VN Ren'Py Hillside [v0.16] [DarkBlue]

[Dessolos]

That wasn't the full episode? I guess it did feel shorter than usual but we'll see I guess. And yeah i know there weren't many to begin with but there was just enough for the player to feel somewhat involved in the story as a pose to just reading if you get what I mean.

nope it was called 0.15 first half. Dev made a post saying they didn't finish in time of the deadline they set but decided to give us 1/2 of the update. Yeah I get what you mean I just recall some other parts had long stretches without much choices so you saying that about this update doesn't surprise me ( never got around to finishing it yet)

 

[MiltonPowers]

Not a single choice/option this episode
Can't remember if the previous Chapter had no choices either but I remember earlier there was always an option for interections or at least most of the time. This episode was 100% linear. Hope that's not a recurring thing cause it kinda takes away the immersion or maybe immersion is the wrong word. More like
Player input I guess? Making you feel like you're part of the journey and not just reading a story which is how it felt like before. This ep I was just reading text, that's about it. Not much progression in story either.

That said, Still intrested to see what happens next . Just hoping there'll be player input going forward like it was before.

There was a number of path choices that were based on previous decisions. So while you didn't make the choice now, you did in the past.

 

[DNCH2019]

It seems like a great shame we cant love both charlotte and lucy. why must i be forced to pick.

 

[Abhai]

It seems like a great shame we cant love both charlotte and lucy. why must i be forced to pick.

those unable to read are "forced" to pick, here and in similar games.

 

[znar25]

The following is just constructive criticism and I do not know all the facts.

The goal is to keep something like this from ever happening again.

Keep it down to 10 "chapters" (instead of "updates").

Release it all at once. One story equals one release.

Write the complete story with fewer L.I.s (only one of many possibilities, Charlotte, Suzy (who is the subject of bodyguard protection) and Charlotte's sister. No one else.

Tell a great story, start to finish. Use the old, cheap romance novels that were produced in large number, for some inspiration of how to tell the story quick and in a productive fashion. And....move on to a new novel (story, VN whatever).

This will.....require less imaging, coding, QC.

Bonus don't involve Patreon. Find another way to make money from the product (if that is your goal). Big advantage, the author doesn't need a lot of free advice and gets rid of this time waster distraction.

That's all I got. Smarter people here probably have other ideas.

I love this VN. And I think HillsideVN has done really great considering his many challenges.

 

[Maviarab]

The following is just constructive criticism and I do not know all the facts.

The goal is to keep something like this from ever happening again.

Keep it down to 10 "chapters" (instead of "updates").

Release it all at once. One story equals one release.

Write the complete story with fewer L.I.s (only one of many possibilities, Charlotte, Suzy (who is the subject of bodyguard protection) and Charlotte's sister. No one else.

Tell a great story, start to finish. Use the old, cheap romance novels that were produced in large number, for some inspiration of how to tell the story quick and in a productive fashion. And....move on to a new novel (story, VN whatever).

This will.....require less imaging, coding, QC.

Bonus don't involve Patreon. Find another way to make money from the product (if that is your goal). Big advantage, the author doesn't need a lot of free advice and gets rid of this time waster distraction.

That's all I got. Smarter people here probably have other ideas.

I love this VN. And I think HillsideVN has done really great considering his many challenges.

View attachment 3643192

The coding in this is pretty non-existant. If coding 'this' isn a problem, you have a major problem as a Ren'Py VN devloper.

 

[cxx]

1 game for each female (incl. joshy's fav. suzie) could mean that most of games would be repeating 1st game's content.

 

[sigvar]

1 game for each female (incl. joshy's fav. suzie) could mean that most of games would be repeating 1st game's content.

Yep, this is my main gripe with those games that are designed to be played through multiple times. It is just filler for different visuals and is the same kind of repetition strategy used by sandbox games.

 

[Abhai]

Yep, this is my main gripe with those games that are designed to be played through multiple times. It is just filler for different visuals and is the same kind of repetition strategy used by sandbox games.

you hardly have any idea what are you talking about.
may i suggest you to go back to nlt, kns, and harem fuckfests with "choices"...?
thanks for participating in this (wrong for you) thread

 

[Dessolos]

Was gonna wait till Part 2 to play the update but couldn't wait haha i'll just replay the game when part 2 comes. After playing this update honestly I loved it can't think of anything I disliked personally but that's also cause im Team Charlotte. I also love the new color in Emma's room looks alot better now.

 

[HereThereBeMonsters]

So this game is now 4 years old. Only up to 17/80 achievements are possible. Four of the main characters need intensive trauma therapy. The fifth character is an 18 year old developmentally retarded girl with the intellectual and emotional quotient of a 12 year old and has abandonment issues on top of that.

 

[Lilzeddyy]

So this game is now 4 years old. Only up to 17/80 achievements are possible. Four of the main characters need intensive trauma therapy. The fifth character is an 18 year old developmentally retarded girl with the intellectual and emotional quotient of a 12 year old and has abandonment issues on top of that.

who hurt you?

 

[Dessolos]

So this game is now 4 years old. Only up to 17/80 achievements are possible. Four of the main characters need intensive trauma therapy. The fifth character is an 18 year old developmentally retarded girl with the intellectual and emotional quotient of a 12 year old and has abandonment issues on top of that.

Well it is an extreme slow burn game. idk I think the characters are great tho I do admit the way Emma acts is the main reason I have no interest in her. Even if she is about to turn 19 would still really weird to me age difference aside.

 

[MiltonPowers]

Well it is an extreme slow burn game. idk I think the characters are great tho I do admit the way Emma acts is the main reason I have no interest in her. Even if she is about to turn 19 would still really weird to me age difference aside.

I've never looked at Emma as an LI, probably cause I looked at Charlotte and was hooked. But, I love the 'fathering' relationship with her. Her completely platonic love for MC, Her tears when Charlotte kisses MC and her genuine excitement to have a father figure in her life. I almost cried when she called MC (me) Dad in latest update.

 

[Dessolos]

I've never looked at Emma as an LI, probably cause I looked at Charlotte and was hooked. But, I love the 'fathering' relationship with her. Her completely platonic love for MC, Her tears when Charlotte kisses MC and her genuine excitement to have a father figure in her life. I almost cried when she called MC (me) Dad in latest update.

tbh even if Emma acted her age id be more into Charlotte anyways. Something about Charlotte I just love she drew me in right away but yeah being a father to Emma is something I really liked as well. Another reason id only play Emma's path maybe once we do have sex with her or when the game is completed just to check it out for the sake of content and that's it.

 

[Joshy92]

That's fine you guys can have Charlotte. Emma is my soulmate anyway.
I so want to cuddle her and nibble on her sexy ears.

 

[MiltonPowers]

That's fine you guys can have Charlotte. Emma is my soulmate anyway.
I so want to cuddle her and nibble on her sexy ears.

I can't wait to be your father-in-law. It's gunna be fun.

 

[Dessolos]

When I saw this in the update I had to make a speed run and name the MC Joshy for all those times we joke about Suzi killing him

 

[Joshy92]

When I saw this in the update I had to make a speed run and name the MC Joshy for all those times we joke about Suzi killing him View attachment 3645358

Look at what she's wearing my goodness I'm drooling over here.
I wish Emma could see how amazing she is.

 

[Smarmint]

I recently finished the update, and I don't know what you all mean about the quality going downhill. The renders and dialog are just as good as always, IMHO. Sure, it's not that lengthy, but whatever the dev can do in a reasonable time, I'm thankful for.

I am sorry to hear that the dev is so stressed about Hillside and unhappy to work on it. Honestly, life is to short to devote time to things you hate, so if the dev really hates working on Hillside, than he should just stop. We will all be disappointed not to see the relationship between the MC progress further, and see the story play out, but there are many other games.

I really think the main issue, is that the story has grown more and more complex, and the dev isn't sure how to wrap things up. If I were the dev, I would take a break, and then when you want to work on it again, write out the whole story, from now until the end, decide what part of the story goes in each update, write the dialog, or at least an outline, before doing anything else. I think the uncertainty and stress about where the story is going, and how to end it satisfactorily, is causing most of the issue with development, I could be wrong of course.

I hope, DarkBlue, if you see this, just take a break for however long you need. 3 months, 6 months, whatever. If you don't feel a desire to go back to Hillside, and enjoy working on it, and seeing the story move onward towards completion, don't do it. Find something else to do with your time that you enjoy. Watch Netflix, take a walk in the wilderness, join a club, whatever you enjoy doing.

We all would love to see it continue, but if dev says they dislike working on their game, really, it's time to take a long, long, break until they feel differently, or just hang in the towel.