VN Ren'Py Dog Days of Summer [Rework v0.3.1b] [BlackWeb Games]

[Cygnus X-1]

In my mind we are done with the first 3rd of the game

So the game's going to end by the end of the summer?

 

[bacienvu88]

Maybe when you are old and retired you will be able to play the complete AWAM.

The way I look at these things is that I don't mind however long a game or update takes to complete as long as I have fun with what is already there. There are already too many VN:s to keep up with.

 

[Alley_Cat]

Maybe when you are old and retired you will be able to play the complete AWAM.

You joke, but it may actually take that long. I have a spreadsheet to project what date to expect updates and by the time the last update is released (assuming it's still in production), I'll be 67. It could easily be 5 - 10 years before the MC sleeps with someone other than her husband.

Seems to be a thing that except for a few hardcore fans, people like me come into the game impressed with the graphics, the characters and the story, only to be let down with how long it takes for new content to come out. So they leave, and new people come in. It's a running joke amongst us the number of members that pop their heads in and ask "are there sex scenes yet?", to which the answer is "no, come back in a decade". "When is the next update out?" "No one knows. Check back in a couple of months.

He switched to 1/3 playable day updates so that patrons could be content faster, and was meant to be about 6 months to release one playable day of content. Which would have been fine. Except it's more like a year and a half to release a playable days content.

 

[bacienvu88]

You joke, but it may actually take that long. I have a spreadsheet to project what date to expect updates and by the time the last update is released (assuming it's still in production), I'll be 67. It could easily be 5 - 10 years before the MC sleeps with someone other than her husband.

Well, for a project running long enough there are always going to be fans who die of old age. But it gets to be a real problem when the author is of risk dying of old age. Phil Foglio, who draws my favorite web comic Girl Genius, is 65 years old now.

It's a running joke amongst us the number of members that pop their heads in and ask "are there sex scenes yet?"

What about the more important question "are there handholding scenes yet?".

 

[Alley_Cat]

Well, for a project running long enough there are always going to be fans who die of old age. But it gets to be a real problem when the author is of risk dying of old age. Phil Foglio, who draws my favorite web comic Girl Genius, is 65 years old now.

What about the more important question "are there handholding scenes yet?".

The girls are getting pretty far, especially compared to the boys. Last update with Ellie (that would have come out at the end of last year), had the MC (Sophia) teaching Ellie how to masturbate in the shower, ending with some Frenching, including some boob and butt groping along the way.

The most popular character Dylan last update had his arm around her waist and got in some butt groping. The running joke with him now is "touching the fabric", since Sophia really isn't comfortable with him touching her (and apparently is only now start to). The furthest he's got kissing wise is a peck on the lips he had to steal, since he asked for a peck on the cheek

L&P was in college when the game started, so I don't see age being a problem. More if he starts to see a drop in patronage, he may lose interest. Or simply burnout.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

The girls are getting pretty far, especially compared to the boys. Last update with Ellie (that would have come out at the end of last year), had the MC (Sophia) teaching Ellie how to masturbate in the shower, ending with some Frenching, including some boob and butt groping along the way.

The most popular character Dylan last update had his arm around her waist and got in some butt groping. The running joke with him now is "touching the fabric", since Sophia really isn't comfortable with him touching her (and apparently is only now start to). The furthest he's got kissing wise is a peck on the lips he had to steal, since he asked for a peck on the cheek

L&P was in college when the game started, so I don't see age being a problem. More if he starts to see a drop in patronage, he may lose interest. Or simply burnout.

I really hope BWG will be able to finish DDoS. And MLS.
The good thing is, he has already a created a game world, so all he needs for a next game is to plop in some characters and connect them with a story.
Maybe a strategy or management game from the point of view of a demon like Tara.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

Well, for a project running long enough there are always going to be fans who die of old age. But it gets to be a real problem when the author is of risk dying of old age. Phil Foglio, who draws my favorite web comic Girl Genius, is 65 years old now.

What about the more important question "are there handholding scenes yet?".

The dreaded handholding. By many considered the lewdest act you could commit!

 

[Cygnus X-1]

I've got a question for you guys. I thought I ask the experts here.
Which one of these lovely mother / daughter pairs do you think will get into a romantic relationship first?
You can add more candidates.

mom + Viv (DDoS)
Yoon + Michelle (Free pass)
Rachel + fmc (Bad memories)

 

[Alley_Cat]

I've got a question for you guys. I thought I ask the experts here.
Which one of these lovely mother / daughter pairs do you think will get into a romantic relationship first?
You can add more candidates.

mom + Viv (DDoS)
Yoon + Michelle (Free pass)
Rachel + fmc (Bad memories)

Hmmm. I've already played the latest Free Pass update, and you can see feelings beginning to develop. But then Yoon is still working out the difference between love and sex. And Michelle isn't technically Yoon's daughter.

Not even sure if Mom knows the difference between love and sex yet. But then that's why I'm looking forward to her next appearance in the game.

Do we even know Mom's name yet? I have my suspicions based on her assets list, but they are only suspicions

 

[Cygnus X-1]

Hmmm. I've already played the latest Free Pass update, and you can see feelings beginning to develop. But then Yoon is still working out the difference between love and sex. And Michelle isn't technically Yoon's daughter.

Not even sure if Mom knows the difference between love and sex yet. But then that's why I'm looking forward to her next appearance in the game.

Do we even know Mom's name yet? I have my suspicions based on her assets list, but they are only suspicions

Mom's asset list says Marion, Leia, twice Tasha, twice Sydney.
I know Michell is her step daughter. I'd bet on them as there are no obstacles in the way. That is if you got rid of Jospeh. Michelle recognises that Yoon is a nice person and even starts to like her. At least enough to want her to be happy. She even wouldn't mind if Yoon left Daniel. And the story in Free pass moves quite fast.

Mom on the other hand just wants have fun with Viv. Maybe later she will develop other then maternal feelings for Viv. But that's anyone's guess.

Rachel is such a tease. Well not her, but the dev. She is attracted to the mc from the start and wants to make up for her failures and the lost time. You can pursue her from the beginning. But she does have feelings of guilt to work through and the mc slowly starts to see they might have been blind to what was really going on in the past. Rachel even kisses the mc on her own accord and they make out in the shower. But when the situation gets heated, she stops. In the meantime the mc can have several times sex with half sister Ellie and her friend Jada (even a threesome!) and play a few times with Katie. Maybe by the time the game ends they wil get together.

 

[bacienvu88]

I've got a question for you guys. I thought I ask the experts here.
Which one of these lovely mother / daughter pairs do you think will get into a romantic relationship first?
You can add more candidates.

mom + Viv (DDoS)
Yoon + Michelle (Free pass)
Rachel + fmc (Bad memories)

I say Emma & Amy Ackerman from Champions of Liberty Institute of Training (or Emma & her mother's wife, Ling Woo). But I am not sure it is planned to happen. On the other hand Amy and Ling is already a very cute couple.

Speaking of which, time to go and play the new update of that game.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

I say Emma & Amy Ackerman from Champions of Liberty Institute of Training (or Emma & her mother's wife, Ling Woo). But I am not sure it is planned to happen. On the other hand Amy and Ling is already a very cute couple.

Speaking of which, time to go and play the new update of that game.

I guess you noticed that game's abbreviation is c.l.i.t.? And for the dev's other game Virtuous United Ladies Volleyball Association it's v.u.l.v.a.?

 

[bacienvu88]

I guess you noticed that game's abbreviation is c.l.i.t.? And for the dev's other game Virtuous United Ladies Volleyball Association it's v.u.l.v.a.?

Of course. Kind of hard to miss. I've played both a lot. Ling is such a cutie in both games!

 

[bacienvu88]

I know Michell is her step daughter. I'd bet on them as there are no obstacles in the way. That is if you got rid of Jospeh. Michelle recognises that Yoon is a nice person and even starts to like her. At least enough to want her to be happy. She even wouldn't mind if Yoon left Daniel. And the story in Free pass moves quite fast.

Man, I have mixed feelings about Free Pass. All males except Andrew seem to be assholes and every time one shows up something bad happens it seems. I really like the ladies and their interactions, but all the mobsters, blackmail and asshole males ruin the game for me.

Rachel is such a tease. Well not her, but the dev. She is attracted to the mc from the start and wants to make up for her failures and the lost time. You can pursue her from the beginning. But she does have feelings of guilt to work through and the mc slowly starts to see they might have been blind to what was really going on in the past. Rachel even kisses the mc on her own accord and they make out in the shower. But when the situation gets heated, she stops. In the meantime the mc can have several times sex with half sister Ellie and her friend Jada (even a threesome!) and play a few times with Katie. Maybe by the time the game ends they wil get together.

Rachel really grew on me in the last update. But considering that the relationship variable with Rachel is called "mob", as in "mom obsession" (if I've understood correctly), I'm not sure the feelings between MC and Rachel really is love. And I'm not sure the relationship with Ellie is entirely healthy either since her variable is "fear". But I guess unhealthy relationships is the theme of the game.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

Of course. Kind of hard to miss. I've played both a lot. Ling is such a cutie in both games!

I'm curious what name does he come with for v.a.g.i.n.a. Or does he skip that one and goes straight to u.t.e.r.u.s. maybe he will surprise us and chooses l.a.b.i.a. instead.

 

[Alley_Cat]

I really hope BWG will be able to finish DDoS. And MLS.
The good thing is, he has already a created a game world, so all he needs for a next game is to plop in some characters and connect them with a story.
Maybe a strategy or management game from the point of view of a demon like Tara.

I think one decision by BWG that had a lot of foresight was to use simple locations as backgrounds, and overlays for the characters we actually care about. Take Rebecca's party for example. There was a brief mention that there were other people there, but apart from that - nothing. There didn't need to be.

Even the guys at the front who the bouncer doesn't let in. Don't know their name, don't know what they look like. Don't care.

But the important stuff like sex scenes, those get fully rendered. And if we really want to see a slice of life moment like Mom and Viv sharing a kiss over breakfast, that's easy enough to render ourselves.

Whereas L&P now lauds himself in spending weeks setting up a scene in a biker bar with characters the MC might not even interact with, getting all intricate with expressions, poses and lighting. Each of those dozen or so bikers will have a custom outfit he designed. He even designed a custom outfit for the MC, then put out a poll with a different, more revealing outfit, knowing full well it would be chosen over the custom one.

 

[bacienvu88]

I think one decision by BWG that had a lot of foresight was to use simple locations as backgrounds, and overlays for the characters we actually care about. Take Rebecca's party for example. There was a brief mention that there were other people there, but apart from that - nothing. There didn't need to be.

Even the guys at the front who the bouncer doesn't let in. Don't know their name, don't know what they look like. Don't care.

But the important stuff like sex scenes, those get fully rendered. And if we really want to see a slice of life moment like Mom and Viv sharing a kiss over breakfast, that's easy enough to render ourselves.

Whereas L&P now lauds himself in spending weeks setting up a scene in a biker bar with characters the MC might not even interact with, getting all intricate with expressions, poses and lighting. Each of those dozen or so bikers will have a custom outfit he designed. He even designed a custom outfit for the MC, then put out a poll with a different, more revealing outfit, knowing full well it would be chosen over the custom one.

Yeah, simple backgrounds + overlays is a really great way to solve that. While fully rendered scenes are often nice, I think it is a great way to cut down on amount of renders needed. Some devs use these blacked out characters instead and that is just distracting to me.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

Man, I have mixed feelings about Free Pass. All males except Andrew seem to be assholes and every time one shows up something bad happens it seems. I really like the ladies and their interactions, but all the mobsters, blackmail and asshole males ruin the game for me.

Rachel really grew on me in the last update. But considering that the relationship variable with Rachel is called "mob", as in "mom obsession" (if I've understood correctly), I'm not sure the feelings between MC and Rachel really is love. And I'm not sure the relationship with Ellie is entirely healthy either since her variable is "fear". But I guess unhealthy relationships is the theme of the game.

I'd say Ellie is clearly obsessed with the mc. But she's so cute it can be forgiven. It may start with Ellie being afraid of the mc because she doesn't know what to expect from them. Or more like cautious. And she's afraid the mc will leave again.
Rachel desperately wants the mc to like her and to forgive her. And she's attracted to the mc even if she doesn't want to admit it to herself. Mc in the beginning wants to torture her and make her suffer, but slowly the bad memories she wanted to bury start to resurface and when analyzing them now she starts to realize Rachel suffered a lot in the past and didn't have it easy raising them on her own later. And starts to feel remorse and wants to forgive her and be forgiven for giving Rachel a hard time. At one point Rachel indirectly admits to the mc she likes her and asks what she should do about it. Yes, it is under the influence of the pills. Which I think lower her inhibitions. In the latest update she tells the mc while jogging the she is attractive. So is there live between Rachel and the mc? Motherly love for sure. If their attraction can become something more remains to be seen. They need to forgive each other and leave the past behind to repair their relationship. Maybe even build an entirely new one, as lovers.

I agree with you on male characters in Free pass. Daniel is a dumb ass if not worse. Joseph is an asshole and his schoolmates are dicks. Tony is a little bitch. Andrew and Edward are OK though. But I'm in it for the girls anyway. And if Michelle rejects Joseph's advances, he leaves town off screen. And Tony gets his comeuppance. Even if he deserved more / worse. If you focus your attention on the girls, in later updates you don't have to deal with the guys much.

 

[bacienvu88]

I'd say Ellie is clearly obsessed with the mc. But she's so cute it can be forgiven. It may start with Ellie being afraid of the mc because she doesn't know what to expect from them. Or more like cautious. And she's afraid the mc will leave again.

Ellie's cute level is off the charts. But I think it is more a combination of hero worship, love and fear of abandonment. rather than obsession. Several of MC:s memories show how MC protects Ellie as children, even when MC get scolded for it by Rachel she seems to continue. So when her hero and protector suddenly reappears, she is cautious as you say, but as MC assuades her fear, the love and hero worship can take over.

Rachel desperately wants the mc to like her and to forgive her. And she's attracted to the mc even if she doesn't want to admit it to herself. Mc in the beginning wants to torture her and make her suffer, but slowly the bad memories she wanted to bury start to resurface and when analyzing them now she starts to realize Rachel suffered a lot in the past and didn't have it easy raising them on her own later. And starts to feel remorse and wants to forgive her and be forgiven for giving Rachel a hard time. At one point Rachel indirectly admits to the mc she likes her and asks what she should do about it. Yes, it is under the influence of the pills. Which I think lower her inhibitions. In the latest update she tells the mc while jogging the she is attractive. So is there live between Rachel and the mc? Motherly love for sure. If their attraction can become something more remains to be seen. They need to forgive each other and leave the past behind to repair their relationship. Maybe even build an entirely new one, as lovers.

Rachel used to blame everything bad that happened on MC, including everything the sperm donor did (no, that guy isn't worthy of being called dad or father), regardless of who really was at fault. I don't think we know yet, but for some reason Rachel has flipped that around and desperately want MC to like her to the point of obsession instead, thinking that will make all wrongs right. At least that is my reading of it.

I agree with you on male characters in Free pass. Daniel is a dumb ass if not worse. Joseph is an asshole and his schoolmates are dicks. Tony is a little bitch. Andrew and Edward are OK though. But I'm in it for the girls anyway. And if Michelle rejects Joseph's advances, he leaves town off screen. And Tony gets his comeuppance. Even if he deserved more / worse. If you focus your attention on the girls, in later updates you don't have to deal with the guys much.

Good to know. I may have rage quit a bit at that Tony scene. May continue the game later then.

 

[Alley_Cat]

Yeah, simple backgrounds + overlays is a really great way to solve that. While fully rendered scenes are often nice, I think it is a great way to cut down on amount of renders needed. Some devs use these blacked out characters instead and that is just distracting to me.

Also has the advantage of glossing over details that aren't that important anyway. Like that the living room doesn't actually have a TV in it. Or the Foxy Lounge doesn't have a VIP room. Or toilets. I'm pretty sure the clothing store isn't even rendered, but a stock photo.

And for fans of the game like me that do notice these kinda details, it's easy enough to render my own similar version of assets like the loungeroom with a TV. It's even one I know BWG already has, because it comes from the asset for Mom's bedroom. Although I added a liquor cabinet. And if BWG likes it, include it in the game.

As long as you don't go overboard with the overlays. The "idles" in CLIT make me a little nauseous. Personally it's a bit much for me.