VN Ren'Py Abandoned California Bound [v0.0.6 early access] [Suo Mynona]

[suo_mynona]

Last I had heard a vote was put up for another debate on game engine between html or ren'py. Personally I didn't mind the switch to html as long as the game maintains the same visual element that the ren'py version did as the remake at the time was a tad lacking (albeit I was still optimistic of a better finished product in time once the dev was acclimated with the new system). Typical trend of html is being mostly text only, but I've seen games like Degrees of Lewdity do a very good job in creating a robust game that isn't really in that same light.

I think in the end though the general favoritism of ren'py is what has spurred the debate on change yet again, and I think that is somewhat unfortunately as it antiquates to more delay and the dev potentially being pigeon holed away from their vision/intent for this project.

I can only say I mirror your hope that this project doesn't dead end and continues with commitments to content creation by the dev.

Yes, I'm still plugging away. I did make the change back to RenPy while adding some of the systems I've experimented with in the HTML version. It will be a wait to get back to essentially where I was with 0.0.4. Most of the wait is I had to go seek other employment and this is now a weekend hobby of mine. Because it's now a hobby I'll be more focused on creating the game I want than trying to get updates out on a regular schedule.

I've also learned a lot during this process. This is my first attempt at using a game to tell a story instead of writing fiction. It took trial and error and looking at what other games have done to understand what I could accomplish.

What does this mean? California Bound isn't dead, but I'm not holding to a release schedule going forward. I'll make updates available because I want to tell a story and have others enjoy it.

- Suo

 

[User_286102]

good to hear, it's hard to wait but it's great to know that you did not abandoned

 

[MauritkCL]

Still holding onto the dream that this one gets finished. Far too many games are set in Asian themes, which I get since they are mostly Asian-made games...But California Bound is finally a game set in a North American setting, representing the culture and turmoils western society faces. No kunoichis, no chans/kuns, no otakus. Again, not that their is anything wrong with those things, but if you're not living in that culture, it can take a lot of effort to immerse yourself into a game involving that stuff.

I hope Suo keeps the dev up this year and really makes it happen.

Same here, I love the setting and the artwork. Really hope Suo continues this project.

 

[CorzoSiete]

Abandoned?

 

[suo_mynona]

Abandoned?

Still working on the restart. Like I said above, this is now a hobby effort as I had to give up idea of full time development for employment.

Update:
- Restart of game using RenPy.
- Creation of RPG mechanics:
-- Date/Time System using real date starting June 1, 2017, time passes and hunger/tired mechanics added.
-- Plans to add calendar system for special events, work and school schedule, etc.
-- Skills system based on tabletop RPG mechanics. All skills are now percentile. Skills increase through use, but hit diminishing returns as high skills increase more slowly.
-- NPCs have same skills mechanic for their attributes, such as friendship, love, and dominance.
-- Built quest subsystem to allow quests to be added to the game and tracked separately.
- UI screens interface:
-- Added 'C' hot key to pull up character sheet.
-- Plans to add 'R' key to show NPC relationships.
-- Plans to add 'Q' key for quest hints.

So, yes. Lots of development behind the scenes, but not in a playable state yet. This is based on lessons learned with the unmanageable code base the old game quickly became. As an example of how this will allow for smother development going forward, here's an example of leveraging a Quest class to start building the waitress quest:

init:
$ q = Quest("Downtown Coffee Shop Waitress")
$ q.add_stage("Job Offer","Alex has offered for me to work unofficially for tips and cash.", "Downtown coffee Shop")
$ q.add_stage("Working for tips", "I decided to accept Alex's job offer. Now, how do I earn bigger tips?", "Downtown Coffee Shop", "corruption", 5)

$ quests[q.name] = q

- Suo

 

[suo_mynona]

-- Skills system based on tabletop RPG mechanics. All skills are now percentile. Skills increase through use, but hit diminishing returns as high skills increase more slowly.

Skill System:
- Skill is 1-100
- If check roll is under skill, it succeeds and is immediately checked for experience.
- Skill rolls have an optional difficulty number that is added or removed from the roll before being checked.

Example:
Emily has an initial corruption skill of 1.
An easy corruption check is made to see if she is willing to flirt for bigger tips. This adds -25 to the roll.
A random 1-100 roll is made, minus 25 and is compared to the roll.
As you can see, there is a 25% chance Emily will flirt.

These skill checks are built into the dialog and menu choices available. If Emily failed the skill check the menu option to flirt won't be available. You, the player, still choose what Emily will do from the options available.

Experience:
Every time a skill check is successful, an experience check is made. It is the reverse of the skill check where a random 1-100 roll above the skill must be made. If successful, the skill increases by one.

Example:
Emily has a corruption skill of 1. There is a 99% chance it will increase. When the skill is 75 there is only a 24% chance the skill will increase. This means low skills rise quickly, but most skills will average around 50%. You'll have to really grind or quest to raise skills very high.

The other way skills increase are through quest rewards and choices the player makes. Some of these will raise skills as well.

- suo

 

[MauritkCL]

Well, it's great to hear this hasn't been abandoned.

As I said in my last post on this thread, I love the setting and the artwork. I'm considering signing on through Patreon, though I would like the results of this restart before doing so. Keep it up, and please let us know how you're progressing. It always wets my appetite to know that (and if possible how) things are progressing.

 

[Deleted member 1129073]

Best of luck Suo. We'll all be here for support

 

[Deleted member 642732]

Suo if ur using Daz3d u can use the page zonegfx because the 3d models are almost free because every object they sell is for 50 points and 1000 points is 5 dollars and every day u enter the website it gives you 100 points

 

[huyalin123]

Hey @suo_mynona
Any news about this project you would like to share? I am looking forward to see it for a long time now Hope it's not abandoned. Story and art of this game looks really amazing. Would be a big shame.

BTW: If you need help feel free to PM me (i'm a programmer and beginner in Daz3D)

 

[Rakger]

ahhhh instant coffee good to the last.................

 

[SvenVlad]

On Hold.. so sad

 

[TNT3]

another one bites the dust

 

[ilovenudemods]

Probably the biggest disappointment of my entire time on f95. i wanted this one to happen so bad. even when i was supporting it on patreon, the updates were few and far between. such a shame.

 

[Darkmetal]

Think the dev got far too ambitious in both story and gameplay and it suffered from a case of terminal feature creep. D&D style dice roll random100 skill checks? Probability, usage and diminishing returns based level progression? That's deeper than what Skyrim has under the hood ffs! (My advice would be True/False skill checks and widening bands ala "2 bad points = lvl 1 corruption, 5BPs for lvl 2, 10BPs to get lvl 3 and so on" for levels. Far easier to code.)

Only way I think this game will see the light of day is if the dev settles on a set of features and then sits down and story-boards the entire game out on paper - then commit to sticking with that version - before doing any more coding or rendering whatsoever.

 

[edgedy]

RIP, it could have been something.

 

[FookU2]

Still holding onto the dream that this one gets finished. Far too many games are set in Asian themes, which I get since they are mostly Asian-made games...But California Bound is finally a game set in a North American setting, representing the culture and turmoils western society faces. No kunoichis, no chans/kuns, no otakus. Again, not that their is anything wrong with those things, but if you're not living in that culture, it can take a lot of effort to immerse yourself into a game involving that stuff.

I hope Suo keeps the dev up this year and really makes it happen.

The West has all those things. We just have different words for them. You just have to think about the concepts instead of the actual words. But, I get it. Some people may be tired of reading mixed language texts. I mean, Spanglish isn't for everyone (George Lopez is still funny, to me. lol)

 

[ilovenudemods]

The West has all those things. We just have different words for them. You just have to think about the concepts instead of the actual words. But, I get it. Some people may be tired of reading mixed language texts. I mean, Spanglish isn't for everyone (George Lopez is still funny, to me. lol)

obviously we have different words for them. lol. thats why i made the comment that it was nice to see. unfortunately this game is dead and so is the hope of seeing more of this title.

 

[FookU2]

obviously we have different words for them. lol. thats why i made the comment that it was nice to see. unfortunately this game is dead and so is the hope of seeing more of this title.

As long as it still says "OnHold" I'll keep a tiny shred of hope. lol
I liked the concept. But, honestly, someone could create a new game with this idea, and it'd be cool to me.

 

[myuhinny]

I'd say it's time to update the onhold to abandoned as they haven't posted here in a long time and there is absolutely nothing at all on their patreon.