How many of you enjoy HTML based games?
- Thread starter SilX
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- Sep 13, 2016
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Personally I'd prefer if it was renpy, easier to manage saves and stuff.
It isn't that hard to learn either so I would recommend you
It isn't that hard to learn either so I would recommend you
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- Nov 3, 2017
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I don't have anything against the "engine" (though none of my favorites are HTML, I have some other text-based games I like), real-porn is a turn-off and incest generally bores me. Even moreso if I start a game up and the "mom" already looks like she takes 6 BBCs at the same time on the regular.
- Jun 10, 2017
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I totally ignore HTML games, not because they are HTML, but because 95% of them are made with stolen photography, what lead to something horrible to look at ; the locations changes any now and then, when it' not directly the girls who are different depending of the scene. And generally the realization and the stories match the total lack of effort put in the visual part.
Like the others, I have no problems with HTML games in general, just most of them are terrible in general.
If you're gonna go the html route, use some original assets, or if you're gonna use "real porn" at least try to keep it cohesive and use models that don't appear EVERYWHERE like Riley Reid.
If you're gonna go the html route, use some original assets, or if you're gonna use "real porn" at least try to keep it cohesive and use models that don't appear EVERYWHERE like Riley Reid.
- Aug 17, 2019
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As long as you aren't looking for anything exceedingly well-written (there are exceptions) and just want something simpler/fun/mindless, then there's nothing wrong with them. I think people expect too much from solo devs at times, especially when there's a lot of them that don't have the system to run Daz/HS/KK, or Unity/UE. Not everyone lives in a country with the expendable income to drop money on a 20/30 series card. So, where does that leave someone who can't afford an upper-tier GPU? Twine? QSP? RAGS? Java? Some of us are lucky to have the expendable income for it, a lot aren't.
But I think the choice of creating HTML games is more rooted in the lack of hardware than it is effort, nor is it exactly fair to measure their effort via medium. Can HTML/Twine be low-effort trash? Of course, but that goes for everything. JMO, obviously.
But I think the choice of creating HTML games is more rooted in the lack of hardware than it is effort, nor is it exactly fair to measure their effort via medium. Can HTML/Twine be low-effort trash? Of course, but that goes for everything. JMO, obviously.
- Jun 10, 2017
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That not everyone can have a computer to use Daz, I'm sure that we all agree to this. As much as we surely all agree that it's not everyone who can build good enough scenes with Daz or Illusion studios. But there's still many choices left:
- Searching an artist (2D or 3D) to team with ;
- Doing average/poor quality drawing ;
- Using Sims for the CG ;
- Browsing the web to find collections of photoshots made with the same girl ;
- Downloading random pictures for their game.
The first option is risky, while the second worked fine for Winterfire, who started with Sexymom Adventures before doing his HS/Daz games ; it's also an option massively used for years during the Flash invasion in the early 2000's. The third one isn't used often, but Forefinger had some success during the three years he past developing Drawing My Life, and there's enough dedicated sites to achieve the fourth.
Yet most of those who do HTML games stick to the fifth. And neither it is a question of bandwidth. You don't have the obligation to download the full photoshots, you can perfectly limit to the images you'll need, what will give you the same bandwidth usage than a random download.
Look again at the answers, we all said that it's not with HTML games that we have problems, but with the way the majority of them are made.
There's Ren'Py games made with stolen photography, and I'm sure that the four of us also avoid them. But they are the exception when it come to Ren'Py games, while they are the reference when it come to HTML ones.
No problem. Make, draw, steal, kill bill, doesn't matter. A good game will have people to play it.
- Aug 17, 2019
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Fair enough. While I was more referring to solo developers, any of these could be an option. Though, I'd hard-pressed to do the first as, like you said, there's a bit of sketchiness there unless you know the person (in which case, you'd assume they'd be working with said person in the first place.).
Yeah, there are a lot of HTML games with some lazy image use. But I do think there are a fair number out there that, despite their. . .let's just say 'erratic' use of images, are balanced out by above average to very good writing. Stuff like College Daze, Perverted Education, Transfigure, Incubus City (which got away with using different images as there wasn't a sole LI). I think even something like Student X-Change Program gets away with never using the same model because of the way it writes. Again, lot of bad. But there's also a lot of good.
I think it's also fair to argue that a ton of them are people just sticking their toes in the water of adult gaming/developing, seeing if this is something that they want to dive deeper into. It's easier to download pictures, drop in a bit of code, and write a story than it is to learn lighting, spend money on assets Daz/UE/Unity stores, or get someone/a partner involved in what is little more than a test run. Hence too much being expected for a format that is mostly used by beginners.
Again, fair enough. I wasn't specifically talking about anyone in here, but fair enough, nonetheless. A lot of these Twine/HTML projects are slammed or thrown into the same pile as the trash heap of bad HTML projects before it can get its feet off the ground, which was more of what I meant when I said "nor is it exactly fair to measure their effort via medium.". Just because the medium, in reference to downloading images, might be 'low effort' doesn't mean the actual writing itself is low effort. Yet, you see many on the newer projects say something like "Oh, another (insert fetish) realporn game that'll be abandoned in two months" (usually in reference to those who are much too early to have fully played it.). And on one side of the token, it's deserving of that reputation (myself included). But on the other, it's driving away/gatekeeping what could be a potentially good project.
I, overall, mostly agree with you, for sure. But at the same time, grouping them all up and avoiding the minority because the majority aren't good/are low effort isn't exactly a fair judgement (again, not necessarily referring to anyone here. I'm speaking with a wider scope as to the general view of said format.). It's like someone avoiding going to a restaurant that makes great food that they might enjoy because the building is painted with colors they dislike.
- Sep 25, 2020
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What usually kills it for me is the lack of consistency in the images/gifs shown. Could be mitigated if you processed the fuck out of the images to give them a more similar tone.
Maybe I'm not your public, because I play games with gay content, but I would play it if you have interesting mechanics, writing or at least keep consistency between the gifs and the text.
I'm a fan of HTML games, especially the grindy sandboxes. One of the very first games I ever played on this site was Young marcus, and hell, it ended being one of the 3 games that inspired my game (I'll launch it here at the end of May/June. It's already up on itch.io). But I advice you to take your time, play some of the most successful HTML games and see how they've done their Ui and game mechanics, and how they handle the porn part. Successful straight HTML games here? Confidence man, Casting director, Return to freedom, become alpha, become a taxi driver, the company, Paradise found or The monastery... Sometimes I play them just to see their features/machanics and study how I can improve my game on that regard.
Take your time to learn HTML/Twine/whatever twine story format you choose (I recommend Sugarcube) and CSS, to give an unique style and mechanics to your game, and make it stand out above the many others that get launched here on a weekly basis. Everyone seems to think they can do a 5 minute demo, with 5 passages using the default twine style, put a patreon/subscribestar link and wham, easy money. It isn't.
My favorite game is an html incest game : College Daze. It combines interesting stats mangement mechanics, a lot of sex scenes (didn't have to wait until the 5th update to have fun) and most importantly (for me) a lot of choices and paths providing a great replayability. It's the only game I fully replay multiple time between each updates.
The gameplay itself is very simple, just choose the action you want. You don't need to go through different menus or whatever, the story goes on and you pick your choices among the ones offered. A game both deep by its choices and stats management, and simple by its gameplay.
I wouldn't advise a novice game developper to do something as complex though, because I guess all the paths must become a nightmare.
The gameplay itself is very simple, just choose the action you want. You don't need to go through different menus or whatever, the story goes on and you pick your choices among the ones offered. A game both deep by its choices and stats management, and simple by its gameplay.
I wouldn't advise a novice game developper to do something as complex though, because I guess all the paths must become a nightmare.
- May 22, 2018
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I'm all for text based games, HTML included. But they have to be genuine games, not just "click the occasional option" stuff. And real-porn is a big no-no for me. I prefer it to be text only, much like books part of what makes text games interesting having to use your imagination to paint the scenes. The occasional atmospheric image or portrait is fine of course, as long as it never becomes a focus.
I like HTML games as long as it's not just a wall of text. It should have some images, gifs or even videos. It also needs to be able to be saved to computer. Some of my top games are HTML.
- Jan 16, 2021
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I enjoy HTML games often, but Ren'py is my preferred engine. But if you know HTML well go for it!
As for real porn stuffs... I Love them, but it is so hard to find images to fit the scenes you want unless they are heavily used tropes and images. (I.E. A Latin maid!... The same Latin maid you've seen over and over.) But some devs pull it off well. Good Luck!
As for real porn stuffs... I Love them, but it is so hard to find images to fit the scenes you want unless they are heavily used tropes and images. (I.E. A Latin maid!... The same Latin maid you've seen over and over.) But some devs pull it off well. Good Luck!
- Jul 10, 2017
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I don't really care if a game is made in html, renpy, rpg maker, unreal, unity, whatever.... The only thing I care about is if a game/story is good or not....
I don't mind rl adult/porn stuff. But A LOT of the time we see the same re-used images over and over in these type of games. And the same old faces. Not to forget a lot of the time, you end up with a lot of different actors portraying the same character because the creator does next to no effort in make any form of continuity.
Make a good game/story and people will play it regardless if its html or not...
I don't mind rl adult/porn stuff. But A LOT of the time we see the same re-used images over and over in these type of games. And the same old faces. Not to forget a lot of the time, you end up with a lot of different actors portraying the same character because the creator does next to no effort in make any form of continuity.
Make a good game/story and people will play it regardless if its html or not...
- Jul 10, 2017
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There is millions of porn clips and movies out there.... A hour long movie could yield you hundreds of clips and images to be used for continuity purpose. It all come down to what effort the creator want to put into it. If they just want to google for images and grab whatever land on their screen, that is the lazy option..
Thank you very much for letting me know your preferences and suggestions. I will proceed to think about the development plan of the game taking into account visual consistency without appealing to the typical actors.
Don't forget: It's possible to create actual HTML GAMES too! It seems like most other adult "games" are just some form of VN. On the other hand, you could make a game like TF Card Battle that's an ACTUAL game! I think there are a lot of people who would rather have high quality text instead of terrible graphics, or high quality still images instead of janky animations, or people who would put up with a little jank in exchange for something with actual gameplay. I feel like there is a chance for a low-tech game to be successful if it has something that makes it stand out. Most games are just the same old thing.