VN Ren'Py Fates Collide [v0.4b] [KatanaVN]

[Meiri]

I think it's better this way, otherwise the characters / story would feel inconsistent with one update and the next.

It's unfortunate the rework happened at that point in the story, but it's better like this for the long term, the good news is it finally feels like we are getting there.

 

[Pokerbro33]

It's unfortunate the rework happened at that point in the story, but it's better like this for the long term, the good news is it finally feels like we are getting there.

Does it really feel like it? Because I'm definitely not feeling it. We went from 3-4 months rework to over a year, and he's just now decided to also rework episode 4 lmao.

I've zero faith this game will ever get finished at this point.

 

[AnonW123]

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Heyo!

A bit of a longer break since last report, unlike the more usual by-weekly. So enjoy a longer report too!

Honestly, there hasn't been that much to write since last report, so I've decided to make it a bit less often. I feel a bit better with renders as I can show numbers, even some sneak peeks to accompany and so on, while currently I'm just dug in into scripting and dialogue.

And speaking of, it's been going okay. It has actually been quite decent 3 out of 4 weeks, but the last week was quite dreadful (both irl and workwise) which slowed me down.
I didn't finish today, but Ep3 dialogue is 98% done, I just didn't write the ending of the ep yet. With this I don't mean proofread, just the dialogue I've gone through, added some new stuff etc. into it. Won't go too deep into details, but just classic bureaucracy and being sent all over the city to make some legal documents because of certain laws that they're changing. Yay.

On that game note, Ep3 script ended up... Interesting, in a way. Took a decent amount to go through, but there is almost no "new" content in the end. Because, I've taken and moved Ep4 bits (Levy gym, Valentina Supermarket + Coffee) and instead placed it after ep3 big party event. Because of how ep1/2 were set, I felt it fits here quite well and leaves me with open hands for writing new content in Ep4 (will have big new Valentina content, possibly Levy too).
It took quite a bit to go through Ep3 script because I've had to think a bit more about certain elements, as they... Didn't sit that well with me, after what ep1+2 did. With some changes to early eps, the student council stuff at the party made no sense anymore. Some of MC's behavior was also a bit off (why did MC suddenly get + 200 aura out of nowhere to try lick April's feet), and few others. How did Falazio and Chang in first place steal old envelopes, replaced them with identical new ones, and none of the student council members didn't realize it? Things like that...
I've also made some complications to the party, but then scrapped it away and simplified as it was becoming way too messy (due to panties challenge actually ).

One thing that is hard to discuss (I did open that topic a bit on Discord already) is Serena's scene in ep3. I'm leaning towards removing it, and just having the rooftop be more of a romantic setting. Now this might come as a total shock, but the reasoning (in my eyes, and seems with some of my alpha testers too) is that her having a scene there and being horny conflicts a lot with her behavior now, due to ep1+2 changes. The two of you are actually much closer now, so the whole segment feels off after what she tries to do with you in the room prior to the rooftop. I've accepted the suggestion for now to keep the dialogue/part and see how it flows after testing and feedback from others.

Naturally, if it does end up getting removed, it will be paid off in Ep5, as then it would be guaranteed Serena scene (in contrast, if boobjob stays, I'd prefer not again Serena scene in ep5).

That's all for now, will try to make next report a bit quicker, in roughly 3 weeks and hopefully almost all of ep4 script done by then with some nice new segments and content. And after that, of course, it's rendering till I drop

Love you all,
Kat <3

Sigh! At this point I really am losing all interest in this game. I thought this was a damn good game before, that did not need a rework. I don't care much about Eiko (maybe she'll be better, but that improvement could have been done in future chapters instead) and the other issues just seem like trifling matters. Chang and Falazio stealing the envelopes- does anyone really care about this? what turns on that?

Serena was one of the few Lis with lewd content and now that is probably going to be removed. Not every Li needs to be a slow burn.

Maybe the rework will be absolutely fantastic, but then what? Does the dev get so burned out that they just abandon it all?

 

[Meiri]

Sigh! At this point I really am losing all interest in this game. I thought this was a damn good game before, that did not need a rework. I don't care much about Eiko (maybe she'll be better, but that improvement could have been done in future chapters instead) and the other issues just seem like trifling matters. Chang and Falazio stealing the envelopes- does anyone really care about this? what turns on that?

Serena was one of the few Lis with lewd content and now that is probably going to be removed. Not every Li needs to be a slow burn.

Maybe the rework will be absolutely fantastic, but then what? Does the dev get so burned out that they just abandon it all?

I do think some degree of rework was necessary, specially with the initial introductions for both Serena and specially Eiko who seemed to suffer from several personality changes during the current released chapters.

Other than that, if more exhaustive changes were really necessary to the overall story it's hard to tell without having played the new reworked version, only the dev knows the story he wanted to tell and maybe this changes were truly necessary for the overall story.

I do wish like I imagine most people that he had released the reworked chapters as he was completing them instead of the full pack, but at the end of the day it's his call. Also with all the effort he has putted in reworking everything, releasing the new version just to quit for being burned later would be pretty stupid.

 

[AnonW123]

I do think some degree of rework was necessary, specially with the initial introductions for both Serena and specially Eiko who seemed to suffer from several personality changes during the current released chapters.

Other than that, if more exhaustive changes were really necessary to the overall story it's hard to tell without having played the new reworked version, only the dev knows the story he wanted to tell and maybe this changes were truly necessary for the overall story.

I do wish like I imagine most people that he had released the reworked chapters as he was completing them instead of the full pack, but at the end of the day it's his call. Also with all the effort he has putted in reworking everything, releasing the new version just to quit for being burned later would be pretty stupid.

We may have to agree to disagree on that. I can't recall any personality changes with Serena or Eiko. In any event, we don't know them well enough to be able to assess their personalities. In the real world someone can give you a certain impression of themselves and then later when you get to know them more, you realize that they are very different from what you initially thought. In Eiko's case any dramatic changes in her behaviour seemed to be a deliberate choice as we discover she has several faces/masks that she puts on to hide her true feelings.

As for it being stupid to quit later, well, no one ever plans to abandon a game. It happens because a dev gets in over their head, and just doesn't have the drive to balance the work anymore. I don't wish that on this game. I'm just very concerned.

Releasing the reworked chapters one at a time might have been better, I can't say for sure because i've never seen a dev do that. Usually the whole thing is released at once.

 

[Niuul]

We may have to agree to disagree on that. I can't recall any personality changes with Serena or Eiko. In any event, we don't know them well enough to be able to assess their personalities. In the real world someone can give you a certain impression of themselves and then later when you get to know them more, you realize that they are very different from what you initially thought. In Eiko's case any dramatic changes in her behaviour seemed to be a deliberate choice as we discover she has several faces/masks that she puts on to hide her true feelings.

As for it being stupid to quit later, well, no one ever plans to abandon a game. It happens because a dev gets in over their head, and just doesn't have the drive to balance the work anymore. I don't wish that on this game. I'm just very concerned.

Releasing the reworked chapters one at a time might have been better, I can't say for sure because i've never seen a dev do that. Usually the whole thing is released at once.

The issue with releasing a chapter when it was done vs all at once is the story would be so damn disjointed and the coding/variables would be borked as well. Since as I understand it, it's a complete change to the story flow. So one chapter would end with them entering a party, for example, but it would revert to the old version of the game in the next scene and they'd be in a cafe because that's where the story was previously.

 

[xyzyzyz]

I believe there must be enough content first before reworking or at least rework in few bits and parts based on correction only where they are needed. So, this ensures consistent updates. Anyways dev doesn't want to listen to anyone so we can expect more 1+ year for update to be delivered.

 

[Axeleen]

I just wanted to say something to people here:

Do you patreon subscribers realize that the dev of this game has been earning around 1500 $ per month for a year and a half for literally producing nothing else besides "progress reports", i.e. a random big text message every month or so. How can people still be that deluded to continue paying ? These people are actually the ones enabling shitty practices by developers...

 

[adsta]

I just wanted to say something to people here:

Do you patreon subscribers realize that the dev of this game has been earning around 1500 $ per months for a year and a half for literally producing nothing else besides "progress reports", i.e. a randombig text message every month or so. How can people still that deluded to continue paying ? These people are actually the ones enabling shitty practices by developers...

I am one of said patreon subs. There is progress being made, as you know from the progress reports, and patreon members know from sneek peaks of Kat asking opinions and other stuff in the patreon discord channel.

Do I like that updates are taking a long time? No, but I do see why this rework is being done and want to support the game so it can continue being created.

 

[adsta]

I believe there must be enough content first before reworking or at least rework in few bits and parts based on correction only where they are needed. So, this ensures consistent updates. Anyways dev doesn't want to listen to anyone so we can expect more 1+ year for update to be delivered.

Reworking small amounts wouldn't make sense to do in this case. The changes are too big do to that, visually and story wise. It would just make it inconsistent and need saves to be wiped every update.

And Kat does listen to constructive feedback and suggestions. Try the discord and as long as you explain reasons for the suggestion/feedback and don't be a dick you'll either get a resonable explaination from one of the community members, or a response from Kat.

 

[xceratxx]

I don't get it why devs are too obsessed with remake/remastered old chapters when they can actually expand story with new chapters.

 

[adsta]

I don't get it why devs are too obsessed with remake/remastered old chapters when they can actually expand story with new chapters.

This rework is for multiple reasons; improving renders, making girls screentime more equal, story changes/plot hole fixes etc.

 

[fearjam]

I had this game in my VN folder for TOO long. I finally gave it a try and holy shit... This is pretty peak. And Avis is quite possibly the most attractive character I've come across. Also, pretty great writing, but we all know what initially catches our eye. I'm eager for the continuation of this game. May Avis haunt my dreams.

 

[ImSenjou]

This AVN is great, and that's why I'm apprehensive about the remake, I'm afraid the dev perfectionism will end up ruining this great AVN, which unfortunately is extremely common.

The only reason I’m still here is for Valentina. <3

 

[xyzyzyz]

Reworking small amounts wouldn't make sense to do in this case. The changes are too big do to that, visually and story wise. It would just make it inconsistent and need saves to be wiped every update.

And Kat does listen to constructive feedback and suggestions. Try the discord and as long as you explain reasons for the suggestion/feedback and don't be a dick you'll either get a resonable explaination from one of the community members, or a response from Kat.

I tried but unfortunately he didn't liked it. Anyways I didn't insult him though.

I don't get it why devs are too obsessed with remake/remastered old chapters when they can actually expand story with new chapters.

This rework is for multiple reasons; improving renders, making girls screentime more equal, story changes/plot hole fixes etc.

Do you really think 1+ year time is interesting enough ? I mean I would prefer 1 year at max for a update rather than reworking. Also I mean make things good from start so that there is no need for earlier reworks.

 

[sexypeanut]

Also I mean make things good from start so that there is no need for earlier reworks.

That's a very hard thing to accomplish for AVN devs. Most (like 95%+) of this kind of software is created in the free time of people that study and/or work and that had no drama school classes for writing or technical skills regarding lighting/modeling/etc. Making a perfect game from the get go is nigh impossible.

 

[Palis61]

just wanna check before i get too far into the game i dont have time to do 100 playthroughs so my question is should i only be going for one LI or is it safe to do multiple LI's assuming its not a harem since it does not have that tag?

 

[Dessolos]

just wanna check before i get too far into the game i dont have time to do 100 playthroughs so my question is should i only be going for one LI or is it safe to do multiple LI's assuming its not a harem since it does not have that tag?

multiple saves as there is enough branching can't see everything nothing has gotten to "relationship status" yet. But you probably will have to redo your saves in the rework

 

[Meiri]

just wanna check before i get too far into the game i dont have time to do 100 playthroughs so my question is should i only be going for one LI or is it safe to do multiple LI's assuming its not a harem since it does not have that tag?

If you are about to start I would probably wait until he releases the rework hopefully at some point this year as many things are going to change and we will probably be forced to restart anyway.

 

[AnonW123]

I don't get it why devs are too obsessed with remake/remastered old chapters when they can actually expand story with new chapters.

Perfectionism I guess. The challenge with doing a project in increments is that at any point you can look back and say oh God I could've done better. There are always going to be things that could be improved or that the dev didn't like how it was executed. My feeling is either fix it in a rework very quickly (after the first or second update before players have spent too much time and saves in the process) or just move on and forge ahead.