VN Ren'Py Isabella - Chasing Shadows [Ch. 4.2] [badtimetales]

[badtimetales]

I'm really enjoying this. I can see allot of effort being poured into this game, with the animations, sound effects, and perfect choice of music in each scene to help set the intended mood, be it melancholy, jovial, ominous or suspenseful. Pacing seems just right, as well as the dialogue, not overly wordy or under worded, the dev. uses facial expressions and body language to convey a thought or mood rather needing to spell it all out with words. He seems to understand the visual novel medium well.

Thanks a lot!

It's nice to see that players recognize the small hints, expressions and so on.
In my opinion it's a very important part of story telling.

The music.
In 95% of all games I had played I've switched it off.
Until I realized who much mood, atmosphere you can transport with the right choice of music.
So I decided to put music in there.

And believe me, when finishing an update I really regret that.
It takes hours to find the right track (and even paying for the music wouldn't make it easier), put it in the script and so on.
But the decision is made, so it's me clicking through dozens of tracks trying to find the right one

 

[cib64]

Great game, great characters and great story. Really nice work on the animations.

Really liked the mystery crime corruption romantic story you created.
Character's models are great and character's personalities are good too.
Renders are great and animations are really nice touch putting them in during the story.

Would recommend others to play.

 

[UnoriginalUserName]

Holy shit, the animations in this thing are fantastic. Except for that first traffic one. I could totally see "Hit and Run" being a leading cause of death in that city.

So far the story seems pretty cohesive and well done.

That cop at the beginning fucking fails at her job though. Giving the still VERY fucked up grieving fiance a video of her being crushed and maimed by a car? Jesus bitch, just shoot him yourself.

This was literally me going through the story though :
Me : "Wow, this thing is pretty but shit, it's pretty dark, what's with all the depressing games lately? What's next? Killing a dog?"
Me at the end of the current content : "OH MY FUCKING GOD YOU DID!!"

This makes me very, VERY concerned for the safety of Best Girl Alex though, especially since the game is named Isabella, which is the name of the other potentially readily available love interest. You're not going to housefire us, are you?

Anyway, badtimetales, I have to ask, how the hell did you make this so well and so quickly? This is seriously impressive.

 

[badtimetales]

Holy shit, the animations in this thing are fantastic. Except for that first traffic one. I could totally see "Hit and Run" being a leading cause of death in that city.

So far the story seems pretty cohesive and well done.

That cop at the beginning fucking fails at her job though. Giving the still VERY fucked up grieving fiance a video of her being crushed and maimed by a car? Jesus bitch, just shoot him yourself.

This was literally me going through the story though :
Me : "Wow, this thing is pretty but shit, it's pretty dark, what's with all the depressing games lately? What's next? Killing a dog?"
Me at the end of the current content : "OH MY FUCKING GOD YOU DID!!"

And there I thought I was able to bring in some funny scenes to lighten up the story

This makes me very, VERY concerned for the safety of Best Girl Alex though, especially since the game is named Isabella, which is the name of the other potentially readily available love interest. You're not going to housefire us, are you?

I loved that game and I respect the dev's decision to handle it that way.
But sorry to say .... I hated him for that!

No housefire. And no more deadly "accidents" with the girls you love.
Can't guarantee there will be no small accidents or bad boys getting hurt
And the MC will never kick baby ducks in the lake!

Anyway, badtimetales, I have to ask, how the hell did you make this so well and so quickly? This is seriously impressive.

Fast?
I just spilled my coffee.

I started the development 2 years ago.
Did 30% of Chapter 1 - threw it away, because nothing felt right.

Started with the next version.
Created about 70% of Chapter 1.
Got better and better with Daz.
Thought "That's it" - played it one more time and recognized "With what you know now, you can do better!"

So .... let's start the the re-re-re-re render of Chapter 1.
An advise for new devs: NEVER start with big environments with low light but many light sources!
It takes ages to get it looking good, not to speak about the render times.

Chapter 2.1 was "easy" compared to Chapter 1.
And what I've learned since I started working with Daz sure helped a lot.
My old 2070 GPU is slowing me down and it doesn't look like the shortage will be over soon.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[UnoriginalUserName]

And there I thought I was able to bring in some funny scenes to lighten up the story

Well it's not like I was depressed the whole time, but cmon, poor Zeus man. Maybe he's only a little "dead" and Isabella doesn't know any better (don't actually tell me ). And MC had no clue how to approach or handle him either which actually endeared me to both of them somehow. "I feel like I'm being watched." Yeah dude, that's the dog, he never took his eyes off you or your groin. Fuck the person in the bushes.

I loved that game and I respect the dev's decision to handle it that way.
But sorry to say .... I hated him for that!

No housefire. And no more deadly "accidents" with the girls you love.
Can't guarantee there will be no small accidents or bad boys getting hurt
And the MC will never kick baby ducks in the lake![/ISPOILER]

Hey I'm all for murdering (or whatever) asshats, but that's good to hear.

As for "that guy", I honestly felt it was a "I'm tired of this and want to make the next one instead" rush job. The last 2 updates were just weirdly written and done as I recall. I mean, I obviously really like his latest work, but I don't trust that fucker anymore.

Fast?
I just spilled my coffee.

I started the development 2 years ago.
Did 30% of Chapter 1 - threw it away, because nothing felt right.

Started with the next version.
Created about 70% of Chapter 1.
Got better and better with Daz.
Thought "That's it" - played it one more time and recognized "With what you know now, you can do better!"

So .... let's start the the re-re-re-re render of Chapter 1.
An advise for new devs: NEVER start with big environments with low light but many light sources!
It takes ages to get it looking good, not to speak about the render times.

Chapter 2.1 was "easy" compared to Chapter 1.
And what I've learned since I started working with Daz sure helped a lot.
My old 2070 GPU is slowing me down and it doesn't look like the shortage will be over soon.

Heh, well I was basing my statement on the first Patreon post from November. I figured there would have been significant development work before that but I didn't know it was 2 years (not to make it sound like an eternity). Either way, the end result is impressive and you've got serious talent.

 

[cate.archer]

I will not give any numbers for an update period.
Too many dev's have been grilled alive after they didn't met the timeline.

Sadly true !

 

[cate.archer]

- because I really like the girl she was created after

PHOTO !

 

[badtimetales]

PHOTO !

Uh ... no.
That idiot she married a few years ago would kill me if he knows she is a leading actress in an adult VN


Just change the hair color to blond and a little bit taller and you have a very good picture of her.

 

[Osamabeenfappin]

I hope Zeus

Spoiler

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[Magician5513]

*cough cough*

DEV, get over here, you need some slaps!
Damn, that's me.

Ya, I realized a few hours ago that I was so concentrated on getting the update done for the announced date....

That I just forget to code the gallery.
I'm really sorry.

Not sure if I do an fix release or just deliver it with the next update.

Again, sorry about that.

You absolutely do not have to appologize about that!!!! You are doing an incredible job as it is!!!! (I just noticed it and was letting you know )

 

[UnoriginalUserName]

- because I really like the girl she was created after

Uh ... no.
That idiot she married a few years ago would kill me if he knows she is a leading actress in an adult VN

Ah, sorry dude, I know what that's like (not that that helps, and also not the putting the girl in a VN part, the other stuff).

Just change the hair color to blond and a little bit taller and you have a very good picture of her.

Seems we have the same tastes to some extent (personality as well as looks).

 

[badtimetales]

Ah, sorry dude, I know what that's like (not that that helps, and also not the putting the girl in a VN part, the other stuff).

No problem, we had exactly the same "relationship" like the MC with Alex at the moment.
And - don't know why - we both never thought about "more".
I just don't like her husband, but if she is happy, everything is good.

Seems we have the same tastes to some extent (personality as well as looks).

Isabella exists in real life too (ok, with one or two sizes smaller breasts) and I wouldn't have said no to her

 

[badtimetales]

Some are saying here that Isabella's story should be slow burn, that means they are saying that MC will sex with her only after tons of updates. One girl is forced sex in the first update itself and another girl is 10-20 updates may be?

As you may have noticed, Isabella has some problems at the moment.

She is not like the girl most players think by now, but she has some trust issues.

So it is a slow burn with her.
I wrote from the beginning: It's a heavily story base game.
With relationship building at second place.
And porn comes at third.

Dev, can you please say something about this? I know some players don't like fast paced sex and scream "porn logic", but there are another half of the fanbase who like fast burn. You may say "that's why i given two LIs, one for fast paced fanbase and one for slow burn fanbase", but The problem is not because of slow burn or fast burn. The problem is also with the girls. Because, just because i like fast paced, doesnt mean i like sex with alex in every update Or just because i like Isabella, doesn't mean i like slow burn with her.

That's exactly what I'm saying
If you don't like Alex ... sorry, can't help it.

I know that I'm missing out on a big number of players.
If I just wanted to attract as many users as possible, I could have made a harem/incest/school setting game.

Is it possible to have both slow and fast options to both girls, and let players decide themselves on which style they want to follow? You also have Domination & submission tags planned. So.. u know..

I was thinking about that.
But it's simply not possible.

Scripting would be a nightmare, but rendering would be a disaster.
Different renders for Alex only/Isabella only/Both girls.

Sure I could do that, but than you could expect one update every 6 months.

So if you are looking for a quick fuck with Isabella: It's not your game.
Sorry.

 

[cate.archer]

Isabella exists in real life too

PHOTO !???? ..........Ok, ok, I get it ! I'm giving up............

So it is a slow burn with her.
I wrote from the beginning: It's a heavily story base game.
With relationship building at second place.
And porn comes at third.

That is all in order, IMO.
BTW: You have a new Patron.......... and I wish you that many more will follow

 

[badtimetales]

PHOTO !???? ..........Ok, ok, I get it ! I'm giving up............


That is all in order, IMO.
BTW: You have a new Patron.......... and I wish you that many more will follow

Really thanks a lot for your support!

I've send you a patreon message already

 

[cate.archer]

Really thanks a lot for your support!

I've send you a patreon message already

I've readen it and you're welcome !

 

[Rectory]

As you may have noticed, Isabella has some problems at the moment.

She is not like the girl most players think by now, but she has some trust issues.

So it is a slow burn with her.
I wrote from the beginning: It's a heavily story base game.
With relationship building at second place.
And porn comes at third.



That's exactly what I'm saying
If you don't like Alex ... sorry, can't help it.

I know that I'm missing out on a big number of players.
If I just wanted to attract as many users as possible, I could have made a harem/incest/school setting game.





I was thinking about that.
But it's simply not possible.

Scripting would be a nightmare, but rendering would be a disaster.
Different renders for Alex only/Isabella only/Both girls.

Sure I could do that, but than you could expect one update every 6 months.

So if you are looking for a quick fuck with Isabella: It's not your game.
Sorry.

Can you tell me, after we have enough story with isabella to cross "barrier" for the first time fuck with her (that may be after some updates), does Isabella will have regular quick lewd content from there on for every update and later it will matches to the content level of Alex? I can wait for the sex and enjoy the story if it will be rewarding enough for me in later stage.

 

[Grohal]

As you may have noticed, Isabella has some problems at the moment.

She is not like the girl most players think by now, but she has some trust issues.

So it is a slow burn with her.
I wrote from the beginning: It's a heavily story base game.
With relationship building at second place.
And porn comes at third.



That's exactly what I'm saying
If you don't like Alex ... sorry, can't help it.

I know that I'm missing out on a big number of players.
If I just wanted to attract as many users as possible, I could have made a harem/incest/school setting game.
...

That's exactly my type of game. Just tried it out this morning and you got yourself another sub. Keep up the good work.

 

[badtimetales]

Can you tell me, after we have enough story with isabella to cross "barrier" for the first time fuck with her (that may be after some updates), does Isabella will have regular quick lewd content from there on for every update and later it will matches to the content level of Alex? I can wait for the sex and enjoy the story if it will be rewarding enough for me in later stage.

Sure, after earning her trust and developing a relationship there will be enough content with her, story and lewd.

 

[Rectory]

Sure, after earning her trust and developing a relationship there will be enough content with her, story and lewd.

Oh thanks for that. I just wish & hope that it wont turn into another game where a love interest teased all the way to the end and given two or three "full" fledged scenes for the climax, then one long epilogue with her and the game gets completed tag.