bigger, allow the text to use a larger space, lowered the names, text and textbox and deleted the quick menu ( lets be honest this thing is useless on all games )

Thanks for sharing this. I'll take a look and see if I can incorporate it for everyone. I have to juggle a few things now with Android builds.

 

[perles75]

interesting that Connor was a Patreon character, he feels very integral to the plot (it might be vampire/werewolf thing)

 

[BoundByNight]

interesting that Connor was a Patreon character, he feels very integral to the plot (it might be vampire/werewolf thing)

I'm actually very glad to hear that! My goal is to have all of them in some way feel integral to the plot, but more in a way that they enhance the telling of the story than that they change it.

 

[Knam]

Nick and Alex's first time was so sweet. I loved that if Alex tells him he isn't confortable being insulted/doing that kind of roleplay he stops immediatedly.

I like seeing from both Nick and Alex's point of view, it was especially fun to see their first meeting through both of them.

 

[BoundByNight]

Nick and Alex's first time was so sweet. I loved that if Alex tells him he isn't confortable being insulted/doing that kind of roleplay he stops immediatedly.

I like seeing from both Nick and Alex's point of view, it was especially fun to see their first meeting through both of them.

Thanks for saying that; I'm glad you liked it! When I started this, Nick didn't seem to be clicking for a lot of people. It seems the adjustments I've made may be helping. The two of them will get edgier in time but it starts as a slow burn.

And I loved that scene I particular. The consequences of that scene continue to play out, too, and will be relevant in the next update, too. Nick can come across as rigid and self-righteous, but as seen in later chapters

Spoiler

You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.

. He's a tough character for me to write.

 

[Knam]

Thanks for saying that; I'm glad you liked it! When I started this, Nick didn't seem to be clicking for a lot of people. It seems the adjustments I've made may be helping. The two of them will get edgier in time but it starts as a slow burn.

My comment was about build 0.5 so if the adjustments you're speaking of are in the update I haven't seen them yet.
Honestly, I was surprised seeing those posts about Nick since I find him quite likeable and intriguing. Perhaps it was due to a preference for blank MCs coupled with feeling like he was "stealing" Alex's spotlight?
I got a bit worried when you said that if Nick really didn't work with players you'd likely kill him off. I hope it doesn't happen, plus he is so intertwined with the events of the story that it would just be odd if he suddenly died. And, realistically, how would Ronan even function after that? Besides, Nick is the only black main character so if he got killed off just like that... I'd feel uneasy.

And I loved that scene I particular. The consequences of that scene continue to play out, too, and will be relevant in the next update, too. Nick can come across as rigid and self-righteous, but as seen in later chapters

Spoiler

You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.

. He's a tough character for me to write.

Nick was so touched when Alex asked if he was ok, and even after that he was understandably still uncertain over whether pursing something more with Alex would be wise and Ronan certainly isn't making it easy for him.

Speaking of Ronan: when he confronts Alex what he says differs slightly according to our choice to sleep with Nick or not but in my playthough Nick propositioned Alex and not the other way around so in the version where Alex rejected him it doesn't make sense when he tells Ronan he doesn't think Nick is even interested in him.

 

[BoundByNight]

My comment was about build 0.5 so if the adjustments you're speaking of are in the update I haven't seen them yet.
Honestly, I was surprised seeing those posts about Nick since I find him quite likeable and intriguing. Perhaps it was due to a preference for blank MCs coupled with feeling like he was "stealing" Alex's spotlight?
I got a bit worried when you said that if Nick really didn't work with players you'd likely kill him off. I hope it doesn't happen, plus he is so intertwined with the events of the story that it would just be odd if he suddenly died. And, realistically, how would Ronan even function after that? Besides, Nick is the only black main character so if he got killed off just like that... I'd feel uneasy.



Nick was so touched when Alex asked if he was ok, and even after that he was understandably still uncertain over whether pursing something more with Alex would be wise and Ronan certainly isn't making it easy for him.

Speaking of Ronan: when he confronts Alex what he says differs slightly according to our choice to sleep with Nick or not but in my playthough Nick propositioned Alex and not the other way around so in the version where Alex rejected him it doesn't make sense when he tells Ronan he doesn't think Nick is even interested in him.

I don't think I said I'd kill Nick off but I might have reduced his screentime. (And the reason I don't think I said that is because I agree, killing off the only Black character in the story is kind of a disgusting trope and I wouldn't want to do that casually.) If I did say that, I probably wasn't properly caffinated or thinking right. But I didn't want to reduce his planned screentime much either.

Fortunately, I think the tweaks I made to chapter 2 and then the scenes in Chapters 9 and 10 really helped. I love all the guys but I think Nick is particularly important to the story. Like all the characters, he has his flaws and his blindspots, but he's kind of the moral center of the story. I'd be happy to talk about him in more detail with you if you like, just shoot me a DM. (I want to say more here but it's the internet and there be trolls.)

Some of Ronan's dialogue was tweaked in build 0.6 based on feedback I got but the exchange regarding Nick I'll take another look. If you're up for it, sending me a screen shot or a quote would help me home in on the issue.

 

[perles75]

To be fair, Nick -is- realistically the character that would be more at risk to die if the events of the world were real, being surrounded by dangerous supernatural creatures and in the front line against them (usually, not a recipe for a long life). But there is literally no reason to kill him story-wise.

 

[BoundByNight]

perles75, for sure, he is absolutely the most likely to be casually murdered. Human, marginalized by his colleagues, and making some powerful enemies. When I realized I had kind of painted myself into a corner of flirting with a variety of tired tropes, I had a small panic attack. Flip side is he has a (psychotic?) werewolf who made a deal with the devil watching from the shadows, whether he wants it or not. I think I'm managing it well enough, but yeah, absolutely.

 

[moonieek]

Not really a fan of Connor, Nick and Ronan are way more interesting characters, I would rather see more of Kai.

 

[BoundByNight]

Not really a fan of Connor, Nick and Ronan are way more interesting characters, I would rather see more of Kai.

That's kind of awesome to me; thanks for saying so. Everyone has different tastes (as seen in this thread) so I've tried to put some different personalities in the game. Ronan will get some more screen time with Alex in Chapter 12 (not the next update but the one after), and Kai will be also soon be returning to the screen, particularly in Acts 2 and 3.

 

[mrbug]

idk if this' been asked before but is there a walkthrough?
btw: huuuuuge fan <3 with weak internet connection lol