Ren'Py College Craze [v0.7] [Pretty Ink]

[Minttymint]

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Hey y'all!
My break was nice and I enjoyed it, but I missed y'all and I’m really happy to be back and moving on v5!

First, some Announcements:
1. We've launched on Steam! Please go wishlist, download and review the game – it helps the game get more visibility! You have to have an active account and to play the game on steam for at least 5 mins to leave a review. It would mean a lot if you did

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2. New Patreon Perks!

• Juniors & up will get pin-up style postcards rendered by our new merch artist! There are 5 per collection with 1 sent out each month of subscription! This perk will become active beginning Sept 2022.
• Sophomores & up will have access to spoiler/NSFW art streams on Discord – first one will be of a new v5 character so stay tuned on details for that upcoming stream!
• Freshman & up will get to read in-depth lore posts fleshing out the world of College Craze.

3. Server events! And the first one is Cards Against Humanity: CC Edition tonight, August 5th at 8PM EST. We’ll be on voice chat, but feel free to use text chat if preferred. No signup required, just hop in. I'm planning on doing this every other Friday.

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If you have any suggestions for other events, comment below! We’re looking for volunteers to stream on movie or game nights, so if you're interested in hosting please sign up

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.
I'm also thinking about running a fanfic event with prizes, and a trivia night! There’s a poll up for the trivia night idea –

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if you’re interested.
4.

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is available to Sophomores and up today, this is not a walkthrough, just key scenes you may not even know about in v4 I recommend finding. Need help finding out how to get to certain scenes?

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Game Updates
I’ve officially kicked off writing for v5! It's scary, exciting, and unbelievable. I’m aiming for this to be the midpoint of the game, and a LOT is going on. Most of in-game Monday is complete (Which I feel is pretty fast, considering I started writing at the start of this week!)
The current word count is 9,717, with 916 lines of code down!
My goal is to encompass 12 days over the course of the update, but this is the first time I’ve tried that in one release, so we’ll see how far we get. The outline I wrote during release month is more detailed than previous outlining, so maybe having a more rigid vision will allow for more plot points to come out, instead of me just vibing with loose guidelines like I have been.
It was hard forcing myself to not actively work on the game during my break, so I diverted myself by building a little side-scroller in Unity to brush up on coding skills and learn more about C#. I wanna get into different platforms and types of games for my future C3U ideas!
That was a lot, but we made it through. See you in the next one!

xoxo,
PrettyInk

 

[KristopheH]

Okay then. Gave this one a try because I saw a few recommendations on other threads.
+Writing's pretty good
+Branching is good
+Customizable character is novel
+Characters are all nicely unique and defined
+Plot is intriguing

However;
- (100x) Fucking Hell - that art is not good. I couldn't wank to this if my life depended on it.

Call me when this gets a Daz Overhaul Mod, or something.

 

[bloodbus]

Call me when this gets a Daz Overhaul Mod, or something.

I disagree. The art is fine. Daz would make it super generic unless someone who knows what they're doing does it. And I doubt they would want to do that for free

 

[ClockworkGnome]

Daz would probably also make it extremely difficult (if not impossible) to have a customizable main character.

 

[bloodbus]

Daz would probably also make it extremely difficult (if not impossible) to have a customizable main character.

Everything I've heard about Daz is you need buy a license for literally every asset you buy. It's kind of ridiculous lol. But from a implementation standpoint it probably wouldn't be as bad as it seems. Lab Rats 2 did an okay job at procedural generation from a handful of assets. It's just a huge PITA

 

[Kallisto]

I think her character sprites are great. It's the CGs where she loses it sometimes with proportions and facial features (ie: some characters don't look like themselves). And this might just be unique to the curly hair option because I chose the long straight style once and it wasn't as bad - but in the CGs with an MC with curly hair, it ends up looking very boxy or like a helmet.

 

[Jiffie]

I think her character sprites are great. It's the CGs where she loses it sometimes with proportions and facial features (ie: some characters don't look like themselves). And this might just be unique to the curly hair option because I chose the long straight style once and it wasn't as bad - but in the CGs with an MC with curly hair, it ends up looking very boxy or like a helmet.

I agree, I actually enjoy the art, of course it can use some improvement/refining, it's not crisp and "commercially" aesthetic as other great artists, but it's charming, and have a uniqueness that sets it apart from actual bad art. Funny enough, I'm of the opposite opinion, I think the characters are more attractive in the CGs; I do see the wonky proportions/iffiness in some CGs, especially concerning the MC (I play with the curly hair, also), and there is a few grievances I have concerning this, but I found the majority of the (male)LIs to be loads more attractive in the CGs.

As I let everyone know, I like Gabe, and he def looks loads better in the CGs, but I almost completely over looked the green eyed Professor until the CG with him if you take work/a part-time job from him. Of course, this is new content, so maybe her art got better? But I will admit, some characters, like Gabe, looks a little "off" in their sprites, but then pretty phenomenal when the CG drops!

Overall, I do think PrettyInk should "overhaul" the art at some point, because most of the "new" characters look better than the "first" batch. I don't know her development, but it's noticeable how some characters are better portioned/refined, while others seem a bit awkward/stiff. I don't know how to explain it without the pains of whipping up some examples (I'mtoolazy), but Gabe, Professor, Roommate Boyfriend, and Popular/Rich Dude is a few examples of stiff/awkward proportions, while Rafi, Blond Weed/Condom Dude (I'm so sorry, I'm bad with real people's names, let alone a VN game; you'll have to settle for my crack naming convention), Samir, and the 2 Math Club Guys (BFF's brother and that other nice guy) looks pretty good in their sprites, IMO. (I also have a type, but I don't think that's creating any biases for me on this...)

I also think the clothes and coloring/shading needs working on the most, the skills in this is what's causing the art to have a pretty crude look to it, I think. Further simplifying the lines in the clothing, and/or line art might have made the drawings a lot more attractive than their finished forms. Of course, I don't want a black and white game, so no complaints from me, but these are the only things I could say is really wrong with the art, I think.

 

[fqumods]

Okay then. Gave this one a try because I saw a few recommendations on other threads.
+Writing's pretty good
+Branching is good
+Customizable character is novel
+Characters are all nicely unique and defined
+Plot is intriguing

However;
- (100x) Fucking Hell - that art is not good. I couldn't wank to this if my life depended on it.

Call me when this gets a Daz Overhaul Mod, or something.

No thanks. Not everyone is into that generic uncanny valley 3d plastic doll look. There are a shitload of games here that already use that and I stay away from all of them. This one is in the minority for being an adult Renpy game that uses original hand drawn art.

 

[Minttymint]

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Hey y'all!
Another meaty update for this week.

Announcements:
1. Got 10 reviews on Steam! Thank you to all those who left a good review, I really appreciate it, and can see that Steam’s pushing the game a lot more aggressively on the discovery queue because of it! If you haven’t left one yet, please take a few mins to

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, it’s seriously helping the game get more visibility
2. College Craze DnD Info session this Saturday at 11AM EST! Discord members Satan, Summora and Zombie will be running it, and showing us the ropes, and will be there to answer Qs about creating a character. This is to prep for a future DnD game with CC Characters in it! Beginners are encouraged to join! Link to invite

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.
3. Will be doing another Spoiler/NSFW stream for Sophmores and up, Wed 8/17 from 6-8PM EST. I will continue drawing the new character sprite, just gotta give him some pants and some shading and we’re set! I may start the next character, time permitting. These will likely be a regular thing for Patrons, with a non-spoiler stream for non-patrons once a month.
4. First lore post will be released Mon 8/15. Excited to share a lot more info about MC’s hometown, Bitterby!

Game updates
Now, onto other updates. My mood hasn’t been 100%, so this week was a little slower, but I’m still happy with progress made! The word count’s sitting 19,432 and 2,259 lines are coded.
I’ve completed all of Monday, and currently in the middle of Wednesday. (Time skipped Tuesday.) Finishing Wednesday should be fairly decent, it’s Thursday that’s gonna be a really big lift for me since that’s donor dinner night. I think because of my outlining style, I may be able to get through it faster than if I did it my old way, but there's still A LOT of content on Thursday alone, and I hope to do it justice!
I’m chatting with the GUI dev who helped me last update and asking about ways to optimize clothing choices, cause it may make my life a lot easier. If I’m able to code it so that I don’t need to explicitly say “If MC chose this choice, give her this outfit” every time she appears on screen. Fingers crossed there's an easy way or he can help me figure it out! Cause I got some scenes that involve clothing choices and customizations coming up, this may limit or expand it.
In the Art Department, one CG is done. This time around I’m trying to incorporate more art into the writing process to minimize crunch. I’m sure I’ll still have a healthy pile, but it should hopefully feel less cramped as a result of doing art along with writing. I’ve gotten some minor stuff in for MC, an expression and accessory. I’ve gotten 4 silhouettes in as well (Which I’m really liking instead of just no characters when I need people to speak!) and of course, nearly done with a character sprite!
See you in the next one!

xoxo,
PrettyInk

 

[Mr.Andrael]

August 5th - The current word count is 9,717, with 916 lines of code down.

August 12th - The word count’s sitting 19,432 and 2,259 lines are coded.

Que Friday damn meme

 

[loloby]

can someone share scene checklist?

 

[Minttymint]

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Hey Prospies! Very quick update this week.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Game Night on Saturday 8/20 at 6pm EST! It likely will be Monopoly, but go to Discord and vote in #voting-booth for your preferred game.
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2. Patrons-only Art Stream on Wednesday 8/24 6-8pm EST. For Sophomores & up!
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WRITING
We’re currently sitting at 29,754 words of dialogue and 3689 lines of code. I've finished writing Wednesday in-game, and just about done with the start of Thursday night. I’m really cruising along with the writing, and it’s all thanks to the meticulous outlining I did during v4 launch. I recognized I had a shit ton of content I wanted to try and get through, so sticking to a stricter outlining style is working really well and helping me pace myself nicely.

ART
Finished one sprite on Wednesday’s stream, and halfway done with another. I’ll be finishing the second one on stream next Wednesday, so make sure you tune in. I also finished 4 CGs – one of which I’ll be excited to share a sneak peak to for patrons soon!

OTHER
It’s been really great seeing new faces in the server, and I’m so excited y’all are showing up to streams/coming to game nights/participating in convos, etc. Thank you for helping make our community so vibrant, welcoming and fun <3
Alright, it’s back to the grindstone for me, and I’ll see you in the next update!

xoxo,
Pretty

PS: Thank you for leaving positive reviews on Steam! They’re doing wonders in spreading the Craze™️ so if you haven’t left one yet, please take a few mins to do so here →

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[Minttymint]

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Hey Prospies, here’s a quickie for you!

Announcements:
1. MERCH IS COMING! We officially have all the designs done for the postcard series rolling out for Juniors and above next month! One postcard per month (as long as you're a patron at those tiers). They’ll feature original artwork from my new merch artist, codename SketchyInk, and a little note from that character! I’ll preview the first one next update, and aim to start sending them out on the 8th.

Important: New pledges will be automatically prompted to provide their shipping address in September, but if you’re already in that tier or above, please add your information before Sept 6th.

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2. Public Art Stream (not really spoilery) next Wed, Aug 31st at 6pm EST!

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!
3. Satan’s running a CC Mafia game on the Server from 09/02-09/04! Sign-up beforehand, so he can assign roles and set up the game. It will take place all weekend, but will happen asynchronously, so you don’t have to be online at specific times, just be sure to check in to keep the game going.

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Writing
As of now, we're sitting at 37,044 words and 4,433 lines of code. Way slower this week than anticipated, but still did alright. I’m still on Thursday, in-game. It's a large event, with a lot of branching so it’ll take a while, but I’m maybe halfway or 3/4 through it? I’m at a stage where good inspo would be super helpful with writing. So please drop your favorite smut recommendations below!

Art
Finished a character and one CG! Both of which were done while on Stream for patrons on Wednesday. Thanks to those who showed up!

Other
I want to start working in character interviews into exclusive Patreon content, so look out for a poll to decide who to interrogate first, and comment below with some questions you have for your faves!
And done! Told you it’d be quick. See you in the next one!

xoxo,
Pretty

 

[Minttymint]

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Hey Prospies, exciting update for you this week!

Announcements:
MERCH IS OFFICIALLY HERE for Juniors and up! Use

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to add your shipping address to your pledge. There are 5 limited edition, summer-themed postcards in this collection. Each month subscribed, you’ll receive 1 full-color, high-quality glossy card with a surprise note from the character (not pictured) on the front, and you’ll notice a few easter eggs on the matte back! September’s edition features Triggs. Here’s a sample:

Obviously, what you receive in the mail will look different but this is for you all to get an idea. These ship worldwide, so International Patrons can get them too. I’ll be sending these off weekly until the month is up, so you can sign up or raise your pledge any time until Sept 26th to get it before October’s rolls out.
No Art Stream next week – I’ll be traveling, but should be back on it the following week.

Writing/Art:
Currently at 44,611 words and 4,926 lines of code. I’ve started to write in a separate word doc so some lines of code aren't in the game yet, but the words are being counted. Still writing Thursday, however the main event portion is done! I’m writing a few night scenes and then should be on to less-dense plot points for a few days!

Finished 1 BG on the public stream this week, and 3 CGs. Thanks to those who showed up!
See you in the next one!

xoxo,
Pretty

 

[loloby]

There's a status update and sneak peak. Can somebody post it?

 

[Kallisto]

There's a status update and sneak peak. Can somebody post it?

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Hey Prospies!

I took a break this week, so just some quick announcements today.

Merch: if you want September’s postcard, please edit your pledge information to add your shipping address. This perk is included in the Junior, Senior, Alum, and Dropout tiers, so you do not need to pay extra to receive them. Get ‘em while they’re hot!

I’ll be focused on writing next week, so future Art Streams are TBD. I'm also planning on working on some of that exclusive content this weekend, including the lore post and character interview with Jay. Otherwise, see you next week!

xoxo,
Pretty

Spoiler: Sneak Peek

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[loloby]

thank you

 

[Minttymint]

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Hey Prospies, another week, another update!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. People have been receiving their postcards and I’ve really enjoyed mailing them out! I still have a bunch, so if you want one, please sign up or
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   cause it's automatically included in your subscription at no additional cost for juniors and up.
2. If you haven’t already, check out
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   . The poll for the next interviewee will be up at the start of next month!
3. Pink Vibe lore post is coming soon

WRITING/PROGRAMMING
Currently at 67,244 words and 7,080 lines of code. I finished the donor dinner *cue music* I’m very happy to have that huge event done with. I've finished the day after, and now I'm on to the next big in-game event on Saturday. After that, I'll be wrapping up the week with Sunday.
I originally planned to make v5 a 12 day update, but the word count is approaching the same size as v4 with only 4 days written in-game. I might cut this update in half to release v5 sooner and leave the rest of the outline for v6. I haven’t fully formed my thoughts around it just yet. We’ll see.

ART
None this week. I’ve got a lot to get through, so hopefully I can get back in the groove of drawing some more for the NSFW/Spoiler streams in the coming week.
See you in the next one!

xoxo,
Pretty

 

[afc2112]

Nice! Sounds like we'll get a big, fat update when the next chapter drops

 

[Minttymint]

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Hey Prospies! Got a bunch of announcements and an update on this week’s development.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. There will be no more free updates. (read: v4 or any future versions will no longer be made free to the public) You get the gist of the game with what is publicly available now, so if you like what you’ve played, please support on Patreon. I’m aiming to wrap up College Craze in Summer 2023, so feel free to wait until then if you just wanna purchase the whole thing in one fell swoop. I appreciate the support from those who have played the free version, but I have put a lot of work into this and would like to value my work as such. Thanks for understanding and hope to see you in v5 !
2. Check the
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   and
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   if you have questions about how to install the game, where to find scenes, etc. There are plenty of people in the server who can help you troubleshoot. Do NOT DM me with these or similar questions – they will go unanswered.
3. We’ve got a fun October Event coming up with a raffle at the end for a chance to play v5 the first week it drops! This will be open to both patrons and non-patrons and free to enter. Check the
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   for an announcement on Saturday.
4. PinkVibe Lore Post coming this weekend!
5. Public, Non-Spoiler Art Stream on Discord - Wed, 9/28 at 6 PM EST.

WRITING
As of today, I’m sitting at 86,039 words and 8850 lines of code (Holy shit). My new goal is to be done with all writing for this update by the end of this month. With the Saturday night event ¾ done, and Sunday left, I’m on pace to reach that goal. I project v5 to be bigger than v4 word-count wise. So excited to share this update with you all, theres a lot of juicy details and quite a few sex scenes with different folks!

ART
In the Art Department, all sprite art for 3 new characters and outfit changes are done. I’ll have some expression work to do later, but for now that is all complete! 3 CGs down, 33 to go. This number will fluctuate if I decide I need less or more CGs for the narrative.
That’s it for this week. Until the next one!

xoxo,
Pretty