slitherhence

Member
Sep 24, 2017
426
334
Does a game have to be balanced to be good?
... Kinda? I mean, to start with, this isn't a multiplayer game... so "balance" is technically the absolute wrong word to use here. The word we should be using is "difficulty". And no... a game absolutely does not have to have one specific difficulty to be a great game. In fact, AAA games often offer multiple different difficulties and let you pick your poison.

However... what this game has isn't really difficulty either. Difficulty means it's possible to overcome the challenges it presents. Learn to time your jumps... you wont fall in the bottomless pit. Learn to time your punches and blocks... you won't get knocked out constantly. The game sets a challenge before you and gives you the task of learning how to not have the negative outcome happen to you. Or to put it another way, it presents you with some form of problem then leaves it to you to find learn how to solve it reliably.

An example: grab a 6-sided die. Now roll it 20 times and add up the results. If you get a total of 100 or greater... you win! Now lets say you you get 24. What do you do differently next time to get a better result? There's strategy to poker, to blackjack, to craps, hell even to roulette... but not to slot machines. Slot machines aren't a game... they are just gambling.

...when I took a bath that night I got attacked by tentacles and slimes (I guess they secretly infested me without me noticing?). Raped to unconsciousness. Then raped by a woman immediately on waking up. Then raped to unconsciousness again by more tentacles when I tried to take a bath to get the slime off. Then raped by a woman again immediately on waking up. At which point I just said "nope" and restarted.

Second play through went better (the sewers no longer exist as far as I'm concerned). Until I went into the forest. Tentacles. Again. When you are being assaulted by 12 tentacles and you can only fight off one at a time... there's no way you don't end up stuffed with tentacles in every hole. Hot, certainly... but that trauma gain just ain't worth it.
What choice did I make in these that caused those outcomes? What could I have done differently? Best case scenario for both is that I end up with a trauma score that's red-lining. And there's nothing I can do to change that. I can't avoid these encounters. I can't do anything to alter their outcomes. I can't do much even to mitigate the consequences. That not "difficult". That's "impossible". Games can be difficult... but they can't be impossible. An impossible game simply isn't a game at all.

Or as WOPR would say:



You're right that there are people who would enjoy this whether it's a game or not. And more power to them. But by calling it a "game" and presenting it as a "game" you put forth an expectation. And this backlash is because that expectation is being subverted HARD.

And for the record... I'm a nintendo-hard gamer. I pride myself on having beaten the "impossible" two-player mode of Battletoads. Games like the Mega Man and Ninja Gaiden series are my go-to games when I want throw the gauntlet down against another old-school gamer. I'm the guy whose friends handed him the control when the toughest parts came. I'm not some 20 year old millennial looking for a free ride. I like challenges. Give me challenges and we are golden. I can learn to overcome those.
 
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Beanjam

Newbie
Feb 25, 2018
92
101
What choice did I make in these that caused those outcomes? What could I have done differently? Best case scenario for both is that I end up with a trauma score that's red-lining. And there's nothing I can do to change that. I can't avoid these encounters. I can't do anything to alter their outcomes. I can't do much even to mitigate the consequences. That not "difficult". That's "impossible". Games can be difficult... but they can't be impossible. An impossible game simply isn't a game at all.
Roguelikes are games. Open-world games are games. The use of an RNG does not invalidate a game as a game, because if it did then the number of games would be vanishingly small.

I have been playing this game for many, many hours and I have still yet to encounter a twelve tentacled fight. Honestly, I am not sure if you are bullshitting me or if you are hilariously unlucky, or if there's some sort of bug that you've run into. The max amount of opponents I have gotten into a fight with is seven after dancing for a bit too long at the brothel. I'd say the way to avoid these encounters is to not go into the spooky, scary forest.
 
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Vrelnir

Member
Game Developer
Nov 9, 2018
262
1,637
Someone told me you were talking about my game here. Thanks jerricho13 for sharing it.

I've enjoyed reading your thoughts and experiences, and appreciate the feedback. I know the game can come across as a victim simulator. That's not inaccurate, but to me it's more about the struggle. Living in a world where almost everything wants to fuck you, and rarely take no for an answer. You're going to be molested, and need to decide how to cope with that. During and after. Fighting them off is risky. They might overpower you and leave you vulnerable. You could play along. At least you'll have some control that way. You can become stronger and more skilled, but can still be worn down by back-to-back encounters, or outnumbered. There should always be danger.

One problem is a feeling that you're always "losing", despite no game overs. There's little reward or indicator of a job well done if you manage to get through an encounter without gaining much trauma. Survival should feel satisfying, like you've accomplished something. Without sacrificing the oppressive atmosphere. It's something I'm hoping to improve going forward.

Thank you for playing, and for putting up with the rough edges. I hope you're enjoying it.
 

stone46

Member
Dec 2, 2016
150
370
Someone told me you were talking about my game here. Thanks jerricho13 for sharing it.

I've enjoyed reading your thoughts and experiences, and appreciate the feedback. I know the game can come across as a victim simulator. That's not inaccurate, but to me it's more about the struggle. Living in a world where almost everything wants to fuck you, and rarely take no for an answer. You're going to be molested, and need to decide how to cope with that. During and after. Fighting them off is risky. They might overpower you and leave you vulnerable. You could play along. At least you'll have some control that way. You can become stronger and more skilled, but can still be worn down by back-to-back encounters, or outnumbered. There should always be danger.

One problem is a feeling that you're always "losing", despite no game overs. There's little reward or indicator of a job well done if you manage to get through an encounter without gaining much trauma. Survival should feel satisfying, like you've accomplished something. Without sacrificing the oppressive atmosphere. It's something I'm hoping to improve going forward.

Thank you for playing, and for putting up with the rough edges. I hope you're enjoying it.
Love the game, easily one of the best 18+ open world text based adventures out there.

quick question though, where do I find parasites?
 
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Vrelnir

Member
Game Developer
Nov 9, 2018
262
1,637
Love the game, easily one of the best 18+ open world text based adventures out there.

quick question though, where do I find parasites?
It's really great to hear that.

Parasites can be found at the rocks you can swim to near the beach. When you make clothing out of seaweed there's a low chance it comes with a free parasite. You can find them the same way at the lake, but that's new in 0.1.19.0 and may be buggy. Both require either your top or bottom to be exposed for the option to be available. You can strip in the sea at the beach. You can also find chest parasites if you get knocked into the water in the drains, and aren't wearing a top.

Also, any swarm creature can become a parasite if you're wearing a chastity belt. They fall out when the belt is removed though.
 

stone46

Member
Dec 2, 2016
150
370
It's really great to hear that.

Parasites can be found at the rocks you can swim to near the beach. When you make clothing out of seaweed there's a low chance it comes with a free parasite. You can find them the same way at the lake, but that's new in 0.1.19.0 and may be buggy. Both require either your top or bottom to be exposed for the option to be available. You can strip in the sea at the beach. You can also find chest parasites if you get knocked into the water in the drains, and aren't wearing a top.

Also, any swarm creature can become a parasite if you're wearing a chastity belt. They fall out when the belt is removed though.
Thanks so much, been playing for months but never thought to check the beach or that it might require me to remove clothing.
 

Ambalabada

Newbie
Jun 26, 2018
16
35
Someone told me you were talking about my game here. Thanks jerricho13 for sharing it.

I've enjoyed reading your thoughts and experiences, and appreciate the feedback. I know the game can come across as a victim simulator. That's not inaccurate, but to me it's more about the struggle. Living in a world where almost everything wants to fuck you, and rarely take no for an answer. You're going to be molested, and need to decide how to cope with that. During and after. Fighting them off is risky. They might overpower you and leave you vulnerable. You could play along. At least you'll have some control that way. You can become stronger and more skilled, but can still be worn down by back-to-back encounters, or outnumbered. There should always be danger.

One problem is a feeling that you're always "losing", despite no game overs. There's little reward or indicator of a job well done if you manage to get through an encounter without gaining much trauma. Survival should feel satisfying, like you've accomplished something. Without sacrificing the oppressive atmosphere. It's something I'm hoping to improve going forward.

Thank you for playing, and for putting up with the rough edges. I hope you're enjoying it.
Dev here :FeelsGoodMan:
A few questions if you dont mind. Is it possible to transfrom from wolf-girl to succubus and vice-versa? Does max Trauma rises up? I've got 5k as max and 4k as current. It was nearly immposible to make it go down so I had to edit savefile. Why does everyone beat me in toilets? Is there a way to become some sort of public use girl in toilets? Are there some other ways to be restrainted and fucked in town publicly except police punishment? I know about brothler events on Fridays and gangbang on stage. Bailey has only 3 events? It's 11 week and I got taken in some sort of underground brothel, sold as toy to that guy in forest and when people eat food from my body. That's all? Are you planning to add more sprites mb other poses?

Great game, keep it up. I think I will sub you.
 

Vrelnir

Member
Game Developer
Nov 9, 2018
262
1,637
Thanks so much, been playing for months but never thought to check the beach or that it might require me to remove clothing.
You're welcome. Parasite content is a little thin at the moment. There's more planned for the future.

Dev here :FeelsGoodMan:
A few questions if you dont mind. Is it possible to transfrom from wolf-girl to succubus and vice-versa? Does max Trauma rises up? I've got 5k as max and 4k as current. It was nearly immposible to make it go down so I had to edit savefile. Why does everyone beat me in toilets? Is there a way to become some sort of public use girl in toilets? Are there some other ways to be restrainted and fucked in town publicly except police punishment? I know about brothler events on Fridays and gangbang on stage. Bailey has only 3 events? It's 11 week and I got taken in some sort of underground brothel, sold as toy to that guy in forest and when people eat food from my body. That's all? Are you planning to add more sprites mb other poses?

Great game, keep it up. I think I will sub you.
It's not possible to transform between succubus and wolf. You'll need to lose one before acquiring the other.
There's no way to increase your max trauma. The fastest way to reduce it is with high level promiscuous, exhibitionist and deviant acts.
There's no way to become a public use girl in the toilets, yet. The pillory scene in front of the town hall is the only one quite like it at the moment.
Bailey only has the three events for failing to pay.
More sprites for other poses are planned.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you like the game.
 
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pj1983

Newbie
Jul 2, 2017
80
195
The game suggests that your virginity might be worth something... is there actually a way to sell it yet? My character is pretty much a complete and total whore (level 4 promiscuity, level 5 exhibitionism, A's and B's in almost every sexual category) with her virginity intact (and no chastity belt!). But I still haven't seen a way to profit off it.
 
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Vrelnir

Member
Game Developer
Nov 9, 2018
262
1,637
The game suggests that your virginity might be worth something... is there actually a way to sell it yet? My character is pretty much a complete and total whore (level 4 promiscuity, level 5 exhibitionism, A's and B's in almost every sexual category) with her virginity intact (and no chastity belt!). But I still haven't seen a way to profit off it.
You can't sell it yet, though you will be able to in the future. It enables the angel transformation, and some flavour text. Until a car steals it from you.
 

Senalata

Newbie
Aug 21, 2017
30
30
You can't sell it yet, though you will be able to in the future. It enables the angel transformation, and some flavour text. Until a car steals it from you.
Rapist cars are truly a blight in our gaming experience, please nerf.
 
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Ahegao-chan

Member
Nov 3, 2018
102
293
You're welcome. Parasite content is a little thin at the moment. There's more planned for the future.


It's not possible to transform between succubus and wolf. You'll need to lose one before acquiring the other.
There's no way to increase your max trauma. The fastest way to reduce it is with high level promiscuous, exhibitionist and deviant acts.
There's no way to become a public use girl in the toilets, yet. The pillory scene in front of the town hall is the only one quite like it at the moment.
Bailey only has the three events for failing to pay.
More sprites for other poses are planned.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you like the game.
Really love this game, too! Even in this early version, I have sunk many hours into it on how to live in that rapist world. One of my favorite scenes recently was to let a schoolboy jizz in his pants so that he was made fun of.
Actually, I thought about being a human meat toilet for one of Baileys events. I think it would fit into the theme quite good. And an obvious question: Pregnancy will be added, right? I mean there would be already a way to remove it with the hospital.
Keep up the good work!
 

Vrelnir

Member
Game Developer
Nov 9, 2018
262
1,637
Rapist cars are truly a blight in our gaming experience, please nerf.
You some kinda casul?

Since the developer is now checking this thread, I'll mention that I think I found a continuity bug with Robin...
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Thanks for the heads up.

Really love this game, too! Even in this early version, I have sunk many hours into it on how to live in that rapist world. One of my favorite scenes recently was to let a schoolboy jizz in his pants so that he was made fun of.
Actually, I thought about being a human meat toilet for one of Baileys events. I think it would fit into the theme quite good. And an obvious question: Pregnancy will be added, right? I mean there would be already a way to remove it with the hospital.
Keep up the good work!
Good to hear!

Pregnancy will be added, but not for a long time.

This game is awesome! Played it all night and go sleep at 4 am..
Thanks! Sleep is important though.

Coathangers are cheap, yo.
But you'd have to buy so many to deal with tentacle spawn.
 
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