VN Ren'Py Abandoned Kingdom of Deception [v0.14.2.2] [Hreinn Games]

[Jinsoyun]

THIS!
This is an open and honest post from Hreinn!
I really think that if they communicated like this since the beginning, then the game would be in a much better state now.

Either way, i have a bit more thoughts about this than i care to collect at the moment, so here are some of them for anyone who is interested:

1. This was an open secret. I mean, even here in this thread without any direct communication with the devs we all pieced it together. So basically nothing changed.
The only news we didn't know for sure is Nomo breaking communication even with the other devs. It was likely, but not 100%.

2. Monsinne says that he is a slow writer. That has never been the issue. Nomo is a slow artist as well so they could have focused on the slow and steady style, but instead we always got the "next update will be faster" message and delays.

3. Continuing the project with another artist is not necessarily out of question for me personally. Nomo is incredibly good, but the internet is big and there are certainly artists out there who could do a good job. The main problem for me is how the game would still need someone to coordinate the team, someone who can communicate with the fans properly and if i'm being frank, almost certainly a new narrative lead as well who can look at the whole mess and find a way out of it.

4. In the off chance, Monsinne reads this: man, this is how to communicate. You are not a big corp, trying to please the press and the shareholders, you are a small dev team. If this was how the patreon posts had been written since the beginning, then you wouldn't have gotten half the flack you did from this thread.

 

[Verizel]

Its a great shame, honestly. This game once brought me to this site to get new updates in times, when I wasnt able to be a patron to pretty much anything. And this game trully was in disarray since Sierra left the game.
I would rather beg for her return and find decent artist (shouldnt be the problem for money they was making in good times, or even... you know... just find a guy with well-trained AI model) to reboot this project. Honestly, it was not just art, but writing of Sierra that made this game so special. There is a lot of games with decent art... but interesting plot, characters that you actually care about, and lewd? Oh boy.
Like, how many lewd fantasy games there is with fallen from grace noble lady, using her wits in mysoginistic environment to rise again to power and gain her revenge and take everything that hers back, and all this premise with fantastic writing and art? God, I miss time of fisrt updates...
I know that this game was brain-dead for a long time, but still I checked from time to time. Its so sad, so many fantastic games died, this one, detective necro... sigh...

P.S. Im pretty sure this post originally wasnt even under paywall, got notification on email and look upon it without any paywall, even wrought comment there?

 

[Falso]

Will ask again because Nomo seems to be dead, does anyone have the highres images of Noxian Nights? the artstyle changed a lot since that game

 

[Azurite]

I will miss Neve

Now that you talk about it, this is one of the things that really annoyed me with KoD. It started strong with Sabia AND with some teasing about what could Neve do sexually wise or not and then they just decided to add more and more secondary characters to the story when I just wanted to see more of Sabia AND Neve. Worst thing? the best content with Neve & Sabia is non canon/bonus content.

I'm pretty sure the split was not amicable. I doubt Sierra would work with Nomo again even if they did come back, and has proven she doesn't need to.

I know... I think Sierra is a hard worker/writer and Nomo could just not match her work ethic yet I think they were a great pair of creators. Nomo's art is great, yes, but it's more than that, it's a more streamlined gameplay too and a better overall pacing. I tried the games of Sierra and I think, of course this is only my opinion and personal preference, the pacing is just too slow, she loves and values game mechanisms too much for porn games and her games are actually difficult, this is not something I'm looking for when I play a H game, I just want cool characters, nice story and hot content/scenes.

 

[heehatatt]

3. Continuing the project with another artist is not necessarily out of question for me personally. Nomo is incredibly good, but the internet is big and there are certainly artists out there who could do a good job. The main problem for me is how the game would still need someone to coordinate the team, someone who can communicate with the fans properly and if i'm being frank, almost certainly a new narrative lead as well who can look at the whole mess and find a way out of it.

There's no way out for this game. Would need to be rebooted/remade. Too many abandoned plot points and storylines. Game needs a new coder too. Anyone remember the supposed bar minigame that ended up being too complicated for the coder to implement? Not to mention basic things like gold and stamina changes just not working for a large majority of post-Sierra content.

 

[DreamingAway]

Monsinne i don't have access to kod discord but if your open to using AI to mimic Nomo's style DM me.

We can do a Proof of Concept.

 

[Brother Penetrātus]

Monsinne i don't have access to kod discord but if your open to using AI to mimic Nomo's style DM me.

We can do a Proof of Concept.

1. Monsinne isn't on f95.
2. They don't want AI "art" (nor does anyone else).
3. This would not solve the other 2 issues heehatatt mentioned just one post above yours.

 

[DreamingAway]

1. Monsinne isn't on f95.
2. They don't want AI "art" (nor does anyone else).
3. This would not solve the other 2 issues heehatatt mentioned just one post above yours.

Thanks random person for sharing your opinions.

 

[RandomServant77]

I just wanted to see more of Sabia AND Neve.

If we're discussing the development and the plot, KoD suffered truly a lot.

The initial setup was rather clear: Sabia was maneuvering from a relative position of weakness in the Orcish world and Neve was clearly shown as an incredibly dangerous person, that could help but the risks were there (and it didn't help that Sabia was directly connected to a genocidal kingdom that helped, well, kill off a shitton of Neve's relatives). Sabia had agency and space to act, and you had several orc options (traditionalists or innovators) and allies. At the same time we got glimpses of what his mother/sister were planning.

Then it... became weird. I can pinpoint the moment where I kinda stopped understanding why some characters existed at the introduction of the catgirls, they served no purpose and were flat-out puzzling. Then it was a cavalcade of almost random characters and plot points that never got properly resolved, merely shelved and ignored.

And then the Monsinne era started the Sabia got first bimbo-ified and then became a orc cumrag imprisoned in an endless repetition of recycled art and bad ends. The entire Dominant/Submissive system collapsed on itself as Sabia was reduced to a worthless dumbass that nonetheless managed to make the plot crawl forward somehow.

she loves and values game mechanisms too much for porn games

I'd dare to say that Sierra does RPGs with erotic elements. The porn is there, of course, but it's an extra and a hook for the world and character-building Sierra is interested in. You can see if clearly in KoD: from politics/mechanics/Choices&consequences to endless orc ass in your face when she abandoned ship.

I wonder if Sierra will ever comment about KoD or she's too much reserved and respectful to tell us the juicy details.

 

[Lateralus1337]

Anyone has a full gallery? I played this years ago so my save is way out of date.
I tried using unlock methods but it just didn't work for me. No idea why.

 

[Brother Penetrātus]

Thanks random person for sharing your opinions.

If you have problems with other people reacting to the stupid shit you post on publicly accessible forums,
then I might have a book recommendation that could help you with this issue:

 

[DreamingAway]

If you have problems with other people reacting to the stupid shit you post on publicly accessible forums,
then I might have a book recommendation that could help you with this issue:

Lol K.

 

[Retromancer]

If we're discussing the development and the plot, KoD suffered truly a lot.

The initial setup was rather clear: Sabia was maneuvering from a relative position of weakness in the Orcish world and Neve was clearly shown as an incredibly dangerous person, that could help but the risks were there (and it didn't help that Sabia was directly connected to a genocidal kingdom that helped, well, kill off a shitton of Neve's relatives). Sabia had agency and space to act, and you had several orc options (traditionalists or innovators) and allies. At the same time we got glimpses of what his mother/sister were planning.

Then it... became weird. I can pinpoint the moment where I kinda stopped understanding why some characters existed at the introduction of the catgirls, they served no purpose and were flat-out puzzling. Then it was a cavalcade of almost random characters and plot points that never got properly resolved, merely shelved and ignored.

And then the Monsinne era started the Sabia got first bimbo-ified and then became a orc cumrag imprisoned in an endless repetition of recycled art and bad ends. The entire Dominant/Submissive system collapsed on itself as Sabia was reduced to a worthless dumbass that nonetheless managed to make the plot crawl forward somehow.



I'd dare to say that Sierra does RPGs with erotic elements. The porn is there, of course, but it's an extra and a hook for the world and character-building Sierra is interested in. You can see if clearly in KoD: from politics/mechanics/Choices&consequences to endless orc ass in your face when she abandoned ship.

I wonder if Sierra will ever comment about KoD or she's too much reserved and respectful to tell us the juicy details.

My personal impression from her was that she felt Nomo was too unprofessional. This is not from any direct correspondence or anything but reading between the lines on some of her posts (I followed her Patreon for quite a bit) not necessarily about KoD but general game creation. And it made sense, Noxian Nights was absolutely fantastic (it's what got me interested in Sierra and Nomo both in the first place) and that was a tightly run ship with good game mechanics, interesting story play, great art, decent update times etc. This was why I was so, so hyped for KoD. But man the wheels started to fall off pretty quick, and it's no wonder Sierra left so early

 

[Troqu]

This was why I was so, so hyped for KoD. But man the wheels started to fall off pretty quick, and it's no wonder Sierra left so early

Once I realized that everything I loved about Noxian Nights and early KoD was Sierra and that the art, which is firmly in the realm of good but far from amazing, was the only thing that would be remaining on KoD I knew my feelings on it personally.

 

[Retromancer]

Once I realized that everything I loved about Noxian Nights and early KoD was Sierra and that the art, which is firmly in the realm of good but far from amazing, was the only thing that would be remaining on KoD I knew my feelings on it personally.

I can't remember when I stopped supporting the game - I was a 15$ a month supporter at one point! But it was before Sierra officially left. It was pretty clear what was happening. I will defend the art as being better than good. Not the later Kod stuff but the early stuff. It feels like a lifetime ago

 

[Retromancer]

As much as I hate this game in its current state it's just sad to have watched it die of leprosy.

 

[Xill]

They don't want AI "art" (nor does anyone else).

You'd be surprised considering how many AI art games have been appearing here lately and how many of them are quite popular.

 

[Verizel]

You'd be surprised considering how many AI art games have been appearing here lately and how many of them are quite popular.

Yeah, its not bad per se, and I would forever prefer Sierra as maker of game with AI CG rather than Nomo and AI text and script. And considering how bad artwork get already... yeah, this or another artist. But at leastwith AI you can be sure that he wouldnt be unprofessional.

Like really, I would rather join petition to beg Sierra to return to this project, even if she would be doing everything from scratch. They was doing really good money with this game in addition to main patreon of Sierra, and considering that she is getting close to the end of her Magnum Opus, well, maybe there is a chance?

 

[KGARrokh]

You'd be surprised considering how many AI art games have been appearing here lately and how many of them are quite popular.

AI art is pretty good (not so bad at least), i'm sure in it, because i saw a lot of good AI works from other artists and from myself. It has some problems is lack of consistency on series of images; hands; faces (especially on full body shots or distant shots); more than one character on image)
Why they want to use same images over and over again, if they can, at least, slightly change them without strong deviation from original image or style. Also it is possible to finish some unfinished artworks.

 

[Brother Penetrātus]

You'd be surprised considering how many AI art games have been appearing here lately and how many of them are quite popular.

I wasn't talking about other games.