VN Ren'Py Harem Hotel [v0.18.2] [Runey]

[WhitePolarFoxxx]

A question:
Are there any mechanics or other things you think could be improved about HH?

Bar advertisement. If I remember it right, I never used it. I don't have any idea what it's for.
Hot springs. Yeah, they are private, but what is the reason? Maybe we should implement third floor for temporary hot springs visitors. They will pay rent and stay for a short period of time (2-3 days). They will not be interactive, like bar visitors. Also they may be side girls/side persons and in this case they should be interactive.

 

[Runey]

Bar advertisement. If I remember it right, I never used it. I don't have any idea what it's for.

It tells you, you get more customers, which means you get more money.

Hot springs. Yeah, they are private, but what is the reason? Maybe we should implement third floor for temporary hot springs visitors. They will pay rent and stay for a short period of time (2-3 days). They will not be interactive, like bar visitors. Also they may be side girls/side persons and in this case they should be interactive.

Side characters will come here when their main counterpart is away. And it's a location for other side characters, like Vanessa, the Uni girls, and soon Kate and Juliet to visit weekly. Sex will be possible from there eventually too.

 

[TheDevian]

Gifts as they are... I don't even know why they exist other than to appease Autumn. Can you even use them when someone isn't upset? I haven't tried in so long that I just stopped bothering with it until Autumn's events prompt it.

For me it was Ashley, had no real issues with Autumn, IIRC...
Once you start doing their story, it is hard to get negative points.

Minor thought on navigation: I'd like to know the thoughts on why Runey made shortcuts to the frontdoor/bar accessible from both the bedroom and lobby, but didn't expand on that further? Why those two specifically and in those spots. From the lobby, it makes sense and lets you not have to re-design the lobby to include extra visible doors to each location but from the bedroom? If there isn't any game-flow reasons, perhaps direct shortcuts from the bedroom to 1st floor / 2nd floor / kitchen / utility room could be an option. I wouldn't say every location, but each major location "hub" that can branch to others.

Agree, it would be nice to be able to go to almost any location with a click or 2. With my disabled arm, the less clicks I have to go through to do something, the less pain I have to be in. lol

Side characters will come here when their main counterpart is away. And it's a location for other side characters, like Vanessa, the Uni girls, and soon Kate and Juliet to visit weekly. Sex will be possible from there eventually too.

I still have a bit of an issue with Luci being there when she is supposed to be at work... XD
Visiting her there would be nice too.

 

[WhitePolarFoxxx]

omg insane ridiculous nonsense grinding all the time

Everything will be free when the Elven Kingdom come.

which means you get more money.

Okay. Maybe I'll test it next time

And it's a location for other side characters, like Vanessa, the Uni girls, and soon Kate and Juliet to visit weekly. Sex will be possible from there eventually too.

So I got it right from dialogues with Uni girls.
Sex is nice, but I was thinking about incomings.

 

[jimmyjoo]

This hint system already exists, and has existed forever now. Honestly, this is another complaint I see often enough that I've noted it, however there is literally a hint system in game already, and for this event too. So this has always confused me.

If you go to Android's door and click "Give Android the Human Kit" it will tell you "I need to buy the Human Kit on the computer."

First, this was just feedback not a complaint. Also, I get that once you have the human kit, it displays on the door, but there's nothing that indicated I needed to buy it in the first place.

 

[Runey]

First, this was just feedback not a complaint. Also, I get that once you have the human kit, it displays on the door, but there's nothing that indicated I needed to buy it in the first place.

I didn't take your message as a complaint, I'm just stating it has been complained about.

In her previous event, the last line of dialogue is "I need to buy her something on my computer" since the event was all about Androids not being allowed in a restaurant.

 

[TheDevian]

Okay. Maybe I'll test it next time

It is random, most of the time it gives you an extra 50sils a week, but there is a chance of it being less or more.

 

[jimmyjoo]

I didn't take your message as a complaint, I'm just stating it has been complained about.

In her previous event, the last line of dialogue is "I need to buy her something on my computer" since the event was all about Androids not being allowed in a restaurant.

OK, thanks. For me the event was quite some time ago, so I probably just forgot about it.

 

[theGlassAlice]

A question:
Are there any mechanics or other things you think could be improved about HH?

Better navigation may be? It's odd that the bar and the front door get shortcuts, while more frequently visited places don't. Shortcuts to girls rooms would be much appreciated.
Also may be give a 500$ headstart at day 1 would make early game much less waiting around for money.

 

[Runey]

Since people have complained about an early game emptiness, I plan to address this in v0.16. I also want to give players extra income for doing these events. These events will be only for MC, and will have him explore the new continent he is on (mostly by going to the nearest city).

Any suggestions for this content? Something that can explain the world (Like an interaction with a police droid, or seeing construction mechs, or maybe an elf being abused and an option to save her), and some ways to earn extra money?

 

[Runey]

Better navigation may be? It's odd that the bar and the front door get shortcuts, while more frequently visited places don't. Shortcuts to girls rooms would be much appreciated.

This would hurt the game in a large way, mechanically. The player needs to visit the lobby and each floor for some events that occur in those areas to start. Going from hub to hub is a core aspect of how this game plays. Being able to teleport to each room would subconsciously make you lost. You would think "What do I do? Why aren't some events happening? Where do I need to go to make them happen?" But with how it currently works, you naturally come across events by simply walking around.

Also may be give a 500$ headstart at day 1 would make early game much less waiting around for money.

Question, what do you need $500 for in the early game? Everything you need should be purchasable when those options become available and no sooner or later. For example, Kali's hard drive becomes buyable right when the player has the money to buy it. And you couldn't use any outfits, the second floor wouldn't have any use, and the bar doesn't become available until later, at which point you should have been able to accumulate all the money necessary to buy it passively by just playing the game. Please help me understand so I can make the game better.

Otherwise, I would rather have this money be gained through these "MC events" I plan to add in v0.16, where he learns about the world, interacts with it, and also gains money all in the very early parts of the game.

 

[Runey]

Let me preface by saying that HH is awesome, one of the best stories I've read in an H-game

But, I have one feedback.

I started playing HH when it was v0.14. Played through entire game, all side characters, all upgrades, etc. Then v0.15 came out. After switching versions, I noticed then that the "skip unseen text" doesn't work at all, for any scenes I try to play. I thought that this was because you revamped certain scenes, but the "skip already-seen text" doesn't work for anything. I'd be nice if this was fixed so I can skip scenes I've already looked at in a previous version

Note: I'm not sure if this is a HH problem or mac problem or a V0.15 problem.

You can only skip text that your save has already seen, I've done nothing to adjust this so this suggests you started a new save or something. Dunno.

 

[jimmyjoo]

Since people have complained about an early game emptiness, I plan to address this in v0.16. I also want to give players extra income for doing these events. These events will be only for MC, and will have him explore the new continent he is on (mostly by going to the nearest city).

Any suggestions for this content? Something that can explain the world (Like an interaction with a police droid, or seeing construction mechs, or maybe an elf being abused and an option to save her), and some ways to earn extra money?

How about hooking up with an ex while he's there? It could always invite the possibility of her visiting the hotel at some point.

 

[Runey]

How about hooking up with an ex while he's there? It could always invite the possibility of her visiting the hotel at some point.

Hm, that's not a bad idea, but it does take away some of the self-insert-iveness the PC is supposed to have.

 

[ankhtar]

Any suggestions for this content? Something that can explain the world (Like an interaction with a police droid, or seeing construction mechs, or maybe an elf being abused and an option to save her), and some ways to earn extra money?

In one of my recent shorts, the character arrives at a new city and spreads his arms, inhales that "new city" air and is promptly smacked in the face by a foreign bill that was being carried by a gust of wind.
I don't know if comedy is what you're going for with any of these events but I thought it could be a fun little way of getting those extra $10, if nothing else.

 

[Runey]

I also have another question for you all.

I'm trying to understand why some players feel the game is being too preachy, or includes too much exposition, or having too much lore. Have you ever felt this? Where does this happen?

Any written exposition is supposed to be purely optional, like Nala telling you and Kali about elvish history. None of it should be in your face if you don't want it to be there, I try to add that in only for people who are interested.

The only thing I can think when I see "too preachy" is that this person must enjoy slavery and oppression (not literally in the real world of course), or not want to be told its bad. I don't understand where this comes from, and I'd like to understand.

Unfortunately, when I try to open dialogue with people who rate this game low, I just end up losing brain cells and not getting anything out of it. I've tried to talk to every person who has written a low review to ask them for clarification or to explain some things, but it never turns out well on this website.

In one of my recent shorts, the character arrives at a new city and spreads his arms, inhales that "new city" air and is promptly smacked in the face by a foreign bill that was being carried by a gust of wind.
I don't know if comedy is what you're going for with any of these events but I thought it could be a fun little way of getting those extra $10, if nothing else.

Honestly, finding Syl'anar's currency on the ground or something is a good way to gain money and add visual exposition. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Uthuriel]

...

No. Worldbuilding and lore are essential for a game like this and it never felt preachy to me either.

I think people that complain about things like that just want a quick fap and have no interest in it to begin with.
Don't let a vocal minority dictate how you write your story.

 

[shadowtempered]

People already complain about a grind though. I'm not sure if adding more money sinks is a good idea.
Honestly, I'm not sure how to take that. Most people tell me that there is no grind, but then I'll get the odd review here saying "omg insane ridiculous nonsense grinding all the time, 1/5 stars" and I don't even know what to think except "Is it only a 'grind' because you can't have everything instantly? All the income is mostly passive."

But I do plan on adding more functionality to the webcams at some point.

I think you have plenty of visitors who fit the instant gratification category and until the game launches with a cheat or something to enable the gallery at start for them, you won't ever truly appease them and their reviews show that.

I don't know what kind of complaints you see, besides those you bring up, but folks not being able to figure out story elements / money issues are the primary posts I respond to and it's almost always the same thing. They didn't follow the story advice to invest in the bar / use photoshots and they didn't click on a door / visit a location to follow the in-game hint system. Maybe you could have a "tips" options with Ellen who tells you how to make money and her tips expand as you progress?

From personal experience having recently just cleared a new save: the game isn't difficult and I think the only "grinding" that I've had to do was leveling the girls stats(lol grinding, get it? eh... eh? ... ) and maybe 1 week of extra income to buy story related stuff(currently at 9k $$ with nothing to buy). I'd love fewer clicks to get around, but I understand your goal to drive folks to certain locations for events to trigger.

I also have another question for you all.

I'm trying to understand why some players feel the game is being too preachy, or includes too much exposition, or having too much lore. Have you ever felt this? Where does this happen?

Any written exposition is supposed to be purely optional, like Nala telling you and Kali about elvish history. None of it should be in your face if you don't want it to be there, I try to add that in only for people who are interested.

The only thing I can think when I see "too preachy" is that this person must enjoy slavery and oppression (not literally in the real world of course), or not want to be told its bad. I don't understand where this comes from, and I'd like to understand.

No. I agree with @Uthuriel
You won't reach those people. You can try and grow your player base by trying to appease them, but I think it'll ultimately be more work than it's worth and you potentially lose what you already have.

 

[elnahat]

A question:
Are there any mechanics or other things you think could be improved about HH?

An option for bigger text box and text size. The game has grown really big, so it offers a ton of things to read and I really like that option in games with good story like this.
I have seen renpy games that have in their save screens an option that turns on an off save naming, so you can name your saves only when you want to, and not be asked for a name every time you save.

 

[theGlassAlice]

This would hurt the game in a large way, mechanically. The player needs to visit the lobby and each floor for some events that occur in those areas to start. Going from hub to hub is a core aspect of how this game plays. Being able to teleport to each room would subconsciously make you lost. You would think "What do I do? Why aren't some events happening? Where do I need to go to make them happen?" But with how it currently works, you naturally come across events by simply walking around.

Okay, I understand.

Question, what do you need $500 for in the early game? Everything you need should be purchasable when those options become available and no sooner or later. For example, Kali's hard drive becomes buyable right when the player has the money to buy it. And you couldn't use any outfits, the second floor wouldn't have any use, and the bar doesn't become available until later, at which point you should have been able to accumulate all the money necessary to buy it passively by just playing the game. Please help me understand so I can make the game better.

There's not much to do early game, so if I decide to take Lin out on a date to the cafe, then I won't have enough money to buy Kali's hard drive, and have to wait for another day. Just a little bit of extra money would make everyone more comfortable in the beginning, rather than operating on tight budget, only getting just enough money.