I want to make a game, but struggling with a couple of mental hurdles...

Insomnimaniac Games

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"Skip until lewd". Especially the ones who play VNs like that and then lack the sense to avoid whining about it...
Gotcha. TBH, wouldn't blame them in the case of OP here. It reads like an online recipe that gives you a totally unneeded life story before getting to the point 70% of the way through.

Seriously, TL;DR "I'm struggling to get the hang of Renpy and Daz, anyone got any tips or resources that can help?"
 
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Dec 7, 2019
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Wrong. Likely all image sets and most games and comics here are porn, but it's an adult piracy forum. There's room for adult stories with adult action that don't do coombrained porn plots. Yeah there are dumb SUL coomers who whine or get offended by the idea adult stuff exists that isn't porn, but most things on this site get a few dumb whiners. There are a number of games that have success with adult stories that aren't full porn. Besides OP wouldn't want to have the SUL types as his audience anyway.
Depends on your definition of quality but I was imagining 'video game' quality, like how AAA studios constantly carry on about graphics etc. yet their games are going off a cliff while many indy games with a fraction of the 'quality' but with a focus on the purpose of the game win out.

Purpose of a porn game is the same purpose as porn, losing sight of that purpose to go into 'quality' (again depends what reference we using) usually is detrimental to the project rather than enhancing it. Good quality writing is good, but I believe the 'quality' OP was referring to was the games themselves.
 

TheLotusProject

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Jan 5, 2025
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I appreciate all of the replies, whether encouraging or not. I am actively reading and gathering the information you've provided me, even if I'm not directly replying. I've begun a couple of tutorials learning the basics of Ren'py, so we'll see how this goes. I think this is the "easy" part in comparison to eventually making 3D Animated scenes, but we'll see!
 

TheMagicalGurl

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This will be a long one, fair warning:

Hey guys, my name is Micah and I'm a happily engaged guy in my mid 20's. I have a full time career making about $102,000/year before taxes/benefits taken out, and in general I'm happy with my personal life.

BUT.

The last couple of years after college, I've had a really intense drive to create that's been constantly bothering me. It's bothered me to the point of stressing me out, because I have a need to make something...but just...haven't? With that constant nagging in the back of my mind to commit to making something, I like the idea of scaling a business on my own. Taking matters into my own hands financially, and doing what I WANT to do.

So why am I here? Well, to be frank I like sex. I like sexual things, and I don't believe adult games/stories are some untouchable taboo thing. That being said, after playing countless games over the last 4 years from here..I've noticed a few things.

1) There is a severe lack of quality in a lot of the games here. Not to bash devs, they have a skill I don't have. I'm more saying, it feels like some of the devs are making games with 1 hand and their dick in the other. That's not necessarily a bad thing, I'm just saying there is a big gap in quality stories, writing, and art here that could legitimately improve the sexual aspects as well.

2) Like 90% of the games I've playing have been abandoned before there 3rd update. It seems people will pick up development and then drop it for seemingly no reason.

3) The focus being on just the most intense sexual themes possible to drive engagement has done the opposite in my opinion. Smut is more than just the worst possible things you can think of. Erotica is an art form, even if a lot of people hate it. It's possible to make a story first, sex second game here, and it be successful in my opinion.

All of this said, the reason I'm here is this: I want to make a game. I want to make multiple games. I want to bring a level of quality that only a few games have had, and bring my skill of story telling to the erotica side of the internet. It could be mutually beneficial. People are satisfied, and I could turn it into a business like many have before me. There's just a couple of big hurdles I'm trying to get over but am struggling with. I simply lack motivation to learn the necessary skills to pursue this.

I know learning how to code via Ren'py or Unity is absolutely needed, but I've struggled to learn them. I know learning Blender or the Daz3d editor is a must, but I've struggled to learn them. I know what I have to do, but haven't found the resources help it "click" with me. That's all I need. I have the ideas, I have the stories, I have the ability to write compelling narratives, I simply can't get over the bump of "technical ability".

I'm actively seeking answers from players and devs. How can I get passed this, and pursue this career? Advice, criticism, anything will be helpful.

If you stuck around to read, thanks! If you didn't I understand. I look forward to reading potential responses.
Self-confidence is nice, but don't let it ruin you. This is borderline arrogance. Reminds me when I started an e-fed (think online pro wrestling table top game) a long time ago, I was arrogant and thought I could do everything at the level of others... I had a reality check. I think you will have the same experience with an attitude like this. Don't be not confident, but understand you are a noob. A greenhead. Behave like one. Speaking of pro wrestling, if you went into a locker room with that attitude. You would be on the outs fast. The Undertaker was "Mean Mark Callous". The Rock once endured "Die Rocky Die". John Cena was once a weird Terminator ripoff called "The Prototype". We all start somewhere... never forget that.

Your college educated and don't know how to search the internet for tips and tricks? Do you know that Youtube has many great starter tutorials out there? Like so... and that's ONE... He has more and so do others...

Don't worry about others abandoned games. Complete yours and be quiet. Why? Until you do, nobody trusts you to finish a product. I did and even people that hated my autismo 3000 futanari protag game had to appreciate me completing a project...

That's your opinion. For me, I wanted sex in every chapter. It had to make sense, yes. But I wanted people to not have to wait on the burden of a story ALLOWING them to do so and I wrote a way for the ADHD instant gratification crowd like me, to enjoy a game without sighing and saying "where's the sex?! TOO MUCH SLOW BURN. I am gonna burn out from this shitty fucking slowburn!" I have had that thought at so many games, many games that are phenomenal because they just go too goddamn slow at giving the REASON why you play these games...

...and guess what? Prepare to deal with people who tell you they don't like your direction. They don't like your work. They don't like your face. Your UI. Your farts. YOU. That is being a dev. You sure you want this?? I had a buddy who tried this and couldn't pass 1 update before flaming out...

The bottom 90% of devs make less than $200. Don't quit your day job, it's likely you will just do this for the love of it all and it won't turn a profit..... Keep your fiancee in the loop and don't neglect her for a dream. Since you have money, invest in proper equipment. Excellent graphics card (4090 or better). CPU with around 32GB of Memory. Strong motherboard and power to run it proper and a good cooling system, especially leaving your PC in proper AC.

Excuse if you feel a tone, a felt like I was talking to old me a little... and needed slap myself down a peg a bit with reality checks. Apologies.
 

Count Morado

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I appreciate all of the replies, whether encouraging or not. I am actively reading and gathering the information you've provided me, even if I'm not directly replying. I've begun a couple of tutorials learning the basics of Ren'py, so we'll see how this goes. I think this is the "easy" part in comparison to eventually making 3D Animated scenes, but we'll see!
That's fine and all... but this is still the most important factor you need to consider before you do anything else regarding this:
You're engaged. Have you shared your desire about this with your partner?
 
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Scruffles DEV

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a game without sighing and saying "where's the sex?! TOO MUCH SLOW BURN. I am gonna burn out from this shitty fucking slowburn!" I have had that thought at so many games, many games that are phenomenal because they just go too goddamn slow at giving the REASON why you play these games...

...and guess what? Prepare to deal with people who tell you they don't like your direction. They don't like your work. They don't like your face. Your UI. Your farts. YOU.
*Laughs in Detached*

Seriously though, I'm making a game that is very heavily story focused. One the the things I get dunked on regularly is the lengths I go to to write a story with several intersecting storylines intersecting each other and minimal lewds that need to feel 'earned', but don't necessarily feel good to read.

Having a lengthy, well-written story isn't an automatic fast track to success for being "ohh, but I'm different tho".
 
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daibouken_

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Jul 3, 2025
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Don’t let the technical stuff stop you. You don’t need to master everything at once. Start small, maybe focus on Ren’Py and writing your first short story-based VN. You can always team up with others later. Passion and consistency matter more than perfection.
 

MissCougar

Member
Feb 20, 2025
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I know learning how to code via Ren'py or Unity is absolutely needed, but I've struggled to learn them. I know learning Blender or the Daz3d editor is a must, but I've struggled to learn them. I know what I have to do, but haven't found the resources help it "click" with me. That's all I need. I have the ideas, I have the stories, I have the ability to write compelling narratives, I simply can't get over the bump of "technical ability".

I'm actively seeking answers from players and devs. How can I get passed this, and pursue this career? Advice, criticism, anything will be helpful.

If you stuck around to read, thanks! If you didn't I understand. I look forward to reading potential responses.
I was cheering you on up until this point. :ROFLMAO:

If you want to do better than everyone and have the mad skill to do it, by all means go for it. But if you don't have the mad skill to do it, I hope you are either willing to not create the top of the line stuff you dream of, or are willing to pay professionals to do it for you.

Honestly without these core skill As an artist or developer you're not going to get far and you are even further away from making money and you are wildly far away from replacing your day job with porn game income. I'm not even sure if Daz3D and Renpy and Patreon would get you close to your annual currently unless you invest the next 5 years into it and probably not use Daz3D.

I dunno. I always encourage people to do their best and do it for fun, but if you aim to be better than everyone right out of the gate and have no skill and aspirations to replace a 100k+ salary with porn income... you may want to not do this path.

It sounds like you are an "ideas guy", and I hate to say it but everyone is that person. Everyone has great ideas. What sets the people apart from just having ideas is the people with skill and knowledge to make it come true.

I hope this works well for you, don't quit your day job anytime soon though.
 

MissCougar

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Feb 20, 2025
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This.. make a simple non porn game for fun using an engine in your spare time. If you cant manage that, you are cooked.
100%

In fact if you just make a regular non-porn game you are probably more likely to make more money too, assuming it's actually good and fun and people dig it.

I think porn games have an uphill battle just by their nature.
 
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100%

In fact if you just make a regular non-porn game you are probably more likely to make more money too, assuming it's actually good and fun and people dig it.

I think porn games have an uphill battle just by their nature.
Its also that when playing a porn game you are horny and that motivates you. But you don't code 99% of a game horny.
 
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MissCougar

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These kinds of threads always remind me of those kids who would play something like GTA and be all "yeah I'm gonna download Unreal engine and just make GTA but betterer!"

And lemme tell you how well those always work out. Why we have a deluge of indie one person studio games with the scope and quality of GTA filling up Steam like clouds in the sky. :ROFLMAO:

I think the first lesson aspiring developers learn is how not easy anything and everything is. You want a menu? By god that's hard.

You want to... gasp... save and load your game and your character has stats, inventory, and weapons with conditions and ammo and modifications? I hope you have a doctorate in computer science and don't mind endless frustration. :ROFLMAO:
 

TheMagicalGurl

Just say no to AI Slop
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Feb 19, 2023
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These kinds of threads always remind me of those kids who would play something like GTA and be all "yeah I'm gonna download Unreal engine and just make GTA but betterer!"

And lemme tell you how well those always work out. Why we have a deluge of indie one person studio games with the scope and quality of GTA filling up Steam like clouds in the sky. :ROFLMAO:

I think the first lesson aspiring developers learn is how not easy anything and everything is. You want a menu? By god that's hard.

You want to... gasp... save and load your game and your character has stats, inventory, and weapons with conditions and ammo and modifications? I hope you have a doctorate in computer science and don't mind endless frustration. :ROFLMAO:
Thats how we get Minds' Eye and I am sorry for bringing up that pile of feces.
 

Insomnimaniac Games

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May 25, 2017
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These kinds of threads always remind me of those kids who would play something like GTA and be all "yeah I'm gonna download Unreal engine and just make GTA but betterer!"
These kinds of threads are also near exclusively made by people who abandon games in three updates, because they didn't realize these games take thousands of hours to make and require actual effort.

If you're the type of person for which "watch some tutorials" is actual advice... yeah, that's not gonna go well.
 

anne O'nymous

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That's fine and all... but this is still the most important factor you need to consider before you do anything else regarding this:
I agree with the importance of this question.

Don't remember all the names, but few devs are known for having been hit, hard, by this issue. Either forced to stop in order to save their couple, kicked out of the house by their girlfriend/wife, and one even led to a drama thread when his wife found his account and the associated logins.
 
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