Few questions

[Kotve]

First I wish you all a happy New Year and the best things for 2020!
I started to mess around on Daz for some time now, having fun (and some boners). But now, I kinda want to create a game for myself in order to use those little scenes that I'm creating on Daz. At first, I thought that if it's just for myself, I just needed to have the bare minimum in a ren'py game to view what I want whenever I want. However, I feel that it's kinda sad to not do a bit more because now I'm having fun messing around in renpy. I don't want to create a AAA game, I want to create a little game that I like and share it here.

So, first question: I guess that the normal way to create a game is first by having something like a movie script (maybe I'm wrong ?). First of all, not gonna lie, I'm not an author, so I'm not having a lot of hope for the story. Moreover, I want to use some scenes and people that I already created, so, am I fighting a losing battle in trying to build a story around predetermined ideas ? Where could I find people to help me ? Because I'm not sure if it's a good idea to explain my ideas here. I mean it's kinda sad to spoil you the story if I want to share the game later. I'm not talking about a general plot, but precise things, I need help in order to not have a deus ex machina to justify every scene.

Second question: I read on some threads that after that, the dev create the environment. Here is my problem, first of all, is the environment mandatory for you guys, or is a fixed background for each location + characters.png over them for most of scenes, and to only use some elements like a bed for sex scenes alright ? Because I think that it's hard to find an environment for all of the situations (+ it takes so long to render ). And building a map using different buildings seems to be an arduous task and not necessary for a little game but well, without this, what do you use for the map or what do you see when there is a window in a location ? (For the map, I might have a solution with Icograms)

Finally, third question: When and where do you think it's alright to share content ? Because I think it's stimulating if you see people interested in what you're doing and an outside perspective can really be useful, right ?

Well, thanks for you time reading and answering (I hope you will answer me) and sorry for my broken english.

 

[Sole]

1) You don't really need a "movie script" specifically and it's definitely not "required" before you start making a game. I think most people just start out with a general idea of what they want their main characters or main story to be like or at least what they want their main draw to be.

No, Your not fighting a losing battle by wanting to use scenes/people you've already created, if anything having that should help you a lot, unless the scenes are just wildly incompatible with each other, but even then there are definitely work arounds like having a mixed setting or having events take place in dreams or in in-game fantasy that can help you implement them anyway.

As for where you could look for help, I honestly don't think this is a bad place to ask for just feedback/advice from many people at once, and I don't think most players bother with checking out forums outside of a game's official forum once it's released, I can't deny that the possibility of someone finding an old forum and posting about it in the official forum down the line exists but I think it's incredibly unlikely. Also it probably wouldn't ruin your game. Alternatively you could try the recruitment section to see if anyone there would like to work with you.

2) Anything should be fine for the background so long as it fits the scene/setting, somethings may suit a scene more than others but you really shouldn't feel compelled to do something you really don't want to just because other people do it, this is your game not theirs.

For maps you can use some kind of list if you really just don't want to make anything just have it accessed either through a menu or an item if long or just there if unobstructive on the side of the screen, you could also just use icons or have a normal simple map without a 3d render.(most real life maps don't use 3d perspective)

3) If you mean as your first official release it's probably best to wait until you can at least play through it a bit first, as for where to post it to get feed back maybe f95 or itch.io, I'm pretty sure if you ask for feedback at these places and you'll get feedback.

Edit: I personally don't mind helping you with your story if you'd like either on this forum or through other means, if you'd like my help just tell me how you'd like to communicate.

 

[Paranormal erection]

Script - Most of the games have a crap one, that a lot of people don't read (because it is crap), it gives 0 info or tell us any story for the character. I think with reading books, watching movies, you can improve it. Most of the games are:

Your father is dead/missing/(you are adopted to dodge incest in patreon) but somehow your incredibly hot mother and sister are still single. You have no desires outside fuck them to death, and after this... fuck the corpsed until you revive them.

The background might not be important but it makes the game to feels alive. Look around ur bed it isn't the only piece of furniture in the room, there is probably a chair, cloths, a glass of water, a towel, etc.. It isn't much but adds for the whole scene.

For map - open a big city with google, satellite view, take a screenshot and you have a simple map without many efforts.

Release - for v.0.01 I think 1 sex scene (not necessary but usually people want to check what they can do) + a lot of talking, showing the basic character, who are they, what is their routine etc., what is the purpose of the game, who is the MC (you might be a cleaner/teacher/director/etc), is enough if you can fit 30min of gameplay (assuming the player will read every single line of text) that is perfect for a new game, but 10m is fine too if you don't plan to do it as a side job.

 

[Kotve]

Alright, thanks you for your time

 

[215303j]

I think a lot of it depends on what you want to achieve.

If you want to write the best adult story ever, then I'm sure that a "professional" approach (e.g. story board) would help. I'm not a professional writer though, but I think it definately pays off to do your research.

If you want to present the best graphics ever, then the same applies. You have to set the bar as high as possible. There are plenty of threads here that can help you out.

Both of the above are offset by the next one:
How much time do you want to spend on this and how frequent do you want to update? Both quality writing and quality rendering take a lot of time. Cutting corners is possible but then you'll decrease the quality. What level quality do you feel is "good enough"? Or do you want only the best and accept nothing else?

Personally I do play games where the dev has cut corners. But such games do need something additionally. Huge amount of smoking hot content (but made in inferior quality, e.g. TK17) may do the trick just as much as shortish games with fantastic renders but a mediocre story or very vanilla sex scenes.

In the end it also matters what you want to take out of this. Are you looking to make your living doing this? Or is it just a hobby which brings whatever amount of money as a bonus?

 

[anne O'nymous]

If you want to write the best adult story ever, then I'm sure that a "professional" approach (e.g. story board) would help. I'm not a professional writer though, but I think it definately pays off to do your research.

I agree, especially since :

• The creation process of the game is a really long thing, which imply that you risk to forget things ;
• The release is generally split in multiple updates, which will generate comments that will make you forget where you wanted to go with the story ;
• The game mechanism have to be coherent from start to stop, which imply that from the start you need to know what you'll need later.

It don't need to be as detailed as a movie storyboard, but you need to know at least where the story come from, where it will lead the characters, and to know all its key points.

If you want to present the best graphics ever, then the same applies.

Here the approach is more or less the same than for a comic book. You need to have sample of each one of your characters, and in each one of the locations you'll put them. I'm far to be good at this, still slowly learning to achieve something average, but there's nothing more annoying than having found the character you want, and discovering that on a given place, the result always looks like shit.
It's a situation that you'll encounter, and you really need to encounter it before the game start, because you'll not be able to change the character or the location once the first release will be public.

 

[polywog]

Once upon a time we made games and then released them, but times have changed. There's no milk in that cow anymore, and it takes lots of milk to make the cheese. Sure there are shortcuts, you can go the processed cheese route, but the good stuff, the really stinky cheese takes time, and lots of milk.
Allowing fans to watch the cheese being made, can be lots of fun, and it helps if they bring milk, but too many cooks spoil the product. You have to have the recipe before you start the batch, you can't just make it up as you go along. If the tag says swiss, then swiss fans are waiting for swiss. If you go throwing in other ingredients that aren't on the swiss recipe, making some shit cheese because a patron offered you $20, then all those swiss fans are gonna be pissed.

 

[fitgirlbestgirl]

Sure there are shortcuts, you can go the processed cheese route, but the good stuff, the really stinky cheese takes time, and lots of milk.

People say they want stinky cheese, but they really don't. Or at least most aren't willing to pay for it. Most people are fine with the same, bland, processed cheese, because it's safe and familiar.

 

[polywog]

People say they want stinky cheese, but they really don't. Or at least most aren't willing to pay for it. Most people are fine with the same, bland, processed cheese, because it's safe and familiar.