Ren'Py Desert Stalker [v0.17.1.2 Steam] [Zetan]

[Penumbral Evanescence]

Dont know what the quality of art has to do with anything whether the game gets a green light on Steam or not.
I would think its rather about how controversial it is or extreme, like some illegal stuff, if you dont follow their rules, not the aesthetics.

My understanding is that it's probably less about the art, and moreso about the depiction of certain characters and the extent/level of debauchery on lewd acts performed upon them. Prepubescent characters that are displayed in such a regard concerning their body type and other aspects of their model, will certainly not allow for Steam to green light such games, as is the case with Patreon on that very same matter.

As a content creator you have to tread a very fine line on what topics/themes that your game is touching upon, otherwise its back to the drawing board for you when you want to get certain games green-lit on highly regulated gaming distribution and hosting platforms like Steam.

 

[Mxiio]

Does this have an alternative title on Steam, wanna wishlist this asap but can't find it

 

[GetOutOfMyLab]

Does this have an alternative title on Steam, wanna wishlist this asap but can't find it

It's not on Steam yet. Planned for Q4 this year.

 

[Penumbral Evanescence]

Does this have an alternative title on Steam, wanna wishlist this asap but can't find it

Not to my knowledge, no alternative title exists.... others can chime in if I am mistaken, but AFAIK DS hasn't yet been greenlit to be featured on Steam just yet.

 

[Penumbral Evanescence]

that does reworks of old content that I felt like was a good use of time and effort

I generally agree with your POV. Some devs end up doing too much that it ends up being too repetitive/cyclical where one would question whether those reworks necessitated the need for dev time and resources to be assigned to be worked on, when those resources could have been used for other aspects of the game. E.g., advancing the main plot or storyline narrative.

But that might moreso be the case for devs who get caught up in the vicious cycle of analysis paralysis so to speak. I don't see that reality being a huge concern with Zaton here (fingers crossed) IMHO.

In that, from a dev POV you spend a good chunk of developer resources reworking scenes, polishing up previous events, dialogues, reworking character model renders/bodily shapes, and other misc rework initiatives that gobble up a significant portion of dev time (not to mention the backlog of other tasks needing to be attended to in the dev backlog). E.g., advancing the plot and main story elements that would constitute the need for a significant content update.

I guess, really once we see 0.17 in action and play through the game from scratch, we can do our own mini-cross comparison to see (i.e., from a cost vs benefits perspective), were the reworks of old content substantial enough that made it worth the wait or not. We will have to see, but both my gut feeling and heart says yes, it will be absolutely worth the wait. But once pencil goes to paper, and we see things in real-time from our gaming purview, then that will reveal the devil in the details more conclusively.

 

[Penumbral Evanescence]

Btw, out of curiosity, what do y'all think about the following soundtrack from the Mummy movie?

You must be registered to see the links

Obviously copyright issues ofc, and the current soundtrack suits the Zetan marketplace environment well, but just hypothetically speaking, I feel like this soundtrack would fit in really nicely in the markets of Zeta, for example, when Zeton visits Omar and his family, and the street outside Omar's home is filled with merchants and other peddlers looking to sell various wares to Zeton and his family in the hustle and bustle of the city...it would fit nicely me thinks....

 

[Mxiio]

Btw, out of curiosity, what do y'all think about the following soundtrack from the Mummy movie?

You must be registered to see the links

Obviously copyright issues ofc, and the current soundtrack suits the Zetan marketplace environment well, but just hypothetically speaking, I feel like this soundtrack would fit in really nicely in the markets of Zeta, for example, when Zeton visits Omar and his family, and the street outside Omar's home is filled with merchants and other peddlers looking to sell various wares to Zeton and his family in the hustle and bustle of the city...it would fit nicely me thinks....

View attachment 3967152

I kind of think its' annoying to be honest. Maybe this

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, royalty free too. The one called At the Bazar seems somewhat similar I guess?

 

[Penumbral Evanescence]

kind of think its' annoying to be honest

Oh yeah true, I see your point on that. Might come off as too obnoxious or unpalatable for some listeners, because of the different musical instruments being conveyed in the track....seems a little too repetitive as well to be looped in the game and might come off as too distracting.

Maybe this

You must be registered to see the links

, royalty free too. The one called At the Bazar seems somewhat similar I guess

These tracks are pretty nice! Yeah, some of them are quite suitable indeed. At the Bazaar is really nice to listen to. Definitely see that fitting for the Zetan markets/street bazaars

 

[Machete]

Maybe not to someone who has already played and/or doesn't intend to replay, but it will matter to the dev who is about to launch on Steam... where that first impression could affect the success of the game.

When you look at older renders compared to new renders, it's like night and day. The lighting, camera angles, and poses have all been improved to match the newer parts of the game.

I agree with you on this. The problem is not the rework tendency. The problem is us players who start playing a game before it had the 'complete' tag. It's a habit we should force ourself to lose.

 

[GetOutOfMyLab]

I agree with you on this. The problem is not the rework tendency. The problem is us players who start playing a game before it had the 'complete' tag. It's a habit we should force ourself to lose.

I don't mind it for DS because we're still getting new content and the game is progressing forward. It's understandable that people are skeptical about reworks since so many devs who do them don't seem to do so in the most efficient way... but I think Zetan is doing it right and from what I've seen from previews and the things he's shown me privately, I think the game will be better for it.

 

[Machete]

but I think Zetan is doing it right

It's his project. He should feel free to run it the way he deems the best and if he wants to remake his early steps with now years of experience, by all means he should. Mine is a general consideration. Starting to play an ongoing game might well mean to wait several years to see the end of it, if ever. And the chances are not great, with the abandonment rate.
I just prefer not to start playing games which are not completed already, now.

 

[xapican]

I don't mind it for DS because we're still getting new content and the game is progressing forward. It's understandable that people are skeptical about reworks since so many devs who do them don't seem to do so in the most efficient way... but I think Zetan is doing it right and from what I've seen from previews and the things he's shown me privately, I think the game will be better for it.

Of course, and adding to the melodie, machete already mentioned, I should really not take it as an attack to the game or the Dev himself, when sombody mentions, you are right, so many remakes and reworks failed, that it is comprensible people are skeptical,

 

[Leinad_Sevla]

Exactly.

Merneith is at the same time cute and a complete psycho, but in a different way than the raider sisters.
She's in her own way more level headed and of course also much more powerful.

Abrax also has some duality, but I think in his case, his humanity is more of a shadow of his past rather than something he might increase in the future.

Therefore it should be easier for Zaton to steer Merneith towards a lighter path, compared to Abrax. Plus of course that the Decayed as a faction is pure evil, even if their leader might not be completely evil. Zeta also has it's problems but it tries to build some kind of civilization.

Well put.

Merneith psycho side seems to be more a mask that she wears but doesn´t really want to. She even tells Zaton that, that she doesn´t really want to those things but as a ruler she feels like she has to, to show she has the capacity to rule and also to dissuade potential candidates to overthrow her. The raiders psycho side seems more genuine because they grew up in the wild, so they had to be like that. That´s why I think with Merneith you have a choice to either make her a benevolent ruler or a vicious one, but not really both. AS for the raiders, they never really lose the psycho aspect, particularly Kyra, we just use that to our advantage (like when dealing with rival raiders or when we get the wild sex scenes with them).

Abrax still has some humanity from his human years, but unless there is a cure or he is a special case somehow, that will eventually fade.

 

[Leinad_Sevla]

Naa... you don't put wildcats in a cage. You feed and have fun with them when they show up.

Kyra in her next scene be like

Wild cat? lmao Asha is already a pet cat. She would happily wear a collar if asked. Kitty is a war trophy, and she was already raised as a pet by her family anyway

Asha did become very docile towards the MC, but I wish she could be more feisty like her sister.

 

[xapican]

Asha did become very docile towards the MC, but I wish she could be more feisty like her sister.

Only with the MC else she is still wild, and remember she was allways dominated by Kyra, and here is the great turn, Kyra starts to enjoy that after she had the Tete a Tete with Zahra in the basement
Like: Oh that is what Alpha female act ? good here we go little sister......

 

[Holyx9]

Why is there so much rework instead of focus on new content? The renders of the early content still look good. It feel like the developer are way to focus on past instead of content for the future.

 

[Penumbral Evanescence]

Why is there so much rework instead of focus on new content? The renders of the early content still look good. It feel like the developer are way to focus on past instead of content for the future.

To my understanding, the Dev (Zetan) mentioned back in June that subsequent updates are going to focus on new story content as well (and not just reworks).

Last but not least, seeing how and if the factions will influence the future of the city, and to what degree. 0.17 will be a stepping stone towards that direction and the eventual outcomes.

So... since the story is nowhere from finished, I would like to from now on focus on creating at least one major story event per update, at least for the next few updates, adding other fun or side activities on top of it, and not the other way around. What this means, is more of the DS main story. What this definitely does not mean... is that there will be less sex. ;o

That was it from me I think, just wanted to get that out since some of you may wonder at this point where the story is going, why do we introduce all these characters, and what does following them on their missions and adventures achieve and lead up to? I want to now focus on creating that answer for you, without simply telling you through a post, or spoiling you needlessly. But I can promise you there are plans, and I am more than excited for 0.17.

 

[xapican]

Why is there so much rework instead of focus on new content? The renders of the early content still look good. It feel like the developer are way to focus on past instead of content for the future.

It is because of Steam launch and to equal the old renders with the new quality of the last chapters, they improved skills and animations.
till now the story progresion hasn't been compromised,

 

[Penumbral Evanescence]

Tete a Tete with Zahra

At first, I read that as tit a tit with Zahra....I would love to go tit a tit with her if you get what I mean



It's like Zahra's influence is rubbing off on Kyra, to make her treat Asha the same way Zahra had treated her in the basement.....show her who's the baddest bitch around worthy of all of Zaton's attention....lmao

 

[xapican]

I would love to go tit a tit with her if you get what I mean

Actually no, please explain, (with pics if it is possible reading is not my forte)
I had the impresion that Kyra was impressed by Zaharas attitude, and on top Zahara called her out of being exited when Zaton punished Ain,