HTML Inner Empire [v1.7] [Defiant Explorer]

[Defiant Explorer]

Great game so far.., but seeing the last page.., feels like losing the nose to spite the face.
[wont go far into it, seems like expectance or viewing as a certain mindset/playstyle being superior, or as the younger would say "based/gigachad". whilst the more majority types-which are still a minority in themselves like all other types- are lesser.]

Spoiler

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Really liked the campfire interaction with the old man, though kinda disappointed it was only flavor text when Protagonist looks at characters in a certain scene. but seems in part with the nature of following along and sticking to the order.

Looking forward to seeing what the next scenes in future updates entail.

Okay, I'm tired of trying. 2/3 of your comment is a mystery to me. I'm not a native English speaker, so why are you starting with an idiom? How cruel of you!

The middle doesn't quite make sense to me either. And now I also feel silly.

But since your commentary starts with "great game" and ends with waiting for the next scenes, you probably liked the game after all. So I'll just leave a like over there and... *Shadow step* Poof! Now you see me, now you don't xD

 

[MaIiwan]

Oh, I didn't take any anti-pregnancy pills. What will be the next storyline?

I like Yuturna He looks so mysterious, hope there's a good scene.

very good game

 

[Defiant Explorer]

Oh, I didn't take any anti-pregnancy pills. What will be the next storyline?

I like Yuturna He looks so mysterious, hope there's a good scene.

very good game

Pregnancy is tied to random. The most likely interval when you find out about a possible pregnancy is the end of Chapter 2 or the beginning of Chapter 3 (I'll see where it would be best).

Yuturna. An absolutely possible target, but a very difficult one. Why? In Iolanta's dialogue under the tree. By the way, this is quite an important dialogue - the opening of entire scenes is tied to it. I don't recommend skipping it unless you intend to play a character that's not very interested in her companions (but at this stage of game readiness, it's just a skip for the sake of skipping).

 

[Rom46]

Love the narrative! This will definitely lead me into multiple playthroughs as the game proceeds.

I really loved when I met the farmer's children, and that they recognized me as a barbarian, which is a wonderful touch.

 

[Defiant Explorer]

@MOROZ@,

Thanks for the first adequate, non-five-star review. I was beginning to worry that I was too sensitive to criticism. At least you were honest in pointing out that you might not have caught some of the gameplay aspects. This will be very helpful to those who read your review before playing the game. To be more attentive, planning the character build (because this matters), etc.

On the subject of saying no. The game allows you to say no. Many, many times. But there's some difference, for example, between saying "no" to a date and saying "no" to people who tie you up and torture you, prying out some info. In the game context, the second situation would be tied to an Ability check. As well as any other similar situations. This seems obvious to me.

... But you know what's interesting, guys? The scene with Lasander. When the protagonist seduces a married man. It's also tied in with the Ability checks. And not a single objection. I mean... when the player seduces someone through the protagonist, it's fine. But when an NPC does exactly the same thing against the protagonist... Some people, like, oh no - that's not fair! I find this amusing.

 

[Samuel Hidayat]

@MOROZ@,

Thanks for the first adequate, non-five-star review. I was beginning to worry that I was too sensitive to criticism. At least you were honest in pointing out that you might not have caught some of the gameplay aspects. This will be very helpful to those who read your review before playing the game. To be more attentive, planning the character build (because this matters), etc.

On the subject of saying no. The game allows you to say no. Many, many times. But there's some difference, for example, between saying "no" to a date and saying "no" to people who tie you up and torture you, prying out some info. In the game context, the second situation would be tied to an Ability check. As well as any other similar situations. This seems obvious to me.

... But you know what's interesting, guys? The scene with Lasander. When the protagonist seduces a married man. It's also tied in with the Ability checks. And not a single objection. I mean... when the player seduces someone through the protagonist, it's fine. But when an NPC does exactly the same thing against the protagonist... Some people, like, oh no - that's not fair! I find this amusing.

Those type of people are either truly boneheaded with their decisions or just have no clue how the stats system work. I'm amazed you still have the patience to answer them politely.

 

[Defiant Explorer]

Those type of people are either truly boneheaded with their decisions or just have no clue how the stats system work. I'm amazed you still have the patience to answer them politely.

Well, I guess I'm supposed to stay calm. Although, of course, I'm not going to lie, reading some of the negative reviews made my blood boil. Some people don't realize that this is an author's project, and the negative comments are taken much more personally. I'm not some community manager of a big company who, by and large, doesn't care what or who writes there... Answering calmly it's just their job.

That's different when you see someone write obvious bullshit about your work, personally made, with all that effort and time you put into it - you take it almost as if a mustachioed man in a cape approaching your kid with a candy cane... Aw fuck, where's my shotgun! xD But need to stay calm... need to stay calm...

 

[@MOROZ@]

@MOROZ@,

Thanks for the first adequate, non-five-star review. I was beginning to worry that I was too sensitive to criticism. At least you were honest in pointing out that you might not have caught some of the gameplay aspects. This will be very helpful to those who read your review before playing the game. To be more attentive, planning the character build (because this matters), etc.

On the subject of saying no. The game allows you to say no. Many, many times. But there's some difference, for example, between saying "no" to a date and saying "no" to people who tie you up and torture you, prying out some info. In the game context, the second situation would be tied to an Ability check. As well as any other similar situations. This seems obvious to me.

... But you know what's interesting, guys? The scene with Lasander. When the protagonist seduces a married man. It's also tied in with the Ability checks. And not a single objection. I mean... when the player seduces someone through the protagonist, it's fine. But when an NPC does exactly the same thing against the protagonist... Some people, like, oh no - that's not fair! I find this amusing.

I rewrote the review 3 times in the hope that I could get my point across and I honestly think it didn't work out very well. I didn't mean to spoil your mood. I understand that the situation in which I found myself in the game is almost entirely my fault. Maybe my reaction to the event was inadequate and influenced the review more than I thought. I'm sorry if I upset you, this is not what I wanted. I liked the story and the attention to detail, like the character's appearance, I love that in games. I hope the game will be good and I wish you good luck in development.

 

[tonibony]

Perhaps the problem is that the players are not fully aware of what a temptation Cadonis is to the MC. For comparison, see the scene where the MC eats the food after sneaking into the poor farm. At that moment it's clear how hungry she is and why she needs more will to resist the temptation. MC's feelings for Cadonis are not so obvious. The dialogue may mislead the (not so watchful) player that the MC has dealt with Cadonis' actions and he is no longer a substantial temptation. Adding to the story a few lines of internal dialogue or observations that reveal Cadonis' true effect on the MC (especially when it contradicts the attitude she demonstrates) can improve the player's awareness of the situation. So when it comes down to the willpower tests, it won't be that big of a surprise.

 

[Defiant Explorer]

Perhaps the problem is that the players are not fully aware of what a temptation Cadonis is to the MC. For comparison, see the scene where the MC eats the food after sneaking into the poor farm. At that moment it's clear how hungry she is and why she needs more will to resist the temptation. MC's feelings for Cadonis are not so obvious. The dialogue may mislead the (not so watchful) player that the MC has dealt with Cadonis' actions and he is no longer a substantial temptation. Adding to the story a few lines of internal dialogue or observations that reveal Cadonis' true effect on the MC (especially when it contradicts the attitude she demonstrates) can improve the player's awareness of the situation. So when it comes down to the willpower tests, it won't be that big of a surprise.

Hmm, maybe you're right. It seemed obvious to me what happens in the kissing scene, where the protagonist has only 3 possible reactions: eagerness, demonstrative pseudo-resistance, and real resistance (willpower).

I, however, also think that some players have a fear that if their MC hooks up with Cadonis it automatically means that they will end up in a romantic relationship with him. This is entirely the wrong idea. I mean, it's possible, but definitely not without a player's decision (not based on checks). But that's what 1.3 is all about. There's a reason I originally wanted to release 1.3 as the first update for Chapter 2. But I didn't have time and released 1.2, where the situation hangs in the air at the end a bit.

But I'll see later if I can add some internal monologue somewhere and perhaps reemphasize that the (possible) protagonist's attraction to Cadonis after the kissing scene is purely physical. Everything else is a player's decision.

 

[Bobenstein]

What do you think of the idea of the player either getting Iolanta off birth control or sabotaging it so that she gets knocked up?

 

[Defiant Explorer]

What do you think of the idea of the player either getting Iolanta off birth control or sabotaging it so that she gets knocked up?

*Mysteriously smiles*

 

[Bobenstein]

*Mysteriously smiles*

Excellant

 

[Defiant Explorer]

Excellant

Just to be clear. I have a similar idea, but it's vague and not for the near future. So no promises, but... anything can happen.

 

[ashley_1147]

walkthrough?

 

[Defiant Explorer]

tonibony

Regarding your suggestion. I just finished making 1.3 (patron-only version will be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow) and am doing a long test through the whole updates 1.2 and 1.3 now. So, I don't know, in my opinion, the physical attraction of the protagonist to Cadonis is obvious if the lines with the Willpower checks were not used. So obvious that I don't even know where (or why) to insert an additional description (internal monologue, as you said). Anyway, if you have any idea where exactly it might be inserted, please feel free to point it out.

 

[Defiant Explorer]

1.3 (patron-only) came out today. The public version, if there will be no leaks, will be posted here and on itch by me on March 22nd.

...that feeling when you hate paywalls but forced to build them yourself...

 

[Thatguy041]

Great game. I look forward to seeing how the game progresses.

 

[damnedfrog]

I hope we will be able to help Murella come out of her shell.

 

[damnedfrog]

About all the complain about Cadonis, it's seems that some players put 0 in willpower, and so will be never be able to reject him.
After starting to play, I realized that having 0 in a ability could be very tough.
You will never be able to take any choice requiring this ability, as you can't use Insight point to boost it.
Which also means that you can't gain experience in it. So, your unique solution is to spend 2 precious Insight points to gain the 10XP needed to reach the level 1.
Even if the fact that a level 0 block the use of Insight point to boost the level is explain in the rules, it's hard to catch the consequences until you start to play.

In fact I was lucky when creating my character. Because at first, I was thinking to put 0 point in Vigor.
But after increasing all the other abilities at level 1 or 2, I have 10 points left. As I couldn't use them to any other abilities (as more than 10 points are needed after level 1), finally I decided to put them in Vigor, so it's level reach 1.
Which means I can use Insight points to boost Vigor when needed, and I can gain experience in it.

So I was thinking that maybe, during the character creation, if after spending the experience to increase level abilities, at least one is still at 0, a warning could be display when clicking on Ethnos. So the player get a chance to come back and change the abilities level.

On another subject, you seems to be affected by a war.
Are you Ukrainian?