I tried todidn't work out so well...
I tried all 3 but all shortly closed after I tried running them
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I tried all 3 but all shortly closed after I tried running them
- Aug 16, 2023
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can I rename the MC?
I really don't want to be Archer
Ah, the reason is easy, it's a demo, and not all variables were created, so I could keep my sanity xD Wait for the whole UI to be done in v1.5! It gets a bit more interesting there (with backgrounds, consequences, etc.).
It will all be flagged, the new system is pretty comprehensive (because I want the Sandbox to be fully connected to character variables to give different scenarios) - that is done already (with some minor things to fix here and there).
There is a faction of pure-blooded Hematarchs, and whenever you impregnate someone and it is known, you will have some tough choices to make with them... Those guys are real segregationists...
That's why I said I didn't like a couple of things in Sam's scene... this is one of them (I don't want to point out more in case people didn't notice couple extra issues xD). Also, there will be at least two animations in every significant sex scene, so that's another thing (I learned how to do them in a much better way after lots of practice)
I am super happy with the Sandbox that I finished already after a code sprint, but can't really judge simplicity before people play it. You know, simplicity for one doesn't mean simplicity for all... Fine line.Concept & gameplay looks solid based on the demo & your replies. As long as the sandbox is minimalist & streamlined, this should take off. Just my personal view ofc.
But I hope it does.
Best of Luck dev
The Android build isn't available for the Demo, as I didn't have the time to test some mobile features.
The next version, v1.5 will be available on Android/Joiplay - and any alternatives. I think I'll be publishing in around 5 days, depending on how dev and QA go.
The feature was already integrated into the Demo from user requests. That reminds me - I need to fix the descriptions.
Edit: grammar
#16 Update - Pre v1.5 News & Progress
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Hmm, I played on Joiplay just fine. Did you get the
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??I think Archer could be a good surname, like Bond (secret agent wise) or, even better example, like Shepard (Mass Effect)
So it shares a identity among all players & a defined place in the code/story, while also allowing customisation for each player.
A personal rule of thumb I use is the number of clicks.
If you have to click on a location, then click on a bunch of maze like rooms, then on the character then a bunch of sub-menus like Action->give->quest item... Or if you have to repeat a similar process of clicking in a loop to grind stats over days, etc.
It's ofc only a rule of thumb so it's not exact, but I feel it's a pretty good rule of thumb for everyone overall.
Keeping the number of clicks needed minimised while offering the most freedom of choice/action is a good ratio to strive for in general I feel.
Cannot please everyone ofc. ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯
Update sounds (and looks) nice
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- Aug 16, 2023
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This is what a bad sandbox does.
A good sandbox allows you to pick and choose which characters to pursue
(it is a lot easier to exclude characters in a sandbox) and to also focus on a specific character.
likewise for optional side quests and routes.
Sandbox also handles reworks of old content better in terms of ability to import saves (assuming dev is not completely clueless and incompetent)
It is also easier to playest individual routes in a larger game. as dev can start a new game and focus on a specific character while ignoring others.
I have seen VNs where there were too many waifus where I just couldn't remember who is who because the game went round robin. meaning after a scene with waifu 1, i had to go through a scene with waifus 2 through 50, in order, before I saw waifu 1 again.
Although that is an extreme example and most games do not have 50 waifus.
The easiest thing to do though is just make a kinetic novel. or a visual novel with so few choices it might as well be a kinetic novel.
Bad VNs I have seen come in 3 forms:
1. kinetic novels
2. actually a sandbox with a VN's graphical interface (often but not always happens when you can choose between VN and sandbox and the VN is literally just an overlay over the sandbox. like in the game "simple days")
3. despite how vastly simpler it is to make a VN, dev still manages to fuck up variable tracking severely. (ex: the fate of Irnia)
Whether sandbox or VN is better really depends on the game's production quality
Atrociously bad?
VN is better and there is less opportunities for the dev to fuckup. (ex: much harder for dev to implement pointless grinding in a VN)
mid quality game?
Sandbox is better in my opinion. as it gives more choices and controls.
Good game?
it does not matter. they will both be good.
I see a lot of times where people compare the highest quality VNs to the worst quality sandboxes or vice versa.
To backup their notion that one is better than the other.
IMPORTANT POLL: Help me make a decision about the textbox in Chimera: Bloodlines
I'll keep this brief. Here are two types of text boxes:
Help me decide what catches your eye more. It is not a technical challenge for me to make anything, and I am breaking down my thought process in the poll description.
Please vote via this link, you will help me a lot in making this big decision:
EDIT: I will respond to a couple comments I didn't address a bit later - slammed at work right now
I'll keep this brief. Here are two types of text boxes:
Standard Visual Novel | Disco Elysium Type [just the structure, my design will vary] |
| 
|
Help me decide what catches your eye more. It is not a technical challenge for me to make anything, and I am breaking down my thought process in the poll description.
Please vote via this link, you will help me a lot in making this big decision:
You must be registered to see the links
EDIT: I will respond to a couple comments I didn't address a bit later - slammed at work right now
- Oct 31, 2017
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I'm fine either way. However, my personal favorite is actually the new Ren'Py feature Speech Bubbles. The text can be place literally anywhere on the screen so that it doesn't block important screen real estate. But I think most players do not like it since it is very foreign to them and most prefer what they used to ( like no one like changes ), I think no game used it so far except one.
- Oct 1, 2017
- 1,276
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I've voted for the standard box, because unless there is a reason for such an elaborate box I prefer something that does not block half of the background from sight.
POLL: TEXT BOX DECISION:
[Resending the link so it doesn't get lost in my responses]
Waiting for more votes on the poll, but if I was to make a vertical one, it would be more transparent, smaller, and more toward the right side to free up more screen. The icons would also not be present, which frees up more space.
Well, that's why I made the poll, to collect this data and see what players think, no decision made yet.
_____
Answering other comments I missed:
When it comes to story development it is EASIER to make more content for Sandbox, because you can integrate it backward into the game. If you make a visual novel, and want to make backward routes, more content, etc. - you can ONLY add them to the end - where it might not make sense.
In my opinion, this sort of problem is why games get abandoned, devs must think long term, and hopefully not force users to keep redownloading and replaying the same areas over and over to see two new lines of text and images.
2) I know exactly what games you mean, I think this can be done very well in some cases, but mostly misses
3) You are not a real dev if you haven't messed up at least some of your variables xD
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[Resending the link so it doesn't get lost in my responses]
That's a whole separate thing, I like those ones too in VNs. Out of the VNs I played, Chrono Clock does those boxes really well (btw, second best incest route at any game ever). It doesn't really work for these sort of games with renders, cause then you need to manually define the position for text box for EACH render, which will take a loooong time. It works for games that have character sprites, and then you can just offset text box position relative to the sprite bla bla bla tech talk tech talk.
Wanna hear something funny? The Disco Elysium box covers less screen, if we speak from pixel area perspective.
Waiting for more votes on the poll, but if I was to make a vertical one, it would be more transparent, smaller, and more toward the right side to free up more screen. The icons would also not be present, which frees up more space.
Well, that's why I made the poll, to collect this data and see what players think, no decision made yet.
_____
Answering other comments I missed:
Everyone who mentions my link to Patreon should get karma points xD
I was thinking of just referring to him as Exterminator in menus, etc. - cause people, surprisingly, don't like the Archer as name/surname.
Are you familiar with Angry Video Game Nerd? He sums it up best: "IT'S ANOTHER WHERE THE FUCK DO I GO KIND OF GAME!!!"
Yep, you nailed it, that's the concept with that whole description, you clearly played plenty of games too xD
When it comes to story development it is EASIER to make more content for Sandbox, because you can integrate it backward into the game. If you make a visual novel, and want to make backward routes, more content, etc. - you can ONLY add them to the end - where it might not make sense.
In my opinion, this sort of problem is why games get abandoned, devs must think long term, and hopefully not force users to keep redownloading and replaying the same areas over and over to see two new lines of text and images.
If this game ever becomes viable for me to quit my job and do full-time, there will eventually be 50 waifus, because I prefer making a huge world season by season than bunch of small games. Season 1 has 20 core girls + sides that pop up here and there.
1) Never saw the appeal of kinetic novels, maybe except for Narcissu and couple of small ones
2) I know exactly what games you mean, I think this can be done very well in some cases, but mostly misses
3) You are not a real dev if you haven't messed up at least some of your variables xD
Any game of any genre can be good. Remember Flappy Bird? Can make this in a day - but spent like 100 hours playing it
- Mar 22, 2020
- 3,532
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Dev has a fairly solid android build, latest version requires a new save anyway. I recommend you all use theirs.
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Thanks for the port. It works alright.
For the users - the interface for my demo was designed strictly with monitors and computers in mind. Therefore, many items are difficult to click or read. This is why I haven't posted a port for the demo, as it requires separately designed interface elements.
The official version for Android will be available in the next build, which I am putting the finishing touches on.
EDIT: there are bugs in the build - note to users that it isn't official.
- Mar 22, 2020
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- 8,768
I love it when a dev's android version makes mine unnecessary!
#17 Update - v1.5 Available in 3 Days
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Update 17.5: Android Builds are now fully functional! And extra new renders.
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- Sep 26, 2020
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yea sandbox are quite annoying if not dobe properly.-...and i don't really see the needing of that. tbh expecially in choice vn
In my 1.5 release I will include a poll of "on a scale of 1 to 10 - how annoyed are you with the sandbox" xD
I really feel like it's done in a nice way, but who knows, we will see when the next build is out Saturday.
Chimera Bloodlines: Build v1.5 is Out!!!
Before we jump into details - I want to reiterate something. If you have any wishes, don't like, or like something - please communicate this to me, as I am the sort of dev who makes the best decisions on the feedback of others.
Now, for the update v1.5.
I am super excited to keep seeing more and more support on Patreon, and continue working hard to make something cool! This build had a couple of main purposes when I distributed the tasks:
1) Create 8 extra characters to wrap up the core season 1 cast at 20 characters
2) Create and model the locations I will be using throughout the game, which was completed
3) Finalize the Sandbox system and all technical elements, so I can 100% transition into making content.
4) Focus on writing the core narrative, to later transition into character interactions and lots of sex scenes.
Happy to say that the tasks above were accomplished, and I will be collecting feedback on any bugs, narrative issues, or anything else that the users might want to see.
Here is the detailed Change Log of what was completed at v1.5:
Next version goals:
- Creation of sex scenes varying from romantic to BDSM and rape, including dates
- Development of storylines for factions
- Full completion of “Day 1” & ability to call unlocked characters
In summary, the core things are in place, the overview of the world, characters and the world are given - and I can transition into making really steamy shit with all the girls while keeping the narrative pace. I am still following my initial vision of making a game like Disco Elysium but in VN format with a shitload of hot girls and sex.
Hope you enjoy, excited to hear what you all think.
All links were updated with the new build, and the Android build is now available.
Before we jump into details - I want to reiterate something. If you have any wishes, don't like, or like something - please communicate this to me, as I am the sort of dev who makes the best decisions on the feedback of others.
Now, for the update v1.5.
I am super excited to keep seeing more and more support on Patreon, and continue working hard to make something cool! This build had a couple of main purposes when I distributed the tasks:
1) Create 8 extra characters to wrap up the core season 1 cast at 20 characters
2) Create and model the locations I will be using throughout the game, which was completed
3) Finalize the Sandbox system and all technical elements, so I can 100% transition into making content.
4) Focus on writing the core narrative, to later transition into character interactions and lots of sex scenes.
Happy to say that the tasks above were accomplished, and I will be collecting feedback on any bugs, narrative issues, or anything else that the users might want to see.
Here is the detailed Change Log of what was completed at v1.5:
You don't have permission to view the spoiler content.
Log in or register now.
Next version goals:
- Creation of sex scenes varying from romantic to BDSM and rape, including dates
- Development of storylines for factions
- Full completion of “Day 1” & ability to call unlocked characters
In summary, the core things are in place, the overview of the world, characters and the world are given - and I can transition into making really steamy shit with all the girls while keeping the narrative pace. I am still following my initial vision of making a game like Disco Elysium but in VN format with a shitload of hot girls and sex.
Hope you enjoy, excited to hear what you all think.
All links were updated with the new build, and the Android build is now available.