Ren'Py Harem Hotel [v0.19.1] [Runey]

[Runey]

I'd go beyond saying it's simple and instead say it's simply flat out bad design. There are hilarious sequence breaks that can happen due to how simple the logic is.
Assuming you're literally only checking the int values rather than checking a bunch of boolean flags, try the following instead: make every character an object with more than just the friendship values being checked and actually check if a character is available for an act if they're involved in a scene. Hell, I'll give you a freebie - If you completely ignore Maria and keep her at level 1 while going through android's story, you can unlock sex with her - and that also unlocks the repeatable sex scene in Maria's room - and you can also do this during her quiet period. I can name literally dozens of these cases. Example object properties you want (far from exhaustive): {friendship:int,affection:int,(etc),nymphotrait:bool,inlove:bool,isAvailableForSex:bool,isAvailableForBJ:bool,canWander:bool,wanderlocation:string(/int depending on how you're storing locations)}. You can probably see where this goes. If Maria.isAvailableForSex was false in my example, that wouldn't happen. Seems like a lot of work up front, but saves you a lot of time trying to think shit out in the long run.
Have a function to check and return what properties on the characters are actually at fault - I remember this one friendship scene where Maria needed both affection and exhibitionism at a specific level but the message returned was only "Maria's affection is too low" or something. Actually check via function and return, don't use static errors. I'd also recommend "greying out" things like obedience on repeatable events (IE Lin/Android head pats in kitchen) once you pass the trait threshold so that people don't waste their time.
And dear god fix the store UI it is hot garbage, holy fuck.

Sequence breaks are a part of the game design. This allows the story to be seen at the players pace and allows them to focus on their favorite characters.

Every time a different character is needed for a story, the game also checks to make sure they're available. This already exists.

Being able to ignore characters for long periods of time is a part of the game design, but eventually the game does require you level all main characters up. When a character requires any type of sex in a scene, it first makes sure they've done it at least once. This already exists.

Sorry you dislike the store UI, I quite like it and think it's simple and clear enough to read and understand. Most people seem to like it so I have no incentive on changing it.

 

[Runey]

Preview from v0.13

 

[ElukiaTV]

Sweet mother of Jesus...
i see the new place is being properly tested.

 

[c3p0]

Sweet mother of Jesus...
i see the new place is being properly tested.

With only one scene with double hand helding - much too lend for a game on the zone and one oral sex?
I demand more thoroughly testing. This must be tested above safety limits to ensure that it will withstand the abuse it will seen in the future.

 

[Jjay08]

Preview from v0.13

Sequence breaks are a part of the game design. This allows the story to be seen at the players pace and allows them to focus on their favorite characters.

Every time a different character is needed for a story, the game also checks to make sure they're available. This already exists.

Being able to ignore characters for long periods of time is a part of the game design, but eventually the game does require you level all main characters up. When a character requires any type of sex in a scene, it first makes sure they've done it at least once. This already exists.

Sorry you dislike the store UI, I quite like it and think it's simple and clear enough to read and understand. Most people seem to like it so I have no incentive on changing it.

I don't get peoples obsession with UIs. Skyrim has like 10 different mods 'fixing' it. And your store ui is just fine, to me at least.

 

[indeedsmug]

Sequence breaks are a part of the game design. This allows the story to be seen at the players pace and allows them to focus on their favorite characters.

Every time a different character is needed for a story, the game also checks to make sure they're available. This already exists.

Being able to ignore characters for long periods of time is a part of the game design, but eventually the game does require you level all main characters up. When a character requires any type of sex in a scene, it first makes sure they've done it at least once. This already exists.

Sorry you dislike the store UI, I quite like it and think it's simple and clear enough to read and understand. Most people seem to like it so I have no incentive on changing it.

Another problem with added more logic to avoid sequence breaks is it breaks the pacing of the the story for characters. I know that some sequences like Lin, the next event is responding to the previous one like her being upset over the previous events. If someone has to run around the game to get the progress going, it's going to feel odd that you wasted so much time before going back to Lin. It's kinda like forcing a Fallout 4 situation in terms of story.

I do think there is a some pacing issue going between characters. I.e. I ignored Ashley because I don't like her and she is wanting on me for some school thing. I come back much later and there is no problem. But it's not really something that is possible to fix or something that even bothers people.

 

[indeedsmug]

do you really get more out of the more expensive bar advertisements? I want to grind some cash before .13 drops. Also should I wait for bug fixs before even playing 13?

Personally I found that getting cash was so tedious that I just spawned a bunch of cash and moved on. The main appeal of game is the story and "plot". I don't think having cash helps.

I think it makes sense to have cash restrictions at the start to sell the point that the character is broke. But I think deeper in the story, cash should be a non issue. Maybe a solution could be that if you invest heavy enough into the bar, you don't have to worry about money anymore because it generates a bunch of revenue. You still have the sense of progression going from broke to something.

Right now, the bar doesn't give enough. Even if you invest in the heavy ad campaign, it doesn't really make a huge amount of cash.

I do think a problem with having a ton of cash weekly is that most of the items are one time deals. You don't have "weekly" costs. So if you bump the bar revenue, players buy everything, and then they don't have anything else to spend on.

Maybe a solution is to move unlocking items into doing side quests or events. Or maybe you just naturally unlock them by hitting certain stats with characters.

 

[Runey]

Another problem with added more logic to avoid sequence breaks is it breaks the pacing of the the story for characters. I know that some sequences like Lin, the next event is responding to the previous one like her being upset over the previous events. If someone has to run around the game to get the progress going, it's going to feel odd that you wasted so much time before going back to Lin. It's kinda like forcing a Fallout 4 situation in terms of story.

I do think there is a some pacing issue going between characters. I.e. I ignored Ashley because I don't like her and she is wanting on me for some school thing. I come back much later and there is no problem. But it's not really something that is possible to fix or something that even bothers people.

I agree that adding more logic to avoid sequence breaks would ruin the pacing. But in your example for Lin, all that would be required is you wait a day or three. You can skip time if you want, but the game is designed for you to train or experience other character's stories in between.

This is the issue with every sandbox game, or games with sandbox elements. It's what you get when you sign up for this genre. Much like how Ciri can be postponed for a good game of gwent in The Witcher 3. It doesn't make story sense, but that's a part of what makes the game fun. You can take it at your own pace.

Personally I found that getting cash was so tedious that I just spawned a bunch of cash and moved on. The main appeal of game is the story and "plot". I don't think having cash helps.

I think it makes sense to have cash restrictions at the start to sell the point that the character is broke. But I think deeper in the story, cash should be a non issue. Maybe a solution could be that if you invest heavy enough into the bar, you don't have to worry about money anymore because it generates a bunch of revenue. You still have the sense of progression going from broke to something.

Right now, the bar doesn't give enough. Even if you invest in the heavy ad campaign, it doesn't really make a huge amount of cash.

I do think a problem with having a ton of cash weekly is that most of the items are one time deals. You don't have "weekly" costs. So if you bump the bar revenue, players buy everything, and then they don't have anything else to spend on.

Maybe a solution is to move unlocking items into doing side quests or events. Or maybe you just naturally unlock them by hitting certain stats with characters.

I haven't received many complaints about the money in game, most of the feedback I've received says buying the bar and upgrading it to the max is enough. There was also a recently added sports day expansion that nets you even more money in the later game. Just to clarify, have you gone through these processes as intended? Or maybe you've waited a bit too long to buy the bar?

 

[RandomCl]

Help pls.
Is it possible to raise the exhibitionism with Android girl yet? I have all her stats maxed other than that one and I think I've completed all her quest line yet her exhibitionism is still at 0.
Whenever I invite her at the cafe she keeps freaking out about people seeing her face and I don't get any option to do the lewd stuff.
Thanks

 

[indeedsmug]

I agree that adding more logic to avoid sequence breaks would ruin the pacing. But in your example for Lin, all that would be required is you wait a day or three. You can skip time if you want, but the game is designed for you to train or experience other character's stories in between.

This is the issue with every sandbox game, or games with sandbox elements. It's what you get when you sign up for this genre. Much like how Ciri can be postponed for a good game of gwent in The Witcher 3. It doesn't make story sense, but that's a part of what makes the game fun. You can take it at your own pace.



I haven't received many complaints about the money in game, most of the feedback I've received says buying the bar and upgrading it to the max is enough. There was also a recently added sports day expansion that nets you even more money in the later game. Just to clarify, have you gone through these processes as intended? Or maybe you've waited a bit too long to buy the bar?

I think I waited a bit too long for the bar and that's the issue. I think I didn't hop on the getting the bar going with the upgrades until fairly deep into the game. Because at that point I was just exploring what was leftover and what I didn't focus on. So I didn't get the time to build up enough cash to buy everything in one shot. I think I was expecting to easily buy everything at that point as opposed to waiting around.

Besides, you get a bunch of cash for progressing through a story. Also, it's not really a problem since you can just spawn a bunch of cash and it doesn't impact the game at all. As it is right now, the role of cash is mininal and I think that's the correct choice for the game.

 

[Hisakatana]

I haven't received many complaints about the money in game, most of the feedback I've received says buying the bar and upgrading it to the max is enough. There was also a recently added sports day expansion that nets you even more money in the later game. Just to clarify, have you gone through these processes as intended? Or maybe you've waited a bit too long to buy the bar?

It's been awhile since I've played the early parts of the game, but I remember money being problematic in the early game. Largely because you have few options to gain any besides rent before the girls like you enough to allow you to take pictures, and like one friend of mine did, you may drop money on things besides the bar first, like the dungeon since I think it's the cheapest thing to buy and many people prefer to go after the cheapest upgrades first or the second floor since you want to see all the characters asap. I think I got the bar after the second floor, and got the upgrades fairly early, unfortunately I can't remember how early.

Going through my saves, even after a fully upgraded bar my money count goes up and down constantly between $3,000 and a few hundred, and I do remember being money blocked at multiple points (I think the worst time I had skipped three weeks to be able to buy something I needed, probably the elves? I probably spent the money given to you for them on other things not knowing there would be something that'd cost even more than that sum.). My current save is at day 270 with $2,000. It's hard to say how much of that is poor timing on my spending (maybe I got the bar/upgrades later than I thought?) and how much is the game's money curve.

 

[Uthuriel]

Can someone more knowledgeable than me tell me where we are in the release schedule towards 0.13?

I know that the beta build 4 was the latest release for the Patreons but how many beta builds are normally being released before a public one?

Sorry if this has been answered before.

Thank you.

 

[Konstantinus]

Personally I found that getting cash was so tedious that I just spawned a bunch of cash and moved on. The main appeal of game is the story and "plot". I don't think having cash helps.

I think it makes sense to have cash restrictions at the start to sell the point that the character is broke. But I think deeper in the story, cash should be a non issue. Maybe a solution could be that if you invest heavy enough into the bar, you don't have to worry about money anymore because it generates a bunch of revenue. You still have the sense of progression going from broke to something.

Right now, the bar doesn't give enough. Even if you invest in the heavy ad campaign, it doesn't really make a huge amount of cash.

I do think a problem with having a ton of cash weekly is that most of the items are one time deals. You don't have "weekly" costs. So if you bump the bar revenue, players buy everything, and then they don't have anything else to spend on.

Maybe a solution is to move unlocking items into doing side quests or events. Or maybe you just naturally unlock them by hitting certain stats with characters.

Interesting. For me it is the other side. Once I found out I got a bar and together with the money Kalis father later will give me I actually has enough money to let the girls live for free and buy each of them another Lin to cater their desires.
How about we spin the idea of the game further. We build a house where we can spend money on to buy elf slaves where they just live there.
We can do nothing about it except get a number of how many slaves we bought where they just live in peace.

 

[Runey]

Can someone more knowledgeable than me tell me where we are in the release schedule towards 0.13?

v0.13 should be out next month

 

[Uthuriel]

v0.13 should be out next month

Thank you, can't wait.

Love your game.

 

[Skode]

Gotta ask ya Runey - any plans for sexy time with the side girls at the Sauna? The main girls shower a different day in the hotel as well as linger in the lobby and you can enjoy those to the extreme (in most cases, in ones not it feels inevitable they will get ones just like the other main girls too) but currently the side girls veer to Sauna with not much to do interaction with them wise so was just curious given the effort to make them appear there if it was with future repeatable sex scenes in mind?

 

[Runey]

Gotta ask ya Runey - any plans for sexy time with the side girls at the Sauna? The main girls shower a different day in the hotel as well as linger in the lobby and you can enjoy those to the extreme (in most cases, in ones not it feels inevitable they will get ones just like the other main girls too) but currently the side girls veer to Sauna with not much to do interaction with them wise so was just curious given the effort to make them appear there if it was with future repeatable sex scenes in mind?

I think there's a good chance side characters will get a lewd option in the hot springs

 

[Jjay08]

Personally I found that getting cash was so tedious that I just spawned a bunch of cash and moved on. The main appeal of game is the story and "plot". I don't think having cash helps.

I think it makes sense to have cash restrictions at the start to sell the point that the character is broke. But I think deeper in the story, cash should be a non issue. Maybe a solution could be that if you invest heavy enough into the bar, you don't have to worry about money anymore because it generates a bunch of revenue. You still have the sense of progression going from broke to something.

Right now, the bar doesn't give enough. Even if you invest in the heavy ad campaign, it doesn't really make a huge amount of cash.

I do think a problem with having a ton of cash weekly is that most of the items are one time deals. You don't have "weekly" costs. So if you bump the bar revenue, players buy everything, and then they don't have anything else to spend on.

Maybe a solution is to move unlocking items into doing side quests or events. Or maybe you just naturally unlock them by hitting certain stats with characters.

it was just something i was thinking about. The lack of cash has never been an issue. you get handed the amount you need to build the sanctuary and pretty much casually generate the amount you need to save the elves. I just didn't want to be caught off guard, since runey has been teasing that garden so much i'd though i'd have a surplus just in case.

 

[Jjay08]

I think there's a good chance side characters will get a lewd option in the hot springs

yay! i want more hana time. I like the shy ones. Speaking of shy ones, what about Juliet?

 

[QQP_Purple]

I haven't received many complaints about the money in game, most of the feedback I've received says buying the bar and upgrading it to the max is enough. There was also a recently added sports day expansion that nets you even more money in the later game. Just to clarify, have you gone through these processes as intended? Or maybe you've waited a bit too long to buy the bar?

The money thing is a bit complicated to judge since most of us will have come into it late into the game on account of the fact we don't restart every time you publish an update. But there definitively seems to be a rubber band effect to it somewhat. As in, in the early game money is incredibly short. Than you get the event where the game just drops 10K in your lap, you can immediately buy the sanctuary and bar and start upgrading it and a few weeks in from that money completely ceases to be a problem. So you go from pinching every penny to not knowing what to do with the stuff at a point that I presume is going to be somewhere mid way through the finished game.

This said, I don't know where some people get 3k per week from. I actually have a spreadsheet I've been using to keep track of the money and here is an exert.
That's with full advertising by the way.